Podcast Summary: The Lord of Spirits – "The Other Messiah in the Bible"

Hosts: Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick & Fr. Stephen DeYoung
Date: October 14, 2025
Theme: The Seen and Unseen World in Orthodox Christian Tradition – Persia, Cyrus the Great, and the Unexpected Messiah

Overview

In this episode, Frs. Andrew and Stephen explore the Persian Empire—specifically the reign of Cyrus the Great—and his surprising appearance in the Bible as an “anointed one” or messiah. Spanning ancient history, biblical exegesis, Persian religion (with a deep dive into Zoroastrianism), and profound spiritual reflections, the episode reveals how God works through unexpected figures and empires, and what that means for our lives today.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: Persia in Biblical and Historical Context

Timeframe: [06:02–16:09]

• Difference from Other Ancient Empires

  • The Persian (Achaemenid) Empire was more than just a conquering force:
    • “Both the Assyrian and Neo Babylonian empires are empires in the true sense of the term empire, which means they consist of conquered territory... But especially in the Assyrian Empire there wasn't a lot of infrastructure.” [10:29 – C]
    • The Persians developed robust infrastructure, bureaucracy, and trade, eclipsing previous models.

• Cyrus as Central Figure

  • Unlike the Neo-Babylonian Empire (largely centered on Nebuchadnezzar), Persian importance in the biblical account is focused on Cyrus.

• Persian Empire’s Expansiveness

  • At its peak under Darius, Persia spanned from Egypt/Ethiopia to India, surpassing Babylon's old glory and even comparable in scope to Rome.

• Dynastic Origins: The Achaemenids

  • Named after Achaemenis (Old Persian: Hakhamanish)—a legendary founder, later mythologized as semi-divine.

2. Cyrus the Great: Biography and Legend

[16:09–32:00+]

• Lineage & Rise to Power

  • Cyrus II, the grandson of Cyrus I, son of Cambyses I, elevated his family from regional rule to empire-building.
  • Married his aunt (typical for consolidating royal bloodlines), reputedly loved her dearly.

• Legendary Birth and Oedipal Overtones

  • Herodotus' wild tale: Astyages (Cyrus’s grandfather) receives a dream foretelling his overthrow by a grandson, tries to have the infant Cyrus killed; Cyrus survives, is raised by shepherds, and the general (Harpagus) who saves him is served his own son as gruesome revenge.
    • “Herodotus has this story about the birth and early childhood of Cyrus ii... You're going to get the expurgated baudelairized version of this story.” [31:13 – C]

• Realpolitik & Conquests

  • Persevered against the Medes via alliance with Harpagus, then swept through Lydia, Asia Minor, and into India, finally encircling the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
  • Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BC—surprisingly welcomed by populations weary of corrupt or incompetent Babylonian rulers.
    • “He accomplishes all that. 540 BC, Cyrus feels like, okay, now I'm ready to start making moves against the Neo Babylonian empire.” [45:02 – C]

• The Cyrus Cylinder

  • A small inscribed artifact boisterously proclaims his rule as divinely sanctioned—by Marduk, the Babylonian god—and trashes the preceding king, Nabonidus.

• Tomb and Legacy

  • Cyrus died in battle, was interred in a limestone tomb (still extant), and became a role model even for Alexander the Great.

3. Administrative Genius & Persian Distinctions

[55:35–61:23]

• Unique Approach to Empire

  • Unlike most ancient empires, Persia did not enforce cultural or religious uniformity. Cyrus permitted subject peoples to keep their customs, beliefs, and local governance, asking only for tribute and to pray for him.
    • “He allows every region to continue to practice its own nomos... and in terms of their religion, he lets them practice their religion.” [56:20 – C]

• Lingua Franca

  • Made Aramaic (not Persian) the administrative language, facilitating trade and communication across the vast empire.

• Roots of Religious "Tolerance"

  • Religious freedom was unprecedented; the Old Testament attributes the period’s peace and relative autonomy for the Jews to this.

4. Persian Religion and Zoroastrianism

[63:50–107:52]

• Zoroastrianism Origins and Development

  • Was Cyrus a Zoroastrian? “Maybe.” Evidence is ambiguous; Zoroastrianism was a reform of previous Iranian paganism, contemporary with or slightly predating Cyrus’ rule.
    • “Zoroastrianism as such... probably religious traditions contained within Zoroastrianism that do [stretch back].” [65:38 – C]

• Key Features of Zoroastrianism

  • Reform movement similar to the Buddha’s in India—abolished priestly monopoly, hoarding of hallucinogenic substances (haoma/soma), and excessive animal sacrifices.
  • Focused worship (mazda-yasna) on Ahura Mazda, the creative force of light and order (asha), with evil personified as his "shadow" (Angra Mainyu). Not true metaphysical dualism—much later tradition (Manichaeism, etc.) is closer to that model.
    • “You've been told, oh, it's a dualistic religion, right? ...That is NOT true about Zoroastrianism.” [82:23 – C]

• Religious Practice

  • Ritual fire, use of water (initiation reminiscent of baptism), and sky burials (exposure to birds) marked distinct practices, all signifying release of light/soul.
  • Despite its tolerant mythos today, Zoroastrianism became fiercely exclusive and persecuted Christians under the later Sassanid Empire.

5. Cyrus in the Bible: The "Other" Messiah

[126:08–149:13]

• The Exile and Decree of Return

  • 2 Chronicles 36:22–23 and Ezra 1:1–11 detail how Cyrus, moved by God, proclaims that the Jews may return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, restoring treasures looted by Nebuchadnezzar.
    • “Thus says Cyrus, King of Persia, the Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem...” [127:13 – B]

• Theological Significance: Isaiah’s Prophecy

  • Isaiah 44:24–45:7 explicitly names Cyrus as Yahweh’s “shepherd” and “anointed” (in Hebrew: messiah), declaring God’s sovereign power even through a pagan king.
    • “Thus says Yahweh to his Messiah to Cyrus.” [143:44 – C]
    • God selects Cyrus for a purpose—even though “he does not know Me”—and asserts that it is Yahweh, not Ahura Mazda, who creates both good and evil and upholds the universe.
    • “I form light and create darkness... There is none besides Me. I am the Lord who does all these things.” [146:27–147:18 – C]

• Meta-Reading

  • The biblical narrative doesn't merely flatter Cyrus; it corrects and relativizes his self-understanding—God uses him for divine purposes, challenging Persian religious claims, and foreshadowing messianic themes later fulfilled in Christ.

Quotable Highlights & Notable Moments

• Fr. Andrew on the broader theme:

  • “God is always working to. To establish justice, to bring things in order to bring his people Israel, where they need to be in faithfulness to him... it’s up to you to accept that transformative love and to become in alignment with him, because love does that. Love is a relationship...” [149:37 – B]

• Fr. Stephen on personal purpose:

  • “Everything in your life may be preparing you for one moment where there’s one thing you need to do... and you being there at that moment and doing it, that's what the meaning was, that's what the purpose was.” [157:13 – C]

• Fr. Stephen on God’s unexpected instruments:

  • “Cyrus is not the king of the four quarters of the world. Cyrus is the servant of the God who rules the four quarters of the world—a God who he doesn’t even know, but whom he’s serving anyway.” [147:46 – C]

• Light-hearted banter and audience interaction

  • [Throughout]—From Persian cats, rugs, and “heavenly beverages” to the correct pronunciation of “Cyrus,” debates about Greekness, and movie references (Tron and others), the show maintains a playful, engaging tone.

Notable Timestamps for Key Segments

• Persia and the Achaemenid Empire: 06:02–16:09
• Cyrus’ Early Life & Legends: 16:09–39:30
• Conquests and the Cyrus Cylinder: 39:30–55:00
• Persian Administrative Approach: 55:35–61:23
• Zoroastrianism Deep-Dive: 63:50–107:52
• Audience Q&A (Paganism, Zoroastrianism, Tron!): 87:01–125:31
• Isaiah and “Messiah” Cyrus: 126:08–149:13
• Theological Reflection and Application: 149:13–162:39

Tone & Style

• Conversational, anecdotal, and scholarly, the hosts blend deep historical/biblical content with cultural references and dry humor.
• Frequent asides and audience Q&A create a collegial, “living room discussion” atmosphere.

Conclusion: Cyrus, the "Other" Messiah — and What That Means for Us

Cyrus the Great stands as one of history’s most powerful and surprising instruments of God in the biblical narrative—a pagan emperor called “messiah” for a singular purpose: the restoration of Israel. This episode not only unpacks the historical and religious background of Cyrus and Persia but also draws spiritual lessons: God uses the unlikeliest figures to advance justice, order, and redemption. Our own purpose may be hidden, singular, and often only revealed in retrospect—but in faithfulness and humility, we too can be channels for God's work in the world.

Memorable Quote:

"The whole thing may be found at one moment. Everything in your life may be preparing you for one moment where there’s one thing you need to do, one thing you need to say, one place you need to be for somebody else. And you being there at that moment and doing it, that's what the meaning was, that's what the purpose was."
— Fr. Stephen DeYoung [157:13]

For further exploration:

• The Book of Isaiah, especially chapters 44–45
• Ezra 1; 2 Chronicles 36
• Research on the Cyrus Cylinder and Zoroastrianism
• Stay tuned for future Lord of Spirits episodes on “Mithraism” and multi-Ezra traditions!

End of Summary