TEXT: EZRA 10:1-5
Key verse: “And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra; We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land … Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives… and let it be done according to the law” (Ezra 10:2,3).
God’s commandments are not grievous. Obedience to them frees us from the snares of the devil and ensures our freedom from present and future heartaches and pains, the heat of hell and the fury of its fire. Those who obey become light and have no agreement and evil association with those who hate God and His commandments.
Our text deals with a situation of brazen disobedience to God’s commands concerning unequal yoke. Marrying heathen wives had constituted an act of unfaithfulness to God and His word. Ezra had arrived Jerusalem to discover that contrary to God’s command, the people had married women of heathen nations. He then, on a cold and rainy day, addressed the people telling them pointedly they had sinned and come under condemnation.
Of the 29,000 families, 113 were affected and they were told to put away their heathen wives. This they did as a necessary action to preserve Israel as a nation committed to God. True repentance does not start and end in confession of the sinful act. There must be a follow-up action to correct the behaviour and change the attitude.
Today, Christians are being reminded that unequal yoke in marriage, in business and other areas of human endeavour is a contravention of God’s law. We need to examine ourselves, repent and make necessary restitution. Time obviously is running out. The end is near.
Thought for today: Make hay while the sun shines.