By Grace: Ruler of Nations
Isaiah 45:1-13;
2 Chronicles 36:22-23
"This is what the LORD says... to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut..."
(Isaiah 45:1)
Let's pause here and review the dates of Isaiah's prophetic ministry - 760 to 698 B.C. Even if Isaiah had inscribed these words toward the end of his service, Cyrus, king of the Persians, would not have been born for over 100 years! He would be enthroned in 559 B.C. and reign for about 30 years. During that time, he was unwittingly Yahweh's servant. God had summoned Cyrus by name
(v. 3b), and had established the work he was to do before he was even born.
Part of Cyrus' foreordained duty was to release the Judean captives from Babylon in 536 B.C. under Zerubbabel. It was the beginning of a new exodus, this one from Babylon and continuing under Ezra and Nehemiah. At the time of Isaiah's writing, Judah had not yet even been carried off by Babylon! In verse 7 Yahweh says: "I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things." Just as Pharaoh was raised up for God's purpose (Romans 9:17), our God rules the nations through men like Cyrus.
INSIGHT
In these troubled times, as nations rise and fall, remember that our loving Father is in absolute control of every event.
READ THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Genesis 45-46
Psalm 23
Mark 3
Isaiah 45:1-13;
Cyrus, the LORD’s Chosen One
1 This is what the LORD says to Cyrus, his anointed one,
whose right hand he will empower.
Before him, mighty kings will be paralyzed with fear.
Their fortress gates will be opened,
never to shut again.
2 This is what the LORD says:
"I will go before you, Cyrus,
and level the mountains.[a]
I will smash down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.
3 And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—
secret riches.
I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.
4 "And why have I called you for this work?
Why did I call you by name when you did not know me?
It is for the sake of Jacob my servant,
Israel my chosen one.
5 I am the LORD;
there is no other God.
I have equipped you for battle,
though you don’t even know me,
6 so all the world from east to west
will know there is no other God.
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
7 I create the light and make the darkness.
I send good times and bad times.
I, the LORD, am the one who does these things.
8 "Open up, O heavens,
and pour out your righteousness.
Let the earth open wide
so salvation and righteousness can sprout up together.
I, the LORD, created them.
9 "What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator.
Does a clay pot argue with its maker?
Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying,
‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’
Does the pot exclaim,
‘How clumsy can you be?’
10 How terrible it would be if a newborn baby said to its father,
‘Why was I born?’
or if it said to its mother,
‘Why did you make me this way?’"
11 This is what the LORD says—
the Holy One of Israel and your Creator:
"Do you question what I do for my children?
Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?
12 I am the one who made the earth
and created people to live on it.
With my hands I stretched out the heavens.
All the stars are at my command.
13 I will raise up Cyrus to fulfill my righteous purpose,
and I will guide his actions.
He will restore my city and free my captive people—
without seeking a reward!
I, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!"
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 45:2 As in Dead Sea Scrolls and Greek version; Masoretic Text reads the swellings.
2 Chronicles 36:22-23
22 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 to put it in writing:
23 "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. Anyone of his people among you—may the LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.’"
No comments:
Post a Comment