When We Worship We Find Ourselves

Ezra 2 is a chapter you'd probably skip over as it mainly contains a list of names of the returning exiles to the land. But these kinds of lists in the ancient world were of utmost importance for Israel to maintain a connection between their past and present. 

Ezra 2:1–2 (ESV) Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

In the list are men as heads of households (verse 3ff), priests (verse 36ff), Levites (verse 40), temple servants (verse 43), royal servants (verse 55), and even some undocumented Israelites (in verse 59).

But the aim of all of them was the same. They were coming back to establish proper worship of Yahweh. 

Ezra 2:68–69 (ESV) Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. 69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priests’ garments.

While not everyone was able to give as I'm sure the journey sapped them financially, those that did set the stage for where Isreal would begin to find herself again. They are the people of the Most High God called to worship Him as He laid out in scripture. No matter where they were in the former hierarchy of the nation, their cause was singular and intentional, they were coming to worship the Lord.

Consider how Israel got into the mess they were in? They failed to worship the Lord and instead turned to the baals and foreign gods around them. If they were to begin again in the land, it would start with the Temple and not their own border security and family prosperity. They would not concern themselves with their positions and statuses but rather contribute to the place of gathering for the cause of worship. 

A lot of messaging in our world centers on the idea of finding yourself, looking within and believing in yourself. I cannot tell you how foreign that idea is to the mind of the Lord. We were made to worship Him and when we do not do it, we lose who we are. 

Mind you, Israel let that happen to them over time and on account of their prosperity. They grew rich, fat and apathetic. The results were disasterous. But they are a picture for us. If we want to find life, we must spend it on the one who gave it. If we want to know ourselves, we must find ourselves bowed at the feet of our Creator and Savior. For when we find Him, we find life.