Ezra 2:62

It is important to see that this sort of problem would not have arisen in the early days. Back then, everyone knew who the priests and their families were. This problem could only arise because priestly service had stopped for 70 years, and because of all the confusion that came with the Babylonian captivity. In other words, it was a consequence of the ruin of the people. And, of course, of a certain carelessness in these priests — if indeed they were priests — about keeping their documents together. An added difficulty was that they no longer had the Urim and Thummim, as they used to, which would have let them find out the truth.

In the land of their exile they had not taken the same care about title and qualification. Babylon represents the corruption to which God's people are in bondage through their sins. So the period of their captivity was a time of carelessness. They were suffering under the hand of their God, but it was still a time of confusion and disorder. It had to be, since they were without the temple, without sacrifices, and without the Lord's presence. But now, through the mercy of their God, there had been a recovery... and now that the Lord's house was once more to become their centre, they were right to be careful about the title of everyone who had returned from Babylon.

When the remnant who returned found certain priests who could not show their genealogy, they put them out of the priesthood. This was not because anyone could disprove their claim, but because no one could prove it. No one could decide whether they were really priests. There was no recognised way of getting an answer from God.

The mere claim of descent by the person in question was not enough. In times of ruin, someone who lays claim to a title must prove his right to it. Not that Zerubbabel questioned the claim. That he left to God. "The Lord knows those who are his" (2 Tim. 2:19). But they could only decide on clear evidence.

Long years before, one of their forefathers married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite. No doubt it seemed a very good match for the young priest. Against God's order, the young priest gave up his own name and took the name of his wife. So in Ezra he stands with the name "Barzillai". But his own priestly name is lost. It was lost, it seems, in the desire for worldly advancement, riches, wealth and honour. No doubt he gained all these, and he probably thought the price he paid was very small. But how little he thought that his act, five hundred years later, would cost his children their blessed, privileged place as priests!

They were not told that they were not priests. The ground taken was that their claim was not proven. It might be proven at a future time... Meanwhile their claim was forfeited. Grace could restore what was lost under law; only for this they must patiently wait.

It is essential to realise that the church, as far as its practical testimony and state go, is in ruins today... Under the circumstances, the best course of action is to take account of our weakness and not to pretend to have what we do not have. It must have been hard to refuse those priests. But doing so simply showed that they put God first, not human feelings.