RECEIVING THE HIDDEN TREASURES OF DARKNESS

-
It is clear from Scripture that King Cyrus had to do three key things in order to receive the hidden treasures of darkness, etc., which God promised him through Isaiah’s prophecy:

1. Believe the Word of God
2. Set Israel free
3. Restore Israel’s lost glory

It was surely shocking to Israel to hear Isaiah prophesy God’s blessings for an unknown gentile king, Cyrus, calling him God’s anointed (45:1) and one to whom God will give the hidden treasures of darkness and the riches from secret places (45:3). When the prophecy was fulfilled about a century and half later, when Cyrus became king, the chroniclers preferred to refer rather to Jeremiah’s prophecy of the same event, apparently because that left out the prosperity of Cyrus (see 2Chron. 36:20-23)

What prompted Cyrus to set Israel free and pay for the rebuilding of the temple is apparently his encounter with Isaiah’s prophecy either through reading about the history and prophecies of the people of Israel or a through a Divine revelation. He understood that God was being generous to him because of Israel’s need to be free when the divinely mandated seventy years of Israel’s exile was completed. This was God’s own way of restoring Israel without them striking a single blow, and the grace fell into his lap.

As to what exactly the hidden treasures of darkness are, apart from the details given in the prophecy, your guess is as good as mine. What is important to us however is to realize how similar Cyrus’s story is to ours as gentiles who, by Israel’s standards, had no portion in Divine provision and blessings, let alone be called the Lord’s anointed!

1. Our salvation and wellbeing are both prophesied and proclaimed through Jesus Christ, and when we believe and act on God’s word, we obtain that ‘treasure’ hidden before the foundations of the earth. There are some who when they read this passage in Isaiah begin to the wrong places for the treasure, believing someone or an evil spirit of darkness is “sitting” on their so-called destiny. They begin to engage in all kinds of ‘spiritual warfare’, targeting humans, witches and spirits, in order to recover their so called possessions. Those are clearly wrong, because the ‘hidden treasures’ God promises us is a free gift from Him, which requires first and foremost our faith in Him as a faithful and generous God who alone is able to give what He promises. We have to believe His Word, just as Cyrus believed Him.

2. Cyrus had to set Israel free, just as we are under eternal instruction to set our debtors, those who offend us, free. It is clear that if Cyrus preferred to keep Israel as slaves (unforgiving) he would forfeit the treasures. In the same way, to the extent that we fail to forgive anyone we also give up the right to any mercy, grace or (as some call it) favor from God (see Mt. 6:12, 14-15). 

3. Cyrus did not only have to forgive Israel. He also had to ACTIVELY seek their welfare by paying for the full restoration of their dignity as a nation. At the time of Cyrus, the walls of Jerusalem had probably been restored by Nehemiah, but the Temple was still in shambles. He offered his resources to rebuild it. This is also the third key thing we have to do to receive God’s ‘treasures’: we are to ACTIVELY seek the welfare of others, bringing them to their full dignity in the image of God, so long as it lies in our power to do so. We are called and set apart (anointed see 1Joh. 2:20) to seek the salvation of others. As we brood over, plan and prepare for the wellbeing of others, God also fulfils His word concerning us, securing our own welfare in this life and even beyond.

So, it is clear that if anyone is holding down your progress, or sitting on your treasures, it CAN ONLY BE YOU. God has said great things concerning you and unlocking them lies in your determination to BELIEVE and act on His word and in dealing MERCIFULLY and GENEROUSLY with others. God has eternally linked our salvation and wellbeing to the salvation and wellbeing of others, and we must never lose sight of that TRUTH: Those who do not seek the salvation of others will themselves not be saved.

PRAYER: Lord, when I pray (and maybe sclap my hands), anybody on whose freedom and happiness I am sitting, I get up from, release him or her and I am ready to restore four times whatever I robbed him or her of, in the name of Jesus, amen!

Now, clap for Jesus.


#WIFJ

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE CHRISTIAN AND THE LAW OF MOSES

-
July 3 at 7:48 AM  ·  On the Christian and the Law of Moses Since Christ has set you free from the curse of the Law, now put to death the following: 1. Fornication 2. Uncleanness 3. Passion (letting evil thoughts control you) 4. Evil desires 5. Covetousness, which is idolatry 6. Anger, or wrath 7. Malice 8. Blasphemy 9. Filthy language 10. Lies "Because of these, God's wrath comes on the disobedient, ... "For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism." (Colossians 3:5-11, 25) Observation : Whoever has been set free by Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, is now more acutely aware of the destructive nature of what the law forbids, and why God abhors them. He or she is therefore expected to uproot them from his/her system (put them to death, NOT JUST SHOW THE SURFACE LEVEL COMPLIANCE WITH THE LAW). Otherwise, they should expect the same judgment that God visits on those who do them! For, th
Read more

FOR BETTER FOR WORSE FOR GOOD

-
 FOR BETTER FOR WORSE FOR GOOD Your spouse isn't in your life simply to give you blissful days. He or she is in also to improve your character by stretching it to limits no one else can.  Just like change of lesson at school, couples regularly give each other bad days without even intending to. Those are all providential too. That is why every marriage looks nicer from the outside, at least soon as the honeymoon is over. Over time, after you've learnt to trust better and let some things go, you'll understand that you've been forged for greater things.  During the 'difficult lesson' periods, consider first which aspects of your own character is being dealt with, and try and make amends, otherwise, you'll have to do remedials several times over.  You focus also on God's overall goodness to you, and make room to thank Him. Don't let your grumbling steal His honor and praise. He is the one refining us, and though He passes us through fire, He is with us
Read more

LOCKDOWN FOOD STOCKING UP

-
Image
(Economy African Cereals and Tubers Edition) 1. Gari (roasted milled cassava) ________________________________ Champion - can be prepared to be eaten with soup, stews or sugar. Stores quite well and has earned a lot of respect across West Africa. 2. Kyekyire (milled/powdered roasted dry corn) ________________________________________________ 1st Contender - can be prepared and eaten with sugar, soup or stews. Is usually in contention with tom-brown (which is not locally produced). Significantly durable, but usually priced higher than gari. 3. Akple (milled/powdered dry corn) _____________________________________ 2nd Contender - can be prepared to be eaten with soups, stews or sugar, but may need regular drying to stay healthy. People prefer to keep dry corn to transform into Kyekyire or konkonte as the need arises. 4. Kokonte (milled/powdered dry cassava) ___________________________________________ High ranking - to be prepared and eaten with soup or stews, but not
Read more