Ezra 10:1 While Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel; the people also wept bitterly. 2 Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra, saying, “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. 3 So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. 4 Take action, for it is your duty, and we are with you; be strong, and do it.” 5 Then Ezra stood up and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as had been said. So they swore.

This is a brutal remedy, for sure. I find it interesting that God did not command the purging of foreign wives and their children. This was done at the recommendation of Shecaniah, not God. It’s difficult to imagine the grief and heartbreak involved. Makes me all the more grateful we are no longer under the covenant of the law, but under the covenant of grace in Jesus Christ. Thank you Jesus that you willingly paid the price for our sin, taking our sin on the cross and to the grave while giving to us your righteousness. Amen.