Chapter 45—The Return of the Exiles
The advent of the army of Cyrus before the walls of Babylon was
to the Jews a sign that their deliverance from captivity was drawing
nigh. More than a century before the birth of Cyrus, Inspiration had
mentioned him by name, and had caused a record to be made of the
actual work he should do in taking the city of Babylon unawares, and
in preparing the way for the release of the children of the captivity.
Through Isaiah the word had been spoken:
“Thus saith the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand
I have holden, to subdue nations before him; ... to open before him
the two-leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before
thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the
gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: and I will give thee
the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou
mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the
God of Israel.”
Isaiah 45:1-3
.
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In the unexpected entry of the army of the Persian conqueror
into the heart of the Babylonian capital by way of the channel of
the river whose waters had been turned aside, and through the inner
gates that in careless security had been left open and unprotected,
the Jews had abundant evidence of the literal fulfillment of Isaiah’s
prophecy concerning the sudden overthrow of their oppressors. And
this should have been to them an unmistakable sign that God was
shaping the affairs of nations in their behalf; for inseparably linked
with the prophecy outlining the manner of Babylon’s capture and fall
were the words:
“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.” “I have raised him up in righteousness, and
I will direct all his ways: he shall build My city, and he shall let go
My captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.”
Isaiah
44:28
;
45:13
.
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