The Old Testament in the Book of Nehemiah tells how the city of Jerusalem rose from its destruction during the rule of the Achaemenid Persian dynasty that dominated the entire Middle East. King Cyrus, after the conquest of Babylon, freed the Jews from their captivity, and the return of the exiles began, but this was not enough; the needs were many, and corruption was a common thing in what was the Persian province of Judea.
And it is in this context that Nehemiah appears, a God-fearing man, who made the firm decision to help his people, Israel. Nehemiah served King Artaxerxes, and because he had gained his trust and friendship, he managed to be sent to Jerusalem to rebuild the city with the authorization of the great king.
The Book of Nehemiah relates that this royal official, with the help of the priest and scribe Ezra, managed after many difficulties to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. Nehemiah ruled wisely, like the ancient kings of Israel who were devoted to God, such as Josiah and David, helping the most needy and strengthening the priesthood.
And a very important moment in Nehemiah's actions was when a liturgy was celebrated, and the people of Israel in assembly together with the priest Ezra worshipped God, and these words were spoken: "But you are a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love" Nehemiah 9:17. These words are a reminder that in the face of man's imperfection, which inclines men to practice error, there is the perfection of God, the source of all good, wisdom, and mercy (compassion, kindness, gentleness). And this difference between God and man is the origin of spirituality. As Ezra taught with great wisdom in his liturgy, drawing near to God means drawing near to that progressive, expansive love that disregards past wrongs and is always ready to forgive. For God loves, but He also demands that men allow themselves to be loved. The entire history of the people of Israel was based on this spiritual truth, as Ezra himself recounted in his liturgy, and that Nehemiah also taught through the example of his great actions.
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