Different Things God is teaching Me

RIGHTEOUSNESS NOT RACISM; Marrying an Unbeliever

"When these things were done, the leaders came to me, saying, "The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, with respect to the abominations of the Canaannites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, so that the holy seed is mixed with the people of these lands. Indeed, the hand of the leaders and rulers has been foremost in this trespass." So when I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked out some of the hair of my head and beard, and sat down astonished." ~Ezra 9:1-3

When we read this, we might hastily and mistakenly conclude that the Bible promotes racism; that there is one race of blood that is better than the other. Margaret Sanger, Adolf Hiter, were proponents of this idea as are the Klu Klux Klan are today.
But "the Scripture cannot be broken" [John 10:35] and thus we know the passage in Ezra is not an event of racism for God, through Paul [2 Peter 2:20-21] tells the Greeks in Acts 17:

"He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings. So that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us." [vs. 26-27]

So what can we learn from this event that happened in Ezra's day? Why was it wrong to intermix with the other nations if in fact God has made all nations from one blood? "Yet He is not partial to princes, nor does He regard the rich more than the poor; for they are all the work of His hands." [Job 34:19] The line of Judah (Jesus) married interracially at least twice (Joshua 6:25 & Matthew 1:5, The Book of Ruth) and we know that Jesus did not discourage His followers from interacting (as opposed to intermarrying) with the world [see Matthew 9:10-13 & 1 Corinthians 5:9-11].
So what is the problem God is stating here in the days of Ezra, that we are to take note to avoid repeating today?

What happened in Ezra as well as in Nehemiah's time (for they were both contemporaries) was a great tragedy for marriage to foreign women who chose to still remain idolatrous and unbelieving and who would not cast off their ways produced a great stumbling block for those who believed and worshipped the One True God. Nehemiah states the reason for his (and even more, God's) zealousness against this sin:

"Did not Solomon king of Israel sin by these things? Yet among many nations there was no king like him, who was beloved of his God; and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless pagan women caused even him to sin." ~Nehemiah 13:26

Solomon himself, acknowledged the truth of this tragedy in the latter days of his repentance when he wrote (not only in Proverbs 2-9 but also) in Ecclesiastes 7:25-26:

"I applied my heart to know, to search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things; to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness. And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be trapped by her."

God, through Malachi, reaffirmed this in later years:

"Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why do we deal treacherously with one another by profaning the covenant of the fathers? Judah has dealt treacherously, and an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem, for Judah has profaned the Lord's holy institution which He loves. He has married the daughter of a foreign god. May the Lord cut off from the tents of Jacob the man who does this, being awake and aware, yet who brings an offering to the Lord of hosts!" [2:10-12]

The power of sex in the hands of an ungodly spouse, is a terrible hell for the godly spouse to live in. The Creator knows what is best for His creation. His interests are only for our own good.

"Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has lights with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belgian? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.' " [2 Corinthians 6:14-16]