From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. – Isaiah 46:11

Today’s Scripture Reading (December 18, 2013): Isaiah 46

The Shahbaz was a fabled bird that was supposed to have lived in the mountain ranges of Iran. The Shahbaz has been described as being a bird much like the American Bald Eagle. Much like the Bald Eagle, the Shahbaz was regal in nature, in fact, the name Shahbaz really means “Royal Bird.” But the Shahbaz was more than just a bird. For the ancient Persians, the Shahbaz was a god. The bird was thought to be the guiding force behind the Persian Empire. Ever circling high in the sky above the sacred Persian land, the bird’s eyes saw all that happened within the empire – and protected the people and the king.

What is maybe significant for Bible scholars is that archaeologists have found flags and military standards from the time of Cyrus the Great decorated with this mythical bird of prey. It is thought that beginning with the reign of Cyrus the Great and continuing through his immediate descendants that the Shahbaz became the symbol of Persia and the standard that flew above the empires conquering military. Some have suggested that the Shahbaz was an appropriate symbol for Cyrus, whose armies struck swiftly and often without much warning.

So once again we have a very specific prophecy given to the Judean exiles living in Babylon reminding them that God is already at work in sending their relief. Isaiah speaks of God summoning a bird of prey from the East. And the allusion could refer to no one other than Cyrus and Persians. According to Isaiah, God was summoning the Shahbaz to come and fly to Babylon and send his people back home. And again, Isaiah makes it very clear that this foreign king would be serving God’s purpose.

Cyrus the Great would become known as the great liberator for his practice of sending the slaves of the nations that he conquered back home. And this practice of freeing the slaves earned Cyrus the Great something that very few conquerors could claim – the respect of the people that he ruled over.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Isaiah 47