CYRUS

 Isaiah was God's prophet to several succeeding kings of Judah beginning with King Uzziah. God allowed him to see future events. One of those prophecies was made in Isaiah 44:28-45:3 "That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel."

 I'm not sure the people understood the scope of what Isaiah was saying here. They saw several of the tribes of Israel taken captive and the remainder paying heavy tribute to Assyria. Isaiah warned the people that although Judah would be taken into slavery, God would use a man named Cyrus to bring the people back to their homeland.

 Ten years went by and they continued to occupy Jerusalem. Twenty years went by  maybe God didn't really mean what He had said. They saw the remainder of the 10 tribes of Israel taken into slavery. Thirty years went by. Forty years passed. A hundred years passed. Surely God had forgotten all about the prophecy He had given Isaiah's. Not even God remembers something He said a hundred years ago, or does He? Oh yes! God watches over His Word to perform it. God was there 200 years later to see that His prophecy came to pass. Yet God was patient with Judah. He wanted them to turn from their idols and serve Him with their whole hearts.

 One hundred and twenty years past. The prophet Jeremiah lived in Jerusalem during the turbulent days prior to exile. False prophets were saying that they would remain in Jerusalem. But Jeremiah remained firm, yes, they would go into slavery for their sins of idolatry. Along with news of judgment, he reiterated a promise similar to Isaiah's. They would return to their homeland. Let's look at the prophet Jeremiah's exact words. Jeremiah 29:10 & 11 "For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." One hundred and thirty years and they were carried off into slavery. I should say they walked into slavery. Chained, they walked all the way to Babylon which was approximately 500 hundred miles. (Make a reference to a popular place 500 miles from your city. It's like walking to Disney World from where I live.) 

God's judgment was sure. They had broken the first commandment "Thou shalt have no other god's before me." But His mercy was just as dependable. Isaiah called a king's name before the child was ever born. Two hundred years before he ever sat on the throne Isaiah prophesied that Cyrus would send Judah back home. Let's look at Ezra for the details.

 A Persian man named Cyrus became the king. In the first year of his reign God stirred up his heart to return the Jewish people to their homeland. 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up."

He said, "God has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charge me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Everyone that wants to return may do so. Those that wish to remain here, should help them build the temple by giving them silver, gold, goods, animals and offerings."

The leaders of the tribes of Benjamin and Judah and all the people God had stirred up to return to Jerusalem prepared for their departure. Cyrus returned all the containers and utilizes that had been used in the temple prior to Nebuchadnezzar bringing them to Babylon.

 Ezra lists the families that returned. What an excited group of movers. God was sending them back to their homeland.

 The priest rebuilt the altars and began the difficult tasks of rebuilding the temple. Everyone from 20 years old and upward participated in the building. Upon completing the foundation of the temple the priest dressed in holy, priestly apparel and blew trumpets. The Levites praised God on the cymbals. They sang together giving praise and glory to God. Many of the priest and Levites were older men who remembered Solomon's temple. They wept loudly as they compared this plain beginning to that of the glorious splendor of Solomon's temple.

 The inhabitants of the land wrote letters to Cyrus, Ahasuerus, and Artaxerxes. Finally, Artaxerxes stopped the building process. But in the second year of Darius God sent the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to the Jewish people. They encouraged the people to continue the building. Once again the sound of hammers was heard as the people began to build the temple. The neighbors were upset and more letters began to make their way to King Darius. Darius searched the records. He discovered that Cyrus had given them permission to build the temple. Darius warned the neighbors, "Leave them alone. Let them build this house of God in Jerusalem." He also sent financial aid, salt, wine, animals for sacrifice and provisions for the priest.

 Satan wanted to stop them from building the temple, but instead it opened the door to the financial means to complete the building. God was watching over His Word to perform it.

 Yes, the people were punished for their sins, but He had provided an escape. A Persian King released and financed the re-building of the temple. Jesus took the punishment for our sins when he died on the cross. You must choose to accept Jesus or reject Him. No one can choose for you. In God's great provision He saw you before you were born. He provided a way for you to be saved hundred of years before your birth. He will not force you to accept Him.

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