A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 9
Ezra CHAP. IX.
THIS Chapter is a Deſcription of ſuch unlawful and unequal Marriages of the Jews with Pagans, as Ezra found amongſt them in his return to Jeruſalem, and this is amplified, Firſt, By the Fact it ſelf. And Secondly, By the Perſons both thoſe Offending and thoſe Condemning the Offenders.
Remark the Firſt, No ſooner had Ezra deliver'd the Treaſures, &c. and reſted a little (ſaith Wolphius) but preſently the Princes came to complain of a groſs Corruption among thoſe that had return'd with Zerubbabel, how their Reſt had bred Ruſt, their Proſperity had intoxicated them, Prov. 1.32. and made them to wax wanton, and to mingle Marriages with the Heathen Countreys contrary to God's Law, Deut. 7.2, 3. whereby they were at leaſt in Danger of Learning their Heatheniſh Idolatries: Thoſe Princes that thus complained, ver. 1, 2. were ſuch as feared God, they complaining of other Princes that did not fear God, but ſinned equally with the People; and they addreſs themſelves to Ezra, knowing he was impowered by Darius's Royal Diploma to reform all Diſorders, &c. 'Tis probable, thoſe pious Princes had oft heretofore admoniſh'd thoſe Offenders, but to ſmall purpoſe, and to as little profit, becauſe of both the Multitude and the Magnitude of the peccant Perſons. But now having got Ezra to back them with his Commiſſion from the King, they make a new attempt for redreſſing that great Tranſgreſſion, which now they do effectually. N.B. This may teach us Conſtancy in that which is good (ſaith Wolphius) and not caſt away our Confidence, if Reformation come not at the firſt pull, but renew ſtill new Efforts; if God give new Power and Opportunity, &c.
Remark the Second, So ſoon as Ezra underſtood, how not only the People, but alſo the Prieſts (who knew the Law and ſhould have lived by it) yea and the Princes too (who both ſhould have been better Looking-glaſſes for the People to dreſs themſelves by, &c.) That they of all ſorts were deeply plung'd into ſo high a Provocation: This Information pierceth as a Dagger into the Heart of Holy Ezra, ver. 3. ſo great a Grief ſeizeth upon the Soul of this good Prieſt, that [He rends his Mantle, plucks off his Hair, and ſat down aſtoniſh'd even all Day, until the Evening Sacrifice, in token of his deep Humiliation, his Paſſionate Indignation, and utter Deteſtation of ſuch doings.
Remark the Third, Ezra's Paſſion was ſoon noiſed abroad, hereupon the Godly Party gather'd themſelves ſoon to him, out of tender Compaſſion on him and on themſelves alſo; leſt Wrath from the Lord ſhould fall upon all for the Sins of ſo many: Such as fear God Aſſemble and Tremble, and conſult what was beſt to be done for a Reformation, ver. 4.
Remark the Fourth, Ezra's Prayer, from ver. 5, to ver. 16.
Mark 1. Ezra roſe up at the Evening Sacrifice, and falls down upon his Knees, and with ſpread Hands falls on Praying, ver. 5. in the Preſence of thoſe that trembled at God's Word, ver. 4. well knowing, that unto ſuch the Lord looketh with his choiceſt looks of Love, Iſa. 66.2. and that his Prayer together with the Sacrifice, might aſcend up in thoſe Pillars of Smoak, Cant. 3.6. as a Memorial before God. Acts 10.4.
Mark 2. The Preface of his Prayer, ver. 6. for inſinuating the better into God's Favour; he includes himſelf into the number of the Tranſgreſſours. Acknowledging that the Sin was now become National in the guilt of it, and that it was now become like deep Waters, wherein they were like to be all drowned, as Pſalm 38.4. and 124.4. and that it was now gone up to Heaven to fetch down Wrath from Heaven.
Mark 3. He makes Confeſſion with all Aggravation, ver. 7. as Daniel did in his Day, Dan. 9.5. bewailing the Sins of their Forefathers, the ſad Effects whereof they were ſtill ſmarting under, in the Continuance of the Captivity of ſo many of our Brethren abroad, yet we at home are ſtill reviving the ſame old Sins, whereby we declare our ſelves to be but a Race of Rebels from one Generation to another, in a continued Series of the ſame Sins.
Mark 4. As Ezra had handed out the Veſſels of the Temple by number and by weight (as before) juſt ſo he handleth his own and his Peoples Sins: For 1. He confeſſeth them by number, as Aaron did Confeſs over the Head of the Scape Goat, all the Iniquities of the Children of Iſrael, Lev. 16.21. So likewiſe, 2. By weight, for as Aaron confeſſed alſo, all their Tranſgreſſions in all their Sins; that is, laying open how many Tranſgreſſions were wrapp'd up in their ſeveral Sins, and the Circumſtances of them that did aggravate them ſo did Ezra here.
Mark 5. Ezra doth not only Confeſs the Sins of paſt and preſent Times, but he doth aggravate them by the many Benefits God had conferr'd upon the People; and by the many Cautions God had oft given them to the contrary, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. yet all ſeemed loſt upon them.
Remark the Fifth; The many moving Metaphors that Ezra uſeth both in expreſſing God's Kindneſs to the Jews, and his cautioning and counſelling them to a better behaviour.
Mark 1. That Metaphor of God's giving them a Nail, ver. 8. Hebr. Jather, ſignifies (ſaith Piſcator) a Pegg of Wood or Iron driven in to hang Garments upon or uſeful Veſſels, Iſa. 22.23. or it ſignifies the Pins or Stakes of the Tabernacle, to make it ſtand ſteady in Storms, Exod. 35.18. Iſa. 33.20. or it ſignifies the Anchor to which the Cable is faſtened, (ſaith Menochius) that the Ship might Reſt near the Shore; all which ſheweth that God had given them ſome Settlement, in a good Governour Zerubbabel, and a good Prieſt Jehoſhua, which was ſome ſupport of their Faith and Hope that God would do them good.
Mark 2. That God had lightned their Eyes for a little ſpace; that is, exhilarated the Eyes of our Minds, (ſaith Vatablus) ſo the Phraſe isuſed, 1 Sam. 14.27, 28. for in Danger the Eye looks dim and dark, the Soul ſitting there, ſhews it ſelf pleaſed or diſpleaſed, &c.
Mark 3. God had given them not new Light only, but new Life alſo, reviving them with delivering them from Captivity, ver. 8, 9. they had been as dead and dry bones in Bondage, Ezek. 37.12. now God had revived them and brought them back to build again the burnt Temple.
Mark 4. God hath given them a Wall, &c. ver. 9. Hebr. Nader, ſignifying a Fence, and ſo the favour of the King of Perſia was Fence to them, their Sefeguard and Protection: Moreover, God's Providence was a Wall of Fire round about them, Zech. 2.5. Iſa. 5.2. Matth. 21.33.
Remark the Sixth; Ezra uſeth that Phraſe of Relation betwixt God and them nine ſeveral times; Thrice in the Singular Number, [My God] ver. 5, 6. and Six times in the Plural, [Our God] ver. 8, 9, 10, 13. all which were Phraſes of Faith, referring to the Covenant that padbulum fidei, the ſufficing food of Faith: Intimating by all theſe, that God had not caſt them out of the Covenant for their manifold Sins, but had puniſh'd them too little, ver. 13. when God ſaid [too much] Iſa. 40.12.
Remark the Seventh; The Concluſion of this good Man's Prayer, ver. 14, 15. wherein he Adores God both for his Juſtice and Mercy, and lays load upon himſelf and his People with a Sixth Aggravation of their Sins, in Sinning again after ſuch a Deliverance; as if God had Delivered us for that end (ſaith Wolphius) that we might the more freely deſpiſe the Lord and his Law: Then he Deprecates the Anger of God that he may not Repent of his begun Benefits, ſaying, Tho' we have forfeited thy Favour and deſerve nothing but Deſtruction, yet art thou faithful and true in thy Covenant of Promiſe, which appeareth in thy leaving a Remnant of us (we hope) for Holy Uſe. N. B. Tho' we let go our faſt hold on God, yet God will not let go his faſter hold on us.