Ezra 1:7-11 (ESV)
Cyrus the king also brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. Cyrus king of Persia brought these out in the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. And this was the number of them: 30 basins of gold, 1,000 basins of silver, 29 censers, 30 bowls of gold, 410 bowls of silver, and 1,000 other vessels; all the vessels of gold and of silver were 5,400. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
When the nation of Israel was taken captive by the Babylonians their captures not only took the people into captivity, but, as always happens in wars, they also took the shinny things. The war was about accumulating slaves, property and trinkets. Wars are often ideological in theory but material in actual practice. They may want power and reign but they desire possessions and goods. In the above text we read that when the exiles are about to be sent back to Jerusalem, Cyrus, King of Persia (who had defeated the Babylonians) is willing to give them back all the possessions originally taken from them. Think about this. Here we have a heathen nation take the possession and another heathen nation conquers the first nation. However, through all that change of power and leadership, everyone one of the vessels taken from the Temple in Jerusalem are restored, without as much of a missing cup. This is God’s sovereign power over all things. What a relaxing thought. What a peaceful thought. God is in control of all things. Even the silverware and utensils of the Temple. Wow!!
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