Essentially the Book of Ezra records (in some detail) the account (accounts, plural, really) of how the Jews who had been in Babylon for 70 years … were released from their captivity … and chose to return “home” to Israel, to Judah specifically.

In Ezra chapter 2 a sizeable group returned under the leadership of Zerubbabel.

Then again in Ezra chapter 7 another band came back to the Holy Land, basically under the leadership of the Book’s namesake, Ezra the Priest and Scribe.

People who loved the Land of their Fathers, the Promised Land, enough to uproot (after 70 long years, remember) their families and MOVE BACK to the Country God had long ago promised Abraham and his seed!

But alas, many Jews were NOT willing to relocate, pull up all the established ties!

They did NOT love their homeland that much!

Was God very well-pleased with that “lukewarm” crowd?

There is evidence that the answer to this question is, “Maybe not!”

We at least know this. The Book of Esther (its events) occurred after the first wave of Jews had gone back to Israel. The Jews whose very existence was threatened during the days of Haman were those who did not go home, when they had the opportunity!  (After Esther’s day, more Jews may have returned, but that does not affect the point of my Lesson today, not at all.)

And this fact is certain about the Book of Esther. God’s Name is NOT ONCE specifically used in the Book’s entirety! Not in all ten chapters!

Could this be saying, although perhaps faintly, that God’s Favor was not heavily resting upon that crowd? That even His Name was not allowed to be used (written) during that time, because the Jews then and there would not go back “home” then they had good opportunity?

In other words, those who chose to live in the “world” (to stay in Babylon/Persia) rather than in the “Holy Land” … were not given the privilege of having God’s Ineffable Holy Name identified (openly) with them!

Wow!

I want to live the kind of life so that God is not ashamed of me!

And He may have been a little ashamed of the Jews who stayed in their comfortable surroundings! On whom He did not clearly and repeatedly pronounced His Name!

Hebrews 11:16 comes to mind, spoken of the faithful … “But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore GOD IS NOT ASHAMED TO BE CALLED THEIR GOD: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

Wow again!

Oh, to please God in our lives!

To love the things God loves!

To abhor the things God abhors!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

“But without faith it is impossible TO PLEASE HIM: for he that cometh to GOD must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

 

Hundreds of Jews, who (yes) had made a mistake, committed a grave sin, failure to separate themselves from the heathen inhabitants who had infiltrated the land of Judah … have now repented and rectified the situation! Best they could, anyway.

In summary: “Separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.” Ezra 10:11-12

“Separate yourselves,” as in “divorce,” send back home … those idol worshipping wives!

And the offending men said: “So must we do.”

In order to stay “in fellowship” with their brethren!

In order to “avoid chastening” at the Hand of God!

In order to “live clean lives” according to the Law of Moses!

Thus Ezra chapter 10 is a list, a compilation of around 110 men who officially “separated themselves” from wives who had refused to follow the God of Abraham!

Fully understand this drastic act or not … we all must admit that they (these Jews, these “husbands” and in many cases “fathers”) paid a steep price for their Nation’s welfare. For continued harmony with their neighbors!

Many of these (no doubt) loved their wives!

And adored their little children!

YET THEY OBEYED EZRA AND THE OTHER LEADERS OF THAT DAY! THEY INDEED SEVERED THEIR MARRIAGE TIES! THEY BADE FAREWELL TO THEIR BOYS AND GIRLS!

Stunning!

I am wondering today, “Can anything GOOD be said about this crowd?”

Yes, I believe maybe so.

They (although erring, sinning when they married these unbelieving women in the first place) “gave up” their home lives for the sake of following their God, the True God!

And years later, Jesus the Messiah (the One Who came through the godly line these Jews were preserving) said to His Disciples: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or WIFE, or CHILDREN, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel’s, but HE SHALL RECEIVE AN HUNDREDFOLD now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands; and in the world to come eternal life.” Mark 10:29-30

Jesus made this promise specifically to Peter who had just asked: “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?” Quoting from Matthew’s account of the same incident, Matthew 19:27.

The man who “hath left” (even) his wife … shall receive an hundredfold reward!

Folks, in Heaven (New Jerusalem) some day we shall meet these men who so shockingly followed God’s Word in Ezra 10 … and likely be amazed (based on Jesus’ Words in the Gospels) at their “rewards!”

What a gracious Lord we serve!

Oh, by the way, God will reward YOU too … for all you’ve “given” for His Name’s Sake!

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for IN DUE SEASON WE SHALL REAP, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9, King James Version.

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that YOUR LABOUR IS NOT IN VAIN in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

Wow, I stand amazed!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

So now I must add the Book of Ezra to my “list.”

The list in my mind of “abrupt endings” in the Bible, in Scripture!

In the New Testament the history oriented Book of Acts, ends in such a fashion. (Incidentally, Ezra is history, too!) Yes, Acts concludes with the Apostle Paul in jail … and we’re pretty sure (???) he was eventually released and preached more, a lot more! But Luke concludes his Story: “And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.” Acts 28:30-31, but then what, Dr. Luke?

Furthermore, the Old Testament Book of Jonah does the very same thing! Chapter 4 (the Book’s finale) portrays Jonah pouting in anger, not shouting for joy, over the salvation of a while city! Did Jonah ever get “straightened out?” Did he ever see things “God’s Way?”

Plus another one, Jesus’ Parable of “The Prodigal Son!” Did that older brother finally get his attitude “right?” Did the prodigal “stay at home,” once he returned? Was he thereafter a faithful worker on his father’s farm? And did he ever go back to that “far country,” trying to make right the many wrongs he no doubt left behind, clearing his conscience and testifying to God’s Grace in his life?

And “the list goes on,” as they say.

But back to Ezra, chapter 10, its final verse: “All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.” The Book ends with a “list,” of all things! In fact, were it not for the following (in our Bibles) Book of Nehemiah, we’d have no idea how successfully Ezra’s plan ever became!

Why end in such an unexpected way?

1. Maybe to highlight the critical importance of the doctrine of “separation from sin,” that purifying principle in the Eyes of our great God!

2. Maybe to show the accurate historical nature (so interested in statistics) of this part of God’s inspired Word, this genre of Truth.

3. Maybe to reveal the “high price” of backsliding on God! Little innocent “children” losing their Dads … “and some of them had wives by whom they had children.” Yes, sin pays “wages,” painfully so!

4. Maybe again … to reveal (to give) “hope” to those who feel “locked” into some sin pattern! If all these men in Ezra can “obey” God and “forsake” their sins … God can surely help others to do the same!

5. Then lastly, maybe the Book ends so curtly … so that we will better learn to trust God (in giving us what we need to know, but often no more than we need to know) and accept His Word by faith!

Deuteronomy 29:29 often must be cited in cases like Ezra’s … “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Wow!

“Lord, we humbly bow at Thy feet today, thanking Thee for the book of Ezra, including its last chapter. By faith, trusting 2 Timothy 3:16.” Which clearly teaches/promises: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Amen!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

I am not saying this is absolutely the last Ezra Lesson, there may be another tomorrow. (We have already  invested 9 Studies to Ezra chapter 10 alone!) But I am saying we are nearing the end of our journey through this truly “amazing” little Book of Bible history. Holy Spirit inspired history, and a whole lot more!

After the “devastation” of these “divorces,” necessary but painful … the last verse of Ezra 10 simply says: “All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives by whom they had children.” Verse 44, leaving the Book with a rather “blunt” ending!

“Had taken,” so worded because the unions have now been dissolved. Due to idolatry and disobedience and insubordination, all primarily (or ultimately) directed toward Almighty God.

Best I can tell, only 400-500 people were involved in this “mass divorce” situation. A total of 110 or 111 men were guilty of taking these foreign (“strange” in the King James Version) wives!

But still, that many wives with no where to go? (Show me any provision specified by the Ezra Text to care for them! Show me one red cent these erring husbands were required to pay the women!)

Presumably however, they would have gone back to their fathers’ houses. That would have been the traditional response, anyway. Also … this issue took a while in planning and implementing, so time for them to arrange their “departures” would have been possible.

And look again at today’s verse. “All these had taken strange wives: and some of them had wives BY WHOM THEY HAD CHILDREN.”

How many boys and girls? I have of course included them in my estimate above, in round figures 400 or 500 total people. So 200-300 children! Are they now orphans?

Answer: we just do not know what happened.

See how sin devastates lives?

Furthermore show me the name of a single woman in this list!

Or a baby, or some little tot’s name, for that matter!

And to be fair, perhaps the men’s names were systematically listed to SHAME them for their wrongdoing!

One writer called this “solution” to the intermarriage violation … an example of the “iron yoke” of the Law of Moses! Then he reminded us of the “easy yoke” of Jesus, mentioned in Matthew 11:30! (What an interesting word picture!) “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Although, Jesus Himself did NOT take a light view of marriage, remarriage and divorce, not by any means.

Do not let my comments suggest criticism of the Word of God! This resolution was necessary! These few Jews, properly called a “remnant,” are the “hope” of salvation. Through them Jesus Christ our Lord came to earth! This heritage absolutely had to be PURE!

Then this too … Ezra (the leaders of Judah, too) … did seem to chart a “balanced” route through this thorny problem! Had they been any more strict, they could have (with the approval of the Law of Moses) conceivably stoned to death these adulterers, idolaters! Yet again had they been any more lenient, disaster would have occurred to the concept of Jewish identity!

Not too legalistic!

Not too easy-going!

Wisdom indeed!

Now here’s a New Testament illustration of such “balance” in approaching problems:

In the little Epistle of Second John the church is warned against false teachers. Do not accept them! Reject them! Then immediately in the little Epistle of Third John the Church is warned to accept true teachers, NOT to reject them!

One Preachers always says: “Blessed are the balanced!”

Amen!

Still … I hear weeping as Ezra ends.

But I trust this Bible principle will apply to this revival effort … “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5, “in the Lord!”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

Yes, I will need another lesson tomorrow!

I cannot end on the note I have sounded today!

 

Paul the Apostle, many years after Ezra lived and died, wrote these words: “Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” 1 Corinthians 11:27-32

Paul was admonishing the Corinthians NOT to abuse the “Lord’s Supper,” the ordinance we now call “Communion,” when observed in their local Church! Some of those believers it seems were turning the accompanying meal (called back then a “love feast,” as in “agape” love) into a gluttonous affair (apparently eating up all the food before others could approach the table and get a bite), and drinking so much they became intoxicated! (Look: “For in eating every one taketh before another his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.” Verse 21 of 1 Corinthians 11.

Wow!

And God was judging these carnal Corinthians for their misdeeds, their sins, their desecration of the Lord’s Table! “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” That is, many are “dead” (Their bodies now in the grave! Although their spirits would have been with Jesus.)

The solution!

STOP EATING THAT BREAD AND DRINKING THAT CUP SO UNWORTHILY!

Correct the problem!

In two words, “judge yourselves!”

In Paul’s words … “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord ….”

Cleaning up our own lives … before the Lord DOES IT FOR US! (In the fires of adversity, usually!) “Whipping” us, like a good father does his erring son or daughter!

And that thought now brings me to Ezra chapter 10, the last (although 44 verses long) section of that amazing little Old Testament Book of history.

There we have the Jews judging the Jews!

Believers judging themselves in the matter of wrong marriages!

Dozens and dozens of couples separating … because their unions had been wrong in the first place!

Had they not done so … God’s “fierce wrath” would have (even more heavily) fallen upon them! “Let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, UNTIL THE FIERCE WRATH OF OUR GOD FOR THIS MATTER BE TURNED FROM US.” Ezra 10:14

This is nearly applying (though metaphorically) Jesus’ seemingly stringent word picture given in the Sermon on the mount. “If thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.” Matthew 5:29-30

Divorcing one’s wife?

Even though the marriage was illegal according to the Law of Moses?

And the offending Jews were required to do this! The men who had married women who worshipped idols were duly (sternly) warned: “Whosoever would not come within three days (to “divorce court”), according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.” Wow, Ezra 10:8.

And when this self-imposed (Judeans to Judeans) judgment had been completed, the Book of Ezra ends … with (presumably) God’s blessings again upon the people, His people. (Then comes Nehemiah … rebuilding the City’s walls, and repairing the 10 gates, in a spirit of great harmony among the citizenry of Judah!)

By the way, the “judgment” upon these unseparated families was applied “across the board.” From leaders to followers! From the Priests to the common people! 

What an unusual chapter!

Folks, as I have already tried to say … this same principle applies to us today. Maybe we all had best finish reading the Lesson, retire to our prayer closets and search our hearts! 

One more time: “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell