Ezr 9:10 | KingComments | STEP | Ezra unites with the people and speaks of “our iniquities” and “our guilt” ( ), despite the fact that he has only been with them for about a week. Therein lies the secret of his spiritual power and is he a true priest before God for the benefit of God’s people. By making himself one with the sins of the people, he eats, as it were, the sin offering ( ). Only in this way can we also come before God with the things that are not good in the midst of the believers with whom we meet. Ezra goes far back to find the root of present sin ( ). The whole history of God’s people is a history of sin. The kings and the priests have played a great, negative role in it. They have preceded the people on that path of sin. Think of Solomon with his many wives and their idols he lovingly clung to. With him we see how much loving strange women also means love for the idols of these women ( ). Often the people were given into the hands of hostile kings, who brought sword, imprisonment, looting, and open disgrace upon them. This is still the case when Ezra humbles himself and makes his confession. The same is true for the church. In the beginning, the first love was left and the church as a whole never returned to it. After the acknowledgment of God’s discipline because of the sins of the people, Ezra speaks about the grace of God ( ). That grace is clearly present in the revival that God has given His people. In the way Ezra speaks to the LORD about it, we hear great modesty. There is no sense of pride, as if the revival was deserved or due to one’s own efforts. No, God has given the opportunity for “escape”. He has given His people a peg in His holy place. The “revival,” which Ezra says is “a little revival,” is the result of God’s gracious work. This modesty can be heard here. If we are allowed to experience a revival in the local church, it will, if it is good, also be experienced by us as a great grace that God gives. There is no right to another revival. However, we may pray that we experience more revival in our personal life of faith. This will go hand in hand with diligent study of God’s Word and a life in which Christ and His will are central. If this happens in our personal lives, it will undoubtedly have an impact on the local church. Ezra is aware that he and God’s people are slaves of the nations ( ). God had to give them that position because of their unfaithfulness. Ezra does not rebel against this, but acknowledges its righteousness and bows down to it. It is good that he can also say that God did not leave them in that position of slavery. We cannot change the circumstances, but we can involve God in our circumstances so that we can go through them with Him. With gratitude he reminds us of the lovingkindness of God that He has shown His people with the pagan rulers. This mercy is not that God freed His people from slavery, but that He gave a little revival “to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem”. Ezra’s heart is full of God’s house, God’s land and God’s city, despite the wretched circumstances. After speaking of God’s grace, he speaks again of the sin of the people, which is all the more serious against the background of the grace shown. He does not know what to say ( ). He can only mention concretely what he and the people have sinned in. The summary is that the people have forsaken the commandments of God. Disobedience to what God has said is the origin of sin. Through disobedience to God’s commandment, sin came into the world ( ; ). Unfamiliarity with God’s commandments cannot be used as an excuse. God, through His servants, the prophets, warned the people of the dangers of the land they were about to take possession of ( ). The emphasis is on uncleanness. The word ‘unclean’ or impurity is mentioned several times in this one verse. Uncleanness by dealing with the world and taking possession of the ideas of the world causes a diminishing awareness of God’s holiness. If we do not keep ourselves pure from the world ( ), we will adapt to the world and become friends with the world. God has told His people not to marry the Gentiles ( ). They are never even allowed to seek their peace or their prosperity. There is an eternal separation between God’s people and the world. Only by maintaining that separation will we receive three glorious blessings: 1. We will be strong, 2. eat the good things of the land and 3. leave it as an inheritance to our children forever. Unfortunately, God’s people then and many of God’s people now have lost their spiritual power through wrong connections – for us: with the world. They no longer enjoy the good food of the land and also lose possession of the land for their descendants. Their children have no appreciation for an inheritance, a stay in the land. Ezra acknowledges once again that the great guilt that has come upon them has been caused by their evil deeds ( ). At the same time, he sees the great grace of God, that He has not completely given them up to their iniquities. God in His wrath has remembered mercy ( ). He has given a possibility of “escape” from captivity, which has been used by a remnant. By this Ezra means both the first exodus from Babylon and his own exodus from Babylon. The light of that great mercy that God has shown in spite of all and ever recurring unfaithfulness of His people shines into the soul of Ezra. In that light, shouldn’t it be impossible, says Ezra, to break God’s commandments again and again by intermarrying with the peoples who commit these abominations ( )? That’s sinning against grace. When that happens, God’s judgment must come to its full extent over the remnant, without there being any escape for a few. Ezra justifies God in His dealings with His people ( ). He expresses it in this verse, but his whole prayer breathes that spirit. God’s righteous action also includes allowing the opportunity for escape, as in the case of Ezra and his people. God’s grace is always based on righteousness. He does not condone sin, but forgives and justifies it on the basis of the work of His Son. The place of confession is always the place both of spiritual strength and of restoration. Ezra is not only impressed by the sin of the people, but also by the great grace and mercy of God. We listen to both aspects in the question to the “LORD the God of Israel” to see them in their guilt before Him. That only says someone who is fully convinced of his guilt and at the same time is fully convinced that he is dealing with a God of complete forgiveness. No sinner can stand or exist before God, except he who comes to Him with a confession of guilt ( ).

‏ Ezra 9:10

Prayer of Ezra

Ezra unites with the people and speaks of “our iniquities” and “our guilt” (Ezra 9:6), despite the fact that he has only been with them for about a week. Therein lies the secret of his spiritual power and is he a true priest before God for the benefit of God’s people. By making himself one with the sins of the people, he eats, as it were, the sin offering (Lev 6:26). Only in this way can we also come before God with the things that are not good in the midst of the believers with whom we meet.

Ezra goes far back to find the root of present sin (Ezra 9:7). The whole history of God’s people is a history of sin. The kings and the priests have played a great, negative role in it. They have preceded the people on that path of sin. Think of Solomon with his many wives and their idols he lovingly clung to. With him we see how much loving strange women also means love for the idols of these women (1Kgs 11:1-2 ; 4a).

Often the people were given into the hands of hostile kings, who brought sword, imprisonment, looting, and open disgrace upon them. This is still the case when Ezra humbles himself and makes his confession. The same is true for the church. In the beginning, the first love was left and the church as a whole never returned to it.

After the acknowledgment of God’s discipline because of the sins of the people, Ezra speaks about the grace of God (Ezra 9:8). That grace is clearly present in the revival that God has given His people. In the way Ezra speaks to the LORD about it, we hear great modesty. There is no sense of pride, as if the revival was deserved or due to one’s own efforts. No, God has given the opportunity for “escape”. He has given His people a peg in His holy place. The “revival,” which Ezra says is “a little revival,” is the result of God’s gracious work. This modesty can be heard here.

If we are allowed to experience a revival in the local church, it will, if it is good, also be experienced by us as a great grace that God gives. There is no right to another revival. However, we may pray that we experience more revival in our personal life of faith. This will go hand in hand with diligent study of God’s Word and a life in which Christ and His will are central. If this happens in our personal lives, it will undoubtedly have an impact on the local church.

Ezra is aware that he and God’s people are slaves of the nations (Ezra 9:9). God had to give them that position because of their unfaithfulness. Ezra does not rebel against this, but acknowledges its righteousness and bows down to it. It is good that he can also say that God did not leave them in that position of slavery. We cannot change the circumstances, but we can involve God in our circumstances so that we can go through them with Him.

With gratitude he reminds us of the lovingkindness of God that He has shown His people with the pagan rulers. This mercy is not that God freed His people from slavery, but that He gave a little revival “to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem”. Ezra’s heart is full of God’s house, God’s land and God’s city, despite the wretched circumstances.

After speaking of God’s grace, he speaks again of the sin of the people, which is all the more serious against the background of the grace shown. He does not know what to say (Ezra 9:10). He can only mention concretely what he and the people have sinned in. The summary is that the people have forsaken the commandments of God. Disobedience to what God has said is the origin of sin. Through disobedience to God’s commandment, sin came into the world (Gen 2:17 ; Gen 3:6; Rom 5:19a).

Unfamiliarity with God’s commandments cannot be used as an excuse. God, through His servants, the prophets, warned the people of the dangers of the land they were about to take possession of (Ezra 9:11). The emphasis is on uncleanness. The word ‘unclean’ or impurity is mentioned several times in this one verse. Uncleanness by dealing with the world and taking possession of the ideas of the world causes a diminishing awareness of God’s holiness. If we do not keep ourselves pure from the world (Jam 1:27), we will adapt to the world and become friends with the world.

God has told His people not to marry the Gentiles (Ezra 9:12). They are never even allowed to seek their peace or their prosperity. There is an eternal separation between God’s people and the world. Only by maintaining that separation will we receive three glorious blessings:

1. We will be strong,

2. eat the good things of the land and

3. leave it as an inheritance to our children forever.

Unfortunately, God’s people then and many of God’s people now have lost their spiritual power through wrong connections – for us: with the world. They no longer enjoy the good food of the land and also lose possession of the land for their descendants. Their children have no appreciation for an inheritance, a stay in the land.

Ezra acknowledges once again that the great guilt that has come upon them has been caused by their evil deeds (Ezra 9:13). At the same time, he sees the great grace of God, that He has not completely given them up to their iniquities. God in His wrath has remembered mercy (Hab 3:2). He has given a possibility of “escape” from captivity, which has been used by a remnant. By this Ezra means both the first exodus from Babylon and his own exodus from Babylon.

The light of that great mercy that God has shown in spite of all and ever recurring unfaithfulness of His people shines into the soul of Ezra. In that light, shouldn’t it be impossible, says Ezra, to break God’s commandments again and again by intermarrying with the peoples who commit these abominations (Ezra 9:14)? That’s sinning against grace. When that happens, God’s judgment must come to its full extent over the remnant, without there being any escape for a few.

Ezra justifies God in His dealings with His people (Ezra 9:15). He expresses it in this verse, but his whole prayer breathes that spirit. God’s righteous action also includes allowing the opportunity for escape, as in the case of Ezra and his people. God’s grace is always based on righteousness. He does not condone sin, but forgives and justifies it on the basis of the work of His Son.

The place of confession is always the place both of spiritual strength and of restoration. Ezra is not only impressed by the sin of the people, but also by the great grace and mercy of God. We listen to both aspects in the question to the “LORD the God of Israel” to see them in their guilt before Him. That only says someone who is fully convinced of his guilt and at the same time is fully convinced that he is dealing with a God of complete forgiveness. No sinner can stand or exist before God, except he who comes to Him with a confession of guilt (Psa 130:3-4).