CYRUS, GOD'S ANOINTED

SERMON STARTER

          God has used ungodly people to assist Him in carrying out His Will on the earth. Can God use a worldly bombastic, impulsive man who sometimes uses crude language to accomplish His purposes with mankind? Absolutely. John the Baptist was no leotard-clad ballet dancer. He was rude and crude and God used him anyway. The same applies to Peter, James and John. . ."

          In Bible history God has always chosen imperfect people who were simply available to Him. (See my enclosure on Broken People) Are we today in this day and age any different? "All have sinned, there is none perfect, no not one."  The Sovereign God in Heaven is still looking for and working with imperfect men and women today. 2 Chronicles 16:9:

⁹ For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars."

                                                                                                                                                     

          This morning I am sharing parallels in scripture to today's politicians. For example, The ancient story of King Ahab and Jezebel have their present-day counterparts in Bill and Hillary Clinton. ( I Kings 16:31.) The ancient story of the children of Israel's 70 years of captivity in Babylon and King Cyrus' decree to rebuild and restore the Temple in Jerusalem in 445 B.C. is relevant. King Cyrus is parallel to today's President and billionaire, Donald Trump.

Facts:

1. Cyrus' name is mentioned 30X in the Bible

2. Isaiah's prophetic service was 700 BC 150 years before Cyrus

3. God doesn't call wimps and sissies into His Kingdom

4. God can use a WARRIOR to accomplish His Purposes

          Eg. Dwight David Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied                                           Troops in WW2

5. Cyrus trips the trigger on Daniel's famous Seventy Weeks' Prophesy - Dan. 9:24

     ²⁴ "Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To

        finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for

       iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and

       prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.

CYRUS, GOD'S ANOINTED, Intro cont.

 

       Daniel 9:25
      ²⁵ "Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command

         To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be

        seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the

       wall, Even in troublesome times.

 

6. God uses Cyrus to release the Jews from their 70 years of Babylonian captivity

7. They were sent back to rebuild Jerusalem's broken walls and to rebuild and restore Temple worship

8. Cyrus was a true ecumenical allowing the people he subjugated to worship as they chose.

          My sermon this morning is a study of the sovereignty of God to use imperfect men and women, even today's politicians to accomplish His Perfect Will.

CYRUS THE GREAT

 

 

 

 

 

 

January 28, 2018 - Sheepfold Ministries

Pastor Phil Roland  <><<

 

CYRUS, GOD'S ANOINTED

ISAIAH 44:28;1-8

"God has used ungodly people to assist Him in carrying out His Will on the earth. Can God use a worldly bombastic, impulsive man who sometimes uses crude language to accomplish His purposes with mankind? Absolutely. John the Baptist was no leotard-clad ballet dancer. He was rude and crude and God used him anyway. The same applies to Peter, James and John. . ."                                                           Pastor Phil  <><<

 

²⁸ Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid." ' Isaiah 44:28

Anointed, =  מָשִׁיחַ‎  =   maw-shee'-akh - To Smear With Oil

          The Hand of God's Approval

 

I. WHAT GOD DID WITH CYRUS - verse 1

¹ "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-- To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:
          A. God Anointed Cyrus and went before him

              "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus. . ."

                        1. How can God use a bloody man of conquests?

                    2. How can God use a profane man of cut-throat politics?

                    3. How could God call him, "Anointed," "Messiah?"

          B. God strengthened Cyrus' right hand of kingly power

               ". . .whose right hand I have held--"

                    1. Cyrus subdued nations in his time

                    2. He caused kings to give up instruments of war

          C. God opened closed doors that couldn't be shut

           "To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:
                    1. No man gets to the pinnacle of success w/o God's help

                    2. Wealth and Poverty are in God's Hands, not ours

 

II. WHAT GOD DID TO ENABLE CYRUS TO BE VICTORIOUS - v.2

² 'I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.
                    A. God went before Cyrus and his armies - Rom. 8:31

                    ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us,                                                who can be against us?

                                    1. Gates of Bronze surrounded Babylon

                              2. There were 100 gates, 25 to a square side

                              3. The bars of iron kept the bronze gates locked / closed

                              4. The name "Babylon means, "Confusion"

CYRUS, GOD'S ANOINTED, cont. p.2

 

                              5. Babylon was / is the seat of evil

                              6. The Anti-Christ will one day set up his throne there

                    B. God made Cyrus victorious over his enemies - Prov. 21:1

                                        ¹ The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, Like the rivers of

                          water; He turns it wherever He wishes.

                              1. God can choose whom He will to favor

                              2. He is the Sovereign God: He does what He wishes

 

III. WHAT GOD IS ABOUT TO DO TODAY

          A. Like Cyrus, He will go before we His people

                    1. We have been captive to the nation's sins

                    2. We have been enthralled and obsessed by it's richness

                    3. We have His Favor - Ephesians 2:8,9

                                        ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of

                 yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast.

                    4. We are His children - John 1:12

                                        ¹² But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become

                           children of God, to those who believe in His name:

          B. We as a nation have gone the wrong way, but He still can lead

                    ¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and

               pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear

               from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.    2 Chron.7:14
                    1. God will not be your co-pilot, if so, move over

                    2. God blesses and uses the repentant heart

          C. God will remove every oppositional force against you

                    1. He will go to great lengths to get you where He wants you

                    2. God's people have been trapped in the darkness of this age

                    3. He is preparing to set us free in his Second Coming

          D. We have been blinded by the "Mind Blinder" and walk in darkness

             ³ I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret

                places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name,

                Am the God of Israel.   Isaiah 45:3
                    1. Satan and our own flesh has temporally blinded our eyes

                                        ³⁹ Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

                           ⁴⁰ "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they

                           should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their

                           hearts and turn, So that I should heal them."   John 12:39-40
                    2. He has come to take us into the light of His Presence

                    3. Jesus isn't coming on Air Force One, He comes with clouds

                                        ⁷ Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even

                          they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn

                          because of Him. Even so, Amen.    Revelation 1:7

                    4. He knows and calls us by name

                    5. Does He know your name?

                    6. Have you surrendered to Him to be your Lord and Savior?

 

 

CYRUS, GOD'S ANOINTED, Text.

Isaiah 44:28
²⁸ Who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, "You shall be built," And to the temple, "Your foundation shall be laid." '

 

Isaiah 45:1-8

¹ "Thus says the LORD to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-- To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:
² 'I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.
³ I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the LORD, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.
⁴ For Jacob My servant's sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me.
⁵ I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
⁶ That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other;
⁷ I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.'
⁸ "Rain down, you heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the LORD, have created it.

 

 

 

 

Cyrus' command to rebuild and restore Jerusalem was issued 445 B.C.

                    2. Math = 70 Weeks of Years   =          490  Years

                        Command to Restore Jerusalem =   453  B.C.

                        Age Messiah was cut off      =            30  Years

                              (Cross)                                       483  Years

                        Daniel’s 70th Week/Tribulation          + 7  Years

                              (Yet to Come)                             490  Years

 

 

GOD USES IMPERFECT PEOPLE

Abraham lied. Sarah laughed at God's promises.

Moses stuttered. David's armor didn't fit.

John Mark was rejected by Paul.

Timothy had ulcers.

Hosea's wife was a prostitute.

Amos' only training was in the school of fig-tree pruning.

Jacob was a liar.

David had an affair.

Solomon was too rich.

Jesus was too poor.

Abraham was too old.

David was too young.

Peter was afraid of death.

Lazarus was dead.

John was self-righteous.

Naomi was a widow.

Paul was a murderer.

So was Moses.

Jonah ran from God.

Miriam was a gossip.

Gideon and Thomas both doubted.

Jeremiah was depressed and suicidal.

Elijah was burned out.

John the Baptist was a loudmouth.

Martha was a worry-wort.

Mary may have been lazy.

Samson had long hair.

Noah got drunk.

Did I mention Moses had a short fuse?

So did Peter, Paul and lots of folks.      Author Unknown - Pastor Phil  -  2016