Isaiah 45:3

"I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name" (Isaiah 45:3 RSV).

Comment:

The first extraordinary thing to note about this passage is that it is the only time in the entirety of Hebrew scripture that the favor of God is granted to a non-Israelite—Cyrus, the new ruler of Babylon, who has decreed that the Israelites, captive for a generation, are free to return to their own country. Speaking through the prophet in terms reminiscent of his promise to Solomon (in 1 Kings 3), the Lord promises that Cyrus's loving choice will have profound consequences in his own life and rule, as well as for the Israelites themselves. Metaphysically, I love the idea of "treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places." We may think there are aspects of our lives, and attitudes in consciousness, that must be hidden away, lest they keep us from our Oneness with God. But, in fact, there are rich lessons to be gleaned from the darkness and secret places in which we try to hide. If we begin with the simple surrender to the energy of the divine that is required of us, all of life—the darkness as well as the light—will provide rich sources of joy and abundance.

Blessings!

Rev. Ed