Ezekiel 3:16-21
16 And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
18 When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
19 Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.
Thomas Constable's Expository Notes on the Bible - Ezekiel 3:17-21
3:17 Yahweh told Ezekiel that He had appointed him to a ministry that was similar to that of a watchman who stood sentry and watched for any threat to his city (cf. 2 Sam. 18:24-27; 2 Kings 9:17-20; Jer. 6:17). Whenever Ezekiel received a word from the LORD, he was to pass it along to the Israelites (cf. Isa. 56:10; Jer. 6:17; Hos. 9:8).
3:18 If Ezekiel failed to pass along a message of warning to the Israelites, warning them to repent or die, the LORD would hold Ezekiel personally responsible for their fate (cf. ch. 18; 33:1-20; Gen. 9:5).
3:19 If, however, Ezekiel did warn the people and they refused to repent, they would die, but the LORD would not hold Ezekiel responsible.
3:20 Similarly, if a righteous person turned to sin and Ezekiel failed to warn him of its consequences, even though the LORD would put him to death, the LORD would hold Ezekiel responsible for not warning him. The obstacle that the LORD promised to put in the path of the righteous man who had turned aside to sin was the warning that Ezekiel should provide.
3:21 On the other hand, if Ezekiel warned a righteous person and he heeded the warning, he would live, and Ezekiel would be free of any guilt before the LORD.
The Mosaic Law promised life for obedience and death for disobedience. This was physical life and physical death, not eternal life and death. The LORD gave the Mosaic Law to a people who had already entered into relationship with Himself by faith (cf. Lev. 18:5; Deut. 4:37-40; 6; 7:6-11; 10:15-17; 30:15-20; see also Exod. 19:8; 24:3, 7; Deut. 5:27). The possibility here is premature physical death or extended physical life. Eternal life and eternal security are not the issues.