1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:04,280 Watch very carefully because no one can explain the prophecy on 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:06,840 this timeline. If you go on Google and you 3 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,600 search the ancient name for Iran, you will see one answer, 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:12,760 Persia. But that's only half true 5 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:16,000 because there is actually another name, one that holds a 6 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,640 prophecy that the whole world forgot about. 7 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:21,400 You probably already know Iran from the news, but did you know 8 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:23,560 where this country actually comes from? 9 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:28,440 Well our story goes way back to around 2400 BC and we are going 10 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:31,240 to meet a man that you have definitely heard of, Noah. 11 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:35,080 Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. 12 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:36,720 But here's where it gets interesting. 13 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,840 His oldest son Shem had a son called Elam. 14 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:44,440 But Elam wasn't just an ordinary kid because in 2000 BC, Elam 15 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:46,840 became the forefather of the Elamites. 16 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:49,000 OK, now take a good look at this. 17 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:53,320 The name Elam actually means high in Assyrian, meaning the 18 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:56,160 land was high up. These Highlands weren't just 19 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:58,880 some random hills. They stretch for about 1000 20 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,600 miles all the way from near Babylon towards the 21 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,560 Mediterranean. Overtime, both the land and the 22 00:01:04,560 --> 00:01:08,200 people changed and grew. The Elamites, who started out a 23 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:11,680 lot like the early Sumerians, eventually became part of what 24 00:01:11,680 --> 00:01:15,040 we now call Iran. Did you catch that? 25 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,760 In other words, every time the Bible talks about Elam, it's 26 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:22,320 pointing directly to the very beginnings of Persia. 27 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:26,360 So make sure you remember that name because this timeline will 28 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,680 reveal a very surprising prophecy about the people of 29 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,760 Elam, or should I say the people of Iran. 30 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:38,120 Let's jump forward 100 years to 1900 BC, because something huge 31 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:39,880 is about to shake the people of Elam. 32 00:01:39,960 --> 00:01:43,480 The action kicks off during one of the Bible's earliest battles, 33 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:47,640 the rescue of Lot by Abraham. Before you find out who wins, 34 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,440 you need to see where it all happened. 35 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,440 This is the valley of Sidim near the Dead Sea, a place famously 36 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,480 dotted with tar pits. And these pits would become a 37 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,120 nightmare for one group of soldiers. 38 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:03,240 Here's how it went down. 5 kings from the Jordan decided to rebel 39 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,080 against Kedalioma, the king of Elam. 40 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:10,000 He had ruled them for 12 years. And Kedalioma, well, he didn't 41 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:13,240 take the rebellion lightly. He called on his three key 42 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:15,480 allies and marched South into Canaan. 43 00:02:15,560 --> 00:02:19,080 Elam was victorious, so much so that its enemies reached the 44 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:21,640 Veil of Sidham. The valleys tar pit swallowed 45 00:02:21,640 --> 00:02:25,040 some fleeing soldiers while the remaining ran for the hills. 46 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:28,120 As you can imagine, the king of Elam didn't stop there, and so 47 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:31,200 the rebellious cities were raided and the citizens were 48 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,040 carried off. Lots was one of them. 49 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:37,000 This is the part where the tables turned, and not in a way 50 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,400 that people expected. Abraham, another famous man from 51 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:44,960 the Bible, decided that he and his 318 trained men from his 52 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:48,440 household would not sit around. So he pursued the victorious 53 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,600 King's north all the way past Dan and launched a night ambush. 54 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:57,480 By God's guidance alone, Abraham routed Kurda Loma's forces, 55 00:02:57,480 --> 00:03:01,600 recovering Lots, the other captives and all the stolen 56 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:04,160 goods. It was so taken aback the first 57 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:08,040 time I saw this because straight after the battle, Abraham meets 58 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:12,200 Melchizedek, the king of Salem, a priest of the Most High God. 59 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:16,320 Melchizedek blesses Abraham, offers him bread and wine, and 60 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:18,920 makes it clear that it was God who had delivered Abraham's 61 00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:21,960 enemies into his hands. This is not a detail we can just 62 00:03:21,960 --> 00:03:24,880 skip past because it was a beautiful picture of another 63 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:28,160 high priest, a king who had come thousands of years later. 64 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,480 And he would also tell all those who trust in him to share in his 65 00:03:31,480 --> 00:03:34,960 supper the bread and wine. And we do this to remember the 66 00:03:34,960 --> 00:03:37,560 death that he died for us. I suppose what I'm really trying 67 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:41,160 to say here is that Melchizedek was a sneak peek that points to 68 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:45,200 the eternal King of Kings, the God man, Jesus Christ. 69 00:03:45,360 --> 00:03:49,600 In 559 BC our story takes a dramatic turn. 70 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:53,120 Enter Cyrus the Second, later called Cyrus the Great. 71 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,240 We pick up straight after Babylon had destroyed Jerusalem. 72 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,880 It is here where we find Cyrus is now leading the Persians. 73 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,280 Next he married the daughter of the Median King Astiages. 74 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,960 This literally united the Persian tribes and other Iranian 75 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:08,800 peoples. You would think his 76 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:11,880 father-in-law would be happy, but not King Astiages. 77 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:16,320 No, he saw him as a problem. And unbelievably, he was right. 78 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:20,200 In a clever campaign, Cyrus defeated Astiges and even 79 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,480 convinced some of his troops to join him. 80 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,400 And you thought your family had drama? 81 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:29,920 By 550 BC, the Median Empire was gone and the Persian Empire was 82 00:04:29,920 --> 00:04:31,640 born. But here's the part most 83 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:35,320 historians forget to mention. The Bible had predicted Cyrus's 84 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,120 rise at least 150 years before he was born. 85 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:43,280 Isaiah calls him shepherd and anointed, saying he would 86 00:04:43,280 --> 00:04:47,240 conquer nations and rebuild Jerusalem and even the Temple. 87 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,480 I believe the most unreal part of this prediction, though, is 88 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:54,600 the fact that Cyrus is specifically named in Isaiah 44, 89 00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:57,800 verse 28. Even Cyrus himself is said to 90 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,160 have read these words and to have been amazed by the accuracy 91 00:05:01,240 --> 00:05:03,360 of Scripture. But what do you think? 92 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,120 Do you think God was clearly guiding history, using a king to 93 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,600 fulfil a plan he'd written centuries earlier? 94 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,560 Or do you think it's all just one big coincidence? 95 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,880 One thing cannot be denied. Cyrus didn't stop after uniting 96 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,360 Persia. He went on to crush the Lydians 97 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:21,400 in the West. And then he turned his eyes 98 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,680 towards Babylon, the most incredible city anyone had ever 99 00:05:24,680 --> 00:05:26,600 seen. Imagine this scenario. 100 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,400 Walls so tall that they make you feel like an Ant. 101 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:32,840 These walls are over 90 metres high, and they're broad enough 102 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:34,560 for Chariots to race along the top. 103 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:38,400 They have bronze gates gleaming in the sun and towers that even 104 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,840 touch the clouds. Are you imagining this right 105 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:43,640 now? Because even the Lucif Euphrates 106 00:05:43,640 --> 00:05:47,240 River flowed right through the middle, keeping the city rich 107 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,120 and alive. However, inside these grand 108 00:05:50,120 --> 00:05:52,840 walls, pride ruled as much as any king. 109 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:55,920 One night, while King Belshazzar was throwing a wild feast, 110 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,000 whilst he was drinking from cups that were stolen from God's 111 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,520 temple in Jerusalem, an unexplainable hand appeared out 112 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,880 of nowhere and wrote glowing words across the wall. 113 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:11,160 Many, many tackle a Parson. It sounds almost unbelievable, 114 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,320 but it really happened. But what made matters even worse 115 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:18,160 is that no one knew what it meant until Daniel was brought 116 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,400 in. He explained that Babylon's time 117 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:23,520 was up, and that God would give the Kingdom to the Medes and 118 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:26,400 Persians. That very night, as the Parsee 119 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:28,600 roared on, the prophecy came true. 120 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:32,360 Cyrus's troops had made an incredibly calculating move. 121 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:35,720 They had quietly diverted the Euphrates River, lowering its 122 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:39,120 water until they could sneak right under the city walls, 123 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,360 through the riverbed. Normally those huge inner gates 124 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,280 have bronze and iron would have stopped them cold, but on that 125 00:06:45,280 --> 00:06:48,360 night, unusually, they had left them wide open. 126 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:51,800 The soldiers slipped in without even breaking a fingernail. 127 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:56,240 And before dawn, Babylon had fallen exactly as God said it 128 00:06:56,240 --> 00:06:59,040 would. But hey, now I can hear exactly 129 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:02,200 what you're thinking, Joe. Is this the ancient prophecy 130 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:03,840 that most people don't know about? 131 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:06,720 No, it's not. This one came from Isaiah, and 132 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:10,480 it was written about 200 years earlier than Belshazzar's party. 133 00:07:10,640 --> 00:07:13,480 In this prophecy that we're talking about, it predicted that 134 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:17,240 God would break in pieces the gates of brass and cut through 135 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:20,120 the bars of iron. And it even describes how the 136 00:07:20,120 --> 00:07:23,200 loins of the king would tremble. And guess what? 137 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:27,040 That's exactly what happened. Belshazzar was removed, Darius 138 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:30,360 Thamme took charge under Cyrus's new empire, and Daniel found 139 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,920 favour once again, serving near the top of the Kingdom. 140 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:38,480 Not long after the dust had settled in, around 539 BC, 141 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:42,320 Daniel faced one of his most unforgettable moments of life, 142 00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,760 the lion's den. Under the new Medo Persian rule, 143 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,320 jealous officials tricked Darius into signing a law that banned 144 00:07:49,320 --> 00:07:51,600 prayer for anyone except the king. 145 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:54,520 Daniel, being Daniel, kept praying anyway. 146 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,320 And So what happened? He was thrown into the den of 147 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,560 lions, but God shut their mouths. 148 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:02,680 And that night he showed the whole Persian court that the 149 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:05,920 living God of Israel ruled over every empire, over every 150 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,000 creature, even lions, and that no one should mess with a man of 151 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:12,560 God. Now I do want you to pay closer 152 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,880 attention because Babylon, the city that once mocked God and 153 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:18,200 crushed his people, was now finished. 154 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:21,720 So let's just pause on that for a second because through this 155 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:26,000 Iranian man, God was setting his people free, just as he promised 156 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:28,600 to do long ago. Don't forget that fact because 157 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,680 it will leave you speechless when you see the powerful plot 158 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:35,880 twist later on this timeline. But right now, listen to this. 159 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,679 Though Babylon now lies in ruins, the Bible tells us of 160 00:08:39,679 --> 00:08:43,120 another Babylon yet to come. It talks about it in in the last 161 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:46,440 book of the Bible, Revelation. Just like the first Babylon, 162 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,960 this one too will fall. So my friend, I can assure you 163 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:52,480 of one thing. No empire, no matter how 164 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,480 powerful, no matter how great there is a man on this world, no 165 00:08:55,480 --> 00:08:58,400 matter how famous, none of them can stand forever. 166 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:00,600 None of them can stand against God's plans. 167 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,960 So that is why you would be very wise to stand in the light of 168 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:09,240 the Lord Jesus Christ right now, before the darkness of Babylon 169 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:11,760 rises up again. By the way, if you doubt the 170 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:15,760 Bible's reliable ficturize on this archaeological discovery, 171 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:19,400 this clay artifact is known as Cyrus's Cylinder. 172 00:09:19,400 --> 00:09:23,280 It's super old. It's dated to 538 BC, making 173 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,760 this football sized artifact 2560 years old. 174 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,480 So what makes this clay tube so special anyway? 175 00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:34,160 Well, it's what it says on it that turns heads covered by 176 00:09:34,160 --> 00:09:38,000 ancient Arcadian writing. It states that Cyrus declares 177 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,880 that the conquered peoples by the Babylonians are now free to 178 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:45,320 return to their lambs, free to rebuild their temples, free to 179 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:48,960 worship their own God. You do realize how massive this 180 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:51,120 is? Empires never freed their 181 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,800 captives. It was unheard of, but Cyrus 182 00:09:53,800 --> 00:09:55,000 did. But if you thought that was 183 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:57,040 special, wait until you hear this. 184 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:00,920 The Bible also records a near identical decree, but it's 185 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:04,760 addressed to the Jews in Ezra chapter 1 verses two to three. 186 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:08,240 Cyrus writes. Thus says Cyrus, king of Persia, 187 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,640 The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the 188 00:10:11,640 --> 00:10:14,760 earth, and his child charged me to build him a house in 189 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:17,480 Jerusalem. Guys, that's not just tolerance 190 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,200 from a Persian king, but rather a man acknowledging that the God 191 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:25,840 of Israel is the real boss. OK, OK, I know how much you guys 192 00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,280 love archaeology, so get a load of this. 193 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:31,520 Under Cyrus's command, the Exiles began their long journey 194 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:35,080 home. By 538 BC, the first wave 195 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:39,040 finally arrived in Jerusalem, and step by step they started to 196 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:41,600 rebuild the temple. This is the very structure that 197 00:10:41,600 --> 00:10:44,120 would later be known as the Second Temple. 198 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:48,080 Centuries have passed and yet we still have remains of it today. 199 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,760 There's the Robinson's Arch jutting out over the Western 200 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,320 Wall, the massive stones of the Temple Mount itself, ritual 201 00:10:54,320 --> 00:10:57,320 baths, the remnants of the Holder Gates, and even the 202 00:10:57,320 --> 00:11:01,400 trumpeting stone where priests once announced their festivals. 203 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:05,000 This was all only possible because God used the Iranian 204 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:09,080 King Cyrus to fulfill his plans. And that is exactly why this 205 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:13,240 Persian end times prophecy that very few know about make total 206 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,720 sense. But at the same time, it doesn't 207 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:19,120 make sense at all. I was really struck by the next 208 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,560 period of our timeline. In around 525 BC, Persia had 209 00:11:23,560 --> 00:11:27,320 gone from a small regional power to one of the biggest empires in 210 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:29,720 the world. And Daniel, living in the courts 211 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:33,080 of Babylon and later Persia got visions from the Lord that 212 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,800 predicted all of this with a scary accuracy. 213 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:39,760 Do you know what one of the most striking visions was in Daniel 214 00:11:39,760 --> 00:11:43,160 Chapter 7 to 8? Daniel saw four on its expected 215 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:46,080 creatures rising from chaotic waters. 216 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,320 One of these creatures was a huge bear. 217 00:11:48,360 --> 00:11:51,680 It was raised on one side, and that was supposed to symbolize 218 00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:55,000 Persia, that lean. It showed that Persia would rule 219 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:59,480 over its neighbor, the Medes. Daniel also saw three ribs in 220 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:01,680 the bear's mouth. Those were Persia's major 221 00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:04,840 conquests, Lydia, Babylon, and Egypt. 222 00:12:05,000 --> 00:12:06,960 So come on now. What do you think? 223 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,440 What do you think went down after Daniel saw this? 224 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,440 Well, you're not wrong. Persia crushed Lydia in Asia, 225 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:17,640 took Babylon in 539 BC, and under Cavius sees the Second 226 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:22,480 marched across Sinai to defeat Egypt's Pharaoh at Peleusium. 227 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,920 Simply put, Daniel's vision wasn't just imagination, it was 228 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:30,080 a preview of real history. May I go deeper? 229 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:33,840 Daniel saw another creature, a ram with two horns. 230 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:36,960 One horn was longer than the other, changing in every 231 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:38,880 direction. What was this ram meant to 232 00:12:38,880 --> 00:12:41,600 represent? It was the kings of the Medes 233 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:44,400 and Persia on Unstoppable in their conquests. 234 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:47,080 The taller horn hinted that Persia would rule over the 235 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,280 Medes. But just then, Daniel sees 236 00:12:49,280 --> 00:12:51,840 something else. A swift goat suddenly appears 237 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:54,600 from the West, striking the ram with a single horn. 238 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,760 You see, that goat wasn't just any animal. 239 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,880 It symbolized Greece under Alexander the Great, showing how 240 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:05,720 even the mighty Persian Empire, unstoppable as it seemed, would 241 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:09,760 be overpowered by a new force sweeping in from the West. 242 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:14,560 And then a leopard appears. Fast, ruthless, with four wings 243 00:13:14,560 --> 00:13:16,720 and four heads. At first it doesn't make any 244 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:20,520 sense until nearly two centuries later, when Alexander the Great 245 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:24,200 arrives. It's 333 BC, and this young 246 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,560 Macedonian king moves faster than anyone before him. 247 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,000 At Isos, the Persians, led by King Darius the Third, collapse 248 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,560 in chaos. Darius flees, leaving his family 249 00:13:33,560 --> 00:13:37,440 behind, and they eventually got taken away by Alexander. 250 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:42,480 Two years later, in 331 BC, the final strike lands at Gorgame, 251 00:13:42,880 --> 00:13:45,400 completing the Persian Empire's fall. 252 00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:49,360 Finally comes the 4th and last beast in Daniel's vision. 253 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:53,520 This is by far the scariest. Unlike any Kingdom before, it 254 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:57,400 has iron teeth, claws, and strength that crushes everything 255 00:13:57,400 --> 00:13:58,880 in its path. And when you look at the 256 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:02,440 timeline of world history, it's obvious which beast is being 257 00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:04,320 represented here. Rome. 258 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,120 A Kingdom so powerful and so ruthless it would rule the world 259 00:14:08,120 --> 00:14:10,280 for centuries. And you know exactly what I'm 260 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,440 talking about. Because the world under Roman 261 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,800 rule was the world that Jesus lived in when he walked on 262 00:14:15,800 --> 00:14:19,440 earth, and in the end it was Roman soldiers who nailed him to 263 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:21,880 a cross. And yet that wasn't Rome's 264 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:24,200 doing. It was all part of God's plan 265 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,360 all along. On that cross, Jesus took our 266 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:30,960 place, carrying our sin, our wrongdoing, so that you and I 267 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:34,400 can be forgiven and free. Just a little diversion. 268 00:14:34,480 --> 00:14:37,920 In case you haven't realized yet, I am a Bible believing 269 00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:41,960 Christian and about 10 years ago I made a choice not to run any 270 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,320 commercial, any adverts on this channel. 271 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:46,880 I just wanted the gospel to go out freely without any 272 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:50,200 distractions. It has been a very exciting 273 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:53,000 journey so far and if you'd like to be part of it and you're not 274 00:14:53,000 --> 00:14:55,760 against seeing ad free content in the future, please do 275 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:58,360 subscribe. All right, last time I checked, 276 00:14:58,360 --> 00:15:01,640 this was one of the world's biggest Ziggarettes and it's 277 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,720 found in Susa, the capital of Persia. 278 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:08,040 And it is here in this city that it would become the stage for 279 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,360 one of the world's most unexpected miracles. 280 00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:14,280 You and I have arrived in in the book of Esther at a time when 281 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:17,760 Persia is at its peak. Yes, ancient Iran has just 282 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,080 become the largest empire the world has ever seen, stretching 283 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:24,440 from India to Ethiopia. That's an impressive span of 284 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:27,200 3000 miles. But I wonder if anyone else is 285 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:29,680 asking, where are we on the timeline now? 286 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:34,560 Well, it's around 480 BC, nearly 60 years after Cyrus first freed 287 00:15:34,560 --> 00:15:36,680 the Jewish exiles to return home. 288 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,120 Some have gone back to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, but many 289 00:15:40,120 --> 00:15:42,200 decided to stay behind in Persia. 290 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:45,800 That's where our story unfolds. The king on the throne is King 291 00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:49,280 Xerxes, the first known in the Bible as Azawares. 292 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:53,800 He was ruling from 486 to 465 BC. 293 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:57,440 History tells us he's the same ruler who launched massive wars 294 00:15:57,440 --> 00:16:01,080 against Greece and who lived in incredible luxury at his palace 295 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:04,360 in Susa, which is what we now know to be modern day Iran. 296 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,200 My friend, it all begins with a scandal. 297 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:11,480 At the royal feast, Xerxes calls for his queen Vashti to show off 298 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:13,640 her beauty before the the other nobles. 299 00:16:13,720 --> 00:16:18,280 She is totally embarrassed and refuses, so in a rage he removes 300 00:16:18,280 --> 00:16:21,640 her from her crown. The king is now single and 301 00:16:21,640 --> 00:16:25,000 looking to mingle, and so he calls for a nationwide search 302 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:27,360 for a new queen. And as you can probably imagine, 303 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:30,760 from what we already know about this guy, beauty was the number 304 00:16:30,760 --> 00:16:33,840 one requirement. Among the many beautiful women 305 00:16:33,840 --> 00:16:37,200 brought to the palace, there was a young Jewish woman named 306 00:16:37,200 --> 00:16:40,600 Hadassa, known by a Persian name as Esther. 307 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,720 She's been raised by her cousin Mordecai, who serves under the 308 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,240 King's Gate. And interestingly, archaeology 309 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:50,720 even mentions a Persian official named Marduka, possibly the very 310 00:16:50,720 --> 00:16:53,680 same Mordecai. Funnily enough, the Woman of God 311 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:57,840 Esther wins the beauty contest and is chosen as queen. 312 00:16:57,960 --> 00:17:02,040 Meanwhile, trouble bruising the shadows, A royal advisor named 313 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:06,079 Haman plots to destroy all the Jews across the Persian Empire. 314 00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:10,119 He's manipulative, he's proud and unhealthily close to the 315 00:17:10,119 --> 00:17:12,280 King's ear. When Mordecai learns of the 316 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,520 plan, he sends a message to Esther. 317 00:17:14,599 --> 00:17:18,079 You're in this palace for a reason, and maybe this is your 318 00:17:18,079 --> 00:17:20,359 moment. The tension is brutal. 319 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,319 If Esther speaks up without being summoned, she could be 320 00:17:23,319 --> 00:17:26,839 dealt with suddenly. But if she stays silent, her 321 00:17:26,839 --> 00:17:30,480 people will die. So she bravely risks everything 322 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:32,960 and walks into the throne room uninvited. 323 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,800 Esther breathed a sigh of relief when the king held out his 324 00:17:36,800 --> 00:17:40,160 golden scepter. This was a symbol of mercy and 325 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:42,640 acceptance. Before we discover what happens 326 00:17:42,640 --> 00:17:45,760 next, just remember this. That moment is a really 327 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,840 beautiful picture of Jesus. He is our golden scepter. 328 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,120 He is the one who bridges the gap between God and Oz. 329 00:17:53,120 --> 00:17:56,440 Because He became the substitute for our sin on the cross. 330 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:00,080 We can now come boldly before the king of heaven and enjoy 331 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:03,520 fellowship with our Creator. But there is a catch, and it's 332 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,320 only if you and I, like Esther, will take the first step and 333 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,360 approach the king for help and for salvation. 334 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,040 OK, so Esther has done just that. 335 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:16,320 She's asked for help and she's exposed Haman's plot. 336 00:18:16,440 --> 00:18:19,440 The king is furious. And as Haman put on the very 337 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,960 gallows that he built for Mordecai, the Jews are saved. 338 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:26,240 And in fact, this act of courage is still remembered today in the 339 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:29,680 Jewish festival of Purim, celebrated every spring. 340 00:18:30,040 --> 00:18:33,600 When I first started this study, I was really surprised because 341 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:35,960 there is something very remarkable that happens. 342 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:40,040 All of this action happens inside of a Persian court in 343 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,240 what is now the heart of what we call Iran. 344 00:18:42,400 --> 00:18:46,480 So can you also see how Iran keeps recurring again and again 345 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,560 in the Bible? Well, in a moment's time, we are 346 00:18:48,560 --> 00:18:52,160 going to see how the world will end with Iran with a very famous 347 00:18:52,160 --> 00:18:54,760 end times prophecy. And then I'll show you one 348 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:59,000 that's not so famous. It's 450 BC. 349 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:01,360 Persia is still the superpower of the world. 350 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:04,640 The same empire that wants crowned Queen Esther now rules 351 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,720 from the palace at Susa, deep in modern day Iran. 352 00:19:07,880 --> 00:19:11,000 Hey, let's meet another Jewish servant who changed the world. 353 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,400 He's called Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a cupbearer to King 354 00:19:14,400 --> 00:19:20,560 Artaxerxes the First who reigned from 465 to 424 BC. 355 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,280 Now, a cupbearer wasn't just a waiter, He was one of the King's 356 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,240 most trusted officials, close enough to take it's the royal 357 00:19:27,240 --> 00:19:30,280 wine before the king did, just in case someone tried to tamper 358 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:32,880 with it before it reached royalty's lips. 359 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:35,640 What would you do if you were in his shoes? 360 00:19:35,640 --> 00:19:38,920 One day, Nehemiah hears devastating news. 361 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,520 Jerusalem, his people's city, still lies in ruins. 362 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:46,120 The temple had been rebuilt decades earlier under Zerubbabel 363 00:19:46,120 --> 00:19:49,960 and Ezra, but the city walls, they were now rubble, 364 00:19:50,160 --> 00:19:53,080 defenseless, a ghost of its former city. 365 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:55,800 If you've never tried prayer, may I challenge you to try it? 366 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,440 Because big things happen when we pray big prayers. 367 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:02,400 And this prayer was what emboldened Nehemiah to ask 368 00:20:02,400 --> 00:20:05,240 permission from the most powerful man on earth to rebuild 369 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:07,480 the city walls. You probably already know that 370 00:20:07,480 --> 00:20:11,800 the king said yes. So let's travel to 445 BC 371 00:20:11,800 --> 00:20:15,440 because it is here where we will see Nehemiah setting out across 372 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:17,960 the desert from the Royal Court of Persia. 373 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:20,400 So the broken. Streets of Jerusalem picture 374 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,760 this, enemies threatening him from every side. 375 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:25,520 But he doesn't give up. No, instead he organises 376 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:29,080 builders, families, even priests to grab tools in one hand and 377 00:20:29,080 --> 00:20:32,080 protective devices in the other. Are you imagining this right 378 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:34,720 now? Because astoundingly, in just 52 379 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:39,080 days, the wall rises again between you and me. 380 00:20:39,080 --> 00:20:41,280 This isn't just a legend written in a book. 381 00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:43,320 Archaeologists have literally found it. 382 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:47,040 In Jerusalem's ancient city, near the stepstone structure, 383 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:51,280 researchers uncovered a massive of wall 19 feet thick, built 384 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:55,760 directly over earlier ruins. The pottery fragments around it 385 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,760 date precisely to the Persian period, and the construction 386 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,080 looks rushed, just as Nehemiah described. 387 00:21:01,360 --> 00:21:04,800 It even matches the sections built by Shalon, mentioned in 388 00:21:04,800 --> 00:21:09,640 Nehemiah 3, verses 15 to 16. So again, I'll ask you, can you 389 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,640 see this pattern repeating throughout the history of Iran? 390 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,560 Well, I'm going to choose my words very carefully. 391 00:21:14,560 --> 00:21:17,200 But think about it. A Persian king funds the 392 00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:20,600 restoration of a Jewish city hundreds of miles away. 393 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:24,560 In other words, the empire of Iran plays a direct role in 394 00:21:24,560 --> 00:21:28,400 rebuilding Jerusalem's story, and that is why their biblical 395 00:21:28,400 --> 00:21:31,000 destiny is even more fascinating. 396 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,520 Later on. There is an even more famous 397 00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:37,160 example of this, and it happened centuries later in four BC. 398 00:21:37,160 --> 00:21:40,680 Persia is about to play a key part in the announcement of the 399 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:45,160 coming of the Messiah. In Matthew 2, the Magi, AKA the 400 00:21:45,160 --> 00:21:48,800 Wise men from the East traveled to Jerusalem following a star 401 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:52,080 asking where is this newborn king of the Jews? 402 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:55,520 OK, it's mega important that we don't forget that their 403 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:59,720 nationality isn't directly mentioned, but evidence points 404 00:21:59,720 --> 00:22:03,400 to the ancient lands of the Medo, Persian Empire, modern day 405 00:22:03,400 --> 00:22:05,920 Iran and these men. Scholars of astronomy and 406 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:10,440 prophecy likely studied Daniel's writings, including the 70 weeks 407 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:12,560 prophecy. And if you're a Bible student, 408 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:15,480 you'll know that it outlined the timeline of the Messiah's 409 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:18,160 arrival. Again, my friend, we cannot say 410 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:21,080 for certain that's what guided them, but we do know that they 411 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:24,160 recognize the significance of the star and they journeyed 412 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,880 across deserts bearing gift of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, 413 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,840 each symbolically representing Christ's kingship, divinity, and 414 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,920 final sacrificial mission of dying upon a cross for the sins 415 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:39,920 of the world. OK, I know exactly what some of 416 00:22:39,920 --> 00:22:41,600 you are thinking you're saying Joe. 417 00:22:41,600 --> 00:22:45,600 I bet the unheard of prophecy you've been hyping up for this 418 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:49,520 entire video is this one. Well, I'm afraid you'd actually 419 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:51,640 be wrong. Kind of. 420 00:22:51,920 --> 00:22:55,840 In the Book of Ezekiel, written around 580 BC, the prophet 421 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:57,960 describes a war unlike any other. 422 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:03,040 In this war, a coalition of nations rises from the uttermost 423 00:23:03,120 --> 00:23:05,040 north. And who are they led by? 424 00:23:05,160 --> 00:23:08,200 Well, it's by a mysterious figure named Gog. 425 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:12,520 From the land of Magog. His armies sweep towards Israel, 426 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:15,560 and among the nations with him, one name stands out. 427 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:17,320 Even today. Persia. 428 00:23:17,480 --> 00:23:21,800 Modern day Iran guys, to really grasp this, we have to go back 429 00:23:21,800 --> 00:23:23,880 to Genesis and back to Noah again. 430 00:23:24,120 --> 00:23:27,440 Noah's son Japheth had descendants named Magog, 431 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:30,840 Meshech, and Tubal. Ancient records trace their 432 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:34,720 migrations northward across the Caucasus Mountains into the vast 433 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:37,120 plains that would one day become Russia. 434 00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:39,720 So it's time we Fast forward to Ezekiel's time. 435 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:43,120 Babylon is still a powerhouse, Persia is just emerging, and 436 00:23:43,120 --> 00:23:47,600 Israel is living in exile. Yet Ezekiel sees far beyond his 437 00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,600 own century. He describes a leader, Gog, the 438 00:23:50,600 --> 00:23:55,440 chief of Meshech and Chubal, who would come from the far north to 439 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,560 invade a restored Israel in the last days. 440 00:23:58,760 --> 00:24:02,560 The Hebrew phrase literally means the uttermost parts of the 441 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:04,680 north. From Jerusalem's point of view, 442 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:08,000 there's only one nation that fits that description perfectly, 443 00:24:08,080 --> 00:24:09,920 Russia. Now I'm not going to say 444 00:24:09,920 --> 00:24:12,480 anything else on this because some of you know I did a deep 445 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:16,360 dive into ancient history on why I do believe this is Russia in a 446 00:24:16,360 --> 00:24:19,400 previous video. But I will also say this I could 447 00:24:19,400 --> 00:24:22,600 be wrong and some of you I know strongly disagree with this 448 00:24:22,600 --> 00:24:24,640 viewpoints. Anyway whether you believe it's 449 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:29,280 Russia or not this is fact. Now next to Russia is Persia or 450 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:33,640 Iran and they are directly named in Ezekiel 38 verse 5. 451 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:37,400 Alongside them Kush, which many of us know to be the modern day 452 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:41,800 Ethiopia and Put is Libya, whilst Gomer many believe is to 453 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:46,240 be linked to early German tribes and Beth Togemar is well known 454 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,800 to be ancient Turkey and Asia Minor. 455 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:52,000 This is a pretty unusual alliance. 456 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:55,880 Part Middle Eastern, part European and part African and 457 00:24:55,880 --> 00:25:00,040 yet all marching towards Israel. Now according to our timeline, 458 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:05,600 this prophecy was written 2600 years ago and yet the alliances 459 00:25:05,600 --> 00:25:08,800 we see today, Russia's partnership with Iran and then 460 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,240 there's this cooperation with Turkey and even influence 461 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:15,440 spreading across Africa. It mirrors what we've heard in 462 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,160 the Bible with an uncanny precision. 463 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,480 But I believe that that's nothing compared to the way that 464 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,640 the world currently views Israel. 465 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,000 I won't say anymore on this. Apart from this, can you think 466 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:29,000 of another country that all the nations of the world are 467 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:33,320 watching and are openly unifying against, just like the Bible 468 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:35,800 predicted would happen in the last days? 469 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,520 Comment below if you think I'm reaching here because again I'll 470 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:41,600 say I could be very wrong about this and these are just my 471 00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:44,160 interpretations on these subjects. 472 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,200 All right, if all of that made you think outside of the box, 473 00:25:47,200 --> 00:25:51,400 wait until you see this. Why did I say no one can explain 474 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,320 this timeline? And why do I think very few know 475 00:25:54,320 --> 00:25:57,280 about this hidden Bible prophecy about Iran? 476 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:00,640 Well, This is why. Iran is a nation that once saved 477 00:26:00,640 --> 00:26:03,360 Israel. It later betrayed Israel, and 478 00:26:03,360 --> 00:26:06,280 one day it will be saved, saved by Israel's God. 479 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:09,480 Let me break it down step by step as we follow the biblical 480 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,160 thread. You've got Cyrus the Great 481 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:16,160 freeing the Jews in 539 BC, Darius the First supporting the 482 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,440 rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple. 483 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,120 Artuzoux. He's granting near my permission 484 00:26:21,120 --> 00:26:24,120 and resources to rebuild Jerusalem's walls. 485 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:27,840 And even the magi from Persia honoring Jesus. 486 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,680 Centuries later, a remarkable pattern of Persia appearing 487 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:36,080 again and again as a surprising deliverer of God's people. 488 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:39,280 Persia begins as a deliverer, becomes a worshipper with the 489 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:44,000 Magi, and then becomes an enemy, and then finally somehow ends up 490 00:26:44,120 --> 00:26:48,200 as a redeemed people. A four act divine irony written 491 00:26:48,200 --> 00:26:51,040 across millennia in the pages of the Bible. 492 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:55,680 Cyrus is even called by the name in Isaiah 45, long before he's 493 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:59,320 born, as my anointed One, the man who would set the captives 494 00:26:59,320 --> 00:27:00,560 free. And he does. 495 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:04,240 Centuries later, the Magi from Persia bow down before God 496 00:27:04,240 --> 00:27:07,560 Incarnate, showing that the empire that once released God's 497 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:11,080 people now worships him. And then history turns. 498 00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:15,040 Persia, modern day Iran, reappears in a prophecy as part 499 00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:19,920 of the Northern Alliance in Ezekiel 38 and 39, standing with 500 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:23,400 Gog against Israel. The very nation that once 501 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,680 delivered God's people becomes part of the force that tries to 502 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:29,440 destroy them. Isn't that a huge plot twist? 503 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:32,640 But wait, there's more. Remember how I told you that 504 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,720 there seems to be a special place in God's? 505 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:36,440 It's hard for the people of Iran. 506 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,920 Well, here's the proof in the prophecy that no one seems to 507 00:27:39,920 --> 00:27:43,080 talk about. In the last days, I will restore 508 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:47,840 the fortunes of Elam, showing that Iran is not doomed forever. 509 00:27:47,880 --> 00:27:50,840 It will be humbled, yes, but then restored. 510 00:27:50,960 --> 00:27:53,520 I wonder what goes to your mind when you hear that? 511 00:27:53,760 --> 00:27:57,480 Because Zechariah 14 verse 16 echoes this vision. 512 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:01,720 The survivors of the nations that March to Jerusalem will 513 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:05,720 come back to celebrate and worship the King, and I think 514 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:09,080 that means Elam itself. This nation that was once 515 00:28:09,080 --> 00:28:12,200 consumed by fury will now be filled with praise. 516 00:28:12,360 --> 00:28:16,000 Let me let you into a secret. I also have a special love for 517 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:18,360 Iranians. Ever since we first started to 518 00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:21,800 do a Farsi Bible study at our church because the Lord kept 519 00:28:21,800 --> 00:28:25,240 sending Iranians to our church who wanted to learn more about 520 00:28:25,360 --> 00:28:27,440 Jesus. Above all, if you are a 521 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,840 Christian, you too should start remembering Iran in your 522 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:32,640 prayers. Because if I was to ask you 523 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,280 which country in the world right now has seen the most converts 524 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:38,560 in the last 10 years, what would you say? 525 00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:41,880 Well, the answer is actually Iran. 526 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:45,840 Despite intense circumstances, Iran has experienced one of the 527 00:28:45,840 --> 00:28:49,520 most remarkable Christian revivals in modern day history. 528 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:54,640 Estimates suggest that between 800,000 and 3,000,000 Iranians 529 00:28:54,640 --> 00:28:57,520 have converted to Christianity in recent years. 530 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:02,120 This growth is huge, especially considering that in 1979 there 531 00:29:02,120 --> 00:29:05,840 was believed to only be 500 Christians in the entire 532 00:29:05,840 --> 00:29:08,760 country. And get this, reports even 533 00:29:08,760 --> 00:29:13,360 indicate that 2000 Iranians every day are turning to the 534 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:15,920 Lord Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. 535 00:29:16,040 --> 00:29:19,240 So over to you. How do you untangle all of this 536 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:20,960 then? Because the destiny of Iran 537 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:24,640 isn't just national, it's also personal for you and me. 538 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:27,880 What God does for Iran, he does for every believer. 539 00:29:27,880 --> 00:29:31,040 He takes what's opposing him and He makes it holy. 540 00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:34,560 He redeems what's rebelled and restores what was lost. 541 00:29:34,760 --> 00:29:37,400 The same pattern runs through the gospel. 542 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:42,200 We were once enemies to God. Yet Romans 5 says while we were 543 00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:45,720 still sinners, Christ died for us. 544 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:49,480 Judgment became mercy, and wrath turned into grace. 545 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:51,480 That's why this timeline matters. 546 00:29:51,680 --> 00:29:55,080 Even a nation that was destined for judgment isn't beyond 547 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:57,680 redemption. Cyrus opened the gates of 548 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,560 Babylon to free God's people, and centuries later, Jesus 549 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,760 opened the gates of death when he rose from the dead to free 550 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:06,880 all people who will trust in him. 551 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,120 At the very end of the world, when the nations gather in 552 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,400 worship, I do believe one of them that will stand there 553 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,280 humbled and restored will be around singing to the same king 554 00:30:17,280 --> 00:30:20,680 the Magi once knelt before. So if you remember one thing, 555 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:24,040 remember this. No nation, no country, and no 556 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:28,000 heart is too far gone for God's love and for his restoration. 557 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:31,400 But hey, now if you're still saying to me, Joe, I just don't 558 00:30:31,400 --> 00:30:34,440 understand how Russia could possibly fit into Bible 559 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:37,560 prophecy, well, you should probably check out this video 560 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:41,120 here that went very viral on my channel a few years ago.