Thoughts On Ezra 2
God Remembers His People
This chapter showcases GOD’s faithfulness and HIS eyes on details.
HE promised an undying love to the children of Israel but also warned them that if they worship other gods, HE will give their enemies victory over them and the enemies will take them captive. However when they repent, HE will bring them back and restore them. Ezra Chapter two saw that promise fulfilled.
The children of Israel have been in exile for decades. Maybe they must have prayed and fasted for their freedom.
Maybe some may have given up hope and have decided to make the place of exile, their home. But the LORD always keeps to HIS word. HE is faithful to the very end.z Whatever HE has promised, HE will bring to pass at the appointed time when the condition has been met.
In taking the roll call of every family of the children of Israel, every detail of every single person was captured. From the smallest family of 42 to the largest family sizes in hundreds and thousands, no one was left behind. . There was however a “comma”: some members of the priesthood were not recognized and were excluded from eating the HOLY things. These were descendants of a priest who married a foreigner and also chose to be called by their name. Now it was time to return from captivity to their own land, their names were not found in the national register.
Bible References
2 Chronicles 36:21
to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
2 Chronicles 6:36, 38-39
“When they sin against You (for there is no one who does not sin), and You become angry with them and deliver them to the enemy, and they take them captive to a land far or near;
when they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, where they have been carried captive, and pray toward their land which You gave to their fathers, the city which You have chosen, and toward the temple which I have built for Your name:
then hear from heaven Your dwelling place their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive Your people who have sinned against You.
Ezra 2:1
Now these are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his own city.
Ezra 2:61- 63
And of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, and the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name.
These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled.
And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thunnim.
Matthew 7:21-23
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘LORD, LORD,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
Take Away
1. GOD loves us and only sin can make HIM turn away from us
2. Even in our sin, separated from GOD, from far, He still watches over us for our good
3.. When we fully repent, GOD will take every single one of us back, no one missing.
4. Whatever GOD has promised, HE will surely fulfill in HIS own set time.
5. Treating GOD’s law with disdain has a terrible consequence.
Prayer Point
1. Dear LORD, thank you for your unconditional love
2.. Thank you for your faithfulness
3. Help me LORD, never to disdain your laws in the mighty name of JESUS, Amen