Ezekiel 5:7-12: a reflection

7“Therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are around you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my ordinances, neither have followed the ordinances of the nations that are around you; 8therefore the Lord GOD says: ‘Behold, I, even I, am against you; and I will execute judgments among you in the sight of the nations. 9I will do in you that which I have not done, and which I will not do anything like it any more, because of all your abominations. 10Therefore the fathers will eat the sons within you, and the sons will eat their fathers. I will execute judgments on you; and I will scatter the whole remnant of you to all the winds. 11Therefore as I live,’ says the Lord GOD, ‘surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things, and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you. My eye won’t spare, and I will have no pity. 12A third part of you will die with the pestilence, and they will be consumed with famine within you. A third part will fall by the sword around you. A third part I will scatter to all the winds, and will draw out a sword after them.

This is a hard passage of judgment against Jerusalem. Set aside its severe imagery, and notice the reason God gives: Because you are more turbulent than the nations around you, and have not walked in my statutes. Jerusalem, God's own city, given his law and his presence, had rebelled even more than the pagan nations who never had such privileges. The people who had received the most had lived worse than those who had received nothing, and for this they are held to a heavier account.

Notice the principle beneath the judgment: greater privilege brings greater responsibility. Jerusalem was not judged by the same measure as the nations who had never known God's law; she was judged more severely, because she had been given more. Having received God's revelation, his presence, his commands, she was accountable for living by them, and her rebellion was the more grievous because of all she had been given. Much had been entrusted to her, and much was required.

That is a sobering word for those of us who have received much of God's truth. We who have been given the Scriptures, the gospel, the knowledge of God's will, are not in the position of those who have never heard; we are held responsible for what we have received. Greater privilege brings greater responsibility; to whom much is given, much is required. Do not take lightly the knowledge of God you have been given, as though hearing were enough. Live by what you know; let your life match the truth you have received. The privilege of knowing God's truth is also a responsibility to walk in it, and we are accountable for the light we have been given.

Lord, in this hard passage you judged Jerusalem more severely than the nations around her, because she, having received your law and your presence, had rebelled even more than those who never knew them; much had been entrusted to her, and much was required. Sober me with that principle. I who have been given the Scriptures, the gospel, the knowledge of your will, am not in the position of those who have never heard; I am held responsible for what I have received. Greater privilege brings greater responsibility; to whom much is given, much is required. Keep me from taking lightly the knowledge of you I have been given, as though hearing were enough. Help me live by what I know, and let my life match the truth I have received. The privilege of knowing your truth is also a responsibility to walk in it; help me walk in the light you have given, faithful with what has been entrusted to me.