What Shall We Say After This? - Ezra 9:10

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 in chapter nine and verse ten of Ezra, Ezra asked God, “what shall we say after this?” where we read,

And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken your commandments,

The verse reads, “And now, O our God, what shall we say after this?” Ezra began with the words, “and now, O our God” which means “and at this time, O our, Ezra and the people of Israel's, Supreme Deity”, “what shall we say” or “whatsoever will we, Ezra and the people of Israel, utter, declare and proclaim” “after this” which means “following this, God's mercy and reviving”? Ezra asked Jehovah God the Supreme Deity whatsoever they should utter and declare following His extending to them “mercy and reviving” to rebuild His temple and barrier walls.

The verse continues, “... for we have forsaken your commandments, ...” Ezra added the words, “for we have forsaken”which means “because, since and on account that we, Ezra and the people of Israel, have left, abandoned, neglected and let alone” “your commandments” which means “your, Jehovah God's, laws, ordinances and precepts”. Ezra shared how he and the people of Israel abandoned and departed from Jehovah God's laws and precepts. 

When we meditate upon the words in this verse, we learn through Ezra how he continued to pray to Jehovah God as he asked whatsoever they were to utter and declare to Him since He extended His “mercy and reviving” to them, and they responded by abandoning His ordinances and precepts. God's desire was for people to follow after Him and to obey His ways, but Israel departed from Him even when He extended His goodness and kindness to them. God wants us to follow His “commands”, and when we yield our lives to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a knowledge of His compassionate “mercy and reviving” and a passion to keep His laws all the days of our lives. 

Next time Ezra referring to God says, “which you have commanded by your servants the prophets”, 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".