LCG: Iran Convulses

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

In his latest commentary, LCG’s Wyatt Ciesielka wrote:

Claims are that more than a million Iranian demonstrators have taken to the streets with at least eight dead and many wounded. The government is attempting to block international press coverage and its citizens’ Internet access. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is claiming victory, Hossein Mousavi is crying foul – and the world’s great powers are taking sides.

When analyzing the Mideast, it is dangerous to oversimplify. Let’s consider these recent Iranian events through a religious, political, and Biblical lens.

Religiously: Iran is a powerful Shiite nation, and contrary to what many assume, Iran is far from a natural friend to its Arab neighbors. Those who assume that Iran will naturally lead the Mideast powers fail to understand many facts; including the historic division, suspicion, and hatred between the rival Shiite and Sunni branches of Islam.

The Sunnis see Shia Iran as full of “apostates.” Sunni strongholds such as the West Bank, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are not only strongly suspicious of their Shiite Iranian neighbor, but are often even more violently opposed to Iran than they are toward the U.S. or even toward Israel (The Atlantic, July/August, 2009). This is profound when one considers that it was radical Sunnis (not Shia) who were behind the 9/11 attacks.

Politically: Like many of their Muslim brothers, neither Ahmadinejad nor Mousavi (or their spiritual and political master, the Ayatollah) are friends of Europe or the United States. Ahmadinejad is infamous for threatening Israel and the U.S. with destruction. But Mousavi is himself a “hardliner” who was “active in the Islamic revolution that overthrew the Shah.” Mousavi then “defended the taking and holding of American hostages by Iranian militants in 1979.” Mousavi also strongly opposed accepting U.S. aid during Iranian reconstruction (BBCNews, June 16, 2009).

It makes a lot of geo-political sense that Russia and China are strongly backing the Iranian government – whoever the presidential victor may be! This strengthens China’s and Russia’s influence (biblically: eastern powers) in the region at European (biblically: a northern power) and American expense.

Meanwhile, France and other European nations have claimed electoral “fraud.” And, the U.S. is encouraging Internet firms such as Twitter to ensure continued Iranian population access (Financial Times, June 17, 2009). Internet communication of alleged election fraud and civil unrest helps foment continued instability within a country whose government is anti-European and anti-American.

Biblically: Iran is a major Mideast player with nuclear capabilities. Iran will also continue to be a chess-piece that Russia and China use to counter European and U.S. regional influence. And, while Iran may become part of a coming southern, Arab alliance, Iran is not the prophesied end-time “king of the South” (Daniel 11:40).

Iran is not historically, politically or religiously aligned with the Arabic Mideast powers. Further, Iran is a Persian, not Arabic, nation – these are two very different and historically competitive civilizations. Finally, Iran is due east of Jerusalem (not “south” of Jerusalem; from which biblical directions are given). Thus, while Iran is not the king of the South, it is nonetheless a powerful participant in helping move many end-time prophecies forward.

You can click here for the complete commentary.

Despite various pronouncements, demonstrations keep occurring in Iran. And even though Iran is not the King of the South, we live in tense times, and it must be very difficult for many in Iran now.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, British, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo-Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? What will happen to the nation of Israel?