In Ezra 9 & 10, Ezra learns the devastating news that the remnant who returned to Jerusalem have intermarried with the pagan nations around them which would allow false god and false idol worship to seep in. It would also mean the priesthood of the nation was no longer pure. The news of this great sin devastated Ezra. Sin should devastate us. Nothing good comes from sin. Ezra cries out to God in repentant despair. Others see his sincere repentant heart and begin to join him. Conviction should produce repentance and true repentance produces change. The nation did change. They bolted into action and cleansed their homes of the sin. Sin is sin and we all have sin we need to repent of and turn from. We need God's mercy. We need the power of the Holy Spirit active and moving in our lives to convict us of any unaware sins and give us the power to resist temptations. When the nation humbled themselves and cried out to God, God heard their prayers and healed their land. When we humble ourselves sincerely and cry out to God, He hears and He always responds to a repentant heart. He will cleanse us and make us whole in Him.
