ICG on Iran’s Threat and Israel

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

In its latest update, ICG’s Mark Armstrong has the following:

Maybe we’re all becoming immune to the threats issued from Iran, and the inevitable response they draw from Israel. But this week the diminutive Ahmadinejad called for the leadership of Israel to be “annihilated” and “wiped from the pages of time.” The outburst drew an Israeli response suggesting the next eight weeks might be a dangerous time in Iran…

How hot can this standoff get before it boils over? More importantly, what will Iran’s capabilities be when it does?

Iran’s preachers and politicians invoke their particular brand of Islam regularly in their threatening rants against Israel, and go on to predict the defeat of the United States in pursuit of their plan for world domination. But our current leadership insists that Islam poses no threat. You may have heard that more stringent sanctions are to be levied against Iran, even though everything tried so far has only resulted in boasts of accelerated nuclear activities…

But we’ve seen, to our everlasting sorrow, the terrorists make good on their bloodthirsty threats too many times to think they won’t carry them out given the opportunity. Given the scenario of Bible prophecy, it doesn’t seem that things have yet developed to the point of a great clash between a King of the North and King of the South. But some terrible things have transpired between prophetic fulfillments that nobody saw coming. The potential for a clash between Israel and Iran is something that nearly everybody sees coming.

The current situation seems to be the Israel believes it has little choice but to plan to attack or somehow try to neutralize Iran, and likely its ally Syria.

It should be mentioned that the President of Iran believes that ultimately it is his special calling to create enough chaos in order to stimulate the arrival of an Islamic leader that he and others refer to as the Imam Mahdi. This leader is supposed to unite Islam and root out problems within its religion. But Iran is not quite ready for that yet, though its leadership believes that the Iman Mahdi has made his presence known (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: World Order About to Collapse, Mahdi Behind it) and it hopes that he will become publicly known soon (see Iran’s Leader Preparing for ‘Armageddon’ and the Imam Mahdi).

Various prophecies of the Mahdi state that he would return in an even numbered year, like the one beginning with the end of 2012 (Zumwalt J. Iran’s Dynamic Duo Dedicated to Global Destruction. August 13, 2010. http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=38528), since the Islamic calendar runs differently than the Roman calendar). The Mahdi is supposed to be recognized in an even numbered year, and since Ahmadinejad’s term ends on November 3, 2013 (Islamic year 1434 runs from November 15, 2012 to November 3, 2013), and he indicated he wanted to cause the Mahdi to arrive before he leaves office, he may cause enough chaos to try to cause this to happen soon (the Islamic year 1432 ended November 26, 2011; and year 1433 ends in just over three months).

For various reasons, the Imam Mahdi (though the purely Shi’ite Iranian version is not going to happen) sounds a lot like the final King of the South that the Bible foretells (Daniel 11:40-43). And he may be part of a deal that will affect the USA and its Anglo-allies (Psalm 83:4-8). And this will not be good.

Yet, the final King of the South will not be Iran (Iran is basically east of Jerusalem), but apparently Arabic (which includes those of Egypt, Libya, etc.). Yet, Iran’s actions and rhetoric (as well as rhetoric from the USA, Syria, and Israel) continue to stir up the situation in the Middle East.

The situation in the Middle East is tense. Regional war involving Israel, Iran, Syria, and others this year is a real possibility. Damascus, the capital of Syria, could become a ruinous heap (Isaiah 17:1). But this does not mean that the USA and Israel would get off without troubles and cost. Just like Afghanistan was a major problem for the old Soviet Union, Iran could be a major drain on the USA (and at minimum would raise terrorist issues). Between terrorist acts, sustained resistance, chemical weapons, biological weapons, emp-type bombs, and/or even disruptions of the internet, etc. Iran and/or Syria can inflict significant damage to their enemies.

It may take a regional war in the Middle East and perhaps terrorist attacks on USA-related targets for the apparent peace deal of Daniel 9:27 to take place. The situation in Syria, Iran, and Israel will change–and military conflict may well be one of those changes.

Some articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Arab and Islamic World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the Arab and Persian world in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam? What does Islam teach about the Imam Mahdi?
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? Is he the Imam Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2012 or 2013? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What is the “beginning of sorrows”? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?
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? What will happen to the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people?
Prophecies of Barack Obama? Eight reasons why Barack Obama is apocalyptic and eight reasons why Barack Obama is not the Antichrist. This article includes many biblical and non-biblical prophecies, from around the world, that seem to discuss Barack Obama. Did Nostradamus predict Barack Obama dealing with the Antichrist? Might Barack Obama set the stage for the kings of the North and South as at least one Shiite prophecy suggests? This is the longest and most complete article on this page on Barack Obama prophecies. Read it and decide for yourself if President Obama seems to be fulfilling various prophecies.
Barack Obama, Prophecy, and the Destruction of the United States Some claim that Barack Obama is the prophesied “son of Kenya”, based up an early 20th century writing.
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? If so, what does that really mean for the USA and its Anglo allies.