God is Unchanging (Ezra 2)

Source: One way to Jesus Blog

Ezra 2:1-67
Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town, in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah):

The list of the men of the people of Israel:

the descendants of Parosh	2,172
of Shephatiah	372
of Arah	775
of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)	2,812
of Elam	1,254
of Zattu	945
of Zakkai	760
of Bani	642
of Bebai	623
of Azgad	1,222
of Adonikam	666
of Bigvai	2,056
of Adin	454
of Ater (through Hezekiah)	98
of Bezai	323
of Jorah	112
of Hashum	223
of Gibbar	95

Ithe men of Bethlehem	123
of Netophah	56
of Anathoth	128
of Azmaveth	42
of Kiriath Jearim,[ Kephirah and Beeroth	743
of Ramah and Geba	621
of Mikmash	122
of Bethel and Ai	223
of Nebo	52
of Magbish	156
of the other Elam	1,254
of Harim	320
of Lod, Hadid and Ono	725
of Jericho	345
of Senaah	3,630

The priests:

the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)	973
of Immer	1,052
of Pashhur	1,247
of Harim	1,017

The Levites:

the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (of the line of Hodaviah)

74

The musicians:

the descendants of Asaph

128

The gatekeepers of the temple:

the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon,
Akkub, Hatita and Shobai	139

The temple servants:

the descendants of

Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

Keros, Siaha, Padon,

Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub,

Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan,

Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,

Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam,

Uzza, Paseah, Besai,

Asnah, Meunim, Nephusim,

Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,

Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

Neziah and Hatipha

The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

the descendants of

Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,

Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,

Shephatiah, Hattil,

Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Ami

The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon

392

The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:

The descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda	652

And from among the priests:

The descendants of

Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).

These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.

The whole company numbered 42,360, besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 200 male and female singers. They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

In Ezra chapter 1 (God is in Control & God is Faithful), we understand that God has worked through King Cyrus to allow the people of Israel to return to the promised land, (Jerusalem and Judah). They had spent that last 70 years in exile in Babylon. Here, Ezra records the people who were moved by God (1:5) to come up out of exile to help rebuild the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.

Ezra starts with the tribal leaders (Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah) before moving through the minor families, priests, Levites and minor officials and then those who could not prove their identity.

It may seem strange to include such genealogies in the Bible and you could be forgiven to miss the point of this long list of people. However, it must have a reason for its inclusion and so we need to explore this before moving on to the next chapters.

The main point can be found at the very beginning (each to their own town). This reminds us that God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2-3 (I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.) is still clear in God's mind. He is still ensuring that this promise is fulfilled. The following names and numbers are a testament to that fact. God calls the people of Israel to be moved following their exile. He calls them to go up to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of the Lord. A representative from each tribe, from each family, will participate in the re-establishment of God's temple.

You will also notice that God chose people with different skills: leaders, priests, Levites, temple servants, servants of Solomon, temple musicians and singers and the gatekeepers of the temple. God has chosen not just anybody, but specific people with specific talents and skills. These skills, he will use to help rebuild his temple and restore Jerusalem as Yahweh's city.

The early readers of Ezra would join in with the identity of these people. They will see their ancestors and would be able to follow the line of ancestry back to before the exile. This would be important to the people and to God, to show that he is not fickle; he does not choose a people and then drop them because they turned from him and then chose another group of people. God wanted these people to see that they were the true people of God, dearly loved by God. They were the true chosen people and God's love for them had not changed.

Sure they were punished through their exile to Babylon, but God wanted to remind them that his love has never left them. His promise to their ancestor, Abraham still rings true.

Ezra 2:68-70
When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site. According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver and 100 priestly garments.
The priests, the Levites, the musicians, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.

We are reminded again in these few verses, settled in their own towns - this points toward those who were exiled yet never gave up on their true identity. Although it was 70 years later, these people knew exactly where their country was and re-settled back in it.

There is continuity here between post and pre-exile. The people of God are reminded of this continuity. Although this is a new beginning for them (again!), this is more of a continuity of the promise between Abraham and God.

We too, you and I, can also take from this the important news that God is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrew 13:8). We should take comfort and be encouraged by this chapter, because not only does God know each and every one of us by name, identity and ancestry; he has a habit of fulfilling his promises and covenants. God knows who he has called. He knows our skills and talents and what we have to offer the church (of note, we all have different jobs in God's church based on the skills and abilities given to us by God). He knows we are currently in exile on earth. He knows when he will send King Jesus again to bring us out of this exile into the promised land. He knows when the time is right and who will be moved by his call (because he has moved our hearts).

But, by far, the most important and most glorious fact we can take from this chapter - God is consistent! God doesn't change with a whim. God doesn't change because we are consistently sinful. God doesn't change because we demand it.

God is the same today as he was yesterday as he will be tomorrow. 

How will you respond to this consistent love from God?

God Is Faithful (Ezra 1:5-11)

Source Scripture Doodle

Ezra 1:5-11
Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. All their neighbours assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings. Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. This was the inventory: gold dishes 30 silver dishes 1000 silver pans 2910 gold bowls 30 matching silver bowls 410 other articles 1,000. In all, there were 5,400 articles of gold and of silver. Sheshbazzar brought all these along with the exiles when they came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Last time, in God is in Control, we looked at how Cyrus, king of Persia announced an edict to set the people of Israel free from their 70-year exile. We saw how God is always in control and how the whole situation of the Israelite second exile reflects our current lives. Now, we see the next step in this process, the introduction and re-in statement of the rightful prince of Judah, Sheshbazzar.

Once more, we are reminded of who is in control of the whole situation: whose heart God had moved. 150 years before, God had spoken through the prophet, Jeremiah telling the people of Judah they will enter into exile under the rule of Babylon. Following their 70-year exile, God once again shows his chosen people who really is in control by working through the king of Persia, Cyrus to bring about their return to the land God had promised them, Canaan.

As we read today, only the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites – everyone whose heart God had moved were stirred by God to answer the call from Cyrus.

This doesn’t tell us how many people went up to Jerusalem from the original tribes of the Southern Kingdom.

What it does tell us is that a representative from each tribe who were originally exiled to Babylon from the Southern Kingdom went to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God. There was a group from every exiled tribe moved by God (see how God is in control here?).

It also tells us that some people chose to stay behind in the comfortable lives they had become accustomed to in the foreign land. God knew this and so only moved a fragment of his people to re-enter the promised land.

We also see God’s hand in the natives of Babylon and all their neighbours, as they assisted those who returned with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings. This, as we saw last time was a way that God provided for his people, those he chose to return to the promised land. God stirred the natives to provide specific artefacts that serve to raise the status of the Israelites as a nation. Not only that, he moved them to give them freewill offerings, gifts of choice.

To show he was 100% behind this, Cyrus goes one step further. God stirs him to give the Israelites back all the artefacts that Nebuchadnezzar had stolen when he originally conquered them. Not only does this act undo all that Nebuchadnezzar did 70 years before, but categorically places Jerusalem (the city where the new house of the Lord was to be built) as the city of Yahweh.

And if that was not enough…Cyrus, in turn reinstates the true, rightful heir to the Southern Kingdom, Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. God was making a clear statement to the world that he was in complete control.

We, as Christians should draw immense strength and encouragement from these few verses then. Not only are we assured that God is in control, but God, through a king will bring about our homecoming just as he did with the Israelites through a king.

There are no promises of a peaceful, easy-going life during our exile, it may very well be difficult. Some of us will chose to stay here because we are drawn to the pleasures and comforts of this world. However, when the time is right (his time!), God will move those who love him and who are faithful.

Christ Jesus, the King of kings will return to bring us home to the promised land. Although there will be no need to build the house of the Lord because Christ has already prepared our place (John 14:2-3 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am), we will be with God in the land he has promised us (Revelations 21:1 a new heaven and a new earth).

What more do we need? God has proven that he is faithful, ultimately protecting the people he dearly loves by leading them home. Isn’t it only right that we remain faithful to him?

God is in Control (Ezra 1:1-4)

Source: Churchdirectory111.com

Ezra 1:1-4
In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel - he is the God who is in Jerusalem. And let each survivor, in whatever place he lives, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

As we start a new series on the book of Ezra, the setting we are given, in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, places this toward the end of the Babylonian exile and by the mouth of Jeremiah refers to the completion of the prophecy mouthed by Jeremiah 150 years before that the exile would last 70 years (Jeremiah 25:12 and 29:10).

And so, in order to bring about his plan, God caused the king of Persia (and now of Babylon) to announce an edict, a command that all his kingdom would hear and obey. He also put it in writing to ensure all his subjects would receive this proclamation.

Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 

God is the one who initiates this proclamation to bring about the deliverance of his chosen people. God had control of the whole situation from the prophecy in Jeremiah right through to the edict announced by King Cyrus. God was in complete control. Notice that Cyrus knows and accepts this as well. The Lord the God of heaven distinguishes this from any other god, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth acknowledges God is the one who has the power. He establishes and destroys kingdoms. Despite his predecessors, Nebuchadnezzar who, in the book of Daniel took the Israelites into captivity, his son, Amel-Marduk and his son, Belshazzar being evil in God’s eyes even though they received warnings, Cyrus knew who the God of heaven was. The truth be told, if you read the accounts of Nebuchadnezzar, Amel-Marduk and Belshazzar, you will also see that God had complete control during their reigns. And why wouldn’t he?

God had a chosen people, whom he dearly loved (Colossians 3:12) and he was not going to abandon them despite their continual and consistent sinning. Therefore, he ensured their survival by exiling them from the promised land and having complete control over their captors. Not only would the people be punished for their wrongdoing, but God factored in a way for them to glorify his name once more with his plan of deliverance.

This deliverance comes in the form of Cyrus.

Cyrus announces that he is to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem and then encourage’s any remnants of the Israelite people to go up to Jerusalem to help build the temple. Not only that, he is announcing that all natives are to support the surviving Israelites with gold, silver, goods and beasts. Does this not reflect the exodus? (Exodus 12:35 - The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewellery and for clothing and v38 talks about the beasts). God provides for his chosen people.

You know sometimes, we feel that God has not provided for us. We struggle on in our mundane lives, some of us struggling between each pay cheque, stuck in a going-nowhere job to earn much-needed coins. Whatever our circumstance the feeling that we are not being given what we rightfully deserve, or those things we believe we are due just because who we are is common to all of us. Perhaps we cry out or shout out to God, demanding that he intervenes or gives us what we want, when we want it!

We are just like those Israelites. They were exiled for a second time for 70 years, most of them were being forced to conform to the Babylonian way of living by the natives and fully integrated into their alien society. They needed a deliverer to bring them out of their predicament into the true home that was promised to them by God.

We too, as Christians are exiles. Exiles from heaven. We have been exiled to earth, we are being forced by the natives of this world to conform to its way of living and we need a deliverer from this exile. We are still awaiting our deliverer Christ Jesus to return again and bring us home to the promised land that God has promised to all who believe.

That is why it sometimes feels like a struggle, why it feels everything is against us sometimes or why we never seem to get a break in life - we are aliens in this world - our citizenship is in heaven.

But take heart, not only did God work through Cyrus to bring his people home, he will work through Christ Jesus to bring us home when he returns in glory. With this in mind, there are two things to consider:

1. God is always in control, no matter what it feels like now, God is still on the throne and is in complete control!

2. Just as the Israelites received riches from the natives, we too, will receive riches in heaven.

Hold Onto God's Promises (Titus 3)

Titus 3 (NIV)
Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to being obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no-one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility towards all men. At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Saviour, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.
But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
As soon as I send Artemas and Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me at Nicopolis, because I have decided to winter there. Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need.
Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives.
Everyone with me sends you greetings. Greet those who love us in the faith. Grace be with you all.

Living in a world where there is so much negativity is hard for us all. We are continually facing others who argue about pointless things, things that serve only to make one better than the other. People are happy putting other people down with words we chose to use, actions we do and we find we become envious and jealous because someone has something we don't. Paul recognises the societal norm of living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another (v3). This is something that has become acceptable living in today's society, in fact, in some cities of the world, it is seen as 'God's given right to treat others with utter contempt'. It has got to the point of living where people who try not to live like this are considered abnormal or are themselves ridiculed and hated. It begs the question, can anyone win in today's society?

Well, the answer is, "Yes, we can!" Paul lays out his instructions to Titus in chapter 3 before closing his letter.

Verses 4-6 reminds us of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The grace God gave us and through his mercy, we are saved. We are told that God chose to do this when we were still living in malice and envy. There was nothing that we had done to deserve God's grace as Jesus Christ. We are told that when the kindness and love of God our Saviour appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy (v5). This is Grace Alone. The concept the Reformers, like Martin Luther argued 500 years ago this month. God, through his grace, sent Jesus, his only begotten son, to take the sins of the world upon his shoulders to pay the ransom for our sin by dying on the cross. As a result, we who believe and call upon the name of the Lord are dead to sin and reborn in Christ through the Holy Spirit (v5). We who believe are heirs to the hope of eternal life (v7) because we are justified before God because of Christ's atoning sacrifice.

Therefore, we are to remind ourselves every day not to conform to the world's acceptable way of living, but be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no-one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility towards all men. This is the only way we are going to stand out from those who belong to the world and to Satan.

Living a life for God is not easy, particularly in today's climate. With so many pressures up against us, deadlines imposed upon us, everyone working towards their own agenda forsaking all other agendas, it is easy for us all to just let one thing slide and conform. But Paul tells us we must not. We must devote ourselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone (v8). We have the Holy Spirit that God poured out on us (v5&6) to help us on a daily basis, to strengthen us, to guide us and as we found in my last message Hold Onto God’s Grace, to say “No!” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.

We are to avoid all things that prevent us from doing just that (v9) avoid foolish genealogies and controversies and arguments and quarrels about the law. Why waste time on things that mean nothing? Why get bogged down with the nitty gritty? Why allow anyone to continually put us down, get us confused with pointless genealogies and distract us from a godly life?

Hold Onto Our Hope of eternal life, Hold Onto Jesus who gave his life for us, Hold Onto The Truth of the Gospel, Hold Onto Sound Doctrine from Scripture, Hold Onto God’s Grace given freely for the forgiveness of our sins and only then can we provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives (v14).

Grace be with you all.