HANDS SET FOR GLOBAL IMPACT (1)

“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose RIGHT HAND I have held – to subdue nations before him…” – Isaiah 45:1a

The Almighty God anointed and raised the heathen king Cyrus as an Exemplar of HANDS SET for GLOBAL IMPACT: “Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose RIGHT HAND I have held – to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut” (Isa.45:1). The Lord set Cyrus’ hands for Global Impact, by anointing and holding his hand! God is not a respecter of persons. If we commit to fulfilling His Purpose, He’ll anoint and position our hands for phenomenal impact.

Isaiah 44:25 named a future king of Persia who would shepherd the remnant of God’s people and return the captives to Jerusalem to rebuild it: “Who says of CYRUS, ‘He is My shepherd, and he shall perform all My pleasure…” The LORD called Cyrus by name 200 years before he was born, and before the kingdom over which he would reign had risen to power (vv.1-7). Isaiah knew that the Jewish exiles would find it almost impossible to recognize Cyrus, being a heathen. Thus, he spent much effort to assert God's sovereign right to do with His creation as He pleases. Just as it would be foolish for clay to question the work of a potter, so would it be foolish for them to question God's use of Cyrus to redeem them from exile (vv. 8-10). God assured His people that Cyrus would respect His purpose to rebuild Jerusalem (vv.11-13).

God’s thoughts and ways are far higher than our thoughts and ways (Isa.55:8). This is seen vividly when He rescues His people in unexpected ways! About five centuries before Christ was born, God delivered His people from exile through King Cyrus II of Persia, as He decreed for them to return home (Ezr.1:1-4). God restored His people to the Promised Land through a pagan king's edict! Cyrus was not a son of David, so he was not the promised Messiah – the Anointed One (Isaiah 9:1-7; 11:1-16. Still, Isaiah described him as God's "anointed" (v.1). He was anointed not by a perpetual title, but to discharged for a time the office of Redeemer – the Task of delivering God’s people from the Assyrians!

Beloved, God is the Sovereign Creator of all! He has the right to use the means of His choice to save His people. All things – the darkness as well as the light, calamity as well as peace or well-being – come ultimately from His decree (v.7). Yes, God is never morally responsible for evil (Jam.1: 12-18). Nevertheless, nothing happens that He has not foreordained, and He can do with His creation as He wills. All things – good or bad – work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose (Rom.8:28). Therefore, God can prepare, position, and set the hands of whoever He pleases to fulfil His purposes and plans. He has definite plans and purposes for each of our lives within His grand, global, and eternal agenda. All He demands is that we be like the clay in the hands of the potter.

God poured out His Spirit on a pagan king in order to use him to bless and deliver His people. Cyrus could look back on his life and see how the LORD held his right hand. He had a remarkable military career: “To subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings” (v.1). God opened the double doors and broke bronze gates of the city of Babylon for Cyrus to conquer (Dan.5). And He put it in writing two centuries before it happened (vv.1-2). Overnight, Cyrus and his armies took all the stupendous treasures of Babylon: “I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places” (v.3). Just as Cyrus received the anointing and had God hold his hands to build His city and restore His people, Believers can trust the Lord to anoint, hold, and set our hands for globally impactful feats for His Kingdom and His Glory!