We have this great list of all who would go up. There would be 42,360 Israelites plus 7,337 servants (v64-65). The listing of the servants speaks of how in exile the people continued to thrive and be blessed.

Zerubbabel is named first (v2), he would be the main leader of the people and someone who appears in Jesus’ family line (Matthew 1 v12).

Singled out are those who would be particularly connected with the temple, the priests (v36-39), the Levites (v40-42) and temple servants (v43-54). This return was about rebuilding the temple and restoring the proper worship of the LORD. Our lives should be about God’s worship both daily and particularly focused on preparing for public worship on the Lord’s Day. Have you a real passion in seeing God’s worship pleasing and glorifying the LORD?

Some people were not included straight away as their ancestry was uncertain (v59-63). The Urim and Thummim (v63) was a form of lots used by the High Priest in God’s presence to determine uncertain issues.

The crucial thing here was for people to truly belong to the people of God. This is not today by natural decent but through rebirth. Claiming to belong to God’s people is one thing, to be truly a child of God through rebirth is another. Have you the marks of a true child of God; love, faith and obedience?