Iran In The Scriptures

by D. Smith, Lerwick | Category: General | Jun 1980

Political and military developments among the nations in recent years, have created a deep interest on the part of many Christians in the subject of divine prophecy, particularly those events which lie between the present time and the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to set up His universal kingdom of peace and righteousness.

Three points have attracted particular attention, namely the grouping of the nations of Europe, the delicate situation in the Middle East and the mighty Soviet Union in relation to the nation of Israel. It is widely held that the last is the subject which the Holy Spirit portrays in such vivid detail in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. But whether God will destroy the great company there described before the coming of the Lord for His Church, or during the fearful period of the great tribulation remains a subject for debate. However, there can be little doubt as to who He meant when He said "Son of man, set thy face towards Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him" (Ezek. 38:2).

The prophet then describes the great military advance toward "the land of unwalled villages": "Thus saith the Lord GOD... I will... put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth and all thine army". Geographically there are two ways in which an army from the north may come into the land of Israel, over the Caucasus mountains through Turkey or through Iran. Significantly, Rosh will "devise an evil device" or "conceive a mischievous purpose" (A.V. Margin). Few nations have ever been more artful in conceiving a mischievous purpose than the present rulers of Russia. By every means, fair or foul, they have succeeded in bringing nations numbering 450 million within their sphere of influence. It is therefore not surprising that the scripture should say three times over "many peoples with thee" (verses 6,9,15). Some of those involved are particularly referred to.

The first to gain mention in this great military cavalcade are "Persia, Cush and Put". Persia, now know as Iran, has featured prominently in world affairs during the past 18 months, having undergone a dynamic social, political and religious revolution. This has left the country in a fluid and highly inflammable state. The territory on the east of the Persian Gulf once formed, with ancient Media, the second great world power in succession to the Babylonian Empire, depicted in Nebuchadnezzar's dream as the breasts and arms of silver (Dan. 2:32). Thus during the days of Israel's captivity Persia became the dominant world power. The books of Daniel, Esther and Ezra are replete with references to Persia and its kings, one of the most favourably disposed to Israel being Cyrus, whom the Lord used in initiating the release of the godly remnant (Isa. 44:28: Ezra. 1:1) to rebuild the house of God at Jerusalem.

More ancient, and perhaps more pertinent to the prophetic involvement of Iran, is the scriptural reference to Elam, the region on the east bank of the river Tigris which was originally peopled by the descendants of Elam the son of Shem (Gen. 10:22). It was the king of Elam, Chedorlaomer, who led the kings of the east in their assault on Canaan and was finally slain by Abram (Gen. 14:15) at the "slaughter of the kings" (Heb. 7:1). In the days of Daniel, Elam was the province of the royal residence (Dan. 8:2).

In the judgement of the nations at the end-time, the Lord will plead with all flesh and give the wicked to the sword till the slain of the Lord will be from one end of the earth to the other. Specifically mentioned for judgement are "all the kings of Elam... and all the kings of the north, far and near" (Jer. 25:25,26). When the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel saying, "Son of man wail for the multitudes of Egypt" He linked with them those "that go down into the pit... Elam... Meshech, Tubal and all her multitude" who "caused their terror in the land of the living" (Ezek. 32:18-26). The divine sentence of judgement on the nations will be determined by their attitude to the Jews and to Israel.

Politically Iran today shares with Russia a strong antipathy towards the nation of Israel. Whatever tension may at present exist between Iran and the Soviet Union, Scripture would teach that in "the latter days", which to all appearance are not so far distant, both will be together in the vanguard of that great company of armed men who descend like a cloud on the mountains of Israel, to be vanquished and brought to naught at the hand of God.

The total power of the deeply entrenched Islam religion is utterly opposed to all Christian witness. Indeed the powerful influence of the Ayatollah Khomeini and the ruthless repression displayed by the Islam religion highlights the noxious character of the end-time religious harlot that will, from her established citadel in nearby Shinar(Zech. 5:5-11), dominate the world scene. All the great religions of the world, and all the husks of formalism left behind after the Church has been taken away at the coming of the Lord Jesus, will converge on Babylon, which is the journey's end for the great ecumenical march to which so many well-meaning Christians are now fervently dedicated.

D. Smith, Lerwick | Jun 1980
General