Prayer: Father, I am grieved about corporate sin to the point that like Ezra. I repent of our sin which has grieved You and brought judgement on us. May the spiritual leaders like Ezra, lead Your followers into alignment with Your commandments. Amen.
Reading: Ezra 9 key: vs. “At the time of the evening offering, I rose up from my self-abasement with my garment and robe torn, then I bowed down on my knees and spread out my hands to Adonai my God. I prayed, “O my God, I am ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You, my God! For our iniquities are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, our kings and our kohanim have been subjected to the sword, to captivity, to plunder and to humiliation at the hand of the kings of the lands, as it is today.”
Attention: The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary (HIBD) defines intercession as the “act of intervening or meditating between differing parties, particularly the act of praying to God on behalf of another person (or persons).”
One of the roles of a prophet is to intercede on behalf of the people of the Hebrew nation. “Intercession formed an important part of the prophet’s task (HIBD).” Examples found in scripture would include Lamentations and the recorded prayers for the nation; Abraham’s intercession after learning of the impending doom of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:16-33); and Elijah praying successfully for a widow’s deceased child to come back to life and be restored to her (2 Kings 4:32-35).
These examples along with the example of Ezra, serve to underscore the importance of interceding for one another both individually and corporately. Do you need a New Testament example for the importance of intercession? The apostle Paul writes to a young Timothy these words, “Therefore, first of all I urge that requests, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made on behalf of all people— (1 Timothy 2:1).” Notice the inclusion of the word “all” people. Paul is imploring Timothy to intercede on behalf of all people.
Ezra’s intercession was specifically upon the remnant of exiles who had married foreign wives. The compromise of Adonai’s commands specifically against intermarriage of foreign wives was due to their worship of gods other than Yahweh. God specifically commanded the worship of other gods in Exodus 20, and He commanded against intermarriage in Deuteronomy 7:3.
Even King Solomon was not exempt as it is stated in 1 Kings 11 that he loved “many foreign women.” He was told that they would turn his heart away from God and towards “their gods.” The text says, “Solomon clung to them for love” (vs. 3b). His heart was turned away from God and turned toward earthly physical affection.
God knows man’s heart and He knew Solomon’s heart. God told him what would happen if he broke God’s commandments. He knows what will happen if we break His commandments too. Is your heart wholly toward God and keeping His commandments? Compromise brings discipline and can bring judgement. That is why Samuel says, “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15: 22b).
Action: I choose to obey God’s commandments in worshipping Him only.
Yield: I choose to obey God’s commandments.
Engage: I choose to engage with the scriptures and know God’s commandments.
Relationship: I choose to live in intimate relationship with Adonai.
Prayer: Father, thank You for the example of Ezra. He was obedient to You and taught the people Your commands, leading them back to obedience. He also prayed for those who were disobedient, confessing the corporate sin of the Hebrew exiles. May we too, pray for obedience of one another and our nation. Amen.
Memory Verse: 1 Samuel 15:22-23a “Samuel said: “Does Adonai delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of Adonai? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, to pay heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.” TLV
Music Video: Keith Green—To Obey is Better than Sacrifice https://youtu.be/GS7vml271Ts?si=EY1YPdUDOCAMNCV6
Remember, “Abide in Yeshua, today!”