EZRA - Chapter 8 & 9 - The Purpose of Revival
EZRA – CHAPTERS 8 & 9 – The Purpose of Revival
January 26, 2015, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
The scenario of chapter 9 reveals the purpose of Revival! This Ezra Company is a type of the emerging remnant from the confusion of apostasy and the affinity of our nation to join and come into agreement with national and international sin.
I believe we can apply chapter 9 to human trafficking, the sexual abuse by the Syrian refugees of women and even the abuse of women by all Arab nations. We will also see the sin of “mingling” has to do with hostage taking and terror.
Strong’s 6149 : “Mingling” = “Arab” – Ezra 9:2b “They have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons; so that the holy seed has mingled themselves with the people of the lands; yea, the hand of the princes and rulers have been chief in this trespass.”
Strong’s 6163: “Arabie = “mixed”
Strong’s 6148: “mingled” = “Arab” Ps. 106:34-35: “They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the Lord commanded them: But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.
I will be preparing a separate study on the word “Arab” which is used for “mingling” and “mixed” in the Old Testament.
For the New Testament Christian – this would be the mixture of the unsaved with Christians.
The Lord is building His House, and the gates of hell are powerless! All is underwritten by His government and Kingdom!
The Ezra Company is the second return of the exiles (1754 males) from Babylon to Jerusalem; the first was under Zerubbabel (49, 897).
Chapter 8 lists the names of those who joined Ezra when he went to Jerusalem. I won’t be going over the names today, but it is noteworthy that the family names of this company can all be found in Ezra 2 except for Joab in verse 9.
8:15: “I (Ezra) gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we abode in tents three days. I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.
The river runs through Ahava, an Iraqi town or region, north of Babylon and is famous today for skin products.
Ezra found none of the sons of Levi (deacons). He called for men of understanding (wise and prudent men, especially for teaching). (Vs. 16b)
He sent for the missing Levites with a commandment that they should bring to him ministers for the house of our God.
8:18: “By the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding…” Vs 24 – “I (Ezra) separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them. (Vs. 28) I said to them You are holy to the Lord…”
Sherebiah means “heat of Jah, Jah glows or glimmers” (fire of the Holy Ghost). These twelve men are used mightily by the Lord to stand and proclaim the Word of God to the men of Judah.
( I will have an extended Word on the 12 + 1 = 13 men of Ezra who stood beside Ezra when he opened the Book for the reading of the Word which ushered in the revival.)
Let us “call” for prayer and praise those who will be servants in devotion. Those who serve the Lord in murmuring and complaining have not been commissioned with the grace of the Holy Ghost for their position. Recently a Word came forth that the Jonah spirit will be purged from the Church.
The result will be witness of service by those whom the Lord has “given”. These are marked and noted by name for the House of the Lord!
8: 21-23: “Then I (Ezra) proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a right way for us and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way; because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek Him; but His power and His wrath is against all them that forsake Him. So we fasted and sought our God for this; We prayed earnestly to Him.”
Ezra backed up his testimony with a demonstration of faith! All that we are and all that we have is thus blessed! The failure to seek God is equal to forsaking God. He desires to be entreated (supplicate) by us.
The priests were given the weight and responsibility of the treasurer. The two heads of the priestly families (Vs 2) “of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel…”
8:26: “I (Ezra) weighed to their hand:
- 650 talents of silver (man, anointed, purified and redeemed).
- 100 talents of silver vessels (full redemption of the body).
- 100 talents of gold (fullness of divine nature).
- 20 basins of gold of a thousand drams.
- 2 vessels of fine copper (gold colored) – “desirable as gold.
8:28-29: “You are holy to the Lord; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers. Watch and keep them, until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the Lord.”
8:31-36: They were at the river for twelve days. The 1000 mile journey took four months. “And the Lord saved us from enemy attack and from ambush on the way”. We came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.
The thousand mile journey is scarcely a comment. All that mattered was the destination and the mission.
Phil 3: 12-14: “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect; but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended; but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth to those things which are before. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”
This is the call of the forerunner, watchman and overcoming church. We are always moving forward, accelerating in the face of adversity and persecution. We do not count the cost of the journey, but continually press in for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
On the 4th day, the silver, gold and vessels were weighed in the Temple and all was written (recorded) at that time.
The burnt offering was 12 bullocks for all Israel (government); 96 rams (12 x 8) (government + new beginning); 77 lambs (perfection) and 12 he goats for a sin offering.
They delivered King Artaxerxes’ royal decrees unto the King’s lieutenants and to the governors. “They furthered the people, and the House of God.”
To further is to advance, give a lift, and to bear. The purpose of Ezra was one of edification and construction though he did deal with painful measures.
The royal decrees accredited Ezra as one who was authorized to administer the Jewish law among his fellow-countrymen.
Acts 2:22: “You men of Israel hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you…”
The situation in chapter 9 clearly took Ezra by surprise.
This chapter reveals the heart of the more excellent ministry of Jesus and His brethren. Jesus identified with the sins of the world and still does identify with the sins of the Church as our advocate and intercessor. The principle of iniquity-bearing is revealed.
On Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem, complaint was made to Him of the failure of the sin of the people. God’s law against intermingling with the heathen of the land had been broken, the chief offenders being the princes and rulers! His initial reaction was one of stormy passion followed by silent astonishment.
The seriousness of the abomination of mixed marriages cannot be over emphasized. The key principle is given in Ezra 9:2: “The Holy seed have mingled themselves!” This word “mingled” is the actual word “Arab” (#6149).
I found this interesting.
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The KJV translates Strong’s H6148 in the following manner: surety (9x), meddle (2x), mingled (2x), pledges (2x), becomes (1x), engaged (1x), intermeddle (1x), mortgaged (1x), occupiers (1x), occupy (1x), undertake (1x). |
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Outline of Biblical Usage [?] 1. to pledge, exchange, mortgage, engage, occupy, undertake for, give pledges, be or become surety, take on pledge, give in pledge 1. (Qal) 1. to take on pledge, go surety for 2. to give in pledge 3. to exchange 4. to pledge 2. (Hithpael) 1. to exchange pledges 2. to have fellowship with, share |
Wilson adds, “interweave”. The Theological Wordbook of the O.T. adds, “strike the hands in agreement; to become bail for; merchandise; hostages.”
The word “Arabia” #6163 means “mixed”: 1 Ch. 17;11; 21:16; 22:1; 26:7; Neh. 2:19; 4:7.
I think we can consider these lawless Syrian refugees and rogue nations taking people hostage as “mixed”. This covers a multitude of abominations.
The Holy Seed is rooted in Genesis 3:15 --- the seed of the woman is to bruise the serpent’s head. The devil loves the woman for he desires to corrupt her (11 Cor. 11:2). The seed must be pure.
- From Genesis to Malachi, the seed comes.
- From Matthew to John, the seed dies.
- In Acts, the seed lives.
- From Romans to Jude, the seed speaks.
- In Revelation, the seed reigns.
The principle of the mingled seed is one of adultery and idolatry. It is the principle of Esau who was a fornicator and a profane person. Esau wanted what he wanted and He wanted it now. The mixed marriage principle is seen in the natural and spiritual (love affairs in the mind):
1. Individual - Marrying the unsaved or someone who is uncircumcised in heart; unequally yoked together with unbelief; having a person or a thing take the place of Jesus as your First Love; lusting after materialism, power, popularity, etc.
- Home/Family – Unfaithfulness in act or attitude; marrying outside of or in defiance of scriptural parental guidelines; neglecting family responsibilities (unnatural affection) by substituting someone or something else.
- Local Church - Joining oneself to “the harlot system; receiving seed of the Word of God from an uncircumcised ministry; coming into agreement with apostasy that does not agree with the Word of God,
In verses 1-4, Ezra is told the news. This string of names is the people, priests, and the Levites (elders, deacons, saints). They had not separated from the sins of the peoples of the land. This is the principle of sanctification by the anointed word.
They were mingled with:
Love of Money – Canaanites – “merchant, pirate, trafficker in material things”
Unclean.
Violence - Hittities - “broken in pieces, sundered, dismay, terror, dread.”
Lack of vision - Perizzites - “countryman, rustic, dweller in the country.”
Fear - Jebusites - “trodden down, trampled under foot, subdue, waste”
Popularity - Ammonites- “great people, extensive people.”
Mixture - Moabites - “seed of the father, flowing from father”
Bondage - Egyptians - “shut in, restraint, misery, tribulation, distress”
Pride - Amorites - “dwellers of the summits, highlanders”
9:2: “They have taken of their daughters for themselves, and for their sons; so that the holy seed have mingled (6149 – Arab) themselves with the people of those lands; yea the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.”
The governmental hand ministry of the princes and rulers (civil authority) has been chief in this trespass. When Ezra heard this thing he:
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- Rent his garment (his ministry)
- Rent his mantle (his anointing)
- Plucked off the hair of his head (no beauty)
- Plucked off the hair of his beard (no maturity)
- Sat down astonished (silent amazement).
Ezra became the personification of the spiritual condition of his people. He became a sign.
9:4: “Then were assembled to me every one that trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression o those who had been carried away; and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice.”
Ezra was the “evening sacrifice” of the burnt and meal offerings. He arose from his heaviness, fell on his knees and spread out his hands. He began to recite the historic trespass of Israel’s idolatry.
Ezra like Jesus of Isa. 53:12, those to be “numbered with the transgressors.” He had not forgotten the havoc and loss of freedom they have suffered and deserved. He also did not forget God’s mercy.
In verse 10, the confessions become specific, allowing the Word of God to frame its own indictment.
9:10-12: “O our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken Your commandments, which You have commanded by Your servants the prophets, saying, the land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever; that you may be strong and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.”
The prayer ends with clear recognition that God has every reason to wash His hands of this community, as He had once threatened to do with an earlier generation. Ezra’s prayer was one of naked confession, without excuses, without the pressure of so much of a request. After 70 years, grace had been shown to leave a remnant to escape, and to give them a nail in His Holy Place; that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 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 Persian 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 (Vs. 6-9).
This reveals the purpose of revival. This Ezra Company is sent forth with the Word and ministry of reconciliation. Reviving is used only twice in the King James and it is here in these two verses. Revive is used 7 times in the Word of God and only in the Old Testament.