Vol.15 No.2

Cyrus the Great
His name was revealed by God 113 years before his birth.
By Chris Knight

Thus saith the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him and I will loose the loins of Kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight…And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden treasures of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou has not known me.” Isaiah 45:1-4.

599 BC

Darkness covers Ecbatana, capitol of the great Median Empire. Inside the royal palace, guards pace back and forth, and a baby’s cry echoes throughout the palace halls.

In one room, four men whisper together. One seems very distressed. Tremblingly, he describes his dream. The Magi listen, then confidently offer their interpretation.

Astyages, king of the Median Empire, draws back in horror at their explanation. His newborn grandson—a Medo-Persian half-breed—ascend to the throne of his empire, stealing the dominion from him and his sons, the rightful heirs? Never!

The Magi, with a sinister determination, urge the king that if he is to protect the Median throne from defilement by a race of Persian slaves, the child must die.

Astyages summons his chief steward, Harpugus, and orders him to take the child home and slay him.

But the God of heaven has a purpose for the infant and protects him.

Unable to carry out the inhuman act, Harpugus secretly turns the child over to a Persian herdsman and his wife. And the boy, Cyrus, grows from a helpless infant into a fearless hunter. Gaining the confidence and respect of all Persia, he leads a revolt and storms the city of  Ecbatana.

Yet, his conquests did not end with the subjection of the Medes.

In fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, many kingdoms fell into the hands of Cyrus and his Persian army.

(See Editor’s Note.)

539 BC

The sun beats down on vast plains where a moving body, columns of soldiers, follow the winding Euphrates River. At the head of this great, combined Medo-Persian army rides the legendary conqueror, Cyrus. Ahead lies the city which is to be his next spoil—the mighty Babylon.

Spring, 538 BC

After a disappointing delay of one year, Cyrus again approaches Babylon, this time by cover of night. The city is a fortress, surrounded by a great wall which towers 350 feet high, is 85 feet thick, and compasses the entire city. Two hundred-fifty towers guard the wall.

Inside the city, the residents celebrate with drunkenness and feasting. Having stored ample provisions to supply them for years, they are indifferent to reports of the approaching army.

Cyrus knows that he cannot penetrate the city walls and a siege would be fruitless. His gaze rests on the Euphrates which runs under the wall and through the city—his one chance. He and his troops take spades in hand, digging trenches that will flow in either direction on both sides of the river.

Inside the city, no one notices that the water level is dropping. Dark, silent shadows begin to emerge from the now open river gates.

In the royal palace, young Belshazzar, vice-regent of the Babylonian Empire, celebrates in drunkenness with his lords. They even dare to drink wine from the sacred vessels of God’s holy temple, captured during the fall of Jerusalem in 605 BC.

Suddenly, their ribaldry halts. Beltshzzar drops his cup and watches in horror as a fiery hand writes on the wall, “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN,” meaning “God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balances, and art and found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.” Daniel 5:25-28.

A shout of alarm is raised from one end of the city. Messengers race to the king to tell him that part of the city is taken. Medo-Persian soldiers march through the streets slaughtering all in their path. Then, they storm the king’s chamber and slay him. “Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods hath broken unto the ground.” Isaiah 21:9.

556 BC

Cyrus now ascends to the throne of Persia, the Empire of the World. God has subdued all nations before him. But, one last prophecy is to be fulfilled. “That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” Isaiah 44:28. 

Thus, in the first year of his reign, Cyrus proclaims a decree throughout his kingdom. “The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is Judah. Who is there among you of all His people? His God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel (He is the God), which is in Jerusalem.” Ezra 1:2, 3.

Now God’s promise is fulfilled. All the Jews who are willing, return to their own land to build again His temple, to worship as did their fathers before them. “…I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.” Isaiah 44:28.

529 BC

Cyrus, the great emperor of Persia, the anointed of God, sleeps with his fathers in the grave. Yet, from his story, we also see the prophecy of a greater King—the Messiah, God’s Anointed. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.…He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.…To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.” Isaiah 42:1, 2, 4, 7.

This prophecy speaks of One who will break the chains that hold God’s people in slavery to sin; who, by His death, will refute Satan’s claim to hold God’s children in the clutches of death; and by His Second Coming, will destroy Spiritual Babylon, and bring His people into His glorious kingdom to dwell with Him forever.

Sources

• Alonzo T. Jones, The Great Empires of Prophecy
• Robin Waterfield, Herodotus: The Histories

EDITOR’S NOTE: Herodotus and other historians based their writings concerning Cyrus’ birth and early life on Greek tradition. Today, scholars have no archaeological evidence to support the circumstances surrounding his birth, childhood, and geneology.

* Chris Knight is director of the Hartland Media Center in Rapidan, VA.