Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Evening Sermon Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/ev/ev20101107.htm

THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION
Ezra: Following God For Reconstruction After Group Defeat
Part XII: Influencing The Group By The Individual Application Of Scripture
(Ezra 9:1-10:1)
  1. Introduction
    1. Much discussion in Christian circles has occurred in recent decades on the great need for quality influential leadership to arise in the Christian community and the world.
    2. The way for this to occur is simple, but also very profound, and Ezra 9:1-10:1 illustrates it (as follows):
  2. Influencing The Group By The Individual Application Of Scripture, Ezra 9:1-10:1.
    1. When Ezra led his group of Hebrew exiles back to Israel, his arrival as a reputable, godly teacher of God's Law highlighted Israel's need to heed that Law, so some of Israel's leaders who had returned earlier under Zerubbabel came to him about a problem of sin, Ezra 9:1a; Bible Know. Com., O. T., p. 668-669.
    2. They reported some of the people had been led by their leaders to intermarry with Gentiles, Ezra 9:1b-2!
    3. This news would have deeply troubled Ezra, a conscientious student of the Law, on two levels:
      1. First, this very sin had led God to cause Israel to go into captivity, making it inexcusable in Ezra's era:
        1. God had forbidden Israel to marry pagans lest their idolatry spread among His people, Deut. 7:1-4.
        2. Since Israel had previously adopted the pagan idolatry around her, God had sent the nation into captivity from which the Hebrew exiles had recently returned, cf. 2 Chronicles 36:14-21.
      2. Second, Ezra learned that some of Israel's officials had led the people in this sin of intermarrying with Gentiles, so he knew rebellion against God's Word existed even in some of Israel's leaders, Ezra 9:2b!
    4. Ezra responded as he personally HAD to respond: he recognized Israel's national covenant relationship with God had left himself to a degree culpable of this sin though he had not wed a Gentile. Thus, as had the prophet Daniel before him (Dan. 9:20), Ezra personally, fully confessed Israel's sin before the nation:
      1. In a sign of great remorse, Ezra tore his clothes, plucked off the hair of his head and beard and sat down publicly utterly appalled at this news of the sin of mixed marriages in Israel, Ezra 9:3.
      2. Such a total and even painful demonstration of remorse by their spiritual leader riveted the attention of the rest of the people and some of their leaders, so many of them gathered around Ezra, Ezra 9:4:
        1. Everyone who respected the Scriptures and knew of God's wrath against Israel due to the nation's history of punishment for such sin gathered with Ezra to grieve over the sin, Ezra 9:4a.
        2. Thus assembled, they would have been deeply affected by Ezra's expression of grief as he sat for hours disheveled and appalled at Israel's sin until the (3 p.m.) evening sacrifice, Ezra 9:4b.
    5. Then, at that time of sacrifice and worship, Ezra publicly poured out his confession to God, Ezra 9:5-15:
      1. Ezra arose from his sitting position to kneel in contrition before God and all Israel, spreading up his hands before the Lord to address Him with a deeply apologetic prayer, Ezra 9:5.
      2. He told God he was ashamed even to approach Him due to the depth of Israel's sin, Ezra 9:6.
      3. Ezra then verbally recounted the nation's recent history of punishment for idolatry, and of God's work of grace to restore the people back to the land of Israel following this punishment, Ezra 9:7-9.
      4. Thus, Ezra told God how hard it was for him to face Israel's current sin of mixed marriages, a sin that could only lead once again to idolatry, the sin for which Israel had gone into captivity, Ezra 9:10-15.
    6. With this prayer, Ezra dramatically cast himself down flat on his face to weep before the Lord, Ezra 10:1a.
    7. The result of this public expression by such a godly, dedicated leader caused the people gathered around Ezra, both men, women and children, who had seen his actions, to identify with his attitude in remorse, themselves to weep greatly, in wonderful preparation for national repentance and renewal, Ezra 10:1b!
Lesson: When godly, reputable Ezra personally, fully applied Scripture in His own heart and life, it produced a profound example for all Israel, influencing the nation to repent for renewal before God.

Application: (1) If the institution around us needs to repent before the Lord, our best course of action is to apply Scripture ourselves and let that example impact others! (1 Peter 5:3) (2) Ezra had been a godly man for some time (Ezra 7:6, 10), making his example that much more effective, so personal uprightness as a way of life gives even greater impact in our example before others. (2 Timothy 3:14)