Isaiah 45:1-3
“Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped to subdue nations before him and strip kings of their robes, to open doors before him— and the gates shall not be closed:” vs. 16
The prophet, living among the captives in Babylon, makes an astonishing identification. Prompted by the Spirit he tells the people that the messiah is coming…but it’s not going to be a son of David, it’s not even going to be a Jew! The anointed one of the Lord will be Cyrus, the Persian king, and he will be the one to release the remnant of Israel from captivity and allow them to return to the land of Judah. And that’s exactly what happened! Cyrus defeated Babylon and gave permission for the captives to go home. It’s a powerful reminder that God can use anyone in the pursuit of justice in our world…and we see it every day. The Spirit of God takes leaders of all stripes and uses them to loose the bonds of oppression and to offer relief to those who are suffering. Remarkably, if Christians aren’t producing the fruits of righteousness, God will grasp the hand of a Muslim or a Hindu to get the work done. That’s how God operates. What’s needed is a love of justice and a desire to do kindness…and where those two things are present, anyone with a humble heart can become God’s anointed. Our God is ruler of all the earth…and not just Christians
Thought for the Day: In what sense am I God’s anointed?
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