Harsh Words
Proverbs Chapter Two:
20. Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.
21. For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it:
22. But the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.
So often in scripture we see two paths set before us and are given the opportunity to choose which path we will take. We are even told the consequences of each possible choice. The words to those who chose paths away from obedience can seem so harsh. We like to keep our focus on His love and forgiveness.
A while back we had a Sunday School lesson that brought this to light. It was from the book of Ezra. Ezra, one of the minor prophets, was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses. God was with him because he had devoted himself to the study and observance of the law, and to teaching it’s decrees and laws in Israel. In other words, he was obedient.
The actual lesson was about leaders, and it centered around how God used King Artaxerxes, (not a worshiper of the one true God) to accomplish the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, and how the people rallied around the godly leader Ezra. I found my interest increase as the lesson continued.
When Ezra got to Jerusalem he learned that the people of Israel had not kept themselves separate from the surrounding people as they had been told to do. These surrounding people were people who had detestable practices. The people of Israel had intermarried with these people. This intermarrying resulted in the acceptance of the worship of other gods.
Ezra was devastated at the news, he tore his clothing and pulled his hair. He prayed, O My God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. While Ezra wept and prayed throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites gathered around him. They too wept bitterly.
Then a man named Shecaniah made a suggestion. Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children. His suggestion was taken and that is what was done. All the foreign women and the children born to them were sent away.
I have to admit that I had mixed feelings about this. It didn’t feel good. Mentally picturing these young women and children being torn from their home their husbands and fathers. It just didn’t feel good. The result of sin never feels good.
We are so quick to absorb the wondrous love from a God who would send His own son to die for us. But we are slow to remember that our God is holy and without compromise when it comes to sin. We want the consequences of sin to disappear, but they don’t. Sin has always hurt people and it still does, and it always will. Yes God forgives, but the fallout of sin still affects those around us. Oh God help us to be a people with obedient hearts willing to follow your wisdom. Help us to understand the ramifications of our choices and how they will affect our families.
