God’s Hand in History. The Rise of Cyrus of Persia
God’s Hand shaped the journey of Israel’s history. The rise of Cyrus of Persia puts a sharp focus on the remarkable impact on the world from God’s Hand in the history of humankind as well as the Nation of Israel.
In the enigmatic landscape of biblical prophecy, few passages resonate with the clarity and precision found in Isaiah 45. Within its verses lies a revelation of profound significance—a declaration of God’s sovereign orchestration of history, unfolding through the rise of Cyrus, the Persian king. Isaiah, the prophet of old, unveils a divine design where Cyrus emerges as God’s appointed instrument, foreknown and called by name for a remarkable purpose.
God’s Hand installed a Historic leader
King Cyrus was poised to play a pivotal role in history. Through meticulous counsel and unseen guidance, he led his armies with divine favor into the heart of Babylon. Yet amidst the political upheavals and shifting powers of Ancient Empires, Isaiah unveils a deeper truth. God’s providential hand is ever at work, ultimately for the good of His chosen people. In this exploration of Isaiah 45, we delve into the prophetic tapestry woven centuries ago, finding timeless truths and insights that resonate with relevance even today.
God’s Hand in shaping the historical record
Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus II, was one of the most significant figures in ancient history. He is known for his rise to power and the establishment of the Persian Empire. Historians primarily rely on classical sources such as Herodotus, Xenophon, and the Babylonian Chronicle, as well as archaeological evidence, to reconstruct his life and reign.
Cyrus was born around 600 BCE in Anshan, a region in modern-day Iran. He was the son of Cambyses I, king of Anshan, and Mandane, a princess of the Median Empire. His early years are somewhat obscure, but he eventually rose to prominence within the Median Empire, possibly as a vassal king or a military leader.
In 550 BCE, Cyrus rebelled against his grandfather, the Median king Astyages, and successfully overthrew him, establishing himself as the ruler of the Medes. He then embarked on a campaign to expand his territory, quickly conquering neighboring regions such as Lydia and Asia Minor.
God’s Hand in the Babylonian Conquest
One of Cyrus’s most famous achievements was the conquest of Babylon in 539 BCE. According to the Babylonian Chronicle, Cyrus’s army marched into Babylon without a battle. The Bible tells us that was part of the Divine Plan. That surprise assault led to the downfall of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and the liberation of the Jewish people who had been exiled there.
Cyrus’s reign was characterized by a policy of tolerance and benevolence towards the diverse peoples within his empire. He famously issued the Cyrus Cylinder, an inscription that proclaimed his respect for the religious freedoms of conquered peoples and his desire to rebuild temples and restore displaced populations.
Under Cyrus’s rule, the Persian Empire expanded to become the largest empire the world had yet seen, stretching from Anatolia to the borders of India. His successors, including his son Cambyses II and Darius the Great, continued his legacy, further consolidating and administrating the empire.
Overall, historians regard Cyrus the Great as a visionary leader and skilled military strategist who laid the foundation for the Persian Empire’s enduring influence in the ancient world. His reign marked a pivotal moment in history, shaping the geopolitics of the Near East for centuries to come.
Pulpit Commentary
Verses 1-7. – GOD’S WILL CONCERNING HIM ANNOUNCED TO CYRUS. This direct address of God to a heathen king is without a parallel in Scripture. Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Abimelech were warned through dreams. Nebuchadnezzar was even promised Divine aid (Ezekiel 30:24, 25). But no heathen monarch had previously been personally addressed by God, much less called “his anointed,” and spoken to by his name (ver. 4). Three motives are mentioned for this special favor to him:
(1) that he might acknowledge Jehovah to be the true God;
(2) that Israel might be benefited and advantaged by him;
(3) that the attention of the whole world might be attracted, and the unity of God made manifest far and wide (vers. 3-6). Verse 1. – Thus saith the Lord to his anointed. The “anointed of Jehovah” is elsewhere always either an Israelite king, or the expected Deliverer of the nation, “Messiah the Prince” (Daniel 9:25).
Cyrus Not the True Deliverer
This Deliverer, however, was to be of the line of David (Isaiah 11:1), and of the city of Bethlehem (Micah 5:2), so that we can scarcely suppose Isaiah to have seen him in Cyrus. But he may have seen in Cyrus a type of the great Deliverer, as he saw in the release of Israel from the power of Babylon a type of their deliverance from sin. Whose right hand I have holden; rather, strengthened (comp. Ezekiel 30:24).
To subdue nations before him (see above, Isaiah 41:2, and the comment ad loc.). Among the nations subdued by Cyrus may be mentioned the Medes, the Babylonians, the Lydians, the Caftans, the Caunians, the Lycians, the Bactrians, the Sacae, the Parthians, the Hyrcanians, the Chorasmians, the Sogdians, the Arians of Herat, the Zarangians, the Arachosians, the Satagydians, and the Gandarians.
I will loose the loins of kings; i.e. render them weak and incapable of resistance” (comp. Daniel 5:6), net “disarm them” (Cheyne); for the chief royal weapons were the spear and the bow, neither of which was carried at the girdle. To open before him the two-leaved gates. The cities and forts repro-sented on the Assyrian monuments have invariably their gateways closed by two large gates or doors which meet in the center of the gateway. The bronze plating found at Ballarat gave the dimensions and showed the strength of such gates
Let’s dive into Isaiah’s Historical Prophecy of Cyrus in the Bible
Isaiah 45: 1 God Calls Cyrus
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him, to disarm kings, to open the doors before him, so that the gates will not be shut.
Isaiah 45: 2 “I will go before you.”
“I will go before you and make the rough places smooth; I will shatter the doors of bronze and cut through their iron bars.
Isaiah 45: 3 “The Lord calls you by name.”
“I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden wealth of secret places. So that you may know that it is I, The LORD, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name.
Isaiah 45: 4 God’s Hand in Protecting Israel
“For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My chosen one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me.
Isaiah 45: 5 “No God except Me.”
“I am the LORD, and there is no one else; There is no God except Me. I will arm you, though you have not known Me,
Isaiah 45: 6 “I am the Lord.”
So that people may know from the rising to the setting of the sun That there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no one else,
Isaiah 45: 7 God’s Hand forms the light.
The One forming light and creating darkness, Causing well-being and creating disaster; I am the LORD who does all these things.
Isaiah 45: 8 “Let Salvation Bear Fruit.”
“Drip down, heavens, from above, And let the clouds pour down righteousness; Let the earth open up and salvation bear fruit, And righteousness sprout with it. I, the LORD, have created it.
Isaiah 45: 9 “Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker.”
“Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker— A piece of pottery among the other earthenware pottery pieces! Will the clay say to the potter, ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making say, ‘He has no hands’?
Isaiah 45: 10 Be careful when questioning your Heavenly Father.
“Woe to him who says to a father, ‘What are you fathering?’ Or to a woman, ‘To what are you giving birth?’”
Isaiah 45: 11 “Ask me about the future concerning my sons.”
This is what the LORD says, the Holy One of Israel and his Maker: “Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons, And you shall commit to Me the work of My hands.
Isaiah 45: 12 God’s Hand in creating the Heavens.”
“It is I who made the earth, and created mankind upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands, And I ordained all their lights.
Isaiah 45: 13 God’s Hand guided Cyrus to rebuild Jerusalem.
“I have stirred him in righteousness, And I will make all his ways smooth. He will build My city and let My exiles go free, Without any payment or reward,” says the LORD of armies.
Isaiah 45: 14 “God is certainly with you.”
This is what the LORD says. “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush And the Sabeans, men of stature, Will come over to you and will be yours. They will walk behind you, they will come over in chains, And will bow down to you, They will plead with you. ‘God certainly is with you, and there is no one else, No other God.’”
Isaiah 45: 15 As God’s Hand works, He remains the Unseen God
Truly, You are a God who hides Himself, God of Israel, Savior!
Isaiah 45: 16 Idol worshippers will face humiliation.
They will be put to shame and even humiliated, all of them. The manufacturers of idols will go away together in humiliation.
Isaiah 45: 17 The Lord gives everlasting Salvation.
Israel has been saved by the LORD. With an everlasting salvation, You will not be put to shame or humiliated To all eternity.
Isaiah 45: 18 God’s Hand Formed the Earth and Created Life
For this is what the LORD says, He who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it as a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited): “I am the LORD, and there is no one else.
Isaiah 45: 19 The Lord Speaks Clearly to Those Who Listen
“I have not spoken in secret, In some dark land, I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek Me in a wasteland’. I, the LORD, speak righteousness, declaring things that are right.
Isaiah 45: 20 Dummies Carry Around Dumb Idols!
“Gather yourselves and come. Come together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge, Who carry around their wooden idol And pray to a god who cannot save.
Isaiah 45: 21 God’s Hand Directs Biblical Prophecy.
“Declare and present your case. Indeed, let them consult together. Who has announced this long ago? Who has long since declared it? Is it not I, the LORD? And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior. There is none except Me.
Isaiah 45: 22 Turn to God and Find Salvation!
“Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth. For I am God, and there is no other.
Isaiah 45: 23 Every Knee Will Bow, Every Tongue Confess Jesus is Lord!
“I have sworn by Myself. The word has gone out from My mouth in righteousness And will not turn back, That to Me every knee will bow, every tongue will swear allegiance.
Isaiah 45: 24 Righteousness is Only Found in the Lord God.
“They will say of Me, ‘Only in the LORD are righteousness and strength.’ People will come to Him, And all who were angry at Him will be put to shame.
Isaiah 45: 25 Blessed are the Seed of Abraham.
“In the LORD all the offspring of Israel Will be justified and will boast.”
Cyrus the Great. A Remarkable Historical Prophecy
So in summary, Isaiah Chapter 45, unveils a profound prophecy regarding Cyrus, the Persian king, as God’s appointed instrument. Through a series of verses, Isaiah depicts God’s hand guiding Cyrus, promising to subdue nations and open doors before him. Despite Cyrus’s initial lack of awareness of God, he is foreknown and called by name for a divine purpose—to fulfill God’s plan and bring salvation to His people.
The passage emphasizes God’s sovereignty over history, contrasting His power with the futility of idol worship. Cyrus was a type. Jesus is the true anointed deliverer. Through trusting his sacrificial work on the cross, God’s salvation extends to all nations, affirming His role as the sole righteous God and Savior. Isaiah 45 sheds light on the intricate relationship between prophecy, divine intervention, and historical events, underscoring the enduring relevance of biblical teachings in understanding the course of human history.
Don’t miss my series on the four parts of the statue in Daniel’s vision. The Medo-Persian Empire, which Cyrus ruled over, was the second part of the statue in Daniel’s Vision.
Related Content:
Jesus is the Savior, God, and the I Am. Isaiah 43:8-13
God will redeem Israel as a people for himself Isaiah 43:1-7
The God of Israel: Isaiah 41: predicted the future
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The Antichrist
The mysterious man called the Antichrist struck fear in me the first several times I heard about him. The Exorcist movie was in the theatres around that time and I was foolish enough to watch it on the big screen. Since I was scared of the Antichrist before then, I was terrified after watching that sickening girl’s head spin around on her neck, spewing vomit, and cursing those ill-equipped priests who were in over their heads against the forces of darkness.
Yes, I was afraid, but so were a lot of us.
When I first heard about the Antichrist I was a young Christian attending Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa California. The Pastor, Chuck Smith, was an older man who had a strong appeal to the growing masses of young believers who were attending his church. I liked his teaching style as did a lot of us teens and young adults. Every week the church was full of young people like me who flocked to the church.
A disciple of Christ
This book presents to you the teachings of a very old disciple of Christ. The old disciple’s name is Hippolytus. He was an ardent defender of the teachings of the early disciples. He was an early disciple himself, but he was very well aware of the many false teachings that were creeping into the church and affecting the truth of scripture. One of his more renowned writings was called, ‘Against Heresies.’ In it, he defended the word of God and the word of the first Apostles.
Hippolytus lived from around A.D. 170 to A.D. 236. He was a contemporary of a more famous Irenaeus and learned under the teaching of Polycarp and Justin Martyr. He was born only seventy years after the death of the last original disciples of Christ, the Apostle John.
The words and first manuscripts of the early church were readily available to a young eager student like Hippolytus. Reminds me of myself.
He was eager to learn and a staunch supporter of the Bible as the only important document when considering God’s truth.
What I have presented to you are his own words, originally in Greek, translated into English. The subject is the Antichrist, but I can assure you there is nothing about spinning heads or spewing vomit. He uses the scriptures only in drawing conclusions and leaves wild conjecture for us to get into.
Let me know what you think.