In the context of the faith held by both Christians and Jews to this day, King Cyrus  is referred to as a messenger of God, who, through his greatness, succeeded in persuading Babylon to release the Israelites who had been taken captive and exiled to that land. Indeed, he is also described as the Messiah for the people of Israel during their exile. In the Book of Isaiah, it is stated that it was the Lord who sent Cyrus to free the people of Israel from the oppression of Babylon. He was His shepherd, sent by Him to bring them home and restore them. He is also mentioned in the Book of Ezra as the one who ordered the rebuilding of the Temple of God, which had long since fallen into ruin. Cyrus himself was not a king of Israel. There was indeed a king of Israel during the Babylonian exile in the 500s BC. However, Zedekiah, the king installed by Nebuchadnezzar II, did not do what was right in the sight of God. Instead of liberating Israel, he was punished in Babylon. Finally, after decades in exile, the Israelites were freed from Babylon following the fall of that empire at the hands of Cyrus, the Medo-Persian king. However, there are several points worth considering here. Firstly, Cyrus was not from Israel nor of Jewish descent, which meant he was not a king of the chosen people. Nor was he anointed according to Jewish custom. Furthermore, why did God have to use the hand of a king from another nation to demonstrate His power in liberating His chosen people?

 

Who was Cyrus?

Cyrus II, also known as Koresh or Cyrus, was the grandson of King Cyrus I. He was the son of a king named Cambyses. During his lifetime, he was known not only as a wise king but also as a military strategist. He hailed from the kingdom of Ansyan in the region known as Persia. According to Herodotus, the Greek historian, a king named Astyages had a daughter who was betrothed to a man named Cambyses. It was from this marriage that Cyrus II was born. Astyages had a premonition that his grandson would one day overthrow his rule. So he was entrusted to shepherds to be raised. However, Cyrus’s potential was unstoppable and began to show when he was 10 years old. As he grew into adulthood, his talents for leadership and military affairs became increasingly honed. He also opposed many of the Median kingdom’s unjust methods of governance. King Astyages saw this as a sign of rebellion. But at that very moment, the very thing he feared came to pass. Astyages’ reign was overthrown. The entire Median Empire eventually submitted to Cyrus.

 

Cyrus’s reign 

During his reign as King of Media, Cyrus sought to expand his kingdom’s territory. He united all the forces of the tribes across the Iranian plateau. Having secured his position, he began his expansion, starting with the kingdoms in the west. Eventually, Lydia in Asia Minor was conquered in 547 BC. The territories that had been under the rule of the Lydian kingdom, such as Ionia and others, became part of the Median Empire. After that, he reached Babylon, Mesopotamia, Syria, and even Palestine. He controlled almost the entire territory of Persia. However, there was something unique about Cyrus. He did not oppress or force the conversion of the cultures in his territories. There is a rumour that the famous King of Lydia, Croesus, was not put to death by Cyrus. Instead, he appointed him as one of his royal advisers. Furthermore, Cyrus allowed the territories he had conquered to continue practising their own cultural traditions and religious beliefs. In fact, he learnt a great deal about the cultures and new ways of life from the territories he had expanded into. Cyrus implemented a system of government in which the kings of the conquered territories served as advisers or local leaders, whilst he himself remained at the centre of the administration. This was one of the remarkable aspects of King Cyrus, which made him a much-loved ruler. 

 

Expansion into Babylon

During his  conquest of Persia, there was one particularly interesting place. This is Babylon, the kingdom conquered by Cyrus, which leads us today to believe that Cyrus the Great was the Messiah during the exile of Israel. As previously noted, Cyrus opposed excessive oppression. When he expanded into new territories, he ruled through diplomacy. It was not uncommon for many kings to remain part of his administration. Furthermore, he continued to uphold the local values and culture of the territories he conquered, including the people’s religious practices and faith. Consequently, it was only natural that the Israelites were eventually freed from the rule of the Babylonian Empire. During his expansion into the territory of Babylon in October 539 BC, Cyrus encountered no significant resistance. He easily overthrew Babylon. From the regions of Opis, the Tigris and Sippar to the entire kingdom, he conquered them all as if without a fight. It is possible that at that time Babylon was ruled by Nabodinus. Others suggest that it was during the reign of Darius. Ultimately, in that year, Cyrus took control of the Babylonian government. In the first year of his reign, Daniel was still in Babylon. 

 

The Dire State of Israel

Israel itself fell into the hands of the Babylonian Empire during the reign of King Jehoiakim. During those times, much corruption had already taken hold in Israel. Indeed, even during the reigns of the kings before Jehoiakim, the nation had frequently violated God’s commands and laws. The government was not functioning as it should. The nation seemed to have forgotten the Lord, their God, who had always been with them. Around 609–598 BC, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar II, King of Babylon, attacked Jerusalem. Not only that, but the Temple was destroyed, and the entire city was laid waste. At that time, the people of Israel experienced their first exile. Daniel and his companions were among those exiled. After Jehoiakim’s death, he was succeeded by his son, Jehoiachin. The siege of Jerusalem continued. Jehoiachin’s reign lasted only three months and ten days. In March 597 BC, a second mass exile took place, during which King Jehoiachin and his family were also exiled. Indeed, the prophet Ezekiel was also among those exiled. 

Whilst in exile, Nebuchadnezzar appointed Zedekiah as king over Israel there. However, he did many evil things in the sight of the Lord. He also plotted a rebellion against the king of Babylon. Zedekiah was subsequently overthrown. He and his family had to face punishment. His family were put to death before his eyes, and he was blinded.

 

A Long Wait of 70 Years.

The people of Israel had to accept the situation in which they were forced to live far from their homeland. They had to live according to the laws of the Babylonian Empire. This situation was deeply painful and caused them great suffering. Some even abandoned their faith. However, the Lord continued to watch over them. There were some Israelites, such as Daniel and his companions, as well as Ezekiel, who remained steadfast in their faith and trusted fully in the Lord. The faith inherited from their ancestors did not waver. In fact, they came to be regarded as people of good standing, even amongst the wise men of the kingdom. Time passed, and their wait was finally answered. ‘The Messiah’ from Persia, King Cyrus, set out to conquer various territories. Babylon was one of several regions targeted for conquest. It is not known whether Cyrus was familiar with Israel or not. Nor is it known whether it was a coincidence that this Median king decided to conquer Babylon, one of the many territories that had already become his. For Cyrus, he was simply fulfilling one of his missions. But for Israel, this was the answer to a long wait spanning decades. Wow… finally… 

The Command to Rebuild the Temple

Cyrus freed the people of Israel. In keeping with his policies and ideals in leading his expanding empire, he repatriated the Israelites to their homeland. However, he saw that this nation had been utterly devastated. Furthermore, there were already many attributes of the god Marduk present there. The people had lost their identity. He therefore ordered the Temple to be rebuilt. This is recorded in 2 Chronicles 36:22, 23, as well as Ezra 1:1–4; 4:3; 5:13–17; 6:3–5. The Temple of God was built by order of the King. He also funded the entire construction process. He truly had the welfare of this nation at heart. 

 

Furthermore, King Cyrus ordered the release of the articles belonging to the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his god. Cyrus, the King of Persia, ordered all these items to be brought out under the supervision of Mithredath, the king’s treasurer, who counted the total for Sheshbazzar , a dignitary of Judah. Here is the list: thirty gold bowls, a thousand silver bowls, twenty-nine knives, thirty gold cups, and four hundred and ten silver cups, as well as a thousand other items. The total number of gold and silver items was five thousand four hundred. All of these were brought by Sheshbazzar when the exiles were brought home from the land of Babylon to Jerusalem.

(Ezra 1:1–11)

 

Why Cyrus?

Cyrus is frequently mentioned in the Bible. One passage that particularly enhances his standing is found in the Book of Isaiah 44:24–45:25. It is stated that God chose him as His instrument or His shepherd to liberate the people of Israel. But what of his status as a member of another nation? Or indeed, as someone who did not yet know God?

This hypothesis may be worth some consideration; as is well known, Cyrus was a typically diplomatic king. He was also open to the cultural traditions and faiths of the regions he conquered. This could be seen as the path that led him to come to know the Lord, the God of Israel. This is what ultimately inspired him to rebuild the Temple for Israel. But above all else, we are reminded once again that everything concerning King Cyrus is within God’s sovereignty. God wished to demonstrate and make it clear to the people of Israel that whether one becomes a prophet, a judge, or a king, it is all a process that God permits to take place. God shows that He is not merely the God of the people of Israel. He is the God of the world. It is He Himself who holds the power and will to determine who, what, and how His ways and decisions unfold. There are at least three things that are revealed through this liberation by King Cyrus. Firstly, the Lord wanted Cyrus to acknowledge His goodness, just as Pharaoh had also acknowledged it, albeit without believing in Him (Ezra 1:2–4). Secondly, God demonstrates that whoever He chooses is part of His will, intended for the good of His people. Thirdly, God wishes to show, through Cyrus, that He is the Lord who reigns over the world and the universe—the God worshipped by Israel.