Bible Word of the Day
Bible Vocabulary
Cyrus (Cyrus II, Cyrus the Great, Founder and Ruler of Persia)
Meaning
Cyrus the Great was the founder and first ruler of the Persian Empire from 559-529 BC. His kingship and founding of the Persian Empire had profound effects on the Jewish people and the world in general. Moreover, Cyrus was directly used by God. Even more astounding is God mentions Cyrus by name in Bible prophecy within the book of Isaiah. God states how He [God] will directly use Cyrus to accomplish His purposes. God says of Cyrus, "he is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure." The father of Cyrus was Cambyses I who was the son of king Astyages. King Astyages was the ruler of the Medes. A more powerful country than that of Persia. And this is why in ancient Biblical history, it's called the Medo-Persian empire. Initially the Medes were stronger than the Persians, however, over time the Persian empire became stronger. So even though it started as the Medo-Persian empire, it quickly became the Persian empire. History claims the grandfather of Cyrus had a dream he would gain power and therefore tried to kill him. However, he was discovered by a shepherd who found him abandoned in the countryside and raised him.
We know from history that Cyrus became the leader of the Persians and defeated the Medes in 550 BC and combined the two empires into one. Several years later he went on to defeat the Lydians in Asia Minor in 546 BC. The country of Lydia had the city of Sardis as its capital. Lydia was ruled by the famous king Croesus. After Lydia, Cyrus then set his sites on Babylon and defeated them in 539 BC. The king of Babylon at that time was the grandson of king Nebuchadnezzar. The grandson's name was Belshazzar. Belshazzar was the son of King Nabonidus. And we can read about this event in Daniel chapter five. We can read how God took the kingdom away from Belshazzar for not honoring God as his grandfather king Nebuchadnezzar did. And it was shortly after Cyrus took reign of Babylon that he, following God's will allowed the people of Israel to return to their homelands and rebuild their cities.
All these events are part of God's plan and play an important role in God's exile of the Jewish people. The Jewish people were commanded by God to give the land rest every seven years. In the sixth year God promised to give the Jewish people an abundance of harvest. And on the seventh year the people were to let the land lay fallow as a Sabbath to the Lord. However, for 490 years the people failed to follow God's commandment. God after the people ignored several warnings sent the Jewish people into exile for 70 years under Babylonian rule. That's when Daniel entered Babylon as a teenager and became and adviser to the king. Seventy years later under Cyrus, God allowed the people to return to Judah. We can read about these events in the book of Ezra and Nehemiah.
"Now 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, saying, Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up." (Book of 2nd Chronicles 36:22-23)
"Now 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, saying, thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who 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 build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem." (Book of Ezra 1:1-3)
"Who says of Cyrus, He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, 'You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid.'" (Book of Isaiah 44:28)
   
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