Ezra 10:1-25 Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God… The former chapter did set down the humiliation of Ezra; this demonstrates the fruit and effect that it produced. When the people saw that he was so affected and afflicted, and that not so much for his own sins as for the sins of the people, they take it to heart. And first, there is a very great assembly gathered together; secondly, they weep sore; thirdly, one particular person, Shechaniah by name, confesseth the sins of the people; fourthly, they conceive hope of remission; fifthly, they resolve to put away their strange wives; lastly, they put their late resolution into execution. That which gives occasion to all these is laid down in the first words of the chapter, which contains: First, the actions of Ezra, and they be two, "praying and weeping." Secondly, his manner of confessing, "he cast himself down before the house of the Lord." Upon this follows the coming together of a great assembly of men, women, and children. We begin with his actions, and first for his praying, "When Ezra had prayed." The commandment of God is for it (Psalm 50:15), "Call upon Me in the day of trouble, go in James 5:13, Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. And as God commanded it, so His children have practised it. First, pray sensibly. Be sensible of what thou sufferest. God loves not that men should be as so many Stoics. Secondly, a man must pray as feelingly as fervently (James 5:15). Thirdly, we must pray faithfully, that is, believing we shall receive what we implore God. Fourthly, we must pray constantly. First, we must aim at the glory of God in all the prayers we make. Secondly, a man must so pray to God that withal he use means to accomplish his desires. So much for Ezra's first act. The second act performed by him is his confession, the text saith, "When he had confessed." I desire you to practise this second act of Ezra. Do not only pray unto God, but likewise confess your sins unto Him. First, we must confess them with shame, thus did Job (Job 42:6). Secondly, we must do it ingenuously. It must not be extorted from us as it was from Achan, but we must willingly confess our iniquities. Thirdly, we must do it with sorrow and contrition of soul. Fourthly, with anger. Fifthly, with honest hearts; that is, with an assured purpose to leave our impieties. Lastly, we must confess our sins fully; there must be no retaining, excusing, or extenuating of sin. We come now to the manner of Ezra's confession, laid down in these words, "Weeping, and casting himself down before the house of the Lord." The first thing in it is his weeping, and this hath ever been a usual concomitant of prayer. See it in David (Psalm 6:6). Mark, he made his prayer to God, and tears went along with it. First, because of the great good that sin deprives us of. We are apt to grieve for the loss of a father, a wife, or a child. And shall not we mourn for sin, which deprives us of the true God? Secondly, we have reason to weep for sin, because of the miseries which it brings on the sons of men. It should exhort us to weep and mourn for our sins. We spend tears in abundance for these secular things; but we should spare them there, and spend them here. Is it not a foolery to wish a stable with sweet water? Thy tears be the sweetest water in the world, therefore spend them on thy sins; I am sure thou canst not spend them better. The second thing in the manner is, "He cast himself down before the house of the Lord." Where repentance is true inward, it will put itself outward. Those that find not this in themselves may suspect their repentance. "He east himself down before the house of the Lord." Why so? It was the more to stir him up to humiliation. He seems to say," What? shall Thy people enjoy the privileges of Thy house? And shall they thus irritate and provoke Thee?" (Hosiah Shute, B. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now when Ezra had prayed, and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children: for the people wept very sore. |
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