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April 23rd
Our Bible reading today is in 1 Chronicles chapters 1,2.
Most Jewish theologians name Ezra as the “chronicler” of our reading. He was the priest of Judah during the 70 years of Babylonian captivity. He was also the spiritual leader of Judah upon their return to Jerusalem. He inspired and influenced the rebuilding of the Jewish community around the Torah...the written Word of God.
More background...When the Jews returned to their land from Babylon, (present-day, Iraq), there was no Hebrew King...just a pagan Persian Governor. There was no wall of security for the city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah had to rebuild that. There was no temple, so Zerubbabel constructed a rude replica of Solomon’s magnificent structure.
All so sad for God’s chosen people. Those who began the return to their once “promised land” would certainly have been worried about their homes and lands that they had to leave behind.
Would it be their land and their houses to occupy as their parents and grandparents did 70 years before? Those things would have been a natural concern.
But I wonder how many of those 50,000 Jews that returned to Judah truly understood the spiritual concern that they would face.
As prophesied by Ezekiel...“God’s divine presence no longer resided in Jerusalem.”
The vision of the “cherubim throne chariot” with firey wheels within the wheels, surrounded by the cloud of God’s presence, lifted up off the Temple, out of the Holy of Holies, and moved outside the gates of Jerusalem was God’s message to rebellious, unfaithful, idolatrous Judah through Ezekiel.
I wonder how many of the returning exiles came back as repentant believers...when so many that left as captives shouted down Jeremiah’s warnings of the coming destruction of Jerusalem...as God’s judgment against their spiritual whoring with other gods.
The corrupt priests would say things like, “God doesn't care anymore...He cant see what we are doing...and on top of that, “He dwells here in Jerusalem and He can't leave the Temple...therefore, no one can destroy us here, because they can't destroy him.”
Sad and convicting. Oh, what men will do to excuse their unbelief. All of which brings us to our reading in 1&2 Chronicles.
Chapters 1&2 begin God’s words of “hope and faith” for the returning exiled believers. Words of hope for the true believers in the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Words of courage and determination for the true believers in Adonai who promised a land for them forever. .Words for renewed faith for the true believers in Yahweh who promised to make them a nation with the faith of Abraham forever.
God would use the chronicler to give His returning people a new expectation and desire for the God who promised them a King in the line of David whose throne would never be usurped...ever.
That’s Jesus our Savior...praise His Name!
Words of a selective genealogy for His encouraging purpose...such as: Noah’s grandson Madai whose descendants became the Persians. Who let them go from Babylonian captivity? Wow...God arranged that just for His treasured ones...including you and me.
Noah’s grandson Mizraim whose descendants became the Canaanites whom God used to build the cities and the fortresses and to develop the land of milk and honey for His promised land people.
O my...God set it up 1700 years before for His kids...including you and me, friends. Amazing love...amazing grace...and we are the recipients to this day! And on and on the chronicler records...words that reminded the people that they were a part of God’s story...a grand story of life and live with Him...His story...not their own.
So worship Him...only!
Have a great day
