Ezr 2:1-2, Now these are the people of the province WHO CAME BACK FROM THE CAPTIVITY, OF THOSE WHO HAD BEEN CARRIED AWAY, WHOM NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING OF BABYLON HAD CARRIED AWAY TO BABYLON, AND WHO RETURNED TO JERUSALEM AND JUDAH, everyone to his own city. THOSE WHO CAME WITH ZERUBBABEL…
For 70 years they were in the land of Babylon, and with the command of Cyrus, the king,
Jer 29:10-11, FOR THUS SAYS THE LORD: AFTER SEVENTY YEARS ARE COMPLETED AT BABYLON, I will visit you and perform MY GOOD WORD TOWARD YOU, AND CAUSE YOU TO RETURN TO THIS PLACE. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND NOT OF EVIL, TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE.
It’s time to come back home, come back to HIS fellowship, come back and be HIS people again! It’s amazing to know that the LORD is thinking of us, HIS people; knowing how flawed we are YET STILL LOVES US!
Ezr 2:59, 62, And these were the ones who came up… BUT THEY COULD NOT IDENTIFY THEIR FATHER’S HOUSE OR THEIR GENEALOGY, WHETHER THEY WERE OF ISRAEL: …THESE SOUGHT THEIR LISTING AMONG THOSE WHO WERE REGISTERED BY GENEALOGY, BUT THEY WERE NOT FOUND; THEREFORE THEY WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE PRIESTHOOD AS DEFILED.
The Jewish nation kept good records of their genealogy, yet some couldn’t find their names written in the book and were counted as defiled meaning they couldn’t serve GOD!
Rev 20:15, AND ANYONE NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE WAS CAST INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE.
Luke 10:20b, BUT RATHER REJOICE BECAUSE YOUR NAMES ARE WRITTEN IN HEAVEN.”
THE LORD IS A GOD OF LOVE AND IT’S UP TO EVERYONE TO EITHER EXCEPT HIM OR REJECT HIM! THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND, AND HE WILL NEVER FORCE HIS WILL ON YOU! IS YOUR NAME WRITTEN IN HIS BOOK?