Thoughts

Confession

In chapter 10, we find Ezra kneeling in front of the temple, tearfully confessing the sins of the people of Israel. And he is joined by a large crowd of men, women and children who also begin weeping bitterly.

Why are they crying? Because they have disobeyed God by marrying foreign, or as some translations say, pagan women from the local area. Do you remember that God told them not to do this when they came into the Promised Land? Now they are truly remorseful for their sin.

Plan For Correction

So what happens? Does Ezra suggest what they should do? No, one of the people, Shechaniah steps up and says, “Ezra, we have disobeyed God by marrying these foreign women. But there is still hope for the people of Israel, 3if we follow your advice and the advice of others who truly respect the laws of God. We must promise God that we will divorce our foreign wives and send them away, together with their children.”

Is It Right?

What do you think about that? Divorce their pagan wives and send them away? And the children? How could that be the right thing to do?

Let’s explore this together.

Precedent

1) Divorce was permitted in Israel, according to Deuteronomy 24:1. And Malachi 2:10-16 tells us that there were many who divorced their Jewish wives for pagan women. 

2) God does hate divorce, according to Malachi 2:16, but it was allowed because the the hardness of people’s hearts, according to Jesus in Mark 10:5.

3) Some marriages were not allowed. Marriages between relatives were not permitted, for example. Any marriage of this type would be cancelled. So a marriage to a pagan woman, which was expressly forbidden by God, could also be dissolved.

4) The children were always allowed to stay with their mothers in this culture. 

5) The husband almost certainly would be responsible for giving the woman and child adequate resources for their support. 

6) It took many weeks for the process of talking to the affected families. Why? Because there were so many men who had married pagan wives, and they questioned them to see which wives had honestly and genuinely became believers in the God of Israel, and were willing to denounce their native beliefs. If the wife refused to accept the true God, they could not remain, and must be divorced.

7) A great many of the women did accept the God of Israel, because only about 114 of the men had to divorce their pagan wives. The men who divorced are listed from verses 18-44. One commentator calculated that only about one-half of one percent had to divorce.

8) Note that the divorces were based on the beliefs of the foreign wives, not their race. They would not forsake their native religions. God forbade the marriages in the beginning, not because of race, but because He knew that the children of Israel would be influenced to worship false Gods.

Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda

As always happens, if the people had listened to God in the first place, when He told them not to marry these people, all of this heartbreak would have been avoided. He always has our best in mind when He gives His laws. 

Today’s Bible Translation

Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 6 NLT, Ch. 7-8 WEB, Ch. 9-10 CEV NCV

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