Heralds Digest

“And among the sons of the priests who had taken pagan wives the following were found of the sons of Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. And they gave their promise that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they presented a ram of the flock as their trespass offering.” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭10:18-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/ezr.10.18-19.nkjv One of the unwarranted consequences of infidelity in relationships is the trading the source of a lasting joy for a source of loathsome happiness. When the love of the priests in the service relationship in the temple of the Lord is traded for pagan wives, the peace of God in the heart is sacrificed amidst innumerable sheep on the altar. Every genuine relationship with the Lord is established on a commitment to keep a promise of love and affection as supreme. Where any other thing or person becomes the primary pursuits, the ability to receive direct inspiration from the Lord becomes forfeit...

“Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel. Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives.”” ‭‭Ezra‬ ‭10:10-11‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ http://bible.com/114/ezr.10.10-11.nkjv Unless the guards are acceptably lowered, communication with sincerity, honesty and clarity with people requires the understanding of the science of diplomacy. Simple truth becomes heavy burden that gets ventilated without driving the necessary conviction in the hearts of the audience. But then, Ezra the priest stood up and said “You have transgressed...Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will”; and the people complied. The persuasion in Ezra’s presentation was not in the aliteracy of, but rather the authority in, the spoken words. Simple matters in almost all of life’s relationships are made c...