Iran is back in the headlines with war imminent as they continue to pursue their nuclear programme. At the time of writing, negotiations are ending in early March, just as Israel celebrates Purim, and at the same time, a lunar eclipse known as a blood moon will be visible across large portions of America, Asia and Australia.
Could all this point to a looming defeat for the ayatollahs of Iran?
Purim & the End of Days
It would certainly benefit Israel and the entire world if we are about to see the end of the Iranian regime.
However, regardless of what happens in Iran this year, the Bible clearly tells us of more difficult times ahead for Israel as we head closer to the Lord’s return.
The story of Purim and Queen Esther is not normally treated as end-time prophecy, yet a Jewish rabbinic perspective reveals remarkable links to Gog, Magog and the end of days hiding right beneath the surface of this ancient story – perhaps bringing light to a deeper meaning behind the blood moons happening on Purim.
A World Empire and a Wicked Ruler
During the days of Queen Esther, Haman the Agagite rose to prominence in the vast Persian empire, which at the time stretched from India across the Middle East and all the way down to Ethiopia.
Haman means ‘magnificent’, and Agag means “exalted”, and this wicked man certainly thought of himself as being someone particularly grand. It was commanded that everyone should bow before Haman, which involved prostrating oneself in veneration as to a god. Mordechai the devout Jew pointedly refused – incensing Haman. Ultimately, Haman’s fury drove him to seek the annihilation of not only Mordechai but also of all the Jewish people.
Haman’s plans fell crashing down on his own head, but is that the end of the story? Or is the Book of Esther prophetic of the End Times? Will the End Times see another figure arise who – like Haman – controls a massive empire, demands worship and manically persecutes the Jews?
Agag & Gog
Rabbinic sources see Haman as a precursor to Gog, the famed end-time figure from Ezekiel’s book. While Christians generally draw a clear line of distinction between Gog and the Antichrist, the Jewish view of the End of Days puts Gog front and centre of the last and final battle.
The Bible identifies Haman as an Agagite (Est. 3:1-2), a descendant of the last king of the Amalekites. Curiously, this name shares the very same Hebrew root as the rather unusual name Gog. In Ezekiel chapters 38-39, Gog is portrayed as the grand leader of a massive end time coalition of nations against Israel. Gog’s gigantic northern army crushes down on Israel until God finally intervenes, destroying Gog and revealing His glory to the nations and to Israel.
Bible prophecy teachers typically differentiate between Gog’s war and the final end time battle. A key point raised is that the specific nations mentioned in Gog’s coalition are different from those listed in other End Time conflicts. But yet again, a Rabbinic view brings out a different perspective worth considering, especially in the context of blood moons.
The word “Gog and Magog” in Hebrew has the numerical value ‘70’ which from a Jewish mind links directly to the Biblical list of 70 nations of mankind (Gen. 11). From this perspective, the Gog and Magog war coalition against Israel will include not just a limited handful of nations but rather represents the great and final end-time battle against the Jewish nation foretold by the prophets.
Furthermore, Ezekiel describes Gog as the one foretold by the prophets of Israel (Ezek. 38:17). This is curious as no other prophet directly mentions Gog by name. However, if Gog is simply another title for the final evil ruler of the End of Days who comes against Israel, then yes, he was predicted in great detail by many prophets of Israel.
Bible teacher Joel Richardson points out that after the war of Gog and Magog, God’s name will no longer be profaned (Ezek. 39:7). If the Gog/Magog war occurs immediately before the Tribulation, then it occurs right before the most blasphemous time in human history! Further, it says that then the nations “will know that I am the Lord” (v 7) and Israel will have God’s spirit poured out on them (v 28). Israel and the nations coming to faith in Jesus right before the Tribulation just doesn’t make sense. However, if Gog and the antichrist are one and the same, then it is logical that his defeat will indeed lead to God’s name no longer being blasphemed and Israel and the nations knowing that the LORD is God.
Finally, as God judges Gog, Ezekiel describes the earth shaking at His presence (Ezek. 38:20) and God being from then on known as the “Holy One IN Israel” (Ezek. 39:7). This reveals that when God judges Gog, He will be physically present among Israel, speaking of His glorious and final Return to our planet.
What are the similarities between Haman & the antichrist/Gog?
Both think of themselves highly and demand worship.
Both become enraged and turn on the Jewish people.
Both lead a large coalition of nations against Israel seeking their annihilation and their plunder.
In both situations it looks utterly hopeless for Israel until God intervenes.
At the end of the story of Haman, many gentiles convert to follow the God of Israel. Similarly, at the demise of the antichrist the nations will finally see and know that the Lord is God.
The story of Esther tells us of the miracle of an amazing divine turn-around and salvation that came to the persecuted Jewish people, and I believe it also points us to the future deliverance of God’s faithful ones in the final defeat of the antichrist. And as Mordechai and Esther ended up co-reigning with the king, so I believe there is coming a day in which the saints will rule and reign with Jesus in His kingdom right here on this earth.
Returning to the Blood Moons
Could the blood moons appearing on Purim be a heavenly sign pointing us to the importance of these Biblical prophecies right now in our time? While lunar eclipses and blood moons are regular celestial phenomenons, the Bible specifically links the appearance of the blood moon to the End Times. The prophet Joel writes:
“The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.” (Joel 2:31)
The Book of Revelation similarly describes the moon becoming ‘as blood’ in conjunction with the End Time events (Rev. 6:12).
Just as foretold in the Gog and Magog prophecies, we are today increasingly seeing the nations rise against Israel. While there have been many “Haman” figures arising through the years to come against the Jews, could these heavenly signs be a warning pointing us towards the coming of that last and ultimate Haman?
The Joy of Purim
I feel it is no coincidence that we are receiving this end-time warning at the time of the feast of Purim. Purim is all about joy, all about remembering God’s dealings in the affairs of mankind and His ultimate victory over evil.
As we watch the prophetic stage being set for the End of Days, the joy of Purim is a reminder to look up, lift up our heads because our ‘redemption is drawing near’. We already know the end of the story, and it gives us hope that the day is coming soon when He will indeed set up His righteous Kingdom here on this earth. What a day of rejoicing it will be, and what a hope it gives us even for today! May that day come soon!
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