Wednesday, April 10, 2019

The Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation; Ezra 1-2

Ezra 1-2:70
In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing:
The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’
Moreover, King Cyrus brought out the articles belonging to the temple of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and had placed in the temple of his god. Cyrus king of Persia had them brought by Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah.
The whole company numbered 42,360, besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 200 male and female singers. The priests, the Levites, the musicians, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.
The policy of the Babylonian kings was to deport the peoples they conquered. But now Babylon has fallen to Persia. And one of Cyrus' first actions is to repatriate the exiled peoples, and allow them to reinstate their national gods. Among those who benefit from the change of policy are the Jews.
Chapter 2 lists the leaders, the clans of Israel, of priests and Levites, of Temple workmen and Solomon's servant. It lists the towns people returned to. the place where their families had once lived. Records like this are an important proof of ancestry, a matter of vital importance for the priests.
Why?
God's word is fulfilled for God has promised 70 years later, Israelite will return to their home town, Jesusalem.
This order was the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm. God is the activator.
The Lord is trust worthy and fainful to his word. There is nothing impossible to Him.
How?
My God is great and his word endure forever! Praise the name of the Lord!

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