Iran totally dismisses Israeli military capability

Naqsh-e Jahan Square, Iran

Iran is now dismissing Israel’s military capability and saying Israel would be committing suicide to attack Iran:

April 18, 2013

As Iran holds annual Army Day parade in Tehran, Islamic Republic’s top military brass reject notion that Israel could launch solo attack on its nuclear program: “The Zionist regime is not so unwise as to commit suicide.”

Israel is not capable of launching a military strike against Iran, the commander of Iran’s military said Thursday as the country held its annual Army Day parade in Tehran.

Official Iranian news agency Press TV quoted Maj.-Gen. Ataollah Salehi as saying that the Israeli regime was too weak to challenge Iran militarily. http://www.jpost.com/Iranian-Threat/News/Iran-Israel-incapable-of-launching-military-strike-on-us-310258

Iran’s leaders may claim that Israel would commit suicide by attacking it, but biblically I do not see that as possible. The Bible shows that Israel is around until the start of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:15-21; Luke 21:20-24) and it is a European power that will primarily invade it (Daniel 11:31-39).

But what about Iran?

A regional war involving Iran, Israel, the USA, and/or Syria is likely. And Iran keeps taking steps which may help it get ready for such a war.

Since Iran, however, is NOT really south of Jerusalem (though it may support such a king per certain interpretations of the peoples listed in Ezekiel 30:1-9), it will not be the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:40-43). Because of that, I have tended to believe that Iran may somehow get “neutralized” before this final king rises up. A serious attack by the USA and/or Israel may neutralize Iran and much of its influence. It also may take a regional war for the seven-year confirmation of the deal in Daniel 9:27 to come about.

My reading and re-reading of Bible prophecy simply does not show that Iran will be a major player in Daniel 11:21-44 nor the deal of Psalm 83:4-8 (Arabs, Turks, and Europeans are); though Ezekiel 30:1-9 possibly implicates Iran as a supporter of an end-time confederation involving Egypt.

“Neutralizing” Iran would allow most of the other Islamic states (like Saudi Arabia and Egypt) to continue to exist (Damascus the capital of Syria, is prophesied to be destroyed according to Isaiah 17:1) and allow for the rising of the prophesied King of the South to rise up (revolution in Iran, is also another possibility, for its “neutralization”).

Leaders in the USA and Israel have suggested that they may intervene and attack Iran. But if the USA and Israel do hit Iran, Iran would likely not fare well, but that does not mean that the USA would not suffer.

Iran keeps taking steps suggesting that it is expecting a conflict with Israel and/or the USA. It essentially claims to have have the strongest military in the Islamic world and even produced a video about it which showed it taking over Jerusalem a couple of years ago (see Iran’s Ahmadinejad to Conquer Jerusalem?). It is also believed to have EMP (electro-magnetic pulse) bomb capability that could hurt its enemies like the USA (see EMP Threat is Potentially Devastating to USA). Additionally, it is commonly believed that it is getting closer to having its own nuclear weapons (see Iran closer to developing nuclear weapons).

But Iran is not just relying on its military might.

Part of the “defense” that Iran seems to be relying on is its belief in its version of a Islamic leader known as the “Imam Mahdi.” Notice something from Iran’s “Supreme Leader”:

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei… has been heard to say that the coming of the last Islamic Messiah, the Shiites’ 12th Imam Mahdi, is near and that specific actions need to be taken to protect the Islamic regime for upcoming events. Mahdi, according to Shiite belief, will reappear at the time of Armageddon. Selected forces within the Revolutionary Guards and Basij reportedly have been trained under a task force called “Soldiers of Imam Mahdi” and they will bear the responsibility of security and protecting the regime against uprisings. Many in the Guards and Basij have been told that the 12th Imam is on earth, facilitated the victory of Hezbollah over Israel in the 2006 war and soon will announce publicly his presence after the needed environment is created. http://www.wnd.com/2012/01/iran-preparing-now-for-armageddon/, January 24, 2012)

Iran’s President has even called Jesus the deputy of this Imam Madhi:

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad today called for the end of the “hegemonic” powers of the United States and Israel, whom he described as “the uncivilized Zionists.” He said the world would “soon” see new “global management” by the Twelfth Imam, also known as the “Mahdi,” and his deputy, Jesus Christ.

This was Ahmadinejad’s eighth and likely final annual address to the opening fall session of the United Nations General Assembly. http://www.wnd.com/2012/09/ahmadinejads-end-times-address-to-u-n/

Of course, the Bible is clear that JESUS, not the Imam Mahdi, is the ultimate Savior and will bring about world peace (Revelation 19-22). Nor is Jesus the deputy of the Imam Mahdi.

Might Iran believe that the Imam Mahdi will rise up soon and eliminate Israel and the enemies of Iran?

Possibly. Various Islamic prophecies of the Mahdi state that he would return in an even numbered year on the Islamic calendar, like the one we are currently in (Zumwalt J. Iran’s Dynamic Duo Dedicated to Global Destruction. August 13, 2010. http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=38528). The Islamic calendar runs differently than the Roman calendar. Islamic year 1434 runs from November 15, 2012 to November 3, 2013. So, we are now in the time period that certain Shi’ite Muslims believe that the Imam Mahdi could rise up.

If Iran relies on its belief that this Imam Mahdi will defend it and insure its victory, it is in error. A serious regional war with Israel and/or the USA could devastate Iran.

However, it will not only be Iran that would suffer. The reality is that the cost to the USA and/or Israel for a regional war involving Iran and/or Syria will be higher than many in the USA or Israel believe. Between terrorist acts, sustained resistance, chemical weapons (Syria Reportedly Has Loaded Chemical Weapons into Bombs), biological weapons, EMP-type bombs, and/or even disruptions of the internet (Iran Believed to be Behind Cyber-Attacks Against US Banks), Iran and/or Syria can inflict significant damage to their enemies. The possible cyber-attacks are just one more way Iran can cause consternation (it may be both on the receiving and sending end of that as well as EMP attacks).

Yet, despite Iranian hopes, the USA and the tiny of nation of Israel will not be eliminated by Iran or Syria–it will come later, by the King of the North (cf. Daniel 11:39).

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?
The Muslim Brotherhood and the Rise of the King of the South The Bible tells of the formation of a power of nations that are in the Middle East and North Africa that are part of the final “King of the South” (Daniel 11:40-43) The Muslim Brotherhood wishes to have an Islamic empire with basically the same nations. This YouTube video explains what to expect from such a confederation.
Damascus and Syria in Prophecy Will Bashar Assad hold power as he has it? Does the Bible show that Damascus, the capital of Syria, will be destroyed? What will happen to Syria? Will the Syrians support the final King of the South that the Bible tells will rise up? Which scriptures discuss the rise and fall of an Arabic confederation? Does Islamic prophecy predict the destruction of Syria. This is a YouTube video.
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) 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?
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 about Jerusalem? 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? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?