Have you ever felt that you are not in control; like you are invisible in a larger contingency?
God foretold Cyrus’ rise to power 150 years before it took place (Isaiah 44:28-45:1). He brought an end to the Babylonian captivity after 70 years, just as He had spoken through Jeremiah. (Jeremiah 29:10) It was easy to dismiss Israel as a mere pawn in the hands of an empire. The reality was that “the king’s heart was in the hand of the LORD … He turned it wherever He wished.” (Proverbs 21:1) Cyrus was the pawn God raised to power to fulfill His purpose for His people. Don’t dismiss yourself as a mere pawn in the Army. You’re not at the mercy of the military. You are safe in the loving hands of the Almighty. He decides your assignments, your deployments, and your promotions.
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem. And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem'” (Ezra 1:1-4, NKJV).
The content of this article comes from “The Warrior’s Bible” (2014) and is copyrighted by Life Publishers International. Used with permission.
