As personal cupbearer to the great Persian king Artaxerxes, Nehemiah lived a life of incredible luxury. Yet, despite his pagan environment, he never forsook the Lord. When he heard of the destruction of Jerusalem, Nehemiah gave up the pleasures of the royal court to take on the seemingly impossible task of rebuilding the city. He knew he could never manage such a crisis alone; his only chance w…
The books of Ezra and Nehemiah tell a vital story of a community revived and restored by God’s grace through gifted individuals―preparing the way for the coming Messiah. In his practical and devotional expository commentary, pastor-theologian Derek W. H. Thomas shows what this gripping narrative can teach us about kingdom life in our own time. In their different ways, Ezra and Nehemiah both…