Ezra 2:1
- Responding to God’s call to arise and build is a call to follow Jesus and come up and out of captivity.
Ezra 2: 2 - 68
- Men, who arose and returned to Jerusalem and Judah to rebuild the temple, gladdened the heart of God.
- Those men knew they were never to return to Babylon.
- God is particular and deliberate in His dealings with each of our Ezra’s which is why He allowed and allotted 64 verses to list their names.
- God’s call to arise and build is extended to all men - no clan, tribe, tongue or class is exempt.
A look at the diversity of men
who arose
Ezra 2:2 Leaders – Pastors; Bishops; Clergy; Prophets; Teachers; Governors;
Senators; Commissioners; Chiefs; Princes; Princesses; Mayors; Queens; Kings; Prime
Ministers & Celebrities
Ezra 2: 3-20 Israelites by families of origin - Spiritual
adoption (gentiles whether born again now or not) or Jews by birth
Ezra 2: 21-35 Israelites by places of origin- Men from
all nations, tribe or tongue
Ezra 2: 36-39 Priestly families
Ezra 2: 40 Levites
Ezra 2: 41 Singers
Ezra 2: 42 Porters; Gate keepers; Security guards.
Ezra 2: 43-54 Temple support workers- workers & ministers
in different denominations
Ezra 2: 55-58 King Solomon’s official/servants-professionals; business men & civil servants
Ezra 2: 59-60 Ethnic minorities - Foreigners and Refugees
Ezra 2: 61-63 Priests who naturalised as citizens via
marriage & illegal or unknown origin
Ezra 2: 64-65 Slaves; Prisoners; forgotten ones & persecuted
Ezra 2: 68 Heads of families
Prayer Points
- Let there be a tangible effect to all our men, who will heed the call to arise and build.
- Please do not allow any of our Ezra’s quit half way. Help them go all the way- Holy Spirit, walk with them till the very end.
- Do not let our Ezra forsake Jesus like Demas, or betray Him like Judas or even despise their birthright like Esau.
- We do not want the names of our Ezra to be erased from God’s list
- Lord, send us Ezras' from all walks of life as seen in Ezra 2. Let none be too big to respond to You.
Come Die, Come Live (If anyone wants to come after me)
If anyone wants to come after me
Let them say 'no' to their own way
If anyone wants to be my disciple
Let them say 'no' to their own way
Come die, come live
This is true freedom
Come die, come live
Lay down your own life and follow
Lay down your own life and follow
Whoever fights for the rights to their own life
Will lose it both now and forever
Whoever lays down their own life for my sake
Will find it and keep it forever
If anyone wants to be my disciple
Let them say 'no' to their own way
Come die, come live
This is true freedom
Come die, come live
Lay down your own life and follow
Lay down your own life and follow
Whoever fights for the rights to their own life
Will lose it both now and forever
Whoever lays down their own life for my sake
Will find it and keep it forever
Graham Kendrick
