Ai – The Decree of Cyrus Ezra 1: 1-4

The Decree of Cyrus
Ezra 1: 1-4

The decree of Cyrus DIG: Was Cyrus a believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? How does Cyrus’ decree strike you (a) Déjà vu (see Second Chronicles 36:22-23)? (b) Usual? (c) Noteworthy? (d) Legally binding? (c) Predictable (see Jeremiah 25:11-12; 29:10)? In what sense is Jeremiah’s prophecy fulfilled by Cyrus? By the “people of any place? By their neighbors? By God? Who moves whom to do what? Compare this decree with its “memo” version in 6:3-5. What is the difference?

REFLECT: Has God ever used unbelievers in your life to affect you? How so? Which factors from Cyrus’ story have also shaped who you are: (a) Building projects? (b) Mercy toward others? (c) Service offerings? (d) Family ties? Explain. What does the polytheist Cyrus believe about the locale of the Lord? What do you believe about God’s “primary address” or sphere of influence?

538 BC During the ministry of Zerubbabel (to see link click Ag – The First Return).
Compiled by the Chronicler from the Ezra memoirs
(see Ac – Ezra-Nehemiah From a Jewish Perspective: The Ezra Memoirs).

And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia (1:1a). The scroll begins with the Hebrew conjunction waw (and), and the rabbis teach that this fact may indicate that Ezra is a continuation of Dani’el. Born in Elam, Cyrus was a Persian by descent from his great-grandmother. Although he had by this time been king of Elam for twenty years, of Media for eleven years, of Persia for ten years, and had now conquered Babylon, he is described as king of Persia, the most important lands over which he ruled. This made the Persians a world power. Dani’el had prophesied that Babylon would fall to the Persians (Dani’el 5:25-31). Darius Once Cyrus conquered Babylon in 539 BC, he ended Babylonian dominance of Isra’el (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Rule Babylonian Rule). In order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah,”After seventy years for Babylon are complete, I will visit you – to bring you back to this [Palestine].

ADONAI stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia (Jeremiah 51:11; Haggai 1:14; First Chronicles 5:26; Second Chronicles 21:16 and 36:22) to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing for future reference (1:1b). The official written document was then given to the communities as proof of the proclamation. Consequently, there were actually two such documents, the first one here, and the second, a memorandum from Cyrus, also known as Darius, to the treasury authorizing the funds to resume the work in 520 BC (see Bc – King Darius Endorses the Rebuilding of the Temple).¹⁴ That memorandum would play a vital part in a later crisis eighteen years later. But meanwhile, the voluntary return of the Jews to their land of promise is the climax of this present chapter.

Seen against the backdrop of ancient history, however, there is little to commend regarding the boldness of Cyrus’ claim. The motivation, at least from Cyrus’ point of view, was merely political. As the long inscription known to us as the Cyrus Cylinder (a lengthy inscription on a cylindrical tablet now in the British Museum) makes plain, the Persian throne returned all the exiled communities without distinction and covered the initial costs of the rebuilding of their sanctuaries. Whereas the Babylonians did what many other conquerors had done; they removed a large portion of the population to their own homeland in order to prevent an uprising, and brought their conquered gods back to Babylon as a trophy. The Hittites took the statue of Marduk when they conquered the city of Babylon. The Philistines took the ark of God and brought it to the temple of Dagon (First Samuel 5:2). Since the Jews did not have a statue of YHVH, Nebuchadnezzar carried off the Temple vessels instead. The Hebrew of Second Kings 24:13 indicates that he cut up the larger pieces of gold to facilitate their transportation back to Babylon (Second Kings 25:13; Jeremiah 52:17).¹⁵

The Persians, however, thought it was better to provide the conquered peoples with a measure of self-determination and religious autonomy in the hope that it would instill a feeling of loyalty. Whereas their images had been treated as trophies by his predecessors, he who restored them to their “sacred cities,” rebuilt their temples and repatriated their worshipers. So if religious motivation was mingled with political cunning it was entirely in terms of his own polytheism. From the famous Cyrus Cylinder the proud words of the proud monarch cry out, “Let all the gods, which I have brought to their cities pray daily to Bel and Nabu for my length of days.”¹⁶

In the book of Isaiah, ADONAI calls Cyrus His “anointed” (see the commentary on Isaiah Ic – This is What the LORD says to Cyrus His Anointed). If Isaiah’s hearers were shocked earlier at Cyrus’ being called “God’s shepherd” (Isaiah 44:28), they must have been even more so at his now being called “My anointed.” This title had previously been reserved only for priests, prophets, and kings of Isra’el. Could God possibly use a Gentile to accomplish His purposes? Yes! That is exactly the point that Isaiah is making. God is not the LORD of Isra’el alone; He is the God of the whole world. Isra’el’s election is not merely for herself, and thus neither is her deliverance necessarily affected by herself. It is this sense in which anointed is used here; Cyrus has been especially chosen and empowered to carry out the purposes of God. In that sense he is ADONAI’s chosen instrument through whom God’s gracious purposes will be accomplished, especially that through him YHVH will be revealed to the world. To subdue the nations before him (Cyrus) and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut (Isaiah 45:1c). The true Messiah will bring spiritual deliverance to Isra’el, but Cyrus, pointing us to the true Messiah, would bring physical deliverance to Isra’el.¹⁷

This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth (1:2a). From this language, it might seem that Cyrus was a believer in YHVH. But he was not. His policy was to please the subject nations that he had conquered and appears as their liberator. To the Babylonians, he said that he conquered them at the command of their god Marduk. So it was therefore natural, that when addressing the Israelites, he would describe himself as the person chosen by their God to fulfill their long-cherished hope.

And He (very emphatic in the Hebrew) 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 Isra’el, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them (1:2b-3). ADONAI had not forgotten His promise to save His people (see the commentary on Isaiah Hu – I Am the LORD, Your Holy One, Isra’el’s Creator, Your King).

But it must have been extremely difficult for those who decided to return to Jerusalem. Most had no homes or property there that they could call their own.

The majority of the [Jewish] survivors decided to stay in Babylon, especially the second and third generation, who did not wish to leave the land of their birth. In addition, there is more than a hint here that many of the enterprising Jews had taken Jeremiah’s advice (Jeremiah 29:5-7) and had become exceedingly successful in their undertakings. Hence, they were reluctant to return to the Land of the fathers.¹⁸ They were to provide the returnees to Jerusalem with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the Temple of God in Jerusalem (1:4). It was this kind of cooperative effort among the early Israelites that enabled the Tabernacle to be build (Exodus 35-36). But God’s stirring did not diminish their required obedience; rather, it merely drew attention to it. This showed that both the exodus back to Jerusalem for the returnees and the provision of the ones who stayed behind, ultimately proceeded from the prompting of the LORD.¹⁹

While we are impressed by the courage and devotion of those who returned, we cannot view those who stayed behind to live out their lives in Babylon as disobedient. Notice that there is no criticism in Ezra-Nehemiah of those who did not make ‘aliyah (immigrate to Isra’el). Those who do not hear God calling them do what others are doing are not necessarily wrong.²⁰

This reminds us of the Exodus from Egypt when Ha’Shem miraculously took the nation out of bondage and had the Egyptians aid them with gifts of silver, gold and clothing. Now YHVH was affecting a new “Exodus,” again bringing His people who had been in bondage back to the Promised Land, much as He had done under Moses and Joshua. The Israelites had been in bondage to Babylon because of their failure to keep the commandments of the Torah that Moses had given them during the first Exodus.²¹

Once more, it was the sovereignty of ADONAI working in the life of the nation. It may have been Cyrus who had issued the decree for the Jews to return to Yerushalayim; but from another point of view – and far more important – it was the LORD’s doing. Like the old Yiddish adage, “Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht” or, “Man Plans, and God Laughs,” despite our most careful planning, God is in control. And in this situation, at no time did God lose control.

From the point of view of the exiles, it was reassuring that God had not forgotten them, nor were they beyond His reach. What a blessing it is to know that even in the darkest of places, ADONAI can overrule politicians and leaders to turn events around to favor the church of Yeshua Messiah! God had a plan, and not even Cyrus could impede it; in fact, he was part of it. From one point of view, these events were the result of human planning and ingenuity; from another point of view, it was the hand of YHVH.

The initiative of mankind and the sovereignty of Ha’Shem are parallel events. Without violating our free will, God ensures that His sovereign will prevail. How He does this is a mystery to us, but it is the consistent teaching of Scripture.

God keeps working out all things according to the purpose of His will (Ephesians 1:11).

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For the One working in you is God – both to will and to work for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13).

Even if pure evil is intended by someone, Ha’Shem may override it to ensure His good purpose, as in the case of Joseph, who said to his brothers, You yourselves planned evil against me. But God planned it for good (Genesis 50:20).

Sadly, the same is true of the crucifixion of Yeshua. Peter told his Shavu’ot audience that this Yeshua, given over by God’s predetermined plan and foreknowledge, was nailed to the cross by the hand of lawless men (Acts 2:23). 

We sin and are responsible for our actions, yet Ha’Shem is not the author of sin, but it’s Judge. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God” – for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desire. Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is full grown, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow (James 1:13-17). 

The cause of Isra’el’s downfall was no accident. The prophet Amos made this clear to the northern Kingdom facing the threatening might of Assyria: If there is calamity in a city, has not ADONAI caused it (Amos 2:6b)? The Babylonian exile itself was the result of Judah’s rebellion. YHVH came in judgment as He had threatened to do (see the commentary on Jeremiah Dy – Wineskins and the Threat of Captivity). God’s sovereign involvement at every point did not negate Judah’s responsibility for her failure.

Confused? Yes, to some extent! How many of us can say we understand this? Our free will and God’s sovereignty are both true. It is an antimony, meaning two things that seem to be opposite, but both are true. For example, the Trinity is an antimony, God is One (Deuteronomy 6:4-5), yet there is obviously a plurality in the Godhead. So even though our free will and God’s sovereignty is hard for us to understand, it is, nevertheless, it is a most encouraging truth. Do you really want to believe that in your darkest hour God is not in full control? No, of course not! We act according to our own will and ability, but at the same time, YHVH acts to accomplish His sovereign will and purpose. And that is a most reassuring thought. In the final analysis, His will is done. The future that God has willed is certain.²²