DCLM Daily Manna 24 June 2026: Power of Our Confession
KEY VERSE: “Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives” (Ezra 10:11).
TEXT: Ezra 10:9-15 KJV
Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.
10 And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.
11 Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.
12 Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do.
13 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand without, neither is this a work of one day or two: for we are many that have transgressed in this thing.
14 Let now our rulers of all the congregation stand, and let all them which have taken strange wives in our cities come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and the judges thereof, until the fierce wrath of our God for this matter be turned from us.
15 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahaziah the son of Tikvah were employed about this matter: and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.
READ OTHER DCLM DAILY DEVOTIONAL HERE
A bank robbery in which $835 was stolen occurred in Hoyt, Kansas, on the morning of May 17, 1948. Four years later, 23-year-old Albert H. Johnson stood before a Baptist congregation of about 100 worshippers and confessed his sins. Asked why the public confession after reporting himself to the authorities, Johnson said, “I prayed about it and asked the Lord to give me an answer. It seemed like He would give me only one answer, and that was to give myself up.” Johnson was also willing to repay his $315 share of the robbery and any other punishment the law recommends.
When Ezra, the priest, stood before the men of Benjamin and Judah, in today’s text, he was unsparing in condemning their ungodly and adulterous behaviour. “Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel.” Rather than pet them and hide their transgressions under the mercy of God, Ezra laid it on them, straight and direct, “Now therefore make confession unto the LORD God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives” (Ezra 10:11). Repentance followed by confession, is the Bible-recommended way to show that we have truly turned from our sins. Through confession, we demonstrate that we are sorry for our actions and willing to change our ways.
There are preachers today who discourage new believers from engaging in public confession and restitution. According to them, grace covers it all. However, confession is not only recommended as a way of showing that we belong to Christ; it is also the cementing of our ties to the body of Christ. It enhances our faith testimony while also announcing to the world that we are, henceforth, on the Lord’s team.
Judah and Benjamin’s actions are commendable. There was no shame or fear in accepting their guilt and turning to God for forgiveness and pardon. Today, despite the thought of how people will perceive us, believers must be willing to publicly confess their faith and accept the consequences of their wrongdoings without making excuses. Are there things in your life that you need to confess? Is the Holy Spirit convicting you in any area of your life? Be like Judah and Benjamin, and let your answer be: “As thou hast said, so must (I) do.” This will bring you good conscience and peace with those you may have offended.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Those who refuse to confess their sins will never experience the liberating joy it affords
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Ezra 7-10
DCLM Daily Manna 24 June 2026
