"The habits of both the Medes and the Persians, but more
particularly of the Persians, brought them in close touch with nature, and in their worship they took the elements, fire, earth, water, and air as the highest manifestations of the Deity.
They therefore sought a hill country, and kept a perpetual fire burning.
They believed in the struggle between good and evil as represented by light and darkness, and doubtless the words of Isaiah, which are addressed to Cyrus, had this belief in mind, for the Lord says, "I form the light and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things." (Is.45:7).
In these words he places himself above the gods of the Persians."
StephenHaskell
They therefore sought a hill country, and kept a perpetual fire burning.
They believed in the struggle between good and evil as represented by light and darkness, and doubtless the words of Isaiah, which are addressed to Cyrus, had this belief in mind, for the Lord says, "I form the light and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil; I the Lord do all these things." (Is.45:7).
In these words he places himself above the gods of the Persians."
StephenHaskell
