Prophecy Update: November 3, 2017

Each week we move closer and closer to the fulfillment of the prophecy given to us in Ezekiel 38-39. It is a fascinating study, to track the relationship between Russia and Iran over the last 37 years. I started tracking this relationship in 1979 after the fall of Iran. At that point there was no relationship between the two nations. Russia was communist and the Islamic regime hates communists. When the USSR fell in the early 1990’s, the relationship began to develop. During World War 2, the Soviet Union (and Britain) occupied Iran. “Joseph Stalin’s subsequent refusal to withdraw Soviet troops led to one of the first crises of the Cold War. Soviet support for the Tudeh, Iran’s Communist Party, angered both the monarchy and theocracy. And the Soviet Union armed and aided Iraq during its 1980-1988 war with Iran. Even now, the Iranian press routinely refers to these events as reasons why Tehran should not trust Moscow.” (Mark N. Katz, Institute of Peace) But the relationship developed anyway because Bible prophecy needs to be fulfilled!

From 1979 to 1989, Iran viewed Russia as hostile. From 1989 to 1999, Tehran viewed Russia as friendly because Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin pursued a relationship with Tehran. The Ayatollah Khomeini died in mid-1989 which opened some doors. Communism was collapsing and Russia was looking for new partners and friends. Bible prophecy was on the move. From 1999 to 2013, the relationship went up and down but economic ties kept growing. The biggest deal was nuclear and Russia used this to control Iran. “Russia repeatedly pushed to dilute or defer a series of U.N. sanctions resolutions against Iran since 2006. But Tehran was angry that Moscow voted to approve any sanctions against Iran when it could have vetoed them. Russian diplomacy appeared designed to convey to Tehran that Moscow could protect Iran from the West if Tehran cooperated with Russia—but also that Russia could side with the West against Iran, if Tehran did not. Tehran was especially upset when in 2010 then President Medvedev canceled the agreement to sell S-300 air defense missile systems to Iran.” From 2013 to today, Russia and Iran are joined at the hip against Israel and the USA. The reason for this is because Russian relations with the West have been deteriorating and Iran could serve as an alternative to Russia as a source of natural gas for Europe. Russia will make money off a deal with Iran. They will not if Israel goes through with her plans to ship natural gas to Europe, undercutting Russian business: Thus, the hook in the jaw.
The hook in the jaw is economic in nature. The Washington Post reported two weeks ago: “The Iranian deal has yielded millions of dollars to Europe. The lifting of sanctions under the deal prompted a rush of European corporations to do business in Iran. These are now lobbying their governments to prevent the dismantlement of the deal and are hoping that Iran may continue to adhere to its conditions if Europe refrained from reimposing sanctions. Iranian exports to the European Union increased by 375 percent from 2015 to 2016, and European companies have already invested a significant amount of money in the country, raising the stakes of any decision that could result in the deal’s collapse.”

This week the two nations have moved even closer and the hook is in the jaw of Russia. The Jerusalem Post reported on the current meetings between Russia and Iran. They said, “Russian President Vladimir Putin began a visit to Iran on Wednesday designed to underpin closer ties between two countries at loggerheads with the United States as President Donald Trump threatens to pull out of a 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran.” The desire of the American administration to pull out of the Iranian deal has caused a lot of consternation with the nations. It is clearly evident that the American desire to pull out of the deal is being painted as pro-Israel and anti-Muslim. The nations are using this deal to gain greater power over Israel so they can destroy her. Israel is resisting to the point of threatening war right back at them. The article went on to say, Moscow is also an important ally for Iran in its confrontation with the Trump administration, which on October 13 refused to certify Tehran’s two-year-old nuclear deal with six major powers that include Russia and the United States. “Both Russia and Iran are under American pressure … Tehran has no other choice but to rely on Moscow to ease the US pressure,” said the official. Another Iranian official said Trump’s aggressive Iran policy had united Iran’s faction-ridden leadership in alignment with Russia.”

As you can see, the current political and military alignments are drawing Iran and Russia closer. The threats of war are also increasing. The Washington Free Beacon had this headline on Wednesday Oct.31st, ‘Iran Threatens Ballistic Missile Strikes on American Forces, Can Hit ‘All U.S. Bases.’ “A top Iranian military commander has threatened to launch ballistic missile attacks on U.S. forces in the region amid a public effort by the Islamic Republic to show off its advanced missile capabilities, according to U.S. officials and regional reports.”

“Iranian leaders disclosed that their advanced ballistic missile technology, which could be used as part of a nuclear weapons program, is sophisticated enough to strike U.S. forces up to nearly 1,300 miles, or 2,000 kilometers, away, which encompasses all U.S. bases in the region.” As Vladimir Putin was meeting with the Iranians, the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, called on all Muslims to ‘engage in different methods of fighting against Israel.’ Apparently he felt emboldened with his friends in town to encourage an all-out attack on Israel. “In a letter to the International Union of Resistance Scholars, a group that has convened anti-Israel gatherings in the past, Khamenei wrote that the “unforgettable responsibility” for removing Israel “rests upon the shoulders of the entire Muslim world.” These Muslim leaders advocate for an end to the Sunni-Shiite rift and a refocusing of Muslim attention on the Palestinian cause.
In the last few days, Israel has attacked Syria, blowing up a weapons depot in northern Syria. They blew up a Gaza attack tunnel killing 7 terrorists and wounding 12. Israel said they detected the tunnel being dug into Israeli territory. Iran called Israel bloodthirsty after blowing up the tunnel. Iran went on to say that Israel has had seven decades of crimes and bloodshed and child killing against Palestinians. (Times of Israel)

Another tension that is bringing rumors of war is the desire of Russia, Iran, and China to exit any economic system including the petrodollar. Trading oil in American currency has become anathema in several countries. One report said this: “A profound transformation of the global monetary system is underway. It is being driven by a perfect storm: the need for Russia and Iran to escape Western sanctions, the low interest rate policy of the U.S. Federal Reserve to keep the American economy afloat and the increasing demand for Middle East oil by China. The implications of this transformation are immense for U.S. policy in the Middle East which, for 50 years, has been founded on a partnership with Saudi Arabia.” President Putin has said (in the context of reducing Russia’s economic vulnerabilities) that he views the dollar monopoly in energy trade as damaging to the Russian economy. Since hydrocarbon revenues form the most substantive part of Russia’s revenues, Putin’s desire to take action in this area is not surprising. This is why this conference in Iran was so important. Putin talked about the economic cooperation with the “North-South Transport Corridor” and the “Organization of Gas Producers” as being a way for these countries to carve out their own economic alliances. This is meant to undermine the power of the USA. CNBC reported on Oct.24th 2017, “China has grand ambitions to dethrone the dollar. It may make a powerful move this year.” The plan is to price oil in yuan using a gold-backed futures contract in Shanghai, but the road will be long and arduous. If there’s widespread adoption, as the Chinese hope, then that will mark a step toward challenging the greenback’s status as the world’s most powerful currency. China is telling the world that the USA is a debt driven system that hurts all countries and the countries are agreeing with China. Will America do anything to keep the petrodollar system going? Russia, China, and Iran are the ones resisting this system and pushing crypto dollars. Once the cat is out of the bag, the dollar will fall. China and Russia are saying that the USA will start a war to protect the petrodollar. Here is the kicker, Saudi Arabia is joining China in this endeavor! Dedollarizing oil will destroy our economy.
The UK newpaper the Express published this on Thursday Nov.2, 2017, “World on a KNIFE EDGE: Iran asks Vladimir Putin to ELIMINATE US dollar and isolate America.” The report said, IRAN’S supreme leader has urged Russian president Vladimir Putin to join forces with Tehran to beat the United States’ sanctions against them by ditching the dollar. The Russian president said the US wants to interfere in all matters of the world and the region and often ignores interests of its allies to do so.
Recent news reports inform us that Iran is setting up shop in Damascus and has been laying the groundwork for a highway from Tehran to the Mediterranean Sea—in essence building a caliphate with clearly stated plans to destroy Israel. In the last year, Israel has attacked sites near Damascus and around Syria. The setting up of shop by Iran and Russia in Syria will cause Israel to destroy Damascus. This will lead to the prophecy of Ezekiel 38-39 to be fulfilled. We are so close to this happening. As other prophecy teachers have pointed out, “I had always wondered about the logic behind the fact that Ezekiel 38 involved nations that were at least one country removed from Israel’s borders, yet they attack with ground forces from Israel’s north. In other words, the attack would have to come from Syria, but Syria is not listed as one of the attackers. If the stage is indeed being set for Isaiah 17 (Vs. 1, Vs. 14) and Ezekiel 38 (and I believe it is), then the Syrian Civil War has served to allow Russia and Iran to form their long-prophesied and unprecedented partnership and presence in the mountains north of Israel. Syria is not listed as an attacker because she is powerless and a puppet regime being held up only by Russia and Iran, who are calling all shots.”
It is time for us to pray that God will give grace to America and a spirit of repentance.