Ezra:The Right Man at the Right Time. Pt. 11 Sin is dealt with and hope returns.
Good morning to all and I pray that we are all energized to do all things for the glory of God this day, whether doing chores, getting groceries or if we are going to school or work.
Ezra's humble but hurting heart is used of God to impact those around him
The text below gives us an indication that the Spirit of God has been at work. Ezra continued to be severely impacted bu the people's sins. He prayed and confessed their sins with many tears. He cast himself down at the house of God because only Jehovah could help them.
He was a man of a humble spirit and a contrite heart even though he did not commit the sin, he was part of the remnant that did sin. Ezra's ongoing heartache and humility of heart before the Lord is most striking.
After a while a great congregation of men, women and children came to Ezra weeping and sorrowing for their sins. This is how we know that the Spirit of God is at work. He labors to convict us of our sins so that we confess them and forsake them with a repentant heart.
The Godly testimony of this solitary faithful priest and scribe was having a profound impact upon the people. It is an encouragement to you and I that we should strive for Godliness in our lives and that if someone we know or love is caught up in sin, we are as affected by it as Ezra was for Israel.
Ezra 10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
While Ezra was weeping, praying and confessing one of the leaders named Shechaniah came to him. He told Ezra that they had sinned against God and he specified the exact sin, that of marrying pagan wives.
A hopeful suggestion from one of the men who trembled at the Word of God
Shechaniah then proceeded to encourage Ezra saying there is hope. He asked Ezra to make a commitment to Jehovah that they would put away all their strange wives and any children from their marriage. He reminded Ezra that there were many who trembled at the Word of God and he asked that Ezra make this commitment and judge the people according to the law that God gave them.
Shechaniah strongly encouraged Ezra because he was a ready scribe knowledgeable in the law and he was a priest able to administrate judgment. Shechaniah assured Ezra that the men who trembled at the Word of God would be with him and support him in this task.
Shechaniah's name means "dweller with Jehovah" and he was related to another good man named Zerubbabel. You might remember that this man led the first wave of settlers going back to their homeland.
Ezra 10:2-4 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
Ezra rises up to take action to establish righteousness among God's people
Shechaniah's kind and supportive words caused Ezra to rise up. He gathered the chief priests, the Levites and all the other people of Israel to commit to do what Shechaniah suggested that they do.
Like we have seen him do before, Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went into a chamber belonging to a priest. He still was fasting and mourning because of their sin. Yet, his resolve to deal with the task before him was strengthened.
Ezra 10:5-6 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
Ezra and the men he gathered made a proclamation to all the Jews of the captivity to assemble together at Jerusalem. They stipulated that whoever did not come within 3 days would forfeit all their substance and they would be cut off from the congregation of Israel.
Ezra 10:7-8 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
The sin in the camp was brought before the people
The people responded within three days and came to the Holy City. The people met in the street of the Temple and they trembled because of this matter and because of heavy rainfall. They knew that something was drastically wrong for calling a large assembly.
Ezra 10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
Ezra stood up before the people in his function as a priest. He got right to the point and told them that they had sinned by taking strange wives. He told them that their sins were increasing the sins of the whole nation and that they were in danger of judgment.
Ezra told them what they must do. The must make confession to Jehovah and do His good pleasure. They must separate themselves from the pagans around them and from their strange wives.
Here is how we know God was actively working in the hearts of men. The entire congregation of people said with a loud voice that they must do what Ezra commanded them to do.
Ezra 10:10-12 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
The people committed to doing what was right and raised some logistical concerns
The people raised a legitimate concern. They pointed out that there were a lot of them that had transgressed by taking strange wives. Also, it was the time of heavy rains and they could not stand outside as a large group to deal with it all at once.
Instead, they asked permission of Ezra to have the rulers stand and for all those with strange wives to come at appointed times. This would greatly reduce the number of people being in one place for a long time waiting to have their marriage dissolved. The elder and the judges would be on hand to help facilitate the legal proceedings.
They fully understood the gravity of their sin and wanted to do what was right so that the wrath of God would turn away form them.
Ezra 10:13-14 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. 14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.
What was their response? All of the children of the captivity did was Ezra and the elders instructed them to do. They sat down, people came to put away their strange wives and the records were made for each transaction. There were truly a lot of people invovled because it took about 1 1/2 months to process each strange wife that was put away.
Ezra 10:16-17 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
Points to Ponder...
Ezra's humble but hurting heart is used of God to impact those around him
The text below gives us an indication that the Spirit of God has been at work. Ezra continued to be severely impacted bu the people's sins. He prayed and confessed their sins with many tears. He cast himself down at the house of God because only Jehovah could help them.
He was a man of a humble spirit and a contrite heart even though he did not commit the sin, he was part of the remnant that did sin. Ezra's ongoing heartache and humility of heart before the Lord is most striking.
After a while a great congregation of men, women and children came to Ezra weeping and sorrowing for their sins. This is how we know that the Spirit of God is at work. He labors to convict us of our sins so that we confess them and forsake them with a repentant heart.
The Godly testimony of this solitary faithful priest and scribe was having a profound impact upon the people. It is an encouragement to you and I that we should strive for Godliness in our lives and that if someone we know or love is caught up in sin, we are as affected by it as Ezra was for Israel.
Ezra 10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore.
While Ezra was weeping, praying and confessing one of the leaders named Shechaniah came to him. He told Ezra that they had sinned against God and he specified the exact sin, that of marrying pagan wives.
A hopeful suggestion from one of the men who trembled at the Word of God
Shechaniah then proceeded to encourage Ezra saying there is hope. He asked Ezra to make a commitment to Jehovah that they would put away all their strange wives and any children from their marriage. He reminded Ezra that there were many who trembled at the Word of God and he asked that Ezra make this commitment and judge the people according to the law that God gave them.
Shechaniah strongly encouraged Ezra because he was a ready scribe knowledgeable in the law and he was a priest able to administrate judgment. Shechaniah assured Ezra that the men who trembled at the Word of God would be with him and support him in this task.
Shechaniah's name means "dweller with Jehovah" and he was related to another good man named Zerubbabel. You might remember that this man led the first wave of settlers going back to their homeland.
Ezra 10:2-4 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee: be of good courage, and do it.
Ezra rises up to take action to establish righteousness among God's people
Shechaniah's kind and supportive words caused Ezra to rise up. He gathered the chief priests, the Levites and all the other people of Israel to commit to do what Shechaniah suggested that they do.
Like we have seen him do before, Ezra rose up from before the house of God and went into a chamber belonging to a priest. He still was fasting and mourning because of their sin. Yet, his resolve to deal with the task before him was strengthened.
Ezra 10:5-6 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they sware. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came thither, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away.
Ezra and the men he gathered made a proclamation to all the Jews of the captivity to assemble together at Jerusalem. They stipulated that whoever did not come within 3 days would forfeit all their substance and they would be cut off from the congregation of Israel.
Ezra 10:7-8 And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem; And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
The sin in the camp was brought before the people
The people responded within three days and came to the Holy City. The people met in the street of the Temple and they trembled because of this matter and because of heavy rainfall. They knew that something was drastically wrong for calling a large assembly.
Ezra 10:9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
Ezra stood up before the people in his function as a priest. He got right to the point and told them that they had sinned by taking strange wives. He told them that their sins were increasing the sins of the whole nation and that they were in danger of judgment.
Ezra told them what they must do. The must make confession to Jehovah and do His good pleasure. They must separate themselves from the pagans around them and from their strange wives.
Here is how we know God was actively working in the hearts of men. The entire congregation of people said with a loud voice that they must do what Ezra commanded them to do.
Ezra 10:10-12 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
The people committed to doing what was right and raised some logistical concerns
The people raised a legitimate concern. They pointed out that there were a lot of them that had transgressed by taking strange wives. Also, it was the time of heavy rains and they could not stand outside as a large group to deal with it all at once.
Instead, they asked permission of Ezra to have the rulers stand and for all those with strange wives to come at appointed times. This would greatly reduce the number of people being in one place for a long time waiting to have their marriage dissolved. The elder and the judges would be on hand to help facilitate the legal proceedings.
They fully understood the gravity of their sin and wanted to do what was right so that the wrath of God would turn away form them.
Ezra 10:13-14 13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing. 14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.
What was their response? All of the children of the captivity did was Ezra and the elders instructed them to do. They sat down, people came to put away their strange wives and the records were made for each transaction. There were truly a lot of people invovled because it took about 1 1/2 months to process each strange wife that was put away.
Ezra 10:16-17 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter. And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.
Points to Ponder...
- The honorable testimony of Ezra was used to impact those around him. If he did not have integrity and had sin in his life, they would never have listened to him.
- One man who trembled at the Word of God made a very hope filled suggestion which Ezra acted upon.
- They gathered all the people together and told them what the sin issue was. They also showed them what needed to be done in order to be right with Jehovah.
- Because of the good testimony and humility of Ezra the people did what was asked of them.
I wonder if we pray for others who have sinned with the same fervor and intensity that Ezra did? Do we care about the reputation of our Holy God being defiled by sin? Do we seek to hallow His name in our own lives? Are we willing to share the truth of God with others even though they may resist it or become hostile toward us?
These are good questions that we can pray to the Lord about. We will need His strength and the working of His Spirit to help us live right before Him and to help others see the Glory of God.
Bob
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