CYRUS, THE “SHEPHERD.” Ezra 1:1 Jeremiah had prophesied before the captivity that it would last seventy years and that the people of God would then return to Jerusalem. The seventy years would have been the years between the carrying away of the people of Judah, when the "times of the Gentiles" began, and the finishing of the temple in Ezra's day. When the Babylonian Empire was defeated by the Persians, there was a different policy toward captives from foreign countries. Instead of keeping them in one place, the Persians wanted those of various tribes to remain in their own geographical locations and be subservient to the Persians. In that way, they would provide income and also create a safe zone around Persia. If opposition arose, it would affect those tribes before reaching the empire's center. At that time, the Persian Empire extended from India to the Mediterranean Sea.
Daniel was an old man during Cyrus' reign, but "this Daniel prospered" under Cyrus' leadership and prophesied about the end times and the future of Israel. He may have led him to the knowledge of the true God when he was the prime minister in Cyrus’ court. It was a deliberate act of Cyrus to proclaim that the Israelites could return to their land by the will of the Lord. During Cyrus’ reign, Daniel gave some of his most important prophecies, including the seventy weeks of Israel’s captivity.
One quarter of the Bible was prophetic when it was written, and much of it has already been fulfilled. I have read that over three hundred prophecies regarding the first coming of Christ were fulfilled when He was here, and that there are about three hundred concerning His second coming. Some things that most of us know are that Christ would be born of a virgin in Bethlehem, would be called a Nazarene, would be called out of Egypt, and that there would be weeping in the little town of Ramah near Jerusalem. When we read of the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ, there are quite a number of prophecies that are specifically stated to have been fulfilled then.
We are made very conscious of the value of the true prophets whose words come to pass. Preparations can be made for what is yet to come, and we can be kept from undue anxiety over what is happening presently. "The word of the Lord" is never to be considered lightly. It will be fulfilled. When the same words are repeated at different times, what is said is very important.
The first words spoken in Ezra 1:1-2 were not only spoken by Cyrus but were also written. Those same words conclude the historical account of the Old Testament in 2nd Chronicles 36:23. The restoration of Israel to the place God intended will actually happen. The "golden age" of Israel is yet in the future, when, under the reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, there will be "peace on earth and goodwill to men." God will fulfill His word.
We may find it unexpected that the Lord God will use ungodly leaders to bring about divine purposes. But it was the Lord who "stirred up the spirit of Cyrus," and it was "the Lord God of heaven" who "charged" Cyrus to build the temple. When an ungodly leader obeys the word of the Lord, how much more should we, who are children of God, obey the word of our heavenly Father without hesitation or equivocation. Much of prophecy yet to be fulfilled concerns the Tribulation and the events that follow, in which Israel plays an important part. Israel does have a future, even though it has often been very close to annihilation. Ungodly leaders in the future will be used to bring God's purposes to pass, even though they may be unaware of it.