Learning From The Past

Ezra 10:2b-4, 7-14

“We have been unfaithful to our God, for we have married these pagan women of the land. But in spite of this there is hope for Israel. 3 Let us now make a covenant with our God to divorce our pagan wives and to send them away with their children. We will follow the advice given by you and by the others who respect the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law of God. 4 Get up, for it is your duty to tell us how to proceed in setting things straight. We are behind you, so be strong and take action.”

7 Then a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should come to Jerusalem. 8 Those who failed to come within three days would, if the leaders and elders so decided, forfeit all their property and be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

9 Within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place on December 19, and all the people were sitting in the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining. 10 Then Ezra the priest stood and said to them: “You have committed a terrible sin. By marrying pagan women, you have increased Israel’s guilt. 11 So now confess your sin to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do what he demands. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from these pagan women.”

12 Then the whole assembly raised their voices and answered, “Yes, you are right; we must do as you say!” 13 Then they added, “This isn’t something that can be done in a day or two, for many of us are involved in this extremely sinful affair. And this is the rainy season, so we cannot stay out here much longer. 14 Let our leaders act on behalf of us all. Let everyone who has a pagan wife come at a scheduled time, accompanied by the leaders and judges of his city, so that the fierce anger of our God concerning this affair may be turned away from us.”

These verses are a great indication of how people still operate today. The children of Israel that were in captivity had fallen into the cares of the people who were their captives and were not keeping themselves separate unto God as they should have been. Just like today when Christians who are engaged in the cares of this world and its economy are suffering the consequences of their actions. They are not following God and His direction for their lives as they should and need to come to the realization that they need Him more than they are currently reflecting. I know that once they come to their senses and turn back to Jesus they can experience a true reconciliation with Him.

In the days of Ezra the people could not go to God Himself, as we can today through Jesus, because they had to go through the priests. This is why we are at a greater advantage today. Jesus is ready, willing and able to be reconciled with us, in fact He has even given us an analogy to look at in the New Testament. I know this is a familiar passage to many but it is very fitting to give in this situation.

Luke 15:11-32

11 To illustrate the point further, Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. 15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

25 “Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, 26 and he asked one of the servants what was going on. 27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

28 “The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, 29 but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. 30 Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

31 “His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

Jesus is waiting for us to return from our sins when we fall into the trap set by the enemy. He will run to us to bring us back into the family. He doesn’t condemn us nor heap guilt upon us, that is the job of the enemy who led us into that situation in the first place. Jesus is there to love us unconditionally and to restore us to our rightful place as children of the King.

As we see in the story in Ezra and in the parable of that Jesus taught, coming out of our sinful desires and nature is often not a quick process. We often times do not or are not willing to realize the depths to which we have sunk until we hit the bottom of ourselves and our situation. We get into a level of complacency and think that we are doing just fine on our own so our level of dependency on Jesus to guide and direct us through the Holy Spirit is lessened because of our pride. Once we realize that our situation is such that we cannot get ourselves out we then decide to turn back to Jesus to help us out. If we would only come to the realization that we cannot do it ourselves in the first place can we then live in a state of dependency on Jesus to be our guide through this life we live on earth.

Why is it that we fall into this trap time and again? It is because of the sinful desires of our flesh winning the internal battle we face day to day to live by the spirit and not the flesh. The flesh constantly cries out for satisfaction and comfort and too often we give into it. Our spirit is telling us something totally different than our flesh is saying to us, but because the spirit is often a still, small voice and our flesh is screaming out we tend to listen to the louder of the two voices. This is why the old adage of the squeaky wheel getting oil is one that is very fitting when contemplating our flesh. If the flesh is screaming the loudest we may tend to listen and try to quiet that part of our being. I have to presume that Jesus often had the same struggles with His flesh as I do with mine. He had to learn to listen to the Holy Spirit to be guided by that and not His flesh. He set the example for us on how to live.

Father I thank You that You sent Jesus to earth to live and set an example for me to follow. Jesus I thank You for Your obedience to the direction of the Holy Spirit and to be there for me when I do fall. I am so glad You do not condemn me for my actions and that You love me unconditionally. I confess to You now any sins I have committed and seek Your forgiveness. I thank You that You died on the cross for my sins so I do not have to. Your sacirfice for me is an amazing act of love and shows me to the extent of what You would do for me. Thank You for defeating Satan and all he offers. Your victory is there for me to embrace and be a part of. Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to guide and direct me. Thank You Holy Spirit for revealing more and more of the Word to me each day and how I can apply it in my life. Continue to show me how to live separate from the plans that the devil has for me and to live in the victory that Jesus bought and paid for me. May I live each day more and more in the plan of God for my life and become more reliant each day on Him for everything I need to live in victory. Amen.

Published by Erik L. Vakula
Daily Bread From the Word
Copyright © 2009 Erik Vakula, All Rights Reserved