Ezra 2
Ezra 2
Ezra 2 is one of those passages of Scripture that we must remind ourselves “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16–17). It’s a census list of the returning exiles according to their cities or groups. So, what can we learn from such a list?
Zooming In
I fully believe that if we zoom in and take time this passage has way more to offer than it seems on a casual reading. However, two things stand out. First, God cares about the details. This passage has a great deal of specificity and God cared about every single one of them. Second, if you add up the numbering of priests in verses 36–39, it’s approximately 10% of all the returning exiles. Ezra’s mission was to reestablish temple worship and the priests were necessary for the return of temple services. The priests taught the Law and led worship for the people. The reason they were carried off into Exile was because they weren’t following the Law and they weren’t worshiping God as they should. As they returned, God provided what they needed to continue in worship.
Zooming Out
If we zoom out and consider Ezra 2 in light of the story of Scripture, this passage has a lot to offer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Deuteronomy 30 is one of the most important passages in the whole Bible to understand the story of Scripture,
“And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.” (Dt 30:1–5)
That’s what God is doing in the book of Ezra. This return from Exile is a return to the Promised Land allotments. The reason they’re doing a census was to trace the family lands from the original allotments seen in Numbers 26 and given in Joshua 13–19 when the Land was first given. This is why there was such an issue with those that couldn’t trace their lineage in verses 59–63.
Ezra 2 is the accounting of the fulfillment of God’s Promise back in Deuteronomy 30. As we zoom out to where we are in the timeline of God’s story, we can count of the fact that God’s Promises will be fulfilled. We are in exile, we are strangers in a foreign land, we are looking to the hope of a promised home characterized by peace, rest, and abundance. The return from Babylon is a micro-example of the Day when God will reclaim all of His people. On that day, God will account for each person in just as much detail.
By: Tyler Short
Ezra 2 is one of those passages of Scripture that we must remind ourselves “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16–17). It’s a census list of the returning exiles according to their cities or groups. So, what can we learn from such a list?
Zooming In
I fully believe that if we zoom in and take time this passage has way more to offer than it seems on a casual reading. However, two things stand out. First, God cares about the details. This passage has a great deal of specificity and God cared about every single one of them. Second, if you add up the numbering of priests in verses 36–39, it’s approximately 10% of all the returning exiles. Ezra’s mission was to reestablish temple worship and the priests were necessary for the return of temple services. The priests taught the Law and led worship for the people. The reason they were carried off into Exile was because they weren’t following the Law and they weren’t worshiping God as they should. As they returned, God provided what they needed to continue in worship.
Zooming Out
If we zoom out and consider Ezra 2 in light of the story of Scripture, this passage has a lot to offer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Deuteronomy 30 is one of the most important passages in the whole Bible to understand the story of Scripture,
“And when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you, and return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey his voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul, then the Lord your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the Lord your God has scattered you. If your outcasts are in the uttermost parts of heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there he will take you. And the Lord your God will bring you into the land that your fathers possessed, that you may possess it. And he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.” (Dt 30:1–5)
That’s what God is doing in the book of Ezra. This return from Exile is a return to the Promised Land allotments. The reason they’re doing a census was to trace the family lands from the original allotments seen in Numbers 26 and given in Joshua 13–19 when the Land was first given. This is why there was such an issue with those that couldn’t trace their lineage in verses 59–63.
Ezra 2 is the accounting of the fulfillment of God’s Promise back in Deuteronomy 30. As we zoom out to where we are in the timeline of God’s story, we can count of the fact that God’s Promises will be fulfilled. We are in exile, we are strangers in a foreign land, we are looking to the hope of a promised home characterized by peace, rest, and abundance. The return from Babylon is a micro-example of the Day when God will reclaim all of His people. On that day, God will account for each person in just as much detail.
By: Tyler Short
1 Comment
Such an encouraging reminder that God cares so much about all the details in my life. Thank you, Tyler!