The Case of the Unequal Yoke

THE CASE OF THE UNEQUAL YOKE (EZRA 9:1-15)
This message is intended for youth, young adults and the singles.

The weakness of God’s people in the areas of romance and marriage was confirmed to me the week I was preparing this message. I was in Los Angeles on a Monday morning when I decided to call on an old friend for lunch. Instead he asked me to join him and five old friends, including a non-believer, for dim sum. These friends are active in church, fellowship and even leadership.

The conversation for an hour and a half centered on matchmaking a non-present male friend, who is a believer, with a single girl who is a non-believer. They were brimming with excitement listing suggesting and brainstorming possible activities for the two strangers, including karaoke, ski trips and dinners.

At night, I was still bothered by the lunch conversation and so I wrote an e-mail to the Christians, discouraging them from matchmaking the Christian, who is not an active churchgoer, with a non-Christian, explaining why I had not objected during lunch. After leaving it two days in the outgoing box to make sure I do not regret writing it, I sent the following mail:
“Please reconsider matchmaking brother X with a non-Christian. First, a Christian should not be equally yoked with a non-Christian. Second, his past dating relationships with non-Christians have led him farther away from the Lord, and never nearer. Third, we should focus our energy more on praying for him to return to the Lord. I did not want to share this during the luncheon out of respect for the non-Christian friend present.”

Praise the Lord, we did not engage in an e-mail war!

The principle of yoking together believers in marriage but not a Christian with a non-Christian is recorded in 2 Corinthians 6:16: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.” The meaning of the principle can be traced to an agricultural principle recorded in Deuteronomy 22:10: “Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.” In biblical times, a farmer was discouraged from joining an ox and a donkey at the heads and necks for the purpose of carrying a load. This mix and match method does not work because not only do the ox and donkey not belong together, they do not move, work or behave the same way. Not only would the work be hindered, the animals could be harmed.

After the Israelites had settled in the land after the exile, the new generation reverted to the old ways. Their marriage to Gentile women, who were idolaters, threatened to lead Israel on the path of apostasy. Ezra the prophet was not opposed to interracial marriage, but interfaith marriage. Surprisingly, the people accepted Ezra’s unpopular message and did not oppose or ridicule him. Why did the people respond to such an unpopular message? What did he say that touched their heart and changed their mind?

Why are believers tempted to date and marry unbelieving partners? What can we learn from interfaith marriage? How does it hurt and not help couples?

Do Not Repeat What You were Forced to Endure in the Past
5 Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the LORD my God 6 and prayed: “O my God, I am too ashamed and disgraced to lift up my face to you, my God, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached