With the political fervor that surrounds the Republican and Democratic nominations for President of the United States, it is not uncommon to hear common folks giving their own “state of the nation” address. As you might expect, what they have to say is rarely favorable and often focused on what it wrong with “people”. With this backdrop in mind I found Ezra’s words about the nation of Israel quite interesting. Listen to Ezra’s account of his people and how he expresses his thoughts about the transgressions of Israel (one of their transgressions being their intermarriage with Pagans):
“But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God; and I said, “O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens. Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt, and on account of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity and to plunder and to open shame, as it is this day.” Ezra 9:5-7 (bold and italics mine)
There are just a few things that I just want to point out about this prayer of repentance. First, it is a prayer of repentance for a nation whose sins have been great before The Lord. Ezra could have easily taken the moral high ground here and talked about what is wrong with “people” or “my people” but he is quick to use words that communicate that he shares in their guilt. He is clear in his communication that there has been a problem and he is part of it. Second, he is in deep mourning for how his nation has lived before God. How much so? Just imagine the scene. He considers Israel’s (and his) transgressions before The Lord, he gets up and rips his clothing and falls on his knees with his hands stretched out to The Lord. Third, he proclaims that he and his people are responsible for the state of the nation.
What should we make of Ezra’s response? Should our response for the state of The United States be similar? I know that you are going to draw your own conclusions but I just want to prompt you to meditate on a few things. First, if any one of us sits and thinks about or nation, I’m quite sure that none of us can proclaim that in some ways our words, our choices, and our actions have not contributed to our current state of affairs. Perhaps you will resist this idea. Before you go too far down the road of “It’s them, not me” ask God to show you if the meditations of your own heart and how you have lived before Him over the years as an American leave you free from guilt over who we have been and have become as a people. Second, should we not be in prayer for our nation? Ezra refused to separate himself from the pack. He knew that the Israelite’s transgressions had grown, “even to the heavens”. Have not ours as Americans? Lastly, shall we not repent? Shall we not feel the burden of guilt for what has occurred in our land? Shall we like Ezra fall before the Lord and confess our sin and the sins of our nation, acknowledging that in many ways we are reaping what we have sown and ask God to heal our land?
Please hear me. I love the United States and am so thankful to God that I am an American. I still believe that in many ways we are a great nation. Yet, I cannot stand on our merits and pretend that the very ground I am standing on is not also comprised of many faults, for which I am partly responsible. As I have thought of Ezra and composed this e-mail I have had other verses ringing in my head. I think it best to close my writing with an excerpt from 2 Chronicles in which God addresses His chosen nation and warns them that if they find themselves at a point where their sins have risen to the heavens that calamity will come, but that there will still be hope:
“(If)My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14
For the glory of Jesus Christ,
Rob
March 19, 2016