Ezra 10:1-44

Sin always makes things complicated.  In the case of intermarriage that the exiles had practiced it is very difficult to see a solution that would truly resolve the situation.  The idolatry that these foreign wives brought to the nation was so dangerous that it was decided that the only solution was to put these foreign wives and their children away by sending them back to their homes.  Marriage is supposed to be an illustration of divine love and faithfulness so the ending of a marriage is detestable to God.  Once the people had broken the Law and married outside of their faith, there was really no way to make things right again.  Sin is like that.  It always paints itself as the color of liberty but it always leads to slavery.  The simplest solution to sin is simply to avoid it in the first place.

EZRA CALLS OUT TO GOD: In the face of this tragic sin Ezra is clearly conflicted as to what should be done so he calls out to the Lord and laments the sins of the people before the Lord.  It seems that he does not come to a solution but the leaders of the people come to Ezra and tell him that they are willing to put these foreign wives away but that Ezra must be the one to inform the people.  Again, I am very conflicted with this solution, but in the culture of that day under the Law at that time, this seems to be the logical solution.  I would feel more comfortable had the wives been given the option of submitting to the Law and worshiping on the Lord as Jews but there are clearly things about this situation that I do not understand.  Obviously it would have been better not to have created this situation in the first place.


EZRA CALLS OUT TO THE PEOPLE: The people gather in the rain to hear Ezra call them to action.  The scene is a very appropriate one for the occasion.  I can just picture the congregation huddling in the rain and cold standing in mud and hearing that they must put their foreign wives away.  What a miserable day!  Sin never looks miserable in the beginning but it always leads to pain and misery that is far worse than we could ever imagine.  The list of those who had sinned by taking foreign wives is forever recorded in Scripture and should stand as a warning to us about the consequences of sin.  May God give us the grace to avoid this plight. 

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