Reader! what sweet and gracious signs of sorrow, and of real communion with God. The blushing, and dropping countenance, under the conscious sense of the divine presence, are among the truest tokens of this state of the soul. Reader! do not fail to remark the precious lesson held forth to all true believers in Christ in this example. We as fully enjoy the manifestations of Jesus, and the love of Jehovah in him, when we lie low in the dust before him, as when in those rapturous moments we are like the apostles in the mount of transfiguration, and the Son of God unveils to us his glories, and our interest in him. Matthew 17:4-5. I stay not to particularize the several features of Ezra's devotion: I rather desire the Reader to mark, in his own view of things, the leading points in it, which bespeak the gracious impressions he was under. The general confession of the sins of Israel he dwells upon, and takes care to point out the part he himself took in them. Every gracious soul doth this, and in his approaches to the mercy-seat feels his own as if they were the heaviest. And how sweetly doth he dwell upon the divine mercies, in their abundance, fulness, and continuance: as if the Lord had taken occasion, from man's undeservings, to magnify his mercy, and the exceeding riches of his grace; that where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. Never, blessed Jesus, was there an instance like to thine, when thou camest to seek and save that which was lost! I beg the Reader to notice these precious things in Ezra's holy mourning before the throne and mercy-seat. A more beautiful instance of the powerful effects of grace upon the soul, except in the parallel humblings of Daniel, (Daniel 9:1.) is not to be found in the Bible. But I cannot dismiss this view of Ezra, without calling on the Reader to mark one feature more in his approach to God upon this occasion, and the more so because it leads my soul to yet an higher subject, from whence if I mistake not, the whole virtue and efficacy of Ezra's devotion derived its strength, I mean the spreading out his hands unto the Lord his God, meaning God in covenant, as his God in Christ. Doth it not carry the Reader's mind, on the wings of faith, to Calvary, where Jesus arms were stretched out on the cross, as if in a twofold posture of entreaty, both with God and man. Can we behold Ezra stretching forth his hands in supplication for Israel on this occasion, and shalt we forget, or overlook thee, thou blessed Jesus, whose precious feet were fixed to the cross, while thine arms were stretched forth, at once looking up to the Father in intercession, and spread abroad below to embrace all that came to thee, as if saying, Behold me, behold me; look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else, and beside me there is no Saviour. Isaiah 45:21-22; Isaiah 45:21-22.
Ezra 9:6-15
6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespassb is grown up unto the heavens.
7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
8 And now for a little spacec 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 repaird 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,
11 Which thou hast commanded bye thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness.
12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.
13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punishedf us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;
14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?
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.