Israel & Iran ~ Prophetic End-of-Days
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Those who love you will prosper. Peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.”
“For my brothers’ and companions’ sakes, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” For the sake of the house of Yahweh our God, I will seek your good.” WEB Psalm 122:6-9
One might almost say that it is always good to bless Israel! Note: We pray for the shalom of Israel, because we love Yahweh God, we love His land, and His people. In Ezekiel 38:12, Israel is described by God, “…who live at the center of the world.” Notice again, that all the news centers around Israel, Jerusalem, and the Jews. They are at the center of the world’s attention. To be an anti-semite is not logical. To join others in dismantling the land of Israel is not of God. To try to hurt her in rules, laws, and sanctions is not being on the side of God’s end-time plan. It’s always not good to be working against God’s just ends!
Now, concerning Iran, who are they, and how do they fit into end-time prophecy? In the Old Testament, Persia and Persian, is mentioned 32 times. Here is a partial quote from Wikipedia.
“Historically, Iran was commonly referred to as “Persia” in the Western world. Likewise, the modern-day…(word)…”Persian” was typically used…for all Iranian nationals, regardless of whether or not they were ethnic Persians. This terminology prevailed until 1935, when…the Iranian…Shah (of Iran)… requested that (the West)…begin using…”Iran”… Subsequently, “Iran” and “Iranian” were standardized as the terms referring to the country and its citizens… Later, in 1959, (the Shah’s) son…announced that it was appropriate to use both “Persia” and “Iran” in formal correspondence…”
The history of modern Iran dates back to Noah’s son Shem, who had a son named Elam. Elam, Noah’s grandson, settled the highlands of current Iran, which we biblically call Persia. Since they are an ancient civilization and mentioned in Scripture, much is said about them going back 3,500 years. They are again found living during the Millennium. (see Jeremiah 49:34-39) Note again: Elam sounds much like Iran.
So, if we are going to find out how Iran fits into what’s happening in the Middle East, we must look at how ancient prophecy denotes Persia and Elam in these last days. Concerning them, there is much to say.
Modern Iran is a contradiction in terms. The Shah of Iran from the 50’s to the 70’s was modernizing a very third-world country. That is, until the Ayatollah received power in 1979, ending a 2600-year old monarchy, turning the nation into a Islamic Republic, a theocracy. Under these religious leaders, they have declared Israel and the USA to be their religious and spiritual enemies. To that end, they have predicted the end of Israel by 2040, by various means. The current war in the Middle East and the attacks on Israel with ballistic and cruise missiles is evidence of that.
King Cyrus the Persian, in the days of Daniel the prophet, overthrew Babylon, today known as modern Iraq. He called upon the God of Israel saying in Ezra 1:2-3.
“Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth has Yahweh, the God of heaven, given me; and He has charged me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all His people, his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.”
So, Cyrus, in 539 BC, ended the Babylonian empire and the 70 years of Israel’s captivity, annexing Babylon (modern Iraq) into his kingdom. He not only released the Jews to return home and rebuild the Temple, but funded the work as well! This date is the beginning of the Persian monarchy that was overthrown in 1979 by the Ayatollah.
Jesus answered His disciples’ questions concerning the end-times and how we can identify it in Matthew 24:6-7.
“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.”
The news media loves a rumor of anything, particularly a war and it’s potential to start WWIII. Jesus assures us that we will not have to endure His wrath that is coming upon the nations that attack Israel. It should be of no surprise to you that three earthquakes hit Iran just in the month of June as of this writing! In Isaiah 26:19-21, we are given the order of events; first the rapture of the Church and then the wrath of God towards those countries attacking Israel. This covers the Rapture and the entry of the seven-year Tribulation.
“Your dead will live; Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, awake and shout for joy, for your dew is as the dew of the dawn, and the earth will give birth to the departed spirits. Come, my people, enter into your rooms and close your doors behind you; hide for a little while until indignation runs its course. For behold, Yahweh is about to come out from His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; and the earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer cover her slain.”
This and many other prophecies agree with each other, that WWIII will not occur until the church is taken out of the way. Iran is grouped with other nations militarily and attacks Israel for her wealth and land. In Ezekiel 38:4-12, we are told that Iran is part of this attacking force. Notice again that there could not have been a previous nuclear attack on Israel, because that would render the land useless, with the resulting radiation lasting for 4.5 billion years!!!
“I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding swords;”
“Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer with all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops — many peoples with you…”
“After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them.
“You will go up, you will come like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you. Thus says the Lord Yahweh, “It will come about on that day, that thoughts will come into your mind and you will devise an evil plan, and you will say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages. I will go against those who are at rest, that live securely, all of them living without walls and having no bars or gates, to capture spoil and to seize plunder, to turn your hand against the waste places which are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered from the nations, who have acquired cattle and goods, who live at the center of the world.’”
You can rest securely, despite the fear mongering in the news and among our politicians and churches, that no such war will take place! In 1 Thessalonians 5:2-4, 9-11, we are comforted with these words.
“For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;
“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”
I declare Shalom and peace of mind over you right now! I am praying for you daily!
Use the QR code below to watch my message from a week ago on this topic. You can call us for prayer, or to set up automatic giving. You can change or cancel at any time.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem daily. Love Israel with all your heart.
Pastor David Gonzalez
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