Famous of Infamous

Ezra 10

Lots of the Old Testament seems to be full of lists. Lists of people. Here is the list of people that did this or that. Earlier in the book of Ezra we looked briefly a list of famous pioneers. The people and families who were willing to sacrifice everything for the cause.

Here Ezra records a different type of list. It records the men from all walks of life that had ignored God's instructions and gone their own way and married foreign wives. In their difficulty their God had become too small and they decided to live for themselves instead of God's plan.

Their actions listed them for all time in God's word not for fame but infamy. This is not a list that I would want to appear on.

Unfortunately lists are still made today both good and bad. Its great to read lists of the largest churches, the quickest growing, the most innovative etc etc. But its sad to read a list all too often of people, pastors and leaders who make wrong decisions. Yes God's grace is unquestionably there for us all but the damage that is done to all concerned is immense.

Our decisions and actions can have far reaching consequences if our God becomes too small and in our minds we become bigger than him. I want to stay on the right list.