Sin in the Camp

Context/Setting:

Who are the characters? Officials, the people of the land, priests, Levites, the peoples of the land, and Ezra.

What is the situation? A remnant has returned from exile with Ezra.

Where does the episode occur? Judah

Rising Action:

What sets the story in motion? Officials report to Ezra that members of the remnant community have married people of the land.

What conflict arises? Intermarriage creates religious syncretism and has been forbidden by God’s decree. Ezra responds to the report by outwardly expressing his grief and sorrow.

What carries the narrative along? Much of the text is Ezra’s confession of sin on behalf of the people of God.

Climax:

How does the narrative come to a head? Ezra confesses God’s goodness to His people, and he relents to any pending judgment for their rebellion.

What is the point of the story? God’s goodness and justice toward a people who have been consistently rebellious.

Resolution:

How does the story end? Honestly, it is not resolved yet. The ending is Ezra’s confession that the Jews are before You in our guilt, for none can stand before You because of this.

Does the story resolve or leave the reader with more questions to be explored? There are certainly answers not yet given.

Will God forgive their sin?

What does true repentance look like? So far there has only been confession of guilt.

How does the ending move the narrative into the next story? The lack of resolution at the end of the chapter certainly begs the reader to keep going, seeking for God’s direction and response to Ezra’s prayer.

An Awareness of Sin

Ezra is presented with a great threat to the post-exilic community: forbidden intermarriage with pagans. Why did this happen? It could be that more men returned than women, so finding a wife after the return may have been difficult. Or, there were instances in the OT when men took wives for themselves not from among the Israelites (Joseph and Moses both had foreign wives). (There could also be ignorance to the command of Deut.7). Regardless, neither pragmatism nor ignorance are excuses for sin. Further, all three groups of the remnant community are involved -- the people of Israel and the priests and the Levites -- see vs.1.

The chief concern is the holiness of the people of God. This is further highlighted by the officials noting that the people practiced faithlessness.

Crossing the chasm:

Unequally yoked

When the church forsakes holiness and marries the world

Brokenness Over Sin

Ezra’s actions here indicate a strong emotion and deep distress. He not only tore his outer garment, but his undergarment as well. Further, he pulled hair from his head and beard, additional ritual signs of mourning. While pagan cultures practiced shaving as a sign of mourning, Jewish law limited the practice to pulling out hairs. Finally, Ezra sat in stunned silence -- appalled.

These actions may seem shocking, but they are meant to “shatter” complacency through “dramatic actions.” (What would happen if we were willing to dramatically denounce sin in the manner? What would happen if we were as consumed with being a holy people as Ezra was for the Jews? What if we celebrated repentance instead of embarrassed people for it?)

His posture of prayer, fell upon my knees and spread out my hands, shows his humility as he bows before God the way a person would before a dignitary to express unworthiness.

Ezra approached God cautiously, not presumptuously.

Certainly humility and dependence upon God are necessary aspects of genuine prayer and confession. Ezra does not take God’s grace for granted, does not “readily rush to a happy ending,” and does not “presume on God’s instant favor.”

Crossing the Chasm:

Are we truly broken? Worldly sorrow vs. godly sorrow

Do we show appropriate brokenness?

Prayer of Confession

The fact that Ezra identifies with the sins of the people is a subtle reminder that sin does not happen in a vacuum. When one is guilty, the whole community of faith suffers! This is played out in Israel’s defeat at Ai because of Achan’s sin.

Ezra’s prayer is unique in that there is no request made of God. Instead, it focuses solely on confession. His prayer begins with personal shame. There is ownership in the matter of sin instead of finger-pointing. (Did Ezra marry a foreign wife? There seems to be no indication that this is the case. But, he is responsible for teaching the law, and the people’s transgression of the law reflects his failure. There is a good reminder that there are no parties of complete innocence.)

The temptation since the day of the fall has been to shift blame. However, Ezra does not disassociate with the people and their sin. Rather, he includes himself in the confession. His confession shows his awareness of the holiness of God and His righteous demands.

It is not uncommon for a heightened awareness of sin to lead to a confession of sin on behalf of the community. Isaiah does the same thing in Isa.6 when he sees the holiness of YHWH. Here, Ezra confesses on behalf of the Jews as a whole, even confessing and admitting guilt for sins that saw the nation exiled in the first place.

Ezra identifies with the people’s sin, and uses two metaphors to describe how sin has become obstacles that have hiddenGod’s face and threatened judgment on the Jews. Further, Ezra shows a true sense of God’s holiness, feeling disgraced because he knows that YHWH cannot endure or look upon sin. Later he will say that because of guilt, none can stand before God.

Even as the guilt of the people persists, Ezra remembers God’s goodness. “A little grace had been granted by God to His people; a small remnant had found its weary way back to its home and driven a single peg into its soil; a solitary ray of light was shining; a faint breath of freedom lightened their slavery.” - J.J. Slotki

God’s grace is evident in the remembrance of a remnant. In this group, the promises of the final fulfillment of God’s promises remain, for eventually Messiah “will come from and to” this group who awaits “the consolation of Israel” (Lk.2:25).

The Jews’ place back in the land, though still not politically autonomous, was a reminder that they had not been forsaken in their slavery. Rather, they were recipients of God’s steadfast love.

As harsh as the Jews may have viewed the exile (and this is a punishment that may be slightly lost on us, for their entire identity was previously tied to this land, so it was essentially a loss of identity), it was still less than their iniquities deserved. Again, this shows Ezra’s awareness of the holiness of God, His righteous wrath, and the mercy that they’d received.

So, Ezra asks, shall we break your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practice these abominations?

Ezra is not speaking hyperbolically. He was genuinely disturbed over the remnant’s presumptuous sin. He is amazed and frustrated by the people’s indifference toward God, and he was keenly aware that God could (and would be justified if He did!) wipe them out.

All of God’s people should wonder if/when should we suppose upon God’s grace. The answer is obviously, “Never!” The right response to the love of God is to return that love in obedient submission. Paul, writing to the Romans, said, “Should we go on sinning so that grace may increase? Of course not! How can we who died as far as sin is concerned go on living in it?” (Rom.6:1-2).

Finally, I want to touch on this last part of Ezra 9:15 “O Lord, the God of Israel, you are just, for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is today. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this.”” While Ezra is speaking specifically about the sin of the Jews in this moment, the truth is universal: God is holy and sin cannot exist in His presence. (SHARE THE GOSPEL)

This chapter begins the final portion of the Book of Ezra. Leaving little time for euphoric celebration, Ezra is quickly greeted with an issue that struck at the heart of what the community of faith was supposed to be about (obedience to YHWH’s commands). What a reminder that we, too, as God’s people, are called to obedience to the teachings of Christ. We must live as faithful followers, forsaking our former life to follow Christ our King. And when we stumble, and we will stumble!, what a gift we have been given to go before our God and plead for the grace of forgiveness.

Are you aware of the sin in your life?

Are you willing to be broken over your rebellion?

Will you confess your sin and turn to a holy God this morning?