S3E322 – Ezra 6-10: It’s Not As Bad As It Sounds

Transcript

Podcast Introduction

Today is History Tuesday, and we’ll read Ezra 6-10. I’m calling today’s episode “It’s Not As Bad As It Sounds.”

Design: Steve Webb | Photo: Xan Griffin on Unsplash

Comments on Ezra 10

In this chapter we find Ezra kneeling in front of the temple, tearfully confessing the sins of the people of Israel. And he is joined by a large crowd of men, women and children who also begin weeping bitterly.

Why are they crying? Because they have disobeyed God by marrying foreign, or as some translations say, pagan women from the local area. Do you remember that God told them not to do this when they came into the Promised Land? Now they are truly remorseful for their sin.

So what happens? Does Ezra suggest what they should do? No, one of the people, Shechaniah steps up and says, “Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, 3if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children.”

What do you think about that? Divorce their pagan wives and send them away? And the children? How could that be the right thing to do?

Let’s explore this together.

1) Divorce was permitted in Israel, according to Deuteronomy 24:1. And Malachi 2:10-16 tells us that there were many who divorced their Jewish wives for pagan women.

2) God does hate divorce, according to Malachi 2:16, but it was allowed because the the hardness of people’s hearts, according to Jesus in Mark 10:5.