DAD'S RAMBLINGS -- ASTONISHED

DAD'S RAMBLINGS – ASTONISHED

"So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished. Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel assembled to me, because of the transgression of those who had been carried away captive, and I sat astonished until the evening sacrifice." (Ezra 9:3-4)

The setting of these verses is that Ezra was informed by the leaders that the people, including priests and Levites, had not kept themselves separated from the heathen nations, had taken pagan women from the surrounding nations as wives. When Ezra saw the state of his nation, it had a profound effect on him. He was astonished. The word is used twice for emphasis.

The word astonished means more than just amazed. He was appalled. He was desolate – miserable, sad, disheartened, depressed. He mourned because of the sin of his nation (Ezra 10:6).

Do you ever feel that way about America? When I see the state of my beloved country – how we have abandoned a culture based on God's Word – it causes me to be sad, depressed, and yes, astonished that such a thing could happen after all that God has done for our nation. I keep asking myself, "Why do some people in our nation hate America?" when we have been so abundantly blessed.

I feel like Lot, the nephew of Abraham who chose to live is Sodom. Sodom was a very wicked place, and Scripture says that Lot, as a righteous man, was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked, and his soul was tormented from day to day by seeing hearing their lawless deeds (II Peter 2:7-8).

But that is not the end of the story. There was a man named Shechaniah who said to Ezra, "yet now there is hope in Israel in spite of this" (Ezra 10:2). At this encouragement, Ezra sent out a proclamation for the people to gather at Jerusalem. They came, and Ezra preached a message of repentance. Many of the people covenanted to put away their heathen wives (Ezra10:19).

As dark as it seems and as much as our souls are troubled, there is hope for America. May the call go out for repentance, and a return to God's way.

Love, Dad