Iran Threatens to Attack Israel and Wants Syria to Assist

Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Iran

Iran is threatening Israel with attack:

Iran threatens Israel invasion

UPI – Nov 11, 2011

Iran is threatening an attack on Israel in response to reports of a possible Israeli strike on its nuclear facilities, an Iranian news agency says.The Iranian Fars news agency, which is associated with the Revolutionary Guards, said some 30,000 Syrians and Palestinians have been training to infiltrate Israel via the Syrian border to carry out suicide missions, Ynetnews reported Friday.

Fars said the men have sent a petition to the Syrian government expressing their willingness to help it through “any crisis” that may arise with Israel.

“They have asked the Syrian government for authorization to infiltrate occupied Palestinian land and carry out suicide missions against Israeli soldiers,” the Fars report said. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2011/11/11/Iran-threatens-Israel-invasion/UPI-56801321050962/

As regular readers of the COGwriter news page are aware, I have been warning for some time that Iran and Syria may be involved together in an attack on Israel whether they attack Israel first or Israel attacks on or both of them. The above news report is confirmation that the Iranians are clearly thinking about the same thing.

My speculation has been based upon current events and situations as well as Bible prophecy. Both Isaiah 17:1 and Daniel 11:40-43 have been factors in that speculation. Three years ago, LCG reported:

“Should Israel or the United States attack Iran, it would be the start of another World War,” an Iranian general warned on Saturday. Jordan’s King Abdullah warned, “any military action against Tehran will have serious consequences on all of the Middle East, and the states in the region will be forced to deal with the situation” (Jerusalem Post, August 31, 2008). Iran’s allies, Syria and the Lebanese Hezbollah have apparently stockpiled thousands of rockets for retaliation purposes (DEBKA, August 31, 2008). God prophesied through Isaiah that Damascus would “cease from being a city” and would become “a ruinous heap” (Isaiah 17:1)—powerful words for a city which many consider to be one of the oldest “continuously inhabited” cities on earth. As we see powerful Middle Eastern events continue, it will be interesting, yet sobering, to see how God uses nations to fulfill His end-time prophecies.

That prophecy in Isaiah 17:1 seems to be timed to be fulfilled prior to Daniel 11:39 (where the “strongest fortresses” of that USA and its Anglo-allies are taken over) and seems to be a sign to watch for that the Great Tribulation is close.

As far as Iran goes, notice the following that was in a news report yesterday:

Ayatollah Khomeini’s teaching are followed by Ayatollah Mazbah Yazdi, a spiritual advisor of Ahmadinejad who was publicly recruiting would be suicide bombers to enlist with the “Lovers of Martyrdom Garrison.” Yazdi and his student Ahmadinejad are preparing for the Islamic equivalent of Armageddon that would bring back the messianic Islamic Mahdi who is regarded as the 12th Imam, or righteous descendant of the Prophet Mohammad. Mahdi is said to have gone into “occlusion” in the ninth century, at the age of five. His return will be preceded by cosmic chaos, war and bloodshed. After a cataclysmic confrontation with evil and darkness, Shiites believe that the Mahdi will lead the world to an era of universal peace. Ahmadinejad seems to accept that belief. In his debut speech to the United Nations he said, “I emphatically declare that today’s world, more than ever before, longs for just and righteous people with love for all humanity; and above all longs for the perfect righteous human being and the real savior who has been promised to all peoples and who will establish justice, peace and brotherhood on the planet.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/haggai-carmon/iran-to-bomb-or-not-to-bo_b_1085424.html

I would add that Ahmadinejad more than seems to accept that belief. In February 2011, he claimed that the Imam Mahdi was behind the developments in the world, implying the changes in the Egypt and Tunisia, etc. were part of what the Iman Mahdi was orchestrating (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: World Order About to Collapse, Mahdi Behind it).

The type of religious leader that Iran and other Muslim want is supposed to unify much of the Islamic world. And while this leader will not really be a being that has been around since the 9th century as Shi’ite Muslims tend to believe, the Bible does tell of a leader called the King of the South who likely will fill the role of a multi-national Islamic leader.

Events may “spin out of control” for this to happen.

Notice something that happened today in Iran:

“The Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran are ready to respond to any threat,” Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said on Saturday. http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=9007273093

The implication is that Iran is powerful enough to fend off any attack. That being said, if Israel were to be involved in battles with Iran, Israel would likely conclude that it would have to strike Iran, and probably its ally Syria, very hard in order to prevent its nation from being totally destroyed (which is consistent with what Iran’s President Ahmadinejad has called for in the past Iran’s Ahmadinejad to Conquer Jerusalem?).

However, since Iran is not really south of Jerusalem, we in the Living Church of God have specifically taught that Iran will not be the leader of the final King of the South (though groups like the Philadelphia Church of God do, incorrectly, teach that). And since Iran is an Islamic nation with significant military power, I have long taught that it may somehow be neutralized and its influence somewhat minimized so that the final King of the South could arise. An unsuccessful regional conflict involving Israel is something that I felt may be a factor in that. And since Damascus, the capital of Syria, has destruction prophesied for it in Isaiah 17:1, this is part of why I have been warning that something like this could happen.

Although it was announced today that unless its changes tactics in the next few days Syria is to be suspended from the Arab League (see Arab League votes to suspend Syria over bloodshed) and has lately been somewhat isolated within it, do not believe that all Arabs are opposed to Syria. Notice one somewhat correct observation that was in the news today:

Any Israeli military attack against Iran would serve first and foremost to gather Arab and Muslim popular sympathy to the benefit of the Islamic Republic of Iran. http://english.alarabiya.net/views/2011/11/12/176677.html

And while various Arabs would like to see Iran neutralized, many don’t really want to see Israel succeed. The reality is that a strong attack by Israel would likely be a factor in many Arabs (and certain other Muslims) concluding that their best option would be to unify across national borders to create an empire that Israel could not neutralize and one that could destroy Israel itself–such an alliance is prophesied (cf. Psalm 83:4-8).

Events are moving forward in the Middle East, Iran, and other parts of the world for the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.

As Jesus said:

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch! (Mark 13:37)

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

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? 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?
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? 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?
Can the Great Tribulation Begin in 2011, 2012, or 2013? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord?