Mission in the King of Persia’s Palace: The Jews Who Discipled King Cyrus

Written by: Kavoos

Recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said something powerful: “2,500 years ago, King Cyrus of Persia helped the nation of Israel. Today, it is our turn to bless the nation of Iran.”

Netanyahu in an interview with Iran International: “Cyrus the Great liberated the Jews, now it’s our turn to liberate the Iranian people. That quote inspired me to revisit the incredible biblical story of King Cyrus — not just as a historical figure, but as someone handpicked by God Himself to shape the destiny of nations. What makes Cyrus’ story so extraordinary is not only what he did, but who he was: a Gentile, a non-Israelite, who became a central figure in God’s redemptive plan.

Let me share the story in the form of a sketch, But before that let me give the credit of my inspiration to one of the Farsi Preaching’s of Pastor/Dr. Edvin Saleh:

Scene One: The Throne Room

King Cyrus sits on his grand Persian throne, overlooking the vast empire he inherited. The head of his royal palace guard enters with urgency.

Guard: “Your Majesty, there’s a group of exiles — they call themselves Jews. They claim they knew about you centuries before you were even born.”

Cyrus: “How is that possible?”

Guard: “They have a sacred scroll, the Torah. It mentions your name. They request an audience.”

Cyrus: “Let them in. I want to hear it myself.”

Scene Two: The Encounter

A few Jewish elders walk in with reverence, holding a scroll. Cyrus, intrigued, leans forward.

Cyrus: “You claim my name is written in your scripture?”

Elders: “Yes, Your Majesty. In the book of Isaiah. Isaiah 44:28 says, ‘You are His shepherd.'”

Cyrus: “Shepherd? What does that mean?”

Elders: “It means God will use you to lead His people, to rebuild Jerusalem and restore His temple.”

Cyrus (astonished): “Incredible. What else does it say?”

Elders: “Isaiah 45:1 says you are His ‘anointed.’ God says He will hold your right hand and subdue nations before you.”

Cyrus: “This is mind-blowing. We were just praying for victory over Babylon… and your God said He would give me Babylon?”

Scene Three: Revelation

Cyrus: “What should I do now?”

Elders: “Our God says: ‘I am the LORD, and there is no other.’ (Isaiah 45:5). Do you believe in that?”

Cyrus: “As a Zoroastrian, we don’t worship idols. We believe in Ahura Mazda — the God of light. We pray towards the light.”

Elders: “That’s powerful, Your Majesty. But hear this: our God is not only light. He created light.”

They read Isaiah 45:7: “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things.”

Elders continue: “In Genesis, God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.”

Cyrus (in awe): “Your God is greater than light itself…”

Scene Four: Legacy

Cyrus is deeply moved. The elders explain that God has chosen him as a vessel. A Gentile. An outsider. Yet God’s anointed.

He issues a royal decree for the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple (Ezra 1:1-4). History records this decree as the first known human rights charter. The Cyrus Cylinder, dating to 539 BC, is still preserved in the British Museum. The Cyrus Cylinder is an ancient clay artifact about the size of a football, inscribed with cuneiform text. It was created in the 6th century BCE by Cyrus the Great after his conquest of Babylon. The text details Cyrus’s victories, his policies of religious tolerance, and the restoration of temples and repatriation of deported peoples. It is considered by some to be the world’s first charter of human rights according to United for Human Rights, according to Wikipedia and is currently housed at the British Museum.

Reflections

This story is more than a moment in history. It’s a divine pattern. God can use anyone — even someone outside the faith — to fulfill His purposes.

I personally believe that Cyrus came to put his faith in Jehovah. He may have begun as a worshiper of the Light, but by the end, he was a servant of the Light’s Creator.

And how did it all begin? A group of faithful Jews in exile, believed in God’s Word, prayed for its fulfillment, and discipled a king. They took the Word seriously, and that Word shaped generations.

Today, we are reminded of this powerful truth: God can still raise up “Cyruses” in our time. He can still use you and me, through prayer, bold faith, and discipleship, to influence rulers, cultures, and even nations.

And just maybe, like Cyrus, we will be surprised to learn our names were written in His story all along.

Verses about King Cyrus

Let’s Read These Verses:

1“This is what the Lord says to his anointed,

to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of

to subdue nations before him and to strip

kings of their armor, to open doors before him

so that gates will not be shut:

2I will go before you

and will level the mountains;

I will break down gates of bronze

and cut through bars of iron.

3I will give you hidden treasures,

riches stored in secret places,

so that you may know that I am the Lord,

the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

4For the sake of Jacob my servant,

of Israel my chosen,

I summon you by name

and bestow on you a title of honor,

though you do not acknowledge me.

5I am the Lord, and there is no other;

apart from me there is no God.

I will strengthen you,

though you have not acknowledged me,

6so that from the rising of the sun

to the place of its setting

people may know there is none besides me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other.

7I form the light and create darkness,

I bring prosperity and create disaster;

I, the Lord, do all these things.

8“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness;

let the clouds shower it down.

Let the earth open wide,

let salvation spring up,

let righteousness flourish with it;

I, the Lord, have created it.

9“Woe to those who quarrel with their Maker,

those who are nothing but potsherds

among the potsherds on the ground.

Does the clay say to the potter,

‘What are you making?’

Does your work say,

‘The potter has no hands’?

10Woe to the one who says to a father,

‘What have you begotten?’

or to a mother,

‘What have you brought to birth?’

11“This is what the Lord says—

the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:

Concerning things to come,

do you question me about my children,

or give me orders about the work of my hands?

12It is I who made the earth

and created mankind on it.

My own hands stretched out the heavens;

I marshaled their starry hosts.

13I will raise up Cyrus in my righteousness:

I will make all his ways straight.

He will rebuild my city

and set my exiles free,

but not for a price or reward,

says the Lord Almighty.”

14This is what the Lord says:

“The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush,

and those tall Sabeans—

they will come over to you

and will be yours;

they will trudge behind you,

coming over to you in chains.

They will bow down before you

and plead with you, saying,

‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other;

there is no other god.’ ”

15Truly you are a God who has been hiding himself,

the God and Savior of Israel.

16All the makers of idols will be put to shame and disgraced;

they will go off into disgrace together.

17But Israel will be saved by the Lord

with an everlasting salvation;

you will never be put to shame or disgraced,

to ages everlasting.

18For this is what the Lord says—

he who created the heavens,

he is God;

he who fashioned and made the earth,

he founded it;

he did not create it to be empty,

but formed it to be inhabited—

he says:

“I am the Lord,

and there is no other.

19I have not spoken in secret,

from somewhere in a land of darkness;

I have not said to Jacob’s descendants,

‘Seek me in vain.’

I, the Lord, speak the truth;

I declare what is right.

20“Gather together and come;

assemble, you fugitives from the nations.

Ignorant are those who carry about idols of wood,

who pray to gods that cannot save.

21Declare what is to be, present it—

let them take counsel together.

Who foretold this long ago,

who declared it from the distant past?

Was it not I, the Lord?

And there is no God apart from me,

a righteous God and a Savior;

there is none but me.

22“Turn to me and be saved,

all you ends of the earth;

for I am God, and there is no other.

23By myself I have sworn,

my mouth has uttered in all integrity

a word that will not be revoked:

Before me every knee will bow;

by me every tongue will swear.

24They will say of me, ‘In the Lord alone

are deliverance and strength.’ ”

All who have raged against him

will come to him and be put to shame.

25But all the descendants of Israel

will find deliverance in the Lord

and will make their boast in him.

Mission in the King of Persia’s Palace: The Jews Who Discipled King Cyrus

Mission in the King of Persia’s Palace: The Jews Who Discipled King Cyrus

Written by: Kavoos

Recently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said something powerful: “2,500 years ago, King Cyrus of Persia helped the nation of Israel. Today, it is our turn to bless the nation of Iran.”

Verses about King Cyrus

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