A Book Containing the Records

One of the themes of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah is the importance of keeping records. We see this, for example, in all of the genealogies and records of people that are listed in these two books. For example, the families who came first with Zerubbabel back to Jerusalem are described in Ezra 2:2-60. We may not be very inspired today by the fact that among those who came with Zerubbabel were “Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Begvai, Rehum, Baanah,” but the fact that this detail was preserved shows a commitment to keeping records about people. Another record of the same information, with some small variations, was also given in Nehemiah 7:7-62. Several decades later when Ezra went up to Jerusalem, a genealogy was given of him back to Aaron in Ezra 7:1-6. Those who went with him are recorded in Ezra 8:1-14. Again, it may seem pretty mundane to read that among those who went with Ezra included “of the sons also of Adin; Ebed, the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.” But the fact that they kept this information might inspire us to keep better records of our own families. Once Ezra arrived in Jerusalem he found that many of the Jews their had taken wives of foreigners, contrary to the law of Moses, and Ezra 10:18-43 gives a detailed account of those who had. And then in Nehemiah 10:1-27, we have a companion record of those who made a covenant to not marry outside of Israel. It may not mean much to us to know that Zidkijah, Seraiah, Azariah, and Jeremiah all made this promise, but it is a reminder that God notices the covenants we have made and our name is taken down when we choose to follow Him. The place where various Israelites settled was recorded in Nehemiah 11:3-36. The fact that Athaiah and Maaseiah dwelt at Jerusalem seems like an irrelevant detail to us today, but it is a reminder that God knows where we are and what we are doing. In Nehemiah 12:1-26 we have another long list of names, this one of the priests and Levites that went up with Zerubbabel, and while it may not be very interesting to us that among them was Iddo, Ginnetho, and Abijah, it does show that the priesthood and its rightful authority is important to the Lord.

            Another related passage that highlights the importance of keeping records is the account of those who apparently thought they should be priests (i.e. descendants from Levi) but could not prove it. We read, “And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name: These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim” (Ezra 2:61-63). In other words, a genealogy had not been kept showing that they were legitimate priests, and so they could not function as priests unless a revelation was given through the Urim and Thummim to confirm that they were from Levi. Nearly the same account is also recorded in Nehemiah 7:63-65. The brief story highlights the importance of our own genealogies and records of our families in the eyes of the Lord. The Prophet Joseph Smith certainly thought that records were important when he wrote these words in his letter speaking of baptisms for the dead: “Then, let there be a general recorder, to whom these other records can be handed, being attended with certificates over their own signatures, certifying that the record they have made is true. Then the general church recorder can enter the record on the general church book, with the certificates and all the attending witnesses, with his own statement that he verily believes the above statement and records to be true, from his knowledge of the general character and appointment of those men by the church. And when this is done on the general church book, the record shall be just as holy, and shall answer the ordinance just the same as if he had seen with his eyes and heard with his ears, and made a record of the same on the general church book.” In other words, records matter!

Each of us has the opportunity to contribute to the great offering we will give to the Lord at His coming which Joseph described in these stirring words, “Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand; and who can abide the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap; and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. Let us, therefore, as a church and a people, and as Latter-day Saints, offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness; and let us present in his holy temple, when it is finished, a book containing the records of our dead, which shall be worthy of all acceptation” (Doctrine and Covenants 128:4, 24). That book is being added to every day through the work completed in temples and the family history done by countless people around the world, all of which ends up in FamilyTree. The long lists of names in Ezra and Nehemiah remind us that we have a work to contribute to our own records today that we hope, at His coming, to offer to the Lord.