Sometimes I am impatient in prayer. Sometimes I wonder why it seems to take so long for God to answer, or whether He is listening at all. But God is listening. God is sovereign. God is in control and seated on His throne. And sometimes—in His mercy—He encourages me with signs that He does indeed hear my prayers and answer them. Do you need encouragement in prayer today? Let me tell you a story of how powerful God is.
After Daniel and the rest of the Jewish nation had spent 75 years as captives in Babylon, Cyrus, King of Persia, conquered Babylon and immediately began returning Hebrews to their homeland, fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy from years before:
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the world of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it in writing also saying, … ‘The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem … Who is there among you of all his people? His God be with him, let him go up to Jerusalem … and build the house of the Lord’” Ezra 1:1-3.
Suddenly after 75 years, God’s people were going to be freed. What kind of conquering king does that? Not only did Cyrus free the Jews, he returned all the treasures of the temple which had been ‘appropriated’ by Nebuchadnezzar:
“And Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jerusalem … all the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred” Ezra 1:7,11.
Cyrus set the Jews free—and returned to them over 5,000 gold and silver treasures to take back to the temple which they would now be rebuilding. Who does that? What kind of a conqueror releases a labor force, and sends them home laden with gold and silver? Cyrus did not even worship God. But God is sovereign, remember? As the skeptic Ben Franklin put it, “the Lord governs in the affairs of men.” God is in control. And God was in control of the pagan king from Persia named Cyrus.
In fact, God had plans for King Cyrus before he was even born. And God stated those plans not only through Jeremiah, but also through the prophet Isaiah more than a century before Cyrus’s birth. And God even went so far as to name King Cyrus. Long before the captivity even began, God actually provided the name of the Persian king who would one day free the Jews from Babylonian captivity.
“It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd! And he will perform all My desire. And he declares of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid’” Isaiah 44:28.
God continues to speak of Cyrus in chapter 45, explaining that God has chosen the king though he is not a believer:
“I have also called you by your name, I have given you a title of honor though you have not known Me … He will build My city and will let My exiles go free” Isaiah 45:4,13.
Isn’t that amazing? What pagan king would set people free after losing soldiers in the battle to capture the land of Babylon? And who would send them on their way with treasure?
Cyrus surely knew this prophecy. His wise men and counselors would have shown it to him, a lengthy and detailed history of Cyrus’s reign written before that reign began. The prophecy in Isaiah is remarkable.
But a detailed prophecy from a God in whom he does not believe cannot explain the king’s generous decision.
What does explain that decision?
The sovereignty of God. God was in control and God’s will was going to be done in the life of King Cyrus and in the life of God’s people. God can change hearts and He can change minds.
“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever He wishes” Proverbs 21:1.
Do you need God to answer prayers for you? Do you need Him to change hearts? Whether yours or someone else’s? He can do it! Be encouraged. Don’t give up in prayer. The same God who can move a pagan king to show mercy to thousands of exiles and send them away loaded with treasure can change the hearts and minds around you. Trust Him. Keep praying. And let Him begin by changing your heart and mind.
“The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever He wishes” Proverbs 21:1.
God, we praise you. Be glorified in us. Teach us how to pray. Change our hearts and give us humility, worship, and greater faith!
AΩ.
Household Words: 