The Pulpit Commentary — Ezra — Section 158

epirit the d_ocument was £ram~~- 2. Ju measures w_ere strong and pe:rentJJtory. (1) All t~e ch!ldren of the captivity were to assemble m Jerusalem within three days, Sufficient time was gi'<"en. No man can plead that God has not given him sufficient time for the securing of his salvation. But there was no time to waste. We must not play with repentance. Procrastination is peril. (2) Failing to appear, the ecclesiastical penalty was excommunication. Exclusion from the society of God's people upon earth is a fearful forfeiture. But what must be the calamity of permanent exclusion from the holy universe I (3) There was also a civil penalty, viz., "that all his substance should be forfeited." The Hebrew for "forfeited" here is in the margin construed "devoted," which suggest.a that it should be given to the sacred uses of the temple. This was fitting where civil and ecclesiastical laws were the same; but here is no justification for the infliction of civil penalties by ecclesiastical authority under the gospel. II. THE APPEAL ('<"ers. 10, 11 ). 1. The people were prepared to hear it. (1) The fear of God was upon them. " All the people sat in the street of the house of God trembliug because of this matter." The Spirit of God bad wrought this convictio~ in their hearts in answer to Ezra's prayer. (2) They were also terrified because of the rain. This rain may have been natural and seasonable, for it was then December, and the Septuagint construes the word for "rain " by winter. It was probably miraculous (comp. 1 Sam. xii. 18). This agrees best with the terror it occasioned. 2. It urged upon them the duty of reformation. (1) It brought home to them their sin. Simply the heads·of the discourse are given here; but many arguments were doubtless used to force home conviction. (2) It urged them to make full confession to God. Where conviction is deep and real there will be full confession. God requires this (Prov. x:xviii. 13; 1 John i. 9). (3) It moved them to forsake their sin. There is an impudent confession of sin which aggravates its turpitude. Sincere confession leads to reformation. III. THE RESPONSE. 1. The people consented to the reformation. (1) The consent was emphatic. ".As thou hast said, so must we do." We must do it, or we are undone. (2) It was hearty. They said this "with a loud voice." It is well to pronounce ourselves against our sins. It strengthens our courage for God. (3) It was unanimous. 11 All the congregation answered." There is e. wonderful unanimity in seasons of religious revival. God uses the sympathy of numbers. 2. They suggested measures for carrying it on. (1) The business was too heavy to be finished in a day. Nice point.a might arise to be considered. For example, some of the reputed strange wives may have become Jewish proselytes. (2) The rulers of all the congregation were to be represented by the elders of every city and the judges. Before these local courts justice might be carried out with reasonable expedition. 3. Ezra consented to thefr proposal. (1) Three months were accordingly occupied with this business (vers. 16, 17). During this time 113 delinquents were convicted (vers. 18-44). (2) Amongst these were members·of the high priest's family. They gave their hands in token of their submission (see 1 Chron. x::rix. 24, margin) to put away their wives. They also offered a ram for their trespass. This example wae doubtless followed by the people, for everything was to be done according to the law (ver. 3; alao Lev. vi. 4, 6). (3) In these sacrifices the gospel we.e foreshadowed. Note- " All the children of the captivity" appear to have been settled "in Judah and Jerusalem," which suggests that there were but few of the "ten tribes" among them, who would naturally seek their inheritance in other parts of Palestine. Agreeably to this, the people who assembled in response to the proclamation a.re de~cribed as" all the men of Judah and Benjamin."-J. A. M. Vers. 9-44.-Sin and repentance. A very memorable seem; we.e witnessed that day, the twentieth of the ninth month, in the year of Ezra'e return. All the Iara.elites of Judah and Benjamin assembled together in the courts of the temple, shaken, troubled, trembling for fear of the anger of e.n offended God, ready to yield to the demands of hie faithful servant who spoke in his name, even to the breaking up of their domestic ties ; it was an hour when sin wae coming out into the light, and woe to be sternly cast out from the midst of them. Wo look at- I THE CHARACTER OJI' THEIR SIN, AND OF ALL BIN. It waa (a) wideBJYl·ead (vers. 18,' 011, X. 1-44.] THE BOOK OF EZRA. 165