It is only fitting that the only Psalm penned by Moses is a psalm that deals with the issue of God's eternality, man's frailty and tendency towards rebellion, and the blessing of apprehending man's responsibility in light of the mercy and provision of God. Moses is calling Israel to see why they were wandering, and how they might find their way out of the futile existence of falling under the wrath of God. And so this evening lets think of ourselves who worship the Lord of heaven and earth, who owe our liberty not to something we have done with what little strength that we posses, but to the One who we also at times aggrieve due to our sin. We are then to admit what is true of God who infinite and eternal in His being and goodness, that we are mere men, who are not merely frail in our humanity, but broken by our own sin, and so we ought seek mercy, kindness, and favor from Him that we might receive the rest that has been promised to us, through the Son of God, who leads us not only to a state of reconciliation, but also an eternal state of peace that will one day come. Let us seek rest by trusting in the One who leads us there.

We have seen the expression of priestly faithfulness on the part of Ezra, when hearing of the sins of the people of Israel of intermarriage, that is covenantally binding themselves to the women and false religions of the land of Canaan, he fell on his face, cried out to the Lord through prayer and fasting, admitted to the sins of his people and pleaded with the Lord for mercy. Repentance is comprised then of those parts that quiet the wrath of God, 1) admitting that you have actually sinned against God, 2) admit the heinous nature of that sin and what it deserves, and 3) plead that God might forgive and be merciful in His providence to not be so severe in His wrath. When priests do this on the part of their people, we call it mediation and intercession, but it must not stop there, the individuals who have committed the sin must also own it and repent of it that God might be merciful. Ezra 9 and 10, when taken together give us a picture of what it looks like when the whole people of God repent for their sins.