Ezra 10:1 ” 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.”

The Jews had broken faith with God by marrying foreign women…but rather than exhorting the people to mourn because of their sinfulness, Ezra chose to mourn alone. But his crying out in distress for the sins of the nation did not go unnoticed. And as more and more people gathered around him lying prostrate before God, their consciences were pricked by his prayer…pleading on behalf of them and himself, acknowledging their many sins against God, and begging for mercy. It’s not strange then that as Ezra’s prayer rang out in the temple the crowd was convicted of their own sinful acts…with bitter weeping of grief, confession, and repentance showing that they truly appreciated the gravity of the situation. This was what we used to call a “Altar Call Moment” as Ezra acted as the catalyst to induce a deep spiritual reaction and response in the people.

Author: kezha1

A Christian mother, grandmother, and retired nurse living in Illinois. Called into a ministry of encouraging others to find their ultimate plan and purpose in life through Christ. View all posts by kezha1