THEOSISBeda Venerabilis
Ancient narratives, in alignment with the messages of the prophet Daniel (Dan. 5:30), recount that Cyrus, the Persian monarch, allied with Darius, the Mede, brought about the downfall of the Babylonian empire by executing Belshazzar, its final ruler, obliterating the city, and laying waste to its land. Recognizing that this dominion had been bestowed upon him by the God of Israel upon his victory over the empire that had oppressed the Israelites, Cyrus granted the Jewish people the right to return to their native land to reconstruct their temple, which had been consumed by flames. He communicated this proclamation not only to those present but also sent edicts across the regions of his realm, publicly declaring that the God of Israel is the true Sovereign and Creator of all kingdoms.
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The holy prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah, had clearly predicted the unfolding of these events. Jeremiah even specified the duration of the Israelites' captivity in Babylon, as well as the time for their return home, and Isaiah uniquely revealed the name of King Cyrus, who would liberate them and permit them to rebuild the temple. Jeremiah stated, "Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all those whom I have led into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and dwell in them. For thus says the Lord of Hosts: When seventy years are fulfilled in Babylon, I will come to you and lift up my voice over you and return you to that place" (Jer. 29:4-5, 10). Isaiah proclaimed, "Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer and Creator from the womb, ‘I am the Lord who creates all things'" (Is. 44:24), and shortly thereafter added, "I who say to the deep, 'Desolate yourself, and I will dry up your rivers.’ I who say to Cyrus, 'You are my shepherd and you will do all my will.' I who say to Jerusalem, 'You shall be built,' and to the temple, 'Your foundation shall be laid'" (Isaiah 44:27-28).
Thus speaks the LORD to my anointed Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken to subdue nations before him, to overthrow kings, and to open doors such that gates shall not be closed: I will go before you and level great lands; I will break down gates of bronze and shatter iron bars. I will give you hidden treasures and secrets of mysteries so that you may know that I, who call your name, am the Lord, the God of Israel. For the sake of Jacob my servant and Israel my chosen, I called you by name and made you as them, though you did not know Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me. I have empowered you, but you have not acknowledged Me" (Isaiah 45:1-5).
From this prophecy of Isaiah, it is evident that King Cyrus had a deep regard for the children of Israel, releasing them from bondage, sending them home, and urging them to reconstruct the house of the Lord because he was aware that their prophets had prophesied, through the Spirit of God, about his reign and the downfall of the Babylonian empire. These prophets specified the manner of Cyrus' assault on Babylon, as Isaiah mentioned: "I who say to the deep, 'Empty yourselves, and I will dry up your rivers'" (Is. 44:27), while Jeremiah declared, "This very wall of Babylon, though very broad, shall be destroyed, and its high gates shall be set on fire" (Jer. 51:58). It is said that the enemy infiltrated Babylon via the abandoned channel of the Euphrates River, which flows through the city and had been diverted into numerous minor channels.
This captures the historical context briefly. In a mystical interpretation, however, King Cyrus symbolically represents the Lord Savior both in name and action. This understanding is not merely speculative but is clarified through the explicit words of Isaiah, where it is stated in the name of the Lord, "I have made you like unto Him, though you did not know Me" (Isaiah 45:4). God crafted Cyrus to reflect His Son—although Cyrus himself was unaware of the God who chose him—first by calling him His anointed (Isaiah 45:1), and then by predestining that he would be named Cyrus, translating to 'heir.' This terminology resonates well with the one to whom God the Father declares, "Ask of me, and I will give you nations for an inheritance" (Ps. 2:8), of whom the apostle professes, "Whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the world" (Heb. 1:2). When He manifested in the flesh, even His adversaries remarked, "Behold the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours" (Mk. 12:7).
Moreover, just as God the Father subdued the nations before Cyrus, humbled kings, breached bronze gates, and broke through iron gates—symbolizing Babylon and other cities conquered by Cyrus—He granted him hidden treasures and unknown riches (cf. Is. 45:1-3). In these actions, God made Cyrus a portrayal of our Lord and Savior. For when the apostles spread the Gospel, our Lord subdued all nations, asserting authority over earthly rulers and educators of secular thought; He dismantled the gates of hell to rescue His elect from the dominion of darkness, guiding them towards the liberty of the heavenly kingdom. He refuted the falsehoods of the pagan nations, using the humble to dismantle doctrines anchored in human reasoning, so that, following this correction, He could reveal the light of His faith and truth, in which all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are concealed (Col. 2:3). Our Lord, in His divine nature, possessed these treasures eternally from the Father; yet, upon assuming human nature, He certainly received them from the moment He became man. Consequently, the Lord likened Cyrus to His only begotten Son, our God and Lord Jesus Christ. Just as Cyrus liberated the people of God by dismantling the Chaldean kingdom, allowing them to return home and initiating the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem—with deliberate written declarations to fulfill the prophecies of Jeremiah—so too does the Mediator between God and mankind (1 Tim. 2:5, cf. Jn. 11:52) destroy the stronghold of the devil over the world, redeeming His scattered elect from the tyranny of evil and uniting them within His Church. This Church is justified by faith in the present and has peace with God through Christ (cf. Rom. 5:1), while it eagerly anticipates the eternal vision of peace, as Jerusalem signifies ‘the vision of peace.’ He also revitalizes the temple that had been set ablaze by restoring faith to those who had wavered due to ancient adversities, making them a fitting dwelling for His presence. Moreover, He sent forth sacred scriptures to the world to declare faith in His name and the hope of salvation to all who belong to His kingdom, encompassing all the elect. Not only Jeremiah, but all the prophets universally prophesied that these events would unfold, in alignment with His declarations to His disciples: "For all that is written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled" (Luke 24:44). The Lord inspired the spirit of Cyrus, king of the Persians, enabling him to acknowledge the sovereignty and providence of the God of Israel and accomplish the prophetic Scriptures regarding him. In the Gospel, the Lord informs the Jews: "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself, but speak what the Father has taught Me" (John 8:28).
Cyrus’ declaration in his letter, “The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth,” shows his correct recognition that the Lord God of Israel is indeed the God of heaven, for he understood that he himself possessed authority over all kingdoms and could grant them to whomever he wished. However, his assertion that all the kingdoms had been handed to him by God seems less credible, unless we consider that, at the time he penned these words, there was no one to challenge him; or, indeed, after having conquered, destroyed, and ended the reign of such a formidable and ancient empire as the Chaldeans, he believed that no one in the world could oppose his might. Nevertheless, this expression aligns with the greatness of Him who proclaimed, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me" (Matthew 28:18).