Daily Bible Reading “The Register” (Ezra 2)

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Deborah H. Bateman

The Register

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Ezra 2. We see in Ezra 2 a record of all the people who went back to Jerusalem to build the Temple of God. I did not show the Scripture here for the sake of space, but I encourage you to follow along with me in your Bible as we consider the census listing.

Some of the names were Hebrew, some Jewish, some Persian, some were listed by their city of origin. Most of them are listed as children of …, some of them are listed as men of …, and some are listed as singers, some as porters, some as priests and some as Levites.

This register was intended to record those who came from the families that came from Jerusalem and Judah. Verse 62 tells us there were some whose names were not listed in the register. These men were considered polluted and removed from the priesthood.

Just as the exiles had to prove they were part of the family to be included in the register, we, too, will have to prove our relationship for our names to be written in God’s Book of Life. None of us want to hear the words, “Depart from me, I never knew you” (Matthew 7:23). Let’s look at 1 John 5:9-13 to see what the Bible has to say about this:

1 John 5:9-13

9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

10 He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

In Ezra 2:64 we see there were a total of 42,360 people who went back to Jerusalem to help build the Temple. There were 7,337 servants and maids and 200 singing men and women. We see from this list that there were praise and worship leaders back then, too. They gave of their means gold, silver and priests garments to help build the Temple of God. In light of their generous example, it is appropriate to ask ourselves, how are we contributing our resources to build the Kingdom of God?

Daily Bible Reading:

Ezra 2:1, 62-70

1 Now these are the children 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, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;

62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.

64 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

65 Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.

66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;

67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

68 And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:

69 They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments.

70 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

Things to think about:

Is your name been written in the book of Life?
Were you surprised at the number of people who went to Jerusalem to build the temple? How many were there?
What were the duties of some of the people?

Prayer of the Day:

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we study The Book of Ezra, we are thankful for the people of past generations who went before us to work and sacrifice to keep Your work alive. Their work enables us know about You. Help us to do our part to continue to spread the gospel throughout the earth, so everyone will have a chance to have their name written in Your book of records. That way, when we stand before You, there will be a permanent record that we are Your children. We love you, LORD. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

This is an excerpt from: The Book of Ezra: A Story of Provision and Protection

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The Book of Ezra: A Story of Provision and Protection

by Deborah H. Bateman

About the Book:

The Book of Ezra: A Story of Provision and Protection by Deborah H. Bateman is a Daily Bible Reading Study of the book of Ezra. The book of Ezra is found in the Old Testament of the Bible. After seventy years of Babylonian captivity God commissions King Cyrus to write a decree allowing the Jewish people to return home for the purpose of building the second temple at Jerusalem.

God is faithful to provide all their needs and protect them on their journey and throughout the process of the building of the temple despite the opposition and their own disobedience.

Each lesson consists of a brief commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, a few questions for contemplation or discussion, and a prayer of the day. The Book of Ezra: A Story of Provision and Protection is a great Bible study for personal or group Bible study.

For those of you interested in Bible journaling, may I suggest you pick your favorite Bible verse from each lesson and journal about it. This will be a great reminder of the lessons you learn as you read and study this book.

Go to: http://amazon.com/dp/B0094XSHMC

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Have a blessed day,

Deborah

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Daily Bible Reading “God Commissions King Cyrus to Build the Temple” (Ezra 1:1-11)

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Deborah H. Bateman

God Commissions King Cyrus to Build the Temple

Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from Ezra 1-11. The Book of Ezra starts in the first year of the reign of Cyrus king of Persia. Also known as, Cyrus the Great, he reigned as king of Persia for thirty years, from 559BC to 530BC. Fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy, (Jeremiah 25, 29) God stirred the heart of King Cyrus to issue a proclamation saying that God charged him to build a Temple of God at Jerusalem, in Judah.

King Cyrus asks for men of God to go to Jerusalem and build the Temple of God. Cyrus also requests that people of the surrounding area who encounter the Israelites as they travel would contribute gold, silver, supplies, beasts, and offerings. These provisions would help them travel to Jerusalem and build the house of God.

God stirred the hearts of the priests, Levites and the leaders of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin to go to Jerusalem to build the temple. All their neighbors contributed silver, gold, and various valuable items. Even King Cyrus brought from his treasury the vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had looted from Jerusalem and placed his pagan temple. He understood that these vessels rightfully belonged in the house of the LORD.

Cyrus instructed Mithredath, who was the treasurer of Persia, to count the valuables, record them, and present them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah leading the exiles in their return. The total number of gold and silver pieces Sheshbazzar brought with them from Babylon to Jerusalem numbered 5,400. God called the exiles to go to Jerusalem to build His temple, He planned to provide everything they needed to complete the task.

Daily Bible Reading:

Ezra 1:1-11

1 Now 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, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all [them] whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

6 And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;

8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

10 Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.