Ezra 1-2

After 70 years of exile in Babylon, King Cyrus of Persia takes the throne. During the first year of his reign, Cyrus decrees that the temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt. With this, he allows the Jews to return to Judah for this work. This fulfills Jeremiah’s prophecies (Jer. 25:12; 29:10-14), as well as Isaiah’s (Isa. 44:28; 45:1, 13). It also answers Daniel’s prayer from Daniel 9:17. Then we are given a list of names showing the families and number of people who returned to Judah, a number totaling nearly 50,000.

God is a man of his word. His word is true and we can take it to the bank. Everything he spoke through his prophets decades ago is now fulfilled through an unbelieving king exactly as God had said. What we see is that not only did God keep a remnant to return to the land, he kept their family history in tact so worship could continue as he prescribed once the temple was rebuilt. This is how God works. He orchestrates the details for his glory and he does what he says. That is why we can trust him today, because it is this God we worship.

Do you believe that God still keeps his word and works through the details of human history?