Topical Bible: Prophecies Concerning Israel: Captivity of Cyrus Decrees Their Restoration

Bible > Topical > Prophecies Concerning Israel

◄ Prophecies Concerning Israel: Captivity of Cyrus Decrees Their Restoration ►

Jump to: Nave's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The prophetic narrative concerning the captivity and subsequent restoration of Israel is a significant theme in the Hebrew Scriptures, highlighting God's sovereignty and faithfulness to His covenant people. The Babylonian captivity, a pivotal event in Israel's history, was foretold by several prophets, including Isaiah and Jeremiah, and was fulfilled when Nebuchadnezzar II besieged Jerusalem, leading to the destruction of the Temple in 586 BC and the exile of the Jewish people.

Prophetic Foretelling of Captivity

The prophet Jeremiah explicitly predicted the Babylonian captivity, stating that it would last seventy years. In Jeremiah 25:11-12 , it is written: "This whole land will become a desolate wasteland, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. But when the seventy years are complete, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their guilt, declares the LORD, and I will make it a perpetual desolation."

Isaiah also prophesied about the captivity and the eventual restoration. In Isaiah 39:6-7 , he warned King Hezekiah: "Behold, the days are coming when everything in your house, and all that your fathers have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the LORD. And some of your descendants, your own flesh and blood who will be born to you, will be taken away, and they will become eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon."

Cyrus and the Decree of Restoration

The restoration of Israel was orchestrated through the decree of Cyrus the Great, the Persian king, who was prophesied by name by Isaiah long before his birth. Isaiah 44:28 declares: "who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, and he will fulfill all My pleasure’; who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Your foundation will be laid.’"

This prophecy was fulfilled when Cyrus issued a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. Ezra 1:1-3 records this momentous event: "In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken through Jeremiah, the LORD stirred the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia to send a proclamation throughout his kingdom and to put it in writing as follows: 'This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and has appointed me to build a house for Him at Jerusalem in Judah. Whoever among you belongs to His people, may his God be with him, and may he go to Jerusalem in Judah and build the house of the LORD, the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem.'"

Significance of the Restoration

The decree of Cyrus marked a pivotal moment in Jewish history, as it not only fulfilled the prophetic words spoken by Isaiah and Jeremiah but also demonstrated God's providential care and His ability to use even foreign rulers to accomplish His divine purposes. The return from exile and the rebuilding of the Temple were crucial in re-establishing Jewish religious life and identity, setting the stage for the coming of the Messiah, as foretold by the prophets.

The restoration under Cyrus is a testament to God's unchanging promises and His commitment to His covenant with Israel, serving as a powerful reminder of His faithfulness throughout the ages.

Nave's Topical Index

2 Chronicles 36:22,23
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, 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,
Nave's Topical Index

Ezra 1:1-4
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, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Nave's Topical Index

Library

Ezekiel and Daniel.
... Prophecies concerning the Restoration, Chs.33-48 ... BC) with Nebuchadnezzar as the leading
king and the one who carried Israel captive ... (2) Concerning a resurrection ...
/.../the way of salvation in the lutheran church/chapter xvii ezekiel and daniel.htm

General Index.
... God, long-suffering toward Israel, 27, 28 ... Prophecies, of destruction of Jerusalem,
21, 22, 25-27, 30 ... concerning first advent, fulfilment of, 344-348, 405, 424-429 ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /general index.htm

The Medes and the Second Chaldaean Empire
... so far been able to glean concerning him shows ... the greatest among the prophets of
Israel"Jeremiah, son ... dictated a summary of all the prophecies delivered by ...
/.../chapter iiithe medes and the.htm