Day 136: February 25, 2026 – Ezra 7-10 and Psalms 33 and 35

We are introduced to Ezra who is appointed by the king to go to Jerusalem from Babylon. We should have some hesitation for a prophet who is appointed by a foreign king to go and kinda take over the religious duties of Israel on behalf of that king. It seems more like a puppet ruler in most cases, but it doesn’t seem to be the case here. Instead he goes and puts things in order, brings the Word of the Lord with him, and they get ready to make sacrifices and to worship the Lord. But there is a problem. He has discovered that the vast majority of the priests have married or have gone into foreign women and as a result have children from them.

He goes into mourning and refuses to offer any sacrificed, and really puts the religious life of Israel on hold, until they give up their wives and send them and their children away from Jerusalem. It feels icky, but that is what happens. He gathers all the people of Israel, he gathers especially the priests and the religious leaders who were responsible for leading the people in worship, and tells them to rid themselves of all that which would separate them from God, including their foreign wives and children.