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In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: \u201cThis is what Cyrus king of Persia says: \u201c\u2018The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them (Ezra 1:1-3).

The Bible is God\u2019s self-revelation which means it\u2019s about him and not us. Sometimes we need to be reminded of this. We tend to read scripture to fill our needs. We look for something that is relevant to us. God does often meet us in very specific ways when we read his Word. Yet, it is important to remember that in Scripture God is revealing himself to us. It\u2019s a book about him first of all, not us. Its for us, but about him.

One of the themes that resonates through the final batch of psalms concerns God\u2019s kingdom. As Psalm 145 sings, \u201cYour kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations\u201d (13).

I mentioned last week that the book of Psalms was probably arranged (like we put together hymn books) in the days surrounding Israel\u2019s Babylonian captivity and return. The returning Israelites may have sung these final songs as they made their way back to Jerusalem. The books of Ezra and Nehemiah contain much of that story.

It\u2019s seems worthwhile to note the beginning, \u201cthe Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia\u201d. Here is a clear example of God of standing above all human kings and kingdoms. Israel as a nation had been crushed. Her people were either exported or killed. Her cities and buildings reduced to rubble. Her land given to foreigners. As far as human\u2019s were concerned: Israel was no more.

First, there had been the Assyrian empire. It crushed the 10 northern tribes of Israel. The Assyrians were defeated by the Babylonians who then eradicated Judah, the southern part of Israel, reducing Jerusalem to dust and ashes. In Daniel 5, we can read an account of the Persians taking over the Babylonian empire.

But now God moves the heart of king Cyrus, who proceeds to write a proclamation that all Jews who desire to return home may do so. Now notice the purpose of their return: to rebuild the temple of God. How curious is that? The most powerful person in the middle east at the time is moved by God to have God\u2019s temple rebuilt. Not only that, but as the Jews pack up their belongings, their neighbours are to load them up with \u201cgold and silver, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem\u201d (4). Not only will the temple be rebuilt, but foreigners will cover the cost.

We often say that God is sovereign, that he reigns over the nations. It is not always clear how that works. This is how it works! God moves the heart of Cyrus, king of Persia, and the movement begins to rebuild the temple of God.

The temple did not spring up overnight. It took years and loads of setbacks and political intrigue. But the story is told to encourage future generations of God followers that God is sovereign.

There is something else in this story\u2019s beginning that is worth paying attention to. In Daniel 9, we find Daniel reading a record of Jeremiah\u2019s prophecies. There he discovers that the exile was to last 70 years. In response, Daniel prays. He confesses Israel\u2019s sins, asks God to forgive and for God\u2019s own sake, to do something.

So here is the mystery of God\u2019s sovereignty: our prayers are part of it. Sometimes we say, \u201cGod will do what God will do\u201d, or some variation of that. But that is not quite right. That comes from a more fatalistic view of history. God\u2019s sovereignty includes our prayers. We participate in some manner.

The world may seem mad to us; unstable. But God is in control. He moves the hearts of kings, bending them to accomplish his purposes. And he calls his people to pray.