Israel National News wonders if an ancient Jewish prophecy about the coming of the Messiah is being fulfilled. In an article published Saturday, the Jewish news site explained that Jews who are familiar with a compilation of Aggadic exegesis called Yalkut Shimoni noticed in recent weeks that current tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia matches a prophecy it contains regarding the year in which the Messiah is to appear.
The prophecy, going back at least 700 years—and possibly much farther—predicts that Saudi Arabia will be provoked by Iran, and Israel will be in distress, as Iran seeks to destroy the world. In fact, the prophecy states: "The king of Persia [Iran] goes back and destroys the entire world. And all the nations of the world are in panic and distress and they fall upon their faces and are seized with pains like those of a woman giving birth..."
A recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran is working on nuclear weapons and that it could probably field such weapons in less than a year. This means that apart from a preemptive strike by Israel, it appears that Iran will obtain nuclear weapons.
Iranian leaders have already threatened to eliminate Israel and are driven by religious zeal to carry out that threat. In addition, as they see themselves as the instruments of Allah to usher in a new golden age for Islam, they believe they must introduce global chaos in order to bring Allah's man, the Twelfth Imam, onto the world stage. At that point, they believe he will bring the entire world under Islamic rule.
What does all this mean for Israel, assuming the prophecy is accurate? The prediction states that Israel should not panic; for "your time of redemption has come, and the final redemption is . . . is not followed by sorrow and servitude under other kingdoms." In other words, those who follow this prophecy believe that the signs of the times indicate the Messiah's soon coming to deliver Israel.
So, is this prophecy correct? Part of it is not; for Iran will not destroy the world. In fact, Iran will not even destroy Israel, as God has guaranteed that Israel will remain a nation before Him forever (see, for example, Jeremiah 31:31-37).
There are three reasons why we should believe that the current Iranian leadership would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if or when it has acquired them. First, Iranian leaders (particularly Iranian spiritual leader Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) have threatened the existence of the Jewish nation.
Second, as mentioned above, they are driven by religious zeal. They believe they are in direct contact with the Twelfth Imam who has directed them to follow his steps to achieve the goal of Islamic domination of the world. (Ahmadinejad referred to this in his most recent speech at the U.N. General Assembly.) One of these steps includes the elimination of Israel. In fact, Ahmadinejad's regime has indicated that in a nuclear battle with Israel, Iran could absorb Israel's retaliatory strikes, while Israel would be eliminated by nukes launched by the Persian state.
Third, the recent revelation of the Iranian-driven plan to assassinate a Saudi ambassador in a downtown Washington D.C. restaurant shows the dangerous boldness of the regime. In fact, the discovery of that plan led the White House to change its approach toward Iran, as it stopped speaking of a containment philosophy. This means that even the administration that thought it could negotiate with the Iranians has seen the light; and it indicates that the Iranian leadership is very serious about carrying out its threats.
The Israeli leadership has taken Iran seriously all along. In addition, Israel believes Iran will acquire nuclear weapons within a year if not stopped, which is why British authorities recently announced that Israel will launch a preemptive attack on Iran before that regime can acquire nuclear weapons. (In fact, British officials believe that Israel will launch the strike by Christmas of this year.)
Based on this information, it appears the prophecy is incorrect in at least one detail. But it is incorrect on another, as well.
The Bible shows that the Messiah will not return to deliver Israel until the end of a seven-year era predicted by Daniel 9:24-27. This seven-year period can be easily seen in the context of the 490-year prophecy focused on the Jews and Jerusalem in that passage, 483 of which were fulfilled consecutively. (The 70 "weeks" in that passage literally refer to 70 "sevens." The fulfillment of the 483-year prophecy shows the "sevens" to be periods of seven years. The prophecy alludes to Artaxerxes' command on March 4, 444 B.C. with continued fulfillment up to the introduction of Jesus as "Prince" at His triumphal entry on March 30, A.D. 33. This is a 483-year timeframe, on a Jewish calendar, to the very day! This is perfect fulfillment!)
This leaves a seven-year period to be fulfilled in the future. (The prophecy was put on hiatus by the crucifixion of Christ, mentioned in Daniel 9:26.) As Daniel 9:27 shows, this seven-year era will be initiated by the confirmation of a seven-year treaty with Israel, which will be connected to the rebuilding of the Jewish temple. This seven-year period, which has not yet occurred, must take place before the Messiah delivers Israel (as per Zechariah 12-14).
While two elements of the prophecy are not completely accurate, that does not mean that the general message of it is not. In other words, it does appear, by comparing Biblical prophecy with the way God has been aligning several key events, that the growing Iranian crisis could signal the soon coming of the Messiah to deliver Israel.
Furthermore, Scripture predicts that immediately prior to the initiation of the prophetic seven-year era, Jesus will come in the air to remove His Church from the world. That means that while the arrival of the Messiah to the earth, in deliverance of Israel, is at least seven years away, the coming of Christ for His Church could be closer than we think.
Written by John Claeys
The prophecy, going back at least 700 years—and possibly much farther—predicts that Saudi Arabia will be provoked by Iran, and Israel will be in distress, as Iran seeks to destroy the world. In fact, the prophecy states: "The king of Persia [Iran] goes back and destroys the entire world. And all the nations of the world are in panic and distress and they fall upon their faces and are seized with pains like those of a woman giving birth..."
A recent report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that Iran is working on nuclear weapons and that it could probably field such weapons in less than a year. This means that apart from a preemptive strike by Israel, it appears that Iran will obtain nuclear weapons.
Iranian leaders have already threatened to eliminate Israel and are driven by religious zeal to carry out that threat. In addition, as they see themselves as the instruments of Allah to usher in a new golden age for Islam, they believe they must introduce global chaos in order to bring Allah's man, the Twelfth Imam, onto the world stage. At that point, they believe he will bring the entire world under Islamic rule.
What does all this mean for Israel, assuming the prophecy is accurate? The prediction states that Israel should not panic; for "your time of redemption has come, and the final redemption is . . . is not followed by sorrow and servitude under other kingdoms." In other words, those who follow this prophecy believe that the signs of the times indicate the Messiah's soon coming to deliver Israel.
So, is this prophecy correct? Part of it is not; for Iran will not destroy the world. In fact, Iran will not even destroy Israel, as God has guaranteed that Israel will remain a nation before Him forever (see, for example, Jeremiah 31:31-37).
There are three reasons why we should believe that the current Iranian leadership would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if or when it has acquired them. First, Iranian leaders (particularly Iranian spiritual leader Ali Khamenei and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad) have threatened the existence of the Jewish nation.
Second, as mentioned above, they are driven by religious zeal. They believe they are in direct contact with the Twelfth Imam who has directed them to follow his steps to achieve the goal of Islamic domination of the world. (Ahmadinejad referred to this in his most recent speech at the U.N. General Assembly.) One of these steps includes the elimination of Israel. In fact, Ahmadinejad's regime has indicated that in a nuclear battle with Israel, Iran could absorb Israel's retaliatory strikes, while Israel would be eliminated by nukes launched by the Persian state.
Third, the recent revelation of the Iranian-driven plan to assassinate a Saudi ambassador in a downtown Washington D.C. restaurant shows the dangerous boldness of the regime. In fact, the discovery of that plan led the White House to change its approach toward Iran, as it stopped speaking of a containment philosophy. This means that even the administration that thought it could negotiate with the Iranians has seen the light; and it indicates that the Iranian leadership is very serious about carrying out its threats.
The Israeli leadership has taken Iran seriously all along. In addition, Israel believes Iran will acquire nuclear weapons within a year if not stopped, which is why British authorities recently announced that Israel will launch a preemptive attack on Iran before that regime can acquire nuclear weapons. (In fact, British officials believe that Israel will launch the strike by Christmas of this year.)
Based on this information, it appears the prophecy is incorrect in at least one detail. But it is incorrect on another, as well.
The Bible shows that the Messiah will not return to deliver Israel until the end of a seven-year era predicted by Daniel 9:24-27. This seven-year period can be easily seen in the context of the 490-year prophecy focused on the Jews and Jerusalem in that passage, 483 of which were fulfilled consecutively. (The 70 "weeks" in that passage literally refer to 70 "sevens." The fulfillment of the 483-year prophecy shows the "sevens" to be periods of seven years. The prophecy alludes to Artaxerxes' command on March 4, 444 B.C. with continued fulfillment up to the introduction of Jesus as "Prince" at His triumphal entry on March 30, A.D. 33. This is a 483-year timeframe, on a Jewish calendar, to the very day! This is perfect fulfillment!)
This leaves a seven-year period to be fulfilled in the future. (The prophecy was put on hiatus by the crucifixion of Christ, mentioned in Daniel 9:26.) As Daniel 9:27 shows, this seven-year era will be initiated by the confirmation of a seven-year treaty with Israel, which will be connected to the rebuilding of the Jewish temple. This seven-year period, which has not yet occurred, must take place before the Messiah delivers Israel (as per Zechariah 12-14).
While two elements of the prophecy are not completely accurate, that does not mean that the general message of it is not. In other words, it does appear, by comparing Biblical prophecy with the way God has been aligning several key events, that the growing Iranian crisis could signal the soon coming of the Messiah to deliver Israel.
Furthermore, Scripture predicts that immediately prior to the initiation of the prophetic seven-year era, Jesus will come in the air to remove His Church from the world. That means that while the arrival of the Messiah to the earth, in deliverance of Israel, is at least seven years away, the coming of Christ for His Church could be closer than we think.
Written by John Claeys
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