Stricter Judgment

"When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, ‘The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands…”
– Ezra 9:1

Imagine the excitement that Ezra and the captives must have been experiencing as they arrived in their homeland after a long, arduous trip. This is a place they had never seen before. It is not unlike what we experience when traveling to a destination we have never been to before. We plan and pack, then set out with anticipation to see things we have only been told. When we arrive at our destination, it is typically just as beautiful and blessed as we expected. This was not the condition in Jerusalem when Ezra arrived, though. What was to be a holy place was found to be a place of sin. A deep sin that started with the priests and Levites. Those who set out over fifty years earlier to rebuild the Temple were now living a life of disobedience. They did not keep themselves separated from the land they entered.

When Ezra arrived on scene, the leaders must have seen a glimmer of hope. They reported the disobedience of these Jewish men who violated the law of God (Exodus 34:15-16; Deuteronomy 7:1-6). Those concerned were right when they informed Ezra. Wiersbe wrote, “It was perfectly in order for these concerned Jews to report to Ezra what was going on, for he was one of their key spiritual leaders and carried great authority from the king (Ezra 7:25-26). It’s likely that these concerned citizens had opposed the mixed marriages but were ignored, so they appealed to their leading priest and scribe for this help.”

Regarding holiness, the Lord’s repeated command is, “You shall be holy; for I am holy” (Leviticus 11:44). God called His people to be holy and separated from the rest of the world. It was so they would not become like other nations and begin serving their gods. Yet the Jews and their leaders were found exposed. They were found living like the heathen nations.

There are many blessings as a leader in the Lord’s church, yet it comes with heavy responsibility. The Bible points out that leaders are held to a higher standard, therefore a stricter judgment. Their lives are to look vastly different than the world and more like Christ. This is why James reminds us to “let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment (James 3:1). We are told to whom much is given, much more is required (Luke 12:48). So when judgment comes, it comes to the house of God first (1 Peter 4:17). As Christians, we can begin well in life and ministry. However, we know it is not how we start that matters; it is how we finish. We must examine ourselves by asking how well we are running this Christian race. How are you running today? Will you finish well?

"A minister’s wisdom lies in endeavoring to be wise for others, not cunning for himself."
- C. H. Spurgeon