In the book of Ezra, Ezra shared how Shechaniah and one of the sons of Elam said, “let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. Arise; for this matter belongs unto you: we also will be with you: be of good courage, and do it”, and in chapter ten and verse five of Ezra, Ezra said he, “made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear”, where we read,
Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel,
to swear that they should do according to this word. And they swore.
The verse reads, “Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, ...” Ezra began with the words, “then arose Ezra” or “at that time, therefore and on this account stood up and came on the scene Ezra whose name means help and was the priest and scribe who led the reforms of the returned exiles in Jerusalem”, “and made the chief priests” or “and caused the chieftains, officials and lead spiritual spokesmen and leaders”, “the Levites” which means “the descendants of Levi whose name means joined to and was the tribe specifically set aside by God for His service”, “and all Israel” or “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the people in the nation of Israel whose name means God prevails and is the name of the descendants and nation of the descendants of Jacob”. Ezra shared how he rose up and caused the head spiritual spokesmen, the descendants of Levi and everyone in the nation of Israel to do the following.
The verse continues, “... to swear that they should do according to this word. And they swore.” Ezra added the words, “to swear” which means “to adjure and take an oath” “that they should do” or “that they, the people of Israel, were to perform” “according to his word” which means “in keeping with this, Shechaniah and one of the sons of Elam's, speech, utterance, declarations and proclamations”. “And they swore” or “and they, the people of Israel, adjured and took an oath”. Ezra called upon the “chief priests, the Levites and all Israel” to take an oath that they would keep Shechaniah and one of the sons of Elam's utterance, and they vowed to do so.
When we consider Ezra's words in this verse, we discover how he went into action as he called forth the leaders of Israel, (the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel) to take an oath in keeping with Shechaniah and one of the sons of Elam's “word”, and the people took the oath. It was time for the people of Israel to act, and Ezra called them to action. They were to keep their promise to depart from their foreign “wives and children” and to separate themselves from the wicked doers in those nations. God desires the same for us, and 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 give us the ability to keep our promises according to His word by the power of His Holy Spirit working in us.
Next time Ezra says he, “rose up from before the house of God”, 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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