Ezekiel 5:1-6: a reflection

1“You, son of man, take a sharp sword. You shall take it as a barber’s razor to yourself, and shall cause it to pass over your head and over your beard. Then take balances to weigh and divide the hair. 2A third part you shall burn in the fire in the middle of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled. You shall take a third part, and strike with the sword around it. A third part you shall scatter to the wind, and I will draw out a sword after them. 3You shall take a small number of these and bind them in the folds of your robe. 4Of these again you shall take, and cast them into the middle of the fire, and burn them in the fire. From it a fire will come out into all the house of Israel. 5“The Lord GOD says: ‘This is Jerusalem. I have set her in the middle of the nations, and countries are around her. 6She has rebelled against my ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against my statutes more than the countries that are around her; for they have rejected my ordinances, and as for my statutes, they have not walked in them.’

As God pronounces judgment on Jerusalem, he names what made her sin so grievous: her privileged position. This is Jerusalem, he says. I have set her in the middle of the nations. Yet she has rebelled against my ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations. Jerusalem had been set in the midst of the nations, given God's law and his presence, meant to be a light; yet she had sinned more than the nations around her who had not been given such privilege. Her greater privilege brought greater responsibility, and her sin was the more grievous because she had been given more. To whom much was given, much was required; and Jerusalem had been given much.

Notice the greater responsibility that came with Jerusalem's greater privilege. She had been set in the midst of the nations, given God's ordinances, his statutes, his presence, privileges the surrounding nations did not have. But this privilege was not merely a blessing to enjoy; it brought a greater responsibility, and made her sin the more grievous. She had sinned more than the nations who had less light; and because she had been given more, her rebellion was worse, her accountability greater. The privilege of being given God's light and truth carried a responsibility to walk in it; and to sin against greater light was a greater sin. Much given meant much required.

That is worth taking to heart, for those given more light and privilege bear a greater responsibility to walk in it. We who have been given much, God's word, his truth, the knowledge of him, spiritual privilege, can treat these merely as blessings to enjoy, forgetting the greater responsibility they bring; but Jerusalem's greater privilege brought greater accountability, and her sin against greater light was the more grievous. To whom much is given, much is required. Do not treat the light and privilege God has given you merely as a blessing to enjoy, forgetting the greater responsibility to walk in it; much given means much required. Walk faithfully in the light and privilege God has given you, mindful that greater privilege brings greater responsibility, as Jerusalem was judged the more for sinning against greater light than the nations around her; for to whom much is given, much is required, and those given more of God's light and truth bear a greater responsibility to live by it.

Lord, as you pronounce judgment on Jerusalem, you name what made her sin so grievous: her privileged position. This is Jerusalem, you say. I have set her in the middle of the nations. Yet she has rebelled against my ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations. Jerusalem had been set in the midst of the nations, given your law and your presence, meant to be a light; yet she had sinned more than the nations around her who had not been given such privilege. Her greater privilege brought greater responsibility. Show me the greater responsibility that came with Jerusalem's greater privilege. She had been given your ordinances, your statutes, your presence, privileges the surrounding nations did not have. But this privilege was not merely a blessing to enjoy; it brought a greater responsibility, and made her sin the more grievous. She had sinned more than the nations who had less light; and because she had been given more, her rebellion was worse. To sin against greater light was a greater sin. Take that to my heart, for those given more light and privilege bear a greater responsibility to walk in it. I who have been given much, your word, your truth, the knowledge of you, spiritual privilege, can treat these merely as blessings to enjoy, forgetting the greater responsibility they bring; but Jerusalem's greater privilege brought greater accountability. To whom much is given, much is required. Keep me from treating the light and privilege you have given me merely as a blessing to enjoy, forgetting the greater responsibility to walk in it; help me walk faithfully in the light you have given me, Lord, mindful that greater privilege brings greater responsibility.