The Simple Ordinary But Exceedingly Great Sin!

Ezekiel 9:9 (NIV) – He answered me, “THE SIN of the people of Israel and Judah IS EXCEEDINGLY GREAT; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.’

Sin is an offense against God. Therefore any sin is dangerous and bad. Sin cuts off our relationship with God the source of life and everything that we have and are. We should be actively concerned about our sinfulness and seek forgiveness and a right relationship with God.

Our Bible text today tells us about an exceedingly great sin. This is really terrible. Sin is bad enough, exceedingly great makes it the worst thing ever. We are therefore concerned to know and understand the exceedingly great sin, so as to avoid it at all costs.

Ezekiel 9:7-9 (NIV) – 7 Then he said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courts with the slain. Go!” So they went out and began killing throughout the city. 8 While they were killing and I was left alone, I fell facedown, crying out, “Alas, Sovereign LORD! Are you going to destroy the entire remnant of Israel in this outpouring of your wrath on Jerusalem? ” 9 He answered me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice. They say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land; the LORD does not see.’

The Prophet Ezekiel witnesses agents of God killing people in Jerusalem. Ezekiel cries out to God because it seems majority of people will be killed. God responds to Ezekiel’s cry by telling him that the people being killed committed exceedingly great sin. This exceedingly great sin has resulted in bloodshed and injustice in the city.

What is this exceedingly great sin that has led to bloodshed and injustice in Jerusalem? What is this exceedingly great sin that has caused God to wantonly kill majority of the people in Jerusalem? What is this exceedingly great sin that has seriously offended God? To understand it, we must go back to the beginning of the chapter.

Ezekiel 9:3-6 (NIV) – 3 Now the glory of the God of Israel went up from above the cherubim, where it had been, and moved to the threshold of the temple. Then the LORD called to the man clothed in linen who had the writing kit at his side 4 and said to him, “Go throughout the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done in it. ” 5 As I listened, he said to the others, “Follow him through the city and kill, without showing pity or compassion. 6 Slaughter the old men, the young men and women, the mothers and children, but do not touch anyone who has the mark. Begin at my sanctuary.” So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple.

God commissions a killing squad to follow a man dressed in Linen. The man in linen marks everyone who is concerned about the evil things going on in Israel. Anyone without a mark, that is anyone who doesn’t show concern for the evil things going on in Israel, must be butchered by the killing squad. This is the butchering that caused Ezekiel to cry. God responds that the people being slaughtered are people who have committed the exceedingly great sin. The exceedingly great sin is that they are not concerned about the evil things happening in Jerusalem!

They die in masses because they have committed the exceedingly great sin. The exceedingly great sin is that they play neutral and indifferent as they witness evil things being done in Jerusalem. God asks the killing squad to kill the sinners who commit murder and injustice. How does the killing squad identify who to kill? Anyone who doesn’t have a mark showing that they are concerned about the evil things that are happening in Jerusalem is a collaborator with those who commit bloodshed and injustice, they too must die. They have committed the exceedingly great sin!

God doesn’t ask the killing squad to look for corrupt people, murderers, thieves, people who commit injustice, rapists, etc. Looking for such people would be complex. Many are presenting themselves as decent nice people. Many have masks and may not be easily identified. Some have even deceived themselves and do not know that they are the people committing the exceedingly great sin. Therefore God gives one sure sign that will give away such people – they are not concerned about the evil things that are happening in Jerusalem.

The symptom that you are committing the exceedingly great sin, is that you are not concerned about the evil things that are happening around you. Those things don’t bother you. Those things don’t trigger you to pray. You are indifferent to the things happening around you. Consequently you are enabling bloodshed and injustice. Consequently you have knowingly or unknowingly become a collaborator with unjust people, murderers, corrupt people, thieves, etc. It all begins with the don’t care, don’t get concerned attitude. That simple ordinary don’t care act is the root of the exceedingly great sin!

If you are not concerned about something wrong, then you are indirectly supporting it. If you don’t care and you don’t bother, you are a direct or indirect enabler of the wrong thing. Therefore as innocent as you look, as philosophically withdrawn as you may be, the divine killing squad will not spare you from facing a brutal death for the exceedingly great sin you have participated in by your alleged neutrality in matters that have never had neutrality.

Our concern for sin does not lead us to play God and accuse others, judge them and condemn them, no! Our concern leads us to pray for divine intervention. Our concern leads us to distinctly separate ourselves from such people and such things. Our concern leads us closer to God as it becomes distinctly clear that we are not party to the evil things.

Our concern doesn’t leads us to tarnish names of suspects or condemn them as if we are God. We condemn the evil and let God judge His people. Our concern makes it clear to all and sundry that we are not in support of the evils going on. Our prayers for divine intervention brings a conviction to us that we are not part of the evil and we need to be closer to God.

If you are not concerned about the exceedingly great evils around you, you are committing an exceedingly great sin. May God cause us to be concerned about evils of gambling, drug abuse, corruption, domestic violence, sexual abuse of the vulnerable, etc. If we are not concerned, we are as guilty as those who commit these exceedingly great evils!

Lack of concern may look simple and ordinary, but it is an exceedingly great sin. Are you concerned about teenage pregnancy? Are you concerned about lateness to attend worship, by people who are never late anywhere else? Are you concerned about racism and tribalism that favors your race and tribe? Are you concerned that the minority are discriminated by your formula, proposals, and actions?

Are you concerned about individuals and families whose names are tarnished? Are you concerned about the trauma you cause the children of people you publicly accuse without evidence? Are you concerned about evangelistic damage of your public opinion on social media and elsewhere? Are you concerned if people walk out of church never to return? Are you concerned if anyone doesn’t accept salvation because of what you said, did or posted on social media or somewhere publicly?

Are we concerned about abuse of taxes that are collected from poor people who never get served? Are we concerned about abuse of tithes and offerings that are collected from majority poor people but hardly enjoy its use? Are we concerned about financial schemes that scam the people into deeper poverty? Are we concerned?

Are we concerned about heartbreaking people? Are we concerned that lying to someone to get sex will leave them heartbroken after you are done and you have left? Are we concerned that asking for money from someone interested in you when you have no mutual interest is conning the person?

Are we concerned that cheating in exams risks the future of our society by producing an incompetent work force? Are we concerned that cheating has been made official and it’s organized by parents and teachers?

Are we concerned about religious syncretism? Are we concerned that believers in an all powerful God are also subscribers to witchcraft out of fear? Are we concerned that people will prefer a place of worship where they pay for prayers and it’s apparently someone’s business?

Dear God, make me concerned. Make me distinctly concerned to the glory of your name. In Jesus name, Amen!

SHARE THIS ARTICLE RIGHT NOW. Someone you know will only know about this article if you share with them. Someone you know needs this article. Share this with one more person. Don’t copy the text. Copy THE LINK or send the website address which is reikesis.com so that they too read the word of God FROM THE WEBSITE and access more. YOU CAN COMMENT on this article at the bottom of the article. Also remember this author has a YouTube channel @ReiKesis which has hundreds of videos for you! Thanks for your loyal support of this ministry!