Ezra 1:1–11 (November 1, 2025)

The Proclamation of Cyrus

1 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:

2 “Thus says Cyrus king 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, which is in Judah. 3 Whoever is among you of all his people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. 4 And let each survivor, in whatever place he sojourns, be assisted by the men of his place with silver and gold, with goods and with beasts, besides freewill offerings for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.”

5 Then rose up the heads of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites, everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go up to rebuild the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem. 6 And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered. 7 Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. 8 Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 10 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; 11 all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

RETURNED BY THE WORD AND THE HAND OF GOD

Ezra Chapter 1Brian Lee

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Summary

The book of Ezra opens where 2 Chronicles ends. Judah had fallen; the temple was burned; the people were carried into Babylon. Yet the closing words of 2 Chronicles 36:22–23 are repeated almost verbatim in Ezra 1:1–3. This is a deliberate link showing that the story of God’s covenant mercy did not end with exile.

Ezra begins, “In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia (see below for additional notes), 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…” (v. 1, ESV).

Jeremiah had prophesied that the exile would last seventy years. God now moves the heart of a pagan emperor to issue an edict permitting the Jews to return and rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.

This was not human diplomacy but divine initiative. Cyrus attributes the command to “the Lord, the God of heaven.” He sends the exiles home with silver, gold, goods, and beasts, “besides freewill offerings for the house of God” (v. 4). The temple vessels, once desecrated by Nebuchadnezzar, are restored to Sheshbazzar (another name for Zerubbabel), the leader of Judah’s first return.

Decades later, Ezra the priest-scribe will lead a second wave under Artaxerxes (Ezra 7). But the first return in chapter 1 establishes the foundation. The Word of God fulfilled, the people of God awakened, and the worship of God restored.

Who is God

God is the Lord of all history. Empires rise and empires fall (see below), but God's Word never fails. He is faithful to His Covenant promises. The same Lord who “stirred up the spirit of Cyrus” also stirs the hearts of His people (v. 5).

Human kings may reign for a time, but God’s decree rules over all. He is not bound by geography or power structures. Even though God's people were in exile, this was temporary. God's sovereignty was never in question. The phrase “the Lord, the God of heaven” reflects both His transcendence and His ownership of all kingdoms. In the rubble of Jerusalem and the courts of Persia alike, He moves history toward redemption.

What is our Guilt

Our guilt lies in forgetting that God’s covenant promises are as certain as His covenant judgments. The exile came because Israel ignored God's Word; their return now comes because God's Word stands true.

We too often live as if our failures have the final word or as if God’s purposes depend on human favor. When life feels like we are but "slaves" to the empires of this world, we lose sight of His sovereignty. Our guilt is doubting God's gracious will and the power to restore us, no matter how low we've fallen. Unbelief and spiritual lethargy are the same sins that once led Israel into exile.

How does Grace Shine

God’s initiative shows the Grace. Israel did nothing to earn the return or restoration. They were passive recipients of mercy. God Himself “stirred” both Cyrus and the remnant. God moved the king and the ordinary people alike.

This same sovereign grace is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, the true temple and the final Redeemer of God’s people. Just as Cyrus proclaimed liberty to the exiles, Christ proclaims freedom to captives.

The vessels once profaned are sanctified again, just as sinners once defiled are made holy through the blood of Christ. In the Gospel, God still calls His people out of spiritual Babylon to worship Him in Spirit and truth.

Prayer

Father, you are faithful to your Word across centuries and generations. You rule over kings and nations, yet you stoop to revive the hearts of your people. We confess how easily we lose hope in the rubble of our own making, how quickly we forget your sovereignty and your mercy. But you, Lord, have stirred our hearts again by your Spirit and your Word.

Please help us to rise from complacency and return to you with contrite and joyful worship. As you once brought your people home from exile, bring us ever nearer to Christ, our true Temple, where your glory dwells forever.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Additional Notes:

Cyrus the Great (ca. 559–530 BC) founded the Persian Empire and conquered Babylon in 539 BC. Known for his policy of restoring displaced peoples to their homelands, he fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy of Israel’s return (Jer 25:11–12; 29:10). Though a pagan ruler, Scripture calls him God’s “anointed” (Isa 45:1), showing that the Lord’s sovereignty extends even over unbelieving kings to accomplish His redemptive purposes.

Empires in transition: The Assyrian Empire (ca. 911–609 BC) conquered the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC and fell when Babylon and the Medes destroyed Nineveh in 612 BC. The Babylonian Empire (626–539 BC) destroyed Jerusalem and the temple in 586 BC. Babylon, too, fell to Persia under Cyrus in 539 BC, marking the beginning of the Jewish return from exile.