Maybe Cyrus is Cyrus: Pray God sends Help

Last updated on: July 31, 2016 at 5:47 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

Maybe Cyrus is Cyrus: Pray God sends Help 2016-07-31T17:47:54-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Cyrus_opt If my social media feed is any indication, a great many Americans are looking for the Persian King Cyrus. God says of this pagan king:

Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and to loose the belts of kings . . .

Here we learn an important lesson: at least one pagan leader served God’s purpose. We cannot be sure who God will use or not use. Americans discouraged with the choices in this election might be interested in the story of Cyrus. God can raise up anyone to save His people. We cannot be sure how Divine Providence will be exercised.

If you find yourself in a powerless situation, like the Jewish people in Persia where only a miracle can restore you to the land, then God will find a Cyrus. As Queen Esther learned, God will put His person in place to save a remnant. God allows for our free choice: if Esther will not save God’s people, then God will raise up someone else and Esther will fail. God will find a Cyrus.

We do not choose Cyrus: we are powerless, but God raises him up. God will find a man or woman to save a remnant of his people. I might not be saved, I might go on to God in difficult times, but God will raise up a deliverer in His time. If you are a prophet, like Isaiah, you might be able to identify Cyrus, but for the rest of us, we follow God’s example and pray for our leader.

Somebody will win in 2016 and we should pray for that winner with all our hearts. We will pray that he or she will do good and seek justice. We pray that they will be better than their campaigns and give the people of God peace. We do not pray for perfection, but hope for redemption.

For eight years, I have prayed daily for my President (though I did not vote for him either time) and for God to raise up a Cyrus in his administration. I have prayed that he be safe. God heard my prayers and answered them as He chose.

He left the choice of my vote to me and to millions of fellow Americans.

Who is Cyrus? We do not know, I surely do not. Perhaps God is raising up a Cyrus in the Democratic Party! Surely that would be no stranger than God using a pagan Persian to redeem his people! It might be that Mrs. Clinton will renew her Methodism and protect religious liberty because God works in her heart. On the other hand, Mr. Trump might turn out to be God’s anointed. He will break the back of injustice and deliver the unborn from abortion. God might use him, if we elect him, to discomfort the wicked.

I cannot say who God’s Cyrus will be for America, but then neither can any man or woman. You cannot vote for Cyrus, you can only vote (or not vote) and pray God helps.

Also possible (even likely!) is that there is some underling, some Esther, that God will raise up to deliver his people. There is also the sadder possibility that God is sending into us”seventy years” of exile and Cyrus is coming, but not in my remaining lifetime.

I will live in Babylon powerless and far from home until I come to the better home. None of this tells me who should get my vote in the next election. God raises Cyrus up and I will be surprised. God’s deliverer might come from the Persian king’s haram, might be the Persian king, or might be a deliverer like Moses who is coming, but that generations of God’s people did not live to see.

God give me wisdom to vote or refrain from voting with integrity. Whoever wins, raise up a Cyrus to redeem your people.

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

July 28, 2016

Adulthood and the Limits of Power

Next Post

July 30, 2016 A Good Man Justifies a Wicked Deed: Grudem on Trump

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which major prophet book is directly after Isaiah?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Lamentations Jeremiah Daniel Ezekiel

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »