While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israelites--men, women, and children--gathered around him, and the people wept bitterly as well. Sermons
I. IT CONTAINED A FULL CONFESSION OF SIN (ver. 2). 1. This had been done before by/Ezra. (1) He did this for himself, to express to God the grief of his soul that the Divine honour should have been so insulted; that his people should have been so wicked and foolish as to have exposed themselves to the vengeance of heaven. (2) But not on the part of the people who Were involved in the crime. Ezra had no ground for hope; for without repentance a sinner has no plea for mercy (Psalm 66:18; Isaiah 1:11-15). To Ezra, therefore, the smoke of the evening sacrifice could only be a symbol of wrath. 2. Now it is done on behalf of the people. He does not appear himself to have been guilty; but his father and other members of his family were implicated (ver. 26). He was in a position to know that the "sore weeping" of the people, sympathetic with the weeping of Ezra (ver. 1), was the expression of a genuine contrition. Note - By weeping for the sins of others we may set them weeping for themselves. II. IT PROPOSED A NATIONAL REPENTANCE AND REFORMATION (ver. 3). 1. They were to pledge themselves to put away all the strange wives and their issue. (1) This extreme measure was required by the law. For in ancient times it was the duty of the children of Israel to exterminate the idolatrous people of the land (Deuteronomy 7:1-3). (2) The genius of the gospel is different (see 1 Corinthians 7:12, 13). Now if there be one believing parent the offspring may receive baptism and Church recognition. 2. This was to be done in the most solemn manner. (1) "Let us make a covenant," literally, let us cut (התאראשׂ כרת) a covenant. The allusion is to the custom of dividing a victim, and laying the pieces over against each other, so that the people covenanting might pass between them (see Genesis 15:10). (2) This ceremony on the part of the people expressed their willingness to be treated as the victim had been, viz., to be cut up by the sacrificing knife of Divine justice if they proved faithless to their pledges (see Jeremiah 34:18-20). (3) This ceremony points to the gospel of Christ, who is our covenant or purification-sacrifice, securing to us all blessings if we comply with the terms of mercy. It also admonishes us that if we do not comply, then the sword of flame will be turned upon us, and we shall be made ourselves the sacrifices for our sin. III. IT SUGGESTED MEASURES FOR CARRYING OUT THE REFORMATION. 1. Ezra was himself to be the prime actor in this. "This matter belongeth unto thee." (1) He had the moral qualifications for the work. His very soul was in it. His influence with his people was unequalled. He was the most eminent servant of God. (2) He had the political qualifications. Governor, etc. 2. He was to associate with him as his council "those that tremble at the commandment of God. (1) These were the godly persons whose sympathies led them first to gather round him (Ezra 9:4). (2) With such a council the reformation would be the more likely to be carried out according to the law." 3. The chiefs of the people pledged themselves to be with him. (1) Surely then "there is hope in Israel." "The valley of Achor," i.e. of trouble, has ever been "the door of hope" (Hosea 2:15). God promises to return to those who return to him (1 Samuel 7:8; Isaiah 55:7; Hosea 6:1). (2) This speech of Shechaniah was surely God's answer to the prayer of Ezra. He was to Ezra what the angel was to Daniel (comp. Daniel 9:20). (3) Now is the moment for action, and Ezra is equal to the occasion. "Then arose Ezra," etc. (ver. 5). "Them is a tide in the affairs of men," etc. - J.A.M.
Now when Ezra had prayed. 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.) (Hosiah Shute, B. D.) (Hosiah Shute, B. D.) We descend now to another fruit of Ezra: his humiliation. Shechaniah confesseth the sin of the people, which was of the first magnitude; to wit, their joining themselves in marriage with heathens. Yet he despairs not of forgiveness from God, but saith, "Yet there is hope in Israel concerning this thing." From whence I ground this observation. The greatness of a sin, if there be repentance, is no impediment to the forgiveness of it. So saith Shechaniah. First, it may appear to be true by the charge that God gives men to repent (Isaiah 1:16). The second reason is drawn from the examples of those great sinners on whom God hath showed mercy. The third reason is drawn from the attributes of God.(Hosiah Shute, B. D.) Shechaniah is not only resolved to do as he saith, but he is willing to make a covenant with God, both in his own and the people's behalf. The true penitent is desirous to tie himself by all possible bonds to keep that which God commands. Mark it in some proofs. First, the child of God knows that the service of God is a matter of special consequence. He knows it is as much as the salvation of his soul, and therefore he conceives he cannot perform it too strictly. Secondly, there is a desire in God's child to show how willing he is to obey God. One meets with those which are afraid of these bonds. There be those that will not come to the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper because, they say, it is a sacred thing; and if they come there they must enter into a solemn covenant with God. I cannot but mourn for this, that they are afraid to tie themselves to God. In the second place, let us ever be willing to be tied to God as close as may be. Yea, if we know any way in the world to tie ourselves faster to Him, let us put it in practice. Now we are to examine the matter of this covenant. First, it was "to put away their strange wives." Beyond doubt this to flesh and blood was a hard and grievous thing. When the soul is truly penitent, whatsoever it be that is pleasing to a man, if it displease God he will forego it. It serves to stir us up to this hard task. I call it a hard task because a man will be content to part with many sins rather than he will leave his beloved corruption. As it is in flaying a skin of a dead body, it comes off with ease till ye come to the dead, but there it sticks and comes not off without difficulty. Come to the covetous man, and he will easily be persuaded to avoid prodigality. Here you shall find him as tractable as may be, but yet all that you can say or do shall not work upon him to forsake his covetousness. Secondly, they put away the children born of them. What was the cause of this? Carthusian gives the reason, and it is a very good one, which will yield us the ground of an observation. Saith he, "They cast out the children with their mothers, lest the wives having left their children behind them should take occasion to return again to fetch them. He that would avoid sin must make conscience of avoiding all the occasions of sin. For proof hereof see that place (Genesis 39:10). Joseph was so resolute in goodness that he not only repels his mistress her unlawful request; but, saith the text, "Though she spake to him day by day, yet he hearkened not unto her to lie with her or to be with her." First, if it be a sin that a man hath repented of before, then he must be so much the more careful to avoid not only the sin itself, but all occasions tending to it. Secondly, if it be an evil that a man was never engaged in before, yet he must avoid the occasion, for there is great need that our prayers strengthen our works, and that our works give vigour to our prayers. Nothing is truer than that proverb, "Occasion makes a thief." If therefore we desire to overcome our lusts, let us avoid all the occasions of sin, which are as so many pandars waiting upon it. As for example, thou art an excessive person, and wouldest conquer that sin. First, get a hatred to this sin; secondly, avoid all occasions which tend this way: sit not long at wine, and beware of idleness and ill company. Thou art a contentious person, and desirest strength against that sin. Take heed of heat in holding arguments with others. Well, when Shechaniah and the rest had done this, what rule will they then walk by? "According to the counsel of my lord." Now, if it were so that Shechaniah, who was a prince, thus said to Ezra the priest, take knowledge, then, of this much: what respect in times past was given to those whom God called to serve Him, as to be His priests! It is to be deplored in these days, when every base fellow thinks himself better than the minister.(Hosiah Shute, B. D.) It should seem that there were others besides Ezra which advised the people to put away their strange wives, and they such as are said to tremble at the Word of God. And here observe the power of God's Word. The power of God's Word is such that it makes men tremble. To prove this look at Jeremiah 23:29. Let us labour for this holy disposition of soul to tremble at God's Word. A man that hath been exercised with the terrors of God, such a man is most fit to advise and counsel others. A man that knows a country by the map may be able to speak something of it, but it is nothing in comparison of what a traveller can say which hath been there. So a man that hath never felt the terrors of God may be able in part to advise and comfort those in such distresses; but not like him that hath been exercised with the same terror. Let it teach those that be teachers of others to lay things to their own hearts, and to make trial of them there before they prescribe them to others. Wilt thou teach the people how to conquer such a lust? Hast thou made trial of it thyself? But I go another way, and think that by those who trembled at God's Word is meant such as had not been engaged in that common abomination of marrying strange wives; and if so, I cannot but note this much: When the times are most wicked God reserves some to Himself. Secondly, let us labour to keep ourselves from the corruptions of the times. When all others do that which is evil, do it not then. And that thou mayest do so, remember these things: First, David makes it a blessed thing not to walk in the way of sinners (Psalm 1:1). Secondly, the purity of a man's religion stands in this, "to keep himself unspotted of the world" (James 1:27). Thirdly, remember for what end Christ died. He gave Himself for our sins, "that He might deliver us from this present evil world" (Galatians 1:4). Fourthly, I would have a man to consider what a glory it is to God when he is good amidst a froward generation, to be as fish which retains its freshness in the salt sea. Fifthly, mark what a confusion it is to Satan when a man goes on in a good way where most men go wrong. Lastly, if we sort ourselves with the sinners of the time we hinder the conversion of the world. Whereas, when a man shall shun such a wicked man's company, he will begin to say with himself, "Surely such a man sees something amiss in me, which makes him refrain my society." And by this means he may be reclaimed. The fear of God is the restraint of all sin. This is proved sufficiently (Proverbs 16:6). That man is most fit to advise others who is not engaged in the same transgression. The hand that must wash a thing clean, except it be clean will add to its pollution.(Hosiah Shute, B. D.) I. THE IMPRESSION WHICH EZRA'S CONDITION AND CONDUCT BY REASON OF THEIR SIN PRODUCED UPON THE PEOPLE WAS —1. Sympathetic. 2. Deep. II. THE PROPOSAL OF REFORMATION MADE. III. THE PROPOSAL OF REFORMATION ACCEPTED. Learn — 1. The manifestation of intense feeling is sometimes commendable, and very influential for good. 2. A. deep feeling of the guilt of sin is a strong encouragement to hope for forgiveness, amendment, etc. (ver. 2). 3. That repentance only is genuine which leads to restitution and reformation (ver. 3). 4. It is of the utmost importance to translate religious feeling into corresponding action without delay. 5. Great leaders may receive valuable aid from even their humblest followers. 6. It is sometimes wise to fortify good resolutions by a solemn covenant with God, or by a serious pledge to men. (William Jones.) Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee: we also will be with thee. — True loyalty is marked —I. BY GENUINE RESPECT. In the commonwealth of Israel at that moment there was great need of reform. The people had not long returned from captivity. They were powerless and few. Yet the very evil which had previously occasioned their captivity had begun to reappear. Steps had been taken which if not retraced would certainly bring that evil about. Many in high places — some of the speaker's own relatives — were in fault (ver. 26). The matter therefore was pressing. He felt it so. He desired reform very earnestly; he recommended it very strongly (vers. 2, 3). Yet he would not take it upon him to be the first to move in this matter. He would not set aside those whose office it was to do this. "Arise; for this matter belongeth unto thee." You see exactly the state of his mind. Notwithstanding the depth of his zeal and convictions, he would sooner do nothing than be disrespectful to Ezra. No change, in his judgment, would be proper reform that should set proper authority on one side. II. BY SINCERE SYMPATHY. This is shown here in the words that come next: "We will also be with thee: be of good courage and do it." It is possible to defer to authority in a cold and unfriendly spirit, to leave too much on the hands of our rulers, and to fail in taking our proper share of odium in supporting them and their measures. If we wish to be truly loyal we are bound to encourage them openly in their righteous efforts. We are bound also to promise them our support and assistance. We may apply these lessons — 1. To the laws of our land. Except where religious principle is in question, these should be the laws of our lives. It is the object of the "criminal classes" to try to evade them. It should be the object of God-fearing persons to try and observe them. "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's" (Matthew 22:21; Romans 13:1, 2, 7). All this should be regarded by us as part of our duty towards God. This also should be applied by us carefully to all the points it embraces; e.g., our income-tax returns; our action towards contraband trade; our respect for the administrators of justice; our support of its officers, and so on. A bad citizen will never make a good Christian. 2. To the laws and officers of our Church. Ezra was acting here ecclesiastically as much as politically; of the two, perhaps, rather more so. In all things in regard to which a Church hath power to ordain, in all matters where its ministers have a right to be consulted, let us not only acquiesce, but encourage; not only encourage, but support. The English word "leader" signifies both a commander and a guide. Therefore never be many steps behind your Leader; never be one step in front. (W. S. Lewis, M. A.) Homilist. Three general remarks —I. THAT THE CHRISTIAN MINISTER IS THE CHIEF INSTRUMENT IN THE MORAL RENOVATION OF SOCIETY. Four things show this. 1. He is originally endowed with powers which specially qualify him for his work. 2. He has been educated for his high vocation, 3. He has more time than others for such an end. 4. It is to the Christian minister that the world looks for moral and spiritual help. II. THAT THE TRUE CHURCH GLADLY CO-OPERATES WITH THE MINISTER IN HIS NOBLE AIM. The Church can co-operate with him — 1. By showing him practical sympathy. 2. By working out his flank. 3. By praying for him. III. THAT THE CO-OPERATION OF THE CHURCH IS A SOURCE OF JOY AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THE MINISTER. 1. Co-operation is indicative of the spiritual health of the Church. 2. It shows that the Church appreciates the minister's exertions. 3. Co-operation is a necessary condition of success. (Homilist.) People Abdi, Adaiah, Adna, Amariah, Amram, Asahel, Athlai, Azareel, Aziza, Bani, Bebai, Bedeiah, Benaiah, Benjamin, Bezaleel, Binnui, Chelal, Chelluh, Elam, Elasah, Eleazar, Eliah, Eliashib, Eliezer, Elijah, Elioenai, Eliphelet, Ezra, Gedaliah, Hanani, Hananiah, Harim, Hashum, Iddo, Immer, Ishijah, Ishmael, Israelites, Jaasau, Jadau, Jahaziah, Jarib, Jashub, Jehiel, Jehohanan, Jeiel, Jeremai, Jeremoth, Jeshua, Jeziah, Joel, Johanan, Jonathan, Joseph, Jozabad, Jozadak, Kelaiah, Kelita, Levites, Maadai, Maaseiah, Machnadebai, Malchiah, Malchijah, Malluch, Manasseh, Mattaniah, Mattathah, Mattenai, Mattithiah, Meremoth, Meshullam, Miamin, Mijamin, Nathan, Nethaneel, Pahathmoab, Parosh, Pashur, Pethahiah, Ramiah, Shabbethai, Shallum, Sharai, Shashai, Sheal, Shecaniah, Shelemiah, Shemaiah, Shemariah, Shimei, Shimeon, Simeon, Telem, Tikvah, Uel, Uri, Uzziah, Vaniah, Zabad, Zabbai, Zattu, Zebadiah, Zebina, ZechariahPlaces Jerusalem, NeboTopics Assembled, Assembly, Bitterly, Casting, Confessed, Confessing, Confession, Congregation, Crowd, Ezra, Ezra's, Falling, Gathered, Israelites, Large, Making, Multiplying, Prayed, Prayer, Praying, Prostrating, Round, Sore, Statement, Throwing, Weeping, Wept, Women, WrongdoingOutline 1. Ezra encouraged to reform the strange marriages6. Ezra assembles the people 9. The people repent, and promise amendment 15. The care to perform it 18. The names of them which had married strange wives Dictionary of Bible Themes Ezra 10:1 4831 largeness 1611 Scripture, inspiration and authority Library Ezra, the Praying ReformerBefore the Great War there were many signs of a new interest in PRAYER and new hope from its exercise. How these signs have multiplied is known to every one. This one thing at least that is good the War has done for us already. Let us not miss our opportunity. Prayer is not an easy exercise. It requires encouragement, exposition, and training. There never was a time when men and women were more sincerely anxious to be told how to pray. Prayer is the mightiest instrument in our armory, and if we are … Edward M. Bounds—Prayer and Praying Men Some Other Memorable Places of the City. The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close. Of a Private Fast. Covenanting Performed in Former Ages with Approbation from Above. Ezra-Nehemiah Links Ezra 10:1 NIVEzra 10:1 NLT Ezra 10:1 ESV Ezra 10:1 NASB Ezra 10:1 KJV Ezra 10:1 Bible Apps Ezra 10:1 Parallel Ezra 10:1 Biblia Paralela Ezra 10:1 Chinese Bible Ezra 10:1 French Bible Ezra 10:1 German Bible Ezra 10:1 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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