Scripture Blog

This weblog is my personal online scripture journal. I try to read the scriptures each morning as I exercise on my cross-trainer. It has a great impact on my life and my testimony of the Savior and his restored church. The journal is really for my own benefit but I have set it up as a web log in hopes to benefit anyone else that may be interested. "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost..." 1 Nephi 10:19

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Ezra 1

Ezra began his record with the revelation of Jeremiah -

"NOW in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled..." (Old Testament | Ezra 1:1)

Jeremiah had prophecied -

"...this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12 ΒΆ And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations." (Old Testament | Jeremiah 25:11 - 12)

So in the first year of the reign of the King of Persia that -

"...the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, 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 in Judah.
3 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.
4 And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem." (Old Testament | Ezra 1:1 - 4)

What is even more profound but not necessarily mentioned by Ezra was the prophecy of Isaiah years before -

"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..." (Old Testament | Isaiah 45:1)

I don't even know if Cyrus was born yet at the time of this prophecy. It is hard to believe that the remnants of Judah did not open the prophecy to Cyrus himself. It must have been quite startling to him.

posted by Jason | 8:56 AM