Ezra 2
Those Who Returned
Chapter 1 told us general facts about the Jews returning to Judah with the treasures of the temple Cyrus returned to them. Chapter 2 tells us specifically who returned and what positions, if any, they held. This list is repeated in Nehemiah 7.
The leaders of the group appeared to be named first. The first named is Zerubbabel. Since his name means “son of Babylon”, he was likely born in exile. So, he is one of those who knows nothing first hand of Jerusalem or the temple.
More importantly, though, is Zerubabbel’s heritage. He is of the line of David. 1 Chronicles 3:10-24 gives us the descendants of David, beginning with Solomon. You see Zerubabbel listed in verse 19. Also,
going to Matthew 1, we see that Zerubabbel is an ancestor of Jesus.
This tells us that, if the Jews had been allowed to have a king, it would have been Zerubabbel. Instead, he becomes the governor of of Judah. (Haggai 1:1) That is likely why he is listed first.
Listed second is Jeshua. Jeshua is a variant spelling of Joshua. He was descended from Aaron (the brother of Moses) the first high priest and is, therefore, entitled to be the high priest. Haggai 1:1 names him as the high priest. Haggai and Zechariah were prophets the Lord sent to the exiles to urge them to finish building the temple when the exiles had stopped the work. That is why Jeshua is named second in the list. Verses 36-39
The rest of those listed in verse 2 and 3 are likely leaders of the Jewish community. Nehemiah in this list is not the same as the Nehemiah who will come later and finish the work of the rebuilding the city. The Mordecai in this list is not the same as the man who later would help Esther save the Jews.
There are, however, 12 leaders. There are 11 mentioned here plus Sheshbazzar, who is named at the end of chapter 1 as the one who was charged with keeping the holy articles from the temple. There were originally 12 tribes of Israel with whom God began his work to establish his kingdom. Only two are now left. But God still works through 12 representatives to restore the kingdom. He will later work through 12 disciples to a greater restoration of a greater kingdom. The number seems to represent the perfect governance and authority of God over his people.
The next group is listed in verses 3-35. These are ordinary people of the congregation. They are laymen. But they are returning to join in the work of restoration.
The rest of the lists through verse 58 are people connected to the service of the temple. Verses 36-39 lists the other priests, who are sons and grandsons of Jeshua.
Next are the Levites, then the singers, the gate keepers, the temple servants, and the sons of Solomon’s servants, who were evidently temple servants with special duties. Each group was counted and the number of them recorded.
Verses 59-63 tell a sad story of men who came up from various towns and claimed to be priests. Zerubabbel, the governor, excluded them from serving because they could not prove their descent from Aaron. Some of the genealogies were probably destroyed when the city was destroyed, were lost in the journey to Babylon, or destroyed during the exile. Zerubabble sort of suspended them until a priest could consult the Urim and Thummim as to what to do with them.
We do not know exactly what the Urim and Thummim were. Exodus 28:30 tells us the high priest was to carry them in the breast piece he wore over his ephod. They were used to receive answers from the Lord. The most common speculation is that they were stones of different colors, maybe black and white, that were thrown down and the pattern in which they landed gave the answer. It is interesting that they are mentioned here, since the Old Testament does not mention them since the time of David.
The whole assembly was counted and found to be 42,360 Jews. They also brought their servants and some professional singers and their livestock.
Chapter 2 shows us that very specific facts were recorded about this first wave of exodus from Persia. Names and numbers are given. These are real people living out the promise of God.
These are facts that show us the historical veracity of the accounts, that they are true. It also shows us that God preserved the line of David to bring the Messiah to Israel. He also preserved the line of the High Priest, so that worship of the Lord could be restored to the manner he had commanded it. And, finally, it showed a significant number of people willing to work and sacrifice for the restoration of the kingdom of God’s people in the land he had given them.
Ezra 3
3:1-7
The third chapter begins with a date. This is significant for two reasons. First, the Jews have abandoned the use of the Persian calendar for the Jewish calendar The first verse of chapter 1 is dated to the first year of the reign of King Cyrus. This chapter begins with the seventh month of the year, referring to the Jewish calendar.
A Jew reading this, or anyone with a good knowledge of the Old Testament, would immediately understand the significance of the seventh month. That was the month the Jews celebrated the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles. In Hebrew it is called “Sukkot”. This will be the first religious service of the restored congregation.
The Feast of Booths was designed by God for the Jews to remember the wilderness journey from Egypt to Canaan, when God made the people live in booths (Leviticus 23:33–43). During the time of the feast, each Israelite family was supposed to construct a booth, or sukkah, and live in it for a week (Leviticus 23:42–43). These booths were shelters made from branches of trees with thatched roofs. This was to remind them that the lived in similar shelters during the Exodus from Egypt.
Offerings were given every day, so the altar was continually burning. It was also a week long party, with feasting and rejoicing. It was a celebration at the end of the harvest season, making time to thank God for providing for them.
So, the Jews from all their towns came to the destroyed city of Jerusalem for the festival. There was no temple, but it was the place of the temple, and God decreed that they would hold the feast in that place.
Even though there was no temple, the priest and the governor wanted the people to obey God and celebrate the Feast. Since the Feast included daily offerings, they built an altar according to the specifications God gave Moses and put it in its place, in front of the area where the temple would be rebuilt. Then they began to offer burnt offerings, observed the feasts, and made freewill offerings to the Lord.
They actually started the offerings two weeks early, for the Feast was not officially observed until the 15th of the month. They were eager to worship, to fellowship, and to seek forgiveness of sins. In addition, the sacrifices were part of their duties to the Lord under the covenant. So, they are making a statement that they are back to keeping the covenant and obeying God’s law. They do this despite the fact that they have a fear of the people living around them that are opposed to the restoration.
Finally, they gave. Having the altar in its place was a stark reminder that the temple was not rebuilt. So, the people gave money to workmen and to those who supply the materials to rebuilt the temple.
These are the same things we do today to rebuild, or strengthen, a church. We worship, we fellowship, we repent, and we give.
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