©2003 Pastor Tom Miles

The peoples covenant!

1-8: Ezra knew God and he knew that when he prayed God heard him and would answer him.  And that is just what God did when Ezra prayed in verse one.  Immediately God provided the answer by bringing many men, women, and children before the throne of God weeping bitterly.  One man became the spokesman for all, Shecaniah, and he began confessing the sins of the people against God for having taken foreign wives and in verse two he also says, and there is hope in Israel in spite of this sin.  Shecaniah asked for a covenant to be made to put away the wives and children born to them as it is according to the law.  And he spoke with Ezra to come along side him and act on this advice because Ezra was in a position of authority and so Ezra put forth a requirement that an oath be sworn to; saying that Israel would put away all forms of their evil doing by putting away their foreign wives and children.  And than Ezra went to a place away from the people to mourn, fast, and pray over the guilt of the people.  We also should seek out solitary times with the Lord to cleanse and purify our heart.  In Daniel 10:2 we see that he went three full weeks mourning for the people.  We need to get back to a more dedicated life with God! And now in verses seven to eight we see that a proclamation is issued and all the descendants of the captivity are notified they must gather at Jerusalem and if they did not comply their property would be taken from them and they would exiled from the remnant of exiles.  This is happening to all of them even those that did not do wrong because the burden lays with them all not just part of them.  They have all been affected by the evil because they stood by and let it happen.

9-15: Within three days after the proclamation the gathering took place, and this would have been around December 8, 457, and they sat outside a great number of them in the rain but they knew they must face the matter at hand.  Then Ezra briefly spoke directly to the issue at hand saying to them they have take pagan wives and been unfaithful which has added to the guilt of Israel and it is now time to make confession before the Lord God of your fathers and to do His will by putting away the peoples of the foreign wives and the foreign wives.  It seems God was working in the hearts of the people because they all quickly answered saying yes we have heard and we must do as you have said. I'm sure this relieved Ezra and they began to set down a time table to resolve this issue setting up appointed times to put away the foreign wives and only four did not agree with this plan of coming together with the elders and judges at appointed times.
 
16-17: And so Ezra selected men that were heads of the households and they convened to investigate the situation and they finished their investigation after three months.

18-23: And the first to be mentioned, as having sinned are the priests, the sons of Jeshua, Jozadak, and his brothers altogether 113 people are listed, 17 priests, 10 Levites, and 86 other individuals.  The reason the priests were mentioned first is because their sin was a bad example for others.  Having made their covenant they than gave a ram as an offering after putting away their wives.  For us today we have Christ as our sacrifice for sin.  Think of what He did for us!  Father, I thank You for loving us so much that You gave Jesus, Your only Son to die on the cross so we might live! 

24-43: These verses speak more of the people involved, singers, Levites, and others.  And we also notice in verse 29 that even Meshullam gave up his pagan wife after having disagreed with the agreement.

44: The most difficult separations were those with children.  Many that had married pagan wives had children by these women and this would have complicated things.

Father, keep us always aware of the pain, hurt, and trauma that comes from coupling good with evil.  Keep us always aware that we must go away to a private place to be alone with You at times, seeking Your face diligently pouring our hearts out and mourning over the sins of our self, family, and loved ones in Jesus name amen.

Where Jesus is Lord!
Living Vine Ministries
Pastor Thomas Miles
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