Today’s Bible Reading: Ezra 2:21-70; Nehemiah 7:26-73

“These searched for their family records, but they could not find them…” Ezra 2:62 NIV

Researching ancestry is big business these days. For good reason – we want to know where we’ve come from. And this was a serious question back in ancient Israel as well. In today’s reading we see several families who had lost their family records and, as a result, were excluded from the priesthood.

“These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.” Ezra 2:62

What a sad story for these men who desired to serve the Lord. But the Bible makes it clear that all these things happened to those people back then as examples for you and me here today (1 Cor. 10:11). So it shouldn’t surprise us that we see a picture of Jesus in our reading in Ezra chapter 2 today!

God required Israel to demonstrate their Levitical ancestry in order to serve as a priest (Deut. 18:1). And maybe today you would say: “I’m not in any particularly special family (and maybe even a bit dysfunctional).” Well, I’ve got good news for you! God still keeps family records. And when you accepted His Son, He made you part of His family and He wrote your new heritage in Christ in His book of Life! As Believers in Jesus Christ, we have been adopted as children of God and made heirs with His own Son.

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,” Ephesians 1:5

Our "family record" is engraved on our Savior’s hand.

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of My hands...” Isaiah 49:16

Unlike the folks in the book of Ezra who couldn’t be priests due to lost records, God has declared us a chosen generation, a holy nation of kings and priests (1 Peter 2:9; Rev. 1:6, 5:10). Who we are in Christ can never be lost, for it is recorded in heaven, on His heart, and on His hands!