以斯拉记第9章：起来成为代祷者

 
GK611晨祷生命读经
29/07/2025
主讲: 郑伟健传道


引言：有些人爱你，却在你看不见的地方守着你

神记念每一个跪下祷告的人。因为正是这些人，神借着他们守住了这个时代的破口。

一、这时代和我有关系（拉9:1-4）
	
1.⁠ ⁠看见软弱（v1-2）
以斯拉回到耶路撒冷不久，就有人前来报告说，百姓、祭司和利未人，甚至首领和官长都纷纷与外邦女子通婚，违背律法中关于分别为圣的命令。神所拣选的“圣洁种类”竟然与不敬虔的外族混合，属灵妥协十分严重。更严重的是，这不是无知之民的问题，而是从上到下的败坏，是整个体制性的属灵堕落。

复兴并不等于免疫软弱。就算曾经敬拜、读经、火热、流泪，也有可能在几个月后陷入软弱。而这时神在寻找的，不是旁观者，不是评论员，而是一个肯说：“这和我有关”的人。

2. 接起代祷（v3-4）
以斯拉听见这事之后，并没有立刻做行政处理，也没有公开责骂，而是撕裂衣袍、拔胡须、坐下忧闷。他的反应就像是家中亲人去世。他深知这是属灵的大事，不只是政治失误，而是得罪神的严重问题。那些对神话语存敬畏的人，也纷纷聚集到他那里，和他一起沉默哀伤，直到晚祭。

二、在破口中求恩典（拉9:5-15）

1.⁠ ⁠代祷站位（v5-6）
带着领袖的心来直到晚祭的时候，以斯拉才起来。他跪下、举手祷告，不是替别人代讲，而是代表全体百姓认罪。他说：“我的神啊，我抱愧蒙羞，不敢向你仰面。” 他承认罪不是一点，而是“灭顶”、“滔天”。他没有把自己撇清，而是说：“我们的罪孽”。

一个真正的代祷者，不是站在神和人之间评估两边，而是跪在神前为人求恩典。

2.⁠ ⁠彻底悔改 （v7-9）
不为自己辩护，只求神怜悯。以斯拉承认以色列人的罪从列祖直到今日，并不找理由为历史辩护。他回顾神的恩典。虽然他们是奴仆，神仍为他们施恩，让他们重建圣殿，有机会复兴。这是“暂且施恩”，是“稍微复兴”，是“留下逃脱的人”。

神的恩典不是纵容，而是机会；不是放过，而是召唤悔改。
	
3.⁠ ⁠抓住机会（v10-15）
恩典尚在，就不该沉睡。以斯拉继续祷告，他没有要求什么，而是承认“我们在你面前有罪恶，因此无人在你面前站立得住”。他知道：神已经透过先知多次警告，百姓却明知故犯。如	果继续悖逆，不仅失去复兴，也会再一次被灭绝。

神的忍耐不是永恒的空间，而是恩典的窗口。

总结：代祷，从我开始

代祷或许不是很伟大的事，但是属神的事。
我们可能改变不了所有人，但我们可以起来代求，为一个人守住破口。起来成为代祷者!


    
  

Ezra Chapter 9: Arise as Intercessors 
GK611 Morning Devotion
29/07/2025
The Morning Devotion Speaker:  Ps. Asher 

Introduction: Some people love you, but they are guarding you in places you can’t see.

God remembers every person who kneels down to pray. Because it is these people that God uses to guard the breach of this era.

I. This Era Has Something to Do with Me (Ezra 9:1-4) 
	
1. Seeing Weakness (v. 1-2)
Soon after Ezra returned to Jerusalem, reports arrived that the people, the priests, the Levites, and even the leaders and officials were intermarrying with foreign women, violating the law's command to be sanctified. God's chosen "holy people" were mingling with ungodly foreigners, a serious spiritual compromise. More seriously, this wasn't just a problem of ignorant people, but rather a corruption from top to bottom, a systemic spiritual decline.

Revival doesn't guarantee immunity to weakness. Even if one once worshipped, read the Bible, was fervent, and shed tears, weakness could set in after a few months. At this point, God is looking not for bystanders or commentators, but for someone willing to say, "This is about me."

2. Continue to pray (v3-4)
After hearing this, Ezra did not take administrative action immediately, nor did he publicly rebuke the people. Instead, he tore his robe, plucked his beard, and sat down astonished. His reaction was like a family member had died. He knew that this was a spiritual matter, not just a political mistake, but a serious problem of offending God. Those who feared God's word also gathered around him and mourned with him in silence until the evening sacrifice.

II. Seeking Grace in the Breach (Ezra 9:5-15) 
	
1. ⁠ Intercessory Position (v5-6)
Pray with the heart of a leader. Ezra did not stand up until the evening sacrifice. He knelt down and raised his hands to pray, not speaking for others, but for all the people. He said, "O my God, I am too ashamed and humiliated to lift up my face to You." He admitted that his sins were not just a little bit, but "risen higher than our heads" and "grown up to the heavens." He did not clear himself, but said, "our iniquities".

A true intercessor does not stand between God and man to evaluate both sides but kneels before God to ask for grace for people.

2. Thorough Repentance (v7-9)
No self-defence, only prayer for God's mercy. Ezra acknowledged the Israelites' sins from their ancestors to the present day, without seeking excuses to justify history. He recalled God's grace. Although they were slaves, God still showed them mercy by allowing them to rebuild the temple and have the opportunity for revival. This was a "a little while grace”, “a measure of revival" and "a remnant to escape".

God's grace is not indulgence, but opportunity; it is not a let go, but a call to repentance.
	
3.⁠ ⁠ Seize the opportunity (v10-15)
Grace is still there, so we should not sleep. Ezra continued to pray. He did not ask for anything, but admitted that "we are guilty before you, so no one can stand before you." He knew that God had warned the people many times through the prophets, but they still committed the sin knowingly. If they continued to rebel, they would not only lose the revival but also be exterminated again.

God's patience is not an eternal space, but a window of grace.

Conclusion: Intercession starts with me

Intercession may not be a great thing, but it is a God-given thing.
We may not be able to change everyone, but we can stand up and intercede and guard the breach for one person. Stand up and become an intercessor!