Ezra 9 & 10

When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.²For they have taken some of their daughtersas wivesfor themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is mixed with the peoples ofthoselands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass.”Ezra 9:1-2 NKJV

God set apart the people of Israel to worship Him,

There was clear instructions against intermarrying with

The people of the lands. They disobeyed , Ezra took

Action to restore them to a rightful relationship with God.

1 Peter 2:9-10 Declares

But youarea chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;¹⁰who oncewerenot a people butarenow the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. NKJV