Ezra 10.11 “11 “Now
therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers and do His will; and
separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.””
In todays reading, Ezra records
for us the people gathering together and his challenge to them to confess their
sins and separate from their foreign wives (Ezra 10.01-17), and the list of the
offenders (Ezra 10.18-44). In this list there were seventeen priests (Kohanim) (Ezra 10.18-22), ten Levites including a singer and three gatekeepers (Ezra 10.23-24), and eighty-four others throughout the nation (Ezra 10.25-43).
The children of Israel here are
facing the difficulties that come from the consequences of being in sin. Sin is
always so easy to get into, but every time you try to get out, not only do you
face the shame of your sin; you need to confess it, acknowledging that you have
sinned, and deal with the consequences of sin.
Ezra challenged the people to
confess and separate. Confessing acknowledges that you have done something
wrong. In this case, many of the people had married foreign wives, of whom God
has specifically told them not to intermarry with (Exodus 34.11-16; Deuteronomy
07.01-04; see THE MUCK OF MIXED MARRIAGES post).
Now came the hardest part, having
to separate, yes divorcing from their foreign wives. Any of the wives who were
not converts were to be sent away, yes even those who had children (Ezra 10.44). This difficulty only arose
because they willfully disobeyed the LORD and married these foreign women.
The separation that occurs because
of our sins is difficult. But more importantly we are to be obedient to His
Word. In order for Israel to be in a right relationship with God, they needed
to have proper Temple worship (Ezra 01.01-06.22)
and to live according to God’s Word (Ezra 07.01-10.44).
Paul said:
2Corinthians
06.14-18 “14 Do not be bound
together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and
lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 Or what harmony has
Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 16 Or
what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the
living God; just as God said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I
WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 17 “Therefore, COME OUT FROM
THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord. “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;
And I will welcome you. 18 “And I will be a father to you, And you shall be
sons and daughters to Me,” Says the Lord Almighty.”
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