Greatness of Sin
Ezekiel 8:15-18
Then said he to me, Have you seen this, O son of man? turn you yet again, and you shall see greater abominations than these.…


1. The greatness or littleness of sin is to be measured, not by man's, but God's account of it. "Is it a light thing to the house of Judah?" They think it so, but it is otherwise. The interrogation sets out the greatness of it. Is it so? no, it is not light, but grievous.

2. To sin where God manifests His presence, and vouchsafes the means of grace and choice mercies, is a great aggravation of sin, and grievous provocation of Divine majesty.

3. Violence is a spreading sin.

4. Injustice is abomination unto God, and the more it spreads, the greater abomination it is.

5. State oppression and church corruption go together. If there be violence in a land, there will be corruptions, pollutions, abominations in the sanctuary.

6. Men's intentions to please God oft prove provocations of God. They intended not to provoke God, but returned in their apprehensions to worship God in the temple, and to please Him; not their purpose, but the event was the provocation. So in verse 6, their abominations drave God far from the sanctuary. They did not purpose and intend to drive God away, but that was the event and issue of their actions, with which they thought they pleased God.

(W. Greenhill, M. A.).



Parallel Verses
KJV: Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.

WEB: Then he said to me, Have you seen [this], son of man? You shall again see yet greater abominations than these.




Man's Provocations of God, and God's Punishment of Man
Top of Page
Top of Page