Today: [Isaiah 41] Cyrus – God’s Deliverer: In this chapter Isaiah sets the stage for a court proceeding between those worshiping idols in Judah and those trusting in the one, true God. He calls the nations to silence and challenges those even in Hezekiah’s day that still clung to pagan beliefs. He goes on to insist against all objections that in spite of Hezekiah’s godly reign that the nation will ultimately fall, but then be delivered by a conqueror yet to come. This comes to pass a century later through Cyrus and the Persians and the Medes who overthrow Babylon and redeem the people of God from captivity, thus facilitating the rebuilding of Jerusalem (which hadn’t even been destroyed at the time of Isaiah’s prophecy in this chapter).