Iran is the remnants of a great ancient Nation: Persia. The Iranian leadership, in addition to holding grandiose views in accord with its glorious past, is a religious-clerical dictatorship-regime, which holds power though a strong military wing. Iran is in the news challenging Britain and America: the Bible will explain why.
We see in the news at least once a week in recent months the Iran Nuclear Deal, which allowed trade for restriction on nuclear weapons development, as both the deal and its terms are in dispute. The US president campaigned in 2016 saying the deal was bad for the US and needed revising. The US pulled out of the deal to the displeasure of the EU as the Israelis found evidence that Iran was breaking the deal, and even Iran is now saying it is breaking the deal, as the EU is not giving in to Iran's demands. We see Iran facing off with the US and exchanging threats, and downing drones. We see what appears to be Iranian attacks on Arab shipping. We see Britain seizing an Iranian oil tanker, in breach of EU sanctions on Assad's Syria in Gibraltar, and then attempts by Iran to seize a British oil tanker in the straights of Hormuz. Most recently Iran seized a British flagged oil tanker. Iran, it seems, could trigger war.. or something – as the Iranians may have miscalculated as the Stena Impero was Swedish owned and the crew from India, Latvia, the Philippines and Russia. The ship had been in India and was going to Saudi Arabia and was empty. As it was British flagged it embarrasses Britain.
Iran was and is Persia. Wikipedia summarises what is known,
The Persians are an Iranian ethnic group that make up over half the population of Iran. The ancient Persians were originally an ancient Iranian people who migrated to the region of Persis, corresponding to the modern province of Fars in southwestern Iran, by the ninth century BC
Iranian means Aryan. Ayrans are from the Caucasus. Matthias Küntzel, a German scholar notes,
Iranians had always regarded themselves as heirs to an Aryan identity, asserted in bas reliefs dating back to more than 2500 years ago. The Achaemenid King of Kings, Darius, describes himself as "Aryan son of an Aryan". The very name of the country, Iran, means "the land of Aryans."
The significance of this origin to modern events, relates to how the last centuries power play, with the emergence of a unified Germany in 1871 under Bismark, has projected to the events today.
For over a century Iran had looked for a European power capable of counter-balancing the Russian and British empires that had nibbled at the edges of Iranian territory in pursuit of their colonial ambitions. In 1871, Germany looked like a good ally. As for Germans, they saw Iran as their sole potential ally in a Middle East dominated by Britain and Russia. ..
According to Küntzel, German leaders have at least two other reasons for helping Iran defy the United States.
The first is German resentment of defeat in the Second World War followed by foreign occupation, led by the US. That resentment cannot be publicly expressed..The second reason is that Iran is one of the few countries, if not the only one, where Germans have never been looked at as "war criminals" because of Hitler. For over 100 years, Germany has been the favorite European power of most Iranians. Germans reciprocate the sentiment by having a good opinion of Iran. Küntzel cites a number of opinion polls that show a majority of Germans regard the US and Israel, rather than Iran, as the biggest threat to world peace. https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/4556/germans-iran
The idea of Aryan greatness, was Iranian before it was German. With the elimination by US and allies of Iraq as a power at war with Iran, we see the rise of Iran as a power in the last 10 years. Hidden in the EU, and made wealthy by the EU, we see also the rise of Germany.
In tracing events into history we might see how things happen..
But Why? Persia's historic Role in God's plan
The book of Daniel contains a prophecy which was begun to be fulfilled in the days of Daniel. Daniel's book of prophecy begins with an interpretation of a dream by the ruler of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon was a great empire, greater than Egypt had been, as it was the first great world empire subduing other nations and ruling over them. Babylon had conquered the kingdom of Judea, deporting Daniel as a child.
Them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: (2Chron 36:20)
Now a young adult, Daniel explains the great ruler's dream of an image of a man of many materials which is destroyed by a stone:
This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. ..Thou art this head of gold.
And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee,
And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth.
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Daniel 2:36-44)
Daniel is shown more in the reign of Belshazzar, just as Babylon is about to fall to the Medes and Persians (Daniel 5:28):
He (the Angel) 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 saw having two horns (pushing so that none can resist) 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. 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.” (Dan 8:19-23)
Long after Daniel was dead the Brazen Greeks conquered the Persians, but Daniel was shown in vision that for the near future the Persians would be as 'a horn of ram' that was strong and pushed and subdued all other kingdoms (in analogy absolute king of the herd).
In the reign of Cyrus the Persian, Daniel as an old man about to die, is shown more of the future by the Angel:
Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. (Dan 11:1-4)
The Angel predicts the end of the Persian Empire and the rise of the Greek Empire led by the great general Alexander of Macedon, who would leave his empire to be divided to four men. (As an aside, not only does the angel predict it but, they say they will achieve it, “Now will I return to fight with the prince of Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come. Daniel 10:20). But before the Greek Empire was to arise the Persians were to have a significant role in God's plan.
In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. (Daniel 9:1-2)
Jeremiah, the prophet of the evil that would come upon Jerusalem for their sin, wrote that the Jews would return.
“I will cause the captivity of Judah and the captivity of Israel to return, and will build them, as at the first.” (Jeremiah 33:7)
He was also given the right to redeem a deed as a covenant that went with the promise of this return,
For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. And now.. concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely: And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: (Jeremiah 32:15, 36-38)
Jeremiah was told specifically that when the Jews
returned after 70 years, the Babylonians would be destroyed.
This whole land (Judea) shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. (Jer 25:11-12)
Before Daniel's time, and before Jerusalem was destroyed, Isaiah had written of a man named Cyrus who would rebuild Jerusalem:
That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. (Isaiah 44:26-28)
Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; (Isaiah 45:1)
Thus the ruler of ancient Persia was a very special person!
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.
. to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. (Ezr 1:3) (2 Chron. 36:22-23 cp Ezra 1;1-3)
There was a Persian input of resources involved,
They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. (Ezr 3:7)
The Persians had a truly great role. Daniel was told of 3 rulers in Persia- and the Temple was built over the era of 3 great leaders of the ancient Persian Empire,
The elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. (Ezra 6:14)
Contemporary to events, a truly great event in the history of the Jewish people occurs in their dispersal in Persia. Persia was then described as a realm “from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces” Ester 1:1). The whole nation of Jews in dispersal in this vast Persian empire of Ahasuerus is to be destroyed at the whim of Haman the Agagite. Every year to this day the Jewish people remember the days of deliverance from Haman through the miraculous rise to power of Esther and Mordecai.
That the Persians had a great historical role in the image
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed and a special role in building the temple may
indicate as to why they have a great role at the end times.
Persia and Tyre: Britain
At the time Ezekiel wrote, Persia was part of the army of the great sea merchant power of Tyre, the Phonecians.
They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness. (Ezekiel 27:10)
In a curious echo of this history, great sea trading Britain, having a role in India for a century before, seeing the rise of Germany in 1907 as a threat sought with Russia to divide Persia into two spheres of influence, with Russia to the North and Britain to the South where Persia abutted British India. The Russian revolution of 1917 left Britain as the sole power over Persia, which was reinforced by the victory in WW1 over Germany. This influence was retained, to some extent. In 1941 to prevent German use of Iran's oil, the British Empire and Soviet Union co-operated in invading Iran to secure the oil fields. Until the overthrow of the Shar of Persia in the revolution of 1979, who saw himself as a revived Cyrus, the UK and US had considerable influence, and Iran was not anti Israel. In this era Iranian Oil was useful to the men of war of the modern inheritors of the seaborne trade of Tyre.
History may have continued in one way, but it went the way of a revolution. There may be many explanations as to how such a spirit of revolution may emerge, but fundamentally the Bible in this case of Persia explains why.
Why Persia? Iran in Prophecy
There is as yet unfulfilled prophecy that features Persia in a key supporting role. Ezekiel who lived about 600BC in the Babylonian captivity at a time when there was no nation of Israel, and not even a nation of Judea, speaks of a time when a revived Israel dwells safely. God addresses a leader titled Gog.
Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say unto Gog, Thus saith the Lord GOD; In that day when my people of Israel dwell safely, shalt thou not know it? (Ezekiel 38:14)
This could not even possibly have eventuated until after 1967, as it specifiably speaks of the mountains of Israel, Judea and Samaria
After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8)
It is exceedingly remarkable as Israel though granted the mountains in the Balfour Declaration, only obtained them after bloodshed and war. It is even more remarkable as to this day, Jews do not dwell safely there on the Mountains! But for the first time an American President has a team who really cares from their hearts for the safety of Jews, and for peace.
Gog is said to be of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal. Persia is the lead ally of Gog!
Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. (Ezekiel 38:5-6)
Gog is further identified as being from the North parts, as God says,
“cause thee to come up from the
north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:
(Ezekiel 39:2)
Gog of the North is to be opposed by forces to the South, “Sheba and Dedan and the Merchants of Tarshish with all the young lions” (Ezekiel 38:13), the young lions being nations, not literal lions. The Queen of Sheba came from the South to Solomon and is thought to have come from Arabia. Sheba and Dedan were Arabs from Abraham (1Chron 1:32). What is remarkable is that with the rise of Iran, we see also Saudi Arabia emerge, as they fight a proxy war both in Yemen and Syria. The last American presidential election decided that America would favour the Arabs over the Persians. How could Ezekiel know?
The history of Iran / Persia for the last 200 years features three nations: Britain, Russia and Germany. The historic role of Britain and Russia, including the 1941 invasion and Soviet communism was such that Iranians rejected both after 1979. It would seem unlikely that Iran would ally itself so closely with Russia. But Gog is of Magog. Magog is thought to describe Germany. Iran and Germany have a historic record of good relations going back to 1871.
Ezekiel's prophecy puts Persia as a lead ally of Gog against Israel. One thing that is known about modern Iran is that its leaders speak often of the destruction of Israel. In February 2018
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Secretary General of the International Conference on Supporting Palestinian Intifada, said that the Iranian regime believes that Israel will collapse within the next 25 years, but that meanwhile Israel is purposefully keeping the region in an era of instability. Therefore, to combat this “Zionist aggression,” Iran is hosting the Hourglass Festival as a means to display and promote anti-Israel art .however. Already in June 2017, Iran unveiled a digital clock in its capital counting down the days to what it says will be the destruction of Israel in 2040. worldisraelnews.com
Reuters reported July 1, 2019 - “Israel will be destroyed in half an hour if the United States attacks Iran, a senior Iranian parliamentarian said on Monday”reuters.com
Haaretz reported in January 2019 of a debate in Iran as to whether it was a direct aim of Iran to destroy, or whether it was a prediction. There was a strong case that it is a direct aim of the Islamic revolution, “The Iranian daily Kayhan accused Zarif of distorting Khomeini’s words and of departing from the goals of the Islamic revolution, which, the paper said, includes the destruction of Israel. Other commentators quoted other Iranian leaders who spoke of Israel as a cancer that must be destroyed and Khamenei’s statement from 2012 that Iran would assist any country or group that would fight the Zionist state.” haaretz.com
From this we see why Persia would be first to be an ally of any person who was to lead an invasion of Israel, to destroy it. But there is more.
German scholar Matthias Küntzel argues that Germany's position on this issue (the Iran deal) may be closer to that of Russia rather than the United States -- with Germany acting as "a shield for Iran against America," as Germany's former Foreign Minister Joshcka Fischer described his country. gatestoneinstitute
Gog of Magog is described as a guard,
Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. (Ezekiel 38:7)<
Gog is of Magog. Daniel showed us the whole history of the world into the future from Persia. The Iron of the Persian successor Rome became 2 legs, an Eastern and Western division that became weak and divided. The strength of the Western half was held by the Germanic people, the Franks being Germanic, who called their realm, the Holy Roman Empire, a Reich. The strength of the Eastern half was reduced by Islam, leaving Russia as the inheritor of the Byzantine Empire. In the partly strong partly weak state they did not cleave together. But they had one origin: Daniel speaks of the King of the North arising from Rome as existing a long time, so it isn't one person but a succession of leaders, until a point in time, the “time appointed”.
The king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (Daniel 11:36)
The implication from both Ezekiel and Daniel is that at a specific time no less that God draws out and “puts hooks” in the jaws to destroy the king that exalted themselves.
I will turn thee back and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army (Ezekiel 38:4)
What are the hooks? The actions of Iran in Syria has been a hook to bring Russia into Syria. We believe that already the king of South from Egypt has pushed (with the horn) from 1916 to obtain the Holy Land from the Ottomans, who retreated to become modern Turkey, and we are in the era of the time of the end.
At the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. (Daniel 11:40)
Yet Hebrew verbs have the idea of ongoing actions, so push may indicate a series of ongoing warlike actions, which describes Anglo American involvement in the Middle East, including the invasion of Iraq, which both triggered the current situation in Syria and allowed Iran to rise as its long time enemy sapping its strength was removed.
The End Purpose: the Greatest Kingdom
These things are to be bought about for a reason. God has a purpose. Persia was once the place where Yahweh Elohim of Israel demonstrated his power in absentia, in the modern world they are again a tool to show His Mighty Power. It is fitting that, as Aryan Ancient Persia was the heart of the image Nebuchadnezzar, they should be given a lead role in uniting the fragmented feet of the image to stand with the Aryans of Magog – why? So the people's hard godless anti-Semitic arrogant heart may be hardened against the Great Creator that the whole may come to oppose no less that Yahweh Elohim Himself, to be destroyed by 'the stone cut out without hands', the Messiah.
In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. (Dan 2:44)
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3)
For more Persia is not a cat
