#594 Cyrus

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing:

2 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. 6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
The Exiles Return

2 Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3 the sons of Parosh, 2,172. 4 The sons of Shephatiah, 372. 5 The sons of Arah, 775. 6 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812. 7 The sons of Elam, 1,254. 8 The sons of Zattu, 945. 9 The sons of Zaccai, 760. 10 The sons of Bani, 642. 11 The sons of Bebai, 623. 12 The sons of Azgad, 1,222. 13 The sons of Adonikam, 666. 14 The sons of Bigvai, 2,056. 15 The sons of Adin, 454. 16 The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 17 The sons of Bezai, 323. 18 The sons of Jorah, 112. 19 The sons of Hashum, 223. 20 The sons of Gibbar, 95. 21 The sons of Bethlehem, 123. 22 The men of Netophah, 56. 23 The men of Anathoth, 128. 24 The sons of Azmaveth, 42. 25 The sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. 26 The sons of Ramah and Geba, 621. 27 The men of Michmas, 122. 28 The men of Bethel and Ai, 223. 29 The sons of Nebo, 52. 30 The sons of Magbish, 156. 31 The sons of the other Elam, 1,254. 32 The sons of Harim, 320. 33 The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725. 34 The sons of Jericho, 345. 35 The sons of Senaah, 3,630.

36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, 973. 37 The sons of Immer, 1,052. 38 The sons of Pashhur, 1,247. 39 The sons of Harim, 1,017.

40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74. 41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 128. 42 The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, in all 139.

43 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 44 the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, 45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, 46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shamlai, the sons of Hanan, 47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, 48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, 49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, 50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephisim, 51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 52 the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 54 the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha.

55 The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda, 56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the sons of Ami.

58 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.

59 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, though they could not prove their fathers' houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, 652. 61 Also, of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). 62 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 63 The governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim.

64 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 65 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337, and they had 200 male and female singers. 66 Their horses were 736, their mules were 245, 67 their camels were 435, and their donkeys were 6,720.

68 Some of the heads of families, when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. 69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury of the work 61,000 darics[a] of gold, 5,000 minas[b] of silver, and 100 priests' garments.

70 Now the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel[c] in their towns. Ezra 1 & 2 ESV

Now here we have in this first part of Ezra, a history written about the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. This is Ezra looking back upon the decree of Cyrus to allow the people of Judah and Benjamin to return and rebuild the temple. Archeology reveals a history of Persian diplomacy that encouraged such practices, returning of exiles and allowing the practice of their own religion, in probable hopes of kings that the gods of other nations would reciprocate. This can be seen in the famous "Cyrus Cylinder" that while Cyrus cites his god Marduk he is also tolerant of other religions. These kings also consulted with astrologers, oracles and were more than a little interested in prophecies. While all that may be interesting from a historical perspective, and I would encourage you to look it up on your own, especially if you are a "skeptic", but here is the real kicker, the interpretation of this passage, the key, and a history before history. Some 150 years before this takes place, before the time of Cyrus, Isaiah writes this:

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.’ ”

Cyrus, God’s Instrument

45 Thus says the Lord to phis anointed, to Cyrus,

whose right hand I have grasped,

to subdue nations before him

and to loose the belts of kings,

to open doors before him

that gates may not be closed:

2 “I will go before you

and level the exalted places,1

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron,

3 I will give you the treasures of darkness

and the hoards in secret places,

that you may know that it is I, the Lord,

the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,

and Israel my chosen,

I call you by your name,

I name you, though you do not know me.

5 I am the Lord, and there is no other,

besides me there is no God;

I equip you, though you do not know me, Isaiah 44:28-45:5 

I see evangelicals sweat and get all up in a froth about who are rulers are or are going to be, and we are told all along to pray for those who have rule over us, love our enemies and proclaim the gospel regardless. Do your part as a good citizen and vote based upon a Godly, informed view of the issues. But, look here, do not be anxious over these things, especially what is outside of your control, but make your request known to God, for who is this great Persian king? According to Isaiah the prophet, Cyrus is God's shepherd, his hire, and so God is not surprised or impressed, but rather sovereign in using Cyrus to His good purpose. God is in control still. Surely then God, You could do this another way, but not my will, but Yours be done. I admit now, that I was not so cold and unimpressed by these things because I was so much a skeptic, for this is only one small planet in the universe that is the book of Isaiah. It was not skepticism that hardened me to it, for this is also the same book that tells about the coming of Christ some 700 years before. It was always a difficult book, especially in light of the rest of scripture, but sure a skeptic would look at it, and then pick it apart from every angle, sticking his fingers into the side and hands of Jesus, but that would be flattering myself. At this point it would be more akin to the devil walking away from the presence of God and declaring that he would somehow ascend to the throne of the Most High. It is at this point the worst of all mental illnesses, that of pride. I can't accept You God because I didn't make You, You don't do what I tell You, and You are not like I would imagine You to be. The created pretending at being the Creator, delusional, outright treason to the truth, the honor and glory that belongs to God alone. 

So how did Cyrus come to know or understand these things? I think that becomes clear when you look at the life of Daniel, of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. There were also prophets alive during this time of the captivity, but Daniel was very close to those that govern and unwavering in his loyalty to the one true God. This is how the wise men came to travel from the east, knowing of the prophecies about Messiah, coming from the line of David.

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. Numbers 24: 17

It is interesting, the contrast between the time the Jews left Egypt and now Persia, which had been Babylon. Cyrus knows enough in the dark to recognize the light of God's words about him, but Pharaoh was hardened by God in his ways, left unmoved and unregenerate, yet "He stirred up the spirit of Cyrus." God, let us realize that You are sovereign in everything and that we should not fret for it accomplishes nothing, but let us trust You and praise You in all things, so that in Your Son's name we pray and believe that everything will be accomplished to Your good will and purpose. 

For aI do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this bmystery—so that you will not be cwise in your own estimation—that a partial dhardening has happened to Israel until the efullness of the Gentiles has come in;

26 and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written,

“aThe Deliverer will come from Zion,

He will remove ungodliness from Jacob.”

27 “aThis is 1My covenant with them,

bWhen I take away their sins.” Romans 11:25=27

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28