Why is Cyrus called God's shepherd in Isaiah 44:28? Text of Isaiah 44:28 “who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, and he shall fulfill all My purpose’; who says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be rebuilt,’ and of the temple, ‘Let its foundations be laid.’ ” Immediate Literary Context Isaiah 40–48 forms a cohesive unit in which the LORD contrasts His sovereignty with the impotence of idols. Within that flow, 44:24-28 climaxes with the naming of Cyrus and declares two linked objectives: the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the laying of the temple’s foundation. The oracle continues in 45:1-13, where Cyrus is called the LORD’s “anointed.” Placing “shepherd” (44:28) beside “anointed” (45:1) underscores the comprehensiveness of Cyrus’s commission—providing and ruling (shepherd) and being consecrated for a task (anointed). Historical Setting: Sixth Century BC Exile and Restoration • Babylon captured Jerusalem in 586 BC, destroying the temple. • Persia, under Cyrus II (“the Great”), conquered Babylon in 539 BC. • In 538 BC Cyrus issued a decree permitting exiled peoples to return and rebuild their sanctuaries (Ezra 1:1-4; 2 Chron 36:22-23). This decree fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, spoken roughly 150 years earlier, placing Cyrus’s rise within the LORD’s providential timeline. Meaning of “Shepherd” in the Ancient Near East and Scripture Hebrew rā‘â (“to pasture, tend, lead”) yields the noun rô‘êh, “shepherd,” a common royal title from Sumer to Egypt. Kings boasted of “pasturing” their people (e.g., Hammurabi Prologue, line 31). In the Hebrew Bible the LORD is the ultimate Shepherd (Psalm 23; Isaiah 40:11), while human leaders—Moses (Psalm 77:20), David (2 Samuel 5:2), and Israel’s monarchs (Jeremiah 23:1-4)—shepherd under Him. Calling Cyrus “My shepherd” signals that, though a Gentile, he is commissioned to tend God’s covenant flock for a specific redemptive purpose. Cyrus’ Divinely Ordained Mission 1. Fulfill God’s “good word” to restore Judah (Jeremiah 29:10). 2. Rebuild Jerusalem’s infrastructure (Isaiah 44:28b; 45:13). 3. Authorize temple reconstruction, enabling renewed worship (Ezra 1). 4. Protect the returning exiles along the royal roads (cf. Isaiah 49:11-12). Thus “shepherd” depicts him guiding, providing resources, and safeguarding the flock’s return. Fulfillment Recorded in Ezra-Nehemiah Ezra 6:3-5 preserves the Aramaic copy of Cyrus’s decree, including exact temple dimensions and funding from the royal treasury, mirroring Isaiah’s promise that Cyrus would “fulfill all My purpose.” Nehemiah references the same Persian policy framework that made rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls legally possible (Nehemiah 2:7-8). Archaeological Corroboration • Cyrus Cylinder (British Museum, BM 90920): A contemporaneous Akkadian inscription attributing Cyrus’s policy of repatriating displaced peoples and restoring temples. While not naming Judah specifically, it matches Ezra’s description of royal edicts. • Nabonidus Chronicle (ABC 7): Details Persia’s swift, virtually bloodless seizure of Babylon in 539 BC, setting the stage for policy implementation. • The Great Isaiah Scroll (1QIsaa, ca. 125 BC): Contains Isaiah 44-45 with Cyrus named, confirming pre-Christian textual integrity and single authorship arguments. Prophetic Specificity and the Reliability of Scripture Isaiah uniquely predicts a future king by name more than a century in advance. No parallel in pagan oracles equals this level of precision. The phenomenon validates divine foreknowledge (Isaiah 46:9-10) and undermines critical theories of “Deutero-Isaiah.” The seamless manuscript witness—from the Dead Sea Scrolls to Codex Leningradensis—testifies that the prophecy was not inserted post-facto but stands as authentic seventh-century revelation. Theological Implications of a Pagan King as Shepherd 1. Absolute Sovereignty: “I summon you by name, though you have not known Me” (Isaiah 45:4). God’s dominion extends over all rulers (Proverbs 21:1). 2. Common Grace Instrumentality: God may use unbelievers for redemptive goals without endorsing their worship practices (Isaiah 45:16-17). 3. Covenant Faithfulness: Cyrus’s actions demonstrate God’s fidelity to Abrahamic and Davidic promises despite Israel’s exile. Typological Foreshadowing of the Greater Shepherd Cyrus prefigures Jesus the Messiah in function, not in personhood: • Both are called to release captives (Isaiah 45:13; 61:1; Luke 4:18). • Both restore true worship (Ezra 1; John 4:23). Yet Cyrus’s temporal deliverance points to Christ’s ultimate liberation from sin and death, affirmed by the historical resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). Practical Applications • Confidence in Scripture’s precision fuels evangelism and personal trust. • Believers can recognize God’s hand in world events, fostering peace amid political upheaval. • Just as Cyrus’s decree opened a path home, Christ’s resurrection opens the way to eternal life; both require a response of faith. Summary Cyrus is called God’s “shepherd” because, though a Gentile monarch, he was divinely appointed to lead, provide for, and protect God’s covenant people during their return from exile, thereby executing the LORD’s redemptive plan foretold by Isaiah. The title conveys royal guidance, prophetic fulfillment, and theological depth, while archaeological and manuscript evidence corroborate the accuracy of the biblical record. |
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