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not allowed to enter

Ezra 10:1-44

Ezra 10:1 While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and falling facedown before the house of God, a vast assembly of Israelite men, women, and children gathered around him. The people also wept bitterly.
Ezra 10:2 Then Shecaniah, son of Jehiel, an Elamite, responded to Ezra: “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the surrounding peoples, but there is still hope for Israel despite this.
Ezra 10:3 Let us, therefore, make a covenant before our God to send away all the foreign wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the command of our God. Let it be done according to the law.
Ezra 10:4 Get up; this matter is your responsibility, and we support you. Be strong and take action!”
Ezra 10:5 Then Ezra got up and made the leading priests, Levites, and all Israel take an oath to do what had been said; so, they took the oath.
Ezra 10:6 Ezra then went from the house of God and walked to the chamber of Jehohanan, son of Eliashib, where he spent the night. He did not eat food or drink water because he was mourning over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.
Ezra 10:7 They proclaimed throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should gather in Jerusalem.
Ezra 10:8 Whoever did not come within three days would forfeit all his possessions, according to the decision of the leaders and elders, and would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.
Ezra 10:9 So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. On the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people sat in the square at the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.
Ezra 10:10 Then the priest Ezra stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful by marrying foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt.
Ezra 10:11 Therefore, confess Yahveh, the God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the surrounding peoples and your foreign wives.”
Ezra 10:12 All the assembly responded loudly: “Yes, we will do as you say!
Ezra 10:13 But there are many people, and it is the rainy season. We don’t have the stamina to stay out in the open. This isn’t something that can be done in a day or two, for we have rebelled terribly in this matter.
Ezra 10:14 Let our leaders represent the entire assembly. Then, let all those in our towns who have married foreign women come at appointed times, together with the elders and judges of each town, to avert the fierce anger of our God concerning this matter.
Ezra 10:15 Only Jonathan, son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, son of Tikvah, opposed this, with Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite supporting them.
Ezra 10:16 The exiles did what had been proposed. The priest Ezra selected men who were family heads, all identified by name, to represent their ancestral families. They convened on the first day of the tenth month to investigate the matter,
Ezra 10:17, and by the first day of the first month, they had dealt with all the men who had married foreign women.
Ezra 10:18 The following were found to have married foreign women from the descendants of the priests: from the descendants of Jeshua, son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah.
Ezra 10:19 They pledged to send their wives away, and being guilty, they offered a ram from the flock for their guilt;
Ezra 10:20 Hanani and Zebadiah from Immer’s descendants;
Ezra 10:21 Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah from Harim’s descendants;
Ezra 10:22 Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah from Pashhur’s descendants.
Ezra 10:23 The Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Ezra 10:24 The singers: Eliashib. The gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.
Ezra 10:25 The Israelites: Parosh’s descendants: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah, and Benaiah;
Ezra 10:26 Elam’s descendants: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah;
Ezra 10:27 Zattu’s descendants: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza;
Ezra 10:28 Bebai’s descendants: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai;
Ezra 10:29 Bani’s descendants: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth;
Ezra 10:30 Pahath-moab’s descendants: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh;
Ezra 10:31 Harim’s descendants: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon,
Ezra 10:32 Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah;
Ezra 10:33 Hashum’s descendants: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei;
Ezra 10:34 Bani’s descendants: Maadai, Amram, Uel,
Ezra 10:35 Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi,
Ezra 10:36 Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib,
Ezra 10:37 Mattaniah, Mattenai, Jaasu,
Ezra 10:38 Bani, Binnui, Shimei,
Ezra 10:39 Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,
Ezra 10:40 Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,
Ezra 10:41 Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,
Ezra 10:42 Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph;
Ezra 10:43 Nebo’s descendants: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.
Ezra 10:44 All of these had married foreign women, and some wives had given birth to children.

not allowed to enter

The sin that had been committed was not simply the marrying of foreign wives. It was the the marrying women and fathering children who did not put their faith in the LORD. That was the crime which took three months to sort out in the courts. Each family had to be tested to see whether they had truly converted and were faithful to the LORD. Those who would not prove allegiance to the God of Israel could not be allowed to settle in restored Jerusalem. Similarly, a judgment will take place before the new heavens and new earth will be occupied. Those whose names are not found in the book of life will not be allowed to enter the new Jerusalem, and they will not be allowed to partake of the tree of life and live forever.

LORD, purge us of our hypocrisy and capriciousness. Make of us genuine people, fit for eternity.