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A truly remarkable prophecy written by the Prophet Isaiah a few hundred years before Cyrus defeated Babylon. The story is that the prophet Daniel approached Cyrus the morning after Babylon's overnight and nearly bloodless overthrow and showed him these writings of Isaiah. He was so overwhelmed by God's calling of him by name, that this is what led to Cyrus to not only free the Jews from Babylon captivity, but also gave them supplies and papers of authority to rebuild The Temple of Jerusalem.

Cyrus, a pagan, did not "Know God", as is pointed out below, yet he was called for God's purpose. He is the only gentile in the Old Testament that is referred by God as "His Annointed". And if you know the history of how he drained the river in order to gain entrance of the city state, this passage speaks volumes.

Isaiah 44

24) "This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,

25) who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,

26) who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, 'It shall be inhabited,' of the towns of Judah, 'They shall be built,' and of their ruins, 'I will restore them,'

27) who says to the watery deep, 'Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,'

28) who says of Cyrus, 'He is my shepherd and will accomplish all that I please; he will say of Jerusalem, "Let it be rebuilt," and of the temple, "Let its foundations be laid." '

Isaiah 45

1) This is what the LORD says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut:

2) I will go before you and will level the mountains [a] ; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.

3) I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

4) For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.

5) I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,