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Cyrus Sets the Exiles Free
More than a century before the birth of Cyrus, Inspiration had
mentioned the work he would do in taking Babylon by surprise and
in preparing the way for the release of the children of the captivity:
“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I
have held—to subdue nations before him ..., 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.’”
Isaiah 45:1, 2
.
The Persian conqueror’s army unexpectedly entered the Baby-
lonian capital by way of the river whose waters they had turned
aside and through the inner gates that had carelessly been left open
and unprotected. In these events the Jews had abundant evidence
that Isaiah’s prophecy had been fulfilled literally. This should have
been an unmistakable sign to them that God was shaping the affairs
of nations in their behalf, for inseparably linked with the prophecy
outlining Babylon’s capture and fall were these words:
“Thus says the Lord, ... ‘who says of Cyrus, “He is My shepherd,
and he shall perform all My pleasure, saying to Jerusalem, ‘You
shall be built,’ and to the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’””
“‘He shall build My city and let My exiles go free, not for price nor
reward,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
Isaiah 44:24, 28
;
45:13
.
The writings of Jeremiah set forth plainly the time for Israel’s
restoration: “When seventy years are completed, ... I will punish
the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for
their iniquity.”
Jeremiah 25:12
. “I will bring you back from your
captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the
places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you
to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.”
Jeremiah 29:14
.
Daniel had studied these prophecies and others like them. Now,
as events indicated the hand of God at work, Daniel gave special
thought to the promises made to Israel. The Lord had declared,
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