. The training of the Chosen people. t exist for herself alone, butfor mankind, and hence Israel, as the Chosen People ofJehovah, is to have her glorious place in the work ofblessing mankind. Now that she has been purged ofher transgression, the time of her deliverance fromBabylon must be near that she may fulfil her part inthis too long delayed work. In the third place, Isaiahconfirmed his message of com-fort by calling the attention ofthe exiles to the fact that therewere indications in the actualhistorical situation that the endof the Babylonian dominionwas approaching, and with itthe time
. The training of the Chosen people. t exist for herself alone, butfor mankind, and hence Israel, as the Chosen People ofJehovah, is to have her glorious place in the work ofblessing mankind. Now that she has been purged ofher transgression, the time of her deliverance fromBabylon must be near that she may fulfil her part inthis too long delayed work. In the third place, Isaiahconfirmed his message of com-fort by calling the attention ofthe exiles to the fact that therewere indications in the actualhistorical situation that the endof the Babylonian dominionwas approaching, and with itthe time of their deliverance. Nebuchadnezzar had died in561 b. c. He left no worthysuccessor. A series of weak orinfant kings removed by assas-sination had disorganized therealm. In the meantime an ob-scure Persian prince was rapid-ly achieving an internationalposition of first-rate impor-tance. He had conquered As-tyages, king of Ecbatanaand Croesus, the famous wealthy king of Lydia. Thushe had made himself master of Asia Minor, as well as. Cyrus, King of Persia. From a bas-relief among- theruins of ancient Pasargadas, Cy-ras royal residence. The in-scription at the top, now brokenoff, read: I am Cyrus, theKing, theAchsemenian. 164 Old Testament History of the territory northeast of Babylonia. Isaiah hadonly to connect the appearance of this world-conquerorwith his teachings as to the character and power ofJehovah to find in the historic movement of his ownday ample room for believing that the Babylonian op-pression was doomed. Cyrus is a minister of God tofulfil His purpose. And yet we are to remember thatwhile Cyrus in an inscription speaks of himself asbeloved of Bel and Nebo, Isaiah refers to these verygods in utmost scorn as so much dead weight, baggagefor the backs of beasts (Is. 46: 1-10; comp. 44: 12-17).It was not because Cyrus loved Jehovah or was con-sciously serving Him that he was to perform his greatwork, but simply because Jehovah was God of thewhole earth and chose to
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