Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Ezra
Book: Ezra
Chapter: 9
Overview:
Ezra mourns for the Jews' conduct.
(1-4) Ezra's
Confession of
sins.
(5-15)
1-4 Many corruptions lurk out of the view of the most careful
rulers. Some of the people disobeyed the express command of
God,
which forbade all marriages with the
Heathen, De 7. Disbelief
of
God's all-sufficiency, is at the bottom of the sorry shifts
we make to help ourselves. They exposed themselves and their
children to the peril of
Idolatry, that had ruined their
Church
and nation.
Carnal professors may make
Light of such connections,
and try to explain away the exhortations to be separate; but
those who are best acquainted with the
Word of God, will treat
the subject in another manner. They must forebode the worst from
such unions. The evils excused, and even pleaded for,
By many
professors, astonish and cause regret in the true believer. All
who profess to be
God's people, ought to strengthen those that
appear and act against vice and profaneness.
5-15 The
Sacrifice, especially the
Evening Sacrifice, was a
Type of the blessed
Lamb of
God, who in the
Evening of the
world, was to take away
Sin By the
Sacrifice of himself.
Ezra's
address is a penitent
Confession of
Sin, the
Sin of his people.
But let this be the comfort of true penitents, that though their
sins reach to the heavens,
God's
Mercy is in the heavens.
Ezra,
speaking of
Sin, speaks as one much ashamed. Holy shame is as
necessary in true
Repentance as holy sorrow.
Ezra speaks as much
amazed. The discoveries of guilt cause amazement; the more we
think of
Sin, the worse it looks. Say,
God be merciful to me a
sinner.
Ezra speaks as one much afraid. There is not a surer or
sadder presage of ruin, than turning to
Sin, after great
judgments, and great deliverances. Every one in the
Church of
God, has to wonder that he has not wearied out the
Lord's
patience, and brought
Destruction upon himself. What then must
be the case of the ungodly? But though the true penitent has
nothing to plead in his own behalf, the heavenly
Advocate pleads
most powerfully for him.