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More Ezra commentaries
Ezra 7:1-10
Ezra arrives in the land
Ezra 7:11-28
Ezra gets a letter from the king
Ezra 8:1-23
Heads of families return with Ezra
Ezra 8:24-36
Gifts for the temple
Ezra 9:1-5
Intermarriage with pagans
Ezra 9:6-15
Ezra expressed sorrow in His prayer
Ezra 10:1-9
People confessed their sin to God
Ezra 10:10-17
Because of Ezra’s witness a revival broke out
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Because of Ezra’s witness a revival broke out
Ezra 10:10–17
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)
A young girl became a Christian in an exciting revival at her church and was baptized the closing Sunday morning. That afternoon she ran through the house singing and dancing. Her sour grandfather rebuked her with these words, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You just j … More
The sorrow and remorse of Ezra made a great impact on the people. So much so that a large group of people joined Ezra at the temple who were really sorry for the sin of those who had intermarried with the heathen. Ezra, the priest, stood up before the people and told them they had broken God’s Law by marrying foreign women, and that they have made the whole nation guilty (v. 10)! He told them to confess their sins to the LORD God of their ancestors and obey him (v. 11). Everyone agreed with him and said we will do what you say (v. 12). However, they said, we can’t settle this matter in a day or two (v. 13). They suggested that their officials meet with those who had foreign wives and take care of this problem (v. 14).
Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and two Levites Meshullam and Shabbethai supported it (v. 15). A proclamation is made by the priests and elders that everyone is to come to Jerusalem within three days to make this matter right with God. The farthest anyone had to travel at that time was 40 miles. The penalty for failing to respond to this decree was that all of this persons possessions would be confiscated and they would be banished from the land. At this meeting a plan is put into effect whereby Ezra and the elders will examine all suspected cases (vv. 16-17). The entire process took almost three months.
Application
I wonder what would happen if church discipline was exercised today with all those involved in sins like these recorded in Ezra’s days? I know that revival will only come as I get serious about my sin.
Ezra 10:10-17 (English Standard Version)
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. 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." Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, "It is so; we must do as you have said. But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for we have greatly transgressed in this matter. Let our officials stand for the whole assembly. Let all in our cities who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every city, until the fierce wrath of our God over this matter is turned away from us." Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supported them. Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men, heads of fathers' houses, according to their fathers' houses, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter; and by the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.
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