Called to Rebuild by Bob Emery

I just finished reading the book Called to Rebuild –

The Restoration of the House of God by Bob Emery

I would describe this book as a Commentary on Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi and even some on Ester.  I found the writing to be doctrinally sound and written in a devotional style. Bob was able to walk the reader through the story of the Jews returning from Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. He does this while intertwining New Testament scripture and modern day practices within both the institutional church setting and organic church practices. One of Bob’s statements about the condition of God’s people in Babylon is “When a people stop resting in God and trusting in His provision they end up in confusion”.

Bob throughout the book points to the need of a revelation of the person of Jesus Christ and challenges us to pursue this same Jesus Christ. Bob says “God’s work is a work by His Spirit, using our hands”.

Bob lays out, quite insightfully, three specific revivals that took place during the history of this recovery of God’s house.  He also has wonderful insight into the purpose of the writings of Ezra in 1 Chronicles (this was my favorite part)

I am not always crazy about commentary style books but Bob has done a very good job and has presented some wonderful nugets of truth intertwined with true life stories that help bring this telling of the rebuilding of God’s House to life.