Ezra - Chapter 9
THE PAINFUL SIDE OF RESTORATION
In verses 1-4 Ezra must respond to a very difficult report. Our beginning phrase is “... when these things were done...” which refers to the delivery of the precious vessels and other treasures being returned to the Temple by Ezra. The beginning phrase does not grant us the fact that four months had elapsed since Ezra arrived in Jerusalem. So what was he doing in this span of time? We are unsure how he passed that time but at the end of it the leaders of Israel came to Ezra with a most difficult report which detailed widespread sin.
The people of Israel, including priests and Levites, had not separated themselves from the people of the surrounding areas and instead they had joined themselves in marriage with these pagan peoples. As a result the “holy seed” was mixed now with the peoples of the land around and among the Jews. This unusual phrase blends two concepts of the Bible, the people of God and the seed of Abraham. Israel had been established as a unique people set apart and chosen specifically by God. The Law was so very clear on this matter, commanding the Jews in Deuteronomy 7:1-4 to make no covenant with these peoples nor to intermarry with them. God had warned through Moses that such mixing would cause the people to be lured away from the true and living God. The later history of Israel shows that, in fact, such intermarriage did indeed take the Jewish people away from the Lord.
A much more depressing fact is given in verse 2 which teaches that the leaders and rulers had been found to be in this sin also. These are men who should have known more than any others that God has forbidden this mixing.
Ezra was in much grief. He tore his clothing. He plucked hair from his head. He sat down astonished, which literally meant “horrified”. This problem did not involve those who had stayed in the land after the captivity but was found in those who had returned from Persia.
After hours of concern Ezra arranges a prayer of confession in verses 5-15. He fell on his knees in a gesture of submission to God. He formed the beginning of the prayer to be about himself by saying that he was ashamed for the iniquities and said that this sin had risen up to heaven itself. Verse 7 explains that such things are why Israel is still at that time under foreign domination. But verses 8-9 show that even so, God has provided grace in His treatment of His chosen but sinful people. Verse 10 says that despite God's grace, the people had forsaken the Lord's commandments.
Verses 11-12 detail the commands broken by the intermarrying Jews. Verse 13 assures that the people were punished far less that they deserved. In fact the Lord had delivered them from the hand of Persia and allowed their restoration. Verse 15 concludes the prayer of confession and says that no one can stand in God's presence because of the horrible sin Israel has done. The prayer ends in despair without even a cry for further deliverance. Ezra seemed to believe that at this moment, the people were beyond hope.
What could possibly be done to rectify this most difficult situation in which Ezra found himself? He was God's appointed one to bring this people to restoration and now he found himself in the midst of a problem not of his making but still falling upon his shoulders to resolve.