Ezekiel 16:47

A very little thing. Hebrew me‘at qat. The first Hebrew word means “little,” or “small”; the second is of doubtful derivation. Some compare it with the Ethiopian quatit, “small.” The word “thing” is supplied. If correctly so, the passage could mean, “nor done after their abominations a little only, but hast done more corruptly than they.” The Hebrew phrase may also mean “a little time.” The idea would then be, “not done after their abominations, but in a little while you did more corruptly than they.”

The greater sin would have to be understood in the sense of greater guilt because of greater opportunity. This was Christ’s thought when He upbraided the faithlessness of the people of His day, declaring, “It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city” (Matthew 10:15). They sin most who sin against the greatest light. The most fearful retribution comes upon those who have had the greatest opportunities but have abused the mercies of God and slighted the divine warnings. The accumulated light of the ages shines in our day. Men who neglect today’s blessings and opportunities bring upon themselves greater guilt than men in any previous age. The wrath of God in the seven last plagues is reserved for those who decide against Christ in the day of greatest illumination, when the third angel’s message swells into the loud cry and the whole earth is lightened with the glory of God (Revelation 18:1-4). Sinners of earlier ages suffer only the wrath that comes after the millennium.