Ezra: The Right Man at the Right Time. Pt. 12 True repentance & sin's consequences
It is a good morning when we begin the day with reading the Word of God and enjoy a good cup of coffee. Caffeine wakes us up and the scriptures revive our minds and spirits.
Holy men and holy things polluted
The book of Ezra ends on a somewhat sad note. The last 2 paragraphs contain a list of those who had married pagan wives. First, we see that 17 priests, 10 Levites, a singer and 3 gatekeepers had intermarried. The last paragraph lists 84 other names of men who married pagan wives.
Ezra 10:18-24 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah. And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
The prophet Ezekiel addressed the issue of being intermingled with the world and pagan people. He said that they put no difference between the sacred and the profane. The priests at Jerusalem when Ezra came did not put a difference between the holy and clean things of God and those unclean and unholy things of the world.
Ezekiel 22:26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
No spiritual progress can be made without having clean hands and a pure heart
We see that before the people could make progress in their covenant relationship with Jehovah, a cleansing and purifying had to take place. An unclean people cannot come and stand before Holy God.
In the text below King David reminds us that only those with clean hands and pure hearts can stand in His holy place to serve and worship Jehovah.
Psalm 24:3-5 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Only the pure in heart shall see God according to Christ. This is why our Pastor faithfully reminds us to keep short accounts with God. By this he means that we must confess and forsake our sins as we become aware of them rather than letting our sins pile up without seeking the cleansing and forgiveness of Jehovah.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Confession and Cleansing lead to doing what is right
Ezra faithfully led the people by confronting them with their sins and bringing them to the point of making confession and repentance. Confession and repentance leads to doing what is right.
In this case it meant putting away or divorcing their pagan wives and separating from them. This was not an easy task because children had been born into these marriages and the fathers who sinned certainly loved those children and their wives.
Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Our Holy God demands that the sheep of His pasture come out from the world and be separated unto Him.
Deuteronomy 23:14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.
There is tremendous truth that we can apply from the life of Ezra.
Personally we must make much of the Word of God
First, I think we see the paramount importance of making much of the Word of God. Ezra poured himself into studying, learning, understanding and applying the scriptures. He was a ready scribe who could teach others the Word of God. His mind was renewed each time he read the scriptures and God used His word to change Ezra from the inside out.
We need renewed minds so that we can think on good things
We need to have our minds renewed and our thinking brought into alignment with the will of God. The Lord will transform us as we dedicate ourselves to reading, studying, memorizing and applying His Word. Revived spirits, hearts full of zeal and a love for God are some of the great benefits we receive from reading our Bibles.
What we think about will dictate the choices that we make in life. This is why the Spirit of God guided Paul to instruct us about Godly things to think about. The word translated "think" is part of the word logical. Logical thinking is using our cognitive ability to carefully and accurately investigate truth by turning it over in our minds.
Philippians 4:-9 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
The apostle Paul tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God because this is a reasonable service for us to render to the God who saved us. We are warned not to be conformed to the world as the people at Jerusalem had been conformed during the life of Ezra.
Renewed minds and internal transformation comes from studying God's word
Paul shows us our need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds through the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Paul uses the terms "put off" and "put on" to help us understand our need to have renewed thinking. The old man is only interested in satisfying the lust of the flesh and in pursuing the things of the world. We must put that off.
We put on the new man created in us when we were born again. We renew our minds when we invest our time and energies in the Word of God and the things of God
Ephesians 4:2-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Separation leads to pure hearts and clean hands
Separation in marriage
Second, Ezra teaches us the valuable lesson of separation from that which is unclean, worldly or ungodly. In his case it was a costly lesson to learn for those Jewish men who had married pagan wives but the impurity had to be addressed. Otherwise they could not enter into the covenant of salvation from Jehovah.
A Christian should seek to marry another believer. What about those Christians who are married to an unbeliever? Paul addressed this issue. He tells us that the believing husband should not divorce his unbelieving wife and that the believing wife should stay with her unbelieving husband. The believing spouse may have a gospel witness that leads the unbelieving spouse to faith in Christ. (1 Corinthians 7:14-16)
1 Corinthians 7:12-13 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
Separation from evil or unwholesome influences
Paul brings this truth out in a powerful way. Separation is often taught when preaching about marriage but separation really begins well before the age of marriage, as we teach our children to separate from or avoid those things or people that are ungodly influences. We must teach our children to use the Word of God as the guide for making decisions about life that honor God.
1 John 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Separation in a vocational setting
A vocational setting is a unique opportunity for a Christian to be a witness for the Lord. In America we spend 40 hours a week with co-workers and many of them do not know the Lord. God calls us to serve Him wherever we are so we need to view work as an opportunity to share the word of God with people around us.
Paul brings this out for us as he speaks about the relationship of Christian slaves to their masters. In thinking about our vocational setting, the master would be our boss or supervisor. We would be the employee.
We are to do our work heartily not seeking to please our supervisor but to please our Lord. If we work like that we will also please our supervisor because we will be productive employees of integrity doing quality work. We know that our labors will be recognized by the Lord.
Ephesians 6:5-8 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Living a separated life at work means making sure our attendance, honesty, integrity and work ethic is the very best in that setting. I know of supervisors who observed a Christian employee perform work by doing all things work related heartily as unto the Lord. The supervisor asked the Christian employee what it was that drove them to work like they do and this question opened the door for a conversation about the gospel.
Separation maintained and relationships established to share the gospel with the lost
The Great Commission is that we share the gospel with people around us that are not saved. We should build a relationship with lost people for the purpose of telling them about Jesus Christ. Remember, someone shared the gospel with you and me and God saved us. We need to see unsaved people as lost sheep wandering astray that Christ died to save.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Points to Ponder...
Holy men and holy things polluted
The book of Ezra ends on a somewhat sad note. The last 2 paragraphs contain a list of those who had married pagan wives. First, we see that 17 priests, 10 Levites, a singer and 3 gatekeepers had intermarried. The last paragraph lists 84 other names of men who married pagan wives.
Ezra 10:18-24 And among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives: namely, of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren; Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave their hands that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their trespass. And of the sons of Immer; Hanani, and Zebadiah. And of the sons of Harim; Maaseiah, and Elijah, and Shemaiah, and Jehiel, and Uzziah. And of the sons of Pashur; Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethaneel, Jozabad, and Elasah. Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. Of the singers also; Eliashib: and of the porters; Shallum, and Telem, and Uri.
The prophet Ezekiel addressed the issue of being intermingled with the world and pagan people. He said that they put no difference between the sacred and the profane. The priests at Jerusalem when Ezra came did not put a difference between the holy and clean things of God and those unclean and unholy things of the world.
Ezekiel 22:26 Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
No spiritual progress can be made without having clean hands and a pure heart
We see that before the people could make progress in their covenant relationship with Jehovah, a cleansing and purifying had to take place. An unclean people cannot come and stand before Holy God.
In the text below King David reminds us that only those with clean hands and pure hearts can stand in His holy place to serve and worship Jehovah.
Psalm 24:3-5 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Only the pure in heart shall see God according to Christ. This is why our Pastor faithfully reminds us to keep short accounts with God. By this he means that we must confess and forsake our sins as we become aware of them rather than letting our sins pile up without seeking the cleansing and forgiveness of Jehovah.
Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Confession and Cleansing lead to doing what is right
Ezra faithfully led the people by confronting them with their sins and bringing them to the point of making confession and repentance. Confession and repentance leads to doing what is right.
In this case it meant putting away or divorcing their pagan wives and separating from them. This was not an easy task because children had been born into these marriages and the fathers who sinned certainly loved those children and their wives.
Proverbs 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Our Holy God demands that the sheep of His pasture come out from the world and be separated unto Him.
Deuteronomy 23:14 For the LORD thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp, to deliver thee, and to give up thine enemies before thee; therefore shall thy camp be holy: that he see no unclean thing in thee, and turn away from thee.
There is tremendous truth that we can apply from the life of Ezra.
Personally we must make much of the Word of God
First, I think we see the paramount importance of making much of the Word of God. Ezra poured himself into studying, learning, understanding and applying the scriptures. He was a ready scribe who could teach others the Word of God. His mind was renewed each time he read the scriptures and God used His word to change Ezra from the inside out.
We need renewed minds so that we can think on good things
We need to have our minds renewed and our thinking brought into alignment with the will of God. The Lord will transform us as we dedicate ourselves to reading, studying, memorizing and applying His Word. Revived spirits, hearts full of zeal and a love for God are some of the great benefits we receive from reading our Bibles.
What we think about will dictate the choices that we make in life. This is why the Spirit of God guided Paul to instruct us about Godly things to think about. The word translated "think" is part of the word logical. Logical thinking is using our cognitive ability to carefully and accurately investigate truth by turning it over in our minds.
Philippians 4:-9 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.
The apostle Paul tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God because this is a reasonable service for us to render to the God who saved us. We are warned not to be conformed to the world as the people at Jerusalem had been conformed during the life of Ezra.
Renewed minds and internal transformation comes from studying God's word
Paul shows us our need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds through the Word of God and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Paul uses the terms "put off" and "put on" to help us understand our need to have renewed thinking. The old man is only interested in satisfying the lust of the flesh and in pursuing the things of the world. We must put that off.
We put on the new man created in us when we were born again. We renew our minds when we invest our time and energies in the Word of God and the things of God
Ephesians 4:2-24 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Separation leads to pure hearts and clean hands
Separation in marriage
Second, Ezra teaches us the valuable lesson of separation from that which is unclean, worldly or ungodly. In his case it was a costly lesson to learn for those Jewish men who had married pagan wives but the impurity had to be addressed. Otherwise they could not enter into the covenant of salvation from Jehovah.
A Christian should seek to marry another believer. What about those Christians who are married to an unbeliever? Paul addressed this issue. He tells us that the believing husband should not divorce his unbelieving wife and that the believing wife should stay with her unbelieving husband. The believing spouse may have a gospel witness that leads the unbelieving spouse to faith in Christ. (1 Corinthians 7:14-16)
1 Corinthians 7:12-13 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
Separation from evil or unwholesome influences
Paul brings this truth out in a powerful way. Separation is often taught when preaching about marriage but separation really begins well before the age of marriage, as we teach our children to separate from or avoid those things or people that are ungodly influences. We must teach our children to use the Word of God as the guide for making decisions about life that honor God.
1 John 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Separation in a vocational setting
A vocational setting is a unique opportunity for a Christian to be a witness for the Lord. In America we spend 40 hours a week with co-workers and many of them do not know the Lord. God calls us to serve Him wherever we are so we need to view work as an opportunity to share the word of God with people around us.
Paul brings this out for us as he speaks about the relationship of Christian slaves to their masters. In thinking about our vocational setting, the master would be our boss or supervisor. We would be the employee.
We are to do our work heartily not seeking to please our supervisor but to please our Lord. If we work like that we will also please our supervisor because we will be productive employees of integrity doing quality work. We know that our labors will be recognized by the Lord.
Ephesians 6:5-8 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
Living a separated life at work means making sure our attendance, honesty, integrity and work ethic is the very best in that setting. I know of supervisors who observed a Christian employee perform work by doing all things work related heartily as unto the Lord. The supervisor asked the Christian employee what it was that drove them to work like they do and this question opened the door for a conversation about the gospel.
Separation maintained and relationships established to share the gospel with the lost
The Great Commission is that we share the gospel with people around us that are not saved. We should build a relationship with lost people for the purpose of telling them about Jesus Christ. Remember, someone shared the gospel with you and me and God saved us. We need to see unsaved people as lost sheep wandering astray that Christ died to save.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Points to Ponder...
- Our spiritual progress depends upon our response to His word.
- No progress can be made if sin is unaddressed.
- Confession and forsaking leads to doing what God says it right.
- Ezra shows us that we need to dedicate ourselves to the Word of God in order to have renewed minds and revived spirits.
- We need to practice Biblical separation so that we can come before God with clean hands and pure hearts.
We are done with the book of Ezra but we are going to learn more about him in the book of Nehemiah. These two men collaborated in leading the people through the straight gate and onto the narrow way. As we study more about Ezra we will also look at the life of Nehemiah and I know that this will be a blessing to all of us.
Bob
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