In an astonishing act, the U.S. has assassinated Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force. He has been responsible for the deaths of many Americans. The Defense Department said it killed Soleimani because he “was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region.” It also accused Soleimani of approving the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week.
Not surprisingly, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that a “harsh retaliation is waiting” for the U.S. Iranian state TV carried a statement by Khamenei also calling Soleimani “the international face of resistance.” Experts are concerned that Iran will deploy sleeper cells in America and abroad to retaliate against the U.S. and its interests.
Israel is also preparing for the inevitable acts of aggression that Iran will continue to escalate against them. And that is the real end times significance of what is taking place. In Bible prophecy, Iran is Ancient Persia. The Iranians aren’t Arabs, they are Persians. And it is important to note that even though the religious zealots that control Iran are radical Muslims, most Iranian people are intelligent and peace seeking and love America.
Here is an important end times prophecy from the book of Ezekiel that is yet to be fulfilled that involves Iran and a coalition of nations against Israel:
Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 2 “Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 and say, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. 4 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; 6 Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops—many people are with you.
“Prepare yourself and be ready, you and all your companies that are gathered about you; and be a guard for them. 8 After many days you will be visited. In the latter years you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely. 9 You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.”
10 ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: “On that day it shall come to pass that thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will make an evil plan: 11 You will say, ‘I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates’—12 to take plunder and to take booty, to stretch out your hand against the waste places that are again inhabited, and against a people gathered from the nations, who have acquired livestock and goods, who dwell in the midst of the land. 13 Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, ‘Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?’ ” ’ Ezekiel 38:1-13 NKJV Bold mine
Most of the nations referred to in this text are referred to by their ancient names. Their modern names are Russia, Iran, Turkey, Sudan, areas of modern Iraq and Syria and possibly Germany. Libya is still present day Libya. Interestingly, these nations are all presently aligned and they all hate Israel. Also, Iran and Russia are currently in Syria on Israel’s northern border with a strong military presence. Israel recently destroyed Iran’s killer drones in Syria as tensions between them have risen significantly.
Verse twelve in the text from Ezekiel reveals one of the reasons Russia will be willing to participate in this attack. It will be “to take plunder and booty”. And what does Israel have that Russia could want? First of all, Israel recently discovered massive deposits of natural gas in the Mediterranean Sea they are currently mining. Not only does this solve their own energy issues, but now Israel becomes a natural gas competitor with Russia for the regions energy business.
Many European and Baltic nations have depended on Russia for energy resources and the Russians have used it to manipulate and control them. But now the tables have turned and Israel is poised to become a major energy exporter. And the Russians don’t like it. Also, the Dead Sea in Israel is full of millions of tons of precious chemicals that Russia wants.
But concerning Iran, they have been looking for a reason to attack Israel for decades. As I have written previously, Iran’s formal name is “The Islamic Republic of Iran”. The Iranian Muslim leaders believe they have been called by Allah to attack Israel and to usher in the end times and the return of the Hidden Imam. They literally believe that destroying Israel is their prophetic destiny and spiritual responsibility.
This is why Israel has been so concerned by their efforts to enrich uranium to create nuclear weapons. And the Russians have helped them in that process and threatened both the U.S. and Israel if we take military action against Iran. Also, very recently the Iranians have been conducting joint military operations with the Russians and the Chinese. You just can’t make this stuff up!
In Ezekiel 38:4 God tells Gog and Magog that He is going to “turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army…”. The hooks God is referring to were animal hooks that were used to lead a stubborn animal. The hook was placed in the animals mouth so the owner could drag it by force to wherever he wanted to take it.
Likewise, all of the nations listed in the text from Ezekiel that attack Israel are against the God of the Bible and Israel as a nation. And God’s promise in Ezekiel chapter 38 is not only that He will sovereignly provoke them to attack Israel, but also that He will glorify Himself in it by destroying all of those forces that attack the Jews. Here is what He says to them:
And it will come to pass at the same time, when Gog comes against the land of Israel,” says the Lord GOD, “that My fury will show in My face. 19 For in My jealousy and in the fire of My wrath I have spoken: ‘Surely in that day there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel, 20 so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, the beasts of the field, all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all men who are on the face of the earth shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.’ 21 I will call for a sword against Gog throughout all My mountains,” says the Lord GOD. “Every man’s sword will be against his brother. 22 And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.” ’ Ezekiel 38:18-23 NKJV
Even though Iran and their evil friends who will think their time to destroy Israel has come, they will in fact be on a short leash and God will be the one controlling things. When the time comes for this prophecy to be fulfilled, God Himself will provoke them and lead them to Israel so He can destroy them and glorify Himself in the sight of the nations.
Let me remind you that the end times are controlled by God. That is why He gave us prophecy in the first place. The only one who can write history in advance is the one who controls it. That is why our Bible is the only book in the world with hundreds of detailed prophesies that have already been fulfilled and many more that are unfolding before our eyes every day.
I don’t set dates and I’m not exactly sure when Ezekiel chapter 38 will be fulfilled. But I can tell you for sure that current events are setting the stage for it occur. Could the assassination of Iran’s general be the hook that God will use to set things in motion? We will see. But know for sure that there is a 100% chance of it happening at some point because God said it would. Look up!
The Rapture is almost here! Come for us, Lord Jesus 🙏
This post has a paragraph that confuses me. It says:
“This is why Israel has been so concerned by their efforts to enrich uranium to create nuclear weapons. And the Russians have helped them in that process and threatened both the U.S. and Israel if we take military action against Iran.”
Was that first sentence supposed to say Israel?