Cyrus

The Obscure Biblical Character is... Cyrus!

Ezra 1:2-4
Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: All the kingdoms of the earth the LORD God of heaven has given me. And He has commanded me to build Him a house at Jerusalem which is in Judah. Who is among you of all His people? May his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.
And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

So Cyrus (kind of like Nehemiah) was burned by the Lord to build something. Cyrus told all the Jews to pitch in and help, and they could build the temple together. Then Cyrus (in verses 7-8) gave the Jews some gold, silver, and other things that were in the temple of Nebuchadnezzar's gods (that Nebu had taken from the Jews).

God used Cyrus build Him a temple. First, Cyrus acknowledged that God had given him the kingdoms that he ruled, and then he encouraged God's people to work together to build this temple.

So the Obscure Biblical Character is:
-a judge of Israel
-God delivered into his hand a king of Mesopotamia
-made peace for 40 years

In His Service,
Joyce

Response Question: Was Cyrus a king for or against God?