So Few

The whole company numbered 42,360… (Ezra 2:64).

Does that pique your curiosity? Do you want more information? This does not seem like much of a text for a devotional, "The whole company numbered 42, 360..." Stay with me for a moment.

The book of Ezra is concerned with telling how the people of Israel returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian captivity to rebuild the temple of God. The story recounts the challenges this community faced in the return and the rebuilding project.

One of the first challenges was to ensure that those returning were descendants of Abraham and Sarah. Ezra 2 is a list of names of those who could trace their ancestry back. The list includes only men and totals 28,529. Add some women and children and the total Israelite returnees are 42,630.

But why highlight this? Well, for two reasons.

First, it tells us that God is true to his word. God had warned Israel that if they walked away from him, he would return the favour. If his people insisted on rejecting him, he would reject them. Moses warns, "The Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and only a few of you will survive among the nations to which the Lord will drive you" (Deuteronomy 4:27).

God fulfilled this warning. Israel insisted on worshipping other gods. And so, the Lord scattered them, only, 42 630 people returned. How decimated was Israel? When they entered the land under Joshua, the number of men was 601 730 (Numbers 26:44). From 600 000 men to 28, 500. That's a huge reduction.

This brings us to the second reason for paying attention to this abysmally small number of returnees. Humanly speaking, Israel doesn't have a chance. The task before her is too large, the obstacles too insurmountable.

But that is the point. It reminds us of something that keeps happening in the biblical story. Folks like Sarah, Hannah and Elizabeth were barren when they became pregnant with important people. The apostles had had no formal education, and yet they had the courage, wits and intellect to go head-to-head with the best of the Jewish establishment. You see, God can take nothing and make something wonderful out of it.

This is something the church always needs to remember. God does not need large numbers or highly skilled people. Israel returned from Babylon greatly deduced in every way. Yet, she was still God's people. God still used her to accomplish his purposes. Jesus said to his disciples that he will build his church. And he has.

You may not have much to offer God. But that doesn't matter. He can still use you for his kingdom. Trust him.

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you. May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm. May your day end with rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you. May you rest in his provision as he brings night, and then new dawn.