Introduction: The Pagan King God Called “Anointed”
539 BC. Babylon falls to Persia. The superpower that destroyed Jerusalem, burned the temple, and enslaved God’s people—crushed in a single night.
And the man who conquered it? Cyrus the Great, king of Persia.
But here’s what’s remarkable: God didn’t just use Cyrus to topple Babylon. He called him by name 150 years before his birth. He called him “my shepherd.” He called him “my anointed”—the same Hebrew word used for “Messiah.”
A pagan Persian king. Called God’s anointed.
Then Cyrus did something unprecedented in ancient history: He freed the Jews, funded their temple, and sent them home with the sacred vessels Babylon had stolen.
Why would a pagan king do this?
Because God raised him up for exactly this purpose. Because God moves kings like pieces on a chessboard. Because God’s purposes span centuries and use the most unlikely instruments.
And here’s why this matters for Iran today: The same God who used ancient Persia to save Israel can use modern Iran for His purposes again.
This is the story of how God used a pagan king to fulfill prophecy, restore His people, and demonstrate His absolute sovereignty over history.
Who Was Cyrus the Great?
The Rise of Persia
Cyrus II of Persia (c. 600-530 BC) founded the Persian Empire—the largest empire the world had ever seen.
His Conquests:
- 550 BC: United Medes and Persians
- 547 BC: Conquered Lydia (western Turkey)
- 539 BC: Conquered Babylon
- Eventually ruled from India to Egypt, 44% of world’s population
His Revolutionary Policy: Unlike Assyria (brutal deportations) or Babylon (destruction and slavery), Cyrus practiced religious tolerance, cultural respect, repatriation of exiled peoples, and self-governance under Persian oversight.
The Cyrus Cylinder (archaeological artifact from 539 BC) records his policy: “I returned the gods to their sanctuaries… and gathered all their inhabitants and returned them to their dwelling places.”
This wasn’t secular humanism. This was a Persian Zoroastrian believing his god Ahura Mazda commanded tolerance.
But behind Cyrus’s policy was the true God moving a pagan king for His purposes.
God Announces Cyrus—150 Years Early
The most stunning aspect of Cyrus’s story: God named him by name 150 years before his birth.
Isaiah 44-45: The Prophecy
Around 700 BC, the prophet Isaiah wrote:
“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: ‘I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.‘” — Isaiah 45:1-3
God named a man who wouldn’t exist for another century.
“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. I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.” — Isaiah 45:4-6
What This Reveals About God
1. God knows the future perfectly — He doesn’t guess. He doesn’t adapt. He knows exactly who will be born, what they’ll do, and when they’ll do it—centuries in advance.
2. God equips those who don’t know Him — Cyrus was a Zoroastrian. He didn’t worship Yahweh. But God equipped him anyway for God’s purposes.
3. God uses unlikely instruments — God could have raised up a Jewish king to free Israel. Instead, He raised up a Persian king—to demonstrate that no power on earth can thwart His plans.
4. God’s purposes span centuries — From Isaiah’s prophecy (700 BC) to Cyrus’s decree (539 BC) to the temple’s completion (516 BC)—God’s plan took 184 years to fully unfold.
When you’re watching Iran today, remember: God works on timescales we can’t fathom.
The Fall of Babylon (539 BC)
By 539 BC, Babylon had ruled the Near East for 70 years. They destroyed Jerusalem, burned Solomon’s temple, exiled the Jews to Babylon, and enslaved God’s covenant people. They were brutal, proud, and powerful. And they thought they were invincible.
Daniel 5 records the night Babylon fell. King Belshazzar threw a feast, drank from sacred Jewish temple vessels, and praised his pagan gods. Then a hand appeared, writing on the wall: “MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN”
“That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. And Darius the Mede received the kingdom.” — Daniel 5:30-31
The empire that destroyed Jerusalem fell in a single night.
The Decree of Cyrus (539 BC)
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem.” — Ezra 1:2-4
Cyrus didn’t just free the Jews. He acknowledged the God of Israel, ordered the temple rebuilt, allowed voluntary return, funded the reconstruction from the Persian treasury, and returned 5,400 sacred vessels stolen by Babylon.
Cyrus’s decree was historically unprecedented. No ancient empire had ever freed an exiled people voluntarily, funded their religious restoration, returned stolen sacred objects, and encouraged them to rebuild their capital.
The Return from Exile
Under Zerubbabel’s leadership, approximately 50,000 Jews returned. They brought silver and gold from the Persian treasury, sacred vessels, offerings from Jews who remained in Babylon, and permission from the Persian king.
“And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.” — Ezra 3:10-11
From destruction (586 BC) to completion (516 BC): 70 years. Exactly as Jeremiah prophesied (Jeremiah 29:10).
Theological Implications
1. God Rules Over All Kings
“The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; he turns it wherever he will.” — Proverbs 21:1
No king rules except by God’s decree.
2. God Uses Those Who Don’t Know Him
God used Pharaoh to demonstrate His power (Romans 9:17). God used Nebuchadnezzar to judge Israel (Jeremiah 27:6). God used Cyrus to restore Israel (Isaiah 45:1). Every ruler serves God’s purposes, knowingly or unknowingly.
3. God Keeps His Promises—No Matter How Long It Takes
If God promised it, it will happen—even if you die before seeing it.
Application to Iran Today
Ancient Persia freed God’s people physically. Could modern Iran be freed spiritually to play a role in God’s end-times purposes? Jeremiah prophesied Iran’s future restoration:
“But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the LORD.” — Jeremiah 49:39
We may be watching this unfold right now.
Related reading:
- Iran in the Bible: A Complete Guide
- What the Bible Says Will Happen to Iran: Jeremiah 49
- Will Iran Attack Israel? Ezekiel 38
- Iran’s Underground Church: The Secret Revival
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