Over one hundred and fifty years before Babylon fell to Darius’ armies under King Cyrus, God had spoken of this moment of freedom for His exiled people through the prophet Isaiah. The transfer of power from Babylon to Medo-Persia brought about an almost immediate royal decree to send a group of the exiles back to Jerusalem to begin re-building their destroyed temple, starting with the laying of its foundation. This would eventually lead to a rebuilding of the entire city. Reading from the book of Isaiah:
24 This is what the Lord says, He who is your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb:
“I, the Lord, am the maker of all things,
Stretching out the heavens by Myself
And spreading out the earth alone,
26 Confirming the word of His servant
And carrying out the purpose of His messengers.
It is I who says of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be inhabited!’
And of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be built.’
And I will raise her ruins again.
28 It is I who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd,
And he will carry out all My desire.’
And he says of Jerusalem, ‘She will be built,’ Isaiah 44:24,26,28 (NASB)
The Lord had used Babylon as an instrument of judgment and correction against Judah for their ongoing stubborn idolatry and total rejection of Him, their Creator and Redeemer. The people remained in exile for seventy years while their farmlands back home lay fallow to catch up with their required sabbath year rest, as specified by the laws God gave to Moses. These laws had been ignored by the people for almost five hundred years, and one-seventh of this time should have been used in honoring God’s prescribed sabbath rest for these farmlands.
God is serious about His law, so serious that He remembers even five hundred years later the people’s’ failure to keep it. But, He also understands the weakness of our flesh, and our inability to obey His laws. He made provision for this by coming to earth as a man, Jesus Christ, both fully God and fully human. Because of God’s great love for us, Jesus came to take upon Himself all the judgment and punishment that we deserve for our sins and failures. After dying on a cross for us, despite His complete innocence, Jesus was then raised from the dead, so that we of faith may also be raised to experience eternal life with Him. He fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law of Moses for us.
1 Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (NASB)
God revealed His plan to restore Israel from its exile when He called Cyrus through the prophet Isaiah. God also foreshadowed our restoration from sin through the writings of Isaiah and other prophets concerning the coming of Christ.
When we turn to Christ in faith, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is a daily wellspring of life and regeneration, encouraging us, and cleansing us of our sins. When we seek to follow God’s way, He makes all things possible for us.
Even with the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit, we still often fail and fall short of the type of life we seek to live for God. Although He could keep a record of all of our sins and shortcomings, the Lord chooses to “remember them no more” when we come to Him in faith and humble repentance, seeking His forgiveness.
3 If You, Lord, were to keep account of guilty deeds,
Lord, who could stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with You,
So that You may be revered. Psalm 130:3-4 (NASB)
God loves you and I, and is reaching out for us, wherever we are, whatever our past, or current situation. He is magnificently greater than any problem we are facing, be it our sin problem or the hopelessness of exile in a foreign land. He brought forth Cyrus to save His exiled people, and Christ came to save you and me.
Reflection
We remember our sins, but isn’t it wonderful that God chooses to put them out of His mind, forever?
The writer of Hebrews proclaims of the Lord:
17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17 (NKJV)
This is a wonderful promise, made today to all those who would receive Christ in faith, and turn to Him in repentance for sin. His perfection and righteousness cover all of our weaknesses and failures, allowing us to dwell forever in the presence of a pure and holy God.
Thank you, Lord, that, though my sins be as scarlet, You have thoroughly cleansed and purified me through the blood of Christ. I humbly turn to You in gratitude for the countless blessings You have bestowed upon me. Help me to follow and serve You in love. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
Have a blessed and beautiful day in the Lord today.
Daily Meditations from the Genealogy of Jesus 