Alarm Clock Before the Dawn

If I warn the wicked, saying, “You will surely die,” and you do not speak to warn them… I will hold you accountable for their blood. — Ezekiel 3:18

I love this series in which Marti has selected a number of prophetic passages for us to study and write about. However this one I’ve been dreading. That’s because it smacks of legalism and a fear tactic that was used on me by eager youth pastors when I was growing up to try to get us in the youth group to witness to our friends. The picture was painted of us getting to heaven and having to face our friends on their way to hell crying out to us as they filed by to their doom, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

It’s a picture loaded with guilt and fear; it makes me responsible for the salvation of my friends, not God, and its appeal is to my welfare more than the other person.

I witness to get the blood off my hands rather than out of love and concern for someone else.

Still, in spite of what was wrong with this manipulative tactic, we have this word to Ezekiel about his responsibility to pass on the prophetic warning to the people. Do we feel any of this tension today? Should we?

If you were on the Titanic and you knew the extent of the damage done to the ship and that there was a good chance it was going to go down, you would do everything you could to warn the people. Your motivation wouldn’t be guilt; it would be a sense of love, compassion and urgency. You know something they don’t know. How can you keep it to yourself? That knowledge and concern would compel you.

Having said that, let’s take another look at Ezekiel’s warning in light of today.

The world feels heavy and restless — like the moments before morning, when the sky is dark but starting to pale. That’s when the alarm clock rings. It isn’t meant to punish you for sleeping; it’s meant to wake you because daylight is coming.

That’s the heart of God’s judgment. It’s not revenge. It’s revelation. It’s mercy in the form of an alarm. A prophet’s calling is not to accuse but to awaken — to help people see that they are drifting away from what’s best for them. The warning itself is God’s plea from a broken heart: Please, turn around. Come home. The purpose of the alarm is never to shame the sleeper; it’s to make sure they don’t miss the dawn.

Divine judgment is the wake-up call before redemption — the alarm clock before the dawn. “Return to Me with all your heart… for I am gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love” (Joel 2:13).

When Jesus met sinners, He didn’t humiliate them. He restored them. So when we speak truth, it should sound like Him — not You’re condemned, but There’s a better way, and grace is waiting.

At the Catch, we believe prophetic truth and radical grace belong together.

Truth without grace crushes; grace without truth drifts. Together, they reveal the God who both warns and welcomes.

That’s why we refuse the language of separation, shame, or superiority. We will never use the Bible to diminish another human being — not the broken, the doubting, the gay, or the transgender. If grace found me, it must be big enough to find anyone.

God’s voice is never, You are not human. It is always, You are Mine.

Week 2 — Pawn in the Game

Prophetic Warning: Cultural Idols
Words and Music by John Fischer

Two hundred years ago

When our nation was starting to grow

Life, liberty, and happiness

Were the things we wanted to know

But happiness became the king

And took over everything

And in pursuing happiness

We lost the very thing that would make us blessed

We lost the Lord

No wonder we’re so bored

We’re just a pawn in the game

The West is not to be

In the book of prophecy

We sold our crown to the pleasure clown

For an inexpensive fee

And it isn’t very far

From a plastic credit card

To a number on your head before you can be fed a loaf of bread

Keep looking to the east

And watching for the beast

We’re just a pawn in the game

(What a shame)

Many years from now

I can hear them saying how

America came and America went

Turned under by the plow

While other nations stand

With orders in their hands

To turn the course of time under the force of the evil one’s command

We gave away the right

To be a nation of the light

Now we’re a pawn in the game

(What a shame)

Keep looking to the east

And watching for the beast

We’re just a pawn in the game

(What a shame)

And nobody can afford

To not be reaching for the Lord

We’re just a pawn in the game

(Pawn in the game what a shame)

Join the movement of Grace

Discover the Catch Ministry at CatchJohnFischer.Live

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE 30-DAY DEVOTIONAL BOOK!

To the Catch Community,

We live in uncertain times. The prophet’s job is to remind God’s people: God is right on time. For the nexin theGamet 30 days, the Catch is running “Eyes Wide Open” — a daily call to watch, listen and act. Our “Eyes Wide Open” booklet in support of each day’s Catch article, including a short Scripture, a brief reflection and a practical step, is available here for download. Will you join us? CLICK HERE to download your booklet. Let’s be the Church that’s awake — not afraid, but ready.

Here’s is today’s entry. Don’t miss this opportunity to interact with the study.

Devotional:

The prophet’s role isn’t to condemn—it’s to confront. Judgment isn’t about shame; it’s a wake-up call to turn and live. But silence has a cost. When we withhold truth out of fear, people stay bound. God doesn’t just ask you to notice sin — He calls you to speak and help others Come to life in Christ. First, though, we start with our own repentance. Truth without humility is just noise. Real prophets walk the path they preach.

Prayer Prompt:

God, show me where I’ve compromised—and lead me to make it right.

Action Step:

Humbly confess one place of compromise and commit to sharing the gospel with someone today.

Don’t keep the work of John and Marti to yourself — get out your address book and invite others to subscribe to the daily Catch by going to catchjohnfischer.live and click on the envelope or sign up on facebook.com/thecatch.