Sept. 20, 2009
Background Scripture: Ezra 9
Devotional Reading: Psalms 32:1-5

Ezra, and the book that bears his name, are enigmas. He was a Jewish priest descended from Aaron and a scribe who, under royal Persian decree, led a caravan of Jewish exiles from exile.

But we don’t know if it was in 457 B.C. or in 397 B.C., before or after Nehemiah’s arrival in Jerusalem. We do not know his place of origin, nor do we know now what happened to him, for he disappears from the scene as quickly as he appeared (10:16 and Nehemiah 12:36).

Some scholars hold that a single author wrote the books of Chronicles I and II, Ezra and Nehemiah. Others are convinced that another author wrote Ezra and Nehemiah as a single book, but another editor split it into two books, altering the correct chronological sequence of chapters.

Fortunately, we do not have to be able to answer any of these questions before we can study Ezra 9.

Over our heads

We do know that Ezra was appalled at what he saw as the contamination of Israel’s holy race during exile, through intermarriage with their pagan neighbors (9:1, 2).

Secondly, he takes it upon himself to share in this guilt and intercede for his people: “When I heard this, I rent my garments and my mantle, and pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat appalled” (9:3). The sudden, violent acts were symbolic of utter remorse before God.

It is remarkable that although he was in no way responsible for their sins, instead of judgmentally standing above his people, he stood with them: “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to thee, my God …” (9:3, 6).

Instead of saying they “have forsaken thy commandments,” Ezra says “we” (9:10,14,15), “us” and “our” (9:13,14). He could have hurled thunderbolts of condemnation against the people, but instead, he interceded as one of them.

In the 46 years that I have been writing this column, I don’t know how many times I have dealt with Ezra, but I suspect that I have sometimes been unfair to him in regard to his condemnation of intermarriage between the Jews and their neighbors, a position against which I have a strong objection.

But I realize although I am appalled that he forced the people “to put away all these wives and their children” (10:3), I share his goal, if not this means of reaching it.

Goals and ends

Ezra is entirely justified in despising the influence of pagan religions upon the faith of the Israelites that was greatly compromised by these influences, just as our Christian faith is seriously compromised by the un-Christian influences that infiltrate our attitudes today.

These influences are not so much from other religions, but from secular ideologies which, though quite at home in our culture, are diametrically opposed to the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Some examples: the conviction that desirable ends justify questionable means, that the poor refuse to help themselves, that selfishness is justified because it is profitable and that Jesus’ teachings are not meant for use in the “real world.”

Ezra is admirable in his refusal to downplay either his or Israel’s guilt. The sins which cause him “to blush” are not insignificant: “… for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens” (9:6), nor does he attempt to rationalize as some do today: “And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? (9:10).

And once again: “Behold, we are before thee in our guilt, for none can stand before thee because of this” (9:15).

When we do not have a leg to stand on, it is best to go to our knees.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments for Rev. Althouse may write to him in care of this publication.