Ezra 2:1-34 – Returning Israelites
Today’s reading is one of those which readers in our time may find “dry” or “dusty.” This is largely because the names of people listed here have little meaning for us. We do not know these people, and, for the most part, we can find out little or nothing about them from the rest of the Bible or any other ancient source. Verses three through twenty give us the numbers of people from various families who were leaving Babylonia to settle in Judah. Verses twenty-one through 34 give us the numbers of those returning exiles who were descended from the populations of various Israelite towns and cities.
While passages like this one may seem boring to us, it is a great blessing that the Bible contains this kind of information. First of all, these helped the Israelites re-establish themselves in the land, aiding with things like property claims. Secondly, they show us that the ancient Jews kept good records, particularly in regard to ancestry. This is important as we labor to give answers to the world’s objections to our faith. Some critics of Christianity say we have no reason to believe Jesus was rightfully the heir to the throne of Israel. However, it is helpful to remember that no one ever claimed Jesus was not a son of David until after the destruction of the Temple in A.D. 70. Why not? Because until that time, records were kept in the Temple of every family line. A Jew in Jesus’ day could trace his ancestry to the Babylonian Exile and beyond. When Jesus was on earth, there was no challenge to His claim to be the son of David because that claim was clearly established by the records in the Temple.
Questions
- Why would a passage like this be important in Ezra’s day?
- Why is it important for us?
- Why did no one in Jesus’ time challenge His claim to be the Son of David?
Prayer Points
- Pray that we might delight in all of God’s written Word.
- Use prayer points from your congregation.
- Pray for family matters.