Ezr 2:1-2 | KingComments | STEP | The first thing to note is that the returned exiles decide that Israel will be a truly unmixed Israel and that this must be tested. The existence of a list, preserved by God’s care, shows the importance that God attaches to origin. Here the work of the Spirit becomes clear in people whose names are recorded. They are known to God. He makes the names known to encourage all who also want to go His way in faithfulness in times of decay and apostasy ( ). What also stands out in the counting is that it is a remnant. There can be no full restoration of Israel. This will only happen, also according to the testimony of the prophets, when not only the two, but also the ten tribes return to the land. Anything that happens during “the times of the Gentiles” ( ), i.e. in the time in which we live, is therefore not a fulfillment of the prophecy. Everyone returns “to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city” ( ; ). Cyrus has called for a return to Jerusalem ( ). Now we see that the returnees are also going to live in their own cities. Jerusalem is the great center of the people. The people themselves live in their own cities. We can apply Jerusalem to the church as a whole. We can see the cities as a picture of the local churches where the general principles that apply to the whole church need to be worked out. We are all placed in local churches to maintain with our fellow saints what is in accordance with the thoughts of God. Every believer should know where his own place of dwelling is. He must test against God’s Word whether the place where he is corresponds to what God says of the church. He should not be there because, for example, his parents are there, or certain people appeal to him. Also, the blessing that is found there should not be a criterion. God also blesses in places that have deviated from God’s Word when it comes to being a church. It is about maintaining what is in God’s mind in the local church ( ). The return from exile is very different from the departure of God’s people from slavery in Egypt. Out of Egypt the whole people leave. There God acts as the redeeming God. From Babylon He also calls. Yet here we see that not all the people leave Babylon. Only those who are attracted by Jerusalem go back to the land of Israel. This call is related to responsibility. In this revival we can see the following characteristics: 1. One goes back to God’s original center, here, Jerusalem. 2. There is no presumption to possess something that one no longer has, because one has lost it through previous failures. Here we can think of the pillar of cloud and the ark. 3. A spirit of dedication is revealed ( ). 4. There is obedience to the Word of God ( ). 5. A position of separation from the world is taken, resulting in 6. that there will be resistance from the world. In the exiles are mentioned with the name of their fathers. In the exiles are mentioned with the name of the cities where they used to live, to live there again and to populate those cities again. This list of names is an example of the book of eternity. We also find such a list in other parts of God’s Word. The two enumerations of David’s heroes are of the same character ( ; ). Paul also mentions a list of names ( ; ). Such lists of names are lists of honor that will be consulted before the judgment seat of Christ. With them God shows how carefully He takes note of every person and every family who lives for Him and every work that is done for Him. We do not have such a list of all those who stayed behind in Babylon. A particular place name that stands out in the list is Anathoth ( ). This place recalls the purchase of Jeremiah of the field of Anathoth so long ago. The field was bought for the purpose of restoration ( ), which had been expected for so long and has now come. The sealed scroll now proves its worth. The attentive reader will certainly notice more than this statement to which attention has now been drawn.

‏ Ezra 2:1-2

Register of the Returned

The first thing to note is that the returned exiles decide that Israel will be a truly unmixed Israel and that this must be tested. The existence of a list, preserved by God’s care, shows the importance that God attaches to origin. Here the work of the Spirit becomes clear in people whose names are recorded. They are known to God. He makes the names known to encourage all who also want to go His way in faithfulness in times of decay and apostasy (Rev 3:5).

What also stands out in the counting is that it is a remnant. There can be no full restoration of Israel. This will only happen, also according to the testimony of the prophets, when not only the two, but also the ten tribes return to the land. Anything that happens during “the times of the Gentiles” (Lk 21:24), i.e. in the time in which we live, is therefore not a fulfillment of the prophecy.

Everyone returns “to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city” (Ezra 2:1; Ezra 2:70). Cyrus has called for a return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:2-3). Now we see that the returnees are also going to live in their own cities. Jerusalem is the great center of the people. The people themselves live in their own cities.

We can apply Jerusalem to the church as a whole. We can see the cities as a picture of the local churches where the general principles that apply to the whole church need to be worked out. We are all placed in local churches to maintain with our fellow saints what is in accordance with the thoughts of God.

Every believer should know where his own place of dwelling is. He must test against God’s Word whether the place where he is corresponds to what God says of the church. He should not be there because, for example, his parents are there, or certain people appeal to him. Also, the blessing that is found there should not be a criterion. God also blesses in places that have deviated from God’s Word when it comes to being a church. It is about maintaining what is in God’s mind in the local church (1Cor 1:2 ; 1Cor 4:17b ; 1Cor 7:17).

The return from exile is very different from the departure of God’s people from slavery in Egypt. Out of Egypt the whole people leave. There God acts as the redeeming God. From Babylon He also calls. Yet here we see that not all the people leave Babylon. Only those who are attracted by Jerusalem go back to the land of Israel. This call is related to responsibility.

In this revival we can see the following characteristics:

1. One goes back to God’s original center, here, Jerusalem.

2. There is no presumption to possess something that one no longer has, because one has lost it through previous failures. Here we can think of the pillar of cloud and the ark.

3. A spirit of dedication is revealed (Ezra 2:68).

4. There is obedience to the Word of God (Ezra 3:2 ; 4).

5. A position of separation from the world is taken, resulting in

6. that there will be resistance from the world.

In Ezra 2:3-20 the exiles are mentioned with the name of their fathers. In Ezra 2:21-35 the exiles are mentioned with the name of the cities where they used to live, to live there again and to populate those cities again.

This list of names is an example of the book of eternity. We also find such a list in other parts of God’s Word. The two enumerations of David’s heroes are of the same character (2Sam 23:8-38; 1Chr 11:10-46). Paul also mentions a list of names (Rom 16:1-15; Heb 11:1-40). Such lists of names are lists of honor that will be consulted before the judgment seat of Christ. With them God shows how carefully He takes note of every person and every family who lives for Him and every work that is done for Him. We do not have such a list of all those who stayed behind in Babylon.

A particular place name that stands out in the list is Anathoth (Ezra 2:23). This place recalls the purchase of Jeremiah of the field of Anathoth so long ago. The field was bought for the purpose of restoration (Jer 32:6-15), which had been expected for so long and has now come. The sealed scroll now proves its worth.

The attentive reader will certainly notice more than this statement to which attention has now been drawn.