In the book of Ezra, Ezra said, “we were bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken your commandments, ...”, and in chapter nine and verse eleven of Ezra, Ezra referred God's commandments, “which you have commanded by your servants the prophets”, where we read,
Which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which you go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
The verse reads, “Which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which you go to possess it, ...” Ezra began with the words, “which you have commanded” which means “that you, Jehovah God, have ordered, charged and appointed” “by your servants the prophets” or “through the means of your, Jehovah God's, bondmen and slaves”, “saying” which means “uttering, declaring and proclaiming”, “the land” or “the country, territory, district and region”, “unto which you go” that means “to which you, the people of Israel, depart and proceed” “you go to possess it” or “you, people of Israel, depart and proceed to seize, take possession of and to occupy it, the land”. Ezra referred to the orders and charges that were appointed by Jehovah God through His ministering bondmen who declared that the country to which they were to depart and take possession was according to the following.
The verse continues, “...is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, ...” Ezra added the words, “is an unclean land” which means “exists as an impure, filthy, menstruous and idolatrous country, territory, region and district” “with the filthiness” which means “by the use of idolatry, impurity and immorality” “of the people” or “pertaining to the human beings both male and female” “of the lands” which means “belonging to the country, territory, region and district”, “with their abominations” or “alongside and accompanying their, the people of the land's, disgusting, wicked and abominable acts”. Ezra shared how Jehovah God informed the people of Israel about the impure and immoral ways of the people of the countries they were entering.
Finally the verse says, “... which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.” Ezra concluded this verse with the words, “which have filled it” or “that have permeated and pervaded it, the land” “from one end to another”which means “from the opening extremity to the ending extremity” “with their uncleanness” or “by the use of their, the people of the land's, religious impurity and filthiness”. Ezra ended this verse by referring to the way the people of the“lands” permeated their countries from the entrances to the exits with their religious impurity and filthiness.
When we think through the words in this verse, we learn how Ezra reminded Jehovah God of His “commandments” to the people of Israel at the time they were to enter the foreign lands. These places were “filled” with immorality and religious impurity, and the people of Israel were not to involve themselves with these people or their practices. God knows we live in a sinful and treacherous world, and because of this, He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. When we yield our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us an understanding and warning about the land in which we live and give us a passion to share Him with everyone we meet.
Next time Ezra says, “give not your daughters unto their sons”, 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".
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