We left the Israelites in 2 Chronicles being hauled off by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. As the text reads, the Israelites needed a little rebuking because the sins they were involved in had piled too high. It would be like one of your friends doing something stupid one or two times and you can move on, but when all they do is stupid something has to be done. Well, being hauled off to Babylon was God telling them that it was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
Reading the historical accounts of this, the Israelites were held in Babylon for 70 years. Under this 70 years, the Persian empire had taken control of Babylon and Cyrus the Great was king. The Bible tells us that a word of the Lord came to Cyrus to let the Israelites go back to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple (Ezra 1:2-4). While in Babylon, Ezra 1:5 says “everyone whose heart God had moved – prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem.”
You may be saying to yourself “I feel like I am in the 70 years of captivity right now!” Things in your life have gone south. As I was reading this, the Lord spoke to me and said, “I will move the hearts of the people when the time is right.” Translation, Ephesians 6:13-14 “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, …” Paul was speaking to a group of people who had obviously seen things go south and were wondering where God was. The Bible tells us that when the time was right God moved the hearts of men to fulfil His plan.
The captivity is not forever, it is only for a time. God is able to take to you out of your Babylon and set you on a road back to Him. Ezra was one of the Israelite high priests and a Levite scholar who lead the people back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple. The Bible tells us that before they left, their neighbors gave them articles of silver and gold and livestock and also freewill offerings. Cyrus even gave them back all the gold and silver items that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple 70 years earlier. When the time is right, God will move the hearts of men to fulfill His plan.
Maybe you are in the same spot as the Israelites, stuck in a no win situation for a long time. God keeps his promises and as he did with the Israelites. They came back and rebuilt the temple. Your circumstances may go south, but your faith should not. God is still in control and He never stopped working. (love that song) Read Ephesians chapter 6 and stand firm, holding on to the promises of God. Be on the look out for God to move. As a matter of fact, it may not even come from the people or places you think. In this case it came from a pagan King Cyrus, a most unlikely channel.
Let It Go 
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