TREASURES FROM GOD’S WORD — Week of March 9-15, 2026 (Sample Talk)

Subject: A written prophecy two centuries before its fulfillment

Let us imagine that today someone wrote, in detail, the name of a world leader, a concrete military strategy and the final result… and that this was two centuries later. It would be global news. Well, something very similar we found in the Bible. The theme of this speech is: A prophecy written two centuries before its fulfillment. And the goal is simple: to strengthen our confidence that the Bible is not a human book, but that Jehovah directs events and fulfills his word accurately.

Sometimes people say, “Is the Bible beautiful, but it’s old… can you really trust her? The answer depends not on feelings, but on facts. And one of the most impressive facts is what Jehovah announced about Babylon and on a Persian conqueror named Cyrus.

Let’s think about the stage first. In 539 before our age, Babylon was a huge power. He seemed invincible. It was surrounded by gigantic walls and, in addition, the great Euphrates river crossed the city and was part of its defense system. From a human point of view, taking Babylon was a formidable challenge. However, Jehovah had already announced how his defenses would fall.

Let us look at the first prophecy: the rivers of Babylon would dry up. Let us read Isaiah 44:27, where Jehovah saith, I am he that say unto the deep waters, Go not. I’ll dry all your rivers. It’s a blunt statement. Jehovah is not saying, “Perhaps pass, or perhaps it happens.” He’s declaring they’d dry.

And this is the impressive thing: when Cyrus arrived with his army, he encountered the obstacle of the river. What did he do? As described, he placed part of the army where the river entered and left the city, and diverted the Euphrates to a canal into a basin. The result was that the water level dropped so much that the bed became wadable, and the soldiers were able to enter where there used to be water. Just as Jehovah said, I will dry up all their rivers.

Now let’s think about what this means. Babylon relied on something very visible: its walls and its river. Today, many people trust modern walls: money, contacts, technology, political stability, health, life plans… And when they feel that something threatens those walls, anxiety appears. But these prophecies teach us that, when Jehovah decides that something will be fulfilled, there is no human barrier that can prevent it.

Now let us go to the second prophecy, which is even more striking: Jehovah mentioned the name of the conqueror: Cyrus, and said he would act as the sheer of God. This is not common. That a prophecy mentions by name someone who has not even been born yet, and connects it with concrete actions, is a powerful proof of divine inspiration.

Read Isaiah 44:28, at least the key part. Jehovah says of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and he will do my will altogether, and he adds, that Jehovah would say of Jerusalem, It shall be rebuilt, and of the temple: Your foundation shall be laid. What’s going on here? Jehovah is uniting several pieces: the fall of Babylon, the performance of Cyrus and the direct benefit to God’s people. And he does it with absolute security.

Maybe someone thinks: Well, maybe Cyrus was a believer. But the prophecy makes it clear that it was not. In fact, Jehovah said he called him by name and gave him a specific role even if he did not know him. This teaches us a very useful lesson: Jehovah can even use people who do not worship him to advance. He’s sovereign.

And here it is appropriate to make a comparison with our Christian life. Sometimes we get distressed thinking, “With everything that happens in the world, how will the work go on?” Or what will happen to my circumstances? Isaiah reminds us that Jehovah does not improvise. Jehovah sees the whole picture. He called events, so to speak, and directs them to fulfill what he has promised. That should give us peace.

Now we reach the third key point: Cyrus would allow the people of God to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the city and temple. Read Ezra 1:1-3. He says that in the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, Jehovah moved Cyrus to proclaim a decree throughout the kingdom, that the words of Jehovah might be fulfilled. And the decree said, in essence, Jehovah, the God of heaven… hath charged me to build a house in Jerusalem… those who are part of his people to come up to Jerusalem… and rebuild the house of Jehovah.

That’s extraordinary. A pagan king issued a decree that directly favored true worship. In addition, his cooperation was remarkable: he returned sacred utensils, provided resources and allowed practical measures for reconstruction. In contrast to previous rulers who had oppressed the Jews, Cyrus opened a door for the people of Jehovah to reorganize and return to worship in Jerusalem.

Now, why is this so important to us? For when Jehovah promises to restore, he not only fulfills in theory. It comes to real details: permits, resources, political decisions, opportunities… Jehovah moved the circumstances so that his people could move forward. And this strengthens our faith today. Sometimes we ask Jehovah for help and maybe we think his support will be just emotional. But Jehovah can also open practical doors: it can give us strength to make decisions, it can move circumstances, it can help us find solutions, it can sustain us to remain faithful.

And now we come to the final question, which we want to answer clearly: How did Cyrus fulfill the words of Isaiah 45:1-4? Let’s read Isaiah 45:1-4. Jehovah says to his anointed, Cyrus, whose right hand hath clinched, that he would subdue nations before him, that he would disarm kings, that he would open before him the double gates, so that the doors would not be shut. Jehovah says, I will go before thee… I will break the copper gates and break the iron bars… I will give thee treasures… that I may know that I am Jehovah… who calls thee by thy name… for my servant Jacob… I call thee by thy name… even though thou hast not known me.

How did this happen?

First, Jehovah saith, whose right hand I have taken. That expression indicates direction and support. Cyrus succeeded not only by his military capacity, but because Jehovah allowed his conquest to advance as prophesied. Jehovah went before him, paving the way.

Second, Jehovah speaks of open double doors And that they are not closed. We know that Babylon was considered safe by its defenses, but the strategy related to the Euphrates made it possible to penetrate areas that seemed inaccessible. Jehovah was describing, with graphic language, that the city would be accessibleThat the doors would not stop the advance.

Third, Jehovah mentions treasures, in the darkness, and hidden treasures. When a power falls, there is accumulated wealth, warehouses, reserves. Jehovah was already pointing out that Cyrus would gain resources and advantages that would confirm that Jehovah was behind the result.

And fourth, and perhaps the most impressive: Jehovah saith, I call you by thy name. This underlines the central point of the speech: the prophecy was written well in advance, and yet it was fulfilled precisely. Jehovah knew what humans couldn’t know.

So what leaves all this to us today?

It leaves us, first, a certainty: the Bible is reliable. Not because I like it, but because it contains verifiable and detailed prophecies. When someone mocks the Bible or says they are stories, we have a basis to be convinced.

Second, it teaches us that Jehovah can overcome obstacles that seem impossible. Babylon seemed unconquerable; Jehovah said, “I will dry up its rivers,” and it happened. In our life, there are personal basilonias: problems that seem too great, pressures that seem to have no way out, scary stages. These prophecies do not promise a life without difficulty, but they do give us an idea: Jehovah knows how to open paths where others only see walls.

And third, it strengthens us to look to the future calmly. If Jehovah has fulfilled a prophecy written two centuries before, what does that tell us about his promises for our time? That we can trust. Jehovah doesn’t fail. Jehovah is not too late. Jehovah is kidding.

So, when we go out today, let’s take this engraved idea: faith is not based on assumptions, it relies on evidence. And one of the strongest proofs is this: Jehovah announced in advance the fall of Babylon, mentioned Cyrus by name, described how the river would be neutralized, and assured the liberation of his people to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. It all happened. Therefore, when Jehovah promises something for us, we can say with conviction: this will also be fulfilled. And that gives us peace, courage and joy to move forward faithful.