In the book of Ezra, Ezra said, “and at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, ...”, and in chapter nine and verse six of Ezra, Ezra prayed, “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you” where we read,
And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
The verse reads, “And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my God:” Ezra began with the words, “and said” which means “and uttered, declared and proclaimed”, “O my God” or “O my, Ezra's, Supreme Deity”, “I am ashamed and blush” which means “I, Ezra, exist as disconcerted, disappointed and feeling shame, humiliation, reproach and confusion” “to lift up my face to you” or “to raise my, Ezra's, countenance and presence to you, Jehovah God”, “my God” which means “my, Ezra's, Supreme Deity”. Ezra told Jehovah God that he was too embarrassed and disconcerted to raise his countenance to Him.
The verse goes on to say, “for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.”Ezra continued with the words, “for our iniquities are increased” which means “because, since and on account that our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, perversities, depravities and guilt exist as exceedingly numerous, enlarged and multiplied”“over our head” which means “above our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, top, summit, chief and upper part”, “and our trespass” or “and our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, guiltiness, offense, sin and wrong-doing” “is grown up” which means “exists as great and magnified” “unto the heavens” or “to the visible skies, atmosphere and sidereal heavens where God resides and other spiritual beings”. Ezra told Jehovah God that his and the people of Israel's sins and wrong-doings were exceedingly large above their heads, and their guiltiness and offenses were magnified to the sidereal heavens.
When we think through Ezra's words in this verse, we discover how humiliated and embarrassed he was because of his and the people of Israel's sin. He considered their sins to be exceedingly numerous and risen to the sidereal heavens. The sin of the world is abundant, and for this reason God sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. (See John 3:16) When we yield ourselves to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and teach us the value of interceding on behalf of ourselves and others when trespasses have “increased” and “grown up” in abundance and been magnified greatly.
Next time Ezra says, “since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass”, 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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