I have been saving some articles on this subject by Bill Salus, Dave Reagan, and John McTernan for approximately ten years.
I believe what they wrote is very important, and it is a good time to mention some of the things they had to say.
It is important to understand that the nation called Iran today was two territories or nations (Elam and Persia) in Old Testament times.
As I understand it:
- Assyria conquered Elam about 646 B.C.
- Babylon conquered Assyria about 626 B.C.
- The Medes and Persia conquered Babylon about 536 B.C.
- They called their nation Persia, and Elam was part of Persia.
- Persia changed its name to Iran in 1935.
- So modern Iran is ancient Persia, and ancient Persia controls the more ancient nation called Elam (about one-fifth of the nation of Iran).
- It is on the Persian Gulf, and a lot of Iran’s nuclear facilities are there, including the nuclear reactor that Russia built at Bushehr.
This is important because:
- There is a latter-day (end of the age) prophecy in the Bible about Elam (Jer. 49:34-39) and a separate prophecy about Persia (Ezek. 38-39; Gog and Magog).
- It looks like the prophecy of Elam will be fulfilled before the prophecy of Persia (Elam fulfilled before the Battle of Gog and Magog is fulfilled).
- And it is just possible that Israel’s current attack on Iran will fulfill the prophecy of Elam (like Jer. 49:34-39 may be being fulfilled right now).
Let’s look at the prophecy of Elam (part of modern Iran; Jer. 49:34-39).
Jeremiah 49:34 reads, “The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah, the prophet, against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, saying…”
- From this, we learn that Jeremiah wrote his prophecy about 10 years before Ezekiel wrote his (two different men, two different times, two different places in Iran, two different outcomes).
- Incidentally, Jer. 49:39 says the prophecy of Elam will come to pass in the latter days, and Ezek. 38:8, 16 says the prophecy about Persia will take place in the latter years and latter days (at the very end of the age).
Jeremiah 49:35 reads, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.”
- A bow shoots weapons (arrows), but a broken bow cannot shoot a weapon.
- In the latter days, Elam will want to shoot arrows (missiles) at someone, but God will break her bow (missile launchers).
- This will disable Elam’s most powerful weapons (missiles, not planes, tanks, etc.).
Jeremiah 49:36 reads, “And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four corners of heaven, and scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation to which the outcasts of Elam shall not come.”
- God’s judgment will fall upon Elam (part of modern Iran where most of Iran’s nuclear facilities are located).
- Elam will be attacked from every direction.
- Many of Elam’s citizens will (temporarily) leave and go to other nations (there has been a report that radiation and chemicals are leaking from one of Elam’s damaged nuclear reactors).
Jeremiah 49:37 reads, “For I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before those who seek their life, and I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger, saith the Lord; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.”
- God will cause Elam to be troubled, alarmed, bewildered.
- God’s anger will fall upon Elam.
- God will send the sword (an ancient military weapon) upon Elam, and it will persist until that area of Elam is destroyed.
Jeremiah 49:38 reads, “And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from there the king and the princes, saith the Lord.”
- In addition to overthrowing Elam’s military, God will overthrow Elam’s religion (Islam) and cause the people of Elam to turn to Him.
- God will destroy the head of Elam and those under him.
Jeremiah 49:39 reads, “But it shall come to pass in the latter days that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the Lord.”
- After Elam becomes subject to God, He will cause those who have fled to return home, and it will be the latter days (at the end of the age).
Let’s look at the prophecy of Persia (Iran).
Ezekiel 38:1-6 lists at least 7 entities that will attack Israel in the Gog of Magog war: Meshech, Tubal, Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Togarmah.
Notice that Ezekiel mentions Persia (part of Iran), but he does not mention Elam (the other part of Iran).
In fact, Elam is not mentioned anywhere in Ezekiel 38 or 39.
Why?
It may be speculation, but Elam has already been dealt with when Ezekiel 38 and 39 happens?
Notice that the other nations mentioned in the Battle of Gog of Magog are not mentioned in the prophecy about Elam.
Notice that the end result is different: God breaks Elam’s bow in Elam’s own country, but God destroys Persia on the mountains of Israel.
Notice that God uses a sword against Elam, but He uses natural disasters (an earthquake, flooding rain, large hailstones, fire, and brimstone) against Persia and her allies.
So, there is evidence that we have two different wars, and the first one (breaking Elam’s bow) will shortly precede the Battle of Gog of Magog.
It appears that following the weakening of Elam (part of Iran), Persia (the other part of Iran) will be weakened, but Persia won’t give up on trying to destroy Israel.
Persia will yield to Russia’s desire (the hook in Gog’s jaw) to seize the silver and gold, cattle and goods, of Israel; join Russia, Turkey, and others; and be destroyed by God on the mountains of Israel (Ezek. 38:4; 12-13; 38-18-39:6).
Here are some articles that seem to indicate that the end of the age is near.
As you read this, if you do, remember that God told you Israel will have a great army at the end of the age (Ezek. 37:10).
One, concerning wars and rumors: starting at about 3 a.m. on June 13, 2025 (Israel time), here are some updates as I received them.
Day One (Friday, June 13, 2025):
- About 200 Israeli aircraft struck dozens of targets in Iran, purportedly to prevent Iran from building nuclear bombs.
- Israel attacked Iran’s top military leaders first (to catch them by surprise and kill them before they went into hiding), then Israel attacked Iran’s top nuclear scientists (to keep them from hiding and later restoring Iran’s nuclear facilities), then Israel attacked Iran’s primary nuclear facilities at Natanz, and then Israel attacked dozens of Iran’s missile launchers and storage sites for surface-to-surface missiles.
- Israel didn’t lose even one plane.
- Israel declared a state of emergency, sirens started sounding in northern Israel, and Israel’s cabinet went into hiding to protect its people and leaders in case there was an immediate Iranian response.
- It was reported that the U.S. was not involved, but the U.S. had redirected 20,000 anti-drone missiles that were destined for Ukraine to the Middle East to protect Israel and U.S. bases from an Iranian response.
- The White House warned Iran that it will pay a heavy price if it attacks any U.S. bases.
- Israel said this will be a multi-day attack on Iran, so the public should expect more attacks.
- An Iranian official said Iran’s response to the Israeli attack is being discussed at the highest levels, and when it comes, it will be harsh and decisive.
- Israel said it had attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities at Natanz twice, and several floors of underground structures had been destroyed.
- Iran launched more than 100 drones at Israel that would take hours to arrive, Israel had time to prepare for them and shoot them down.
- The Iranian Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) warned that Israel and the U.S. would face consequences.
- In the late afternoon, Iran fired three barrages of missiles (almost 100 each time) at Israel, but Israel and the U.S. shot most of them out of the air. Nevertheless, 41 Israelis were wounded, and 2 are in critical condition.
- Israel destroyed dozens of Iranian military targets, including the Tabriz airbase.
- Israel attacked Iran’s nuclear facilities at Isfahan.
- The Houthis in Yemen fired a missile that no one tried to intercept, and it fell in Hebron. The damage is being evaluated.
- The U.S. warned Iraq that it would attack if any pro-Iranian groups in Iraq attacked U.S. troops.
- Israel destroyed Iran’s airport in Tabriz.
- Franklin Graham urged Christians to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Day Two (Saturday, June 14, 2025):
- Iran continued to fire volleys of missiles (almost 100 each time) at Israel, millions of Jews went into shelters, and there was significant damage to Israel’s military headquarters’ main command center.
- Experts said Israel has greatly damaged above-ground structures at Iran’s nuclear sites, but the centrifuges that are deep underground have not been hurt.
- Israel warned Iran that Tehran (Iran’s capital city; its largest and richest city) will burn if Iran keeps firing missiles at civilian targets in Israel.
- Israel is successfully shooting down about 95% of Iran’s missiles.
- When Iran launches a missile at Israel, Iran exposes the location of its missile site, and Israel attacks it.
- Israel is overwhelming Iran’s defense systems with swift, precise, and devastating attacks.
- 50 Israeli jets are flying over Iran without interference.
- Iran has asked Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis (Iran’s vaunted Islamic resistance) for help, but except for one lone Houthi missile, Iran’s request has been ignored.
- After just one day of war, Iran desperately asked Qatar and Oman to convince Pres. Trump to stop the war (But Trump is in no rush to respond).
- An Iranian missile barrage on northern Israel killed 5 and wounded 24 people.
- Israel attacked a large oil depot in Tehran that produces about 7 million liters of oil a day. There was some damage, but it was soon up and running.
- Netanyahu warned that Israeli jets will soon be a common sight over Iran.
Day Three (Sunday, June 15, 2025):
- Prime Min. Netanyahu said Iranian missile barrages have killed 14 Israelis and wounded more than 390.
- The Israeli air force is striking dozens of missile targets in Iran.
- Israel has had tremendous success striking Iran’s nuclear and missile programs, but Iran has thousands of missiles and 150-250 launchers, so it may take Israel a few weeks to get all of them.
- It has been reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has moved to an underground bunker in Levezan, a heavily fortified military site northeast of Tehran deep below the surface in one of the most secretive and militarized zones in Iran.
- Terrorists in Iraq launched 3 drones at U.S. bases there, but the drones were intercepted.
- Russian Pres. Putin and Turkey’s Pres. Erdogan condemned Israel’s military attack on Iran and expressed concern that it could lead to a wider war (Gog and Magog perhaps????).
- An Iranian missile caused significant damage to several buildings in Israel.
- It was reported that Israel has officially requested the U.S. to help destroy Iran’s underground nuclear facilities at Fordow. The U.S. reportedly said it does not intend to intervene, but if Iran attacks U.S. forces in the Middle East the U.S. will strike back hard.
- The UK has agreed to help Israel defend against incoming Iranian missiles.
Day Four (Monday, June 16, 2025):
- The overall death toll of Israelis since the beginning of the war rose to 16.
- Israel was carrying out large-scale attacks in Natanz and other missile sites across Iran.
- An Iranian missile killed 8 Israelis and wounded 287 at 3 different locations.
- Iranian missiles have damaged almost 15,000 homes in Israel.
- Israel’s air force and navy said they have intercepted more than 100 Iranian drones since the beginning of the war.
- Israel believes they have destroyed (120) more than one-third of Iran’s missile launchers (perhaps Elam’s bows).
- The IAEA confirmed that there is radioactive and chemical contamination at Iran’s Natanz nuclear reactor.
- Trump warned the citizens of Tehran to leave. He said Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.
- Israel urged the residents in District 3 of Tehran to leave the area.
- Israeli jets destroyed a radio station in Tehran that Iran’s military used to spread propaganda, but it was soon spreading propaganda again at a backup station. There were other massive explosions in Tehran.
- Prime Min. Netanyahu said Israel is on the way to victory in Iran.
- Iran is urgently seeking a ceasefire with Israel and has asked Russia for help.
- Iran told the U.S that Iran would resume negotiations with the U.S. over its quest for nuclear weapons if the U.S. will stay out of the war (Note: Resuming negotiations is not the same as giving up its quest for nuclear weapons, and Iran did not say it would do that. Negotiations with Iran go nowhere).
Day Five (Tuesday, June 17, 2025):
- Trump said the U.S. knows exactly where the Ayatollah Khamenei is hiding, but the U.S. won’t take him out.
- Israel said it is ready to strike Iran’s underground nuclear facility at Fordow.
- Israel has killed at least 30 senior officials associated with the IRGC and Iran’s nuclear program.
- Iran fired a barrage of 20 missiles at Israel, one made it to central Israel, and there were reports of property damage but no casualties.
- Iran’s missile barrages are getting smaller, meaning it has lost a lot of launchers (bows), and it has fewer and fewer options.
- Some Iranian military officers are seeking to defect.
- Iran said it will soon close the Strait of Hormuz.
- There was an unconfirmed report that former Iranian Pres. Ahmadinejad and his wife and two sons were assassinated by masked gunmen in Tehran today.
- Following a letter from Mike Huckabee, U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Pres. Trump went to a secure place called the war room to receive military and intelligence briefings on Israel’s war with Iran. We can only speculate about what he will hear and what decisions he will make.
- Trump posted this message on Truth Social: “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
- Trump called for Iran’s “unconditional surrender.”
- Iran fired a second barrage of missiles at Israel (no casualties).
- Israel struck dozens of targets in Tehran.
- Tehran’s main oil refinery and surrounding facilities are burning.
Day Six (Wednesday, June 18, 2025):
- Israel destroyed two centrifuge production facilities and a rotor production facility in Tehran.
- Israel destroyed five Iranian attack helicopters.
- Turkish Pres. Erdogan accused Israel of genocide worse than Hitler.
- Russia cautioned the U.S. against direct military support for Israel.
- Israel struck another Iranian airport.
- Israel said the Ayatollah Khamenei will be held accountable for his actions.
- Israel issued a 2-kilometer evacuation order around Iran’s Arak nuclear facility, and in short order, 40 Israeli jets attacked the facility.
- An Iranian missile barrage struck a hospital and many homes in Israel; lots of damage; many Israelis injured.
- Russia ordered its workers at Iran’s Bushehr nuclear reactor to evacuate.
- Trump has approved U.S. military orders for an attack on Iran, and ordered a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East, but is giving the Ayatollah a final chance to accept his demand for Iran’s nuclear facilities to be dismantled. He is also preparing to back up his threat to attack Iran if U.S. bases in the Middle East are attacked.
- The Ayatollah Khamenei said Iran will never surrender.
- The U.S. Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, announced evacuation flights and cruise ship departures for U.S. citizens wanting to leave Israel.
(Note: Things are happening by the minute, but I need to break this off and send it to Rapture Ready for posting two days from now.)
Two, on June 16, 2025, the Prophecy News Watch (PNW) staff posted 10 reasons why they believe Israel’s current war with Iran is not the Battle of Gog of Magog prophesied in Ezekiel 38.
- Russia Has Not Yet Taken the Helm.
- The Attack Doesn’t Come from the North.
- Israel Is Not Living in Peace.
- The Motivation Is Not Plunder.
- No Supernatural Judgment Has Occurred.
- There Is No Massive Ground Army.
- The Prophetic Timing Still Doesn’t Fit.
- The Required Coalition Is Absent.
- Israel Is Highly Prepared, Not Naïve.
- The Role of Sheba and Dedan Has Not Emerged.
(My note: concerning the timing, I believe the Battle of Gog of Magog could be before the Tribulation Period. I share this because I believe it is a good article, and I believe most of the reasons are right on target.)
Four, concerning war: when Israel was in the wilderness, God told Moses to make two trumpets of silver to blow at certain times (Num. 10:1-9).
God said, “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Lord your God, and ye shall be saved” (Num. 10:9).
On June 13, 2025, Biblically crafted silver trumpets were blown on Israel’s army bases just as God told the Jews to do.
It was reported that this was the first time in modern history that Israel did this.
(My opinion: Israel’s success is God’s doing. It is His response to Israel’s obedience and the prayers of Christians and Jews all over the world.)
(FYI: The two Biblically crafted silver trumpets exist because they are the ones that have been made for use at the rebuilt Temple – along with a lot of other things.)
Five, concerning Israel’s current war: on June 12, 2025, the day before Israel struck its first target in Iran, Israel’s Prime Min. Netanyahu went to the Wailing Wall on the Temple Mount to pray and to place a piece of paper in one of the cracks in the wall.
The piece of paper contained part of a verse of Scripture: “Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion” (Num. 23:24).
Early the next morning, he announced that the war had started and he was naming it “Operation Rising Lion.”
This reminds us of three other verses of Scripture:
- They shall follow the Lord; he shall roar like a lion (Hos. 11:10).
- The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake; but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel (Joel 3:16).
- The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed (Rev. 5:5).
(My opinion: I am impressed with the fact that Netanyahu went to the Temple Mt. to pray before the war began, and that he used Scripture to name the war, and to encourage his people to rise up. Israel is God’s Battle Ax when He chooses to deal with a nation or nations.)
(My opinion: The trumpet sounded, and Netanyahu told his people to rise up. The trumpet of God will soon sound, and the dead in Christ will rise up, and the living will be caught up.)
(My opinion: The verse of Scripture says the Lord will be Israel’s hope. Christians are looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13).
(My speculation: In the Battle of Gog and Magog, no nation helps Israel, and God gets the glory. Pres. Trump has been adamant that the U.S. will not fight for Israel unless Iran attacks Americans or American bases in Iraq or Syria. I am wondering if God is keeping the U.S. out of the war because He wants Israel to give Him the glory for its success.)
Six, concerning the Two-State Solution: on June 12, 2025, Jewish News Service (JNS) said,
- A senior Israeli government official said the idea of a two-state agreement is now viewed by most Israelis as a security threat – no longer a path to peace but a road to destruction.
- Polls show that more than 87% of Jewish Israelis reject the two-state concept.
- The illusion of peace through concessions has been permanently shattered.
(My opinion: I wish the Two-State Solution had been permanently shattered, but I believe the Bible teaches otherwise.)
Seven, concerning Israel’s borders and a rebuilt Temple: on June 12, 2025, the nascent (newly constructed, shaping up) Sanhedrin (about 70 religious leaders that controlled the religious life of Jews in Old Testament times) ruled,
- That the Jewish people are now clearly in the prophesied third inheritance of the land, the first being by Joshua, the second after the Babylonian exile.
- The third inheritance refers to the prophesied return of the Jews from the exile that followed the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE.
- Jewish tradition holds that this return will usher in the building of the Third Temple, the return of the Davidic Dynasty, and the messianic era.
Eight, concerning world government: on June 14, 2025, the Bilderberg group gathered in Sweden to discuss global issues.
Two new issues on the agenda were depopulation and immigration.
This troubles Bible prophecy teachers because the Bible warns of distress of nations, wars, killing people that refuse to take the Mark, etc.
Nine, concerning natural disasters: on June 15, 2025, record-breaking rainfall (6.4 inches in 24 hrs.) in San Antonio caused flooding that killed 11 people, injured dozens, and caused widespread damage.
Nine, concerning the coming Battle of Gog and Magog: following Iran’s threat to attack U.S. forces in the Middle East, on June 15, 2025, Russian Pres. Putin and Turkey’s Pres. Erdogan condemned Israel’s military attack on Iran and expressed concern that it could lead to a wider war.
On June 16, 2025, it was reported that the U.S. has moved more than 31 refueling planes, and it is sending another aircraft carrier and several destroyers to the Middle East to greatly increase America’s air power if it is needed.
(Notice this: We now have threats from Russia, Iran, Turkey, and others; the Gog of Magog coalition.)
(My opinion: Israel is greatly weakening Iran and setting Iran back for years. Iran is losing its power. Iran’s future is in doubt. Iran is desperate to stop the bleeding. Iran is begging for a ceasefire and threatening the U.S. if it doesn’t call off Israel. Iran has military agreements with Russia and Turkey. Russia needs drones and other supplies for its war in Ukraine. She may cut a deal with Russia to help stop Israel. The Battle of Gog and Magog may be shaping up.)
Ten, concerning the distress of nations, with perplexity, the seas (of humanity) and the waves roaring (Luke 21:25): on June 16, 2025, it was reported that Bill O’Reilly said his investigation showed that George Soros was giving large sums of money to a group of paid rioters protesting Pres. Trump’s deportation of immigrants, and Gov. Newsome and the state of California gave millions of tax dollars to another group.
FYI: God does not send anyone to Hell (all of us are born with a sin nature and destined to go to Hell because we sin), but God has provided a way (Jesus) for everyone to go to Heaven (and He is the only way to get there; John 14:6).
Finally, are you Rapture Ready?
If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.