Pray the word with David Platt is a resource from radical.net.

Ezra chapter 1 verse 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.

And the very next verse describes what that proclamation is.

But did you hear the language in Ezra chapter 1 verse 1 that the word of the Lord by the mouth of

Jeremiah might be fulfilled in other words God had promised through Jeremiah that this would happen and the Lord stirred up the

spirit of Cyrus King of Persia. So the big picture here is God had promised that he would restore his people from exile.

He would bring them back to Jerusalem.

God promised that through Jeremiah and now it's happening and how is

it happening by the Lord's work in a pagan king Cyrus Cyrus, king of Persia.

So that Cyrus makes this proclamation

and the proclamation is,

whoever among God's people who wants

to come back to Jerusalem can come and rebuild the temple there.

And there's so much we can take away from this, but two things in particular.

One, when you look at world events and countries and nations and leaders of nations, be reminded today that God holds them all ultimately in the palm of his hand.

He is sovereign over every single one of them.

He is the king of creation. The god we're about to talk to

is the ruler of all people and nations and leaders of the earth.

And second, he will accomplish what he has said he will do in his word.

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