00A.09 Ezra 9
How must Ezra have felt about the news that reached him right after this! Here he was, a ’ready scribe’, well taught in the law and ready to instruct the people in it. But the first thing he learns is that the very law he had come to teach had been disregarded in a blatant way, by not a few, and rulers, respected people, taking a leading role in the matter. They had married Canaanite wives, against God’s express command (Deuteronomy 7:1-6).
Ezra is devastated. He rends his garments, plucks out his hair and sits down ’overwhelmed’. Only at the time of the evening sacrifice (reminding us of the value of the sacrifice of Christ and that God sees His people in Him) Ezra finds the courage to turn to God, not in accusation of others, but in confession of failure. And in this confession, it is always ’we’ have sinned, not ’they’.
Reading Ezra’s prayer you get the impression that what disturbed him most was this: the people who had sinned in this way were people who had experienced God’s grace in a special way. God had led them back to Jerusalem, granted them help, given them a temple, an altar and sacrifices. But despite of God’s grace and mercy with them, they insulted Him in this way (Ezra 9:8-11).
God’s work cannot be done by people who mix with the world. The church has been ’called out’ (’ecclesia’). When the church sought the protection of the world (under Constantine) it was the start of a dangerous marriage (’Pergamos’, Revelation 2:12). Until today, the Lord is pleased with those who put Him first, who ’keep his word’ and ’do not deny His name’ (Revelation 3:8). He does not want a mixture of things that have nothing in common (2 Corinthians 6:14-18), whether in marriage or otherwise.
Many arguments may have spoken for linking up with the neighbouring peoples (not enough suitable Jewish women, good peaceful relationships with the Canaanites, etc.) but God had forbidden it and obedience would have been better.