Separated From What?
The Israelites celebrated the Passover in the proper way, after they had laid the foundation for the temple to be rebuilt. It was an important event for them, as they were making every effort to do God's will in the right way. Therefore, they had to repent of their sins and make sure they were sincerely seeking God. That is why eating unleavened bread was part of the Passover. It represented getting rid of sin, because yeast or leaven was a symbol for sin.
This is the reason Ezra mentions the fact that the ones who participated in this first Passover after the captivity "separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land."(Ezra 6:21) This is a reference to being separated from sins or repentance. It is not that they separated themselves from the people of the land. They just did not act the way the pagans acted.
Christians make that mistake today. There are believers who do not want to have anything to do with non-believers. They think they are right to do this, because they are supposed to be "separate." However, they have the wrong concept of separation. We are to be separate from sin, not from people. Jesus ate with sinful people, and they liked to be around Him. He drew them to the Lord. He did not participate in their sins. That is just what we are to do all the time. We love the sinner, but hate the sin.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezra 8-10 and Nehemiah 1.
This is the reason Ezra mentions the fact that the ones who participated in this first Passover after the captivity "separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land."(Ezra 6:21) This is a reference to being separated from sins or repentance. It is not that they separated themselves from the people of the land. They just did not act the way the pagans acted.
Christians make that mistake today. There are believers who do not want to have anything to do with non-believers. They think they are right to do this, because they are supposed to be "separate." However, they have the wrong concept of separation. We are to be separate from sin, not from people. Jesus ate with sinful people, and they liked to be around Him. He drew them to the Lord. He did not participate in their sins. That is just what we are to do all the time. We love the sinner, but hate the sin.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Ezra 8-10 and Nehemiah 1.