Nehemiah 2:7Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Isaiah’s teachings clearly illustrate that Cyrus, the initial king of the Persians, represents the Lord Savior. He intervened in the captivity of God’s people and commanded the restoration of the temple (cf. Is. 44:28; 1 Ezra 1:1-4). We can also regard Artaxerxes, his successor, as a figure of the Lord. With the same devotion, he decreed the rebuilding of Jerusalem, symbolizing the Lord who constructs a spiritual city of living stones—namely, His one Church of the elect, through the work of ministers. The name Artaxerxes is understood to mean ‘the light that comes in silence.’ Indeed, the Lord embodies the light of life that quietly enters the hearts of believers. Sometimes He brightens their spirits with the sweetness of divine grace, while at other times He envelops them in the clouds of life’s challenges, teaching them through temporary struggles to yearn for eternal blessings.