Ezra 10:9-17 – A uncompromising love for God

Ezra 10:9 tells us that within three days all the men from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem. They all sat in the open square before the temple. The rainy season plus the serious matter at hand made them shiver to hear the judgment of Ezra. Speaking candidly, Ezra told them in verses 10-11 saying, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to the guilt of Israel. Now, therefore, make confession to the Lord God of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” 

By and large, the people assembled agreed with him. Loudly in unison, they replied, “that’s right.” And they concurred that it was their responsibility to set the matter right by getting rid of their foreign wives. However, in verse 15 we are told that a few, four to be precise, objected. Since the serious matter was widespread, plus the rainy season, it was impossible to settle the matter within one or two days. So a suggestion was made that leaders and the people who had committed the offense come with their appointed officials according to appointment to see to the settlement of the issue. Ezra took up the suggestion and in verse 16 he appointed “men who were heads of fathers’ households for each of their father’s households, all of them by name.” They convened the meeting to investigate and settle the matter, which took them three months to complete.

The issue at hand was their marriage to foreign women. Humanly speaking, to put away their wives would seem brutal and unsympathetic. But more than the seemingly unkind act this passage is giving us a critical principle concerning our devotion to God. We must not allow anything to come in the way of our total commitment and devotion to God. Any disobedience must be dealt with ruthlessly so that we will not be hindered in our relationship with Him.  Think of what Jesus said in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life cannot be my disciple.” Jesus is not asking us to hate the list of people mentioned in this verse. He is asking us to put him first in our love and must not even allow the people listed to become the hindrance to our devotion to Him.  We must offer to Jesus a radical and uncompromising love. 

Ezra 10:1-8 – Needing a spiritual renewal

Deeply distressed by the people’s compromising marriage because he knew that it was on account of this that they were sent to exile. Despite the severe judgment, the people still had not learned and indulged in marrying the foreigners.  So in deep contrition, the bewildered Ezra was fasting and praying. As he was mourning and prostrating before the Lord in deep prayer in the temple, men and women from Israel assembled to him there. Ezra 10:1 said that they were weeping bitterly. There before Ezra, Shecaniah confessed their unfaithfulness and promised on oath to correct their wrong.  They would put away their foreign wives and children as Ezra had counseled and do as the law had stipulated. There they encouraged Ezra to  arise, saying that they would be with him as he courageously helped them to right their wrongs. 

Ezra then arose and made the leading priests, Levites, and all of Israel take an oath to do what was proposed. Meanwhile, Ezra went into the quiet room in the house of Jehohanan (a friend) and spent time fasting and mourning over the people’s unfaithfulness.  Then a proclamation was made for all exiles in Judah and Jerusalem to gather in Jerusalem. And within three days, if any of them would not come, his property would be seized and forfeited, and he would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.

For change to take place, the realization of one’s wrong is not enough. It must also be accompanied by repentance and contrition and a determination to correct the wrong. This was what the Jews who returned to Jerusalem inspired by Ezra did. Do we need a reformation in our personal lives? Are that areas of wrong in our lives that need to be identified, repented, and changed? Let’s seek the Lord earnestly so that there can be a movement to get us moving in the right direction and in line with God’s plan and purpose and us. 

 

 

Ezra 9:10-15 – Don’t test the patience of God

To get to the root of a problem, an honest appraisal is required. As it was for the people of Israel, it will be for us. Ezra confessed that as His people, Israel did not take heed to the instruction of God, who had warned them of the impurity of the people and the land which they were entering to possess. They were warned not to have any alliance with the natives of Canaan, whether in marriage, business, or lifestyle. God’s objective was to prevent an unholy model for the subsequent generations. Their failure to take God’s instruction had them into needless judgments. Yet even in His Judgment, His mercy toward them was clear. Israel had received less than what their sin deserved.  

Graciously, God had allowed a remnant to return to rebuild Jerusalem. In the light of God’s great mercy, Ezra shuddered to observe how the remnant could fall into the same disobedience that had previously led the nation into God’s judgment. So he asked two rhetorical questions. The first question is “shall we again break Your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? This question should be answered with a “no.”  God’s people must not test the patience of God. The second question is “Would You not be angry with us to the point of destruction until there is no remnant nor any who escape?  The answer to this second question is yes, God’s anger could be kindled when we return to commit the same sin again. This time there may be no way out of His judgment.

In verse 15, Ezra then rounded up praying, “O Lord God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as it is this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand before You because of this.” He humbly threw himself into the mercy of God and pled with Him not to destroy His people.

In verse 15, Ezra then rounded up praying, “O Lord God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as it is this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand before You because of this.” He humbly threw himself into the mercy of God and pled with Him not to destroy His people.

Lesson 1 - God is patient, but that does not mean that we can test it. While God is patient, it does not give us the right to wear it thin.

Lesson 2 - do not spurn the grace of God. Don’t repeat the sin that He has so graciously forgiven. To do so would be like returning to our vomit.

Lesson 3 - seek to know God’s Word but more importantly seek to obey it to avoid needly discipline.  Remember Hebrews 3:7, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart as in rebellion…!”

Ezra 5:5-9 – The need for true repentance

Those returnees did not correct a very serious disregard they had for God regarding not marrying foreigners. They continued to violate the warning of Deuteronomy 7:1-6. They did not separate themselves from “the peoples of the land, according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.” They took foreign women to be their wives and even had their sons marry them as well. By allowing intermarriage with the foreigners that God clearly warned them not to, they had unwittingly adulterated their race. What made it worst was the fact that the leaders were not only complicit but were also the prime culprits in this matter. When Ezra was told the whole contempt, he was not only widely bewildered but also deeply saddened.  

Ezra was driven to his knees to humbly seek the forgiveness of God on his people’s behalf. He began with confession in Ezra 9:6-7. Though he was not guilty of the offense he identified with his people.  He felt the shame of what his people had done and in humiliation, he deemed himself unworthy to face God. Ezra saw how the nation had not learned from God’s dealing. Since the early days, the whole nation from kings to priests to ordinary people had shown contempt for Him. Despite being dealt severely with needless wars, captivity plunders, and shame, they had not learned.

In Ezra 9:8-9, Ezra clearly acknowledged the grace of God in their present situation. God did not totally disregard them but granted them a new lease of grace even while they were in bondage. The remnant who returned was God’s way of showering His mercy and opening their eyes to His grace. Unworthy as they were, God did not forsake them. He extended His mercy and granted them favor with the kings that allowed them to return to their homeland to rebuild the ruin in the temple and in the wall of Jerusalem in Judah.

There is much for us to learn from Ezra’s repentance and confession on the nation’s behalf. Though he was not guilty, he identified with the sin of the people. To be effective intercessors, there is a need for us to identify with the sin of the people. This will cause us not to come to God with a haughty spirit and feel superior to the people whom we are praying for. There is a need to rightly appraise what led up to the condition so that God’s grace could be fully appreciated. Awareness will always help us to pray more aptly. Then there must be a recognition of the marvelous grace of God, without which we will be trapped in our misery forever.    

Ezra 9:1-4 – Do not be unequally yoked

Stipulated in the covenant God had with the Israelites He told them precisely not to indulge in a mixed marriage with foreigners. This was exactly what God said to them Deuteronomy 7:1-4. “When the LORD your God brings you into the land where you are entering to possess it and clears away many nations before you, the Hittites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Canaanites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and stronger than you, and when the LORD your God delivers them before you and you defeat them, then you shall utterly destroy them. You shall make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. Furthermore, you shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughters to their sons, nor shall you take their daughters for your sons. For they will turn your sons away from following Me to serve other gods; then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and He will quickly destroy you.”

Now among the Jews that had returned from exile, intermarry with foreigners was widespread. In Ezra 9:1-2, Ezra was approached by some of the princes reporting that “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”

These people had clearly violated what God through Moses had stipulated. Even religious leaders who should have known better had broken this commandment. When it was told Ezra, he was distressed. Narrating in the first person, Ezra said, in verse 3, “I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled.” He was astonished as did every one of those who had a wholesome fear for the Word of God. They came gathered to him on account of the exiles’ unfaithfulness. They were sad and bewildered by how lightly and casually the people regarded God’s instruction.

Here is the call not to be unequally yoked in marriage. God’s concern has always been that believers would be wrongly influenced and apostatized. He knew that one’s unbelieving spouse has the capacity to influence a believer to compromise on his or her relationship with God. In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Paul’s instruction question is still very relevant today. When seeking a life partner, the pertinent question is still, “…for what partnership has righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? If we are looking for a life partner or counseling someone looking for a life partner remember that it is wiser to marry someone who is also committed to the LORD Jesus.

 

 

Ezra 8:33-36 – Only our best for God

Ezra 8:33-34 describe the handover of the silver and gold utensils and the donations for the temple to Meremoth. With him was also Eleazar, the son of Phinehas, and some Levites. Meremoth was either the high priest or the treasurer of the temple. Everything was in order and all that was handed over to the priest was recorded and accounted for. Being accountable is a critical part of being trustworthy. This ought to be a practice that Christians must observe strictly. Being careful with what has been entrusted to us leaves little room for accusation. God cherishes integrity and we must be people of integrity, especially in financial matters.

Worship was the first order of those returnees that came back with Ezra. So here in Ezra 8:35-36, we see them worshipping and offering needful sacrifices to God. In verse 12, it was said that 12 bulls for all Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, and 12 male goats for a sin offering, all as a burnt offering to the Lord. Though the returnees came largely from Judah and Benjamin, their offerings were made for all 12 tribes of Israel. Here they offered both sacrifices for their sin as well as sacrifices of dedication and thanksgiving. Ezra also delivered the king’s edict to the satraps and governors beyond the region. This was done to elicit support for them and their temple. So the governmental official all complied and offer support to the house of God.

Among other lessons, two lessons stand out. The first lesson is about accountability. We are all accountable for what has been entrusted. And we are not expected to account for that God has not given to us. It is important that we identify the gifts and talents we clearly possess and give our best to exercise them. We don’t have to be jealous of what others have, we just need to do what has been given to us. For God will call us to account for what we have been entrustd with. The second lesson is that worship must be devotedly offered. It must be unitedly rendered. Though the returnees were mainly from two tribes they offered for all 12 tribes of Israel. In worship, sin must be renounced. This was seen in the sin offerings to God. Then there must be thanksgiving and rededication. In our worship of God, we must renounce our sins to be acceptable to God and then gratefully respect God for all that He is to us.

 

 

Ezra 8:31-32 – Protected by God

Ezra and his entourage set out from Babylon to Jerusalem. The journey took about four months. This was according to Ezra 7:9. They set out on the first of the first month he began to go up from Babylon.  It was not until the first of the fifth month that they came to Jerusalem. Ezra was quick to recognize that God’s good hand was upon them.

Ezra 8 began by listing all the males in the entourage. We are told in verse 15 that Ezra assembled them at the River Ahava. There he noticed that there were no Levites among them. Then he sent for men to Iddo and his brothers who were temple servants at Casiphia and were given a team of Levites and some 220 Nethinim. It was there at River Ahava, that he also proclaimed a three-day fast to seek the protection of God because he did not want to rely on the king.  There he also assigned 12 priests to take care of the silver and gold utensils and the funds collected for the temple at Jerusalem.   

In Ezra 8:31-32, we are told that the entourage set out toward Jerusalem on the 12th day of the first month. The journey towards their destination was dangerous. It was common to encounter bandits on the way. They were exposed to the dangers of encountering the bandits. This was especially so since they were ferrying with them the silver and gold utensils and a substantial offering for the temple. Although Ezra did not say whether they encountered any, it was more likely that they did. What is comforting to note was that Ezra recognized that God’s presence was with them, protected them, saved them from ambushes, and saw them through the journey. When they came to Jerusalem, verse 32 implied that they took a well-deserved, three-day rest before delivering what they brought with them to the temple.

 

Without a doubt, God’s protection is always the best. It is available to us when we place our trust in Him.  We see His people both in the Old and the New Testament experiencing this. Here Ezra is one of those that relied on God and experience His protection. The lesson we take from here is that we can trust God with our lives, especially when we are doing His bidding. We are governed by His providence, covered by His prayer, and graced by His presence daily. What an honor!