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Cyrus, king of Persia

2 Chronicles 36:23 "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: "'The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.'"


Are you worried about what is going on these days in world politics? Is China in charge? Or is the United States? Will our money be worthless in just a few years or months? Will the communists or Islamists take over the 50 states? And would the world be happy if they did? 


It is not that we should keep our heads in the sand or cry wolf! However, there is a sense in which many Americans have created an Americanization of Theology that doesn’t exist. We think that we can save Israel from destruction. We believe that without us, the world would cease to function. Or we see the dollar as the most potent currency that needs to be solvent, or the world will screech to a halt. 


The last chapter of 2 Chronicles comes to the rescue once again. In verse 23, we read a communication from the real prince of Persia. He relates how the Lord, the God of heaven, has given him all of the world’s kingdoms and appointed him to build (rebuild) the temple in Jerusalem.


Cyrus is so different from any ruler these days. So many believe that they can make a difference without any contact with the God of heaven. They are all wrong. We are incorrect to think that any of them can do anything without his help and direction. The USA has no special protection or blessings for being a “Christian” nation because it isn’t. It wasn’t too long after the Pilgrims landed that we lost the Christian nation’s status. If we ever really had it.


Oh, for a world leader like King Cyrus. The next world leader like him will be even more godly. It will be Jesus Christ himself. God incarnate. 

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