An End of the Strange Wives - Ezra 10:17

In the book of Ezra, Ezra said, “the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter”, and in chapter ten and verse seventeen of Ezra, Ezra said, “they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives”, where we read,

And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives by the first day of the first month.

The verse reads, “And they made an end with all the men that had taken strange wives ...” Ezra began with the words, “and they made an end” or “and they, Ezra and certain chief of the fathers, accomplished, ceased and finished the inquiry and questioning” “with all the men” or “with each, every, the whole and everyone of the male human beings” “that had taken strange wives” which means “who took and married pagan foreign female spouses”. Ezra shared how the questioning of the men of Israel who had married pagan wives was completed. 

The verse continues, “... by the first day of the first month.” Ezra added the words, “by the first day” which means “up and even to the initial sunrise to sunset” “of the first month” or “pertaining to the first lunar moon which is named Nivan and corresponds to March”. Ezra shared how the completion the questioning ended on the initial day of Nivan or about March 27^th.

When we think through Ezra's words in this verse, we discover how the interviewing process was completed on the twenty-seventh day of March, and the discovery concerning the intermarrying with women from foreign and pagan nations was revealed. God wants us to examine ourselves, (See 2 Corinthians 13:5) and when we understand that God's Son Jesus died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, we will be forgiven of our sins and granted everlasting life when we put our faith and trust in Him. Let us humble ourselves, repent of our sins and allow His Holy Spirit to help us to continually examine ourselves in His presence to discover our wayward ways. 

Next time Ezra says, “among the sons of the priests there were found that had taken strange wives”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".