Ezra 1:8, 11b, 2:1 & 2:
“Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah…Sheshbazzar brought all these along when the exiles came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah)…”
Thought we could get to know some of the leaders of our returning exiles. It’s interesting how Sheshbazzar is called “the prince of Judah.” The Study Bible said this was probably a Babylonian name for a Jewish official who served as deputy governor of Judah (pg. 635). Zerubbabel (verse 2) was most likely another, probably younger, governor of Judah who presided over the second foundation of the Temple in Jerusalem (3:8-11). We’ll get to know them better later.
Jeshua, verse 2, is the son of the high priest Jehozadak (1 Chronicles 6:15) and served as priest for the exiles. Do you know about this beautiful name, Jeshua? It is the Aramaic form of the Hebrew name Joshua. And in Greek?
Jesus.
It means “the LORD saves.”
I love that. Over five hundred years before our Savior walked on this earth, God ordained that another whose name means “the LORD saves” would serve as an intermediary between the people and God.
Jesus is our Great High Priest. Have you ever contemplated how He intercedes for us? He is talking to God on our behalf.
Everything in our lives is for our good. Everything. When the One Who poured out His blood is the One taking up for us, we can rest secure. He won’t manipulate us. He lets even hard things that happen to us matter. He covers all our shame.
Walking in freedom is learning to walk under the authority of the One Who sets captives free. We are all creatures, created by Another. We did not create ourselves. And we will be mastered by something.
Let’s choose the Master Who washes feet, loves perfectly, and ensures we will never be condemned.