The are two nations much in the news at the moment: Greece and Iran. It is almost as if we must take note of them and what they are doing, as they are so often in the news and there is so much controversy.
So what does the Bible say?
Persia and Greece are famously part of Nebuchadnezzar's dream image of what was to occur. As Daniel revealed to Nebuchadnezzar Persia would arise then Greece,
And after [Babylon] shall arise another kingdom inferior [Persia], and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth [Greece]. (Daniel 2:39).
All the earth meant all the civilized world. There is more detail given later to Daniel, where he is shown that the Persian power would be taken over by the Greeks
And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. (Dan 8:19-22)
Daniel is shown the Angelic interest in how Greece is to prevail over Persia, as the Angel says,
“now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come” (Dan 10:20) .
Greece famously was divided into four, and from one of the powers came Rome who fully inherited Greece's power and also used the Greek language. Then as often occurs the vision jumps to the end times.
And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people [Israel]. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:23-25)
The one who stands in the Babylonian Greco- Roman power has the same fate as Nebuchadnezzar's image; the power is destroyed, suddenly.
So let us take note, neither Persia or Greece are of no importance now – so what is going on?
Persia:
Persia clearly is important to the powers of the world now. It is totally incomprehensible that the six powers of the world (The P5+1 China, France, Russia, UK & United States; plus Germany), would make a nuclear deal with Iran, especially the USA. So why? Germany has much to again in trade as Iran was a trading partner, as has China. Russia has much to gain in influence and trade, but the USA is playing a deep game and there is some suspicion they vainly and foolishly hope Iran is a bulwark against Russia and Assad in Syria. Those who hate the God of the Bible, are doing the most, in their blindness, to fulfil his will! There is no doubt at all from all commentators that the deal and the lifting of sanctions on Iran can't fail to allow Iran to reach its ambitions to be a major player in the ME. The USA and their allies kindly removed its great foe, Iraq, and in addition is now helping it obtain a full hold on Iraq. We are seeing the rise of an ancient power. Persia is back, to effective purposes.
So what will Iran do? It is likely leaders of the USA don't read their scriptures, or if they do they think their wisdom is greater. The Russians merely had to sit and watch as the USA did all the hard work to prepare their ground with Iran. If they read Daniel they would know for sure that Persia was to be allied first with the great Northern power of Gog!
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: (Ezekiel 38:3-5)
Why is Persia first? Have a good look now and you know that it is the truth now in 2015-16! There is only one major power, now Turkey has been dried up 100 years, and the British -USA influence is pulled out: it is Iran-Persia! Russia knows it, but the USA also knows it and seeks to make them their 'friend' now, as they think they need them. It is not possible that Ezekiel could have known this unless he was told by the God of Israel, to whom a thousand years is as a day!
Let us consider; when the American continent was in the darkness of distance, and not known to the majority in the world, the Persians were a great power. They seek that greatness again. The USA has just exposed itself as weak and its influence as waning- why should it seek a deal if they had the power? Why seek influence if they have it? There is some suspicion (from Debka) that the US were instrumental in some events in toppling the Shah to obtain influence, but that failed. So this will fail. The Persians will seek the strong, but in doing so they will be among those broken 'without hand', by the return of Messiah. The rise of Iran is a sign
Greece:
Greece has no hope of being a great power again, but Greece is important for other reasons: who they were, who has taken their mantle, and their role in making the Iron and Clay that Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream cleave together. Greece is spoken of as a foundation of Western Civilization. If it is a foundation, it is truly rotten! The Greek debt situation is showing the limit of so called democracy and its failings. The wishes of the people dominated over accounting common sense, to get them into the mess, and the recent vote of the people was shown to mean nothing and was no help in getting them out of the debt mess. Then in addition many citizens riot when the process of 'democracy' doesn't go their way!
So what is the worry about Gr exit all about? Greenland left, so why the fuss? Six nations (six again!) formed the European Economic Community in 1957. But things really began to co-alese into the beginnings of the modern EU when Greece joined the next six nations who made the European Community (Denmark, UK, Ireland, Portugal and Spain). This makes 12 but 2 never adopted the Euro, which makes 10 founding nations in the Euro. This looks very like the 10 toes of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, and covers the area that inherited the Greco-Roman cultural mantle. Twelve nations adopted the Euro in 2002, again Greece was among them. You can see why Greece is important to the Euro project, not because they are valuable, but ideologically they are important!
The foundation of European democracy is not in reality Greece but France and Germany. Democracy was of little influence and failed in a few short years when its founder took Hemlock, in Ancient Greece. It was never taken up by Rome! By contrast, without having a name, it was flourishing among the Germanic barbarians. In the revolutions of Europe from 1789 France took up the theme of 'liberty fraternity and equality'. It so happened at that time their intellectual ideal in all forms of things, from buildings to dress, was ancient Greece, and so Greece was elevated. Germany in their unification also drank from the same ideological well, and it is no accident that the Brandenburg gate looks as if it could have been in Ancient Greece, and that Napoleon took its quadriga to Paris. Because of this cultural influence of ancient Greece, which is purely Franco-German in its modern form, Greece is important to Germany and France.
Why is it important for us to note? We might take note of who are the sons of Greece because they are spoken of,
When I have bent Judah for me, filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Greece, and made thee [Daughter of Zion see context] as the sword of a mighty man. (Zech 9:13)
We can see how the nations who have inherited the culture of Greece have recently turned against Israel. The sons of Greece are more than Greece. For more on the sons of Greece see article. See how those nations who have made much of Greece recently have bailed the Greeks out. Their vanity in bailing out Greece will lead to even greater problems, as if the political system is rotten the house of cards that is the financial system is even more rotten.
They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (Psalm 49:6-7)
Certainly Greece can't be redeemed. We may also take note of Greece as it is written,
Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head; Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things: The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border. Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head: (Joel 3:4-7)
There are significant efforts being made in the modern world by the 'coasts of Palestine' to 'sell' the Jews to the modern Grecians. Whether in the future Greece will play a role when the Northern Gog invades the land, or whether this is speaking of the rising anti-semitism focussed particularly on Judah and Jerusalem (the so called West bank), is not clear yet. If so the Greeks may learn a better attitude as Joel's prophecy of the role of Greece parallels that of Javan another name for the people of Greece. If Greece take the Children of Judah and Jerusalem, Javan shall bring them back!! It is declared by the God of Israel that after the northern invasion of Israel led by Gog is dealt with 'without hand', that,
“I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Nations.
And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD. (Isaiah 66:19-20)
For more you might be interested in Sone of Greece, Sons of Zion
Events, are moving at such a pace that we don't have time to analyse those with significance in depth.
Events, like the last sands in the hourglass, are moving at such a pace that sometimes we don't have time to analyse those with significance in depth.
Events, like the last sands in the hourglass, are moving at such a pace that sometimes we don't have time to analyse those with significance in depth.
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