Will Israel Soon Strike Iran’s Nuclear Sites?
(Based upon Bill Salus’ article of a similar title in Prophesy in the News, January 2015)
January 25, 2015 CFBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
1 We live in very interesting times.
a This week we’ve seen some interesting events take place . . .
aa (Image needed) Earlier this week, House Speaker John Boehner & Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell invited PM Netanyahu to speak before a joint session of Congress concerning the continuation of sanctions (and new ones) against Iran if talks break down concerning Iran’s nuclear program.
bb (Image needed) On Thursday, the White House said President Barack Obama would not meet the PM when he comes to the U.S. in March, explanation was that Netanyahu’s visit fell too close the Israeli election and the Obama administration wanted to avoid the appearance of taking sides (AP)
cc (Image needed) Yemen’s government fell to Iranian backed rebels, whose slogan is “God is great. Death to America. Death to Israel.” -Yemen is where we launch our drones from to fight Al Quada in the Arabian Peninsula.
b Iran is bankrolling, arming ISIS, Al Quida in Syria, Lebenon, Yemen, and all over the Arabian Peninsula. (Image needed)
aa Week before last, an Israeli helicpotor attacked a convoy on the Syrian side of the armistice line of 1973.
bb Those killed were not Syrian, however, but five Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon and several Iranian officials, including a brigadier general.
(http://www.latimes.com/world/middleeast/la-fg-lebanon-hezbollah-funerals-20150119-story.html)
c The King of Saudi Arabia died this week (So what?)
(Image needed)
aa Saudi Arabia, like Israel, is opposed to Iran getting nuclear weapons for fear of Iran attacking them.
bb One of the reasons oil has dropped in price is because Saudi has increased production, to lower the price in an attempt to hurt Iran’s oil industry.
cc According to Wikileaks, Saudi Arabia has begged the US to strike Iran’s nuclear sites . . . we have refused.
2 These are the facts, but the burning question is: Will Israel make good on its threats to attack Iran’s vast, complex, concealed, well protected nuclear program?
a Historically, Israel has a history of putting the smack down on it’s enemies nuclear sites.
aa (Image needed) June 1981, the Israeli Air Force bombed Iraq’s nuclear program by striking the Osirak reactor of ancient Babylon.
bb (Image needed)Minutes before midnight on September 26, 2007, four Israeli F-15s and four F-16s skirted the Turkish-Syrian border (to avoid radar detection) and attacked the Al-Kibar Syrian nuclear facility.
b The answer to the burning questions is, if necessary, YES!
aa Israel takes seriously the threats of Iran’s Supreme Leader (The Ayatollah Khamenei) to destroy the Jewish people and the Land.
bb (Image needed)
Recently, the Ayatollah tweeted, “This barbaric, wolflike & infanticidal regime of #Israel which spares no crime has no cure but to be annihilated.”
cc Shortly after his tweet he posted his 9-point plan to destroy Israel on his Twitter account.
c The forecast for Israel & Iran relations is bleak.
aa Truth be told, a conflict using conventional-weapons between the two nations would be preferable to the nuclear war that is certain to come if Iran’s nuclear program goes forward.
bb (Image needed)Israel operates with a Masada Mindest. (Explain Masada/Romans)
B Iran was sanctioned by many in the international community (US, EU, Japan, Australia, UN Security Council, & others) to censure its illicit nuclear activities.
1 Iran was given a November 24, 2014 deadline to cease it’s nuclear program. . . the deadline has past and the program persists.
a (Image needed) President Obama has warned Congress this week that he would veto any further legislation on sanctioning Iran saying that it would derail U.S. negotiations with the Middle East.
aa (Image needed)Senator Robert Menedez (D-NJ) criticized the Obama administration’s Iran rhetoric for sounding, “like talking points that come straight out of Tehran.”
bb In November of last year, the American midterm elections overwhelmingly electing Republicans (typically Pro-Israel and anti-Iran).
b At this time, Israel should be able to get more US approval to confront Iran than it did prior to our midterm elections.
2 The political climate is better now for an Israeli strike against Iran.
a (Image needed) This week we learned that Speaker of the House has invited the Prime Minister of Israel to speak to the U.S. Congress next month. (Unprecedented, unapproved by the White House).
b This is the geo-political case made for the potential coming confrontation between Israel and Iran. . . but what does the Bible say?
Ancient Prophecies We Need To Pay Attention To
A (Image needed: Use map I scanned for you.)About 2,600 years ago, the prophet Jeremiah foretold about the ancient territory of Elam (which is located in modern day Iran; situated in the westernmost part of the country, bordering much of the Persian Gulf).
1 He prophesied that great disaster would come to Elam in six explosive verses in the Book of Jeremiah.
a Jeremiah 49:34-37 (NASB) 34 That which came as the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying: 35 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, I am going to break the bow of Elam, The finest of their might. 36 'I will bring upon Elam the four winds From the four ends of heaven, And will scatter them to all these winds; And there will be no nation To which the outcasts of Elam will not go. 37 'So I will shatter Elam before their enemies And before those who seek their lives; And I will bring calamity upon them, Even My fierce anger,' declares the LORD, 'And I will send out the sword after them Until I have consumed them.
b These four verses spell bad news for the territory/inhabitants of Elam.
aa These people are not having a good day as God’s anger is released upon them.
bb The prophecy was given to a certain territory/people . . . ancient Elam/modern Iran.
2 The following verses are seemly for after the strike/attack ...good news.
Jeremiah 49:38-39 (NASB) 38 'Then I will set My throne in Elam And destroy out of it king and princes,' Declares the LORD. 39 'But it will come about in the last days That I will restore the fortunes of Elam,'" Declares the LORD.
a I’m not a prophet or a son of a prophet so what I’m about to share with you is speculation of a possible scenario of how the Jeremiah 49 prophecy may be fulfilled.
b This message is candy, but this is a scenerio that may happen.
B Jeremiah and Ezekiel were two prophets (who ministered around the same time: Jeremiah 596 B.C. wrote about Elam/ Ezekiel 595-573 BC prophesied about Persia).
1 Ancient Elam and Ancient Persia are today modern Iran.
a Ezekiel 38:5 (NASB)5 Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
aa Ezekiel 32:24-25 (NASB) 24 "Elam is there and all her hordes around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised to the lower parts of the earth, who instilled their terror in the land of the living and bore their disgrace with those who went down to the pit. 25 "They have made a bed for her among the slain with all her hordes. Her graves are around it, they are all uncircumcised, slain by the sword (although their terror was instilled in the land of the living), and they bore their disgrace with those who go down to the pit; they were put in the midst of the slain.
Ezekiel was familiar with Elam but didn’t include it in his invaders in Ezekiel 38.
bb Elam was probably intentionally omitted, because it is the subject of its own distinctly different prophecy in Jeremiah.
b Jeremiah 49:35 (NASB) 35 "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, I am going to break the bow of Elam, The finest of their might.
aa (I’d like an image of newspapers with the following headline OR a screen shot of the site that ran these stories.)
“Iran Continuing Ballistic Missile Program (ICBM’s), Says UN Report” -Israel National News 5/16/14
bb “Israeli PM threatens to strike Iran” “Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel may have to act against Tehran unilaterally to curb it from achieving its nuclear goal.” -Al Jazeera 7/17/13
2 The ancient Elamites were violent, warlike people.
Genesis 14:1-9 (NASB) 1 And it came about in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, 2 that they made war with Bera king of Sodom, and with Birsha king of Gomorrah, Shinab king of Admah, and Shemeber king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). 3 All these came as allies to the valley of Siddim (that is, the Salt Sea). 4 Twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but the thirteenth year they rebelled. 5 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings that were with him, came and defeated the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim and the Zuzim in Ham and the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, 6 and the Horites in their Mount Seir, as far as El-paran, which is by the wilderness. 7 Then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and conquered all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, who lived in Hazazon-tamar. 8 And the king of Sodom and the king of Gomorrah and the king of Admah and the king of Zeboiim and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) came out; and they arrayed for battle against them in the valley of Siddim, 9 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam and Tidal king of Goiim and Amraphel king of Shinar and Arioch king of Ellasar—four kings against five.
a They were expert archers.
Isaiah 22:6 (NASB) 6 Elam took up the quiver With the chariots, infantry and horsemen; And Kir uncovered the shield.
b Jeremiah predicted that Iran will suffer the fate of a broken bow.
aa This prophecy might mean that the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) will be unable to launch their missiles at its enemies (ie., Israel). (Image needed)
bb AND that Iran will be struck at its most obvious, dangerous weapons . . . its nuclear program. (Image needed)
C Israel’s concern about Iran’s nuclear program is two-pronged.
1 In February of last year, Netanyahu was quoted in The Jerusalem Post as saying to German Chancellor Angela Merkel, (Image needed)
“The goal is to prevent Iran from having the capability to manufacture and deliver nuclear wapons. I believe that means zero enrichment, zero centrifuges, zero plutonium, and of course an end to ICBM development. Because non of these elements–none of them— is necessary for developing civilian nuclear energy, which is what Iran has claimed it wants.”
a The goal of Iran’s nuclear program is to see it’s dream of wiping Israel of the map come to realization.
b Iran has called Israel a cancerous tumor, rapid dog, fake Zionist regime. . . of course Israel is concerned about Iran using nuclear weapons against her.
2 The second concern is a nuclear incident in Bushehr that would make Chernobyl look like a childs play.
a Iran’s most strategic (and vulnerable) nuclear sights is the Bushehr nuclear reactor located in the heart of ancient Elam (Image needed).
aa This is a 40-year-old facility with a 30-year-old cooling system, and NOBODY working at the facility is trained to handle a nuclear disaster.
bb The NYT (1/2/13) printed this, “Bushehr, however, could turn out to be the most dangerous piece of iran’s nuclear puzzle for another reason: haphazard planning and ongoing technical problems meant it could be the next Chernobyl, igniting a humanitarian disaster and explosive economic damage across the oil rich region.”
b Jeremiah 49:36 (NASB) 36 'I will bring upon Elam the four winds From the four ends of heaven, And will scatter them to all these winds; And there will be no nation To which the outcasts of Elam will not go.
aa Jeremiah’s 2,600 year-old prophecy tells us that the attack upon ancient Elam will produce refugees all over the world.
bb It seems that if Bushehr was attacked it would cause a tremendous fallout; displacing Iran’s citizens worldwide.
D Jeremiah 49:37 (NASB) 37 'So I will shatter Elam before their enemies And before those who seek their lives; And I will bring calamity upon them, Even My fierce anger,' declares the LORD, 'And I will send out the sword after them Until I have consumed them.
1 Listen to these headlines in recent months . . .
a (Images needed) “Iran: ‘Thousands of Missiles’ to Rain on Israel –World Net Daily 8/28/13: “Saudi Arabia Displays Ballistic Missiles in Likely Display to Iran” – National Journal 4/30/14: “Iranian Commander; We have Targets Within America” –The Daily Caller 2/1/14
b Not only does Iran have the Lord as an enemy, but it also has Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. to worry about.
aa Each of these nations has its own reasons to make sure Iran doesn’t become a nuclear power.
bb Jeremiah says that Iran has fiercly angered the Lord, and that offense provokes the Lord to cause great disaster to fall upon Iran/Elam.
c Maybe the disaster is caused by a strike on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor.
2 Jeremiah 49:38-39 (NASB) 38 'Then I will set My throne in Elam And destroy out of it king and princes,' Declares the LORD. 39 'But it will come about in the last days That I will restore the fortunes of Elam,'" Declares the LORD.
(Is good news for Iran).
a There is a move of God occuring today in Iran; “Greatest Christian Revival in the World” in Iran– World Net Daily 7/25/12 (Image needed) .
b Iranians, who accept Christ in advance of His second coming, will be returned from global exile into the restored fortunes of their historic homeland in Elam.
aa This could be during the Millennial reign of Christ.
bb There are only two locations given in Scripture given for the future establishment of the Lord’s throne: Jerusalem& Elam.
Jeremiah 3:17 (NASB) 17 "At that time they will call Jerusalem 'The Throne of the LORD,' and all the nations will be gathered to it, to Jerusalem, for the name of the LORD; nor will they walk anymore after the stubbornness of their evil heart.
Jeremiah 49:38 (NASB) 38 'Then I will set My throne in Elam And destroy out of it king and princes,' Declares the LORD.
c Iran is the fastest growing evangelical population in the world.
aa Multitudes of Iranians are accepting Jesus as their Savior through watching Christian TV, experiencing miracles, dreams, visions, and healings.
bb This Christian “back story” is the “big story” of Jeremiah’s prophecy.
Conclusion:
A Jeremiah gives us two coming showdowns in Iran.
1 The first four verses seemly apply to Iran’s present nuclear scenario, but the last two verses discus the spiritual warfare currently taking place inside Iran between Islam & Christianity.
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Mike Fogerson
