THE EZRA FILE

 

      The Scripture which we just heard is a national confession of disobedience.  It is a prayer of penitence in a litany of Israel's breaking of God's covenant.  This break is steeped in the easiest of all sin to fall into for ourselves; Pride.  The arrogance of pride and ego lays each of us into the path of breaking faith with God.  It pushes us to the brink of sin.  This prayer completes the return of Israel from exile and the beginning of the "Ezra Files."  This is the beginning of a unique sequence of God's divine intervention into the experience of the Hebrew nation.  In this amazing story, Ezra speaks about the 'mighty and awesome God keeping covenant and steadfast love' with Israel.  This national prayer of confession that we just read is one of the longest in Scripture and we only read a small part toward the end.  It rivals the Psalms written before the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in length and meaning.  And, it has a familiar theme for us even today.  "We have erred, God has remained steadfast."  God has been just and we have acted wickedly.  This certainly makes me flinch and wince in empathy with those who heard and experienced it firsthand.  Last week we read that Jeremiah forced Israel to realize how they had wandered from God's covenant.  They were faced with God's call to justice about their ignoring covenant and how it cast them into exile.  We talked about God writing that covenant onto their hearts during that exile.  Now, in repentance, God's people return to a new covenant and from exile to rebuild the temple and a new Jerusalem.  We need to understand the magnitude of what God has performed.  The Persian kings Cyrus, Zerubabel, and then Artaxerxes have released the exiles to return to their homeland.  God has wrought the return of his people to the Promised Land and honors their new covenant with his original covenant nation.  The miraculous thing about this covenant is that God works through the Persians to command the people of Israel to renew their worship.  The NRSV Study Bible says it incontrovertibly, "Cyrus commands the Jews to return to their land and resume temple worship, in Ezra 1.  Later, Artaxerxes commands obedience to the law of Moses on the part of all the Jews and in Nehemiah 2 he authorizes the reestablishment of Jerusalem, which will be the focus of national identity."  Look at the power of God in this new covenant?  God takes pagan kings and through them works his people back to their homeland and worship center to return to their identity as God's chosen people.  God creates a miracle through these gentile leaders.  This isn't a momentary lapse in compassion by a world power, this is an amazing progression of several powerful kings of the Persian Empire as they allow the return of an exiled people to their rightful place; worshipping God in their own temple.  This is unprecedented in any history of which I am aware, military or otherwise. 

      Another unique factor within this return from exile is the total integration between the church and the state.  There isn't any doubt about the purpose of God for his people through this resurrection of covenant.  Ezra as priest and Nehemiah as governor begin to rebuild the temple and the walls of Jerusalem together.  There is a common intent and resolve to return to covenant relationship with God spiritually and physically as they reconstruct Jerusalem.  And it all revolves around a national call for reform and honest repentance.  How forgiving is our God?  IT CANNOT BE MEASURED.  Seventy times seven doesn't even come remotely close.  The entire world can now see that anything is possible with God.  This is the true God; a God of faithful covenant and miraculous resurrection.  Yet more about that later.

      This national renewal is important also because within this national prayer of confession, Israel honestly admits and turns from their errant ways.  Ezra says that even in the Promised Land that you provided, we have behaved shamefully and wickedly.  See how strong this admission is?  We have not only strayed into evil; but we have embraced it.  What does God truly reveal here both then and now?  Ezra reminds the people of what they have become and calls them to return to God's good embrace, rather than all of the evil and idolatry that has afflicted them for an era.  What has this wrought?  "We are slaves within our own land."  The Message paraphrases in an interesting way, "This Promised Land; its wonderful crops go to kings you put over us because of our sins, they act like they own our bodies."  Yes, Israel finds themselves in bondage, the exact same condition in which Moses found them.  And it bears repeating, the Assyrian kings have assured this.  They may have allowed this return and even encouraged the rebuilding of the temple and entire capitol; yet, there should be no illusion here.  They will return in hordes of vengeance if they suspect any break of loyalty or payment for their generosity.  Yet history records how God protects Israel within this new covenant until the Romans finally inflict a national imprisonment much later.  And at that time they are not exiled physically but are enslaved in their own land by the Roman Empire.  And yes, that time will speak to another miracle by a new covenant personified in Jesus Christ as the good news comes from God in our final covenant in human flesh.  Are the Israelites finally getting the message in Nehemiah about God's providence and sovereignty?  Do we realize God's true power as the Sovereign for mankind?  Yes, the kings of Assyria and Rome were giants in their own minds and gods, little 'g', at most.  The true power here is self-evident; it is found in the Ezra File. 

      In our Scripture reading we find the final and true response to God's amazing grace and covenant.  As the priest Ezra leads, all of Israel swears on a signed, sealed, and delivered document listing the names of all the officials.  The national response is obvious as both governing and spiritual leaders sign the covenant.  The KJV sometimes has an excellent way of expression for impression; "Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee that hath come upon us..  Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right and we have done wickedly; wherewith thou didst testify against our kings, princes, priests, and our fathers.  God witnessed against us then."  Now that is strong in any translation.  And because of all this, we can hear Ezra shout that we make a sure covenant and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and priests, seal unto it.  This covenant was written in addition to the stone tablets of Moses for Israel and, indeed for all of us.  And they swore in their own writing to Almighty God.  They affirmed again and again to return to God.  They received God's grace anew and receive true forgiveness.  How have we done?  When someone asks for forgiveness, how have we responded?  Have we extended true forgiveness?  And do we carry guilt or accept that God does forgive us when we are truly penitent?  God knows and we must respond.  God is faithful in covenant renewal and we are called to respond to that covenant.  If we need some assistance in crafting that response; just go to the Ezra File.