In our study of Ezra chapter nine, we will look at the importance of obeying God's word in marriage. We will look at the effects of disregarding God's instructions on marriage and the importance of taking His word seriously.
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After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said, "The people of Isra'el, the cohanim and the L'vi'im have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands and their disgusting practices - the Kena'ani, Hitti, P'rizi, Y'vusi, 'Amoni, Mo'avi, Egyptians and Emori. They have taken some of the women from these nations as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has assimilated to the peoples of the lands; moreover, the officials and leaders have been the main offenders in this treachery."
At the end of chapter eight, we saw all of Israel offering sacrifices in worship of God. Now, we see that they had been living in disobedience to God's instructions regarding marriage. In Deuteronomy 7:4, God had instructed them to drive out the people living in Canaan and to remain separate from them. They were even told that it was for their own good as the Canaanite women would lead the men to worship other gods (commit idolatry). Solomon married one of these women and the result was the division of the kingdom. Now, all of the people (even the priests and servants of God) had disregarded the instructions of God. The same type of thing is happening even more today as we even have people marrying others of the same sex even though God says it is wrong. It is sanctioned by governments and even religious leaders are joining in but it directly contradicts the words of God. Israel did not take His words seriously and so were judged for it. Do we think that we are any different as a nation or world?
When I heard this, I tore my robe and tunic, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down in shock. All who trembled at the words of the God of Isra'el assembled around me when confronted with the treachery of these exiles; and I sat there in shock until the evening offering.
Ezra's reaction to this was complete amazement. The people had been sent into captivity and had been spared and allowed to come back to Jerusalem and yet they ignored the words of God. His reaction was to immediately go into a state of mourning over the condition of the people. We must ask ourselves if the condition of the world around us bothers us enough to do the same thing or do we simply go with the flow?
At the evening offering, with my cloak and tunic torn, I got up from afflicting myself, fell on my knees, spread out my hands to ADONAI my God, and said, "My God, I am ashamed. I blush to lift my face to you, my God! For our sins tower over our heads; our guilt reaches up to heaven.
Ezra then went to God in prayer. We see that he had his "hands spread out" as a sign that he was not holding back anything or trying to hide anything from God. He went on to identify with the people in their sin and claim it as his own even though he had not married one of these women. As priests of God, Christians cannot distance themselves from what is going on in our society. We must identify with the sins of the people just as Ezra did and take it to God. We notice that he did not make excuses or try to change God's mind about the sin but simply confessed it and cried out to God. Today, the problem is that many Christians have decided that God's definition of sin is not true. Instead of crying out to God as Ezra did, we tell the people that God loves them and would never judge them. Although this is what they want to hear, it does not change the fact that God is the Creator and owner of all things. Therefore, He is the only one who can define sin and His definition has not changed.
Since the times of our ancestors, we have been deeply guilty; and because of our sins, we, our kings and our cohanim have been handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to exile, to pillage and to disgrace, as is the case today. Now, for a brief moment, ADONAI our God has shown us the favor of allowing a remnant to escape and giving us a secure foothold in his holy place, in order for God to make things look brighter to us and revive us a little in our slavery.
The prophet recounts the fact that the people had a history of turning from God and facing exile at the hands of foreign kings. He acknowledges that it is only the grace of God that has brought them back to Jerusalem. As with them, it is only the grace of God that restores our relationship with Him.
For we are slaves. Yet our God has not abandoned us in our slavery, but has caused the kings of Persia to extend grace to us, reviving us, so that we can rebuild the house of our God, repair its ruins, and have a wall of defense in Y'hudah and Yerushalayim.
Ezra tells of God's mercy on His people and the fact that He has blessed them with the opportunity to rebuild. He also recounts how God protected them when they did not have a wall around the city.
"But now, our God, what are we to say after this? For we have abandoned your mitzvot, which you gave us through your servants the prophets when they said, 'The land which you are going to in order to take possession of it is a land defiled by the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, because of their disgusting practices, which have filled it with their filth from one end to the other. Therefore, you are not to give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons; and you are not to promote their peace or prosperity ever. Only in this way will you grow strong, enjoy the good things of the land and leave it as a lasting inheritance to your children.'
Ezra shares his frustration at the fact that the people have turned away from God's instructions even as they received His mercy. He recounts God's instructions for His people to remain separate when they first entered the land and yet they have now intermarried with those same people. In our world today, it seems that marriage is not taken seriously as people are even marrying their own sex. But, here, we are reminded of how seriously God takes purity in marriage and how it affects the next generation.
Now, after all that has come upon us because of our evil deeds and our deep guilt - and even so, you, our God, have punished us less than our sins deserve and have given us a surviving remnant - are we to break your mitzvot again by making marriages with the peoples who have these disgusting practices? Won't you become so angry with us that you would destroy us completely, so that there would be no surviving remnant and no one who escapes?
You can almost feel the anguish as Ezra admits to God that it is crazy to continue to fall into the same sin and expect God to overlook it. He acknowledges the fact that God would be right in completely eliminating them for their continued disobedience.
ADONAI, God of Isra'el! You are just; yet we have been left a surviving remnant that has escaped, as is the case today. Look, we are before you in our guilt; because of it, no one can stand in your presence."
Without making excuses, Ezra admits their guilt and calls out to God. In our world today, we do not want to acknowledge our sin as sin. Instead, even leaders in the church, want to change the definition of sin to justify our behavior. We must be like Ezra and acknowledge the fact that we are guilty and He is righteous.
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