9th.: I Feel Ashamed
Bad news.
The Jews had intermingled with the other nations (see Ezra 9:1).
To modern day Americans, this might seem judgemental, exclusionist.
But who are we to judge them.
Without God setting the rules, there is no right and wrong.
By intermarrying people of other religions, the Jews would be tempted to worship the
false gods of the other religions (Deut. 7:3-4) - This is based on the history that God had
supernaturally given the Jews freedom, as described in the book of Exodus.
This sin surprised Ezra. He fretted for the rest of the day.
At the evening sacrifice, Ezra took his concerns to the Lord,
“I am ashamed, and blush, to lift up my face to thee, my God, for our iniquities are increased
over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.” Ezra 9:6.
Shame can be good. It can motivate us to repent (i.e. change our mind, and turn our heart back to God.
It can induce us to seek God’s forgiveness.
It can motivate us to get right with God.
Without it, we might end up as "the adulterous woman who eats,
wipes her mouth, and says, ‘I have done no wickedness.’” (Pr. 30:20).
To get the most benefit, shame must be applied to the appropriate wrongdoing.
If we don’t know what our sin was, then we ought to ask Him what the error was, if there indeed was an error.
“Turn away my reproach, which I fear. For thy judgements are good.” (Ps. 119:39)