Ezra 10:9b And all the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain.
Ezra, a direct descendent of Aaron, was a scholar and a scribe who returned back from the Babylonian captivity. He was an influential leader who brought spiritual reformation and revival to rebuild the remnant of Israel. When he returned and saw that the people had committed detestable sins against the Lord, Ezra humbled himself in fasting and prayer. While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly (Ezra 10:1). As they sat trembling, confessing and repenting, there was a heavy downpour of rain of forgiveness on them. Fear of God washed their corrupt souls and forgiveness of God poured down as rain to cleanse their sin stained clothes.
Repentance is to make a diametrical turnaround from sinful practices, patterns or prototypes. Repentance is not just remorse but a right about turn from sinful living to a righteous lifestyle. Regret does not bring reconciliation, only tears of repentance brings down rain of forgiveness and restoration.
Rain for forgiveness brings mercy, mitigation and moderation:
1. Repent: Mercy is found only with tears of repentance. Proverbs 28:13 He who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy. The mercy of God transfers the debt that we owe from our account to God’s premium Gold Account, and releases us from the obligation. God pays our debt on our behalf. Misery is washed away by the showers of mercy on a repentant soul, however, mercy is found only by a repentant soul.
2. Reconcile: Rain of forgiveness brings showers of mitigation. Hebrews 4:16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may “receive mercy” and “find grace” to help us in our time of need. Mercy comes down as showers from the throne of God and washes away the consequences of sin and mitigates curses. Grace on the other hand, qualifies us for blessings that our sinful past disqualified us. Mercy mitigates but Grace glorifies. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith (Ephesians 2:8). There is no reconciliation without repentance.
3. Restore: The rain of forgiveness brings down showers of restoration that was ruined by mulish disobedience, wilful defiance and stubborn sin. When Saul, the prosecutor and persecutor of the church repented, the rain of God’s mercy forgave him but the showers of His grace not only reconciled him with God but also qualified him to become Paul, a powerful preacher, teacher and apostle. 1 Corinthians 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. Rain of forgiveness washes away our sin stained lives and restores us back into God’s purpose.
To open the floodgates of God’s forgiveness, mercy and grace, tears of repentance, confession and retrospection are essential. Repentance of the Israelites made them tremble under the rain of God’s forgiveness.
Joel 2:23 Rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given the early rain for your vindication; He has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before.
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, I surrender, submit and yield my life back to you. Let your rain for forgiveness cleanse my stubbornness, guilt or callousness and the shower of your mercy and grace restore me. Amen
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