As soon as I heard this, I tore my garment and my cloak and pulled hair from my head and beard and sat appalled. Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice. And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God, saying:
“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.
Ezra has returned to Jerusalem from being held captive by the Assyrians. One wave of the people had already returned and Ezra lead the second wave (there would be three total). The King of Assyria’s heart was moved to send them back to their land and supply all they needed to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. However, upon his arrival, Ezra learns that the people had once again begun to intermix in marriage with the people of the land, something strictly forbidden by the Torah. This type of disobedience to the Scripture was the reason the people were taken into captivity in the first place. Yet, here they are again, following in their father’s footsteps. Ezra falls to his knees in prayer. He wants to appeal to God in mercy and grace and hope for wisdom, repentance and contrition. The interesting aspect of this prayer is that Ezra, not guilty of these sins, prays as though he is guilty of these sins. He includes himself in the people. He understands collective community. He is part of the community and the community has sinned, therefore he needs to pray for mercy and grace. This should be a truth for all those who lead churches, homes, etc. God wants us to pray for holiness. When we sin as a people we sin together. No, we are not going to be held accountable for someone else’s sin. However, in a community that is practicing sin, we need to realize it is all who will suffer. (Ask the people under Joshua’s leadership with Achan sinned - Joshua 6-7). Ezra is a great leader. He leads the people in a prayer of repentance and then in the remaining chapters actions of contrition. It all began because Ezra shared and identified with their guilt.
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