Cyrus, the king of Persia, was chosen by God to fulfill His purpose to overthrown the Babylonian Empire, to destroy the enemy nations of Israel, and to deliver Judah from captivity.

Both the prophet and the people must have been impressed to hear the Most High call a Gentile “anointed” and “righteous” (41.2).

But that did not mean that Cyrus was a faithful or God-fearing man; it simply meant that he would be an instrument used by the Lord to accomplish what He desired