Guilt properly processed
Ezra 10/Revelation 7-9
How to get the most out of Hungry Bible
OT
10:1 While Ezra prayed and made this confession, weeping and throwing himself to the ground in front of the Temple of God, a large crowd of people from Israel–men, women, and children–gathered and wept bitterly with him.
NT
7:13-17 Then one of the twenty-four elders asked me, “Who are these who are clothed in white? Where do they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. That is why they are standing in front of the throne of God, serving him day and night in his Temple. And he who sits on the throne will live among them and shelter them. They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and they will be fully protected from the scorching noontime heat. For the Lamb who stands in front of the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water. And God will wipe away all their tears.”
OT Flash Points
Allow the burden of the shame of sin to crush and purify
Ezra doesn’t diplomatically suggest changing the Law
He has a fit right there in public and demands that confession and repentance be the response of the people of God
The antidote for unfaithfulness is reconciliation, detailed and specific
NT Flash Points
… a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing in front of the throne, before the Lamb
They washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white. That is why…
Perspective
Heroes appear to lead us to lift our heads to look beyond ourselves
Heroes pass then to be replaced by the Creator Himself
All is to lead us to Him
Look into the face of the Hero of heroes, His name is the name above all names