Ezra 9:6-15 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head… While the smoke of the altar rises to heaven from the evening sacrifice, lo! there is Ezra before the temple of the Lord with rent garments and disordered hair, bowed upon his knees, and with lifted hands, pouring out confession of sin in tones of plaintive grief and shame and terror. "O my God,! am ashamed," etc. In this prayer we mark - I. THE CRIME CONFESSED (vers. 11, 12). 1. Here were open violations of the law of God. (1) The patriarchal law was pronounced against the intermarriages of the holy race of Seth, with whom was the promise of the Holy Seed, with the profane race of Cain the excommunicate. The infraction of this law provoked the Deluge (Genesis 6:2, 3). Abraham, who, like Seth, was the depositary of the Promise, was averse to the intermarriage of his issue with the daughters of the accursed Cainan (Genesis 24:3, 4; see also Genesis 28:1, 2). (2) This patriarchal law became incorporated in the Mosaic system (Deuteronomy 7:3). (3) The prophets also declared against these mixed alliances. In particular, it would seem, Haggai and Zechariah (ver. 11 with 6:21). (4) This law, in the spirit of it, is still binding upon Christians (1 Corinthians 7:39; 2 Corinthians 6:14). 2. The reasons given for this law are most weighty. (1) The holiness of God's people. This reason holds in all ages. (2) The tendency to be swayed from true worship to idolatry (Exodus 23:32; Exodus 34:16). (3) These reasons were vividly before the mind of Ezra. So should they be ever present with Christians. 3. Nothing should induce men to commit this sin. (1) The wealth of idolaters is dearly purchased by the imperilling of the inheritance of the saints. (2) Peace with idolaters is costly at the sacrificing of the peace of God. II. THE AGGRAVATIONS ACKNOWLEDGED. Ezra confessed for his people - 1. That their experiences in the captivity should have taught them differently (ver. 7). (1) Their humiliation was deep. They suffered from the "sword," viz., of the Babylonians who in the days of Nebuchadnezzar invaded their land. From "captivity," for their Babylonish victor carried them away. Who can estimate the sufferings entailed by that deportation? From the "spoil" which they suffered from the invaders, and from those who removed them. And from "confusion of face," viz., in the remembrance that all their sufferings were on account of their sins. This shame they felt in the presence of their Babylonish lords (see Daniel 9:7, 8). Also before their Persian masters. (2) Their calamities were sweeping. The people were involved in them. So were their "kings." What a contrast between the condition of David and Solomon and that of Jehoiachin and Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:7)! So were their "priests;" and in the ruin of the priests the ruin of the temple also was involved. (3) They were also of long continuance. There were the initial sufferings from the time of the first invasion of the Babylonians. Then the interval of seventy years from the date of the captivity to the first year of Cyrus, when Zerubbabel led back the larger body of the restoration. Another period of seventy or eighty years had elapsed before this second contingent was led back by Ezra. What excuse then, after all these sufferings, could be pleaded for their sin? 2. The mercy of God should have been better requited (vers. 8, 9). That mercy was shown - (1) In his "leaving a remnant to escape." That was mercy not only to the individuals spared, but also to the world, for the holy Seed was among them, through whom the blessings of an everlasting salvation were to come. (2) In "giving them a nail in his holy place." The margin explains this to be "a constant and sure abode," and refers to Isaiah 22:23 in support of this interpretation. The passage in Isaiah points to Christ; so may this point to him. (3) In this view there is the greater force in what follows, "that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage." And how the mercy of God in all this becomes increased when the spiritual blessings of the gospel are seen in it. (4) Even in their bondage God had not forsaken them. For he gave them favour in the sight of the kings of Persia. This favour enabled them to return, "gave them a reviving," and to repair the desolations of the temple, of the holy city, and the wall. Such mercy claimed gratitude, but was requited with rebellion. Ezra is without apology (ver. 10). III. THE SUBMISSION TO THE JUDGMENT OF MERCY (vers. 6 and 15). 1. Here he awaits the judgment of the Lord. (1) He is ashamed to look up. Who can bear to look into the face of an injured friend when we have nothing to plead in apology? That will be the position of the sinner in the great day of judgment. (2) He is oppressed by the growing weight of accumulating rebellion and ingratitude. He is terrified by the cloud upon the face of God. (3) He confesses that wrath to the uttermost is deserved. 2. Here is no formal plea for mercy. (1) There is the silent cry of misery and distress and blushing shame. But who can trust in this? It is only the consciousness of sin. (2) There is eloquence in the evening sacrifice. The victim slain is a vicarious sufferer. It is the shadow of a better sacrifice. - J.A.M. Parallel Verses KJV: And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens. |
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