"Now in the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 'Thus says Cyrus, king of Perisa: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And he has commanded me to build him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah.' "
Ezra 1:1-2
Fulfilled prophecy validates the reliability of the Bible. Jeremiah had prophesied that Israel would be released from captivity after 70 years (Jeremiah 29:10), and Isaiah even identified Cyrus by name as the king who God would order the release of the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city (Isaiah 45:13). The Jews in captivity lived in this hope. God revealed Himself to Cyrus, even though Cyrus had not known Him (Is. 45:4), as the only true God besides whom there was no other (vss. 5, 7, 14, 18, 21, 22). God's timing and way of working things out is always right. He can "stir up the spirit" even of those who do not know Him. He has a plan of me and for the world. It will all happen in His time and His way. I live in that hope.
Today's Thought: The God of the universe is in control.
Have a hope-filled day. Love you.
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