Ezra chapter two, the longest chapter in the whole Book (by far) with 70 verses, is basically a list of names! Essentially so, names and titles!
Here’s the opening line: “Now these are the children (all Jews) of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon (70 years earlier), and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city ….” Verse 1, after which come 69 verses of people and their possessions!
The “returnees” from Babylon!
I listened to a sermon driving last night in which the Preacher called these who returned the “chaff” of Israel, and the remaining crowds (the majority, who at first stayed behind in Babylon) were the “wheat! (That line of reasoning then would place Ezra and his group and Nehemiah and his among the “cream of the crop!”) He said that (at least, I think so) because this first group lived such worldly lives once they arrived back “home.”) Let me be clear, this is a subjective “opinion,” not soundly based on any one verse of Scripture.
Now let me say … whatever they were (quality-wise) they DID come home at the first opportunity! And for that they have my admiration!
Anyway, and the “point” of today’s Lesson … nearly numberless names, no telling how many “life-stories,” but each Proper Noun used here TIES THIS CHAPTER (EZRA 2) TO HISTORY! Shows us we are NOT dealing with fable, myth or parable, nothing merely symbolic … but literal history!
And in Ezra’s day … provable too!
In fact, the Bible is a remarkably reliable Book, even in the area of history! (Archaeology too, for that matter, as well as astronomy and mathematics and … the list goes on.)
In fact, I believe the Bible is inerrant! (Meaning “no mistakes!”)
Readers, here this morning … do not read the “name lists” of Scripture as unimportant, even including the numerous genealogies.
They lend our Bible more authenticity that we often realize!
Plus this, often embedded in these “names” one will find little pure-gold “nuggets” of truth, spiritual food to help us grow in the Grace of our Lord!
The Jabez Prayer in the middle of a “names-list,” 1st Chronicles 4, is a prime example! (We would have never known of that godly man and his prayer life had it not been for those historical genealogies!)
So … in the next day or so … I will be looking at our chapter, again Ezra 2, for such “finds!”
The Bible, an accurate Book in every way!
Praise the Lord!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell