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In these two companion books in the Old Testament, which span about 100 years, the Israelites are in the process of returning to their homeland in 538 BC from their exile in Persia, known as the Babylonian Captivity. They have endured 70 years of banishment, punishment, and hardship, portions of which are recounted in other Old Testament books such as Daniel and Ezekiel. Having borne such prolonged suffering while being deprived of their religious practices and institutions, the Israelites are in a severely weakened condition. Yet, they must rebuild their society, both spiritually and structurally.
We will learn how the Lord, in His sovereign goodness, graciously restores his people using a variety of means. There are glimpses of how this is a turning point for God’s people as they emerge, less as a nation and more as a little flock, with the makings of a church in anticipation of the coming Messiah.
There is much for us to learn spiritually and practically from these two books considering our present-day circumstances. How can we maintain joy and confidence in our Lord? How do we respond to and recover from setbacks and opposition? How do we stay rooted in the gospel? Our gracious Father always keeps, maintains, and nurtures his people.
Join us in the main sanctuary each Sunday, starting April 2nd, as Pastor Al leads us in this study of the books Ezra and Nehemiah.