Have you heard of King Cyrus or Cyrus King of Persia, or King Cyrus the Great and His Calling?

Have you heard of King Cyrus or Cyrus King of Persia, or King Cyrus the Great? He was an extraordinary man from a Biblical and historical perspective. Moreover, he was a man loved by God.

Based on the Jewish Virtual Library, Cyrus holds a special place in the history of Israel. He is mentioned in the prophecies of Deutero-Isaiah, in the Book of Ezra (and at the end of II Chronicles), and in the Book of Daniel (1:21; 6:29; 10:1). In these passages, he appears both as one destined to save Israel and to fulfill for it a certain mission on behalf of the God of Israel (Deutero-Isaiah), and as one whose edict and command served as a foundation for the return to Zion and the erection of the destroyed temple (Ezra). https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/cyrus.

The prophets Jeremiah spoke about him in Jeremiah 29:10

Jeremiah 29:9-10 Living Bible

for they prophesy lies in my name. I have not sent them, says the Lord. 10 The truth is this: You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised and bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen.

Isaiah prophesies about King Cyrus about 150 years before he was born.

Isaiah 48:14 Living Bible

Come, all of you, and listen. Among all your idols, which one has ever told you this: “The Lord loves Cyrus. He will use him to put an end to the empire of Babylonia. He will utterly rout the armies of the Chaldeans”?

Remember all prophecies made by the prophets of God will come to pass.

Remember me for____________?

Nehemiah 5:19 New King James Version

Remember me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

Nehemiah is one of my favorites. Like Nehemiah, we all want to be remembered for the good that we do. We want to be known for the positive impact and influence we have had on the people in our lives.

The Jewish people will never forget Cyrus the Great, King of Persia.

Historical Side Note: Cyrus the Great reorganized and rebuilt an ancient highway known as the Royal Road to facilitate rapid communication throughout his empire. He also established the first credible postal system in history, working on multiple stations which provided the messenger with fresh supplies and horses along the way. https://learnodo-newtonic.com/cyrus-the-great-facts

How do you want to be remembered?

God gave King Cyrus of Persia an incredible calling, and God promised to make way for him to complete his calling.

Isaiah 48:14 The Message

“Come everybody, gather around, listen: Who among the gods has delivered the news? I, God, love this man Cyrus, and I’m using him to do what I want with Babylon. I, yes I, have spoken. I’ve called him. I’ve brought him here. He’ll be successful...

Like Cyrus of Persia, God has a unique calling for our lives too. He wants us to be successful in our service to Him and others. We are uniquely designed, gifted, and called to meet our ordained tasks.

  • Do you know your giftedness?
  • Do you know your calling?
  • More importantly, do you want to know?

I hope you are invested enough in your life that you want to know how you are gifted and your calling or your ministry. They are a gift from God!

–Greek philosopher called Xenophon.

“And those who were subject to him, he treated with esteem and regard, as if they were his own children, while his subjects themselves respected Cyrus as their “Father”… What other man but ‘Cyrus’, after having overturned an empire, ever died with the title of “The Father” from the people whom he had brought under his power? For it is [a] plain fact that this is a name for one that bestows, rather than for one that takes away” – Xenophon

Resources

  • Isaiah 48:14 Living Bible
  • Jeremiah 29:9-10 Living Bible
  • The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
  • Isaiah 48:14-19 The Message The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson

Online Resources

Posted in: Helpful Resources

Tagged as: , , ,

queendjh

Introducing Darlene Janice Harris "I do not want Christ's death to be found vain in me. Therefore, each step I take must count and be purposefully forged for someone's growth toward God's desire and His glory." Experience: Ministry Development, Public Speaking, Workshop Creation.