Ezra

The book of Ezra deals with the decree for the rebuilding of the temple in Israel.  The book gives an account of the completion and dedication of the temple.  In the book, Ezra is the high priest.  Ezra realizes that the exiles that have come from Babylon have committed the sin of intermarriage.  Ezra prays to God about the matter for God commanded the Israelites not to marry foreigners.  Ezra confronts those who intermarried and together they commune and have group confession of thei sins and ask God for forgiveness.  In many ways as a Christian, we often chase after and commit ourselves to ideas of the foreign kingdom of darkness of which we came from.  When we realize our sin in such a manner, it is our duty to confess our sin to God and ask for forgiveness.