September 19 & 20, 2026
Please use the comment section on this page to share insights from today’s reading OR your own personal Bible reading.
Reading along with us in Ezra and James? Here’s today’s reading:
Ezra 9 (NIV)
Ezra’s Prayer About Intermarriage
1 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites.…..Continue Reading
Oh for us to be struck by personal and national sin as Ezra is here. He is made aware of the Jews going back to their old ways and shows outwardly his conviction and shame over it. But instead of addressing the people directly, he prays to God and lays out their disobedience before Him. He recognizes God’s goodness to them and how their disobedience is completely inconsistent for how faithful God had been to them. They and we should not presume on His grace and assume because He is not punishing us, that somehow our sin is ok. It is much like James’ words to not associate with the world in a way that compromises our Christian principles. How important it is to not be unequally yoked and follow God’s standards for intimate relationships.
Psalm 28; Ezra 9; Nehemiah 8; James 4
“Then Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping when they heard the words of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go, eat the festival foods, drink the sweet drinks, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your refuge.””
Nehemiah 8:9-10 NASB2020
How great the grace of our God is in the midst of our humility and godly sorrow.
Exodus 1-3
Ezra 9
Do not yoke yourself with a non believer. Most cases caused tremendous heartache later in marriage
Ezra recognizes the guilt of the leaders of Israel and brings it before the Lord.
Ezra is so disappointed with the behavior of the people! They have slipped back into their old patterns of behavior that include disobedience, idolatry, and unequally yoked marriages. He goes immediately to God and acknowledges this guilty state and begs once again for His mercy!