Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezra 1-2.

When Cyrus issued his edict for Israelites to return to Jerusalem and restore the temple of God, most of the Jews who returned were able to provide records which indicated that they were indeed descended from someone who had lived in Israel before the Exile.  As I understand the passage, they were included among those considered Israelites by the returned Exiles, but were not allowed to act as priests (at least not at this time).  I find it interesting that the plan was for a priest to use the Urim and Thummim to inquire of God as to whether they should be included among the priests.  Which tells us that at this time they believed they would be able to reproduce the Urim and Thummim.  Yet today no one is quite sure what the Urim and Thummim looked like (there are some theories, but no actual descriptions from the time when they were in use).  In any case, what we need to note is that while they did not let these people take the role of priest, they did accept them as part of their fellowship.  They welcomed those who sought to be part of God’s people into God’s people.  And they planned for requesting guidance from God as to whether they should be acknowledged as priests.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezra 1-2.

Some years ago I heard a theory that when we look at history, every major world power, every empire which dominated the world provided more freedom for the peoples it ruled over than the one which preceded it.  My initial thought when I heard the theory was that it might be correct.  However, soon after that I was reading this very passage and I looked up some information about Cyrus (and then about the Persian Empire).  What I learned from that research was that the Persian Empire gave more freedom of religion and political autonomy to its subject peoples than any other world empire in history.  I learned that Cyrus, and the kings of Persia who followed him, encouraged the different peoples who were subordinate to him to build and maintain temples to their gods in order for them to pray for his success and health.  Further investigation reveals that Cyrus was apparently convinced that there was a god, or, perhaps many gods, but that he had no conviction as to who that god, or gods, was.  Finally, at least on this, copies of edicts by Cyrus similar to the one recounted here, but about the gods of other peoples, have been found.  Which means that the edict recounted here is likely a paraphrase of the actual edict issued by Cyrus encouraging the Israelites to return to Jerusalem to build the temple and worship God.

All of the above leads to the conclusion that there is no “arc of history” whereby people are becoming better and treating each other better, or whereby each generation experiences greater freedom than the one which came before.  No, as I have written in previous entries, each generation has to decide for themselves if they will serve and worship God.  The Israelites had repeatedly turned from God, so He sent them into exile.  During their exile, they cried out to Him and studied His Law.  God raised up Cyrus and brought the Israelites back to Jerusalem.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezra 1-2.

The passage tells us that shortly after Cyrus had conquered Babylon he issued an order for the Temple to be rebuilt in Jerusalem and giving the Exiled Israelites permission to return  to Jerusalem to build the Temple.  This is consistent with what we know from other records from the time: Cyrus was known to encourage those within his Empire to worship as they pleased and for those relocated by previous Empires to return to their home countries.  Also in his order, Cyrus encouraged those living near those Exiles who wished to return to Jerusalem to assist them financially.  It seems likely, both from the account here and other historical records we have of Cyrus, that he issued this order because he desired for God to be kindly disposed towards him.  As I understand the records, Cyrus was a true agnostic: “I don’t know if any of these gods exist, but, if they do, I wish for them to favor me over my enemies.”  Another way of putting what appears to have been Cyrus’ attitude: “I am better of behaving as if God is real when He is not, than behaving as if He is not real, when He is.”  I firmly believe that God will often guide those who take that attitude to Him to a better understanding of who He is.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on  Ezra 1-2.

Today’s passage shows us that when God moves, He moves all that is necessary to accomplish His goals. When He had sent the people of Judah into Exile, He had also promised to restore them once again.  When the time for that restoration came to pass, God caused Cyrus, King of the Persians, to order that they be allowed to return and rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple.  As part of his order, Cyrus instructed those among whom the people of Israel were living to provide assistance to those who wished to return to Judah.  We learn something about how the Exiles had lived in Exile by the fact that many of their neighbors contributed to the expenses they had in returning to Judah and Jerusalem.  Let us both contribute to those whom God has called to relocate to carry out His will and live so that our neighbors will be willing to aid us if He calls upon us to do so.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Ezra 1-2.

I started out intending to focus on Cyrus, but noticed an interesting person I had never noticed before, Sheshbazzar.  He is only mentioned once in the Bible, although there is a Shenazzar listed in 1 Chronicles 3:18.  Shenazzar is a son of King Jehoiachin, who was taken into exile by Nebuchadnezzar.  There are numerous variant spellings of Shenazzar in the manuscripts of 1 Chronicles, making it not unlikely that Sheshbazzar is another variation on that name.  While the New Living Translation translates the passage as saying that Sheshbazzar was the leader of the returning exiles, the literal translation says that he was the prince of Judah.  Sheshbazzar is not mentioned again after we are told that Cyrus gave him the items taken from the Temple by Nebuchadnezzar.  It seems entirely likely to me that Sheshbazzar was the son (or perhaps grandson) of Jehoiachin and thus the prince of Judah, but that he never joined the returning exiles.

Now on to Cyrus: Cyrus was never a worshiper of God, or, at least, if he was he also worshiped many other gods as well.  Nevertheless, God used Cyrus to bring about a restoration of His people.   It was Cyrus who issued the order which led to the rebuilding of the Temple and the reestablishment of God’s worship in Jerusalem.  We can learn a lot about what God views as a good political leader from what the Bible says about Cyrus.  The writers of the Bible viewed Cyrus as a true servant of God, even though they never viewed him as one of them, as one of the Believers.