This Week with the Word

The Uniform Lesson for September 20
Background & Commentary by Sam E. Stone

The Old Testament leader on whom we focus this week is one of the priests, Ezra. In this role he was descended from Zadok and from Phinehas (Ezra 7:1-6). He returned to Jerusalem from Babylon with the second of three waves of people (around 458 bc). Ezra wrote, “The hand of our God was on us, and he protected us from enemies and bandits along the way. So we arrived in Jerusalem, where we rested three days” (8:31, 32).

At some point after their arrival, Ezra received terrible news: “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites” (9:1). Specifically they had intermarried with their pagan neighbors. This had been forbidden. (See Deuteronomy 7:1-3. 23:3-8.)

Ezra was horrified. He reacted by tearing his clothing, the traditional Jewish expression of grief and distress (see Joshua 7:6). He even pulled hair from his head (see Nehemiah 13:25). Then he “sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice” (Ezra 9:4). All who respected the “words of the God of Israel” joined him. The people desperately needed a priest to intercede with God on their behalf. This is where our printed text begins.

Repentance/Ezra 9:5-7

Ezra changed his posture at the time of evening sacrifice. He fell on (his) knees with (his) hands spread out to the Lord (compare 1 Kings 8:22). With this contrite expression, Ezra declared he was too ashamed and disgraced (v. 6). to lift his face toward Heaven. “From the days of our forefathers until now, our guilt has been great” (v. 7). It is helpful to compare with this the prayers of Daniel (9:4-19) and Nehemiah (9:6-38), noting their similarity. J. Stafford Wright explains, “Ezra rightly saw that the only hope for the returned Jewish community lay in exclusiveness of faith. Past and present experience had shown that true faith in Jehovah was ruined by intermarriage with the heathen peoples around.”

When the children of Israel turned aside to other gods, they had been condemned and punished (sword and captivity . . . pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, v. 7). It is time for a change!

Relief/Ezra 9:8, 9

Ezra described Israel’s current freedom from their conquerors as “for a brief moment” (v. 8). It had been around 80 years since Cyrus allowed Babylonia’s captives to return to their native lands (see Ezra 1:2-4). Ezra spoke of those who returned as a “remnant”(v. 8)—what remains of a group of people after most are destroyed or captured. The people of God have now returned home. The remnant demonstrates that God will not forsake his people, but instead will preserve them (see Genesis 45:7; Isaiah 1:9; Romans 11:4).

“God has not deserted us in our bondage . . . . he has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God . . . and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem” (v. 9). This was not speaking of a literal wall (which in Nehemiah’s time would once again protect the Holy City), but is a figurative expression describing God’s protection of this entire area to which they have returned (see Zechariah 2:4, 5). Ezra cites particularly the favorable way in which the Persian rulers came to view the children of Israel (Ezra 9:9). It is the Lord who worked through the government leaders, making all of this possible.

Remorse/Ezra 9:10, 11

“But now, O our God, what can we say after this?” (v. 10). No excuses. No cover-up. No lying. “We have disregarded the commands you gave” (vv.10, 11). Ezra spoke for the people, acknowledging what had been done. Years later David declared, “My sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are . . . justified when you judge” (Psalm 51:3, 4).

Ezra notes that it is not just the Old Testament law that prohibited intermarriage with the pagans; many of the prophets had warned the people of the same thing over the years. In the verses not included in the printed text (vv. 12-14), he adds some of the specific things about which the people had been warned.

Finally Ezra acknowledged, “O Lord, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant” (v. 15). God alone always does what is right. As his creation, men and women constantly fall short of his glory (Romans 3:23). The people of Israel had no right on their own to stand before the holy God. Only his mercy and grace made it possible. When Jesus came, he not only became the perfect sacrifice for all sins, but also the faithful intercessor with the Father, our great high priest (Hebrews 7:26-28). Ultimately Jesus alone is able truly to be “priest for the people.” |L

Sam E. Stone is the former editor of Christian Standard. He continues his writing and speaking ministry from his home in Cincinnati, Ohio.