God's Work in Tough Situations- Ezra 9

The book of Ezra has proven to be similar to a roller coaster. It begins going down, a reminder of the failure of humans to follow the LORD alone. This failure led them into captivity. More than simply leaving their homes and land, they were separated from God, represented through the destruction of the Temple.

They climbed up, however, through the gracious promises of God to return them to the land. God caused pagans to support and finance the reconstruction of the Temple. Then another downward spiral comes through the opposition to their work.

Again the coaster begins to ascend as God moves through the leaders of Israel, represented by Ezra, the Law-loving priest, and God brings the work to a completion. Joyous sacrifice and worship breaks out, and the people are excited that they have been reunited with God.

As we come to chapter nine this morning, we take another dive. This dive, as with the others in this book and in Scripture as a whole, offer us a glimpse into the painful reality of depravity. However, as we will see, as there is a north pole of depravity, there is also a south pole of God’s grace.

Depravity is an essential understanding to a biblical view of human beings and of salvation. I want to provide a brief sketch of this doctrine before we dive into our passage this morning.

Depravity is the biblical truth that human beings are completely corrupted. There is no part of a human being (mind, emotions, and will) that is not touched by depravity. This in no way implies that every human being is devoid of any good qualities from our perspective. Nor does it imply that every human being is as wicked as he or she can possible be.

What it does mean, though, is that human begins cannot and will not follow God, that humans choose to worship themselves rather than their Creator, and that, left to their own devices, humans will progress in wickedness unless aided by God’s divine grace.

We see both human depravity and God’s grace in this passage, found in a tough situation. We will see that depravity creates tough situations, which should break the believer’s heart, that should lead to confession, and ultimate magnifies the grace of God.

I. Depravity creates tough situations- Ezra 9:1-2

As the narrative progresses, we come to a terrible situation. The Israelites were marrying pagans in direct violation of the Lord’s commandments (Deuteronomy 7:1-5 and 23:3-4). Now, before we look at this tough situation in detail we must acknowledge an important point. These women that the men married did not forsake their idols.

Like it was mentioned in 4:2, these people added worship of Israel’s God into their mix. In other words, the issue was not necessarily that they were marrying different groups of people, but that they, as followers of God, were marrying lost people (2 Cor. 6:14-18). This passage is not referring to the marrying of different ethnicities (see Num. 12:1-15).

A. The tough situation was caused by God’s People

What we see is that human depravity, found in God’s people, brought about this tough situation. Here were God’s people, failing to live life in accordance with the Scriptures, and as a result their actions brought about this event. We see also that this situation was lead, in part, by the leaders. These are people who should have known better. However, depravity is a wickedly deceptive doctrine, which should cause us to pause and consider our own hearts and their proneness to wander (Matt. 7:1-5, Gal. 6:1).

While we acknowledge the glorious truth of God’s incredible salvation, we still live in a fallen world and we still battle the flesh. We must remember and be watchful of this depravity in our own lives. But this did not just affect the people of God. It also affected lost people.

B. The tough situation affected lost people

The sins of God’s people affected lost people. We will see this in more detail in 10:44, but these women and children faced the consequences of their foolish and sinful actions.

These people already were confused with their religious views, but now their problems were compounded due to Israel’s unfaithfulness. Believers, consider our own actions and how they affect lost people. When we hear of pastors or leaders who claim Christ delve into sins, it harms the witness of Jesus among lost people. Rather than letting our lights shine before the world, bringing glory to God, our unfaithfulness brings further darkness to an already dark and lost world.

<This tough situation comes about through human depravity. While we normally attach unbelievers to depravity, vestiges of it remain in the believers’ soul, and many times it is believers that create tough situations. This situations should break our hearts, like it did Ezra

II. Tough situations breaks the believer’s heart- Ezra 9:3-4 (Joel 2:13)

We need to consider carefully Ezra’s response at this news. Upon hearing of this unfaithfulness, Ezra manifests his disgust at their disobedience.

Ezra visibly responds by tearing his garment and robe, and pulling his hair out of his beard and head. Today we consider this extreme, but this is an important lesson for us. Sin, depravity, disobedience, whatever term you choose, should cause us to respond appropriately.

When we see a horrible accident, our response is to shield our eyes or gasp. Yet, when we see sin we do not react the same way. We are far too comfortable with sin.

He was devastated, as we should be, when tough situations come about. This response has a way of uniting God’s people together. Notice how those who took God’s Word seriously joined Ezra.

Tough situations should break our hearts and cause us to respond accordingly. As we consider our church, we need to view sin seriously. We need to mourn over sins. But too often we stop at this point. We cry, we mourn, but Ezra demonstrates that this mourning and heartbreaking situation should lead us to an honest acknowledgment, or confession.

III. Depravity requires honest acknowledgment (confession)- Ezra 9:5-12

Ezra, at the evening offering, begins to confess the sins of his people. He is interceding for them (much like Christ will and does for us, see Rom. 8:34). We learn much from Ezra’s confession that we can utilize today.

A. Ezra’s confession corporate—our, we, us

As we consider prayer, particular corporate prayer, we find an important reminder that we are God’s people, though truly still God’s person. We are a congregation, though different, as the people of Israel were. They were a covenant community, we are a new covenant community.

What does this have to do with us today? Far too often we “confess” like the Pharisee of Luke 18:11-12, when in reality we need to pray like the sinner (or, like Ezra) in 18:13. Ezra was an upright man, and yet he confessed their sins.

B. Ezra’s confession was hopeful—lovingkindness

We also see that Ezra’s confession was hopeful. It was built upon the covenantal love of God (i.e., lovingkindness, steadfast love). In other words, he confessed with the hope (biblical hope, more of an expectation) that God could and would forgive.

God’s covenantal love brought them back to the land (vs. 8a) and revived them spiritually (vs. 8b). Though they were still under the rule of the Persians, God had graciously provided them the Temple and the walls of protection (vs. 9).

One of the distinguishing marks of the Christian faith, and perhaps the most wonderful words ever written, are found in Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Ezra’s confession, though dealing with horrific sins, was nevertheless hopeful because of God’s covenantal love! We have that same hope in our prayers, and we can share that same hope with others when we share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ.

C. Ezra’s confession was scriptural—Deut. 7:1-5

We read of this Scripture in verses 10-12. In fact, Ezra’s confession is bathed with Scripture, though not directly quoted, because he describes their unfaithfulness that is found throughout the Old Testament. In other words, it was Scriptural.

Our confessions need to be Scripture. How can they be?

Use God’s Word to describe your sin (e.g., rather than using affair, use adultery, “we have forsaken your commandments”)

Use God’s Word to describe the results (e.g., we have harmed a brother or sister in Christ, “our guilt has grown even to the heavens”)

Use God’s Word to ask for mercy (e.g., in Christ we have forgiveness, “God…has extended lovingkindness to us”)

We will see that depravity creates tough situations, which should break the believer’s heart, that should lead to confession, and ultimate magnifies the grace of God, because it is through confession that forgiveness comes.

IV. Depravity magnifies the grace of God- Ezra 9:13-15

As we consider the last three verses of chapter nine, we ask ourselves, how can depravity magnify grace? We answer with these reasons.

A. Because of suspended or limited judgment- 13

Ezra recognizes the grace of God when God does not immediately wiped them out. He says, “You our God have requited us less than our iniquities deserve.” God’s grace shines so brightly in the midst of the darkness of human depravity, because God often suspends or limits His judgment.

Think of Adam, who after rebelling against the God who promised death if Adam ate the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, did not wipe Adam out immediately. He graciously covered Adam, and still provided Adam with a long life, alone with an incredible promise found in Gen. 3:15.

This seed of the woman, as we have noted frequently, is none other than the Messiah, Jesus Christ. How can a righteous and holy God suspend or limit His judgment? Because Jesus would come and bear our sins and endure the punishment we deserved (see Isaiah 53:4-11 and Rom. 3:23-26). Christ endured the punishment for sins so that those who believe would not have to do so.

B. Because of thoughtful consideration-14

When we think about the incredible grace of God, we should consider how marvelous it is. Notice Ezra’s question, “shall we again break Your commandments and intermarry with the peoples? Would you not be angry with us to the point of destruction, until there is no remnant nor any who escape?”

When we read this statement from God, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau I hated,” our fleshly and human response, how could God hate Esau?? Our astonishment, matching Ezra’s here, should rather come from the phrase, “Jacob have I loved.”

You see, we have such a low view of sin that what shocks is not God’s grace but God’s wrath. Yet, the Scriptures remind us that God is gracious, and this should cause us to marvel at the wonders of His grace!

C. Because it is our only hope-15

The final aspect of grace that we see in this passage is that, when we come to a biblical view of our sin and of God’s holiness, we realize that our only hope is in God’s grace. That is the realization that Ezra comes to here in the last verse of chapter nine.

Now, contextually there is hope by their responses found in chapter ten. However, even that hope is limited and confined. Sins will still come. Unfaithfulness to God’s Word will happen again. It was the perennial problem the Jewish people faced.

We read these important and pertinent words from Hebrews 9:11-14

Hebrews 9:11–14 NASB95

But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

O marvel at the grace of God in Jesus Christ, it is our only hope!

We have seen that depravity creates tough situations, which should break the believer’s heart, that should lead to confession, and ultimate magnifies the grace of God.