The Lord’s Anointed and the Liberator of Zion
Cyrus the Great (Cyrus II of Persia) is one of the most remarkable figures in all of Scripture, a powerful pagan king who is explicitly named by God’s prophet, Isaiah, a century and a half before his birth. He is pivotal to biblical history, not just as a conqueror, but as the divinely appointed agent to fulfill prophecy and orchestrate the Jewish return from the Babylonian Captivity.
I. The Prophetic King and God’s Anointed
Cyrus is unique because he is the only non-Israelite in the Bible to be referred to by the term “Messiah” or “Anointed One” (the Hebrew word is mashiyach). This staggering designation is found in the prophecies of Isaiah, which speak of a foreign king who would act as God’s servant:
“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;” (Isaiah 45:1, KJV)
And again, in a powerful affirmation of God’s sovereignty over the nations:
“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 44:28, KJV)
- Astonishing Specificity: This prophecy, written circa 700 BC, named Cyrus more than 150 years before he captured Babylon (539 BC). This predictive prophecy is a profound testament to God’s absolute knowledge and control over human history, a truth central to The Lord’s Return doctrine.
- The Shepherd and Anointed: By calling Cyrus His “shepherd,” God assigned him the protective role traditionally reserved for the Kings of Israel, and by calling him “anointed,” God designated him as the appointed instrument to achieve His divine purpose.
II. The Conqueror and the Edict of Restoration
Cyrus was the founder of the vast Achaemenid (Persian) Empire. His reign marked the end of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, which had held the Jews captive since Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Jerusalem in 586 BC.
- The Fall of Babylon: In 539 BC, Cyrus conquered the city of Babylon. The Book of Daniel records that Daniel himself was a high-ranking official who likely remained in Persia under Cyrus’s rule (Daniel 10:1, KJV). Many scholars believe Daniel was instrumental in showing Cyrus the prophecies of Isaiah that named him, thereby motivating the king’s action.
- The Decree: In the very first year of his reign over Babylon, Cyrus issued the famous Edict of Cyrus, which initiated the return of the Jewish exiles to their homeland:
“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, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.” (2 Chronicles 36:22-23, KJV; repeated in Ezra 1:1-4)
The decree not only granted permission to return but also restored the sacred Temple vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken and authorized funding for the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple.
III. Theological and Prophetic Significance
Cyrus is more than a historical footnote; he embodies several critical theological truths essential to the Defence of the Truth:
- God’s Sovereignty Over Pagan Rulers: Cyrus demonstrates the truth of Proverbs 21:1 (“The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will,” KJV). God uses the ambitions and policies of earthly rulers—even those who do not know Him—to fulfill His eternal covenant promises to His people. This is a crucial lesson when observing current world events: all governments are ultimately under the control of the King of Kings.
- Fulfillment of Prophecy: His decree directly fulfilled the 70-year captivity period prophesied by the Prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:10, KJV). Cyrus’s life is a physical, historical demonstration of the inerrancy and power of the divinely inspired Word of God.
- The Restoration Prefigurement: The liberation from Babylon and the rebuilding of the Temple under Cyrus prefigure the ultimate Restoration to come. The return from captivity points forward to the gathering of the saints at The Lord’s Return and the final establishment of Christ’s eternal kingdom.
Cyrus, the powerful Persian, stands as an undeniable witness to the fact that God’s plan cannot be thwarted by any earthly empire, and that He will raise up (and name) whomever He chooses to ensure the triumphant conclusion of His prophetic timeline.