USA Tells Israel it is Ready to Strike Iran; Russia Warns Conflict Could Go Nuclear

The USA sent a major war preparation signal to Israel and Iran:

US envoy to Israel: US ready to strike Iran if necessary

USA TODAY – ‎17 May 2012

JERUSALEM (AP) – The US has plans in place to attack Iran if necessary to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Washington’s envoy to Israel said, days ahead of a crucial round of nuclear talks with Tehran. Dan Shapiro’s message resonated Thursday far beyond the closed forum in which it was made: Iran should not test Washington’s resolve to act on its promise to strike if diplomacy and sanctions fail to pressure Tehran to abandon its disputed nuclear program.

A few months ago, Iran’s Supreme Leader brushed this type of item off:

“Threatening Iran and attacking Iran will harm America,” Ayatollah Khamenei told worshipers in Tehran after Friday prayers, according to the Reuters news agency. “Sanctions will not have any impact on our determination to continue our nuclear course.” http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57370978/khamenei-attack-on-iran-would-harm-u.s/?tag=cbsnewsSectionContent.2

Iran does not have enough military power to win an actual war with the USA if such a war were to happen (though it could damage the USA and also have its surrogates cause damage). It could, however, severely damage Israel, and since Israel knows that, it may decide it has to hit Iran quite hard if it does attack it or respond to an attack from it. (But if it was able to set off some type of EMP, electromagnetic pulse, bomb or nuclear device in the USA it could cause some real damage.)

The situation over there is tense. So tense, notice what Russia warned today:

Russia says action on Syria, Iran may go nuclear

Reuters – ‎17 May 2012

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev warned on Thursday that military action against sovereign states could lead to a regional nuclear war, starkly voicing Moscow’s opposition to Western intervention ahead of a G8 summit at which Syria and Iran will be discussed…

“At some point such actions which undermine state sovereignty may lead to a full-scale regional war, even, although I do not want to frighten anyone, with the use of nuclear weapons,” Medvedev said. “Everyone should bear this in mind.”

Medvedev gave no further explanation.

While Russia is perhaps mainly warning that Iran and Syria may go nuclear, Iran really already wants to do that. If Russia is hinting that it may use its own nuclear weapons, I find the threat unlikely. Iran, since it has nuclear material, could likely at this stage at least make what is called a dirty bomb (a type of bomb with radioactive materials added to it). The reality is if the situation with Iran and/or Syria becomes worse than those in Israel tend to think that it will, that Damascus, Syria (Syria is an ally of Iran) could get destroyed, as the Bible says one day it will (Isaiah 17:1). A nuclear bomb from Israel and/or the United States could certainly cause the type of desolation that the Bible warns will happen to Damascus.

Despite this, and other risks, Iran has its own agenda. Iran’s current president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has publicly stated that the purpose of the Iranian revolution was to prepare the way for an Islamic leader, the 12th Imam, also called the Imam Mahdi, to rise up (this was several years ago, but he still seems to believe it). This Imam Mahdi sounds a lot like the final King of the South that the Bible warns against (though the actual one that many Shi’ites expect from “suspended animation” is not likely to be that King, but a Mahdi belief will likely be a factor in getting the final King of the South). Last year, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed that it was the Imam Mahdi who was behind the revolutions in the various Arab lands as well as other events in the world (see Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: World Order About to Collapse, Mahdi Behind it). He also was part of a video last year that indicated that Iran intended to relatively soon invade and takeover Jerusalem so that the Imam Mahdi would rise up. The video hinted that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was somehow prophesied within Islam as a particular leader that would do that (see Iran’s Ahmadinejad to Conquer Jerusalem?). And this year notice what else has been heard:

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…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/

Various prophecies of the Mahdi state that he would return in an even numbered year, like the end 2012 (the Islamic calendar runs differently than the Roman calendar, we are currently in Islamic year 1433). Iran’s two leaders basically suggest that the Imam Mahdi is working behind the scenes now, but will become public soon.

The Mahdi is supposed to be publicly recognized in an even numbered year, and since Ahmadinejad’s term ends in 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 and others in Iran may cause enough chaos to try to cause this to happen soon. A war involving the USA and/or Israel could do this.

Because I do not believe that Iran will be the final King of the South of Bible prophecy (cf. Daniel 11:4-43), I have tended to believe that Iran may somehow get “neutralized” before this final king rises up (nuclear bombs can “neutralize”). A serious regional conflict in the Middle East may neutralize Iran and neutralize much of its influence. And Syria (Isaiah 17:1) and parts of Lebanon and others, possibly even part of Iraq, may be involved.

The King of the South that the Bible foretells (Daniel 11:40) must rise up. And since it will not be Iran, the threats of war in the Middle East (as well as possible revolution within Iran) may be what eliminates Iran from the leadership role it wants for the Islamic world. Of course, Iran could have a change of heart, but we will see. Either way, it will not be the leader of the final King of the South.

“Watch” (Mark 13:37).

Some articles of 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? Might this King be called the Mahdi? What does the Bible say?
The Arab and Islamic 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 about the Imam Mahdi? What lies ahead for Turkey, Iran, and the other non-Arabic Muslims?
Is There an Islamic Antichrist? Is Joel Richardson correct that the final Antichrist will be Islamic and not European? Find out.
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2012, 2013, or 2014? 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? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000?
Anglo – America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of 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? What will happen to Jerusalem and 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?
Russia: Its Origins and Prophesied Future Russia in prophecy. Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
End of Mayan Calendar 2012–Might 2012 Mean Something? Are there Mayan calendar predictions for change in 2012? Changes were centuries ago predicted by the Hopi Native Americans. Do Mayan/Hindu/Hopi/Buddhist/New Age/Nostradamus prophecies have any value here? Why might Satan have inspired this date? Does the Dresden codex show destruction of the earth by flood? Can the great tribulation start before 2012? How might Barack Obama and Julia Gillard be involved in 2012? Have predictions written by Bob Thiel related to Barack Obama and Julia Gillard began to come to pass?