Therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God, and let it be done according to the Law (Ezra 10:3 ESV).
After Ezra discovered that many of the returned exiles had married pagan wives who persisted in idol worship, Shecaniah proposed a covenant to put them away along with their children. This harsh action was taken “according to the Law” to protect the fragile, newly restored community from repeating the sins that had led to exile. Under the Old Covenant, the people of God were a theocratic nation whose survival depended on religious purity. This measure targeted active idolaters, not foreigners in general. Scripture elsewhere records God blessing marriages between Israelites and foreigners who had turned to Him, such as Moses’ Cushite wife, Ruth the Moabite, and Rahab the Canaanite, all of whom embraced the Lord and two of whom appear in the genealogy of Jesus. Under the New Covenant, Paul instructs believers married to unbelievers to remain if the spouse is willing (1 Cor. 7:12–16), showing that our witness within marriage can be an avenue for God’s saving grace. While Ezra’s action was context-specific, the principle of wholehearted devotion to God remains timeless.
We live in a different covenant era. We are not called to separate from unbelieving spouses, but we are called to separate from sin and from anything that would draw our hearts away from Christ. The Ezra account reminds us that God takes covenant loyalty seriously. Paul reframes the principle for the church: our mission now includes loving and witnessing to unbelievers, even within marriage (1 Cor. 7:12–16). At the same time, Paul warns us not to be “unequally yoked” with unbelievers (2 Cor. 6:14), knowing that such unions can hinder spiritual growth and devotion to Christ. If we are single, we should seek a spouse who shares our faith so that our marriage may glorify God and strengthen our walk. Like Ruth and Rahab, people from every tribe and nation are welcomed into God’s family when they turn to Him in faith. Our calling is to live holy lives in the midst of a pluralistic world, guarding our devotion to Christ while extending His invitation to all.
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for showing us both the seriousness of covenant faithfulness and the depth of Your mercy in Christ. Help us to guard our hearts from anything that would turn us away from You. Give us grace to love unbelieving family members and friends, and courage to bear witness to Jesus in both word and deed. May our lives reflect the holiness You desire and the hope You offer to all nations. In Jesus’ name, amen.