Isaiah 44–45; Daniel 5; Ezra 1:1–4; 2 Chronicles 36:22–23
3215 AM (545 BCE) – IT ALL STARTED WITH A DREAM
The air was chilly, but that was typical for Persia at night. The moon lit the path for King Cyrus, the King of Persia, as he strolled through his terraced gardens. What was uncharacteristic was the light layer of ground fog that kept the King from being able to see his feet. As he strolled through the moonlit darkness, he could see ivies and vines winding their way around the walls, dropping from the various plantings along the wall.
In the moonlight, the plants all looked black, although the King knew that they were a composition of numerous, breathtaking colors. Cyrus always enjoyed the hanging gardens, and their upkeep was among his many high priorities. Certainly, he would make sure that he would not be the King who allowed the hanging gardens to become unkempt or overgrown.
The night was indeed chilly. Cyrus was still in his sleeping robe which, normally warm enough for his bedchambers, was not typically sufficient for a night’s stroll in the gardens. Cyrus wondered why he had not grabbed his outdoor robe. It would have only taken a second. But then, Cyrus could not actually remember leaving his bedroom chamber and coming out onto the terrace.
But then, Cyrus was not on the terrace; he was strolling through some distant farmland surrounding the great palace walls. He could still see the walls and the hanging gardens, but they appeared so far away. It would take him the rest of the night just to make it back. What was he thinking coming all the way out here? It made no sense.
The wind had picked up, and the chill was biting. His bedclothes were proving severely insufficient. The fog was getting thicker, and even the palace walls were hard to make out. Clouds dotted the sky, and they would briefly cover the moon, plunging the Great King into darkness.
The King worried about his duties in the morning. If he was out and about all night, then certainly he would be tired tomorrow when he had to continue the discussion about his final push on Lydia, and what that would mean for them. Or had they already conquered Lydia? Weren’t they supposed to be finished with their conquests?
His mind was confused, and he felt dizzy. The wind was so overwhelmingly loud—or was it the rustling in the trees instead? It was all so very irritating.
Suddenly, a man stood near the King. Cyrus was startled, and took a step back, “Excuse me? Do you know who I am?”
“I do,” the man said, taking a step nearer, “the question is, do you know who I am?”
King Cyrus breathed heavily. He felt his heart. It was like he was trapped under a tree, and the weight of it was crushing his chest.
“Uh, no, I…”
The Great King Cyrus of Persia was afraid. The Great King Cyrus of Persia, who could, in combat, use a sword or a spear or even his hands, in a more deadly manner than any man, could not even bring himself to look at the face of the man standing there.
“Uh, I… sorry, I do not know who you are,” Cyrus said, as he was still trying to back away from the man standing there.
The man did not speak loudly, nor did his voice seem strained, yet when he spoke, Cyrus could hear it deafeningly clear; it drowned out even the raucous wind.
“I am Adonai, God of the Jews. I created the heavens and the earth, the wind and the rain, the sun and the moon and the stars. I even created you, O Great King Cyrus.”
Tears welled in Cyrus’s eyes, as the fear immediately drained from him. On the one hand, Cyrus had no idea what this Adonai was saying, or what a Jew was; on the other hand, he knew the words of Adonai were true. Cyrus dared to look up, and he saw into the eyes of his Creator.
“You have done well, O Great King Cyrus. I see you are tired. Do not fear; I will give you rest. Your kingdom is not finished. You must first go to Babylon. You must defeat the Babylonians. They have become a stench in my nostrils, and I am sending you to judge the people I handpicked to judge my own people. You are to allow them to leave Babylon and return to their land of Judah. When you get there, look for my prophet Daniel. He will give you proof of my words.”
From a distance, Cyrus could see fire from the sky hitting the palace. The walls were collapsing, but he could not hear the destruction. The wind was too wild, and he was too far away. But then Cyrus realized he was looking at the destruction of the walls of Babylon.
The wind was at an absolute roar. Thus, with substantial effort, the Great King had to shout over the wind to his Creator, “I will do as you say!”
With everything going on, it was all Cyrus could do to remain standing.
☼ ☼ ☼
Cyrus opened his eyes. He heard the sounds of the raging winds as a mere distant echo in his mind. He looked around and sat up in his bed. He was quite warm and very much alone.
Moments later, the King’s servant entered, “Good morning, O Great King. I see you are up. How may I assist you?”
Without hesitation, Cyrus looked straight into the man’s eyes and answered, “Go now! Get my generals. We are going back to war!”
Used with permission by the author. Find the author’s complete works online: Complete Works of Mack Samuels
