Read: Ezra 10:1-44: 1 Corinthians 6:1-20; Psalm 31:9-18; Proverbs 21:3
Ezra set an example of repentance and intercession which spread to the people causing many to join him. He was distraught that the people of Judah had married foreign wives taking up their religion and idolatry - many of these being priests. God heard their cries and turned the hearts of the people to repent. They sent their foreign wives away even though some of them had had children by them. If you think divorce is wrong under all circumstances, you need to read the scriptures. One of the stipulations is spiritual idolatry and one is natural.
Paul asks his congregation in Corinth why they are taking each other to court to be judged by ungodly judges. It is the church that should judge the church. Since we are dealing with divorce in the Old Testament, it makes me wonder about Christians who divorce. Do they take their disputes to the judge or the Christian counselor? Certainly they should take their matters first to the Christian counselor. If one or both parties are unwilling to align their lives to the Word of God, then they would be like the ones in Ezra who refused to leave their foreign wife. A foreign wife is any ungodly activity or mindset that we have put above God. It can be an addiction, a person, or something intangible like unforgiveness. All of these can be brought under the blood of Jesus and we can be free from them. It is our choice. Paul said it well, “Everything is permissible for me - but I will not be mastered by anything.” He summed it up with the fact that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is not our own body to do with as we please. We were bought with a price of the blood of Jesus. So, we should honor God with our bodies. Even our Proverb today says that to do what is right and just is more acceptable to God than sacrifice.
Lord, help us to honor you in what we do and what we think. If we have any foreign wives in our lives, help us to send them away.
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