Pagan Wives Put Away
May 22, 2020
Commentary
Here is a list of the priests who had agreed to divorce their foreign wives and to sacrifice a ram as a sin offering (vv. 18-44). Although putting these pagan wives away was a severe solution, it appears that it only involved 113 of the approximately 29,000 families. This list of guilty men attests to a momentary purge and purification of these people of Judah. Some 12 and 25 years later (Neh 10:30 and 13:23-29), Nehemiah had to confront the same sin of mixed marriages once again.
Ezra recognized that if God gave the people what they deserved they would not be able to stand before Him. Just as in Ezra’s day, we often cry out for justice when we feel abused and unfairly treated. How fortunate we are that God gives us mercy and grace rather than only justice. The next time you ask God for fair and just treatment, pause to think about what would happen if God gave you what you asked for!!!! Plead instead for His mercy.
Why were these men commanded to send away their wives and children? Although this order seems to be extreme, intermarriage to heathens was strictly forbidden (Deut. 7:3-4) and even the Priests and Levis had intermarried. This could be compared today to a Christian marrying a devil worshiper. Ezra’s strong act was necessary to preserve Israel as a nation committed to God.
Application
No one is so far away from God that he or she cannot be restored. Repentance is all that is required. I am thankful that God hates sin but that He loves the sinner and that is why I could be saved
Ezra 10:18– 44 (NET)
18 It was determined that from the descendants of the priests, the following had taken foreign wives: from the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. 19 (They gave their word to send away their wives; their guilt offering was a ram from the flock for their guilt.)
20 From the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah.
21 From the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah.
22 From the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.
23 From the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (also known as Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
24 From the singers: Eliashib. From the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
25 From the Israelites: from the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah, and Benaiah.
26 From the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah.
27 From the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza.
28 From the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai.
29 From the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth.
30 From the descendants of Pahath Moab: Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh.
31 From the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, 32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah.
33 From the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei.
34 From the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, 35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, 36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, 37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu.
38 From the descendants of Binnui: Shimei, 39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, 40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai, 41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, 42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.
43 From the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
44 All these had taken foreign wives, and some of them also had children by these women.
Illustration: Stalin Orders a Purge of Christians And Bibles
In the 1920’s Stalin ordered a purge of all Bibles and believers. In Stavropol, Russia this order was carried out completely. Thousands of Bibles were taken and believers were sent to prison, where so many died for being enemies of the state. In 1994, a missionary group went to Stavropol and were told of a warehouse where these Bibles had been stored since Stalin’s time. They were given permission to re-distribute these Bibles. One hired helper was found in a corner of the warehouse weeping. He had slipped away, hoping to quietly take a Bible for himself. The inside page of the Bible he picked up had the handwritten signature of his own grandmother. It was her personal Bible. Out of the thousands of Bibles in that warehouse, he stole the one that belonged to his grandmother- a woman persecuted for her faith all her life. (Source Unknown, Lou Nicholes – Missionary/Author).