CONTRIBUTIONS OF CYRUS TO THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM (EZRA 1:1-11).

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, the Lord stirred up his spirit so that he made a proclamation throughout his kingdom, releasing the Jews from exile in Babylon. His contributions to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem were:

• He issued a royal decree of release. Cyrus proclaimed, "The Lord, the God of heaven... has charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem." He acknowledged that his authority came from the God of Israel.
• He gave permission and a mandate to rebuild. He invited any of God's people to go up to Jerusalem and build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel, who is in Jerusalem.
• He encouraged the neighbours of the returnees to support them. He commanded that those who remained should assist the exiles with silver, gold, goods, livestock, and freewill offerings for the temple.
• He restored the sacred temple vessels. Cyrus brought out the vessels of the house of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had carried off from Jerusalem and placed in the temple of his gods.
• He handed the vessels over by count. Through Mithredath the treasurer, he numbered them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah, totalling five thousand four hundred articles of gold and silver.
• He gave official backing and authority to Sheshbazzar to carry the vessels and the exiles back to Jerusalem, giving the project legal and political legitimacy within the empire.

By these acts Cyrus fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah and became the instrument through whom God began the restoration of the temple and the nation.