Ezra10: 1-12 (ESV) Scripture

1 While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly.  Scripture

2 And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.  Scripture

3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord[a] and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law.  Scripture

4 Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it 4 Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.” 5 Then Ezra arose and made the leading priests and Levites and all Israel take an oath that they would do as had been said. So they took the oath. Scripture

6 Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib, where he spent the night,[b]neither eating bread nor drinking water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. Scripture

7 And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem, Scripture

8 and that if anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited, and he himself banned from the congregation of the exiles. Scripture

9 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. Scripture

10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel.  Scripture

11 Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” 12 Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “It is so; we must do as you have said. Scripture

Application of the Law

The book of Ezra is about the ministries of two men: Zerubbabel and Ezra. Zerubbabel was a descendent of David so he came from the kingly line. Ezra was a descendent of Aaron so he came from the priestly line.

Jeremiah predicted that the captives would return to Jerusalem after 70 years (Jer 25:12). The prophecy was fulfilled when Zerubbabel returned to Jerusalem with 42 thousands in 535 BC (605-535=70)

Ezra 7:8, And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 

10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

Neh 8:1. And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel.

2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 

3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law. 

4 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose ... 5 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood. 

6 And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. 

7 Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law, while the people remained in their places

8 They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly, and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law. 

11 So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

Ezra 9:1, After these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations,

from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 

2 For they have taken some of their daughters to be wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands. And in this faithlessness the hand of the officials and chief men has been foremost.” 

Neh 13:26, Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women Neh 13:26, Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel.

V26b, Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin V26b, Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”

70 years ago, the Jews were sent into exile for the sin of marrying women who worshiped idols. 70 years later, the returnees were repeating the same mistake in Jerusalem marrying unbelievers.

Just because we heard many Bible stories doesn’t mean we are applying the commands of God in our lives. Some Christians have been hearing sermons for years, yet some of them are doing the same things that unbelievers are doing.

Ezra 6:21, It (Passover meal) was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by everyone who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel.

The Gentiles (Rahab and Ruth) who had converted to the Jewish faith were allowed to marry Jewish men. The Law doesn’t prohibit interracial marriages (Ruth & Boaz); the Law only prohibits interfaith marriages that lead to idol worshiping.

3 As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled. 

Ezra 10:1, While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly. 

2 And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, addressed Ezra: “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 

7 And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem.

10 And Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have broken faith and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. 11 Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.

The Word of God must be heard, understood and applied; if you hear a convicting sermon and won’t change, you are still living in sins.

12 Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, “It is so; we must do as you have said.

This doesn’t mean a Christian must divorce his unbelieving wife today, if she agrees to stay married with her believing husband, let her (1Cor 7:12)

It does mean Christians must remove or separate from the things that the sinful hearts have been holding on as idols because these things are keeping them from following and obeying God.

There can be no joy or freedom in your life, unless you hear & apply the Word of God in obedience.

46