No Other Gods
ISAIAH 45:1–7 “I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God ; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know … I am the LORD, and there is no other” (vv. 5–6). Cyrus the Great, the ruler of the Persian Empire during the latter part of th Image via Wikipedia e sixth century BC , is highly revered in Scripture. Even though he was not a believer in Yahweh , the one, true God, Cyrus is still given the title “messiah,” or anointed one, because he conquered the Babylonian Empire , delivering the exiled nation of Israel out of bondage and allowing the people to return to their homeland in 538 BC . Second Chronicles 36:22–23 records Cyrus’ famous decree sending the Israelites back to the Holy Land, a decree to which archaeological discoveries also bear witness. Image via Wikipedia As a Persian king, Cyrus was an adherent of the Persian religion Zoroastrianism and a follower of the false god Ahura Mazda . Ironically, however, the prophet Isaiah regard...