Daily Devotions
Isaiah
"To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held"
Text: Isaiah 45:1
A WORD TO KING CYRUS
This was an amazing prophetic word. This was proclaimed and written long before Cyrus was even born!
“Thus says the LORD to His anointed,
To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held—
To subdue nations before him
And loose the armour of kings,
To open before him the double doors,
So that the gates will not be shut:
‘I will go before you
And make the crooked places straight;
I will break in pieces the gates of bronze
And cut the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness
And hidden riches of secret places,
That you may know that I, the LORD,
Who call you by your name,
Am the God of Israel.'”
Isaiah 45:1-3
1. Cyrus in the Plan of God.
a) God had “anointed” him for a special reason.
b) The work assigned to Cyrus:
i) He will be upheld by God.
ii) He will subdue nations.
iii) He will “loose the armour of kings” (He will disarm them).
iv) He will open city gates that have “double doors” (security reasons).
2. God’s Involvement.
a) He will go before Cyrus.
b) He will make straight all roads for his army to march on.
c) Gates of bronze and iron will not be able to stand up to Cyrus.
d) All the gates would be opened to him.
3. Cyrus would have many victories.
a) He would have hidden treasures presented to him.
b) He would conquer the Babylonian empire.
4. The Identity of God revealed.
a) The success of Cyrus is not due to his gods.
b) It is the LORD God of Israel who would make all these things happen.
c) Cyrus would acknowledge that the LORD God of Israel had called him
and anointed him to do His bidding.