Ezra 9:8-10 "And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. (9) For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. (10) And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments"
Ezra 9:15 "O LORD God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we
remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our
trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this."
Let me take verse 15 first. "O LORD God of Israel, thou art
righteous." That statement stands on its own power. There is nothing that
can change the righteousness of God. If He had chosen in that moment to send the
people back into bondage, He is righteous. If He had chosen to strike them off
the face of the earth, He is righteous. If He had given them over to the
idolatry of the nations of which many had married, He is righteous. Again
I say, nothing can change the righteousness of God.
But Ezra is making His plea upon the basis of God's grace as he is
acknowledging the righteousness of God. "Lord, you would be right to bring
judgment upon us, but we need your mercy. Lord, you would be righteous (in
right actions) in whatever manner you choose to deal with us. But we beg for
your mercy and grace that we might be able to turn and do that which is right
in your sight.
As we look upon these verses today, we know we were in bondage to sin. Our
nature was that of sin and unrighteousness. God would have been righteous if He
had saved no one. Not one person deserved to be saved from the fire of hell to
the glory of heaven. Not one person deserves to be called a child of God.
Let me use a New Testament verse:
(Ephesians 2:4-5) "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his
great love wherewith he loved us, (5) Even when we were dead in sins, hath
quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)" May we praise
our Heavenly Father for bestowing His grace upon us rather than giving us what
we deserved.