Serving Bread

1 In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom, and also in a written edict declared: “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah…”

For the past few days, I have been meditating on this opening verse of the book of Ezra. This book in the Old Testament of the Bible, records how God’s people rebuilt the temple when they were released from captivity in Babylon.

When the book opens, we learn that God works through the king of Persia (who is not a Jew) to declare that a house be built for the God of the Hebrews. Cyrus may not have been a believer in a monotheistic religion, but he believed that the God of the Jews had some sort of authority that has gifted the king with the territories in the known world.

God chose to operate in the temporal powers without regard to faith or ethnicity. We do not know much about the faith of Cyrus, but what we do know is that he had some sort of respect for the Jewish God.

While God does not discriminate who would carry out his will, we do. At least, I do. As Christians, we do not have the market on being used by God. God will work through whomever he chooses. He will work through great, powerful leaders like Cyrus, but also through a poor wise man (Ecclesiastes 9.15). God will work despite someone’s class, ethnicity, moral character and faith.

Then what is the purpose of faith? As Christians, will our ministry be better than the non-believers who are accomplishing God’s word?

My sense is that as believers, we become more in-tune with the work of God in our life and in the world. As a Christian, I may not have the market of being the sole person in an unreached community to be used by God, but I will recognize and enjoy the work of God more than someone who does not believe. I will find satisfaction in being used by God in the lives of others. I will recognize deeper meaning, beyond the ‘parables’. Faith gives me more satisfaction in God.

As a Christian, this passage challenges me on several fronts:

1. I have to have humility. Who are the Cyrus’s in my world? What are the ways that God is at work among those (perhaps those in power) who I do not associate with Christian faith?
2. Inspired by unbelievers. Cyrus inspires the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and build a temple to God. Unbelievers can be very inspiring. Many people who do not have faith, want to see their world transformed. Their passion for transformation inspires me to want that for myself.
3. Develop an ear for discernment. I need to be better at hearing from God. If it is in fact true that God speaks to all people, then I need to have a better discernment as to when God is speaking. There are many who err on the side to believe that just because someone is a Christian, then God is always speaking to them or through them.

(And for some of us, Cyrus should challenge how we use our resources—a man who has access to so much wealth and territory, but has chosen to release it for the glory of God.)