Man's stubbornness and God's mercy.

Read - 9:15

I want to start by quoting two thoughts.

The first one I read it on FB:

“Before, when the pastors preached against sin, people changed. Now, they change church.”

The second one, I wrote it in 2011, and published it again this week:

“Stupidity and stubbornness are the roots of many people's sufferings! Here is an unfailing recipe to suffering: do not listen any advice from those who love you!”

The book of Ezra reminds us of man’s stupidity and stubbornness, and of God’s mercy.

Due to their stubbornness, the Jews, according to God’s warning, were enslaved by the Babylonians for 70 years.

Jer 25:8

Jeremiah 25:8 NASB95

“Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed My words,

Jeremiah 25:11–12 NASB95

‘This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years. ‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the Lord, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation.

Jer 25:11-12

Jeremiah 29:10 NASB95

“For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place.

Stubbornness because the Lord sent to them several prophets to rebuke them and warn them, but they refused to listen.

How to deal with a stubborn people?

They need someone who rebukes them.

No one likes to be rebuked! But we all need to be rebuked because we constantly sin by disobeying God and make mistakes. If we were perfect, we wouldn’t need to be rebuked.

Who is sensible to sin.

Ezra was not perfect, but he was sensible to sin! As soon as he was informed of the sin of the people (they had mixed and married with pagans and were practicing their abominations), he got sad (torn his garment and robe), upset (pulled hair from his head and beard), and amazed of their stubbornness (sat down appalled). 9:1-3

He hurt when he saw the sinfulness, stubbornness, and stupidity of the people.

“he sat down appalled.” He could not understand how those people continued in their sin despite the suffering sin had brought to them.

People harden their heart to the voice of God and do not realize how much suffering sin brings.

Who is ashamed of sin.

He was so ashamed of sin that, even though it was not his sin, he humbled himself before God in prayer and said,

Ezra 9:6 NASB95

and I said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.

Ezra 9:6

“confused” is one of the meanings, but not the best translation. The original word also means: ashamed, reproached, put to shame, blush. (apenado). We can read it as...

Do you feel ashamed of sin? If not, you are like the people of Israel: stubborn and hardened.

Who acknowledges on God’s mercy.

Despite their disobedience, God had poured all His justice on them. They deserved more for their sin. But God did not abandon them, His mercy was present.

“For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness (mercy) to us...” 9:9

“After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our great guilt, since You have requited is less than our iniquities deserve,...” 9:13

It is important to understand three concepts show here:

“justice”: receiving what we deserve. We have sinned, we deserve hell.

“mercy”: not receiving what we deserve. God has compassion and offers a solution.

“grace”: receiving what we do not deserve. No one deserve salvation, but God offers it for free.

Jesus could see the people suffering due to their sin, but He had mercy of them. He was willing to die in their place (something they did not deserve), to offer His grace so they could go to Heaven (something no one deserve either) instead of Hell.

9:8-9, 13

They someone who preaches the Word to them.

Who knows the Word.

As a priest, Ezra knew the task that awaited him. He had to teach the Word of God to those people.

He knew that no one can teach what one does not know. Therefore, “he set his heart to study the law of the Lord...” 7:10

“Study the Scriptures in order that your faith be based, not on the opinions of men, but in the power of God.” Charles Spurgeon

As the pastor of this church, I must know the Word very well!

Can you imagine if I would not know it?

Who lives the Word.

“Ezra set his heart to study the law of the Lord and to practice it...”

If the preacher does not live according to the Word, his teaching has no power nor value.

If I do not live it and I rebuke someone in sin, what would he say?...

The people was not living according tot the Word; they needed someone who model it to them.

Who teaches the Word.

My opinions and my likes will not impact the heart of anyone. It is the Word what the Holy Spirit uses to bring people to conviction.

Jesus’ teaching was so powerful because He taught, not traditions, not opinions, but the Word of God.

Matthew 7:28–29 NASB95

When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

One thing I have guaranteed during my years of ministry: I will preach you the Word, either you like it or not; either you receive it or reject it; either you get happy or mad.

“There are men who preach foolishness and get applause. And there are men who preach the truth and they are spitted at. Do not change the message for the applause. It is better the offense with the approval of God than the applause with the friendship of the devil.”

They need true repentance.

“When the Word is preached, people repent or get mad.”

The book ends with a positive note: the people responded to the rebuke, repented, and acted upon it.

Repentance starts with confession.

“Now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments.” 9:10

Acknowledgment is the firs step to recovery. As long as a drunkard insists that he is not an alcoholic, he will never recover.

Before the holiness of God, the only thing we can say is, “we have sinned”.

With a broken heart.

It is not enough to just say, “I have sinned”. It must hurt in your heart that you have offended a holy God. The people was touched by the Word!

Ezra 10:1 NASB95

Now while Ezra was praying and making confession, weeping and prostrating himself before the house of God, a very large assembly, men, women and children, gathered to him from Israel; for the people wept bitterly.

With the decision to change.

You may confess and be broken, but if you do not decide to change, you cannot call it repentance. You may call it regret or remorse, but not repentance.

One of the leaders stood up and spoke for the people:

Ezra 10:2–3 NASB95

Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. “So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law.

Ezra 10:2-3

Said and done!

Ezra 10:10–12 NASB95

Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful and have married foreign wives adding to the guilt of Israel. “Now therefore, make confession to the Lord God of your fathers and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” Then all the assembly replied with a loud voice, “That’s right! As you have said, so it is our duty to do.

Ezra 10:10-12

They were rebuked, they acknowledged their sin, confessed it, accepted their responsibility, and they obey God. God bless them then.

10:2-3, 12