1 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;
God tells the yet-to-be-born Cyrus that He will make sure he is powerful enough to conquer nations.
Not only that, God is telling him exactly how he will conquer the Babylonians! Cyrus’ troops will lay siege to Babylon, basically a pointless activity since the Euphrates runs right through the middle of the city, providing them with everything they need to live. Plus, they have a couple of gates coming down into the water to prevent the enemy from sailing into the city.
But someone will leave the gates that go down into the water up while the Persians/Median army diverts the river. They will simply march right in and take Babylon.
2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:
God is the one in control.
3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou may know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.
Legend says someone (maybe Daniel) showed Cyrus this prophecy and the commands for him to send the Jews back home to rebuild the Temple. Since this part was so spot-on, Cyrus figured he had better follow the second part, too. This is when he issued his decree.
4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel Mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me.
5 I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me:
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.
“I, the God of Israel/Judah, am the only God there is.”
7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.
“I created the universe.”
It is commonly believed among Christians that Satan was hed of Heaven's chior and rebelled against God. God kicked him out and now he roams earth trying to get us to sin.
This story actually comes from John Milton's poem " Paradise Lost." He took it from pagan religions.
God created Satan from the start exactly for the job he does. You can't have an up without a down, a top without a bottom, a front without a back. You can't have the choice to follow God without the choice to follow Satan.
8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.
9 Woe unto him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioned it, “What make thou?” Or thy work, “He has no hands?”
“How dare people deny their very creator God!?”
10 Woe unto him that says unto his father, “What begettest thou?” or to the woman, “What have thou brought forth?”
Denying God is like denying that your parents birthed you.
11 Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his (Cyrus’) Maker, “Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons, and concerning the work of My hands command ye Me.”
This is one of the few times God tells someone to ask anything they want to prove Him.
12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.
God is in control.
13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build My city, and he shall let go My captives, not for price nor reward, says the Lord of hosts.
Cyrus WILL choose to rebuild Jerusalem and no one will have to pay him to do it, either.
14 Thus says the Lord, The labor of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, “Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.”
Cyrus did conquer Ethiopia and Egypt. Though Babylon tormented Egypt, they didn’t completely control the whole country. Cyrus not only took all Babylon had conquered, he greatly expanded the empire.
15 Verily thou art a God that hides thyself, O God of Israel, the Savior.
16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.
People who worship idols will really look stupid by the time God is done. This prophecy about Cyrus especially proves God's presence, power, and control of the universe.
17 But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
The Jews will really look victorious.
This is a promise for salvation to the Jews forever, but we find in other places that it is a conditional promise. IF they will serve God, THEN He will keep them as His people forever. At the time of Christ, God cut out all unbelieving Jews and grafted in all gentiles who choose to believe (Romans 11). All believing gentiles became Israelites and all unbelieving Jews became gentiles in God's eyes.
18 For thus says the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He has established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.
God did not waste His time when He created the universe.
19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, “Seek ye Me in vain:” I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.
The Jews who choose to believe God's promises are not wasting their time, either.
20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.
Again, those who worship hunks of wood carved into idols are stupid.
21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I the Lord? And there is no God else beside Me; a just God and a Savior; there is none beside Me.
God has been saying this all along; “I am the only God there is.”
22 Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
God is still our only hope of salvation.
23 I have sworn by Myself, the word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.
When time ends, all souls that have ever lived will acknowledge God as God and will worship Him.
24 Surely, shall one say, “In the Lord have I righteousness and strength:” Even to Him shall men come; and all that are incensed against Him shall be ashamed.
All these God-haters (and that is what atheists and pagans are) will be embarrassed at their stupidity.
Also, all who doubted that God will restore Judah will be ashamed when Cyrus gives his command.
25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.
All who believe in God are the seed of Israel. They are grafted in; become part of the tree of salvation.