From the Pastor’s Heart OP-ED BY DR. ROBERT KENNEDY
While driving the other day and checking the radio dial, I paused at a station because I heard an interview that arrested my curiosity. The host was interviewing Ralph Reed, the founder of the “Faith and Freedom Coalition,” who had just released a book titled, “For God and Country: The Christian case for Trump.”
I was struck by the fact that the book’s previous title was “Render to God and Trump.” From his perspective, Ralph Reed argued that what he had seen from President Trump’s accomplishments in recognition of Israel and bringing peace to the Middle East was sufficient for him to call all Evangelical Christians to give their allegiance to Trump the 2020 election. However, more striking to me was when I heard Ralph Reed saying that President Trump was comparable to King Cyrus. I have heard it before when Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the same when the President ordered the American Embassy moved to Jerusalem.
In the past, I heard the same comparison with David Koresh, and other messianic figures who thought of themselves, or their followers thought of them as Cyrus. If you do not know, please read your histories of how the lives of these Cyruses and those who have given their loyalties to them have ended. I am not ridiculing, but I am just reciting the reality of history.
If you wish to know more who King Cyrus was, read the Bible where it notes that Cyrus was the Persian king under whom the Babylonian captivity ended (cf. Ezra 1:1-11). The record is that in the first year of his reign (538 BCE), Cyrus was prompted by God to decree that the Temple in Jerusalem should be rebuilt and that such Jews as cared to might return to their land for this purpose. Jewish tradition has been consistent in treating Cyrus as a pagan agent of God’s divine plan for Jews to return to the Land of Israel from their exile in Babylon (modern-day Iraq). Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, credits Cyrus with freeing the Jews from captivity and helping them rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.
My reason for doing this reflection is not to get in a contest with Ralph Reed, but to ask anyone who reads my reflection not to get caught up in accepting the comparison of President Trump or some of the other individuals that have been identified with King Cyrus. When we make such comparisons, we subject ourselves to blindness and deception. I do not doubt that God sets up kings and rulers and takes them down.
What is concerning me is the fact that so many are accepting the comparisons and giving endorsements to some charismatic figures and political leaders without the kind of critique that will allow them to reject the evil that such leaders are perpetuating. It is being said that we are at an “inflection point” in the history of the United States and the world. And in this, we need to pray for God to give us divine wisdom so that we do not depend on our feeble intuition and reason to lead us out of our mess. Our human wisdom is leading us in the wrong direction.
What I am saying might not make sense to many persons in the land, for it seems that the discernment of many has been dimmed. I am struck that the prophet Isaiah who spoke of the role of Cyrus (Isaiah 44:24-45:13), also spoke of the darkness that would cover the eyes of people at the coming of the Messiah. The prophet said, “Look, darkness is covering the earth and gross darkness the people.” (Isaiah 60:2). So I note that what happened at the first coming of Christ when, as a babe, his parents took him to the Jerusalem temple for his dedication, the religious leaders did not recognize him. Only Simeon, the old priest, and Anna, the old prophetess recognized him (Read it in Luke 2). Is it possible that such darkness is coming upon us again? What we see in the gathering clouds of darkness is a precursor to the second coming of Christ.
Yes, the phrase that we are at an “inflection point” in our nation’s history and the world is not to be taken lightly. While the challenge is for us to go out and vote, it needs more than voting. We need divine wisdom to discern what more we must do. Many savior figures will arise who might want to be called and are being called Cyrus. However, we need to know the true Cyrus and the real Savior. It must be made clear that the consequences of giving any allegiance to political leaders who are fascinated by messianic labels can be very dangerous and destructive.
In effect, let us not be hoodwinked. Let us not be presumptuous. Let us not be prideful or self-sufficient. Let us ask God for wisdom. .
