Getting It Right

A lot had happened to Israel by the time Ezra the priest returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. It all began when God brought His people into the Promised Land and warned them about getting tangled up in the gods-who-are-not-really-gods in the land. They didn't listen and ended up rebelling against Yahweh and becoming indistinguishable from the people around them.

God removed them from the land as a discipline and then allowed them to return seventy years later. But even as they were celebrating the rebuilding of the Temple, Ezra was troubled. It seemed that some of the people had started intermarrying once again with the people of the land. This could have started the cycle all over again with rebellion and discipline.

Ezra made a strong plea to them to put away these marriages and remain faithful to God. What happened this time is encouraging:

(Ezra 10:2-3) "We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these 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. Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it."


Israel had made promises before that they would remain faithful. But I like how this is put: "let us make a covenant with our God." This wasn't an idle promise but they took it seriously. Then the encouragement to take action on the covenant, and that others would be there to support them.

I like that. When God reveals something in us that needs to be addressed, may we respond like the Israelites: taking it seriously, making a strong promise to God to give this area to him, then seek the support of other brothers and sisters we trust to pray with us and support us in this work.

Pastor Tom