A Proclamation to Judah and Jerusalem - Ezra 10:7

In the book of Ezra, Ezra said, “then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. And they swore. Then Ezra rose up from before the house of God, and went into the chamber of Johanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came there, he did eat no bread, nor drink water: for he mourned because of the transgression of them that had been carried away”, and in chapter ten and verse seven of Ezra, Ezra said, “they made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem”, where we read,

And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;

The verse reads, “And they made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem unto all the children of the captivity, ...”Ezra began with the words, “and they made proclamation” or “and Ezra and the leaders of the people of Israel caused and advanced a sound and noise of uttered words” “throughout Judah” or “from end to end within Judah whose name means praised” “and Jerusalem” which means “and Jerusalem whose name means teaching of peace and is the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split” “unto all the children” or “to each, every, the whole and everyone of the offspring and progeny” “of the captivity” which means “belonging to the exile and imprisonment”. Ezra shared how there was a declaration made all through “Judah and Jerusalem” to the offspring of the people of Israel who were exiled in Babylon. 

The verse continues, “... that they should gather themselves together unto Jerusalem;” Ezra added the words, “that they should gather themselves together” which means “that they, the children of Israel, were to collect and assemble their own selves with one another” “unto Jerusalem” or “to Jerusalem whose name means teaching of peace and is the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split”. Ezra shared how the declaration called the people of Israel to assemble within the city of Jerusalem. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Ezra how there was a declaration made throughout “Judah and Jerusalem” to assemble all the people of Israel in Jerusalem. We shall learn what the declaration was in our next verse, but for now, let us realize the importance of this gathering. God wants the entire world to know about His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we yield our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and help us call people into a personal relationship with Him. 

Next time Ezra says what will happen to, “whosoever would not come within three days”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".