Ezra chapter 2, so on Thursday I started a new book, Ezra chapter 1, and I sort of figured out I can fit about the 10 chapters that make up Ezra before we return back to Queensland.
And you might be wondering, what are we going to preach through in this book? I mean there's a whole bunch of names, you know, it's going to be a challenge, it is a bit of a challenge.
But listen, all scripture is given for our prophet, it all comes from the word of God, it's the pure word of God, there's a lot that we can learn even from this one chapter.
Let's look at Ezra chapter 2 verse number 62, it says,
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy.
The title for the sermon this afternoon is, Reckoned by Genealogy.
So we saw genealogy there, right? Reckoned by genealogy.
And we're going to see the importance of genealogy, why does God spend so much time naming people and who their fathers were, where they came from, the Levites, etc.
You may recall that the book of Ezra as we saw in chapter 1, is that King Cyrus had been stood in his heart by the Lord God, that they would go back into Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.
And so they're trying to gather the Jews together to come and do this work.
Now let's start there in verse number 1, Ezra chapter 2 verse number 1, it says,
Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity of those which had been carried away.
Now let me just stop there for a moment, we're about to look at the children of the province that went up out of the captivity.
So this is the first wave of people that would go into Jerusalem to rebuild the house of the Lord.
It says, of those which had been carried away.
So it's not the same people that were carried away into captivity, it's of those that have been carried away.
So it's the children, it's the grandchildren of those that were taken into captivity that would come back into this land.
Now it says there,
So everyone that is returning back into the land, they are returning to their cities that they've come from,
where their fathers and their forefathers have come from.
All the tribes would go back into their land, into their towns, into their own cities.
But I just want to show you there that it's the children's children that are coming back out of captivity.
It's of those that had been carried away.
Now who is doing the leading? Look at verse number 2.
It says,
So Zerubabel is the main guy that we're going to be reading about in the following chapters.
Zerubabel is the one that's leading this first wave out of Babylon and into Judah.
It says,
Now when it comes to Zerubabel, what I want you to understand is that when they go back into the land,
Zerubabel becomes the governor of that land.
He has the highest authority in the land.
I'm going to quickly read to you from Haggai chapter 1 verse 1. Don't turn there. I'll just quickly read to you.
Haggai chapter 1 verse 1 which reads,
So in the book of Haggai, we get to see that Zerubabel not only leaves his first charge,
but he gets put in place as the governor. He's got the main authority there as they go back into the land.
Now when they've come back into Jerusalem, just like when they were taken into captivity,
they were taken in multiple waves. Well when they were brought back into Jerusalem,
they were brought back into three main waves.
And we're looking at wave number 1. All these names given that are following after Zerubabel.
So as I said to you, these next few chapters we're going to be reading about Zerubabel's leadership.
Now straight after Ezra, the book of Ezra is the book of Nehemiah,
and I know this church has gone through Nehemiah already,
but basically these two books are telling us the story of these three waves of Jews that would return back into the land.
There's actually a lot that we can learn about leadership
because there's Zerubabel who's leading them in these first few chapters.
Now turn to Ezra chapter 7 and look at verse number 6.
Ezra chapter 7 and verse number 6 it says,
This Ezra went up from Babylon.
So Ezra is obviously the name, the book is named after Ezra.
This Ezra went up from Babylon and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses.
So Zerubabel becomes the governor and Ezra is a scribe.
It says here of the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given,
and the king granted him, that's Ezra, all his requests,
according to the hand of the Lord he's got upon him.
And there went up some of the children of Israel,
and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the nephronyms unto Jerusalem,
in the seventh year of Artaxaxes, the king.
So the first wave is being led by Zerubabel,
the second wave when we get to chapter 7 then we start reading about Ezra,
is being led by Ezra,
and then we've got the third wave of the Jews going back into Babylon,
which is being led by Nehemiah.
That's where you've got the book of Nehemiah.
So those are the three main waves.
Being led by Zerubabel, then from chapter 7 being led by Ezra,
the third wave being led by Nehemiah.
Now let's go back to Ezra chapter 2 and verse number 3.
Ezra chapter 2 verse number 3.
The children of Parosh, two thousand and hundred seventy and two.
Now when it says the children of Parosh,
we've got the next one there in verse number 4.
The children of Shepatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
These are names of their forefathers.
These are the names of the people or the families that were taken into captivity.
So you might, you know, today we would kind of use this as a surname.
These are the surnames that make up these families.
That's why there's such a great number that make up these families.
Verse number 5.
The children of Arar, seven hundred seventy and five.
The children of Pahof Moab, and the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
The children of Zatu, nine hundred forty and five.
The children of Zechai, seven hundred and three score.
The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
The children of Bebe, six hundred twenty and three.
The children of Asgard, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
The children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty and six.
Was that 666? Wow.
That doesn't mean anything.
The children of Bigveil, two thousand fifty and six.
The children of Adon, four hundred fifty and four.
The children of Ator of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
The children of Jorah, and a hundred and twelve.
The children of Hashim, two hundred twenty and three.
The children of Geba, ninety and five.
Now let's stop there for a moment.
So what we've seen so far through this genealogy, as I said, are the families.
The genealogy, the families that make up these people, that are all returning.
So you can see there's a great multitude that are coming out of Babylon and into Jerusalem.
So as we keep going through this genealogy, it's actually divided into three main parts.
We've just looked at the first part, which is the family line.
The next segment that we're going to be looking at are people from a place of residence.
So we're going to start seeing people's names with the cities that they're from.
For example, look at verse number 21.
It says the children of Bethlehem and a hundred twenty and three.
So we know that Bethlehem is one of the cities.
And as you keep going, you're going to see more towns and more cities.
So we started with the family line.
The next group is the place of residence, where they came out of.
And then the third group in this genealogy are the priests.
So we're going to start breaking down this genealogy in these three groups.
The family line, the place of residence, and the priests.
Now please turn to Romans chapter 8 for me.
Turn to Romans chapter 8.
Now we can start expanding on this list that we're working through.
Romans chapter 8.
Because I think it's very clear that God wants to draw our attention, as we look at this genealogy, to these three main groups.
Your family line, where your residence was originally from, and the priests that would make up these people coming back into this land.
Because as we look at these three things, we are all part of these three groups to some extent.
Now obviously we're talking about a very physical nation, returning to a physical land.
We know that we, as believers, we are under the new covenant, and we're no longer a physical nation, but we're a spiritual nation.
We have a genealogy as well.
But when it comes to genealogies, as far as our ethnicities, our nationalities, brethren, those are endless genealogies.
God does not want us to waste time.
It doesn't matter what your background is. Doesn't matter where you come from.
There's no significance, there's no spiritual advantage to being of a certain tribe, of a certain people.
There's no advantage in any regard in that sense, brethren.
But we do have a spiritual genealogy.
And when it comes to the family line, let me first speak to you about Jesus Christ and his family.
When we speak about Christ, I've recently just gone through 2 John, right?
We went through 1 John, 2 John, 3 John.
And when I read 2 John verse 3, I'll just quickly read to you, say then Romans 8.
It says, Grace be with you, mercy and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
You see, when we think about God's nature, we do see a family line even within the nature of God.
And that is the relationship between God the Father and his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
You see, Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of the Father.
And this is who God is. God is free in one.
I'll quickly also read to you from Matthew 11 verse 27.
Matthew 11 verse 27 says, All things are delivered unto me of my Father.
Jesus Christ is speaking here. The Father has delivered all things to him.
Then he says this, And no man knoweth the Son.
Nobody knows the Son. Nobody knows Jesus, but the Father.
Then he says this, Nor knoweth any man the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
The only one that knows the Son is the Father. The only one that knows the Father is the Son.
But who else knows the Son of the Father? And he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
Now brethren, how does the Son reveal God's nature to us?
Number one, by being saved.
We have to believe on the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, in order to be saved.
And you know what wonderful truth comes out of that?
That we are brought into that family line as well.
That we become children of God.
That we become sons and daughters of God the Father, and Jesus Christ as he were becomes our brother.
You know, we share the same blood.
When we think about a family line, we think about our blood, we think about our DNA.
I've done a DNA test, and it gives me some history as to who my families are.
It also gives me suggestions of who my second or third cousins are throughout the world online, if you do your DNA test.
I don't know if you all want to do that or not.
They probably will have it anyway now with COVID.
They probably will have your DNA anyway. Doesn't matter, who cares?
But the point is brethren, that what makes up family on this earth is our blood.
If you're born of a mother, a physical mother and a physical father, you become a child of that family.
Now what's wonderful about being saved is that we also share the same blood.
And that's the blood of Jesus Christ that has cleansed us all from our sins.
This is why we are brothers and sisters in the Lord.
We also have a family line when it comes to the Lord God.
So these are things that are important to God.
Not the physical line, though at the time of returning back to Jerusalem it was important,
because then they were inheriting back the lands that they came out of.
But when it comes to today brethren in the New Testament, what's important is are you part of the family line?
Is God your father?
And God can only be your father if the Son has revealed him to you, and that's by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.
You're then in Romans chapter 8, look at verse number 15.
Romans chapter 8 and verse number 15.
Romans chapter 8 verse number 15.
It says,
You have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear,
but ye have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father.
Listen, we can call God our Father because we've been given the spirit of adoption.
There is the Holy Spirit of God.
When you're saved, the Holy Spirit of God comes and indwells the believer,
and as he indwells us we can now communicate on a spiritual level to God our Father.
We can cry unto him and say, Father, Dad, I need your help. I'm going through a hardship.
I'm your son. I need your assistance. Father, please help me.
That's what's wonderful about being part of the family of God.
Look at verse number 16, Romans 8, 16.
The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are, what, the children of God.
And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ,
if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
You see, one day we're going to be glorified together.
We think about the glory of God.
We know that when Christ comes back, he's going to come in his glory.
But when Christ comes back, we receive our new resurrected bodies at the rapture,
and we will be glorified by the power of the resurrection that God has given the Son.
We enter the family line through Jesus Christ, and we can cry to Lord God our Father.
We are truly children of God, brethren. We are truly children of God.
Please appreciate who you are.
You know, it's true that we're made of dust.
It's true that really in the eyes of God we ought to be insignificant.
But the reality of the Bible is that he loved us so much to send his one only begotten son to die for our sins.
So we are important to God.
And we're even more important than just the love of God, the fact that we've received Jesus and become his children.
Now brethren, as a father of eleven, I tell you now, my children are so important to me.
They're not more important than my wife though. My wife is important.
I've committed myself to her, till death do us part.
And you know what, if I love my wife and I prioritize my wife, it's going to be the best thing for my children.
But my children are so important to me, I would die for my kids.
I would give whatever I possibly can for my children, for their benefit,
that they would walk in the ways of the Lord, that they would do well in life.
I would try to give the best that I can for my children because I love my children, they are important to me.
And I'll protect them with my own life.
You know what, when we become children of God, God is protective as well.
He is our father and he wants us to be aware of that genealogy, that we are truly his sons.
Brethren, you are important. You are important to God.
You are part of his family now that you have believed on Jesus Christ.
You know a very famous passage that I love to quote is John chapter 1 verse 12.
It says,
If you have received Jesus, to them gave you power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.
Brethren, how do we become a son of God?
By believing on the name of Jesus Christ, that he paid for our sins and he rose again three days later.
That's how we become children of God.
Listen, we get the power to become the sons of God.
You know quite often when I go, daughter of the soul went in.
And even I believe this truth once.
I used to say that we're all children of God.
That everyone that's ever existed on this planet, that's ever born from a mother and father.
I used to think that. I got bad preaching, got bad teaching.
That we're all just children of God and God just loves each one of us.
I mean I knew people would die and get a hell.
But you know what, that's not true. We're not all children of God.
We are all children of our parents.
We're all children of our mother and father that we come from.
But truly, to become a child of God, you must receive the power of God.
And become the son of God, even to them that believe on his name.
Brethren, the moment you believe in Jesus, you become a son of God.
You're born again, John chapter 3.
You're born again, born into God's family, born of the Spirit.
And our genealogy, our spiritual genealogy is that of God the Father.
You know what, and we read about our forefathers, our spiritual forefathers.
We may not be in that genealogy line physically,
but when I read stories about Abraham and Moses and King David and the great men in the Bible,
you know what, those are my spiritual forefathers as well.
When I read about the disciples of Jesus Christ,
and they went and started churches and preached in the gospel,
we know the gospel was passed on generation to generation to generation,
and it eventually reached our ears.
You know, those are our spiritual forefathers as well.
We should be thankful for those that have come before us.
We should be thankful for the believers that have preached the gospel so we could hear the truth.
Could you imagine if a whole generation stops preaching the gospel?
That's it. The next generation is damned. It's doomed.
Okay, the gospel is over.
You know, we've been given the duty to bring forth more people into the family line of God
by them believing on Jesus Christ.
Back to Ezra chapter 2, please.
Ezra chapter 2.
Ezra chapter 2 verse 21.
Now we're going to continue this list, as I said to you,
the next group now we're looking at people from certain towns and cities.
In verse number 21, sorry, it says,
621.
So as I said to you, this next genealogy are people that have come from certain places.
They're returning back to the lands of their forefathers where they once dwelt, okay.
And so we've looked at the family line.
We've looked at that physical line that they're a part of.
Now we're looking at the line, sorry, the place of residence, where they're from,
where they're designed to live, where they're designed to go and make a living for themselves.
And so now we're looking at the place of residence.
Can you please turn to John chapter 18 in your Bible, John chapter 18.
So just like we did before, we had a look at Jesus' family line
and then we had a look at our own spiritual family line that we receive through Christ.
We're going to be looking at Jesus.
What did Jesus Christ have to say when he came to this earth 2,000 years ago about his place of residence?
You know, what was important to Christ?
Well, if you look at John chapter 18 and verse number 36, please.
John chapter 18, verse number 36.
We're looking now at a time when Jesus Christ would be arrested, okay.
He would be brought before Pilate, before the magistrates, before the religious leaders
and, you know, for the purpose of killing him, for the purpose of stopping his ministry.
And it says here in John chapter 18, verse number 36.
I love these words so much.
Jesus answered, my kingdom is of this world.
Is that what it says? No.
My kingdom is not of this world.
Listen, Christ was not overly concerned about this world, brethren.
Okay, what did Christ come?
He came to seek and to save that which was lost.
He came to save sinners.
He came to deliver souls.
He came to open the doors of salvation through his shed blood.
That's what he cared about.
He cared about the souls of men.
Jesus Christ did not care about this earth, about this land, about the mansions,
about the greatness of this earth and the riches of this earth.
You know, when Christ was tempted in the wilderness,
the devil tried to come and offer Christ all the kingdoms of this earth.
That's what the devil's preoccupied with.
That's his kingdom. He's the god of this world.
He cares about the riches of this world.
He cares about all these nations.
That's where his mind is at, the devil.
But when he comes to Christ, he says, this is not my kingdom.
He says, if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight,
that I should not be delivered to the Jews.
But now is my kingdom not from hence.
My kingdom is not from here. My kingdom is not from this earth.
Now, brethren, if that's the mindset of Jesus,
that he could care less about this earth and being something great
and he's building a kingdom upon this earth,
from the nations that make up this earth,
if that was something that was so far from the mind of Christ,
then, brethren, as ourselves, as followers of Jesus,
as saved through Jesus Christ, we should have the same mindset,
that we should not be overly concerned about some kingdom here on this earth.
One day, Christ will have a kingdom on this earth,
but it's not from hence.
It's not from here. It's a heavenly kingdom.
Christ is going to come back and rule this earth.
We're going to rule with him, but we're going to be ruling a heavenly kingdom,
not a kingdom that comes from this earth.
Look at verse number 37.
Pilate therefore said unto him,
Are thou a king then?
Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king.
To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world,
that I should bear witness unto the truth.
Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.
Christ did not come to be lifted up as a king on this earth.
He came to be a witness of the truth.
He came to preach the gospel of salvation, brethren,
to save souls.
So then what should be our mindset be on this earth?
Say, Pastor Kevin, if we're here on this earth, aren't we here to do something on this earth?
Yes, we're here to be witnesses of the truth.
We're here to follow after the steps of Christ.
I don't care about building some kingdom on this earth.
I care about bringing souls into the kingdom of Christ
by them believing in Jesus, by being part of that family.
What is your place of residence?
Where does your heart yearn to be?
Is it Sydney? Is it the Sunshine Coast?
You know, I'm going to live in one of these places, brethren,
but honestly my heart is set on the kingdom of God.
Wherever God would have me to serve, to be a witness to the truth,
that's my heart's desire.
And brethren, you know, I'd be lying to say that I don't sometimes have selfish thoughts,
and I sometimes want things on this earth that I shouldn't really desire.
You know, because we're human beings, we have that flesh,
but we need to remind ourselves when we start to be preoccupied with the things of this world
that we remind ourselves of Jesus Christ.
He didn't care about it. He cared about His kingdom to come.
And that's where your mindset ought to be as well.
Please turn to John 14.
John 14.
John 14 and verse number 2.
We know that Christ's kingdom is not from here, not from this earth.
What does it say here in John 14 verse 2?
Christ says,
Brethren, we've got a mansion in heaven.
And who's building it? Jesus Christ is going to prepare this place for us.
Jesus Christ is busy right now building our mansions.
That's amazing.
You know, because I do believe Jesus Christ followed after the steps of his stepfather and was a carpenter.
You know, he gets named as a carpenter on this earth.
But listen, he took those skills of carpentry and is up there in heaven getting our mansions built, brethren.
Mansions that will never fall apart.
Boy, you know owning a house, what's frustrating, especially with 11 kids?
You know, you think you're going to have a house and it's just going to be there,
but with 11 kids running around, things fall apart, holes are made in the wall,
you know, the doors come off the hinges, brethren, but this mansion is never going to fall apart.
It doesn't matter how, for all eternity, we're going to be able to walk through the house, open the doors,
you know, have celebrations and getting together and fellowship, and that house will never fall apart.
It's being built by Jesus Christ, our mansion in heaven.
Forget about a mansion in Sydney, how expensive is a Sydney house these days?
We've got a mansion that we're looking forward to in heaven.
He says he goes to prepare a place for us.
Look at verse number 3.
And where I am, there ye may be also.
Christ says, look, I'm not only building a mansion, but when I'm done, when the timing is right,
and coming back to this earth, and I'm taking you with me so we can live in those mansions.
Amen. Exciting. Exciting days to come.
Can you please turn to Hebrews chapter 11 now.
Turn to Hebrews chapter 11, verse number 8.
Hebrews chapter 11, verse number 8.
Now, if you have riches, if you have wealth, you have possessions.
Praise God for them.
I'm not saying it's wrong to have things on this earth, brethren.
You know, if God has blessed you with great riches, thank God, praise God for it.
Okay?
And we're going to be reading about Abraham here in Hebrews 11, verse 8.
Abraham was a rich man, was a very wealthy man.
Okay?
But I want you to see the heart of Abraham here.
Even though he has great wealth, even though he has great servants, great cattle,
you know, he's got so much that God has blessed him with.
Gold and silver, all kinds of riches.
It says here in Hebrews 11, verse 8.
By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance,
obeyed and he went out, not knowing whether he went.
By faith, he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country,
dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.
So it says here that he dwelt in tabernacles.
You know, he was a sojourner.
He sojourned in the land of promise.
He didn't establish himself.
You know, Abraham wasn't overly concerned with fixing a place for himself and having a big house and settling down.
He says, look, a tabernacle is good enough for me.
If I just get this journey in this land of promise, so be it.
Why?
Because it says in verse number 10.
For he looked for a city which have foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
Amen.
Jesus Christ goes and prepares a place for us, whose builder and maker is God.
That's what Abraham's heart was on.
He was given riches.
He sojourned in the land of promise.
He lived as a rich man, but his heart was, you know what, I don't care about this land.
This is not my kingdom on this earth.
He says, I'm looking for that city that God is making.
He had his heart set on eternity.
He had his heart set on the new heavens and the new earth.
Please drop down to verse number 16, same chapter.
Hebrews 11, 16.
It says here,
So not only has God, Jesus Christ, built in our mansions,
but those mansions are going to be settled there in a city.
God is building an entire city for his believers, for the saints.
Go to Hebrews chapter 12, next chapter.
Hebrews chapter 12, verse number 22.
Hebrews chapter 12 and verse number 22.
It says,
What is this city?
The heavenly Jerusalem.
Listen, as the Jews with Zeruba go back to rebuild earthly Jerusalem,
brethren, these are just object lessons.
These are just types of the greatest spiritual truth of new Jerusalem, the city of God.
It says,
And so all believers and all the angels of God will be living in that new city to come, brethren,
with our mansions up there, brethren, whatever they look like.
I'm sure it's going to be wonderful.
And we're going to be this church of the first one.
Church continues in eternity.
But we're going to be together.
I don't know if I get a chance to preach in the church.
Hopefully.
I don't know.
But I'll be looking forward to hearing Jesus Christ preach to us in heaven anyway.
Now, can you quickly turn to Ephesians chapter 2?
Ephesians chapter 2.
We have this new city to come.
We know that when God creates the new heavens and the new earth,
that God will bring down this heavenly Jerusalem onto this earth.
Once again, Jesus Christ is saying that His kingdom is not from hence.
It's not from here.
It's a heavenly kingdom.
It's a heavenly city that He is concerned about.
And that our hearts ought to be set upon as well.
Ephesians chapter 2 verse 11.
Paul is writing to the Ephesian church.
This is a Gentile city.
The city of Ephesus is a Gentile city.
So he's writing to Gentiles.
He says in Ephesians 2 11,
that ye been in time past Gentiles in the flesh,
who are called uncircumcision by that which is called the circumcision in the flesh made by hands,
that at that time ye were without Christ,
look at this,
being aliens,
aliens is like strangers, foreigners,
being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,
and strangers from the covenants of promise,
having no hope and without God in the world.
And so God had promised the Israelites this commonwealth of Israel.
Now you say, is that commonwealth of Israel the earthly Israel?
Well again, the things on this earth are pictures of a greater heavenly spiritual truth.
So yes, under the old covenant there was a commonwealth of Israel as it were,
a physical nation.
As I said to you in the New Testament, it is now a spiritual nation.
Are we part of this commonwealth of Israel?
Commonwealth.
You know, we've got the commonwealth of Australia, the commonwealth bank.
What's common?
That means we all share in the wealth of that nation, commonwealth of Israel.
It says in verse number 13,
but now, so we were separated before,
but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off,
or sometimes in the past were far off,
are made nigh or near by the blood of Christ.
Brethren, we were once strangers and foreigners of this commonwealth of Israel,
the Gentile forefathers of the past.
But brethren, we don't rest on that physical genealogy.
It doesn't matter if our physical forefathers had a false religion,
and we shouldn't have to follow after that false religion.
We should be mindful about the spiritual reality,
our spiritual genealogy the moment we believe in Christ.
Our forefathers are our spiritual forefathers,
not our carnal forefathers that have believed in false gods in the past.
Brethren, we've been brought near by the blood of Jesus Christ.
Drop down to verse number 19.
We won't read the whole chapter.
You can read it on time.
Verse number 19.
It says,
now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners.
Hey, we were once foreigners and strangers of the commonwealth of Israel,
but we are no more strangers and foreigners.
Look at this.
But fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.
We are fellow citizens of what?
The commonwealth of Israel.
There is no difference between Jew and Greek when you are saved, brethren.
The moment we are saved, we've entered into this commonwealth.
We share the wealth of the nation of Israel.
We are fellow citizens with the saints and the household of God.
Verse number 20.
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.
And so for those that do not believe in Jesus Christ,
they are not part of this commonwealth of Israel.
For the Jews that reject Jesus Christ,
they are not part of this commonwealth.
It's for all believers of all nationalities that have trusted on Christ,
that have Jesus Christ as their chief cornerstone,
they are part of this commonwealth of Israel.
We make up this spiritual nation.
Brethren, this is a nation.
This is the kingdom that our eyes ought to be upon.
This is our place of residence.
We are right now so generous.
Just like Abraham passing through the land of promise.
Brethren, we're so generous here in Australia.
We're just passing through.
We're just passing through to be witnesses of the truth,
passing through to bring more people into this commonwealth of Israel.
To be part of this nation, this spiritual nation for the children of God.
Back to Ezra chapter 2 now.
Ezra chapter 2, verse number 36.
Verse number 36.
So now we have the third group here.
And actually there are some other groups but I'm going to lump these all together.
But in verse number 36 it says, the priests.
So now we're going down the priestly line.
And as you might recall,
the only people that could be priests under the old covenant
were the people part of the Levitical tribe.
And then, actually not just those of the Levitical tribe,
but you have to be part of the family.
So Aaron's family and the descendants are there.
So it says in verse number 36, the priests.
The children of Jedariah, of the house of Jeshua,
or Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
The children of Imah, a thousand fifty and two.
The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
The Levites.
So now we have the Levites who are not the priests.
But the Levites, all the Levites, would serve in the house of God.
It's just that some could be priests.
Those are the children of Aaron.
Alright, the Levites.
The children of Jeshua and Cadmiel,
and of the children of Hodoviah, seventy and four,
the singers, so some of the Levites were singers.
Some of them you'd go into the house of God
and you'd have just certain people who were just the singers
singing through psalms and praises to God.
And I haven't thought about this.
You know at the time when we would be restricted in singing
because of COVID and lockdown,
I kind of considered, should we just have some singers?
Just because they say, you know, you can have two singers, three singers.
And I thought about that.
And look, there's nothing wrong with that in of itself.
I know a lot of churches, you know how we kind of just stop singing.
Because I wanted to sing all together the congregation.
But some churches had their main singers.
They would just have like three or four singers,
you know, one point five meters separated themselves
and they would just sing to the congregation.
But that's actually biblical.
Because when you look at those serving in the house of God,
there were some people that were just the singers.
Let's keep going to the singers.
The children of Asaph and 120 and 8.
The children of the porters.
Now the porters, if you know Spanish,
the word for door in Spanish is puerta.
That's where you get that word, puerta.
It's a Latin word.
So these are people that are basically like,
you know, some churches have ushers.
So when you walk in, they greet you and they say,
over here, you know, they're kind of serving at the door.
These are other people that are serving in the house of God.
The porters.
The children of Shalem, the children of Eita,
the children of Talman, the children of Aqab,
the children of Hatitha, the children of Shobai,
in oil and 130 and 9.
The Nethinims.
Now the Nethinims, it's a bit of a harder thing
to figure out who they were.
But the best understanding that I've sort of come across
is the Nethinims are not Levites,
but there are other Jews that would help
in the service of the temple.
But they would do it under, like servitude under the Levites.
So sometimes the Levites would need assistance
and there would be other people, the Nethinims,
these are the names that were given to the other Jews
that would serve in the house of God.
The children of Zechar, the children of Hashupa,
the children of Tabaoth, the children of Keros,
the children of Siachar, the children of Padon,
the children of Labanah, the children of Hagabah,
the children of Achaab, the children of Hagab,
the children of Shammai, the children of Hanan,
the children of Giddel, the children of Gehah,
the children of Reahiah, the children of Rezen,
the children of Nekodah, the children of Gazzam,
the children of Uzah, the children of Paseah,
the children of Bezai, the children of Asna,
the children of Mehunim, the children of Nepusim,
the children of Bakabak, the children of Hakaba,
the children of Nahor.
I don't know if you guys are going to think of some baby names
for your kids through this list.
Boy, I mean, I don't know.
It's not me to choose from, is it?
The children of Basilith, the children of Mehida,
the children of Haisha, the children of Bakos,
the children of Sisera, the children of Taima,
the children of Neziah, the children of Hatupa,
the children of Solomon's servants,
the children of Sotai, the children of Sofera,
the children of Peruda, the children of Jaelah,
the children of Daakon, the children of Giddel,
the children of Shephartiah, the children of Hatil,
the children of Porhereth of Zebaim,
the children of Amai.
Oh, the Nephinims!
There's the Nephinims mentioned again.
So these are the Nephinims, the ones that are serving alongside the Levites.
And the children of Solomon's servants were 390 and 2.
And so what we've gone through besides the Nephinims and the other Levites
are this priestly line, the priestly line, okay?
So we've looked at our family line.
We've looked at the place of residence, whether that's physical in this time,
but also the greatest spiritual trips to come.
But now we've also looked at the priesthood.
So please turn to Hebrews chapter 5.
Turn to Hebrews chapter 5 and verse number 5.
Hebrews chapter 5 and verse number 5.
Because we are in the New Testament, okay?
Do we have New Testament priests?
Well, you know, often we say no
because we look at certain churches like the Roman Catholic Church
and they've got their priests, don't they?
They've got their priests and they claim to continue down this priestly line.
Listen, there is no man like that.
We don't need to go to a certain place
to have some priests to be a mediator between us and God
because, yes, we do have a priest in the New Testament.
And it says here in Hebrews 5-5,
it says,
So it's saying here that Christ himself did not just take on a priesthood by himself.
It says,
Who said, thou art my son?
The Father.
So the Father has given Christ this priesthood.
Jesus Christ is our high priest.
Thou art my son.
Today have I begotten thee.
Verse number 6.
I haven't got time to go through Melchizedek today
but when we look at the Old Testament priesthood,
that was after the order of Aaron.
It was the Levitical priesthood, okay?
Now, the Levitical priesthood finished at the end of the Old Covenant, okay?
At the New Covenant, we no longer have a Levitical priesthood
that we need to go to some temple and offer some sacrifices.
No, we have a high priest which is Jesus Christ
and he is also our sacrifice.
He was the Lamb of God that gave himself for us.
He paid for our sins.
He was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of this earth.
So when we look at the Old Testament scriptures,
we look at these priests, we look at the offerings,
we look at the washing, we look at all the processes that took place
in order to deliver a blood sacrifice,
you can then start to see all the great, you know,
the physical pictures of the spiritual truth
that Jesus Christ would be that high priest.
Please go one chapter back to Hebrews chapter 4.
Hebrews chapter 4 please, verse number 14.
Hebrews chapter 4 and verse number 14.
So we definitely saw that the priesthood was important here, okay?
But again, why is that physical priesthood important?
To show us about the importance of the spiritual priesthood,
order of Melchizedek that was given to Jesus Christ.
But in Hebrews chapter 4, verse number 14, it says,
Seeing then that we have a great high priest
that is passed into the heavens,
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest
which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities,
but was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin.
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
And so brethren, when we have a time of need,
when we need to go to God,
and we need to confess our sins because of the wrong that we do,
and we need to just get right with God in our spiritual walk,
we have the boldness to go before the throne of grace
because we do have a high priest acting as a mediator for us,
and that high priest is Jesus Christ.
And it says that he was in all points tempted like as we are,
yet without sin.
So Jesus Christ is familiar,
he's aware of the struggles that we go through.
Jesus Christ was in the flesh.
He got tired, he got hungry, he had needs.
He's been tempted the same in that way that we are,
yet without sin.
He did not sin.
He had no sin nature.
But he understands the struggles that we go through.
This is why we can go before God
and not feel like we're about to be striked down by lightning
because as we go and just confess our problems and our issues with God,
we have the great high priest right there speaking on our behalf,
sharing to the Father the struggles that we go through this earth.
And so we ought to have a heart set to go before God's throne of grace,
bringing our prayers before him and seeking our help.
That's the advantage of having a high priest who is Jesus Christ.
Now can you please turn to 1 Peter chapter 2.
Turn to 1 Peter chapter 2.
So we looked at Jesus Christ as the high priest.
You go to 1 Peter chapter 2, verse number 9.
And don't forget that we looked at this kingdom to come of Jesus Christ
that would come from heaven to this earth.
And it says in Revelation 1.5, while you turn to 1 Peter 2,
Revelation 1.5, it says,
And from Jesus Christ who is a faithful witness
and the first begotten of the dead
and the prince of the kings of the earth
unto him that loved us and washed us
from our sins in his own blood.
Have your sins been washed by the blood of Jesus?
Alright, so if that's true, then the next verse is about you as well.
And have made us kings and priests
unto God and his Father
to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
So everyone that is saved, everyone that is washed by the blood of Jesus
is not just a king but is a priest as well.
This is why we don't need some Roman Catholic priest.
We don't need some man in some confessional booth, right?
To go, please forgive me.
Say your 10 Hail Marys and your 20 Our Fathers
and your sins will be...
That's just rubbish. That's stupidity.
That man in that confessional booth
is not washed by the blood of Jesus Christ.
He's leading people to hell.
That is no priest.
Hey, but we are priests as it were.
This is why we can go door to door,
so winning, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ
and acting as a priest as it were.
And telling people you can have your sins forgiven.
You can be saved and go to the kingdom of God
by applying the blood of Jesus in your life through faith.
That's our job as priests as well.
Testifying, witnessing of the great truth of Jesus Christ.
You're there in 1 Peter 2, verse number 9.
1 Peter 2, verse number 9.
It says,
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood.
That's wonderful.
Not only are we priests, but we're royal.
But we're royal.
You know, in the Old Testament, you had your royalty,
you had your kingly line, but the kings were not priests.
And the priests were not kings.
The only one that was truly priest and king at the same time
and prophet was Jesus Christ.
But we get the benefit in the New Testament
to be a royal priesthood, to be kings and priests.
We're part of the royal family as well.
A royal priesthood.
A holy nation.
There's that spiritual nation.
A holy nation.
A peculiar people that ye should show forth the praises of Him
who have called ye out of darkness into His marvelous light,
which in time past were not a people,
but are now the people of God,
which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
Now, brethren, we make up this priesthood.
We are part of this holy nation,
the commonwealth of Israel, brethren.
This is our place of residence.
This is our priesthood.
So, yeah, as we go through this lineage
of the Jews returning back to the land,
you can see why the significance there is,
why God will break down the genealogy in its way
to show us a physical picture of this spiritual reality to come in our lives.
And, brethren, as they will return back into Jerusalem,
don't forget, we're headed to New Jerusalem.
We're on this journey as well.
We are trying to get out of Babylon.
We're getting out of this world one day, brethren.
It's going to happen one day.
God's going to create a new heaven and a new earth,
and we're headed to Zion, heavenly Jerusalem.
Back to Ezra chapter 2, please, verse 59.
Ezra chapter 2, verse 59.
It says,
So there were some that were coming back with Zerubbabel,
but they could not prove their genealogy.
They could not prove their physical lineage.
They could not prove that their fathers were from certain towns.
This is interesting as well.
It says here,
The children of the Laiah, the children of Tobiah,
the children of Nicodah, six hundred fifty and two,
and of the children of the priests, the children of Habbahiah,
the children of Kos, the children of Barazilai,
which took a wife of the daughters of Barazilai,
the Gileadites, and was called after their name.
Look at this, verse number 62.
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy,
but they were not found.
So how many people were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood?
So you've got other people that should be part of the priesthood,
should be going to serve God in the house of God,
but they did not keep good records of their families.
They got messed up.
The genealogy, the register, the books that contain their names were messed up,
and in order to not pollute the priesthood,
they wanted to keep things as pure as possible,
they could not allow these people to serve in the house of God as priests.
The legitimately supposed to be priests missed out
because their names are not on the register.
What I find quite interesting is verse number 61.
Let's have a look at this again, verse number 61.
One of the practices that, because we live in a feminist world,
there's a feminist movement out there.
When you normally get married, the wife takes the name of the husband.
When God looked at Adam and Eve, he called them Adam.
Eve took the name of Adam herself,
and when my wife married me, she took my name.
She took my surname.
She went from Cristina Rodriguez to Cristina Sepulveda.
Now that's the way God would like it.
God would like the lady to take the name of the man.
In fact, I saw something funny on Facebook recently
where there was this feminist going,
I don't want to take my husband's name.
That's wrong.
I'd rather keep my own name.
Then she goes, but actually my surname is my father's name as well.
So you can't escape the name of a man.
I don't want to take the husband's name, but I've got my father's name.
Whatever surname you take, it's from a man.
So the feminists aren't really getting their way anyway.
But what we read in verse number 61 is worse than that.
It's worse than a woman taking the name of her husband.
What we see in verse number 61, the husband takes the name of his wife.
Look at verse number 61 again.
And of the children of the priests, the children of Habbiah,
the children of Kos, the children of Barzillai.
So why are they called the children of Barzillai?
It says here, which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadites.
So there's a Jew that took a wife from the Gileadites
who was a daughter of Barzillai and was called after their name.
So he goes, I'm going to take my wife's maiden name for myself.
They probably thought in captivity, we're going to fare better
if we change our surnames to one of the Gileadites instead of the Jews.
Brother Tim was sharing this with me recently.
He's got some of the Jews that were in the Iberian Peninsula,
so that's Portugal and Spain.
And in order to not be persecuted or identified as Jews
or being cast out of that country, a lot of the Jews took on Portuguese or Spanish surnames.
They thought, we'll fare better if we just take on other names.
Well, that's what he did.
He thinks, I'm going to fare better in captivity if I take my wife's maiden name.
Yeah, but now when he's gone to the register, he can't prove that he's one of the Jews.
He can't prove he's one of the priests because he did not take the right name.
Brethren, when we get saved, we must have the right name, the name of Jesus Christ.
It's only through him, brethren.
It is the name that gives us salvation.
Again, John 1.12,
But as many received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name.
To go to heaven, we must have the right name, brethren.
We can't go to heaven and say, well, I'm saved because of the works of Kevin.
I'm saved because of the works of my father Ernesto.
No, we need to make sure we have the right name.
I'm coming into heaven, Lord God, because of the name of Jesus Christ,
the Son of God, who made me part of this family,
part of the royal priesthood, part of the Commonwealth of Israel.
It's through the name of Christ that we receive salvation.
Can you please turn to, where can I get you to turn?
Let's turn to Matthew chapter 7, please.
Matthew chapter 7, verse number 22.
Matthew chapter 7 and verse number 22.
I realize I've got probably too many notes here.
I'll skip a little bit.
Let's go to Matthew 7.22.
It says here in Matthew 7.22.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name
have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Look at verse number 23.
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you.
Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Listen, these people are trying to enter into heaven based on what?
Their works.
Jesus Christ says, you work iniquity.
You do sin, you're a sinner.
I say, no, look, we've preached in your name.
You know, we've cast out devils in your name.
You know, we've done many wonderful works.
Many people are going to come to God one day on Judgment Day
and say we deserve to go to heaven because look how good I am.
I've done wonderful works.
I've done things for your name, Jesus.
Listen, they're not on the register.
Why?
Because they didn't truly believe in the name of Christ.
They didn't truly set their faith on the finished work of Jesus.
They did not understand salvation by grace through faith alone.
They thought it was by works.
They thought it was by keeping the Ten Commandments.
They thought it was by doing good things.
They come to Jesus, look at my wonderful works.
God says, you know what, those wonderful works, you work iniquity.
It's sinful.
You know, trying to get to heaven based on good works is working iniquity in the eyes of God.
They're not on the register, are they?
They messed it up.
They thought they could change their name or change their way of salvation.
They're not on the register.
Please turn to Revelation chapter 20.
Revelation chapter 20, verse 11.
Revelation chapter 20 and verse 11.
And we're looking at the judgment seat.
The final judgment for those that have not believed on Jesus in Revelation chapter 20, verse 11.
Probably one of the saddest parts of the Bible here.
Revelation 20, 11.
I saw the dead.
Now remember when it says here the dead, it's not talking about saved people.
Because the saved people are never truly dead.
The moment we close our eyes in this life, we open up and we're more alive than we've ever been before.
We're alive in soul and spirit, in the presence of God.
These are not saved people.
I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God.
So notice these dead people that have not believed on Christ, they're conscious.
Even though they're not living, but they're conscious.
They're aware of what's happening.
Stand before God, and the books were opened.
And another book was opened, which is the book of life.
So are they in the register? Are there names in the book of life?
And the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, look at this, according to their works.
Just like Matthew chapter 7, they're trying to enter heaven based on their works.
But for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
They're not going to be able to keep all the works to go to heaven.
Going to heaven is not based on keeping the works brethren.
But that's how they're going to be judged, according to the works.
They think it's their works, they think it's their good life that gets them to heaven.
Verse number 13.
And so brethren, there is no other way to enter heaven.
There is no other way to be right with God besides Jesus Christ.
By his finished work.
Faith alone on Jesus, without works.
Without works.
And if you're trusting your works today, let me tell you, you're not saved.
You're not on the register.
And if you're going to stand before God in a judgement seat, you're going to be cast into the lake of fire.
Because you still think salvation is based on how good you are, or your works.
You need to get right with God.
You need to make sure you're on the register.
You stay on the register.
They're in the book of life.
And your name is in the book of life.
It remains in that book of life.
When you believe in Christ, you trust his finished work.
You enter heaven because of the name of Jesus.
Now, back to Ezra chapter 2 please.
Ezra chapter 2, verse number 63.
It says here, for those that were not in the register to become priests, and to take certain lands, etc.
They missed out.
Because they did not keep the records right.
But verse number 63.
And the Tershaphan said unto them, so this must be another person of authority.
Maybe it's Zerubbabel as well, I'm not sure.
That they should not eat of the most holy things, till they stood up a priest with Urim and with Thurman.
Alright, so they're saying you can't eat of the most holy things because only the priests could eat of the most holy things.
Those are the offerings that have been brought, the burnt offerings.
The priests, the Levites would eat of them.
They were not allowed to eat of it.
They were not allowed to be counted as Levites.
Until they stood up a priest with Urim and Thurman.
Now look, this Urim and Thurman, it's not very clear for us in the Bible what it is.
But the only priest that had these things was the high priest.
I'm going to quickly read to you from Exodus 28 verse 29.
This is the first high priest, Levitical priest which is Aaron.
It says, Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart,
when he goeth in unto the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually.
And thou shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thurman.
That's what we're reading about there.
So it's on this breastplate.
I don't know if they're stones, if they're words, I don't know brethren.
It says, and they shall be upon Aaron's heart when he goeth in before the Lord.
And Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart continually, sorry, before the Lord continually.
So this Urim and the Thurman represents the high priest.
So he says, look, you can't eat of the most holy things.
You cannot be counted as one of the Levites.
You're not on this register until the high priest says so.
So waiting for this high priest to be selected and chosen and everything gets started, then you can be part of it.
Now again, I don't know if this is speaking carnally on the earth or if this is speaking spiritually.
Because as we saw, this high priest that would enter into the holiest is a picture of Jesus Christ, our high priest, that would enter into heaven.
So it might be very well that these people were not part of the physical family until Christ would be the high priest
and then they would be part of the family once again, part of that commonwealth of Israel.
That's possibly what it's referring to, otherwise there might be some physical attributes to this as well, but I'm not too familiar with.
Anyway, verse number 64, Ezra chapter 2, verse number 64.
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and free school.
Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven,
and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six, their mules two hundred forty and five, their camels four hundred thirty and five,
their asses six thousand seven hundred and twenty, and some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of God,
which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in His place.
So I've covered this last, on Thursday, the importance of bringing freely, bringing of your offerings,
bringing, you know, today in the New Testament, the practice of the tithing,
you know, bringing brought to the house of God so we can make sure that the things are taken care of,
the costs are being covered, the preachers are being paid, et cetera, et cetera.
You can see that they're trying to put their work together, their, you know, their blessings together to serve in the house of God.
It says here, in verse number 69, they gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work,
free school and one thousand drams of gold and five thousand pound of silver and one hundred priest garments.
So the priests and the Levites and some of the people and the singers and the porters and the Nephinims,
dwelt in their cities and all Israel in their cities.
And so they come, focusing on the work of the house of God, they're able to also, once they've been gone for the register,
to go back into their lands, back into the towns, back into the cities for them to dwell in.
Now to finish this chapter off, let's just go to Revelation chapter 21.
Revelation 21 and verse number 1. Revelation 21 and verse number 1.
So as they're coming back into Jerusalem, as they're seeking the house of God, you know, the temple as it were,
they're able to finally reside in their homes. Alright?
So we have this spiritual truth for us here in Revelation 21 verse 1. Revelation 21 verse 1.
This is after the millennial reign of Christ, when everything is subject under Jesus Christ,
Christ then gives the kingdom to the Father.
And once the Father receives the kingdom, He creates a new heaven and a new earth.
Revelation 21 verse 1.
And He will dwell with them. Look at that.
And they shall be His people and God Himself shall be with them and be their God.
We're going to be living with God.
I mean, look, you know, we're in the presence of God right now, don't get me wrong.
You know, Christ's Spirit is right here in the house of God this afternoon.
But brethren, truly we're going to be in the physical presence of God.
You know, if God the Father revealed Himself to us right now, we would be destroyed.
We need these new resurrected bodies. We need a new heaven and a new earth.
And God will come in His tabernacle and He's going to dwell with us.
We're going to live with God. We're going to walk out of your mansion.
Oh, there's God. How are you today, Lord?
We're going to be living with God like that, brethren, like our neighbour right there.
Verse number 4.
So brethren, we are headed to New Jerusalem.
We're headed to this tabernacle to meet God there.
And then we can finally rest in our cities, in our towns, in our mansions, in the New Jerusalem.
And it's going to be wonderful having God as our neighbour.
And then He's going to come to our house and wipe away our tears.
Whatever sorrows have been left from the past, all the sadness, the regrets, the pain that we've had,
God's going to wipe it away, brethren. And we're never going to have pain ever again.
What a great promise to come, brethren. What a great promise to come.
Ezra chapter 2, let's pray.