Redeemed from Captivity

In Isaiah 45-48 Cyrus is foretold as the one who will restore Israel after the captivity in Babylon. The idols that the Babylonians worshiped are powerless to save them, and Babylon will be conquered and humiliated. God will bring His people back home, as He had planned to do all along.

God's plans for us are to make us like Him, not simply to make us rich, powerful, comfortable or even safe. He brings us through many trials to cleanse us, but in the end we see God was doing it for us all along.