Ezra does five things as he draws attention to the sin of the people. Scripture tells us he:
- Wept
- Prayed
- Confessed
- Fasted
- Has them sign a covenant
This is a big deal. Ezra demonstrates most of the same things that Nehemiah did as he led the people back to God. We can learn much by just watching here. Ezra rounded them up and led them to repentance and action. They had to “separate….from the people of the land and their foreign wives”. They had to truly repent – to turn and go the other way – God’s way. That meant walking away from wives, husbands, inlaws and friends that were not people of God. The people sit outside the palace and listen as Ezra instructs them. “Buckets of rain” were coming down on them yet they waited for his instruction. Everyone was there listening. He pointed out that they had “broken trust” with God and change had to happen immediately. How much easier this would have been had people not violated God’s commands in the first place. That is always the case guys! Sin hurts……
Posted by asorensen 
