Recently, I watched with fascination an interview on Israeli Television ILTV featuring the Iranian Christian Marzi Amirizadeh. She made some profoundly interesting claims. One was that elections held in Iran were not truly “elections” but “selections” made by the Supreme Ayatollah of Iran, Ali Khamenei. She further claimed that the majority of young Iranians support Israel. They have moved beyond the “big Satan, little Satan” rhetoric. Even more profound was her reason for this support: most Iranians believe they share a common destiny with Israel. While I find it hard to believe that most do, even if a significant number do, it is nothing short of amazing. This destiny she spoke of is clearly mentioned in the Bible. Regarding Iran, or Persia, it is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament. The stories of Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel come from the Persian Empire. The first people groups in Acts 2 were Parthians, Medes, and Elamites—all from what we now know as Iran.
Iran’s Restored Fortune and Place in History
In Jeremiah 49:39, the Lord promises that in the last days, He will “restore the fortunes of Elam.” Elam is a major part of Iran. In the Bible, all Persian kings are mentioned positively. There is not one negative comment about them in the Bible. God used the Persians as His agents to return His people to the Promised Land so that Jesus, the Messiah, could be born there. Cyrus, the Persian king whom God called His anointed, is spoken of with great reverence in the scriptures. He not only facilitated the return of the exiled Jews to their homeland but also rebuilt their temple.
A Great Awakening in Iran
According to International Christian Concern (ICC), which follows and documents the persecution of Christians worldwide, despite persecution, Iran has the fastest-growing church in the world today. Mainly operating in home groups, there is clearly a great awakening occurring in Iran.
It is interesting to note that at pro-Israel rallies in Australia, there is a prominent group of Iranian Christians who attend with the Iranian flag to show their support. They vigorously claim that the “ayatollahs” do not represent the people of Iran. It is important to distinguish between the current ruling Islamic government and the general populace of Iran. A “must-see” is the “Israel and Iran: A Love Story” on TED Talks by Israeli graphic designer Ron Edry, where you will see another side of Iran that you did not know existed.
Iran’s Demographic Challenge
Iran, a country of over 80 million, faces a huge challenge. According to Professor Djavad Salehi-Isfahani, despite the equivalent of over 500 million USD per year being pumped into programs to restore Iran’s birthrate, it is falling well below 1.6 births per female. This is significantly below the 2.1 children per female required to maintain the status quo. This means the economic challenge of supporting an ever-increasing aged population, supported by a decreasing number of young people in the workforce, coupled with current economic sanctions, will inevitably bring the Iranian economy to a disastrous crash.
The Ayatollahs’ Last Throw of the Dice
The Ayatollahs know this and are panicking, pumping the equivalent of 500 million USD into programs to arrest the decline and boost the birthrate before the inevitable catastrophe arrives. Why is this such a threat to Israel? It is a threat of great magnitude, and coupled with the demonic ideology of the Radical Islamists, it presents the perfect storm. Why is this so? Simply put, the Ayatollahs realize their days are numbered. Civil unrest is on the rise, and the inevitable economic crash means they need to act quickly. Not much of a window of opportunity lies before them for their last “throw of the dice” to wipe Israel off the map before it is “game over” for them.
How will it all end?
It’s difficult if not dangerous to be too descriptive in these matters, as the old hymn puts it, God “moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform”, but this we do know, Israel will not be wiped off the map. Reflecting on October the 7th, Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel was right when said “for 75 years Israel has been building a Godless state, and peace will only come when God is brought back into the equation.” We also know that God will not abandon His covenant people, as God’s covenantal promises are dependent on His faithfulness not ours, fortunately. Thankfully there are a great many signs among the people and the military that this is happening. Israel will again showcase to the whole world God’s redeeming grace and righteous judgment. We also believe according to God’s Word, that He has a great plan for Iran. To believe that Iran is the greatest threat to Israel in particular, and the West in general, is true only while the direction of Iran lies in the hands of the Ayatollahs. However, I believe their days are numbered as outlined above and true freedom and greatness will again return to the nation once known as Persia as prophesied in Jeremiah. In the meantime, perilous days lie ahead as the darkest part of the night is always just before dawn. So, sadly, I fear there are further great trials for Israel and the people of Iran to endure before the dawning of this great new day.
0 Comments