Nehemiah and Ezra, what glorious and encouraging books in the midst of Covid-19!

Living in a post-Covid world means a great deal of changes. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah have been the focus of the local men's study I'm privileged to moderate. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah are historical books that give accounts of the returning exiled people of ancient Israel from 70 years captive in Babylon. Over the course of 3 different administrations (Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes) the people of God return to the land of Israel to the capital city of Jerusalem that was ransacked a generation earlier. The temple of Solomon was destroyed and pillaged, and the people's homes laid low. As the people return as detailed in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah there is a rebuilding of the physical places of worship and life in Jerusalem, and a rebuilding and reformation of the people as they discover and pledge fealty to the God who has returned them to their land. 

I can't think of any two other books in the bible that better tell of a people who are...

*In the hands of an almighty God

*Faced daily with new and changing challenges

*Resource intense civic defense 

*Internal disagreement of identity

*External threats of violence

*Repentance on an individual, and corporate level

*Seeing God act in their time as he had done in their ancestors time

*Perceive God at work in the big things and small

*Changing behavior to turn away from previous sinful choices

As debates, discussions, and controversy surround so much of the world today regarding how best to respond and live in the midst of Covid-19, I can't think of a better place for our eyes to look than to God's word in Ezra and Nehemiah. I'm so encouraged during the year 2020 to have been able to be in this study. Maybe I'll have more thoughts on this in the future. I'm thankful that God works through all things.