The grandfather of Cyrus, King Astyages of Persia, having had a dream that Cyrus would grow up to overthrow him, ordered Cyrus slain. His chief adviser, however, instead gave baby CYRUS to an ISRAELITE SHEPHERD, whose baby had just died, to raise. When he was 10 years old, Cyrus, because of his outstanding qualities, was discovered by Astyages, who, in spite of the dream, was persuaded to ALLOW THE BOY TO LIVE.
Cyrus, when he reached manhood, revolted against his grandfather, and became King. Because of his relationship with Israel, he had a TENDER HEART TOWARD THEM. And SOMEONE READ to Cyrus (Isaiah 44:24-28) written 150 YEARS BEFORE he became king, CALLING HIM BY NAME. Cyrus is famous for freeing the Jewish captives in Babylonia and allowing them to return to their homeland, with ALL THEIR NEEDS MET by Cyrus. “Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited,’ and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built, and I will raise up their ruins’; WHO SAYS OF CYRUS, ‘He is my SHEPHERD, and he shall fulfill ALL MY PURPOSE’; saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’” (Isaiah 44:24-28)
Isaiah prophesied that God would discipline Israel for her idolatries and that her people would be taken off into Babylonian captivity for 70 YEARS. But Isaiah also promised that He would restore them to their land and that Jerusalem would be rebuilt. What is most startling about Isaiah’s words is that HE MENTIONS CYRUS BY NAME, some 150 years before Cyrus would come to power.
“In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by JEREMIAH, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what CYRUS KING OF PERSIA says: “‘The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and HE HAS APPOINTED ME TO BUILD A TEMPLE FOR HIM at Jerusalem in Judah.” (Ezra 1:1-2) THERE IS NOTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD, WHATEVER WE NEED FROM GOD, HE WILL SEE TO IT…
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham