Now this had to be a very sad day! All the men who had been unfaithful to God and married foreign women sent the women and the children they had with them away.
Oops... Not sure if the text really says that. I think that they probably did or at least most of them. At first most of the men agree to do this. They vow to send the women away. But, then the leaders get together and decide what must be done. I found one note to verse 44 that says the women were sent away with their children. But, I couldn't find a translation that actually said that. It says that they each gave an offering of a ram of their flock for their sin. So this morning, I'm left wondering, probably more like hopeful that they didn't. Divorce is a sad thing and this a mass divorce!
I'm thinking this morning, that this chapter and yesterday's probably should have been read together. The point is infidelity - unfaithfulness - to God by taking unbelievers into one's life and home. Why is that bad? Mostly, I think, because it lends itself to serving two gods. You cannot serve two gods... It is only natural that you will direct your attention to the god of your spouse. Their god will get in your way of worshipping your God. If you have invited a false god into your home by way of a spouse - that false god is there whether you like it or not and he/she/it will distract your from full worship of your Creator who is your husband-whose name is the LORD Almighty-the Holy One of Israel who is your Redeemer; the God of all the earth. (see Isaiah 54:50)
Here ends the Book of Ezra. Tomorrow we begin with the prophet Nehemiah. Have a blessed day and may God help you to be faithful to Him in all things.
Oops... Not sure if the text really says that. I think that they probably did or at least most of them. At first most of the men agree to do this. They vow to send the women away. But, then the leaders get together and decide what must be done. I found one note to verse 44 that says the women were sent away with their children. But, I couldn't find a translation that actually said that. It says that they each gave an offering of a ram of their flock for their sin. So this morning, I'm left wondering, probably more like hopeful that they didn't. Divorce is a sad thing and this a mass divorce!
I'm thinking this morning, that this chapter and yesterday's probably should have been read together. The point is infidelity - unfaithfulness - to God by taking unbelievers into one's life and home. Why is that bad? Mostly, I think, because it lends itself to serving two gods. You cannot serve two gods... It is only natural that you will direct your attention to the god of your spouse. Their god will get in your way of worshipping your God. If you have invited a false god into your home by way of a spouse - that false god is there whether you like it or not and he/she/it will distract your from full worship of your Creator who is your husband-whose name is the LORD Almighty-the Holy One of Israel who is your Redeemer; the God of all the earth. (see Isaiah 54:50)
Here ends the Book of Ezra. Tomorrow we begin with the prophet Nehemiah. Have a blessed day and may God help you to be faithful to Him in all things.
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