Confession Unto the LORD God - Ezra 10:11

In the book of Ezra, Ezra wrote, “Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, You have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel”, and in chapter ten and verse eleven of Ezra, Ezra said, “make confession unto the LORD God”, where we read,

Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: 

and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. 

The verse reads, “Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure:” Ezra began with the words, “now therefore” or “at this time wherefore, then and on this account” “make confession unto the LORD God” or to devote, avow and share adoration to Jehovah who is the existing One and the proper name of the One True God the Supreme Deity”, “of your fathers” which means “belonging to your, the people of Israel's, heads, founders and originators”, “and do his pleasure” or “and fashion and perform his, Jehovah God's, delight, will, desire and favor”. Ezra called upon the people of Israel to devote themselves to the Supreme Deity, Jehovah, who belonged to their forefathers, and they were to perform His desires. 

The verse goes on to say, “... and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.” Ezra continued with the words, “and separate yourselves” which means “and set apart your, the people of Israel's, own selves” “from the people of the land” or “separate and apart from the human beings both male and female belonging to the countries, districts, regions and territories”, “and from the strange wives” which means “and separate and apart from the alien, pagan and foreign female spouses”. Ezra instructed the people of Israel to set themselves apart from the pagan people of the “land” and from their foreign spouses. 

When we consider Ezra's words in this verse, we discover what he told the people of Israel when they gathered together. He told them to “confess” their sin to Jehovah God, perform what God said and to set themselves apart from the people from the other countries as well as their pagan foreign wives. God calls every person out of their sinful ways, and when we yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life teach us the value of confession and obedience to Him and His ways. (See 1 John 1:9)

Next time Ezra says, “all the congregation answered”, 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".