Mojtaba Khamenei
(Official photo per Wikipedia)
Audio Transcription
00:15 Greetings friends, this is Steve Dupuie for the Bible News Prophecy Program with Dr. Bob Thiel, bringing you news and analysis of world events in light of Bible prophecy.
Dr. Thiel, could there be any prophetic ramifications of the current war in Iran?
00:30 Oh, absolutely. Now, yesterday, Michael Snyder published something, but I'd like to read parts of it.
00:38 Quote, For a lot of people, this war with Iran is not just another war. Millions of Shiite Muslims all over the world are convinced this war will lead to the rise of a leader called the Mahdi.
00:48 In fact, most of Iran's key leaders are eagerly watching for the appearance of the Mahdi. So why would they give up if they actually believe the Mahdi is going to show up at any moment. Then it wouldn't make any sense at all.
01:00 Now, according to someone who once knew Mojtab al-Khamenei very well, Iran's new supreme leader, he's obsessed with the end of the days and is more dangerous than his father's.
01:12 The man making that claim is Jabbar Gurjabi. He studied with this new supreme leader at the Khom Seminary, the most highly regarded center for Islamic scholarship in Iran. Pujabi described him as obsessed with the end of days, and that he believed that he himself will have a special part in hastening humanity down that path.
01:37 According to Twelver Shia, the largest branch of Shia Islam, studied by Kumaia Qom, the 12th Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, who's believed to be in hiding, will return at the end of time to establish a period of global justice, to which oppression will be eradicated.
01:56 Islamic apocalyptic traditions describe major conflicts happening before this era, including the Mahama al-Kubra, a great battle sometimes interpreted as a confrontation with the West.
02:11 So if the Supreme Leader and other leaders of Iran are convinced this war with the United States is actually the Mahama al-Kubra, why in the world would they give it up?
02:20 From their perspective, it would be unthinkable. According to Twelver theology, the very evil figure must appear on the scene before the arrival of the Mahdi.
02:31 That evil figure is known as the Dajal, end quote.
02:37 So is that evil figure presently on the scene?
02:41 No, however, many Shiite Muslim leaders have been convinced that Donald Trump is the Dajal. And the Twelver Shiites also believe the Mahdi is supposed to kill the Dajal once he arrived.
02:54 Now, getting back to Michael Snyder, he added, Are you starting to understand why the Iranians view this war completely differently than we do? The Shiite Muslims that are running Iran believe that when the Mahdi shows up, it will guarantee their victory over the United States and Israel. For many Shiite Muslims, this is the big one. End quote.
03:15 Forgive my ignorance, but why the emphasis on Shiite Muslims? Is there another Muslim faith?
03:23 Well, there are several, but the two basic major groups of Muslims are Shiites and Sunnis. And the Sunnis are the vast majority.
03:31 The Shiite view, though, of the Mahdi and the Dajjal are further away from the Bible than the Sunni view. Both the biblical and Sunni views say that a leader's gonna rise up in Muslim lands, make a peace deal with a European leader who will break that deal.
03:47 Then he, the Antichrist, will reign for about three and a half years and Jesus will return. We actually have a free book on Islamic and biblical prophecy for 21st century that people can go to ccug.org to access this.
04:03 But anyway, but that's not the Shiite view. The Shiite view, I think is really weird. They teach that the 12th Imam, who is Muhammad al-Mahdi, he was born in the year 869. He's basically been hidden in what I would call suspended animation for over 1,100 years.
04:24 And of course, Christians and Sunni Muslims don't believe that.
04:29 However, presuming that Lachavo Khamenei does believe that, he, if he lives long enough, would be expected to take extreme actions that others might consider to be illogical.
04:44 What extreme actions might he be considered to take?
04:48 He may lead a coalition that will cause great damage to Jerusalem.
04:52 Not only is that consistent with biblical prophecy, it's also consistent with a Shiite view of their prophecies that someone who's gonna rise up called Sayyed Khorasani will turn Jerusalem over to the Imam Mahdi.
05:07 And it's been asserted that Wachava Khamenei believes himself to be the prophesied figure paving the way for the Quranic Messiah, the Mahdi.
05:18 Luchaba Khamenei and supporters think he's the Khorasani tasked with conquering Jerusalem and Mecca.
05:27 Now, if Luchaba Khamenei does believe that, that he may very well fulfill a prophecy, you can read in Isaiah chapter 22, starting in verse 6.
05:41 Elam, which in this case looks to be Iran, for the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen. And Kir, probably some in Syria, uncovered the shield. It shall come to pass that your choices valleys shall be full of chariots and horsemen set themselves away at the gate.
06:01 Now verse eight, He, this is God, removed the protection of Judah, which we call the nation that calls itself Israel. You looked in the day to the house of the forest, like the Hezbollah is located, You also saw the damage to the city of David, that it was great.
06:21 Now, the city of David is Jerusalem. And we'll see if Luchaba Khamenei lives long enough to have this done.
06:31 So, Shiite Muslims basically believe that their Imam Mahdi will conquer the world and implement a world-ruling Islamic government.
06:38 But that is not consistent with biblical prophecies, so it won't happen. And again, I mentioned we have a free ebook at CCOG.org.
06:48 Now, what about other things?
06:51 Some Protestants think the current conflict is related to Ezekiel 38.
00:06:56 Michael Snyder posted about that. Here's what he wrote. There are millions around the world that believe that this war with Iran is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
07:06 Of course, there's a tremendous amount of debate within Christian circles about which passages of the Bible are actually being fulfilled.
07:13 But if this war with Iran is fulfilling a biblical prophecy, we should expect some major events soon to follow.
07:20 In the Western world, various leaders are starting to think the current war is connected.
07:26 And then he quotes something from the Daily Mail. They quoted a pastor, Jeff Kramer of Westminster Calvary in Colorado. He said that the current moment carries biblical significance because Iran's ancient Persia. Arguing that there's prophecy issues that with them are for sure.
07:47 He pointed to Ezekiel 38, which names Persia among the nations aligned against Israel, and said developments in the Middle East have caused some to believe that those prophecies could move closer.
08:00 We're living the prophetic timeline somewhere close to chapter seven and the opening of chapter 38, Kramer said. He argued that Israel remains central to biblical prophecy, saying Israel there's always God's timepiece when it comes to prophecy and suggested a modern conflict that's associated with Iran should be viewed for that lens.
08:20 And the Daily Mail, anyway, then Michael Schneider says, Pastor Kramer has a lot of company. For many Christians, this war has biblical importance. Personally, Schneider says, I fully agree that this war is extremely important, but I also think things are going to play out differently than most people are anticipating. By the way, I would agree with that.
08:43 The manner will turn out very differently than most people are anticipating.
08:48 Then do you agree, though, that this is heading toward the fulfillment of Ezekiel 37 and 38?
08:54 There is no way this is a fulfillment of Ezekiel 37, which has to do with the second resurrection. We have a free book on that, an e-book on that at CCG.org, called Universal Offer of Salvation.
09:10 So what does the Bible say about those chapters in Ezekiel?
09:15 Well, from Ezekiel 38, starting in verse one, it says the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel, saying, So the man set yourself face against God, the land of Magog, Prince of Rosh, Meshach, tubal, prophesy against him, say, Thus says the Lord God, I'm against you.
09:33 Verse four, turn around, I'm going to lead you out. Of handling swords. Verse five, Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet. Gomer with all its troops. House of Tilgrimath. Verse seven, Prepare yourselves to be ready. All your companies are guarded about you.
09:53 So this is talking about a group in battle, and you see you've got the Russians, Iranians, various Asians are here.
09:59 But what about the timing?
10:00 It says, verse eight, After many days, you'll be visited. In the latter days, you'll come to the land brought back from the sword and gathered from many peoples in the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate.
10:12 They were brought out of the nations and now all of them dwell safely. You'll ascend coming like a storm on the land like a crowd, you and all your troops and many peoples with you.
10:23 Verses 8 and 9 talk about a regathering of Israel.
10:27 Why do certain prophecy watchers say about it now?
10:30 Because certain Protestants believe that the creation of the nation Israel in 1948 fulfills verse 8. Yeah, that's not really the fulfillment for several reasons.
10:42 Name one reason this is not the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38.
10:46 Well, even today, most Jews don't even live in the nation of Israel. Okay, so that's that's one of them.
10:52 Also, the Bible shows that Israel split the kingdoms of Judah and Israel after the reign of Solomon.
10:58 And there's hundreds of millions of people around the world who descended from the other tribes of Israel.
11:03 There's only 6 million Jews in Israel. We also have, for those who want more details about the different tribes, we have a free book also at ccug.org called Lost Tribes and Prophecy, people who want more details.
11:19 Now, getting back to Ezekiel, if we go to verses 10 through 13, it says, Thus says the Lord God, on that day I will cause, it shall come to pass, that thoughts will rise in your mind, and you'll make an evil plan.
11:34 You'll say, I'm gonna go against the land of unwalled villages.
11:37 I'll go to a peaceful people who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls and not having either bars nor gates, to take plunder, to take booty, stretch out your hand against the waste places that again inhabited.
11:49 The people gathered from the nations, gathered their livestock who dwelled amidst the land. Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say, Have you come to take plunder?
12:02 Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, and take away livestock, goods, and great plunder?
12:12 It's not talking about modern Israel. It's got its walls and iron domes, military weaponry. It's supposed to be a peaceful people in unarmed villages. That's not Israel right now.
12:22 This can't happen until after the return of Jesus.
12:24 Furthermore, there's no plan to take a lot of silver and gold out of Israel from the far north. Nor does Israel have enough of that to justify an attack.
12:34 Perhaps in the future, they'll find some hidden gold mines or remaining treasures from the time of David.
12:41 But the fact is, and I'm going to read a quote here, quote, Israel holds no gold reserves at all, according to the Bank of Israel. They don't have any gold reserves.
12:53 So why would people come to plunder it now for all their gold that they don't have?
12:59 I also decided to say, well, maybe they got a lot of silver. No, they're not significant for that either. So the reality is, this is not possibly for our time.
13:12 I want to read something from the old Ambassador College. So the events of Ezekiel 38 and 39 are, without question, still for the future, for the latter days.
13:22 It's not the situation in the state of Israel today. Israel described by Ezekiel's state of security, unwalled villages, totally unprepared for war.
13:33 And Ambassador College didn't mention they don't have the silver or gold anyway.
13:37 So look, while Ezekiel 38 does mention Russia and Iran, the tiny Israel, nation of Israel called Israel now, does not have all the sons of Israel.
13:49 It's not a land of unwalled villages, but a peaceful people who dwell safely.
13:54 We're not particularly close to the fulfillment of Isaiah 38 or Isaiah 37 for that matter, because that's over a thousand years away. Those who believe otherwise are in error.
14:05 But we are at a time of wars and rumors of wars, Jesus foretold.
14:09 But no Muslim leader is about to take over the world.
14:13 So don't be taken in by the hype of those who simply don't understand prophecies, despite their personal beliefs.
14:21 Thank you, Dr. Thiel. For more interviews with Dr. Thiel, in addition to written as well as audio articles, visit our website at BibleNewsProphecy.net. This is Steve Dupuie for the Bible News Prophecy Program.
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