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, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed… For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me… (Is 45:1,4-5 ESV)
More than a hundred years before the great Persian king Cyrus the Great was born and rose to power, Isaiah through the Spirit of God, made this prophecy about the king who would one day be born and conquer much of Asia. Although Cyrus’ primary ambition in conquering the world lay in his own desire for power and to expand his kingdom, we learn here in Scripture that the plans of even the mightiest monarchs are under the authority of God who is in heaven.
God appointed this king to be his servant, though Cyrus did not love him. God gave him the power to conquer and rule, even though Cyrus did not worship him. Yet, despite Cyrus’ radical devotion to his own ambitions, the God of heaven used him to rebuild the Temple at Jerusalem and to restore the worship of his great Name! How true the proverb is that says, “The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will” (Prov 21:1).
Believer, do you realize that the mightiest, most ambitious, most corrupt, and most self-centred leaders of this world are all under the authority of a sovereign God? What they may mean for evil in your life, God intends for good. Though they think themselves to be mighty sovereigns, they are at the same time unwitting servants of the Most High though they do not acknowledge or know him. The arm of our God is mighty and he empowers not only the hands of those who love him, but also of those who do not, to ultimately bring him glory and serve his purposes.
Therefore, let us never be overly crushed by the rise and fall of political leaders in this world. For the kingdom of God is not of this world, and even the mightiest in this world are his servants. And our God who named them before they were born, will use them for the good of his people, for the upbuilding of his church, and for the glory of his Name. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God (Rom 13:1).
Article by: Samuel Chua
Comments