A Journey Through The Old Testament - Elmer Towns

Cyrus was an unusual choice for God to call His shepherd, and one of the few predicted
by name before he was born (Isa. 45:1). This Gentile leader led Persia to conquer Babylon in 539
B.C. and the next year issued his famous decree urging the Jews to return to Jerusalem. So
significant was this decree in the life of God’s people that it is twice recorded in the Scriptures.
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: `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.
Who is there among you of all His people? May the Lord his God be with him, and let him go
up!’ “ (2 Chron. 36:23; Ezra 1:2-3).
As one reads the biblical account of this decree without understanding the background of
the times, one might come to the conclusion that Cyrus was a Gentile believer. Actually, if Cyrus
did in fact believe in the Lord, he probably viewed Jehovah as a tribal deity unique to the Jews.
There was a time when critical scholars disputed the likelihood that a Persian ruler would issue
the kind of decree recorded in Scripture, but the discovery of “The Cylinder of Cyrus” has
resolved that question. This large clay monument records a similar decree by Cyrus revealing a
unique aspect of domestic policy in the Persian empire.
Cyrus apparently felt the conquered peoples of his empire were less likely to promote
unrest if they were allowed to live in their homeland and maintain their religious and cultural
heritage. Also, they would be productive on their farms and he could tax them. He presented
himself to his people as a deliverer sent by the gods to return them to their homes. Apparently, he
issued a number of decrees similar to the one affecting the Jews and, in each case, chose to
identify with the god of the people involved. God used a natural movement of people to carry out
His prophecy, demonstrating again how supernatural purposes were accomplished through
natural means.
Zerubbabel had a Babylonian name meaning “seed of Babylon.” He is identified as the
son of Shealtiel (Hag. 1:14) and the son of Pedaiah (1 Chron. 3:19). Shealtiel had no children and
adopted (by levirate marriage) Zerubbabel to have his rights of sonship. He was recognized as
the legal heir of the throne of David (Matt. 1:12; Luke 3:27).
Zerubbabel was also Sheshbazzar (a title, not a name), who was commissioned by Cyrus
to be governor of Judah. He received from Cyrus the Jews’ temple vessels for sacrifice that had
been in warehouses in Persia. Zerubbabel brought these to Jerusalem where the sacrifices were
reintroduced. In addition to the gold, silver, and money Zerubbabel received from Cyrus, he took
up an offering from prosperous Jews who were not returning. Just as contemporary Jews in the
twentieth century paid for other Jews to repopulate modern Israel, the same thing happened in
536 B.C.
Jeshua, whose name was a derivative of Joshua (Jehovah saves), was the head of the
levitical house who reinstituted the sacrifice, hence becoming the high priest. He had the actual
oversight of building the second temple and later read the Word of God to the people, which led
to a revival.
When given the opportunity to return, comparatively few Jews decided to do so. Life had
become comfortable for them in the Captivity; many had roots in the community and did not
want to disturb their lifestyle. Still, a number did return. In all, some 50,000 people made that
first trip back to the land God had promised to Abraham. This number included about 7,000
servants.
After seventy years in a foreign land, it felt good to be going home. Some of the older
members of their group could still remember Jerusalem as it had been before the fall. Others had
only heard the stories of their parents and grandparents of the splendor of Solomon’s temple and