There is Hope

Taylor Fleury

”And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is HOPE in Israel concerning this thing.” Ezra 10:2 Did you catch that? “We have trespassed against our God… yet now there is HOPE…”  Israel had directly disobeyed God. They had married foreign wives and sinned against the Lord. As they gathered together in Jerusalem, and were confronted with their sin, their hearts were convicted. Shecaniah spoke for them all when he said “We have trespassed against our God, and have taken strange wives of the people of the land: yet now there is HOPE in Israel concerning this thing.” Amazing. In spite of ourselves – in spite of our sin – there is HOPE. What hope? John writes in 1 John 1:9 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” This is not a “I hope the weather is nice tomorrow” kind of hope. This is a certain and sure HOPE. Psalm 130:7 says, “Let Israel HOPE in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption”. HOPE in God, Christian! For with Him is plenteous redemption.