The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Ezra 10:1,
"While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly."
Israel had suffered horrific judgments of God due to their embracing the idols of their neighbors. Intermarrying with them, they adopted the idols and the idol worship with the disgusting practices of her neighbors. It all required a turning of their backs on God.
The few (and their offspring) who survived the destruction of the nation by the hand of God were eventually allowed to return to the homeland following a seventy year captivity in Babylon. Now that the Persian king set them free to return to their homeland, some of them slipped right back in to the old ways of their forebears.
However, when Ezra the priest heard of it he became distraught with grief over the sin. As others witnessed Ezra's response, they join in his grief, "They too wept bitterly."
Sin destroys, sin brings ruin, sin devastates. It certainly has its allure in many ways, but when we order our lives contrary to the Lord's desires for us by engaging in sin, it always ultimately brings its consequences - it is always destructive.
Paul wrote a wonder chapter on how to face sin in our lives and its allure to us. Romans 6 is a wonderful read and points the way for us. Give it a read and see what you think...
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly."
Israel had suffered horrific judgments of God due to their embracing the idols of their neighbors. Intermarrying with them, they adopted the idols and the idol worship with the disgusting practices of her neighbors. It all required a turning of their backs on God.
The few (and their offspring) who survived the destruction of the nation by the hand of God were eventually allowed to return to the homeland following a seventy year captivity in Babylon. Now that the Persian king set them free to return to their homeland, some of them slipped right back in to the old ways of their forebears.
However, when Ezra the priest heard of it he became distraught with grief over the sin. As others witnessed Ezra's response, they join in his grief, "They too wept bitterly."
Sin destroys, sin brings ruin, sin devastates. It certainly has its allure in many ways, but when we order our lives contrary to the Lord's desires for us by engaging in sin, it always ultimately brings its consequences - it is always destructive.
Paul wrote a wonder chapter on how to face sin in our lives and its allure to us. Romans 6 is a wonderful read and points the way for us. Give it a read and see what you think...
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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