READ THE SOURCE
SCRIPTURE — Isaiah 44:28–45:1; Jeremiah 25:11–12; Daniel 9:1–2; 2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4
Begin with the biblical record. The research path below follows the connections without turning a chronological arrangement into a sentence Scripture does not state.
THE WORD CROSSES GENERATIONS
SCRIPTURE — Jeremiah had spoken of the years connected with Babylon. Daniel later read Jeremiah and considered those years. Isaiah had also named Cyrus in connection with Jerusalem and the temple foundation.
THE LORD STIRRED CYRUS
Chronicles and Ezra describe the LORD stirring the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia. Cyrus proclaimed that the house of the LORD at Jerusalem was to be rebuilt and that those of the people who would return could go up.
Assyria had ruled nations. Babylon had ruled nations. Persia now ruled. Yet the biblical record attributes this turn to the LORD.
THE DIRECTION REVERSES
Babylon had carried people and temple vessels away from Jerusalem. Under Cyrus, people began moving back toward Jerusalem, and the vessels returned to the story. The road had not changed. The direction had.
The kingdom changed. The word remained.
STUDY IT FOR YOURSELF
Open the passages, compare the events, and follow the connection through the record.
Do not take my word for it. Study it for yourself.