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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in Ezra chapter ten,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the New Living Translation. While
Speaker 1: Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and lying face
Speaker 1: down on the ground in front of the temple of God,
Speaker 1: a very large crowd of people from Israel, men, women
Speaker 1: and children gathered and wept bitterly with him. Then shek
Speaker 1: and Aiah, son of Jehiel, a descendant of Elam, said
Speaker 1: to Ezra, we have been unfaithful to our God, for
Speaker 1: we have married these pagan women of the land. But
Speaker 1: in spite of this, there is hope for Israel. Let
Speaker 1: us now make a covenant with our God to divorce
Speaker 1: our our pagan wives and to send them away with
Speaker 1: their children. We will follow the advice given by you
Speaker 1: and by the others who respect the commands of our God.
Speaker 1: Let it be done according to the law of God.
Speaker 1: Get up, for it is your duty to tell us
Speaker 1: how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you,
Speaker 1: so be strong and take action. So Ezra stood up
Speaker 1: and demanded that the leaders of the priests and the
Speaker 1: Levites and all the people of Israel swear that they
Speaker 1: would do as Shekh and Aiah had said, and they
Speaker 1: all swore a solemn oath. Then Ezra left the front
Speaker 1: of the Temple of God and went to the room
Speaker 1: of Jehohannan, son of eliahship. He spent the night there
Speaker 1: without eating or drinking anything. He was still in mourning
Speaker 1: because of the unfaithfulness of the returned exiles. Then a
Speaker 1: proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the
Speaker 1: exiles should come to Jerusalem. Those who failed to come
Speaker 1: within three days would, if the leaders and elders so decided,
Speaker 1: forfeit all their property and be expelled from the assembly
Speaker 1: of the exiles. Within three days, all the people of
Speaker 1: Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place
Speaker 1: on December nineteenth, and all the people were sitting in
Speaker 1: the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling,
Speaker 1: both because of the seriousness of the matter and because
Speaker 1: it was reigning. Then Ezra the priest stood and said
Speaker 1: to them, you have committed a terrible sin by marrying
Speaker 1: pagan women. You have increased Israel's guilt. So now confess
Speaker 1: your sin to the Lord, the god of your ancestors,
Speaker 1: and do what he demands. Separate yourselves from the people
Speaker 1: of the land and from these pagan women. Then the
Speaker 1: whole assembly raised their voices and answered, yes, you are right.
Speaker 1: We must do as you say. Then they added, this
Speaker 1: isn't something that can be done in a day or two,
Speaker 1: for many of us are involved in this extremely sinful affair,
Speaker 1: and this is the rainy season, so we cannot stay
Speaker 1: out here much longer. Let our leaders act on behalf
Speaker 1: of us. All. Let everyone who has a pagan wife
Speaker 1: come at a scheduled time, accompanied by the leaders and
Speaker 1: judges of his city, so that the fierce anger of
Speaker 1: our God concerning this affair may be turned away from us. Only.
Speaker 1: Jonathan son of Azahel and Jaziah son of Tikvah opposed
Speaker 1: this course of action, and they were supported by Mischulam
Speaker 1: and Shabbathai the Levite. So this was the plan they followed.
Speaker 1: Ezra selected leaders to represent their families, designating each of
Speaker 1: the representatives by name. On December twenty ninth, the leaders
Speaker 1: sat down to investigate the matter by March twenty seventh,
Speaker 1: the first day of the new year, they had finished
Speaker 1: dealing with all the men who had married pagan wives.
Speaker 1: These are the priests who had married pagan wives. From
Speaker 1: the family of Jeshua, son of Jehosahdah and his brothers Messiah, Eliza,
Speaker 1: Jerib and Gedaliah. They vowed to divorce their wives, and
Speaker 1: they each acknowledged their guilt by offering a ram as
Speaker 1: a guilt offering from the family of Emmer, Hannone and Zebediah.
Speaker 1: From the family of Harim, Messiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Usiah.
Speaker 1: From the family of Peshor Elia and I Messiah Ishmael, Nethanel,
Speaker 1: Joseah Bad and Elasa. These are the Levites who were
Speaker 1: guilty Joseahbad, Shimai, Kaliah also called Kalida, Pethahiah, Judah and Eliza.
Speaker 1: This is the singer who was guilty Eliashib. These are
Speaker 1: the gatekeepers who are guilty. Shalem, Teelem and Uri. These
Speaker 1: are the other people of Israel who are guilty. From
Speaker 1: the family of Parosh, Ramiah, Isaiah, Malchaija mid Jamine, Eliza,
Speaker 1: Hashabyah and Benaiah from the family of Elam, Madaniah, Zechariah,
Speaker 1: jehiel Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah from the family of ze
Speaker 1: Two elia and I, Eliashib mad Andiah, Jeremoth, Zebad and
Speaker 1: Aziza from the family of Bibi Jehohannan, Hannaniah, Zabi and
Speaker 1: Athlai from the family of Bahani, Meshulam, malak Ediah, jesshub
Speaker 1: Shiel and Jeremov from the family of Payhalf moab aDNA
Speaker 1: kell Al Benaiah, Messiah, Maddanayah, Bezelel, Benui and Manassa from
Speaker 1: the family of Hareem eliezer Ishaija, Malkaija, Shamayah, Shimian, Benjamin,
Speaker 1: Maluk and Samariah from the family of Hashum mad and I, Madatah, Zebad, Aliphilet, Jeremia,
Speaker 1: Manassa and Shimai from the family of Bhani Madai, amram Uel, Benaiah, Bedayah,
Speaker 1: Keluhe Vanaiah, Mehramoth Eli, shib Madanaiah, madd and I and
Speaker 1: Joshu from the Fami family of Beni, Shimai, Shellemiah, Nathan Aediah, Macnatdabi, Shashai, Shaai,
Speaker 1: Azarel Shellemiah, Shemariah, shallem Amarah and Joseph from the family
Speaker 1: of Nebo, Jayeel, Mattithiah, Zebad, Zabina, Jadi Joel, and Beniah.
Speaker 1: Each of these men had a pagan wife, and some
Speaker 1: even had children by these wives. Let's pray, Lord, we
Speaker 1: thank you for your word, and we thank you for
Speaker 1: the privilege that it is to be able to look
Speaker 1: at it together today. And Lord, as we look at
Speaker 1: this portion of scripture, we see some very tragic things
Speaker 1: recorded here. We see that these various men had married
Speaker 1: pagan women and had gone against what you had commanded
Speaker 1: in your world word. And Lord, we know that you
Speaker 1: tell us in your word that those who have faith
Speaker 1: in you should only marry those who also have faith
Speaker 1: in you. And in this particular case with ancient Israel,
Speaker 1: we know that what was happening behind the scenes was
Speaker 1: the devil's attempt to try and dilute or ruin the
Speaker 1: people group through whom you said you were sending your
Speaker 1: son Jesus Christ, the Messiah. And in all sorts of
Speaker 1: ways we can see Satan's attempt to destroy the Jewish people.
Speaker 1: And if he couldn't destroy them militarily, he sought to
Speaker 1: employ other means, and in this case here he sought
Speaker 1: to destroy them from within. Lord, we pray that we
Speaker 1: would be mindful of the devil's schemes, that we would
Speaker 1: stick to what your word teaches, that we wouldn't try
Speaker 1: and go our own way or ignore your counsel, and
Speaker 1: that we would look at a portion of scripture like
Speaker 1: this as a caution and as a warning to us
Speaker 1: of the sad effects that come from disobeying your word. Lord.
Speaker 1: We think of these wives and these children that had
Speaker 1: bonded together with these men, and we think of the
Speaker 1: sadness and all that went with this decision to cleanse
Speaker 1: the people of Israel of this pagan influence. Lord. It's
Speaker 1: tragic all the way around. And if they had just
Speaker 1: listened to you in the beginning, this could have all
Speaker 1: been avoided. Lord. We do thank you that they did
Speaker 1: come to their senses, that they were willing to address
Speaker 1: the problem, and that they rededicated themselves to listening to
Speaker 1: the counsel of your word as revealed through your prophets. Lord,
Speaker 1: we pray that we would listen to the counsel of
Speaker 1: your word as well, And we pray that as your
Speaker 1: Holy Spirit prompts our minds and our hearts to understand
Speaker 1: your will, that we would be obedient to your leading.
Speaker 1: We're grateful, Lord for your presence with us today. We
Speaker 1: thank you for all of these things, and we pray
Speaker 1: this in Jesus' name. Amen,