When Ezra heard about the sin of inter-marriage with ungodly people, his actions demonstrate vividly that he was disappointed.
How do you feel when you hear that a brother or sister in the Lord has fallen into sin? After spending time sitting (vv.3,4),
probably without uttering a word, he changed his position, fell on his knees, and spread his hands in prayer towards the Lord.
His first words describe his personal feelings, that he was ashamed, even to approach God. This sincere prayer of repentance is
a first step in a dramatic reformation that must take place.
Ezra describes the magnitude of the transgression (v.6). Their sin even reached heavens, where God is. Let us know that the fact
that Ezra says "our iniquities" is not to be taken that Ezra himself was not personally guilty of sin under the discussion. But
he was identify himself with his community (Neh. 1:6; Dan. 9:5-19). Ezra knew that those that are not guilty of a sin may still
suffer the colateral effects of God's Wrath when he punishes the guilty.
In his prayer of Repentance, Ezra reaccounts how the flagrant disobedience to God's statues has started with their fore-fathers,
kings and priest, and that this had lead them to captivity from God, such as death, poverty and humiliation. Ezra expresses all these
because he did not want his people to go through these ordeals again.
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