Today, the 16th day of Tishri, is the second day of Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). It was on this day in the year 539 B.C. that King Cyrus of Persia captured the city of Babylon, thus bringing an end to the once great Empire of Nebuchadnezzar.
Many verses of Scripture speak of Cyrus, and sometimes he is referred to as God’s “shepherd” and as “anointed.” Today, let us read from 2 Chronicles 36:22-23 and consider something else connected to Cyrus that is very important for the Body.
“Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, ‘Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the Lord God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up!’”
First of all notice that it was the Lord who stirred up the spirit of Cyrus in order to build God’s house. That’s interesting because statements made about him – being called God’s “shepherd” and His “servant” are things also said of Nebuchadnezzar. However, Nebuchadnezzar didn’t restore the walls of Jerusalem and build up the Temple, he destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple, as well as carrying many of the people of Judah into captivity. One of those people carried int o Babylon was a prophet called Daniel.
The point is this: God is sovereign and is truly in control of all things. On one hand, He raises up Nebuchadnezzar as His rod of correction who serves Him by destroying Jerusalem and the Temple. Then He turns around and raises up Cyrus of Persia to rebuild the walls of the city and Temple that the King of Babylon tore down.
But here is the more poignant issue: these men were compelled to do His will, perhaps even unwittingly but how many of us are willing to be His servant, because it’s in our heart to do so? Must He compel us to serve Him or will we do so from our hearts? In this season of Sukkot, let us recommit ourselves to serve Him because He is sovereign. The One who raised up these kings to fulfill His will is the same One who calls upon each and every one of us to fulfill His will in our lives. He wants us to do it because it’s in our heart to do so. That should be our heart’s desire.
Shalom!
Greetings,
I have been watching the feast with International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, ICEJ and I see fruit all over the world that the body has been serving, and is still serving, and will continue to serve in the next generation.
In one of the seminars, a young man from Germany named Timon Kaiser taught on the basics on Israel and Christians. As he spoke in his native language, there was a voice which translated in English.
To give a very short synopsis, his story was about how faith started with Abraham and the children of Israel. He held up two bottles of water and signified the children of Israel by putting a band around one of the bottles. And as time went on, he took the band off of that first bottle and put the band around the second bottle which signified Christians who were now the children of God. And as I was getting to understand that he was talking about how Israel got replaced with the church, I reached for my mouse to click off that message, and I wondered why ICEJ would have such a teaching in one of their seminars.
But before I clicked it off, that young man said that was how it was thought of at one time, but now let’s rewind. So, I kept watching. The video did a rewind. Then the young man retold his story, but instead of taking off the band of the first bottle that represented Israel, he took the second bottle of water, which represented the people of faith outside of Israel, and poured that second bottle of water into the first bottle that had the band around it, signifying that everyone in that one bottle became one. It was genius. We were all one in Messiah.
I got goose-bumps – my insides were leaping for joy. He got it. The young people get it. The body has not failed to serve the Lord and one another. With song, with dance, with the Word, in the Spirit of God. Whew. It is wonderful.
There are many nations represented there at the feast with ICEJ. And thru the videos (people could not congregate there in Israel this year) we’ve seen people in their homes, people in their congregations, people outside, people who dug up a boat that was from the time of Yeshua, people singing and teaching in a boat on the Sea of Galilee, people all over the world who have taped their celebrations, giving us their flavor of the feast. Old people, young people – people in between, and yes, I saw the itty bitties. So many people serving, praising, worshiping.
Praise God from whom all blessing flow. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights.
Joyful in Him,
April Rietmann
Emporia, KS
Heaven is His throne and earth is His footstool.
Yeshua came 2000 years ago to tabernacle with us.
He still is tabernacling with us in our hearts, and among us, His body.
This isn’t only future. It is now and forever more.
April Rietmann
Emporia, KS
And Sukkot is not just a “season.”
“And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” (Jn 17:22-23)
Yeshua in us, the Father in Yeshua – Tabernacle, now and forever more.
My cup overflows,
April Rietmann
Emporia, KS