Ezra 9
Problem of mixed marriagesverses 1-2
Now when these things were done – the princes came to me
saying
The people of Israel – and the priests – and the Levites
have not SEPARATED themselves from the people of the lands
doing according to their abominations – even of the
Canaanites – Hittites – Perizzites – Jebusites
Ammonites – Moabites – Egyptians – Amorites
FOR they have taken of their daughters for themselves – and for their sons
SO that
The holy seed have MINGLED themselves with the people
of those lands – yea – the hand of the princes and rulers
has been chief in this trespass
Ezra’s reaction to problemverses 3-4
And when I heard this thing – I rent my garment and my mantle
and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard
and sat down ASTONISHED
THEN were assembled unto me every one that TREMBLED
at the words of the God of Israel
BECAUSE of the transgression of those
that had been carried away
And I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice
Ezra stood up before the LORDverse 5
And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my HEAVINESS
and having rent my garment and my mantle
I fell upon my knees
and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God
Ezra’s prayer: Confession of Sinverses 6-7
And said
O my God – I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to YOU
my God – FOR our iniquities increased over our head
and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens
SINCE the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass
to this day
And for our iniquities have we – our kings – our priests
been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands
to the sword – captivity – spoil – confusion of face
as it is this day
Ezra’s prayer: Praise of the LORDverses 8-9
NOW for a little space GRACE hath been shown from the LORD our God
to leave us a remnant to escape – to give us a nail in HIS holy place
that our God may lighten our eyes
and give us a little REVIVING in our bondage
FOR we were bondmen – yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage
BUT has extended MERCY to us in the sight of the kings of Persia
to give us a REVIVING – to set up the house of our God
to repair the desolation thereof
to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem
Ezra’ prayer: Addresses the problemverses 10-12
NOW – O our God – what shall we say after this?
for we have forsaken YOUR commandments
which YOU have commanded
by YOUR servants the prophets
saying
The land – to which you go to possess it
IS an unclean land with filthiness of the people of the lands
with their abominations which have filled it from
one end to another with their uncleanness
NOW therefore give not your daughters unto their sons
neither take their daughters unto your sons
nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever
that you may be strong and eat the good of the land
and leave it for an inheritance
to your children for ever
Ezra’s prayer: Judgment of the LORDverses 13-15
And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds
and for our great trespass – seeing that YOU our God
has punished us less than our iniquities deserve
and has given us such deliverance as this
Should we again break YOUR commandments
and join in affinity with the people of these abominations?
would not YOU be angry with us till YOU
had consumed us – so that there should be
no remnant nor escaping?
O LORD God of Israel – YOU are righteous
FOR we remain yet escaped – as it is this day – BEHOLD
we are before YOU in our trespasses
FOR we cannot stand before YOU because of this
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons: so that the holy seed have mingled themselves with the people of those lands: year, the hand of the princes and rulers have been chief in this trespass. (4604 “trespass” [ma‘al] means transgression, falsehood, unfaithful or treacherous act, an act that disregards an agreement or a right.)
DEVOTION: The problem was the leaders of the nation leading the people into sin. It is sad to find leaders who are not concerned with sin in their personal lives. All leaders sin but it is when they lead those who are following into the same sin they will receive the greater judgment.
Leaders have to realize that they are the ones who will answer for their actions at the Judgment Seat of Christ. The leaders include those who are heads of families as well. We have parents and grandparents that are leading their homes in the wrong direction on a regular basis.
When grandparents have control over the actions of their children and grandchildren it can be for good or for evil. If the grandparents claim to know the LORD and are not following the LORD properly and their children and grandchildren follow their lead it is a recipe for disaster.
Church attendance is one thing that is commanded by the LORD throughout the New Testament. If the grandparents claim to know the LORD and don’t attend church regularly they are telling their children and grandchildren that it isn’t important. One of the outcomes of this action could be that the grandchildren never make a genuine commitment to the LORD and are headed for eternity in the lake of fire.
This is true of parents as well. If parents claim to know the LORD and are not attending and working with a local church it can cause their children to see inconsistencies in the lives of their parents and practice the same when they become adults.
Intermarrying is one of the outcomes of these practices. If we are a “holy” people we have to practice being “holy” people by our actions on Sunday and the rest of the week. Our children and grandchildren are watching what we think is important. If church and serving the LORD is not important then that is what they are likely to practice when they become adults.
CHALLENGE: How are you leading your family in their relationship to the LORD?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 3 And when I heard this thing, I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down astonished. (8074 “astonished” [shamem] means to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy, or be awestruck.)
DEVOTION: What is our reaction to sin? If sin is openly practiced in the church, what should we do?
Ezra was appalled to find out that the Israelites, who had just come out of captivity because of sin, would so soon return to disobeying the LORD. They were intermarrying with the people of the land. They were polluting the HOLY seed of Israel.
The only reaction that Ezra could have was to be appalled at their actions. He was stunned. He reacted with a sign of grief. He tore his clothes. He plucked out some of his hair. He sat down before the LORD.
Next he assembled all those who truly feared the LORD. They were the ones who understood the words of the LORD. They were the ones who wanted to obey the words of the LORD.
Finally, he addressed the LORD in prayer. He told the LORD exactly what he thought of the situation. He thought they should be thankful to the LORD for HIS deliverance from captivity. He stated that the LORD had shown mercy toward them in letting them return from bondage. He stated that the LORD had shown them grace. He thought this was going to be a time of revival for the children of Israel.
Instead they were getting back into disobeying the LORD right away. It was not only the regular people, but the leaders too. The prayer he gave before the people was one that should warn them that God could discipline them again. He didn’t want the children of Israel to be sent into captivity again so soon after returning from it.
The same thing is true today in our day. There are many people who claim to be Christians who are living together instead of getting married. There are many people who claim to be Christians who are looking for a way out of marriage rather than working out the marriage. Marriage is WORK.
Marriage is not to be between those who know the LORD and those who don’t know the LORD. Mixed marriage is a problem for the couple, as well, as for the children the marriage produces. It is a divided home. It causes confusion in the minds of the children.
There are also some Christians who are dating people that are not believers. Remember each date is a potential mate. Christians should be marrying Christians.
Please remember to pray for those who are married to those who don’t know Christ that they will see their spouse become a follower of Christ. It happens rarely but it does happen.
Please pray for the children and grandchildren of those receiving the devotions, that they will marry those who love the LORD. Let us heed the warning of Ezra! Intermarriage hurts the relationship of the LORD to HIS people. Confession restores the relationship.
Watch who you date. Watch who your children date. Pray for your children to only date those who truly love the LORD. Pray daily for your grandchildren to love the LORD and only date those who love the LORD.
CHALLENGE: Train your children in the way of the LORD in your home!!!!
: 8 An now for a little space grace hath been showed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. (4241 “reviving” [michyah] means preserve life, recover, sustenance, deliverance, renewal, relief, or recover selves.)
DEVOTION: Ezra has been informed about the sin that was prevalent in the city. The people have come back to Jerusalem and intermarried with the heathen people of the land. Those who are God’s people are not to intermarry with those who are not God’s people. This causes confusion regarding inheritances and worship where there should be no confusion.
He states that God has issued grace to the people which is unmerited favor in returning them to the Promised Land only to have them disobey HIM again by intermarrying with heathen individuals. Ezra just can’t believe this is happening.
God was showing them favor and they were spitting in the face of the LORD with their actions. He wants the LORD to lighten their eyes to see what HE has given them and what they are doing with what HE has given them.
He is praying for a renewal in the spiritual lives of the people. He wants the LORD to send a revival in the hearts of the people. There needs to be a about face in the actions of those who claim to be followers of the LORD.
We need to look at all that the LORD has given us and appreciate HIS actions by it affecting our lifestyle and actions. Have we been looking at all the blessings that the LORD has given us recently? Have we understand all that Christ has done for us on the cross and is presently doing for us by making intercession for us before the Father? Ezra is reminding the people of all the blessings they had by being part of the remnant that returned to Jerusalem and are worshiping in the Temple again. They are blessed and don’t understand it. We are blessed and don’t appreciate it either.
CHALLENGE: We have to understand how blessed we are in Christ and practice appreciating our blessings.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 10 And now, O our God what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken YOUR commandments. (5800 “forsaken” [‘azab] means to leave, to leave behind, give up, abandon, to desert, let go, or depart from.)
DEVOTION: To often the people of God get to a point where they start forgetting what the LORD expects of them. They receive HIS gifts and think they will keep coming no matter what they do.
Just a little sin and then a little more sin and then a lot of sin and that is the way it seems with those who are followers of the LORD for many generations. It doesn’t seem like a large slide but it ends up that way in each believer’s life if they are not watching what they are doing.
Too often we watch other believers instead of just thinking of where we are in our relationship with the LORD. We need to not look at others but look at our own relationship with the LORD and concentrate on making sure that we are close to the LORD no matter what others are doing.
The nation of Israel as a whole was not thinking these thoughts. They were drifting and needed to return to a good relationship with the LORD. The problem is that judgment has to come before we take our walk with the LORD seriously.
No one likes judgment from the LORD. The children of Israel knew the commandments but were not thinking as seriously as they should about the consequences of their sins. Once judgment comes than they and we think that we should have been watching closer.
CHALLENGE: If we keep a close eye on our relationship to the commands of the LORD then we will not allow ourselves to move further away from the LORD.
: 13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that YOU our God have punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and have given us such deliverance as this. (2820 “punished” [chasak] means to keep back, spare, to hold off, to restrain, to preserve, spare, bring relief, or withhold.)
DEVOTION: What would happen if the LORD gave us the full punishment, we deserve for the sins we commit? Ezra is stating the he knows the LORD has not given full punishment to the children of Israel for the sins they are committing against him. HE has just brought them back from captivity and given them a new Temple to worship in and they are still not correcting the sin in their lives.
He is bringing their sin before the LORD and asking for deliverance from the consequences of the sin of intermarrying with the heathen. He wants the LORD to send a revival in the hearts of the people to stop practicing this sin of intermarriage. One of the reasons is that it causes confusion when it comes time to give an inheritance to the descendants of the family.
He wants the people to not be looking for wealth from the heathen but only looking to the LORD for their wealth. He wants the people to not look to the heathen for peace. He wants them to realize that true peace only comes from the LORD.
Too often we think that we need the help of those who are not believers to find genuine peace and wealth. It is not true. The LORD gives greater peace and riches than anyone on this earth can give.
We have to look in the right direction for what the LORD wants us to have as individuals. Some of us can be trusted with wealth that comes from HIM alone and those individuals will use their wealth wisely to help others.
God is the only one who can give genuine peace in our troubled world. We have to turn to HIM in prayer for genuine peace in our lives when it seems like there is nothing but storms around us most of the time. We can have HIS peace in the midst of a storm.
Our attitude and actions need to be centered around the LORD and what HE provides for us on a daily basis. The children of Israel needed to learn this lesson and Ezra was going to teach them the lessons they needed to be a genuine people of God.
Our leaders need to teach us what it means to be a genuine follower of God today without looking for wealth and peace with the world.
CHALLENGE: Compromise is never the answer to genuine wealth and peace today.
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Ezra prayed for peopleverses 5-11
I am ashamed and blush
Our iniquities are increased
Our trespass is grown up
Delivered to confusion of face
Little space grace hath been showed
Remnant to escape
Give us a nail in his holy place
Lightened our eyes
Little reviving in our bondage
Forsaken HIS commandments
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Priestsverses 1, 7
Levitesverse 1
Evening sacrificeverses 4, 5
House of our Godverse 9
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Words of the God of Israelverse 4
Commandmentsverses 10, 14
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verses 4-6, 8-10, 13, 15
Words of the God of Israelverse 4
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 5, 8, 15
LORD my Godverse 5
LORD our Godverse 8
Not forsaken Israelverse 9
Extended mercyverse 9
House of our Godverse 9
Punishedverse 13
LORD God of Israelverse 15
YOU are righteous
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Canaanitesverse 1
Hittitesverse 1
Perizzitesverse 1
Jebusitesverse 1
Ammonitesverse 1
Moabitesverse 1
Egyptiansverse 1
Amoritesverse 1
Kings of Persiaverse 9
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Not separated themselvesverse 1
Abominationsverses 1, 11, 14
Intermarriedverses 2, 12
Trespassverses 2, 6, 7, 13, 15
Transgressionverse 4
Iniquitiesverses 6, 7, 13
Confusionverse 7
Forsaken your commandmentsverses 10, 14
Uncleanverse 11
Filthinessverse 11
Seek peace with heathenverse 12
Seek wealth of the heathenverse 12
Evil deedsverse 13
Join in affinity with the peopleverse 14
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Separated ourselvesverse 1
No intermarriage with unsavedverse 2
Holy seedverse 2
Astonied at sinverses 3, 4
Tremble at the words of the God of Israelverse 4
Heaviness regarding sinverse 5
Prayer over sinverse 5
Ashamed of sinverse 5
Blush at sinverse 5
Graceverse 8
Escapeverse 8
Lighten our eyesverse 8
Revivingverses 8, 9
Not forsakenverse 9
Mercyverse 9
Prophetsverse 11
Servantsverse 11
Not give to intermarriageverse 12
Not give in to peaceverse 12
Not give in to wealthverse 12
Strengthverse 12
Inheritanceverse 12
Deliveranceverses 13, 15
Righteousverse 15
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Princesverses 1, 2
Chief in the trespass of intermarrying
People of Israelverses 1, 2
Gave their daughters to other nations
Sons married daughters of other nations
Rulersverse 2
Chief in the trespass of intermarrying
Ezraverse 3
Rent his garment when he heard of sin
Plucked off the half of my head
Sat down astonied
Assembled people that trembled at the words of Godverse 4
Kingsverse 7
Remnant to escapeverse 8
Given a wall in Judah and in Jerusalemverse 9
Prophetsverse 11
Can’t stand before God because of sinverse 15
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
9:8 Ezra recognized God’s mercy in restoring the people to their own land. He had just talked of God’s great work in keeping him and his company safe as they traveled to Jerusalem.
Ezra’s prayer at this point was based on several theological premises: (1) God makes ethical demands on his people; (2) God’s righteousness requires punishment for transgression, and he even uses other nations to punish his own people; (3) God is merciful, forgiving sin and making provision for salvation and restoration.
“Leaving us a remnant” (also translated “an escaped remnant”) refers here to those who returned from Babylon, escaping from the exile. The term “remnant” is significant in the theology of the prophets, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. The prophets lost hope in political Israel for the future of God’s kingdom. They prophesied that God would continue his plan through a “remnant.” Sometimes this refers to a remnant that will return to God (Isa 10:21, e.g., in Hezekiah’s reform); sometimes it refers to those who will return from exile (Jer 42:2; Zech 8:6, 11–12); sometimes it speaks of another “return” in which Gentiles will participate (Isa 11:10–16); and at times, to Israel in the messianic age (Jer 23:3; 31:7; Zech 14:2). Ezra knew how important this “remnant” was for God’s plan. Only a pure and separate “remnant” would be useful to God in his plan of redemption, which was to provide the Scriptures and the Savior for all the world. This helps explain Ezra’s seemingly “radical” policies.
McConville has noted the prophetic character of Ezra-Nehemiah. A subtle but clear message recurs that the restoration period was but one step in God’s new program to produce righteousness on earth by faith. A clue of the incompleteness of prophetic fulfillment during those days occurs in v. 7 in the phrase “as it is today.” Another is in the recognition in v. 8 that God’s favor was being experienced “for a brief moment,” that they had received “a little [mĕʿaṭ] relief.” Ezra’s prayer here and Nehemiah’s in Neh 9 “leave no doubt that the exiles’ situation, which could be worse (cf. Ezra 9:13), could equally be rather better.” The book’s alternation between glory and grief, rejoicing and repentance can be understood only by reading it against the background of the prophetic promises of a complete salvation. The recurring sins of the people explained the obstacles they were facing and that the salvation promised in the Prophets had not yet fully arrived.
“Firm place” is literally a “tent peg”; Fensham translates “a foothold.” Having their own sanctuary gave the Jews a renewed sense of security.
“Give light to our eyes” is literally “make our eyes shine.” It means “to revive the spirit of a person” (1 Sam 14:29; Isa 13:3). (Breneman, M. (1993). Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (electronic ed., Vol. 10, pp. 152–153). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
The reference to the “nail” is doubtless a recognition of Isaiah’s prophecy of the “nail in a sure place,” upon which Jehovah’s glory was to hang, which is, in the full sense, Christ Himself (Isa. 22:21–25). (Ironside, H. A. (1913). Notes on the Book of Ezra. (p. 90). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
A foundation for this hope was given by the fact that God had given them “a nail in the place of His sanctuary.” The expression is figurative. יָתֵד is a nail or peg struck into the wall, to hang any kind of domestic utensils upon; comp. Isa. 22:23, etc. Such a nail was the place of God’s sanctuary, the temple, to the rescued community. This was to them a firm nail, by which they were borne and upheld; and this nail God had given them as a support to which they might cling, and gain new life and vigour. The infinitive clauses following, לְהָאִיר and לְתִתֵּנוּ, are dependent upon the preceding infinitives לְהַשְׁאִיר and וְלָתֵת, and state the purpose for which God has given a nail in His house to this remnant. That our God may enlighten our eyes, i.e., may bestow upon us new vitality; comp. Ps. 13:4. Suffering and misfortune make the eyes dim, and their light is quenched in death: the enlightened or beaming eye is an image of vital power; comp. 1 Sam. 14:27, 29. לְתִתֵּנוּ מִחְיָה is not to be translated, ut daret nobis vivificationem, the suffix to לְתִתֵּנוּ being not dative, but accusative. The literal rendering is: that He may make us a slight reviving. מִחְיָה, the means of supporting life, restoration to life; see on 2 Chron. 14:13. Ezra adds מְעַט; for the life to which the community had attained was but feeble, in comparison with a vigorous social life. Their deliverance from Babylon and return to the land of their fathers was, so to speak, a revival from death; compare the embodiment of this figure in Ezekiel’s vision, Ezek. 37:1–14: they were, however, still in a state of vassalage, and had not yet regained their independence. This thought is further carried out in v. 9: “For we are bondmen, yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy to us before the kings of Persia; so that they have given us a reviving to build up the house of our God, and to repair its ruins, and have given us a wall about us in Judah and Jerusalem.” They who have returned to Jerusalem and Judah are still bondmen, for they are yet under the Persian yoke; but God has disposed the kings of Persia so to favour them as to give them a reviving, to enable them to rebuild the house of God. Cyrus and Darius had not merely permitted and commanded the building of the temple, but had also furnished them with considerable assistance towards the carrying out of this work; comp. 1:3, etc. 6:7–9. The suffix in חָרְבֹתָיו alludes to בֵּית אֱלֹהִים. The words of the last sentence are figurative. גָּדֵר means the wall of a vineyard, the wall or fence built for its protection (Isa. 5:2, 5). Hence the wall, or enclosure, is an image of protection from the incursions and attacks of enemies. Such a wall has been given them in Judah and Jerusalem by the kings of Persia. “The meaning is not that they possess a place defended by walls (perhaps, therefore, the temple) in Jerusalem and Judah, but that the Persian kings have given to the new community a safe dwelling-place (or the means of existence), because the power of the Persian empire secures to the returned Israelites continued and undisturbed possession of the city and the land.” (Bertheau.)
After this statement concerning the divine favour, Ezra next sets himself to describe the conduct of his countrymen with respect to the mercy extended to them. (Keil, C. F., & Delitzsch, F. (1996). Commentary on the Old Testament (Vol. 4, pp. 75–76). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson.)
No sooner had a teacher of the Word arrived than the Word began to reveal sin (Heb. 4:12). Ezra discovered that the Jews had mingled with their heathen neighbors and married heathen wives. See Deut. 7; Ex. 19:5–6; and Ps. 106:35. Ezra was so burdened at hearing this report that he publicly tore his garment in sorrow and repentance and sat like a dumb man until the hour for the evening sacrifice. The people who knew God’s Word began to tremble (v. 4; see Isa. 66:1–2), fearing what the Lord might do to the feeble nation.
Ezra’s prayer of confession should be compared with Daniel’s prayer (Dan. 9) and the prayer of Nehemiah (Neh. 9). “I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face!” Ezra prayed. He looked back to Israel’s past sins (v. 7) and admitted that the nation deserved captivity. But now the Lord had sent deliverance; they had been restored by His grace; and yet the nation was sinning again. The future of the kingdom was hanging, as it were, like garments on a tent nail, so feeble was the restored remnant of Israel. God had given them a wall of protection (v. 9) and graciously answered their prayers. What more could Ezra say? “We have not learned our lessons,” he says, “for God has punished us for our sins, yet we go on sinning still!”
It is interesting to note that Daniel, Ezra, and Nehemiah all had to confess national sin and plead for forgiveness. Second Chronicles 7:14 applies here. However, it was not enough for the religious leader to pray. The entire nation had to face its sins and make matters right with the Lord. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1993). Wiersbe’s Expository Outlines on the Old Testament (Ezr 9). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
8. The “little space” was above sixty years, counting from the second year of Darius (4:24), or about eighty, counting from the first year of Cyrus (1:1). This does not seem to Ezra much in the life of a nation.
a remnant to escape] Rather, “a remnant that has escaped.” The “remnant” is the new community that has returned from the Captivity.
a nail] Cp. marg. note and ref. The metaphor is probably drawn from a tent-pin, which is driven into the earth to make the tent firm and secure. (Barnes, A. (1879). Notes on the Old Testament: I Samuel to Esther. (F. C. Cook, J. M. Fuller, Eds.) (p. 453). London: John Murray.)
But at once the news of his grief spread among the people with a blessed and soul-cheering result. That all were not in sympathy with the looseness that had come in soon became evident. “Then were assembled unto me,” he tells us, “every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice” (ver. 4). God had said, long before, by Isaiah, “To this man will I look; to him that is humble and of a contrite spirit, and that trembleth at My word” (Isa. 66:2). Such there were still among the remnant, and upon them the Lord could look in blessing. These men and Ezra, acting with God, would be a majority, however few in number. Such men are likely to be regarded by the unspiritual as troublers and “old fogies;” but where there is real exercise of soul, God can be depended on to show whom He recognizes, in due time. (Ironside, H. A. (1913). Notes on the Book of Ezra. (pp. 87–88). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
The balance of the chapter is entirely devoted to this prayer; it will repay the closest study and meditation: “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to Thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day” (vers. 6, 7). In these words, observe, how far back Ezra goes in tracing the present evil to its source. It was the sin that had resulted in the captivity which had never been really judged, and had been the parent sin of all the rest. The low state of the whole nation affected even the returned remnant. And so it is in Christendom. We have sinned since the days of our fathers. First love was left at the very beginning and true recovery there has never been. Who has really felt the sin of the Church in turning from her glorified Head and linking herself with the world? Here and there the Spirit of God produces contrition and some sense of the failure, but who has fully fathomed it? Yet ever and anon God works in revival, drawing a few back in heart to Christ; but declension almost invariably follows. It has been said that “eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” and it is as true in spiritual things as in carnal. (Ironside, H. A. (1913). Notes on the Book of Ezra. (pp. 89–90). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
Grace, Mercy, and Peace
“Paul . . . To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.” (2 Timothy 1:1-2)
Of the 13 letters written by the apostle Paul, only the three to Timothy and Titus use this threefold greeting: “Grace, mercy, and peace.” The other 10 letters use the more common “grace and peace.” Why the distinction? The Holy Spirit is never whimsical or capricious. Perhaps, since these three letters were the only ones addressed to pastors that Paul had trained, there was a more poignant emphasis intended.
Grace (charis) is the foundational core of God’s gift of salvation to those who trust Him (Ephesians 2:8). It is also the essence of the “gifts” that we received from the Holy Spirit to minister to each other (1 Corinthians 15:10). The charis is the basis for charisma that we receive. Those who have been entrusted with leadership responsibilities are reminded that the measure of those gifts is still God’s charis (Romans 12:3, 6).
Mercy is often understood through God’s forgiveness both in justice delayed and sentence nullified through Christ. It is also what the sovereign Godhead responds with when we ask for His help. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).
Peace is much more than mere lack of anxiety. It is “not as the world giveth” (John 14:27) but rather a supernatural, non-circumstantial contentment that is only given to the Lord’s twice-born. This peace is “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” and is specifically designed to “keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:7).
May this grace, mercy, and peace be a regular portion of your walk in the Kingdom as you serve the Lord Jesus. (HMM III, The Institute for Creation Research)
No matter when, no matter where, repentance is necessary when meeting God for the first time. To repent means to change your mind.
If you have been living your life without God, you must change your mind about Him. You must stop thinking of Him as something less than Sovereign Lord of the universe. You must acknowledge His right to define what is right — and wrong — for you. And you must trust Him to reconcile you to Himself through His only begotten Son.
If you were transported back to John’s time and heard his message, would you repent? (Quiet Walk)
WHAT OUR LORD PRAYS FOR
I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. John 17:15
The primary object of Christ’s prayer is not so much that His followers may be one with one another as that they may be kept in true unity with Him, with God the Father, and therefore with each other. That is the nature of communion. Obviously this has to be worked out in greater detail, and never perhaps was this more necessary than today.
The next thing He prays for them is that they may be kept from the evil one “the devil, the god of this world, the prince of the power of the air” and the evil that is in the world as the result of his activities and efforts. Our Lord does not pray that they may be taken out of the world. We sometimes wish we could pray that; the idea of monasticism is somewhere down in the depths of all of us. We want to retire out of the world and arrive in some magic circle where nothing can disturb us. There is a longing in the suffering, persecuted Christian to get out of the world. But our Lord does not pray that they may be taken out of the world in any sense, nor that they may be taken out of it by death, but rather that in it they may be kept from the evil.
Your business and mine as Christian people is to be in the midst of this world and its affairs and still remain true and loyal to God and be kept from the evil. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this,” says James, not to retire out of every vocation in life, but rather “to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James1:27). The task of the Christian is to be in the midst of this world and its affairs in order that he or she may do this work of evangelism.
A Thought to Ponder: Our Lord does not pray that they may be taken out of the world but rather that in it they may be kept from the evil. (From Safe in the World, pp. 14, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones.)
A Touch Means So Much BY BARBARA RAINEY
They were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them. MARK 10:13
One of the biggest needs of your children—no matter what their age—is for physical touch. Regular hugs, kisses and hand holding all say to them, “You are loved.”
When your children are little, make sure they have lots of time in your lap to cuddle. Hug them for no reason at all. But also be sure to create special traditions of affection each day, like bedtime kisses and good-morning hugs. Arriving at home after a day of work or an afternoon of running errands offers another great opportunity to give affectionate touch.
When our children were smaller, we turned these greeting times into “The Bear Hug Routine.” Dennis would get near Deborah, for instance, and say, “Do you want a baby bear hug, a mama bear hug or a daddy bear hug?” Our children would usually work through all three, amid shrieks of laughter. Even today, they still smile when he asks if they or especially their children want a bear hug. The tradition
of affection goes on.
Teenagers and adult children, too, need our loving touch. I remember reaching out to hug Benjamin—his growing frame towering over mine, his emerging beard feeling scratchy on my face. I hugged him quickly, let go and tried to step back, only to be pleasantly surprised when he held on tight. He seemed to be saying, “I may look grown up, I may look like I don’t need it, but don’t stop. I still love it when you hold me.”
Does your relationship with your children have some catching up—some touching up—to do?
THE REALM OF EXPERIENCE, PART 2
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
In the same way, great crises in life show us our weakness, helplessness, and lack of power. Paul illustrates that in Romans 8. “We know not what we should pray for as we ought.” In a time of peace and of ease we think that we can pray, that we know how to pray. We are assured and confident, and we feel that we are living the religious life as it should be lived. But when trials come, they reveal to us how weak and helpless we are.
That, in turn, drives us to God, and makes us realize more than ever before our utter dependence upon Him. This is the experience of all Christians. In our folly we imagine that we can live in our own strength and by our own power, and our prayers are often formal. But troubles make us fly to God and cause us to wait upon Him. God says of Israel through Hosea, “In their affliction they will seek me early” (Hosea 5:15). How true that is of all of us. To seek God is always good, and afflictions drive us to do so.
But all this is mainly from our side. Looking at it from the other side, we can say that there is no school in which Christians have learned so much of the loving, tender care of God for His own as the school of affliction. While all is well with us, in our self-satisfaction and self-contentment we shut God out of our lives; we do not allow Him to reveal to us His solicitude for us even in the details of our lives. It is only when we are troubled that we “know not what we should pray for as we ought” and that we begin to realize that “the Spirit…maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”
A Thought to Ponder
There is no school in which Christians have learned so much of the loving, tender care of God for His own as the school of affliction.
(From Why Does God Allow War? pp. 124-125, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
The Voice of the Lord “The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.” (Psalm 29:3-4)
When did you last consider the majesty of God and the power of His voice? From creation to consummation, Scripture proclaims the power of God’s voice. His Word begins with His speaking everything into existence (Genesis 1), and He completes His Word with eternal declarations (Revelation 21:5-8).
Today’s psalm draws our eyes to God’s power over the natural world. Think about mighty, rolling ocean waves and booming thunder during the fiercest storm. Many would describe them as powerful. While that is a good description for our finite minds to comprehend, as believers we ultimately don’t ascribe power to nature itself (e.g., Mother Nature or natural selection). We choose to give praise to the Lord Jesus Christ, who created and sustains each element of creation (Colossian 1:16-17).
Spurgeon expounded, “The thunder is not only poetically but instructively called ‘the voice of God,’ since it peals from on high; it surpasses all other sounds, it inspires awe, it is entirely independent of man, and has been used on some occasions as the grand accompaniment of God’s speech to Adam’s sons.”
The book of Job also portrays God’s powerful voice. “After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend” (Job 37:4-5). “Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?” (Job 40:9).
The voice of the Lord is unique. His voice alone can create and control. Let us use our words to praise His name and proclaim His wondrous deeds!
(MH, The Institute for Creation Research)
Overcoming Envy
Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands. 1 Samuel 18:7
In the film Amadeus, aging composer Antonio Salieri plays some of his music on the piano for a visiting priest. The embarrassed priest confesses he doesn’t recognize the tunes. “What about this one?” Salieri says, playing an instantly familiar melody. “I didn’t know you wrote that,” the priest says. “I didn’t,” Salieri replies. “That was Mozart!” As viewers discover, Mozart’s success had caused deep envy in Salieri—even leading him to play a part in Mozart’s death.
A song lies at the heart of another envy story. After David’s victory over Goliath, the Israelites heartily sing, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands” (1 Samuel 18:7). The comparison doesn’t sit well with King Saul. Envious of David’s success and afraid of losing his throne (vv. 8–9), Saul begins a prolonged pursuit of David, trying to take his life.
Like Salieri with music or Saul with power, we’re usually tempted to envy those with similar but greater gifts than we possess. And whether it’s picking fault with their work or belittling their success, we too can seek to damage our “rivals.”
Saul had been divinely chosen for his task (10:6–7, 24), a status that should’ve fostered security in him rather than envy. Since we each have unique callings too (Ephesians 2:10), maybe the best way to overcome envy is to quit comparing ourselves. Let’s celebrate each other’s successes instead.
(By Sheridan Voysey – Our Daily Bread)
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