“Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.” (Ezra 10:4, ESV)

With high hopes Ezra had brought several thousand people to Jerusalem. But when he arrived he found things in disarray. Many of the men had taken foreign wives for themselves and for their sons against the commandment of God. They were unequally yoked, and some of them had even had children by these unions. These were the very sins that had caused the people to go into captivity to begin with. What could they do now?

Ezra was so astonished that he tore his clothes and fasted, and the people noticed. When Ezra prayed a prayer of heartfelt confession, the people were listening. As Ezra wept over the sins of the people, they began to weep.

“A very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly.” (Ezra 10:1, ESV)

Ezra accomplished far more with tears than he ever would have done with anger. The people were broken over their sins.

This is always the beginning point of revival. We must be broken over our sins—not only because of their consequences, but also because they hurt God and grieve His Holy Spirit. Moreover, genuine repentance always results in change—we want to put things right.

Shecaniah said to Ezra, “We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this.” This man encouraged Ezra because he was humble, he had hope, and he offered a solution. “Let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children. Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.”

Ezra was overwhelmed with the problem, for his heart was tender, and he had a sensitive conscience. But perhaps he could not see the solution. Shecaniah helped him find a viable way to restore integrity to Israel. He respected Ezra and placed confidence in his leadership. He encouraged Ezra to be strong and take charge of the situation, and they would follow.

Let me say that you can go far and do anything if God brings people around you to lift up your arms and encourage you. And when they are willing to follow your leadership, you have all the potential for a winning team. In this case, Ezra became their trusted leader, not because he “threw his weight around” but because he fell to his knees, spread out his hands toward the LORD, and confessed the sins of the people as though they were his own. Then God moved on the hearts of the people to change their ways. This is the beginning of a spiritual awakening. This is the recipe for revival.