What should be a time of great celebration as God’s people return to the Promised Land has turned ugly. A large percentage of the Israelites have blatantly ignored the LORD’s longstanding law against hooking up with unbelievers (Ex 34:11-16; Dt 7:1-6). This isn’t just a handful of Hebrew guys. A significant number of the so-called best and brightest have hopped in the sack with local pagan hotties (Ez 9:1-2, 12-14; 10:2). Ezra publicly and passionately prays to God for mercy on His people for following their libido instead of the LORD (Ez 9:5-15; 10:1). A brave dude named Shecaniah steps forward to encourage Ezra to step up and lead (Ez 10:2-4). He lets the Big E know that God is the only hope in the middle of this train wreck. He says the people have Ezra’s back when he has to make hard decisions. A huge number of the people echo Shecaniah’s words and swear to do whatever needs to be done (Ez 10:5). What happens next could well determine the future of God’s people.
At this point, Ezra leaves the steps of the temple and the huge crowd that’s gathered and heads inside. “Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib” (v6). This isn’t an apartment or condo. It’s one of the many storage rooms inside the temple complex that’s under the supervision of Jehohanan. Apparently Jehohanan sets up some temp space for the priest to seek God’s guidance for what to do next. The ESV says that he “spent the night” there (v6). The original language is probably better translated as “where he went” rather than spending the night. We’re really not too sure of the time frame. It could be for the evening. Could be longer. But at this point, Ezra gets alone with the LORD in order to make some very hard decisions.
One thing Ezra didn’t need was room service. He holed up in this storage room “neither eating bread nor drinking water” (v6). Because this was no ordinary crisis, the priest didn’t settle for an ordinary fast. Fasting from both food and water was radical. Normally you simply avoid solid food but stayed hydrated. The Bible only mentions it happening here and three other times. Moses fasted after rolling down back down the mountain with the Ten Commandments and finding God’s people throwing a toga party in front of the golden calf (Dt 9:18). And he did it a second time when he went back up the mountain to get a second copy of the Top Ten (Ex 34:28). The pagan citizens of Nineveh responded to God’s warning through Jonah by staying away from food and water (Jnh 3:7).
Any kind of fasting is a way to practically demonstrate your total dependance on God to provide everything you need. It signifies your desperation for Yahweh to move because you don’t know what to do. Every hunger pang reminds you of your reliance on who He is and what He’s done. I think we can pretty much call fasting a lost art. You just don’t hear to many people denying themselves in order to hear from the LORD. Hey, I’m as guilty as the next guy. You don’t see me missing many meals in order to seek God’s will. But you would think that if Jesus felt it necessary to fast (Lk 4:2), we would make it a priority. It’s probably more important for a 21st century follower of Jesus to consider a digital fast. Spend a few days without…wait for it…your smart phone (gasp!)! Shut down your iPad for the weekend. Turn off the TV for predetermined period. Get off the grid and get with God. Is it any reason why we can’t hear His voice clearly with all digital racket going on around us?
Behind the door of the temple storeroom, Ezra is “mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles” (v6). This is the same word (Heb. ma’al) as in Ezra 9:2, 4; 10:2. This is less about some good looking pagan ladies catching the eyes of the Jewish men and more about failing to trust in God’s goodness to provide intimacy and companionship. And the language Shecaniah uses back in Ezra 10:2-4 tells us that these weren’t legit marriages requiring a legal divorce. Guys were simply shacking up with unbelieving women. Their failure to trust in their gracious God absolutely breaks Ezra’s heart. Whatever God leads him to do is going to be hard.
While Ezra is deep in his prayerful fast, the call is put out for a mandatory family meeting in Jerusalem. “And a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble in Jerusalem” (v7). Judah is the larger territory. It’s the basic region of the southern kingdom where the tribes of Judah and Benjamin lived. Remember, the northern kingdom of Israel disappeared when God sent the Assyrians to haul them into captivity (2Ki 17:6-7). Those ten tribes living in the north were never heard from again. And the clock is ticking. Everybody must “come within three days” (v8). They’ve got 72 hours to get there. Because we’re only talking about the territories of Judah and Benjamin tribes, the longest trip would only be 40-50 miles. This is a mandatory family meeting. Be there or be square.
The proclamation makes it crystal clear that absence is no excuse. “If anyone did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all his property should be forfeited and he himself banned from the congregation of exiles” (v8). This is a HUGE deal. First of all, God is the one who personally gave your family its land back when they rolled into the Promised Land. Failure to appear would result in turning your back on God’s gift. If that’s not bad enough, your lack of attendance would result in getting the boot from the Hebrew people. In other words, you’ve made your choice and you face your consequences. If you want to continue shacking up with your pagan girlfriend, just consider that your new family. Sometimes failing to make a decision is a decision. In this case, failing to appear results in a decision. And it’s not good.
It’s time for a family meeting. A mandatory family meeting. And the clock is ticking.
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