There are some things that I am good about when I am organizing. Making lists is something that I can easily do. However, reading plans aren’t one of them. And so, I am following a reading plan that has brought me to the book of Ezra in the Bible.
Today was the last day, and therefore the last chapter, that I read before I was finished with Ezra. And in that last chapter that, let’s face it, we’ve probably have read this portion more than once, there is spark or a lesson to be learned that wasn’t there before. This one, for me today, was when I finished reading chapter 10.
In it the Israelites, upon returning from captivity in Babylon, had a counsel where Ezra was present. The elders and Ezra said that God was angry with them. Their solution was to have all of the men that intermarried with foreign women “put away,” and their children, from the community. They said that the intermarriage angers God.
Now, when I first read it through, I thought to myself, “How horrible! These women don’t deserve to be just sent on their way with their children. These women were performing as the culture dictated. What did they do that was wrong? And the children! The children didn’t choose this. What did they do that was wrong?” Then I passed on through without any more thought to it. Has that been your experience with it?
However, digging deeper with references and commentaries, I found out that the women were from other cultures and religious practices. The men that intermarried were to ask those wives to worship God alone as their idol. If the wife says that she will not do this, they were put out with their children, generally back to their former community. If the wife says that she will follow God, she is accepted into the Israelite family and community – sharing the same stance on many issues and morality. The men that stayed with the wives, ultimately turned to the other idols on which to worship which brought him outside of the community and family.
This led me to another saying in the Bible, “a little leaven leavens the whole lump.” That concept is sprinkle all over. The intermingling in where all of your adoration and worship goes to. Our love, adoration and worship is to be given to God. He alone is where our hope, life, and devotion belong. And that little bit of “leaven” leads to air pockets. It leads us to more separation. It leads us away from each other.
All of this is not leading up to something else. This is the whole of the narrative. God did not “set apart” His people for a task as a complete people, to turn us away from Him. He set apart His people to bring more back to Him. When come into this world, we are following something. The older we get the decisions we have made which has lead us to various spots in life. Some completely small decisions and some major decisions. A small decision such as, pulling on your socks before your shoes. And a major decision like will you worship God as Creator and Lord.
That makes me think of the so many decisions I have made to get to this place in my life. That led me to another thought: God brought in the Gentiles. As we come to Him, He shelters and protects. We protect each other and help each other. This wonderful! He accepts me!
Gotta go fill up my cup…..
Coffee with Candee 