• Photograph from Light Magazine on Prophecy cover.
• A great king of ancient Babylon saw in a dream a huge statue made of different metals with a head of gold. The dream was interpreted for him by the young Jewish prophet Daniel.
• In the background: A replica of Babylon's famous Ishtar Gate.
• Image from Felix Friebe/ istock

Bible Prophecy - Iran (Persia) in Prophecy

Based on the "Light on Bible Prophecy" special issue.

Part 1:Introduction, part 2 (this article):Iran (Persia), part 3:Greece, part 4:Rome, part 5:Israel, part 6:The coming world conflict and you.

• Carved relief of Persian soldiers – from Persepolis, Iran's ancient royal city
• Caroline Bonners/Dreamstime

The Bible gives several reasons why we should be interested in Iran. First, we find that it is mentioned under its classical name of Persia, as one of the four world empires described in Daniel chapter 2. It is also referred to as one of the countries that will invade the land of Israel "in the latter years".

The Bible also uses a major incident in the early history of Persia as a pattern to foretell another event of "the latter years" – the way in which the Kingdom of God will be set up on the earth. This pattern is found by reference to the prophecy of Isaiah and the book of Revelation.

The people of Iran are ethnically different from their neighbours. Though modern Iran is an Islamic republic, they are not part of the Arab family of nations. The language of Iran (called Farsi) is one of the Indo-European group of languages.

The name Iran is linked to the word "Aryan". This is further evidence that Iranians are drawn from European stock.

Today Iran, or to give it its full title, The Islamic Republic of Iran, is a country openly hostile to Israel. Public pronouncements from officials of the government frequently call for the destruction of the "Zionist entity". Iran finances the "Hezbollah" faction in Lebanon which has been fighting a bitter guerrilla war against Israel. The hostility shown by Iran towards the State of Israel has not always been a feature of their relationship. Under the regime of the Shah, who ruled Persia until 1979, relations had been much more cordial.

In 1960 Persia was one of the first countries in the Middle East to recognise the State of Israel. It became a trading partner and was at that time a major supplier of oil, but things were destined to change. After increasing unrest in the country, which was met by an unsuccessful policy of repression, the Shah was at length forced to flee in January 1979. The leading Muslim cleric Ayatollah Khomeini, who had been living in exile, returned home in triumph and presided over the establishment of an Islamic republic, but although Ayatollah Khomeini has passed off the scene, the attitudes he stood for are very much in evidence.

Iran is a country that is rich in reserves of fossil fuels in the form of oil and natural gas.

• Tehran, the capital of modern Iran
• Photograph from Ozbici/istock

Although these reserves are likely to be less important as the world moves away from using fossil fuels, it has been a cause of concern that in recent years Iran has sought to develop a nuclear energy programme. To do so invites suspicion about Iran’s real aims. Nuclear power stations use the same materials as nuclear weapons.

Russia has supplied the technology for the Iranian nuclear power programme and Pakistan's nuclear scientists have passed further vital scientific information to Iran. The world's media is full of Iran's nuclear ambitions. These include a uranium mine at Gachin, a number of nuclear power stations and uranium enrichment facilities at Natanz and the Fordo plant near Qom, which are capable of producing material for nuclear weapons.

• Iran's nuclear program
• From Wikipedia

The danger of the possible developments of nuclear weapons by Iran is the threat posed to the stability of the region and even the whole world. Iran is clearly committed to the destruction of the State of Israel and is a State sponsor of terrorism. Ezekiel's prophecy

This is of particular interest to us today because it is envisaged by Bible prophecy. Ezekiel chapter 38 contains a prophecy of a time which it calls "the latter years".

Bible students have for a long time interpreted this prophecy in terms of a strategic alliance which includes Iran (Persia). This alliance will mount an attack against Israel in the final days before the Kingdom of God is set up on the earth. The prophecy, with some words of commentary in italics, is as follows:

"Thus says the Lord GOD: "Behold, I am against you, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and lead you out, with all your army, horses, and horsemen, all splendidly clothed, a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all its troops; the house of Togarmah from the far north and all its troops – many people are with you...In the latter years (towards the end of human rule on the earth) you will come into the land of those brought back from the sword and gathered from many people on the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate; they were brought out of the nations, and now all of them dwell safely (the re-gathered nation of Israel). You will ascend, coming like a storm, covering the land like a cloud, you and all your troops and many peoples with you."

• Ezekiel 38:3-9

• The Persian Empire at is highest point
• Map from 2001 Prophecy Mountain Ministries

These events are the prelude to the time outlined by Ezekiel, when God will intervene directly in the affairs of the nations (Ezekiel 38:18-23), see section about the coming world conflict in Part 6 of this series.

Iran's history as a pattern

In the year 539 BC Iran, or Persia as it was then known, first appeared on the world scene in a dramatic way. Under their first great king Cyrus, in alliance with their neighbours the Medes (the chest and arms of the image, see pages 10–11) they overthrew the Babylonian Empire and so fulfilled the second part of Nebuchadnezzar's vision of empires. They executed the king of Babylon and set up their own empire that lasted for about two hundred years. This empire (see map) was to hold sway over the civilised world until it was overthrown by the Greeks under Alexander the Great.

Both Biblical and secular history record how the forces of Cyrus laid siege to the city. To the defenders of Babylon this seemed like a futile gesture. They thought the city could withstand an indefinite siege. The city was well able to provide food and water for its people from within its extensive walls. The river Euphrates ran through the middle of Babylon, but this was to prove its weak point. Where the river ran through the walls, the area was defended by double "gates" consisting of a gridwork of bronze that stretched across the whole expanse of the river. It was this very feature that was the means of Babylon's downfall.

• Clay cylinder of Cyrus recording his conquest of Babylon (British Museum)
• Photograph from the British Museum

Unknown to the defenders of the city, the forces of Cyrus were able to divert the flow of the river. They marched into the city along the dried up bed of the river Euphrates, and through the great bronze gates that sympathisers in the city had opened for them. The city was taken completely by surprise. The rulers of Babylon had been so sure of their defences that they had spent the evening feasting and drinking as recorded in the book of Daniel chapter 5.

These events that occurred more than 2,500 years ago were foretold in detail by the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. They were of interest to the people of Israel at that time because they had a direct impact on their lives. The essence of what Isaiah and Jeremiah had prophesied about Cyrus and Babylon is as follows:

• The Jews would be taken captive into Babylon (Isaiah 39:6-7).
• Eventually Babylon would fall (Isaiah 13:19; 21:9).
• Babylon would be besieged by Elam (part of Persia) and Media (Isaiah 21:2).
• Cyrus the Persian leader was called the Lord's "Messiah" (a Hebrew word meaning "anointed"; in Greek the word is "Christos" or Christ – see Isaiah 45:1). He is called the king from the east (or the sun's rising – see Isaiah 41:2). Isaiah foretold how Cyrus would conquer Babylon and take the city, entering it along the dried up river bed (see Isaiah 45:1-3).
• Jeremiah prophesied that Cyrus would allow the return of the Jews to their land and the temple would be rebuilt in Jerusalem (compare Jeremiah 25:12-13 with 2 Chronicles 36:20-23).

• Glazed bricks showing Elamite warriors – from the ruins of the palace of the Persian king Darius 1 at Shushan (now known as Susa).
• Photograph from Patricia Hofmester/Dreamstime

The pattern of history as a prophecy

The fall of Babylon at the hands of Cyrus, this figurative "Messiah", is taken in other parts of the Bible as a pattern for the future work of Jesus the Jewish "Messiah". At his return, Jesus will likewise decree the regathering of the Jews to their land for the last time and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. This is the testimony of the OT prophets.

The book of Revelation chapters 16 to 18 uses this pattern of events to symbolise the things that will happen when Jesus Christ returns to the earth. Leaving aside the details of what these things might represent, we can clearly see that many of those same features are there:

• The drying up of the river Euphrates (Revelation 16:12).
• The unexpected coming (Revelation 16:15).
• The fall of Babylon the great (Revelation 16:19; 18:2).
• The kings from the east (the sun's rising – Revelation 16:12).

The lesson for Bible students today is that the return of Jesus to the earth in these latter days will be just as unexpected as the coming of Cyrus at the fall of ancient Babylon. As already noted the Bible speaks of a confederacy of nations including Iran, which will attack and initially defeat Israel just prior to Christ's return. But the confederacy will itself be defeated and destroyed through divine intervention with the result that:

"I (God) will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD."

• Ezekiel 38:23

The warning that Jesus gave to his disciples is even more urgent as the time approaches: "For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

• Luke 21:35-36

We have considered some prophecies about Persia which have their fulfilment in the future. We now move on to the historical events which followed the fall of the Persian Empire.