Cyrus’s story confirms just how precisely accurate God’s Word is, the grandfather of Cyrus, King Astyages of Persia, having had a dream that the baby (Cyrus) would grow up to overthrow him, ordered Cyrus slain. His chief adviser, however, instead gave the baby 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 King 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 (Isaiah 44:24-28) to Cyrus written 150 years before he became king, CALLING HIM BY NAME. Cyrus is famous for freeing the Jewish captives in Babylonia (he did this because the Jewish shepherd family that so loving raise him) and allowing them to return to their homeland, with all their needs PAID FOR by Cyrus.
This is what the prophet Ezra said, “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 (a Gentile) 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. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them…Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god.” (Ezra 1:1-3, 7)
God tells us this about Himself, “I make known THE END FROM THE BEGINNING, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I WILL DO ALL THAT I PLEASE.’” (Isaiah 46:10)
THE FIRST HEBREW WORD IN THE BIBLE IS “BERESHIT” בראשית THIS ONE HEBREW WORD, WHEN BROKEN DOWN, LITERALLY TELLS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING! YOU WILL SEE IN THE NEXT DEVOTION!
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham