Repentance in the Downpour

Just 42,360 Israelites returned to their native land after they had been in captivity 70 years in Babylon. Out of this number, 113 men had, while in captivity, married non-Jewish women. Ezra and the leadership realized the gravity of their national sin and after years of God's dealings recognized the necessity of a real and genuine walk before a serious but merciful God.

Mediation on chapters 9 and 10 of Ezra could awaken our understanding of God's care over important details. The people repented and those relatively few (113) divorced themselves from their foreign wives and also distanced themselves from the children. These are severe measures recorded in the Scriptures for our learning. Interestingly, the Scriptures tell us, "All the people sat before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rains" (Ezra 10:9).

It is well known that after many American Civil War battles (i.e.: Antietam, Gettysburg, and Vicksburg) there were downpours that lasted days. It is also well known that Abraham Lincoln believed that the war was God's chastisement upon us as a nation for our national sin of slavery. "Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said, 'The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether'" - Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865.

We could wonder: Did those rains wash the blood of our national youth into our soil as judgment? Or, was the rain a sign of God's appeasement and pleasure? We do not know, but we do know that we as a people have felt the sins of our society creep into our souls. God is personally and intimately involved in our lives. We have personal and national accountability to Him. The 113 Israelites out of 42,360 could have been overlooked, especially when we talk about marriage commitments and our children.

The Scripture is written. If we can take it to heart, perhaps we'll find the refreshment of a cleansing, purging, yea and even powerfully life-changing downpour. The price is sometimes very high to get our lives right with God. It is not fashionable to speak in such radical terms. Perhaps this is one reason there is so much emptiness and "lost-ness" around us. Repentance is our privilege; the downpour is His business.

He is real and desires to give it - abundantly, but only on His terms. "Please, Lord, lead us to listen and heed. Bring a healing to our hearts and a downpour to our land."

Pastor Thomas Schaller