Wednesday – History

Reading – Ezra 1-2

Highlight Verses:

“So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah, in addition to 7,337 servants and 200 singers, both men and women.”
‭‭Ezra‬ ‭2‬:‭64‬-‭65‬ ‭NLT‬‬

That seems like a lot of people until you realize that there were between 100 and 250 thousand people in Judah before the exile.

A hundred years before that there were between 300 to 650 thousand people between Israel and Judah.

During the time of King David there were between 1 and 2 million.

Statistically, the nation of Israel barely survived.

But it did.

This is what God was speaking of in the popular verse in Jeremiah 29:11. This remnant was the future and hope of the world from that verse.

God preserved the remnant though unexpected means (who would have thought that King Cyrus would want to rebuild the temple).

Jeremiah 29 was written while thousands were dying when Babylon conquered Judah.

Its prophecies were being fulfilled during the time of Ezra.

And God’s ultimate plans fell into place a little over 500 years later with the life and sacrifice of Jesus.

Sometimes the statistics in our lives don’t look so good – the bank account dwindles, friends wander away, loved ones pass away.

But if we cling to God like these exiles did, He is faithful to bring the plans He has for us to completion.

They might not look exactly like our plans. But trust me, if they are different, they will be better.

What plans do you think God has for you?
How is it looking for those plans right now?