150 years before Cyrus king of Persia is born, God uses Isaiah to prophecy about using King Cyrus of Persia to set Israel free from Babylonian captivity. “And why have I called you for this work? Why did I call you by name when YOU DID NOT KNOW ME? It is for the sake of Jacob my servant, Israel my chosen one. I am the LORD; there is no other God. I have equipped you for battle, though YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW ME, so all the world from east to west will know there is no other God. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the LORD, am the one who does these things.” (Isaiah 45:4-7)
The Jewish people were imprisoned because they did not listen to God. God told them He alone would protect them from their enemies. The Jewish king Zedekiah should not make an alliance with any other nation. Did he listen? No. He signed an alliance with Egypt. The enraged Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt and COMPLETELY DESTROYED JERUSALEM AND THEIR TEMPLE. He took thousands of Jews, along with all the sacred temple vessels, into captivity in Babylon (present day Iraq). Upon surveying this new addition to his kingdom, Cyrus wondered why all these Jews were here. Fortunately, one of his advisers was none other than THE GREAT PROPHET DANIEL who went into the Babylonian exile 70 years earlier. Daniel told Cyrus that a prophecy was written specifically about him 150 years before he was born. “This is what the LORD says to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut…” (Isa. 45:1)
Daniel convinced Cyrus that he was chosen by God to free the Jews. Cyrus not only freed the Jews, but gave them gifts of gold, silver and returned the temple vessels for worship. He even allowed the departing Jews to cut down his own royal trees to rebuild their temple. God said, “I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose…” (Isa. 45:13) God said, “Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I DO WHATEVER I WISH.” (Isa. 46:10)
The enraged Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt and COMPLETELY DESTROYED JERUSALEM AND THEIR TEMPLE. He took thousands of Jews, along with all the sacred temple vessels, into captivity in Babylon (present day Iraq). Upon surveying this new addition to his kingdom, Cyrus wondered why ALL THESE JEWS WERE HERE. Fortunately, one of his advisers was none other than the GREAT PROPHET DANIEL who went into the Babylonian exile 70 years earlier. Daniel told Cyrus that a prophecy was written specifically about him 150 years before he was born. “This is what the LORD says to his anointed, TO CYRUS…” (Isa. 45:1)
Daniel convinced Cyrus that he was chosen by God to free the Jews. Cyrus not only freed the Jews, but gave them gifts of gold, silver and returned the temple vessels for worship. He even allowed the departing Jews to cut down his own royal trees to rebuild their temple. There is NOTHING God cannot fix, no problem too big for Him – EXCEPT FOR OUR UNBELIEF!!! So we need to pray and ask God TO HELP our unbelief…
-Bill Stockham