Ezra: The Lord HelpsSample

The book ends with another list of unfamiliar and difficult to pronounce names. But by now we should be convinced that these lists contain important details that are written for our learning (Rom. 15:4). 

This list is of all those who had intermarried. There are 111 people, which strikes me as not many out of 40,000. Having seen how Ezra has reacted to these intermarriages, we might begin to wonder what all the fuss is about. But when even a minority among God’s people have sinned, it affects everyone. 

The apostle Paul describes this as ‘a little yeast’ spreading through ‘a whole batch of dough’ (1 Cor. 5:6). When even a relatively few people are not living a distinctive Christian life, it affects the whole church family. That means that if we’re going to see reformation, we need to deal carefully and sensitively with any who are not living among us as they should. It means we must not tolerate obvious sin when we become aware of it, even if only a minority are living unfaithfully. 

Note too that the first people listed here are leaders: the priests (v. 18), the Levites (v. 23), the singers, and the gatekeepers (v. 24). Leaders need to repent first and be disciplined first because if they are not leading by example, they cannot expect others to follow. 

So while the book seems to end on something of an anti-climax with a list of all those who had married foreign women (v. 44), this isn’t a damp squib for two reasons. First, Ezra has a companion – Nehemiah. The two books need to be read together. Why not study Nehemiah next? Second, Ezra ends with God’s people determined to be distinctive, to take drastic action to be holy. When that final step is taken by the whole people of God, then a reformation is realized.

Reflection

Consider how even a few people sinning can affect the whole people of God. Ask God to help you and those in leadership to deal seriously with sin in the church. Pray that this would be a healthy part of reforming the church for good. Spend some time, today or in the next few days, thinking about the big lessons of the book of Ezra.