Correcting a secret sin

Introduction

Capt. Lily shared last week about how the rest of the people that were exiled from Jerusalem returned and made their burnt offerings.

Author Keith Brooks summarizes chapter 9 of Ezra in the following manner:

Summarized Bible: Complete Summary of the Old Testament Chapter Nine

The remnant loses its separated position. Ezra’s prayer and confession.

Here are parts of Ezra’s prayer:

Ezra 9:6 CSB

6 And I said: My God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face toward you, my God, because our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt is as high as the heavens.

Ezra 9:6 NTV

6 Hice la siguiente oración: «Oh Dios mío, estoy totalmente avergonzado; me da vergüenza elevar mi rostro a ti. Pues nuestros pecados se han amontonado tanto que son más altos que nosotros, y nuestra culpa llega a los cielos.

Ezra 9:9 CSB

9 Though we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our slavery. He has extended grace to us in the presence of the Persian kings, giving us relief, so that we can rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

Ezra 9:9 NTV

9 Pues éramos esclavos pero, en su amor inagotable, nuestro Dios no nos abandonó en nuestra esclavitud. Por el contrario, hizo que los reyes de Persia nos trataran favorablemente. Él nos dio nuevas fuerzas, para que pudiéramos reconstruir el templo de nuestro Dios y reparar las ruinas. Nos dio una muralla de protección en Judá y en Jerusalén.

Ezra 9:15 CSB

15 Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we survive as a remnant today. Here we are before you with our guilt, though no one can stand in your presence because of this.

Ezra 9:15 NTV

15 Oh Señor, Dios de Israel, tú eres justo. Nos acercamos a ti con nuestra culpa, sin ser más que un remanente que ha escapado, aunque en semejante condición ninguno de nosotros puede estar en tu presencia».

Today we look at what the process of repentance looked like for the remnant of Israel.

By confessing it (Ezra 10:1, 6)

Before the nation grieved of its secret sin there needed to be an honest acknowledgement or even more so, a confession, before it could be dealt with.

Ezra 9:1–2 CSB

1 After these things had been done, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the surrounding peoples whose detestable practices are like those of the Canaanites, Hethites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians, and Amorites. 2 Indeed, the Israelite men have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed has become mixed with the surrounding peoples. The leaders and officials have taken the lead in this unfaithfulness!”

Ezra 9:1–2 NVI

1 Después de todo esto, se me acercaron los jefes y me dijeron: «El pueblo de Israel, incluso los sacerdotes y levitas, no se ha mantenido separado de los pueblos vecinos, sino que practica las costumbres abominables de todos ellos, es decir, de los cananeos, hititas, ferezeos, jebuseos, amonitas, moabitas, egipcios y amorreos. 2 De entre las mujeres de esos pueblos han tomado esposas para sí mismos y para sus hijos, mezclando así la raza santa con la de los pueblos vecinos. Y los primeros en cometer tal infidelidad han sido los jefes y los gobernantes.»

And so we see Israel admits to its sin and the consequences

Ezra 10:2 CSB

2 Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, an Elamite, responded to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples, but there is still hope for Israel in spite of this.

Ezra 10:2 NTV

2 Luego Secanías, hijo de Jehiel, descendiente de Elam, le dijo a Esdras: «Hemos sido infieles a nuestro Dios, porque nos hemos casado con mujeres paganas de esta tierra; pero a pesar de esto, hay esperanza para Israel.

Following the confession of their sin, they committed to renouncing it.

By renouncing it (Ezra 10:3-5)

Ezra 10:3–5 CSB

3 Therefore, let’s make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the law. 4 Get up, for this matter is your responsibility, and we support you. Be strong and take action!” 5 Then Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said; so they took the oath.

Ezra 10:3–5 NTV

3 Hagamos ahora un pacto con nuestro Dios mediante el cual nos divorciaremos de nuestras esposas paganas y las echaremos de aquí junto con sus hijos. Seguiremos tu consejo y el de los demás que respetan los mandatos de nuestro Dios. Que se haga todo de acuerdo con la ley de Dios. 4 Levántate, porque es tu deber decirnos cómo debemos proceder para arreglar esta situación. Nosotros te respaldamos, por lo tanto, sé fuerte y actúa». 5 Entonces Esdras se puso de pie y exigió que los jefes de los sacerdotes, los levitas y todo el pueblo de Israel juraran que harían lo que dijo Secanías. Así que todos hicieron un juramento solemne.

By separating from it (Ezra 10:7, 9, 11-12)

The New Bible Commentary 10:1–44 The Problem of Mixed Marriages Resolved

The poignant reference to women and children in the first and last verses of the chapter suggests that the narrator was not unaware of the human cost involved

Conclusión

Summary

The people of Israel set out to repent from their sin by confession, renunciation, and separation.

Application

Jesus first message at the beginning of his ministry was:

Matthew 4:17 CSB

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Matthew 4:17 NTV

17 A partir de entonces, Jesús comenzó a predicar: «Arrepiéntanse de sus pecados y vuelvan a Dios, porque el reino del cielo está cerca».

How do we repent from our sin? We can see some elements of what that process would look like for us today through the process the Israelites went through.

Confession

Scripture speaks very clearly about the power of confessing our sins to heal us from them

James 5:16 CSB

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.

James 5:16 NVI

Por eso, confiésense unos a otros sus pecados, y oren unos por otros, para que sean sanados. La oración del justo es poderosa y eficaz.

1 John 1:9 CSB

9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9 NTV

9 pero si confesamos nuestros pecados a Dios, él es fiel y justo para perdonarnos nuestros pecados y limpiarnos de toda maldad.

There is a special relationship between confession and healing that I believe has to do with the humbling of one’s self and admitting we are at fault and that we need support from one another in prayer to break free from the sins that bind us.

Renunciation

After confession there is the important making the internal commitment of what you are choosing to let go or turn away from. Ask God’s Holy Spirit to show you what sin has taken hold of you and help you turn away from the sin that is enslaving.

Separation

Finally, there is the taking the action of separating ourselves and following through with the commitment we have asked God to help us through. The commitment would not be complete without the action needed to actually follow through with what God has called us out of and into.

Final Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 CSB

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will do it.

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 NTV

23 Ahora, que el Dios de paz los haga santos en todos los aspectos, y que todo su espíritu, alma y cuerpo se mantenga sin culpa hasta que nuestro Señor Jesucristo vuelva. 24 Dios hará que esto suceda, porque aquél que los llama es fiel.