MONOLOGUE – CYRUS
My name is Cyrus. I was born in the famous Persian city of Anshan in Iran. My mother’s name was Mandane. She was the daughter of the Median king Astyages. He ruled over an extensive empire which he captured from the Assyrians.
My father Cambyses was a Persian king who ruled over a relatively small kingdom.
POLITAL MARRIAGE
The marriage of my parents was a political arrangement more than a romantic one. My Median grandfather Astyages wanted to bond his kingdom with the Persian kingdom and by this marriage his aim was accomplished.
I thus am a product of a Median mother and Persian father. This makes me a Medo-Persian.
VISITING THE FAMILY
When I grew up my mother Mandane often took me with her when she visited her father, king Astyages. As all grandchildren, I too adored my grandfather. He couldn’t wait for us to come and visit him.
CYAXARES
When grandpa died we kept on visiting Ecbatana where my mother’s brother, uncle Cyaxares II became the new king. All the military skills I developed can be credited to my uncle.
On one occasion he asked me and my father to come and assist him against an enemy. He also made me a captain in his Median army.
BABYLON
When my father Cambyses died I became the king of the Persians. With the help of my uncle Cyaxares II we conquered the mighty city of Babylon.
After this victory my uncle became the king of the new Medo-Persian Empire. At the same time he gave his daughter to me as a wife.
My uncle Cyaxares II accepted a new throne name, “Darius the Mede.”
At this time, he was 62 years of age. While he ruled in Babylon, I was involved in empire business. After ruling the empire for only two years, he died at the age of 64. I then became the new ruler of the Medo-Persian Empire.
DANIEL
I must tell you of this amazing old man I met at the age of 88 years. He was cast into the lions’ den and survived. During our conversation he revealed to me some amazing prophecies from another prophet called Isaiah.
Almost 200 years before my birth he prophesied exactly what I was going to do. Among other things he said I would be responsible for the overthrow of Babylon. I would also send the Jewish captives back to their capital Jerusalem, to rebuild their temple.
Isaiah also explained to me that I am a type of the future Messiah who would one day come and deliver people from the slavery of sin.
I was convinced that the God of Daniel was the God of heaven and earth. I wrote a document in which I proclaimed freedom for the captives and provide the means to pay for their journey to Jerusalem.
My dear friend it is such a privilege to think that I am called a type of the coming Messiah. I want to meet Him when He appears again.
I desperately need deliverance from the bondage of my fallen human nature. May I invite you too, to prepare for the coming Kingdom where pain and death would forever be banished.