Reconciliation in Ezra 1
“Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of those among you who are of his people—may their God be with them!—are now permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem; and let all survivors, in whatever place they reside, be assisted by the people of their place with silver and gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill-offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.” - Ezra 1.2-4
Imagine that whoever wins the presidential election this year, that his first order of business in January 2013 was to give back to the Native Americans every acre of land that was taken from them over the centuries.*
It’s unthinkable because it is the most absurd political decision one could make.
And yet Cryrus’ edict around 538 BCE does just that. Ezra-Nehemiah gives us a startlingly image of what Yahweh’s reconciliation looks like.
Reconciliation is absurd. It’s political suicide. It is dangerous. It is counter-cultural. It is subversive.
And reconciliation is unfinished.
