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In the penultimate part of our series titled the "The Faithful One", we come to yet another sub-topic. After having focused on King Cyrus' miraculous victory over Babylon in the third part of our series, today we will consider the imminant rapture and tribulation period. I would like to bring out the similarities between King Cyrus and Christ Jesus, while also bringing out the similarities between King Belshazzar and the Anti-Christ....
Foretold...
Both King Cyrus and the Saviour's names were foretold before their respective births:
"When I say of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd,' he will certainly do as I say. He will command, 'Rebuild Jerusalem'; he will say, 'Restore the Temple.'" (Is. 44:28 NLT);
"And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." (Matt 1:21 NLT).
Free...
If King Cyrus was used by the Faithful One of Israel to deliver the captive Jews in exile at Babylon, then Christ would, in His Second Coming, be used of the Faithful Father to liberate the Jews from the besieging forces of Anti-Christ which would be gathered at Armageddon (See Rev 16:16/19:21).
Form...
If the form of King Cyrus defeating the mighty Babylon forces holding sway over Jewish exiles in Babylon was one of relatively "effortless ease", similarly Christ' method of destroying the army of Anti-Christ at Armageddon would also be one of "effortless ease". If, through utterance of one word Christ brought the world into existence (Col 1:16-17), then by utterance of one word, He would destroy the vast army of the Antichrist too (See Rev 19:21).
Fruit...
King Cyrus' attack on Babylon was divinely mandated only at a time when the fruit of its sin had ripened, just as it had happened when Joshua conquered Canaan (the sin of the Canaanites had ripened at that time as well -- See Genesis 15:16). Cyrus' conquest of Babylon did not take place when the Babylonian Empire had some God-fearing, considerate kings like Nebuchadnezzar and Evil-merodach (See Daniel 4:34-35, 2 Kings 25:27-30), but only when it was ruled by a hard-hearted, blasphemous King. Similarly, God's wrath through Christ would not come upon the Anti-Christ when he tries to be a global "peace usher" (albeit through deceitful means -- See Daniel 8:25/Rev 6:1-2), but only when his sins would ripen by way of many blasphemous acts (See Rev 13:1-6).
Facilitate...
After defeating the Babylonian King, King Cyrus, "the Shepherd of Jews", had played the facilitator in the reconstruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem (See Ezra 1:1-11). Likewise, Christ the "Shepherd", after defeating the Anti-Christ at His Second Coming, would also help the Jews construct the millennial "Ezekiel" Temple in Jerusalem, even whilst ruling the World from that Holy City (See Psalm 2:6-12/Ezekiel 37:24/48:35).
Prayer: Father, being so faithful to the Nation of Israel, You have already prepared for the Jews the "Salvation plan in Christ". Be that as it may, even as we Your children in the New Covenant, expect the imminent rapture of the Church, enable us to herald lovingly on one to one basis the Gospel to our Jewish friends so that at least some would be saved from the imminent tribulation. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
Join us on Thursday for the final part of "The Faithful One" as we explore God as the Faithful Father of the Redeemed in Christ...
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