Ezra 9

“When I heard this, I tore my cloak and my shirt, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down utterly shocked.” (Ezra 9:3, NLT)

Some things in life should utterly shock us. They are so outrageous that we don’t even know how to respond. We only know that something must be done. That is how Ezra reacted when he arrived in Jerusalem only to find that many of the people had married foreign women from the nations God had originally told Israel to destroy. God commanded them not to intermarry with them because He knew that these pagan women would turn their hearts away from the LORD to worship other gods. It was because the people had persisted in these practices that God delivered them into Babylonian captivity. Now they were doing it again, and even more appalling was the fact that their leaders were the worst offenders! When Ezra heard this, he ripped his shirt, pulled his hair out, and sat down utterly shocked.

As I observe what is going on in our nation today, I am also appalled and utterly shocked. Yesterday I read a blog from a concerned Christian about a blatantly satanic and sexualized ritual that was featured as “entertainment” on the Grammys. Many of our Idaho school districts are now adopting polices that permit children to identify with their “deeply felt internal sense of their own gender” and choose the accompanying restrooms, pronouns and dress. Minors in Idaho can't purchase cigarettes or alcohol, but they can receive puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones without parental consent. Abortions in our nation are on the rise again. Of the 900,000 abortions in 2020, 53% were chemically induced with the so-called “abortion pill” now readily available through pharmacies and Planned Parenthood. Of course, the proliferation of pornography and sexual perversion is closely related to the sexual immorality and idolatry going on in Ezra’s day. There is nothing new under the sun.

How did Ezra respond? He was astonished. The Hebrew word means to be shocked, horrified, appalled or desolate. He sat this way with his clothes torn and fasted until the evening sacrifice. The people who feared the LORD gathered around him because of those who had been taken captive by their transgressions. We should never underestimate the power of genuine mourning over sin. God takes note of this. In the book of Ezekiel we read that the LORD instructed an angel to mark those who had mourned over the abominations being committed, so that they would be spared the coming judgment.

“Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of all who weep and sigh because of the detestable sins being committed in their city.” (Ezekiel 9:4, NLT)

Now when evening came, Ezra went from mourning to intercession. His prayer was a humble and heartfelt confession of sin and guilt. Likewise, if we would do something to change the conditions around us, then we must begin with earnest and heartfelt prayer. We can do many things after we have prayed, but until we pray we should not do anything except pray. We need God’s power and wisdom. We need His battle plan, for the battle belongs to the LORD.

Tomorrow we will see Ezra executing a plan to put things right, but it all began with mourning and intercession.