God Calls Cyrus
(2 Chronicles 36:22–23; Ezra 1:1–4)
This is what the LORD says to Cyrus His anointed, Jer 51:20-24Isa 42:6Isa 44:28Psa 73:23Isa 41:13Ezr 1:1Isa 45:5Jer 50:35
whose right hand I have grasped
to subdue nations before him,
to disarm kings,
to open the doors before him,
so that the gates will not be shut:
“I will go before you Isa 40:4Isa 42:16Luk 3:5Psa 107:16Jer 51:30Isa 13:4-17Act 1:15
and level the mountains; 1
I will break down the gates of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron.
I will give you the treasures of darkness Isa 48:15Isa 43:1Exo 33:17Exo 33:12Ezr 1:2Jer 50:37Jer 51:53Isa 49:1
and the riches hidden in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the LORD,
the God of Israel, who calls you by name.
For the sake of Jacob My servant Isa 41:8-9Act 17:23Exo 19:5-6Isa 44:1Rom 11:7Gal 4:8-9Isa 43:14Isa 44:28
and Israel My chosen one,
I call you by name;
I have given you a title of honor,
though you have not known Me.
I am the LORD, and there is no other; Isa 44:6Isa 44:8Isa 46:9Jol 2:271Ki 8:60Isa 45:21-22Deu 32:39Deu 4:35
there is no God but Me.
I will equip you for battle,
though you have not known Me,
so that all may know, Isa 37:20Isa 45:5Mal 1:11Psa 46:10Ezk 38:23Psa 83:181Sa 17:46-47Psa 102:15-16
from where the sun rises to where it sets,
that there is none but Me;
I am the LORD, and there is no other.
I form the light and create the darkness; Ecc 7:13-14Amo 3:6Psa 75:7Job 2:10Isa 31:2Amo 4:13Jer 13:16Jer 31:35
I bring prosperity and create calamity.
I, the LORD, do all these things.
Drip down, O heavens, from above, Hos 10:12Isa 61:11Psa 72:61Co 3:6-9Isa 44:3Tit 3:3-6Jol 3:18Isa 11:1
and let the skies pour down righteousness.
Let the earth open up that salvation may sprout
and righteousness spring up with it;
I, the LORD, have created it.
Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker— Isa 64:8Rom 9:20-21Isa 10:15Isa 29:16Jer 18:6Pro 21:30Job 40:8-9Psa 2:2-9
one clay pot among many.
Does the clay ask the potter,
‘What are you making?’ 2
Does your work say,
‘He has no hands’?
Woe to him who says to his father, Deu 27:16Mal 1:6Heb 12:9
‘What have you begotten?’
or to his mother,
‘What have you brought forth?’”
Thus says the LORD, Jer 33:3Ezk 36:37Isa 48:17Mrk 11:24Eph 2:10Isa 29:23Hos 1:10Isa 43:21
the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:
“How dare you question Me about My sons,
or instruct Me in the work of My hands?
It is I who made the earth Isa 42:5Isa 44:24Jer 27:5Gen 2:1Neh 9:6Isa 45:18Jer 32:17Heb 11:3
and created man upon it.
It was My hands that stretched out the heavens,
and I ordained all their host.
I will raise up Cyrus in righteousness, Isa 41:22Ch 36:22-23Isa 13:17Isa 41:25Isa 49:25Isa 42:6Isa 46:111Pe 1:18-19
and I will make all his ways straight.
He will rebuild My city
and set My exiles free,
but not for payment or reward,
says the LORD of Hosts.”
This is what the LORD says: Isa 49:231Co 14:25Jer 16:19Act 10:25-26Isa 61:5-6Zec 8:20-23Exo 11:8Ezk 23:42
“The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, 3
along with the Sabeans, men of stature,
will come over to you
and will be yours;
they will trudge behind you;
they will come over in chains and bow down to you.
They will confess to you:
‘God is indeed with you, and there is no other;
there is no other God.’”
Truly You are a God who hides Himself, Isa 8:17Psa 44:24Isa 57:17Isa 46:13Psa 77:19Rom 11:33-34Isa 45:17Jhn 4:22
O God of Israel, the Savior.
They will all be put to shame and humiliated; Isa 42:17Isa 44:11Isa 44:9Isa 41:19Isa 45:20Jer 10:14-15Jer 2:26-27Psa 97:7
the makers of idols will depart together in disgrace.
But Israel will be saved by the LORD Rom 10:11Psa 25:3Isa 54:41Pe 2:6Jol 2:26-27Isa 49:23Rom 9:33Isa 26:4
with an everlasting salvation;
you will not be put to shame or humiliated,
to ages everlasting.
For thus says the LORD, Psa 115:16Jer 10:12Isa 42:5Isa 45:12Gen 1:2Ezk 36:10-12Gen 1:26Gen 1:28
who created the heavens—He is God;
He formed the earth and fashioned it;
He established it;
He did not create it to be empty,
but formed it to be inhabited:
“I am the LORD,
and there is no other.
I have not spoken in secret, Isa 48:16Amo 5:4Num 23:19-20Jer 29:13-14Pro 30:5Jhn 18:20Psa 9:10Jas 4:3
from a place in a land of darkness.
I did not say to the descendants of Jacob,
‘Seek Me in a wasteland.’
I, the LORD, speak the truth;
I say what is right.
Come, gather together, and draw near, Isa 43:9Isa 44:17-20Jer 10:5Isa 4:2Isa 46:1Psa 115:81Ki 18:26-29Eph 2:12
you fugitives from the nations.
Ignorant are those who carry idols of wood
and pray to a god that cannot save.
Speak up and present your case— Isa 45:5Isa 43:11Isa 43:9Isa 44:7-8Isa 46:9-10Tit 2:13-14Isa 43:3Isa 45:14
yes, let them take counsel together.
Who foretold this long ago?
Who announced it from ancient times?
Was it not I, the LORD?
There is no other God but Me,
a righteous God and Savior;
there is none but Me.
Turn to Me and be saved, Jhn 6:40Mic 7:7Heb 12:2Num 21:8-9Zec 12:10Jhn 3:13-162Ch 20:12Isa 45:21
all the ends of the earth;
for I am God,
and there is no other.
By Myself I have sworn; Php 2:10Rom 14:10-12Isa 55:11Heb 6:13-18Deu 6:13Isa 45:19Isa 65:16Psa 63:11
truth has gone out from My mouth,
a word that will not be revoked:
Every knee will bow before Me,
every tongue will swear allegiance. 4
Surely they will say of Me, Isa 41:11Isa 54:17Php 4:132Ti 4:17-18Eph 6:10Jhn 12:321Co 1:302Co 12:9-10
‘In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’”
All who rage against Him
will come to Him and be put to shame.
In the LORD all descendants of Israel Isa 41:161Co 6:11Gal 3:27-291Ch 16:131Co 1:31Act 13:39Isa 45:17Isa 45:19
will be justified and will exult.