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Thoughts of a saint and slave
by Sam Isaacson
At first glance Ezra 2 is just another long list of names and numbers - isn't the Bible full of these things? Boring lists? Irrelevant names and places? Inaccurate numbers? Can't we just read straight over these bits anyway? The answer is no to all of them, and I'd really encourage you to read this chapter in all its fullness when you get the chance, because God always uses His Word to challenge us!
Many names
The problem with a list of names like that in verse 2: 'Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah' is that we just speed straight through the list as if it's unimportant, but there is a remarkable truth hidden behind each of these names, and this list as a whole! Think about dear Reelaiah, what do we know about him? He was a man, and a leader. His name is included in a list with Nehemiah so was probably quite well known at the time, but the one thing we do know is this: he heard God's proclamation through Cyrus in the previous chapter and responded by coming up out of captivity (verse 1). He honoured God, and in return God honoured him, by putting his name in the Holy Bible - not once, but twice; this same list appears in Nehemiah 7! So we can learn that God honours those who honour Him. Personally, it would be a great honour to have my name in the Bible - when I get into heaven I'm going to say a special 'hello' to Reelaiah!
Should we take from this that if we follow God's direction we are guaranteed fame, health and wealth? Absolutely not - Paul was a very faithful servant of God yet was shipwrecked, arrested, stoned, beaten, tortured and more - just have a look at 2 Corinthians 11:23-27. In which ways are we promised to be honoured then? For a start we get our names written in a different book: The Book of Life. Through responding to Jesus' call we are guaranteed salvation from hell, an ongoing relationship with the God of the Universe and an eternity with Him in heaven! On top of that, God has promised that He 'will work all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose' (Romans 8:28).
Many numbers
A brother in my local church brought a prophetic word recently which rings so true - if the church is Jesus' bride, which it is, then Jesus wants a big fat bride! Jesus loves adding people to His church; He knows us all by name, yet continues to grow His church by bringing in new faces continually - Jesus' church is growing! And it has been for a long time - look at the numbers here and compare them to how many Israelites there were when they first went into captivity - there are now more than double! Another thing to note here is that although the numbers have grown, it doesn't appear that they are enough to 'fill the whole earth', as was promised to Abraham; the truth is, however, that God is faithful to fulfil His promises, and the Israelites were ready to continue to grow their number in preparation for Jerusalem being rebuilt.
We find a similar situation in our world today - as a small group of Christians meeting on a Sunday morning we can feel sometimes overwhelmed by the sheer size of the rest of the world - we live in such a secular society that we can feel like the small fringe. But we must do what these numbers did in Ezra's time, and believe that the church will become the mountain God spoke of in Isaiah 2. We need to grab hold of the truth that we are a part of something bigger, an international covert operation to break into culture from the inside; we are called to be what Mark Driscoll calls a 'city within the city'; a community who are part of culture, yet in some way separate and different - not cut off but affecting culture from the inside.
'According to their ability they gave'
In verse 69 we see this lovely, biblical phrase - we are called to give to God 'as we are able'. God has blessed us all with many gifts, talents and abilities, and has given us a unique shape. I will not say much on this but leave the thought - how have you been created? In what way are you able to serve? Is there a way in which you could serve but are not - and if there is, how then will you serve?
I do not wish to sound proud and blow my own trumpet, but I will use myself as an example, because I have faced frustration in this area in the past but have found an answer! I believe God has called me to preach the Word, but there are not that many opportunities in my local church to do so - for a long time I felt frustrated that I had this gift but no way to use it for the glory of God; so I began to write these articles. I do not think that I will be using my gift in this way for the rest of my life, but in this current season I know I want to give according to my ability so ask yourself - what do you have which should be given to God? My advice - give it to Him now!
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