Cyrus, the Lord’s Anointed (29th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

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This remarkable prophecy tells of Cyrus, king of Persia, liberating the people of Judah from exile in Babylon and restoring them to their land. Because Cyrus lived hundreds of years after the prophet Isaiah, skeptics of the Bible see this prophecy as evidence that this passage must have been written long after Isaiah, during the Persian period, by a pseudonymous author writing in Isaiah's name. However, if one believes that it is possible to receive predictive prophecy from God, then such a postulate isn't necessary. God can speak to circumstances long before they actually happen, and we see Him doing precisely that through the prophet Isaiah.

Cyrus was a king of the Persian Achaemenid Dynasty. Ruling from Pasargadae (in modern day Iran), the Achaemenids swept through the Ancient Near East and took over other kingdoms, such as the weakening Babylonian Empire, which was already losing power at this time. Many peoples came under their rule, including the Jews. The policy of the Achaemenids was to tolerate the different cultures and religions of these conquered peoples, allowing them to practice their faith freely. This was a godsend to the Jews, as it allowed them to worship God without interruption or persecution.

Although king Cyrus was not a Jew, this does not prevent God from using him as an agent for accomplishing His will. Through him, the Jews were liberated from their captivity and were able to return to the promised land and rebuild their temple. What this shows us is that God can work sovereignly through anyone to accomplish His plans.

This can also apply to our civil leaders, since God has allowed them to occupy their positions of authority (Romans 13). We can, therefore, see the hand of God in the affairs that are taking place around us, and trust that whatever is happening, even if it doesn't seem like it, God is working all things for our spiritual benefit, just as He had promised (Romans 8:28).

J. Luis Dizon