Ezra 1:1 In
the first year of Cyrus King of Persia
The
Cyrus Cylinder resides in the British Museum.
The cylinder is called by some historians
the first charter of human rights.
Tomb
of Cyrus the Great in Pasargadae. The tomb was
visited by Alexander the Great during his reign.
The
Behistun Inscription - (Columns) in the foothills
of the Zagros Mountains of Iran.
History
Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus II of Persia and Cyrus the Elder, was the
founder of the Persian Empire under the Achaemenid dynasty. In historical artifacts
discovered in the ancient ruins of Babylon and Ur, Cyrus identifies himself
as King of Iran, where he reigned from 559 BC until his death.
The
Cyrus Cylinder
The Cyrus Cylinder is an artifact consisting of a declaration issued by the emperor
Cyrus of Persia inscribed in Babylonian (Akkadian) cuneiform on a clay cylinder.
It was discovered in 1879 by the British archaeologist Hormuzd Rassam in the
foundations of the Esagila (Temple of Babylon) and is kept today in the British
Museum in London. This ancient record states:
“I am Cyrus, king of the world, great king, legitimate king, king
of Babylon, king of Sumer and Akkad, king of the four rims of the earth.” – Cyrus
Cylinder
The cylinder validates many aspects of the biblical record as Cyrus states “he
captured Babylon.” He names the city of Susa
(capital referred to in the books of Daniel and Esther) as well as stating “inhabitants were
returned to their dwellings”.
“From Babylon and from Susa,
I returned the images of the gods, who had resided there to their places.
I gathered all their inhabitants and returned to them their dwellings.” – Cyrus
Cylinder
Tomb
of Cyrus the Great
The most important monument in Pasargadae is undoubtedly the tomb of Cyrus the
Great. It has six broad steps leading to the sepulchre, the chamber of which
measures 3.17 m long by 2.11 m wide by 2.11 m high, and has a low and narrow
entrance.
Both Strabo and Arrian (Greek Historians) give descriptions of his tomb, based
on reports of men who saw it at the time of Alexander the Great's invasion.
Over the years, the tomb of Cyrus the Great has been slightly restored to reduce
the natural damage it had received in time.
Isaiah's Prophecy of Cyrus Fulfilled
Isaiah 44: 28 "Ye
shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed
places thereof. That saith of Cyrus,
He is my shepherd,
and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying
to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to
the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have holden, to subdue
nations before him." Isaiah gave a prophecy
that Cyrus would take Babylon, free the Jews
and help them rebuild
their own temple in Jerusalem 200 years before
Cyrus even existed. This prophecy of Cyrus
is even more staggering when you consider that
Herodotus stated that King Aystages ordered
Cyrus to be killed when he was born.
Herodotus on The Life of Cyrus
An interesting passage by Herodotus describes Cyrus as a literal shepherd. "Meanwhile
Cyrus having gathered together in one place all the flocks of goats and sheep
and the herds of cattle belonging to his father" - Herodotus
Histories Book 1
"For I (Cyrus) seem to have been born
by providential fortune"
Similar to Moses and Christ there was a plan to kill Cyrus when he was a little
child.
"When Aystages heard this he rejoiced, and calling Cyrus spoke to him: My
son, I did you wrong by reason of a vision in a dream which has not come to pass,
buy you are yet alive by your own destiny; now therefore go in peace to the land
of the Persians" - Herodotus Histories Book 1
Scriptures Ezra 1:2 Thus saith Cyrus
King of Persia, The
LORD God of heaven hath given me all the
kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged
me to build
him an house at Jerusalem, which is in
Judah.
Ezra 1:7 Also Cyrus
the King brought forth
the vessels of the house of the LORD, which
Nebuchadnezzar had
brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put
them in the house of his gods
Daniel 1:21 And Daniel
continued even unto the first year of King
Cyrus.
