Ezr 9:3 When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled.
Ezr 9:4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening offering.
Ezr 9:6 and I said, "O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.
Erza was ashamed and embarrassed before God on account of the Jews for breaking the command of God to not inter-marry with other nations. It was a widespread disobedience. Marrying those "of the world" as it were, was not a small thing to God. Disobedience never is.
The primary reason for separating from the other nations was because by inter-marrying, the people of Israel would be led into idolatry, which is spiritual harlotry. God warned them of that back in Exodus. And that's exactly what happened. One of the biggest examples of such iniquity was Ahab:
1Ki 16:30 Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him. 31 It came about, as though it had been a trivial thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and went to serve Baal and worshiped him. 32 So he erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal which he built in Samaria.
God takes this very seriously. After witnessing Ezra's grief and humbled confession before God, we see the reaction of the people:
Ezr 10:1 Now while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly. 2 Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, "We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 "So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.
They first mourned over their sin and shame before the HOLY HOLY HOLY God of Israel and then repented. That meant action. Action in keeping with repentance. They had to take severe action because their sin was severe. They divorced their foreign wives. A very sad consequence of sin, but that's just how horrific the sin was. Pragmatism was not an option, either.
It led me to think how today's professing Christians don't see marriage and God's command in regard to that in the same light. Indeed, most take the command to not be unequally yoked as an option, not a command, and therefore many inter-marry with the world. God's standard for separation (holiness) hasn't changed at all. He still requires those who are truly His own, to come out of the world and be separate.
2Co 6:14 Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2Co 6:15 Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.
2Co 6:17 "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you.
God is very consistent and His Word reflects this. His holiness will never change. Why do so many "Christians" think otherwise and treat their violation of His commands as trivial?
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