Thursday 30th April

Read Ezra 2:1-35

“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, 2 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:

3 the descendants of Parosh2,172
4 of Shephatiah372
5 of Arah775
6 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)2,812
7 of Elam1,254
8 of Zattu945
9 of Zakkai760
10 of Bani642
11 of Bebai623
12 of Azgad1,222
13 of Adonikam666
14 of Bigvai2,056
15 of Adin454
16 of Ater (through Hezekiah)98
17 of Bezai323
18 of Jorah112
19 of Hashum223
20 of Gibbar95
21 the men of Bethlehem123
22 of Netophah56
23 of Anathoth128
24 of Azmaveth42
25 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth743
26 of Ramah and Geba621
27 of Mikmash122
28 of Bethel and Ai223
29 of Nebo52
30 of Magbish156
31 of the other Elam1,254
32 of Harim320
33 of Lod, Hadid and Ono725
34 of Jericho345
35 of Senaah3,630

“(NIVUK)

‘Each to their own town’ (Ezra 2:1c). All of these people, beginning with the leaders, returned from the relative comfort and security of Babylon, to re-establish themselves in their own town. All of them had maintained their line of descent and were Jewish, and each returned to the land allotted them originally by Yahweh. These details, whilst boring to many, are critical in establishing that God is indeed faithful to His promises.

Whilst the leaders are reported first, and there are famous names amongst them, and amongst the towns listed it is striking how many of those names are not well known. Those who were faithful to return to Judah included insignificant folk. They are named and numbered. Rebuilding God’s kingdom requires all sorts of people, leaders and ordinary folk alike.

We too are amongst those called to build God’s kingdom. We too are named and numbered (cf Revelation 7).

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