9:1 Now when these things had been completed, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the local residents who practice detestable things similar to those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. 

 

About four months after Ezra returned to Jerusalem, the leaders approached Ezra about the intermarriage problem in Jerusalem. It was against the Mosaic Law for the Jews to intermarry with Gentiles. Gentiles were a danger to the Jews, because the Gentiles would seduce the Jews into demonic religions. 

 

Modern multiculturalism is popular in the satanic world system of America, but it is unbiblical. All false religions originate from Satan. Multiculturalism teaches that Satan’s religions are equal to the teachings of the Bible. Unbiblical Gentile laws are created to protect multiculturalism and to censor biblical teaching.

 

Some misinformed teachers use this Scripture to condemn mixed-race marriages. This verse has nothing to do with mixed-marriages. All of the tribes of people listed in this verse were Semitic, just like the Jews. The Mosaic Law forbid the Jews to intermarry with those outside of their religion.

 

There is no verse in the Bible which teaches against mixed-marriages. There are verses in the Bible which teach against a believer marrying an unbeliever. The case here was that Jews were intermarrying with unbelievers who would introduce demonic religions into the community. Gentile proselytes, such as Rahab and Ruth, were allowed to intermarry into Jewish families. They were even a part in the messianic genealogy of Jesus.

 

For many years, there was no archaeological evidence for the existence of the Hittites. Skeptics used this argument to mock and ridicule the Bible. In the late 1800’s, archaeologists excavated forty Hittite cities. The skeptics no longer use this argument.

 

9:2 Indeed, they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has become intermingled with the local residents. Worse still, the leaders and the officials have been at the forefront of all of this!” 

 

Notice that Israel was considered by the Holy Spirit as “the holy race.” They were not to intermarry with demonic pagans, but they were to teach their children about the coming Messiah. The leadership of Israel was more guilty before God, because privilege and knowledge always increases responsibility. 

 

There are several ways that Ezra could have reacted to this situation. He could have called for Israelite patriotism, spoke against immorality, organized an illegal couples recovery conference, or formed a committee to look into the matter. He did not do any of these things.

 

9:3 When I heard this report, I tore my tunic and my robe and ripped out some of the hair from my head and beard. Then I sat down, quite devastated. 

 

Ezra and the second exile arrived in Jerusalem 25 years after the first exile. The temple had been rebuilt, but not the wall of the city. The population had intermingled with the pagan Gentiles. Immorality and idolatry were about to bring down Israel again. Jerusalem was a city of apostasy.

 

9:4 Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.

 

The written Word of God is the sword of the Spirit which is true and powerful. Men will be judged by how they respond to the written Scriptures.  Mature believers “tremble” at its commands and warnings. Foolish men mock the Word of God and will be judged by it words at the Great White Throne Judgment. 

 

Ezra knew the Word of God. He knew that Jerusalem was in trouble. The messianic believers gathered around him and listened to him. God always possesses a small remnant who are loyal to Him.

 

9:5 At the time of the evening offering I got up from my self-abasement, with my tunic and robe torn, and then dropped to my knees and spread my hands to the Lord my God. 

 

Israel offered a morning and evening sacrifice every day. These offerings pointed to the Messiah. Ezra possessed very strong bible doctrine. If tradition is correct, then he had memorized the entire Bible up to this point. His reaction to this situation was prayer. The rest of this chapter contains his prayer.

 

9:6 I prayed, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God! For our iniquities have climbed higher than our heads, and our guilt extends to the heavens. 

 

Although Ezra himself was not guilty of this immediate sin, he identified himself with his people. He confessed the sins of the people, just as Daniel had done in Babylon. The Lord Jesus Christ identified Himself with sinners and took on all of the sins of mankind.

 

9:7 From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and priests, have been delivered over by the local kings to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment—right up to the present time.

 

Ezra counted himself along with the apostates of Jerusalem. God had delivered His people from the Babylonian Captivity and from the decrees of the hostile Persian political leaders; but his “holy race” had intermarried with pagan Gentiles and began worshiping their demonic gods. Ezra was embarrassed about this situation. Those today who possess strong bible doctrine are embarrassed and infuriated at the apostasy that exists inside of the local churches. 

 

9:8 “But now briefly we have received mercy from the Lord our God, in that he has left us a remnant and has given us a secure position in his holy place. Thus our God has enlightened our eyes and has given us a little relief in our time of servitude. 

 

The Israelites sinned and found themselves in captivity to a ruthless nation for seventy years. God had now given Israel grace, but the Israelites were repeating the same mistakes which brought them into captivity. There was only a small Jewish remnant which was given a secure position in God’s kingdom. God was graceful enough for a short while to allow the majority to sin so that the small remnant of Jewish messianic believers could survive. All of history evolves around this eternal principal. The unbelievers are often given grace in divine judgment, because God is protecting the Jewish messianic-believing remnant.

 

9:9 Although we are slaves, our God has not abandoned us in our servitude. He has extended kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, in that he has revived us to restore the temple of our God and to raise up its ruins and to give us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.

 

Because of God’s grace, Israel did not get all that was coming to them. They deserved more punishment than they received. The church is in this same exact situation today. The church has the Word of God, but they are not teaching it. They have replaced the Word of God with cute little sermonettes in seeker-friendly churches which emphasize the lovey-dovey God. Most seeker-friendly churches avoid teaching about the sinful condition of men, because it causes people to leave the church.

 

9:10 “And now what are we able to say after this, our God? For we have forsaken your commandments.

 

Sin is a seductive and addictive monster. The chosen people were only one generation away from their return from the Babylonian Captivity, yet they had already lapsed back into demonism. Even their leaders were involved into demonism. Ezra was ashamed. The modern church is not any better. Most modern churches are simply Canaanites who are worshiping the Almighty Dollar.

 

9:11 which you commanded us through your servants the prophets with these words: ‘The land that you are entering to possess is a land defiled by the impurities of the local residents! With their abominations they have filled it from one end to the other with their filthiness. 

 

The Canaanites were vomited out of the land for blasphemy, same sex marriage, transgenderism, adultery, idolatry, pornography, and sex with animals. Modern America is living just like the Canaanites.

 

9:12 Therefore do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, and do not take their daughters in marriage for your sons. Do not ever seek their peace or welfare, so that you may be strong and may eat the good of the land and may leave it as an inheritance for your children forever.’ 

 

If Israel wants to stay in the land and eat well, then they must not intermarry with the pagan Gentiles. Mixed-marriages do not work, because one spouse has the Devil as their father-in-law.

 

9:13 “Everything that has happened to us has come about because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint toward our iniquities and have given us a remnant such as this. 

 

Israel possessed more light. Israel sinned, so just as the Canaanites were vomited out of the land, the same judgment was sent upon Israel.

 

9:14 Shall we once again break your commandments and intermarry with these abominable peoples? Would you not be so angered by us that you would wipe us out, with no survivor or remnant?

 

Israel worshiped idols and were sent into captivity. When Ezra returned to Jerusalem 25 years after the first exile, he expected to see a revived Israel. Instead, he saw a pagan Israel who was involved in demonism.

 

9:15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt no one can really stand before you.”

 

Gentile paganism is a powerful weapon of Satan. Ezra’s prayer would save the new Israel from being destroyed by the satanism of Gentile paganism.