Listen up, little ones
Listen for the name Cyrus.
Reading
Ezra 1:1-4—Cyrus, God’s Anointed Servant
Keys for kids
- Cyrus was king of Persia who defeated Babylon.
- Isaiah spoke of Cyrus, by name, 100 years before Cyrus was born.
- God can use sinners to carry out his will.
Questions
- What do we know about Cyrus from the Bible?
- What did Cyrus do here for the Jewish people?
- How can God use sinners to do his will?
Notes
IAs we noted earlier, the end of 2 Chronicles and the beginning of Ezra are nearly identical, word-for-word. This Cyrus is, as Ezra notes, the king of Persia. God brought Babylon to take the people into captivity for their rebellion against Him. When King Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon in 538 B.C., he issued a proclamation that the Jewish people could return to their homeland and rebuild God’s house. Evers notes that the journey to Judah was the outcome of a decree issued by the Persian king, Cyrus, but behind this edict was the plan of the sovereign God, who was preparing the Jewish race for the coming of Christ, the Saviour of the world.
So, other than the King of Persia, who is this Cyrus? We first encounter him here and at the end of Chronicles. He interacts with the rebuilding Jews throughout Ezra. The prophets Isaiah and Daniel also speak of Him. Isaiah, however, speaks of Cyrus, by name, some 100 years before his birth! This unbelieving king is called by God through Isaiah “my shepherd” and “the LORD’s anointed.” Unbelievable! Both that Isaiah called him by name generations before he was born and that the almighty God would use an unbeliever in this way. But God did. So we must believe it!
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 5a, 84a
Prayer
- Thank God for his sovereignty even over sinners.
- Pray for the preparation for preaching God’s word this Sunday.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.