An opportunity for Christians to make history in Iran
On the heels of U.S. President Joe Biden making visits to Israel and Saudi Arabia, Russian President Vladimir Putin attended meetings in Iran, prompting many Christians to revisit the End Time prophecies found in the Bible.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. When I saw the astounding photo of President Putin standing hand-in-hand with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following a meeting in Tehran, my heart was stirred. That image is further evidence of God’s faithfulness — biblical prophecies about events in the Middle East are beginning to unfold.
On the one hand, it’s exciting to watch these developments come to pass before our eyes. On the contrary, it also means that hard days are ahead of us. Right now, there’s an unprecedented opportunity to make history in Iran. I hope that we Christians are awake and ready to take advantage of the open Heaven that has presented itself.
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The significance of the prophecy outlined in Ezekiel 38
In Ezekiel 38, the Lord revealed a six-nation coalition that will unite to attack Israel in the Last Days. Some of the names and places the Prophet Ezekiel describes are not familiar to us today by name, but a closer look at Scripture and geography help us translate these references into modern terms.
Ever so subtly, these nations are aligning together one by one, and those who are not on that list are being removed from the equation. For example, Ezekiel 38 references Russia, Iran and Turkey, along with several North African countries, as major players that will join forces to attack Israel.
For years when people studied this prophecy, they questioned the absence of Arab countries among the geographical areas mentioned. Aren’t Arab countries the No. 1 enemy of Israel? Aren’t they the ones who attacked Israel in 1967 and several other times over the years?
The reality is, over the last few years, Israel has made peace with these Arab countries, and they're now considered to be friends of Israel. Two Islamic nations, Iran and Turkey, want to be the leaders of the Islamic world, and now they’re uniting with Russia. That's a terrifying and evil alignment, but it's biblical, so Christians have good reason to be stirred up a bit.
When we consider this and other current events around the globe, we see that the world is at a disconcerting crossroads, further indicating that biblical prophecies about the End Times are beginning to unfold.
What does this mean for Iran?
Putin’s visit to Iran follows Biden’s visit to Israel, a nation Iran has repeatedly threatened to attack. An attack could be imminent, given that Iran may be dangerously close to obtaining nuclear weapons.
Arab countries and Israel are certainly worried about Iran’s probable access to a nuclear missile. Ironically, Arab and Islamic nations trust the United States and Israel more than they trust Iran. The reality is that the Iranian government is unpredictable and untrustworthy. It’s believed that once they have the weapon, they’ll bully their way into the entire Middle East.
Putin and Biden’s recent visits to the area solidify the relationship of Arab nations with Israel and America. Israel firmly said that attacking Iran is on the table and they will not allow Iran to have nuclear bombs. That means if they must, they’ll attack Iran first, with or without the involvement of the United States.
Jeremiah 49 describes the destruction of Iran and promises God’s judgment, as well as his eventual blessing, specifically to Iran. I firmly believe that Iran will be the first Islamic nation that turns to Christ. It’s ready for a major transformation — spiritually, socially, financially and politically, and it will be a Christian nation soon, as prophesied in Jeremiah 49:38.
How should Christians respond?
In my work with Iran Alive Ministries, we’re seeing millions of Iranians become open to the Gospel for the first time. We’ve never seen this level of openness before. I've seen thousands of people who were anti-Christian, pro-Islam, and pro-government choosing to reject Islam and come to Christ.
There’s a historical opportunity right now to make history in Iran. Open heavens and open nations don’t last forever. There’s an amazing Kingdom-building opportunity there right now, and if we miss it, we'll regret it.
How do you reach a seemingly unreachable people group? The answer is prayer.
I’m not talking about a “Bless the missionaries, Amen,” type of prayer. We must truly connect with the Lord and recognize that we’re facing the dark spirit of Islam and confronting the Prince of Persia that was referenced in chapter Daniel 10.
Let’s unite as prayer warriors who know how to engage in spiritual warfare. It’s this kind of prayer that pulls down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-4) and binds the strong man (Mark 3:27). It’s this type of prayer that crosses impenetrable borders and infiltrates the gates of the enemy. You may never enter the physical borders of Iran, but you can pray your way around the entire country and region.
As we observe current events around the globe and compare them to the Scriptures, it’s evident that these calamities and wars were foretold to us. God prepared us so that when it happens, we wouldn’t panic but would be ready to take advantage of these times and establish His Kingdom.
Dr. Hormoz Shariat is the founder of Iran Alive Ministries, which utilizes Satellite TV to reach the millions of lost and broken people in Iran and the rest of the Middle East. Today, they broadcast the Gospel 24/7 from their studio in Dallas to Iran and the Middle East, trusting the Lord to use them to transform an Islamic nation, which is responding to the Gospel unlike any other time in history. Dr. Shariat firmly believes that Iran will be the first Islamic nation that turns to Christ. He is the author of the book Iran’s Great Awakening, which is the No. 1 source of information about what is happening in Iran today, and how the Bible prophecies align with the current events.
