Prophesy about Cyrus
2 Chronicles 36 v 22 – 23
v.22 “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.”
v.23 “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.”
- Cyrus was a Pagan king.
- The king of Persia.
- Very relevant in Jewish History.
- He was the Monarch under which Babylonian Captivity ended.
- God spoke by prophesy through Prophet Jeremiah about Cyrus.
- Isaiah 44 v 28
“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.”
- Isaiah 45 v 1 – 3
v.1 “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”
v.2 “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:”
v.3 “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.”
FULFILLMENT OF THE PROPHESIES
- God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, the king of Persia.
- To proclaim throughout his kingdom and putting it in writing.
- That Jerusalem Temple should be rebuilt.
- That the Jews could return to their land for this purpose.
- He actively assisted the Jews in rebuilding the temple in Jerusalem under Zerubbabel and Joshua the High priest.
- He restored the temple treasures to Jerusalem.
- He allowed all the Building expenses to be paid from the ROYAL TREASURY
- Ezra 1 v 4 – 11
v.4 “And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”
v.5 “Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.”
v.6 “And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.”
v.7 “Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;”
v.8 “Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.”
v.9 “And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,”
v.10 “Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.”
v.11 “All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto “Jerusalem.
- Ezra 6 v 4 – 5
v.4 “With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king’s house”
v5 “And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.”
- He helped the Jews to restart the TEMPLE WORSHIP PRACTICES that had been down for 70 years of Jews’ captivity.
- Prophet Daniel showed King Cyrus the scrolls containing the prophesy.
- King Cyrus was known for his advancement of human rights and Military strategy.
- He was a king of tremendous influence.
- He was the king God used to help fulfil an important Old Testament prophesy.
- God using Cyrus as a “Shepherd” for his people validates the truth in
- Prov: 21 v 1
“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.”
O LORD, RAISE A CYRUS FOR OUR NATION IN JESUS NAME
