Ezra 10 - Praying God's Word

Please read Ezra 10.

www.blueletterbible.org/nasb/ezr/10/1/s_413001

Meditate on verse 4.

Arise!  For this matter is your responsibility,

 but we will be with you; be courageous and act.

The returning exiles committed the heinous sin of marrying pagan women who occupied Israeli land. The command to divorce these foreigners appears contrary to God’s Word; however, it is important to know the rest of the story. Malachi 2:10-16 gives the additional insight that these Jewish men divorced their Jewish wives in order to marry the daughters of foreign gods. God described such actions as “profaning the covenant” and “committing abominations” (Malachi 2:10-11). The people had to separate themselves “from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives” in order to do God’s will (v. 11).

The main point of Ezra 10 is that true confession of sin results in action taken to stop sinning and to start obeying the LORD. Repentance requires a change in behavior.

How would God describe your times of confession? Does unfaithfulness grieve you? Do you have the courage to take action and live faithfully according the Word of God? Satan wants you to marry yourself to sin and the ways of this world. What does God want you to separate from in order to be wholly His and holy to Him?

Pray Ezra 10:4, 6, and 11 over yourself and those for whom you stand guard as a faithful, prayerful watchman (Isaiah 62:6-7).

“LORD, this matter is _________ and my responsibility.

Help us to be courageous and act.

May we mourn over unfaithfulness.

We make confession to You, LORD God. 

Help us to do Your will and separate ourselves

 from the foreign things in our land that are contrary to Your will.

For Your name’s sake, Jesus~”

The WATCHMAN on the WALL 2 ~ Dr. Ron and Marsha Harvell