Ezra 7-10
Posted:  October 2, 2014


The temple was built by Zerubbabel, and several years after that Ezra comes to town.  He is a teacher of the law, well versed and able to instruct the people.   He observes that the people are not living in accordance with the law.  Specifically, they have taken wives from other nations.

Most likely God forbid the act of intermarrying with people from other nationalities because they would unduly influence the religious beliefs of the Jews.   Even if a spouse could resist the idea of false gods, the children may not.   When you introduce religious plurality into a home, you weaken the foundation upon which it should be built.   This is exactly what God wanted to prevent.

Ezra is calling the people to holiness.  He wants them to be sanctified (set apart) to the good work that God has called them to do.   Unknown to Ezra, Nehemiah will be arriving soon to encourage the people to rebuild the wall.   They need to consecrate themselves, so they will be prepared for the task that lies ahead.

Can you imagine how difficult it would have been to rebuild the wall if the resistance to building came from inside the home as well as outside?   These foreign wives could well have destroyed the project.

Remaining pure and set apart for the work God has called us to is absolutely imperative to accomplishing the mission.   When the Christian aggressively sets his sights on being holy, he heads down a path that prepares him for greater things.

PR