Dear friends and readers,
Peace and grace to all of you this Christmas and Chanukah season,
As I research various articles, I look for central themes that keep popping up.When something big is thought to be either already in place or coming soon, invariably it will be discussed more and more in a variety of news formats and printed literature.
Just such a BIGGIE is popping up among both Christian writers and renowned Rabbinical authorities.
The subject matter involved is whether or not prophetically speaking, the election of President Donald Trump somehow signals a form of new advent of the famous King Cyrus. You will notice I did not say "reincarnation", something also speculated upon in some quarters but a subject matter that is decidedly UNBiblical in nature.
As we discuss this I will remind my readers that I do not publish articles that are in the least bit political in nature. That does not mean however that I do not discuss particular political figures but while doing so I make a sincere attempt not to malign these people or take sides in political arguments. In fact if I had to describe myself in political terms it would be as an avowed "Independent conservative". I reserve the right to exercise my vote for the best person for the job, regardless of whether they have an "R" or a "D" or any other initial preceding their names.
Having said that, I have noticed that several writers are attempting to compare the once great King Cyrus to the current occupant of the White House. Cyrus was a Persian King of great renown. It was King Cyrus, basically a secular leader who decreed that the building of the second Jewish Temple should proceed. You may recall that the first Temple was destroyed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Fast forward to Cyrus time and Nebuchadnezzar's home turf is now under Persian control with Cyrus as the "Grand Poobah" of the entire region, and a huge one at that. Cyrus felt some compassion for the Jews who had been displaced from Jerusalem and in fact the entire Holy land.
Interestingly, Cyrus was spoken about in the Bible by name long before he lived. By whom? By God Himself! In the book of Isaiah chapter 45 verses 1-8 the prophet speaking for God says" Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, who's right hand I have held---and then in verses 3-4 God says why He has named Cyrus in His holy word "---That you may know that I, the Lord, who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. FOR JACOB MY SERVANTS SAKE, AND ISRAEL MY ELECT, I HAVE EVEN CALLED YOU BY YOUR NAME---"! (My italics added for emphasis).
Abraham had a son called Isaac who in turn had a son called Jacob. Jacob's name was changed by God to ISRAEL and he became the father of the 10 tribes of Israel who were later lead out of bondage in Egypt by Moses. When God used the prophet Isaiah to prophetically call Cyrus by name, it was 150 years before Cyrus was born. (Is it really possible for anyone to doubt the Bible after something like that???). King Cyrus was about 50 years old when he made the decree to once again begin building the walls of Jerusalem and the Temple. That means God called him by name a full two hundred years before the event took place. Obviously a man called by God to perform a task of immense importance to Israel.
Now we have President Trump. A most unlikely man to run for President of the ONLY NATION ON EARTH capable of positively effecting the modern day nation of Israel. Not only an unusual man to run but one who every single pundit on the planet loudly proclaimed did not have a chance of winning. But win he did---BIG TIME! And now he is the one American President who had the Chutzpah to proclaim that Jerusalem is Israel's capital city. 4 previous American Presidents had the opportunity to do so every six months for several years but deferred. Why? Because it was not God's timing for them to do so.
Remember your Biblical numerology? the number 7 is the number of completion. President Harry S. Truman (against ALL advice of his government at the time) recognized the new State of Israel shortly after it was announced by Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion on May 14, 1948. Truman was the first world leader to do so. The amount of years between Truman's recognition and Trump's recognition is 69 years on the Gregorian calendar. But and this is a big but. The Jewish calendar is different than the traditional Gregorian calendar. The Jewish month of Nissan (falling between March and Aril) is the beginning of the Jewish calendar. But the month of Tishrei (falling between October and September) is the official beginning the the Jewish New Year. Confusing? Probably. The issue is whether or not on the Jewish calendar, President Trumps proclamation recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital, falls in the 70th Jewish year after President Truman's proclamation recognizing Israel's return from the scrap heap of history on May 14, 1948? There is only one nation to ever do so by the way---ISRAEL! I will leave it to the mathematicians out there to figure out the fine point of that particular argument.
The study of Biblical numerology is fascinating; For example, what if it really is 70 years between Truman's and Trump's proclamation regarding Israel? Is there any significance to the fact that undeniably 2018 is the 70th anniversary year since Israel became a Nation again after roughly 2000 years of anonymity? Is there any significance to the fact that the newly regathered, nascent Sanhedrin (religious ruling body of the Jewish people), have declared that the Jubilee year spans 2017-2018? FYI, Jubilee cycles are 50 years long and broken down into 7 year periods for a total of 50. Is there even a scintilla of significance to the established fact that President Trump on his day of inauguration was exactly 70 years, 7 months and 7 days old? What do you think?
Frankly several authors have drawn all kinds of other similarities between King Cyrus and President Trump. In fact (if you believe in such a thing) the scholars who specialize in "THE BIBLE CODES" claim they have discovered evidence that links Cyrus to Trump. Those are the very same guys who say they found imbedded in the scriptures, references to President Trump being elected. I have done some study in the Bible Codes although I am far from an expert on the subject. My own investigation has lead me to firmly believe that the codes are real but normally I do not teach about them because it is such a complex subject that you almost have to be an expert on the issue to speak about it with any degree of clarity. But I don't discount them either.
I can however speak with absolute authority in regards to what the Bible says about leadership. So can you. Romans chapter 13 verse 1-2 makes it abundantly clear. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgement on themselves"!
Do you love President Trump or do you hate him? Same question for President Obama before him? Like them or hate them, they were in fact appointed by God. The reasons may not make sense to us here on this earth but I have zero doubt there is a grand scheme working it's way through the cosmos and that it originated in the throne room of God. Far better to pray for our leaders whether we personally like them or not.
So, what do you think? Is President Trump a modern day King Cyrus? A leader who against all odds is a friend to Israel? A friend with enough guts to put it to both word and deed? Is it possible that God will use this man to somehow assist Israel in it's growing quest to build a third Temple?
No proclamations here my friends but certainly worthy of thought, wouldn't you say?
Have a great day in Jesus,
AND a fascinating time studying Biblical prophecy!
Pastor Rance.
