We've all been in Sunday school and church when the Pastor or teacher begins to read a section of the Bible that seems to drag on and on down through a never-ending list of names we wouldn't even attempt to say on our own, let alone make a fool of ourselves in front of other people.
Why do these lists even exist? What is their purpose? Are they really that important? Is there really any meaning behind these names?
Remember, the Bible was written to a specific group of people living in a certain time. Yes, it was written for us and for all of mankind across all ages, but there was a direct context in which the writers of Scripture lived.
Before we ever come to God's Word we must always remember that the Bible was written by the eternal God. He is the Greatest Writer and Author in the entire universe! He doesn't waste paper or ink and He certainly would never use up the page with unnecessary filler information. He does everything for a reason.
A lot of these names may not mean a whole lot for us today, but at the time of writing these names meant something to the readers. The audience knew who these people were. The readers recognized these names.
Do you remember when the apostle Paul referred to more than five hundred people the Lord appeared to after His resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15? Why did he feel the need to say this? Because two thousand years ago when Christ rose from the dead, if anybody was seeking the truth they could find almost any one of these five hundred or more witnesses to testify regarding what/who they encountered.
Lists of names in Ezra chapter eight, for example, are there to bring out certain truths within the context of the passage. Within this section, Ezra is recording those who were faithful to come, how many were willing to join, and specifically targeting the fact that no one from God's ordained priestly line came out in the first wave. Ezra had to send for them directly.
At the beginning of my ESV study Bible there are six pages devoted to naming everyone who contributed to this work of translating, editing, acting as consultants, etc. They do this so that people like me can look up their credentials and know with confidence that this version has been translated accurately and faithfully.
So even when the list is long and the names are hard, always remember that God wrote their name in there for a specific reason and that when we begin to study these names we begin to realize the richness that is found within them. May we always be diligent as we study God's Word.
Final Note: Many of these guys, such as the ones mentioned in the title, must have had a hard time finding their name on a key chain!
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