Ezra 7-10

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel  (7:10).  Ezra the priest traveled to Jerusalem, carrying gifts from the Persian king, to support and instruct his fellow Jews.  Unfortunately, he found that many had married foreign wives and broken God’s law (9:12).  These unconverted wives brought idolatrous beliefs and practices into the family, which would poison the whole community for generations.

Seeing Ezra’s deep sadness over this tragedy, the people “wept bitterly” (10:1).  They made painful, radical changes in order to separate themselves from sin and follow God.