S. O. A. P.
Here’s Your 90 second AM Devotional!
S-cripture:
Ezra 10:44
All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.
O-bservation:
This is “A Sad Sad Situation.” When Ezra the prophet returned to Jerusalem with a host of exiles from Babylon, he began fasting and praying in public with loud weeping because of the sins of the people of God, and the people noted it. So they started to break in the Lord’s presence as well and repent! It was then announced that a number of the men had taken foreign wives during their time either in exile or back in Jerusalem. The Bible says some of them had children, which meant that a number of the women were barren. Ezra said that if they were serious in their repentance, they would have to put these foreign wives away and their children with them as well. And it was agreed.
A-pplication:
Earlier in this text, a hundred and thirteen men are named and were guilty of this sin against the Levitical law of Moses. Noting that 80 years earlier, when the first wave of Israelites was allowed to return home to Jerusalem, the number who returned was 42,360. Therefore the sin being mentioned here wasn’t widespread. Yet four were members of the high priest’s family!! So the leadership felt if they were going to live as people of the Levitical law, they’d better change radically before it corrupted the entire nation. And remember, there was no “GRACE” as we know it today brought about by the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. So these people were left with “A Sad Sad Situation.” And it appears they followed through with their decision. How blessed we are today that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, once and for all, you and I do not have to live with such dire consequences.
P-rayer:
Dear Jesus,
When I reread this story this AM, I was broken-hearted at the reading of it. All I could think was, Thank You, Jesus, that I don’t have to live with “A Sad Sad Situation” because of your GRACE! Amen
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