I. TYPIFIED BY CYRUS THE KING OF PERSIA
Cyrus was raised up by Jehovah (Isa. 41:2a, 25a; 45:13a; Acts 3:26a), anointed by Jehovah (Isa. 45:1a; Luke 4:18a), and loved by Jehovah (48:14b; Matt. 3:17). He did God’s pleasure on Babylon, symbolizing the Roman Catholic Church in Revelation 17. He was God’s counselor (Isa. 46:11b; Heb. 10:7) to subdue the nations and have dominion over the kings (Isa. 41:2b, 25c; 45:1b; Ezra 1:2a; Acts 5:31a; Rev. 1:5a). He was also Jehovah’s shepherd for the fulfilling of His desire in building up the city (symbolizing the kingdom) and the temple of God and in releasing God’s captives (Isa. 44:28; 45:13b; Ezra 1:2-3; John 10:11; 5:30b; 2:19; Luke 4:18b). In all of the above aspects, Cyrus was a type of Christ as the Servant of Jehovah.
Isaiah tells us that Cyrus was the one whom God chose, whom God raised up, whom God called, whom God anointed, whom God loved, and the one who would do God’s pleasure to make God happy all the time. He was loved by God and worked to please God, to do God’s good pleasure. God’s good pleasure is His people, Israel. Israel was God’s counterpart. Jeremiah 2 speaks of the bridal love, the honeymoon love, between Jehovah and Israel. Verse 2 says, "Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals; how thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown" (ASV). In the Bible the honeymoon love is called the bridal love. Jehovah was married to Israel and had a honeymoon with them. At that time they both enjoyed the bridal love. It is amazing that these romantic terms came out of the mouth of Jehovah God. He fell in love with Israel. God is the Husband, and His redeemed people are His wife. In Jeremiah 3:14 God said that He was Israel’s Husband.
God loves Israel, loves His kingdom signified by the city, and loves His house signified by the temple. Cyrus took care of these three things. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, did something ugly to God. First, he captured God’s people. Second, he burned the temple. Third, he destroyed the city. These three treasures which are in God’s heart, His desire, were devastated by Nebuchadnezzar. Thus, throughout the entire Bible, God hates Babylon.
Cyrus came in to release the captives of Israel. He did not want any compensation from them for this release (Isa. 45:13). He supported them and provided a way for them to go back to their fathers’ land (Ezra 1). That was God’s first desire. Then he charged them to go back to build up the temple of their God. That was God’s second desire. He also charged them to build the city, which was God’s third desire. God loved Cyrus because he did the things on His heart. What he did touched God’s heart.
Jehovah stirred up this man, Cyrus, from the east (Isa. 41:2a) and from the north (v. 25a). This man was a bird of prey (46:11). He would get everything from the Lord for the purpose of releasing the Lord’s people so that they could rebuild His temple and raise up His city. Cyrus was used by God to release God’s captured elect, to build His house, His household, and to establish His kingdom on this earth.
(Life-Study of Isaiah, Chapter 45, by Witness Lee)
