UNDERSTANDING our PRIVILEGE & POSITION in this WORLD
August 27 Bible Reading: Ezekiel Chapters 4-6
UNDERSTANDING our PRIVILEGE & POSITION in this WORLD
"Thus says the
Lord God: 'This is Jerusalem; I have set
her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her. She has
rebelled against My judgments by doing wickedness more than the nations, and
against My statutes more than the countries that are all around her; for they
have refused My judgments, and they have not walked in My statutes.' Therefore
thus says the Lord God: 'Because you have multiplied disobedience more than the
nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My
judgments, nor even done according to the judgments of the nations that are all
around you'-- therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Indeed I, even I, am against
you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations."
(Ezek 5:5-8)
The above words were being said in anguish by God to prophet Ezekiel. Jehovah God had gifted to the
Israelites this magnificent city called Jerusalem as an inheritance. God had loved
this city and had established it as the center of the world, because His holy temple
was there. Jerusalem was regarded in God's point of view as center of the whole
earth, designed to radiate the true light over the nations in all directions. "Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the
whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great
King." (Psalms 48:2)
God had also planned Jerusalem to be the meeting place of all
the nations in the future: "At that
time Jerusalem shall be called The Throne of the Lord, and all the nations
shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem." (Jer
3:17) This great city lay midway between the oldest and most civilized states,
Egypt and Ethiopia on one side, and Babylon, Nineveh, and India on the other,
and afterwards Persia, Greece, and Rome. Israel
was thus placed to be the spiritual benefactor of the whole world! (See Psalms
67:1-7)
However, Jerusalem had rebelled against God and His laws. The
people of this favored city had not only stubbornly refused to keep the laws of
God, but had sinned even more than all the heathen nations around them—they had
even failed to follow the moral laws that were common among the pagans. They
started worshipping idols and had literally gone beyond the heathen in
provoking God to anger. So, God promised to judge the Israelites more severely
in the sight of the nations (v. 8).
God had placed Israel and the city of Jerusalem in a
strategic position, and so their punishment would be more severe on account of
their disobedience. We, as Christians, have even higher privileges than the
Jews. Like Jerusalem set in the midst of the nations, we have also been set in
the midst of the unbelievers to be a source of light to them. Let us understand
our privilege and position in this world, and live only for eternal rewards
that God will give us one day!
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden...let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matt 5:14-16)
