Prophecy Update #825 - 38 & 39
Christians mostly think of Iran as one of the nations that Ezekiel prophesies will invade Israel in the last days. There is a lesser-known prophecy which offers a glimpse of a restoration of Iran.
We reserve a few minutes to discuss current trends that you’d expect from reading Bible prophecy.
What’s the deal with Iran??
Iran in the Bible is referred to as Elam and later Persia:
Elam appears in early Old Testament history (Genesis 10:22).
Later called Persia, it became a major empire. Cyrus the Great, King of Persia, allowed the Jews to return from their Babylonian exile 8(Ezra 1:1-4).This is why you sometimes hear a world leader compared to Cyrus. Lord Arthur Balfour, Harry S. Truman, & now President Trump have been seen that way.
In Ezekiel 38:5 Persia is part of an End-Times coalition that comes against Israel.
In 1935, Reza Shah Pahlavi formally requested that countries with diplomatic relations refer to the country as “Iran,” which is the name the people of the region had long used in their own language.
The Shah was deposed in 1979, and Iran has been governed by an Islamic theocracy led by a Supreme Leader.
Christians mostly think of Iran as one of the nations that Ezekiel 38&39 prophesies will invade Israel in the last days and be destroyed by God. The others include Russia, Turkey, parts of Sudan, & Libya.
There is a lesser-known prophecy in the book of Jeremiah which offers a glimpse of a restoration of Iran. Coincidentally it is another 38&39, Jeremiah 49:38&39.
“I will set my throne in Elam and destroy her king and officials,” declares the Lord. “Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam in days to come,” declares the Lord.
Reports from inside Iran indicate that the Gospel has taken root. Dr. Hormoz Shariot, a Muslim convert to Christianity, reports that a surge of Iranians turning to Christianity underscores a spiritual awakening in Iran. Through avenues like satellite broadcasts, encounters with visions of Jesus, and personal testimonies of conversions, countless Iranians are finding a relationship with Jesus Christ.
Shariot said, “I strongly believe that Iran is positioned not only to transition from an Islamic state to a Christian nation but also to influence the rest of the Middle Eastern nations.”1
We do not know the timing of Jeremiah 49 or Ezekiel 38&39. Therefore, we shouldn’t speculate - especially when sharing with unbelievers.
Here is what we do know: God scattered the Jews in 70AD, promising to regather them in Israel in the End Times. Jerusalem would be a problem to the nations. Iran is mentioned as one of the nations who would seek her annihilation.
All of that, and more has already been fulfilled.
That segues effortlessly into what is coming any moment: The resurrection & rapture of the Church, followed hard by the 7yr Great Tribulation.
It begs this question - “Are you ready for the Rapture?” If not, get ready, stay ready, & keep looking up.
Ready or not, Jesus is coming!
https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/mar/21/bible-prophecy-iran-is-on-cusp-of-christian-transf/
Hello, I think you missed the part of Ezekiel 38 where at least in the kjv translation it indicates the regathered people from the nations dwell in safety during the gog magog war, which implies that modern israel is not the site of the gog magog war. Now if you look at a map of ancient Israel at its height ancient Israel at its height stretched all the way through syria to the eurphrates at its height under king david and solomon. Ancient Israel became so large that it split into two nations around the time of the end of King Solomons reign. The two parts were called Israel in the north and Judah in the south. It is Judah in the south that the Jewish monastic traditions draw their genological histories, largesly because judaism is in part about looking for the messiah which will usher in their golden age. Its that same judaism world view that the authors of gospels tried to fit creator Jesus into the minor role of messiah. King David for example was also viewed as a messiah figure annointed by the prophet Samuel. Anyway long story short if you look at Ezekiel 38s list of combatants, they fit syria, if you look at the hooks narrative of naval bases being a deciseve factor in bringing russia down from ukraine in 2014 into syria. If you look at how so many of the combatants attempted to in their own ways be a guard to the syrian people its a bizzar war with many factions very noteworthy in world history. Then there was the tohuku earthquake 3/11/2011 which occurred around the time of the beginning of the destablizing arab spring riots in syria which led to civil war first in the southern part of syria which would be the mountains of ancient northern israel if you look a map of topology. Then there is the open mass graves, and the length of the war which led to people being unable to afford to properly bury unclamed remains of various factions. There was the widescale deployment of mines by all factions, which required as Ezekiel 39 indicates people to cleanse the land of mines, to setup sign where bones were found indicating a potentially mined area. There is also the open mass grave east of the sea of lake assad called the valley of the multitude of god at least in one arabic news cast I had google translate many years ago from arabic to english. I know Ezekiel 38 indicates every wall will fall, but that is more a reference to I think the 3/11/2011 earthquake in japans many many many meltdowns in japan on 3/11/2011, that reckless atomic technology industrialy polluting the earth till the earth is extinct, for only after there are no humans on the earth to build and maintain walls will every wall fall. Its very symbolic but also very accurate.
I hope you are right about Iran becoming a Christian nation before creator Jesus Christ return, that would indeed be the most beautiful interpretation of Jeremiah 49. Of the 1.5 billion English language speakers search engines only return a few results of fellow servants discussing these prophecies on social media, Im glad to have found your substack and look forward to reading more of your opinions.