Why Return?

 

    When a person has been exiles, dismissed, or rejected then it is natural to have some negative feelings that follow.  It is natural to be hurt.  It is easy to say if they don't want me, then I don't want them.  It is more difficult not to become hard.  It is hard to love people that hurt you.

    When Israel was exiled and had everything taken from them, it was a devastating blow.  It was painful and that pain could have easily have become bitterness that would pour out onto their children.  It could have become a pattern of bitterness and woe is me behavior.  It is so difficult to turn that other cheek at times.

    When King Cyrus gave a nation the opportunity to return home, there must have been a bundle of emotion that went through people.  One had to be the question, why should I return?  This generation had never stepped foot in their promised land.  They had lives where they were, why uproot?

    The Israelites that chose to go back had to be categorized by their ancestry.  It is division, but one that normally applied honor or purpose (not segregation).  The ones that chose to return, returned to their ancestral home town.  Once they were there, then they could decide where to live within their inherited job.  If their family had been removed from the genealogy, then that left them as outcast, considered unclean and they had nothing to return to.  

    The number of Israelites that chose to go home was 42,360 people and they took thousands of animals and 7,337 servants.  This is why they had to return in waves.  It would be too much for them to all return safely and healthy.

    The first place that they went once they got to Jerusalem was God's house to give offerings to God.  These offerings is what paid for it's repair.  People gave based on what they had.  God does not expect you to bankrupt yourself to honor Him.

Ezra 2