TREASURES OF DARKNESS -- Monday:
" And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel." (Isaiah 45:3)
At sundry times, God has raised up the most unlikely people to do His work. It is as though He is not willing to let His work languish while His own people drift away from Him. This was the case with "Cyrus, king of Persia." This was the final king under whose reign Daniel the prophet served (Dan 1:21). Daniel was prominent under the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius the Mede, and Cyrus the Persian (Dan 2:48; 5:11; 6:28). It was during the reign of Cyrus that Daniel received the great revelation of the toppling of the Persian empire, and the dominance of the Grecians under, as is generally understood, Alexander the Great (Dan 10:18-20).
In our text, Isaiah is prophetically addressing Cyrus, king of Persia. Although a heathen, God refers to Cyrus as "His anointed," declaring that He was holding the right hand of Cyrus to subdue all of the nations (45:1). God stirred up the spirit of this king of Persia to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. The Divine urging was so strong that Cyrus made a proclamation throughout the entirety of his great kingdom. "All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up" (2 Chron 36:23). It was at this time that Zerubbabel surfaced, leading an expedition back to Jerusalem to begin the rebuilding.
What a remarkable person we find in Cyrus, king of the Persians. God said of him, "He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid" (Isa 44:28). Again the Lord said of him, "Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him" (Isa 45:1). He was raised up by God and given power over the nations, in order that he might see to it that the house of God was built without any resistance. He was not a Jew, yet was good to the Jews during a time that was very difficult for them. Take heart, child of God! God can bring strength and help to you from the most unlikely places!
The people of God should gather great hope from the record of Cyrus and God's use of him. God does not need holy people to turn things around. He can use those who are estranged from him to pave the way for renewal. While that is not always the means our Lord employs, He did so with Cyrus, and He can do so today.
One of God's commitments to king Cyrus was, "I will give you the treasures of darkness, and riches stored in secret places" (Isa 45:3). The Lord told Cyrus WHY He would do this: "so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For 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" (45:3-4). God can move heathen rulers to side with His people, and lead them in a period of renewal! That is certainly a truth worth pondering!
What were these "treasures of darkness, and riches stored in secret places?" First, they were things that could not be known or accessed unless the Lord opened the way to them. These were "treasures" that could not be found by exploration or archeological digs. They were hidden from human view, and beyond the access of human capabilities. Yet, they were essential to the realization of the Lord's supremacy and an understanding of the king's role in the Divine purpose. For Cyrus, these were treasures that had been kept under lock and key, hidden from view, and removed from mind. Cyrus acknowledged God had given him the "kingdoms of the earth," bringing great riches to him, that were formerly hidden.
But, for the children of God, there is a greater truth to be seen in this text. God can give unto them great truths and insights that have been obscured for years. As it was with Hilkiah, it is still possible to find "the book" of God in "the house of the Lord," where it has been hidden for generations. What a day that was when Hilkiah the priest shouted, "I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD" (2 Kings 22:8).
Many a child of God occupies, or regularly attends, a place where the Word of the Lord remains obscure – where it is like "the treasures of darkness." They remain unaware of the riches of the glory and power that belong to them in Christ Jesus. But all of that can change! If God could give Cyrus the Persian hidden treasures of which he knew nothing, what will He do for those who are in His Son? Can He not show them wondrous things in His law (Psa 119:18), tell them His secret, and show them His covenant (Psa 25:14)? Indeed He can! Look up, child of God! Look up! There are things right under your nose that God can show you – things that will gladden your heart and bring hope to you!
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask that you grant me the rich treasures you have laid up for those who love You.