(This was taken from the Bible study
The Nephilim And The End Of All Flesh.)
Intermingling With The World
Ezra 9:1-9 – See the note below for more on “intermingling” and “the escaped remnant.”
1 Now when these things had been completed, the princes approached me, saying, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated [914- “to divide, separate, to sever, to be set apart”] themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites.
2 "For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled [6148] with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness [4604- “an unfaithful or treacherous act against God or man, faithlessness, trespass”]."
3 When I heard about this matter, I tore my garment and my robe, and pulled some of the hair from my head and my beard, and sat down appalled.
4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel on account of the unfaithfulness [4604] of the exiles gathered to me, and I sat appalled until the evening offering [see Daniel 9:21, 1 Kings 18:36].
5 But at the evening offering I arose from my humiliation [8589- “affliction (of self), i.e. fasting”], even with my garment and my robe torn, and I fell on my knees and stretched out my hands to the Lord my God;
6 and I said, "O my God, I am ashamed and embarrassed to lift up my face to You, my God, for our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens. [In other words, “Our sin has come up before you!”]
7 "Since the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt, and on account of our iniquities we, our kings and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity and to plunder and to open shame [“humiliation, confusion of face”; see Daniel 9:7-8, Hebrews 6:6], as it is this day.
8 "But now for a brief moment [7281- “a wink (of the eyes); a very short space of time”; see 1 Cor. 15:51-52] grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped [6413- “an escape, a deliverance, an escaped portion”]remnant [7604- “to remain, to be left over, to be left behind, to be left alive, to survive”] and to give us a peg [3489- “a tent stake; figurative of a secure position”] in His holy place, that our God may enlighten [215- “to be light or to become light, to give light”] our eyes and grant us a little [4592- “littleness, few”] reviving [4241- “preservation of life, reviving”]in our bondage.
9 "For we are slaves; yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia [modern day Iran], to give us reviving [4241] to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem.
NASU
OT:6148 `arab (aw-rab')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to braid, i.e. intermix; technically, to traffic (as if by barter); also or give to be security (as a kind of exchange):
KJV - engage, (inter-) meddle (with), mingle (self), mortgage, occupy, give pledges, be (-come, put in) surety, undertake.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to pledge, to exchange, to mortgage, to engage, to occupy, to undertake for, to give pledges, to be (or to become) surety, to take on a pledge, to give in pledge
a) (Qal)
1) to take on a pledge, to go surety for, to guarantee
2) to give in pledge
3) to exchange
4) to pledge
b) (Hithpael)
1) to exchange pledges
2) to have fellowship with, to share
Ezra was a scribe who was well versed in the laws of God. Not only was he well versed but a man who then put these known laws into practice in his own life (Ezra 7:10). Like the sons of Issachar who came to David (1 Chronicles 12:32), he was a man who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do.
The book of Ezra tells of the fulfillment of God’s decree to Israel through Jeremiah the prophet. He decreed that, because of rebellion against the Lord, they would be in captivity for seventy years and then return to their homeland. He writes about the sin of the Israelites who did not separate themselves (i.e. sanctify; see 1 Peter 3:15) from the pagan/ungodly people of other lands, but instead “intermingled” with them by taking some of their daughters (the daughters of men) for their sons (the sons of God). He states that their leaders had been “foremost in this unfaithfulness.”This intermixing with that which God has forbid has occurred today within the church in America, and like Israel, in particular among the leadership.
It was at the time of the evening sacrifice, at the end of the “day” (see Daniel 9:21, 1 Kings 18:36), that Ezra arose from his time of fasting and prayed, saying that he was ashamed and embarrassed because of his people’s sin (see the Bible study The Morning And Evening Sacrifice). He said in verse six, “our iniquities have risen above our heads and our guilt has grown even to the heavens.” In other words, “Our sin has come up before you,” which is why they were given into the hands of their enemies.
America, the one whose national motto is “In God we trust,” has now turned her back on Him. She trusts in her own strength, wading deep into a cesspool of depravity. Our judgment has been set. Only a remnant will turn in repentance and be spared in the days of great judgment that lie just ahead. We have cast off the Lord’s boundaries, arrogantly declaring ourselves as God (see the Bible study Moving The Boundary Stones). We will reap what we have sown.
As Ezra prayed on he then declared;
“But now for a brief moment grace has been shown from the Lord our God, to leave us an escaped remnant and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage.”
(Ezra 9:8/NASU)
The Hebrew for “brief moment” is described as “a wink (of the eyes); a very short space of time.” It will only be for a brief moment of time that the Lord will show mercy toward our nation and grant repentance for a few souls that will be revived. He will leave us an “escaped remnant” who, in their secure position in Christ, will be spared under His “King-dome” of protection. Like Israel, our reviving will be “to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall” in order to protect and keep us from extermination by our enemies.
Currently, the rebellious church in America lies in ruins, without walls. As with ancient Israel, the Lord is raising up those who will be used to repair the breach in our walls. The Zerubbabel’s (his name means “sown in Babylon”) among God’s people are leading the remnant out of the ruins of Babylon, the spiritual whore, to work on the restoration of God’s house, The temple of His body (John 2:21).
The Escaped Remnant (Ezra 9:8, 13-15)
Luke 21:34-36 – Jesus taught the extreme importance of being alert (“attentive, ready”) in regards to His return and the extreme judgments that will be occurring on earth. He tells us to pray that we may have the strength necessary to escape all the horrific things that will take place, and to stand before Him. Later in his prayer of confession, Ezra declared, “O Lord God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as it is this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one can stand [5975- “to stand firm, to stand upright, to remain, to endure, to continue”] before You because of this.” (Ezra 9:15/NASU) Standing unharmed, safe and sound in the horrifying judgment of the Lord on earth at the end of this age, will depend upon our care in guarding our hearts in regards to obedience.
34 "Be on guard [4337- “to hold the mind towards, attend to, be attentive”], so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;
35 for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.
36 "But keep on the alert [69- “keep awake, watch, attentive, ready”] at all times, praying that you may have strength [2729- “to be strong against, overpower, to prevail against”] to escape [1628- “to flee out of, to seek safety in flight, to escape”] all these things that are about to take place, and to stand [2476- “to stand ready or prepared, i.e. continue safe and sound, stand unharmed; to be of a steadfast mind”] before [1715- “in front of, in the presence of”] the Son of Man." [See the Bible study The Sons Of Jephunneh. for more on those who stand ready and prepared, facing God.]
NASU
1 Corinthians 10:13 – In the preceding verses, Paul warns Christians to avoid Israel’s mistakes while on their journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land of their inheritance in the Lord. Most of them died along the way, not standing firm in obedience with an obedient heart. In fact, in the two verses preceding this one he says, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm [2476- def. above], be careful that you don't fall!” (NIV) He then encourages them that all temptations are common to man, and that the Lord will not allow us more than we can handle, but will provide the way of escape if we will look to Him.
13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape [1545- “an exit, a way out”]also, so that you will be able to endure it [5297- “to bear by being under, to bear patiently, to endure”].
NASU
Proverbs 12:13
13 An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous will escape from trouble [See Daniel 12:1, Nahum 1:7, Zephaniah 1:15, Jeremiah 30:7 (“Jacob’s trouble”); see the Bible study Jacob’s Trouble].
NASU
Ecclesiastes 7:26
26 And I discovered more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are chains. One who is pleasing to God will escape from her, but the sinner will be captured by her. [See the Bible study Well Pleased.]
NASU
Joel 2:30-32 – In this passage Joel is referring to the Day of the Lord. He speaks of the “escaped remnant (survivors)” on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem “whom the Lord calls” (“to shout, to call out loudly, to proclaim, to announce, to summon”). As pictured in type with Joseph and his brothers, there will be a great end time deliverance of the remnant of the Lord’s “brothers” (Genesis 45:7).
30 "I will display wonders in the sky and on the earth, blood, fire and columns of smoke.
31 "The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.
32 "And it will come about that whoever calls on the name of the Lord Will be delivered [4422- “to slip away, to escape, to deliver, to save, to be delivered”]; For on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape [6413- “an escaped portion/remnant, deliverance”; same word in Ezra 9:8; the “escaped remnant”], as the Lord has said, even among the survivors [8300- “a survivor, a remnant, what is left, remain(ing)”; see 1 Thess. 4:15-17 right below] whom the Lord calls [7121- “to shout, to call out loudly, to proclaim, to announce, to summon”].
NASU
Obadiah 15-17 – Obadiah also refers to the “escaped remnant” on the Day of the Lord.
15 "For the day of the Lord draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it will be done to you. Your dealings will return on your own head.
16 "Because just as you drank on My holy mountain, All the nations will drink continually. They will drink and swallow and become as if they had never existed.
17 "But on Mount Zion there will be those who escape, and it will be holy. And the house of Jacob will possess their possessions.
NASU
(Also see 2 Timothy 2:26, Genesis 19:15-22, and Isaiah 1:9, 7:3, 8:9, 37:31.)
Those Who Will Not Escape
Matthew 23:33 – This is just a small portion of Jesus’ indictment of the hypocritical scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23:13-36). He started off by saying, “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.” (Matthew 23:13/NASU)
33 "You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence [2920- “a separating, decision, judgment”] of hell?
NASU
Romans 2:1-3
1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.
2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape [1628- “to flee out of, flee away, to seek safety in flight”] the judgment [2917- “a decision, a decree”]of God?
NASU
1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 – Paul is referring to the Day of the Lord.
2 For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
3 While they are saying, "Peace and safety!" then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape [1628].
NASU
Hebrews 2:1-4 – The writer of Hebrews strongly warns Christians about the dangers of drifting away from devotion to Christ. This serious warning for us is to not take lightly or carelessly our gift of salvation in Christ through disobedience and then think that we will escape His justice.
1 For this reason we must pay much closer attention [4337- see Luke 21:34 above for def.] to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away [3901- “to flow past, glide by, i.e. figuratively, carelessly pass (miss)”] from it.
2 For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,
3 how will we escape [1628] if we neglect [272- “to be careless of, not to care, make light of (Math. 22:5)”] so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard,
4 God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.
NASU
Hebrews 12:25 – The writer of Hebrews gives another strong warning to Christians to not presume that we will escape God’s judgment if we are turning away from Him back to the world.
25 See to it that you do not refuse [3868- “to refuse, to decline, to shun, to avoid, to ask to be excused”] Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape [1628] when they refused [3868] him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away [654- “to turn away, to turn back, return, to turn away from allegiance”] from Him who warns from heaven.
NASU
2 Peter 2:17-19 – Peter warns Christians of the false prophet’s ways. Through deception they bait a forbidden longing or craving, much like the serpent in the Garden of Eden, all the while promising you so-called “freedom.” Once participated in without repentance, it results in our being overcome instead of becoming an overcomer, and our re-enslavement to sin. The next three verses are crucial in our fear of the Lord so as to keep us from sinning. In our modern world of easy-believism not many preach this.
17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved.
18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice [1185- “to bait, allure, deceive”] by fleshly desires [1939- “desire, craving, a longing (especially for what is forbidden)”], by sensuality [766- “unbridled lust, excess, shamelessness”], those who barely escape [668- “to flee away from, to escape”] from the ones who live in error,
19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.
NASU
Proverbs 19:5 – To go unpunished is to be declared blameless. To be punished by God is to not be declared blameless. A false witness for Christ, one who gives by their life a “bad report” to others, will be punished (see the Bible studies Good Report Bad Report and Taking The Lord’s Name In Vain.)
5 A false witness will not go unpunished [5352], and he who tells lies will not escape. [See Mal. 3:5]
NASU
OT:5352 naqah (naw-kaw')
(Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance)
a primitive root; to be (or make) clean (literally or figuratively); by implication (in an adverse sense) to be bare, i.e. extirpated:
KJV - acquit at all, altogether, be blameless, cleanse, (be) clear (-ing), cut off, be desolate, be free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent, by no means, be quit, be (leave) unpunished, utterly, wholly.
(Brown Driver Briggs Hebrew Lexicon)
to be empty, to be clear, to be pure, to be free, to be innocent, to be desolate, to be cut off
a) (Qal) to be empty, to be clean, to be pure
b) (Niphal)
1) to be cleaned out, to be purged out
2) to be clean, to be free from guilt, to be innocent
3) to be free, to be exempt from punishment
4) to be free, to be exempt from obligation
c) (Piel)
1) to hold innocent, to acquit
2) to leave unpunished
2 Chronicles 20:20-24 – In this passage the sons of Moab and Ammon (the incestuous descendants of Lot), together with some of the Meunites, came to make war with King Jehoshaphat (20:1). Jehoshaphat was afraid and sought the Lord, along with all Judah. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel (“beheld of God”) telling them, “Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God's… You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.' Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.” (v.14-19). When man judges the wicked might still escape. But when God judges the wicked cannot escape. Also, notice how they did it; singers and those who were in “holy attire”sang and praised the Lord and He then set ambushes against their enemies, causing them to turn on one another until they were completely destroyed.
20 They rose early in the morning and went out to the wilderness of Tekoa; and when they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust [539] in the Lord your God and you will be established [539- “to be firm, endure, be faithful, stand fast, trust”]. Put your trust [539] in His prophets and succeed [6743- “to succeed, to prosper”]."
21 When he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord and those who praised Him in holy [6944- “apartness, holiness, sacredness, separateness”] attire [1927- “decoration, adornment, glory”], as they went out before the army and said, "Give thanks to the Lord, for His lovingkindness is everlasting."
22 When they began singing and praising, the Lord set ambushes [693- “to lie in wait, to lurk”] against the sons of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; so they were routed.
23 For the sons of Ammon and Moab rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir destroying them completely; and when they had finished with the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
24 When Judah came to the lookout of the wilderness, they looked toward the multitude, and behold, they were corpses lying on the ground, and no one had escaped.
NASU
2 Chronicles 20:21
21 After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever."
NIV
2 Chronicles 20:21
21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: "Praise the Lord, For His mercy endures forever."
NKJV
For more on intermingling see the Bible study The Bride Of Christ And The Gold Of Ophir.
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