God always keeps His promises. Developing the ability to remember God’s promises will support you in the dark moments of life.

Return to a Life with God (Jer. 16.15; Is. 44:28)
The historical books of Ezra and Nehemiah recount Israel’s return from her exile to the promised land. This story shares similarities with the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, as described in the book of Exodus. For this reason, it is sometimes referred to as “the new exodus.” Starting this series on the new exodus, it is essential to understand that if you feel distant or disconnected from God, this series will guide you back to a life in communion with Him. Also, if you have heard about God but don’t know much about Him, this series is designed for you, exploring what it means to live in a relationship with God. Just as when Israel returned to God, her worship and relationship with Him were completely restored, in the same way, when we turn to God, our worship and faith life are completely renewed in Him.

God Promises to Always Be with Us (Mt. 28:20)
In Ezra 1:1–5, the stage is set for what follows in both books. The Israelites are captive in the Babylonian Empire. Surprisingly, the Lord moves the spirit of the Persian king Cyrus to fulfill the word of God given to the prophet Jeremiah (v. 1). Ezra’s first sentence illustrates that what is about to happen exemplifies how God fulfills his promises, two specific and transcendental promises. The first is Jeremiah 16:15, the promise that Israel will return to the land God gave to her ancestors. The second is the promise in Isaiah 44:28: “[The Lord] says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd, and will fulfill all my purpose’; of Jerusalem he says, ‘It shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘They shall be laid your foundations'”. Now Cyrus not only instructs the Jews to return to his land, but also urges them to do so for one purpose: to rebuild the house of God (Ezra 1:3). The remaining chapters of Ezra 1 and 2 recount how the Israelites return to their land to undertake the task of restoring Jerusalem and the temple.

Nothing is Impossible for God (Lk. 1:37)
The central message? God keeps his promises! When God makes us a promise, however impossible it may seem, we can rejoice, knowing that nothing is unattainable for Him (Luke 1:37). What are some of the promises He has given us? One is the promise of salvation: if we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord, God will save us from our sins (Romans 10:9). Another promise is that nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38–39). God also assures that he will never abandon us (Hebrews 13:5). Furthermore, he promises that one day, death, mourning, and pain will be a thing of the past (Revelation 21:4). These are just some of the divine promises. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah emphasize that God keeps his promises, which allows us to trust Him. Nehemiah underscores God’s trust when the rebuilding process seems to be stalling. Nehemiah prays to God (Nehemiah 1). When his turn comes to stand before the king, we see that God heard and answered Nehemiah’s prayer (Nehemiah 2), fulfilling his promise when Nehemiah is sent to Jerusalem to finish what he had begun.

God Will Surprise Through Unexpected Sources

Ezra 1 and Nehemiah 2 remind us that God keeps his promises, even though sometimes he doesn’t do it the way we expect. Although Isaiah prophesied about what Cyrus would do, who could have anticipated this? God used unbelieving individuals as catalysts in the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple! Regardless of the piety of Ezra and Nehemiah, if God had not employed pagan rulers, the job would not have been completed. When you expect God to fulfill a promise, don’t be surprised if he does so in an unexpected way or through a source you didn’t expect.