Shalom Partner and Friend of Israel,

“Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might” – Jeremiah 49:35. There are several Biblical Prophecies of the End-times that mention Iran, called Persia or ELAM in the Bible…. The word Elam (or Elamites) is found almost thirty times in the Bible. Elamites refers to a people group, and Elam to the land area they inhabited. This Prophecy of Elam in Jeremiah 49:35-39 has most possibly been fulfilled in our day …during the very recent 12-Day WAR (13-24 June 2025) with the attacks by Israel and America to destroy Iran’s most dangerous nuclear facilities which were ALL aimed at destroying Israel!

Operation "Rising Lion" is significant and derived from Biblical Prophecy in the Book of Numbers…  "Operation Rising Lion" is the recent Mossad Israeli military operation targeting Iranian nuclear and military assets, launched to counter perceived threats to Israel's survival …and speaks of Israel "rising like a lion" against its enemies! This reference underscores the historical and cultural significance of the operation for Israel, framing it as a necessary act of self defence against existential threats. PM Bibi Netanyahu highlighted this connection in his address to the Nation, invoking the message of "strength and courage from the Torah (Old Testament).

"‘Behold, a people rises like a lioness, and as a lion it lifts itself; it will not lie down until it devours the prey and drinks the blood of the slain.’ Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘Do not curse them at all nor bless them at all!’ But Balaam replied to Balak, ‘Did I not tell you, whatever the LORD speaks, that I must do?'" - Num 23:24-26. This name "Rising lion" or the reason "rising like a lion" behind it ironically reflects a Biblical truth …which though absolutely true is, for now, hidden from the eyes of my people. In this Scripture Balak hires Balaam to curse Israel. On his journey, Balaam attempts three times to bypass the Angel – "Messenger" of the LORD while riding his donkey, only to fail each time. Then, his eyes are supernaturally opened (Numbers 22:28–31). The story of Balaam and his donkey foreshadows Balaam’s own role in Numbers 23–24. This time, Balaam himself becomes the "spiritually" enlightened "donkey" speaking what God commands despite human opposition! The name "Rising Lion" drawn from Numbers 23:24, which appears during Balak’s 2nd attempt to compel Balaam to curse Israel!

The deeper spiritual meaning of this Scripture portion emerges during Balaam’s 3rd Prophetic speech (Numbers 24). On Balak’s 3rd and final attempt to manipulate Balaam (Numbers 24:10), Balaam receives a divine vision (Numbers 24:1–2). With opened eyes (Numbers 24:3–4), he sees Israel’s Messianic King, who will arise "like a lion" (Numbers 24:9) in the "Last Days" (Numbers 24:14) to bring blessing to the Nations (Numbers 24:9) and defeat to ALL of God’s enemies (Numbers 24:17–19). Whether by human coincidence or divine providence, the name "Operation Rising Lion" reminds us of a Salvation …far greater than any military campaign could ever achieve! It reflects the Salvation God offers to Israel …and to ALL Nations …through the coming "Lion of Judah, the King-Messiah Yeshua (Genesis 49:1, 8–12). And it cannot be mere "coincidence" that the Prophetic reading (weekly the Haftarah for the same week) associated with this Torah portion of Micah 5 that tells us exactly where this Lion-King is to be born: "But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity" (Mic 5:2).

The Prophet Jeremiah predicted that Elam WILL be struck at the foremost place of its strength… Yes, today, this could infer to the very recent attacks upon Iran's growing nuclear program! Three of Iran’s most strategic nuclear targets were the main reactors; Fordow, Natanz (the largest) and Isfahan were destroyed! However, Iran still has other nuclear reactors allocated in the heart of Ancient Elam one is called Bushehr on the Persian Gulf situated 750km or 155 miles from Tehran NOT yet destroyed.

What do we know about ELAM? It is also listed several times as a name in a list or genealogy, unrelated to the Elamites (1 Chronicles 8:24, 26:3; Ezra 2:7, 31, 8:31, 10:26; Nehemiah 7:34, 10:14, 12:42). Given the fact that IRAN (Persia/Elam) is often in the news as a Nation seeking destructive nuclear as well as repeatedly issuing threats against Israel …the conflict with Israel during June of 2025 definitely brought Iran to the forefront of Bible Prophecy!

In Isaiah’s day, Elam was one of Israel’s neighbour’s and an instrument of judgment.... God was going to use Elam to attack Babylon, as a judgment upon Babylon (Isaiah 21:2); likewise, Elam would attack Jerusalem, bringing God’s judgment (Isaiah 22:6). However, Elam would also be judged because of her actions against Jerusalem (Jeremiah 25:25; Ezekiel 32:24). This raises an interesting question? How can God send Elam to attack and bring judgment to Israel …and then turn and punish Elam for attacking Israel? We must NEVER think of God telling the leaders of Elam to attack Israel and the leaders responding in humble obedience to God, and then God punishing them for obeying Him. NO, the leaders of Elam had their own selfish purposes for attacking Israel …and God simply used them to bring judgment! In Elam’s case, even though their aggression was in God’s plan, Elam meant it for EVIL. Every act, including every evil act, is still under God’s Sovereign control. Although God uses all of it to accomplish His purposes, those who do evil with evil motives are held responsible (Mark 14:21).

Did you know that there is another Prophecy concerning Iran that possibly precedes the End-time "Gog and Magog" WAR of Ezekiel 38?  In Jeremiah 49:34-39 …we are told that Elam WILL come under the "judgement of Almighty God" for conspiring to launch an attack against Israel in the "latter days." Modern day Iran is comprised of Ancient Elam (about one-tenth) and Persia. We believe that this Prophecy concerning Iran has just been fulfilled because it seems to align with Iran’s current nuclear aspirations!

ISRAEL’S "darkest hour" will become her awakening… You see, what man means for destruction - God will use for redemption! Let’s look at what the Prophetic Scripture of Elam (IRAN); These are the Words of the Lord which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah; "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold I will break the bow of Elam, their primary power. I shall let four winds coming towards Elam from the four corners of heaven. I'm going to scatter them for all the weathers, and there should be no people to where the displaced from Elam is not going to come. I'm going to do the Elamites terrified of their enemies and for those who want to take their lives. I'll let misfortune hit them, my burning rage, says the Lord. I will send the sword after them until I finish them. I will set up my throne in Elam and exterminate both king and shall reign therein, says the Lord. But in the coming days should I break up with the captivity of Elam, says the Lord." – Jeremiah 49:35-39.

Now let’s break up the Scripture and see for ourselves… "Thus, saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I (God) will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might (their primary power)." – Jeremiah 49:35. Here the Prophet Jeremiah also predicts that Elam (Iran) will suffer "the fate of a broken bow." When your bow is broken, you cannot load the arrows from out of your quiver, or in a modern sense, the missiles out of your silo. This might imply that the IRGC (Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps) will be unable to launch scores of its missiles (arrows in modern warfare are missiles) at Israel as they originally planned to do! But we must also know that in these "dark days of war" …and almost daily attacks upon Israel – God’s Land and people since 7 October 2023 all Iran’s plan together with their proxies and these radical Islamist Regimes will NEVER give up their dream of destroying Israel even if a "peace" deal is reached in the Middle East …it will only be temporary!

“And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and I (God) will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation where the outcasts of Elam shall not come.” -Jeremiah 49:36. Here Jeremiah then warns that after the attack the affected populations are forced to scatter from the area. This could be the result of Iranian’s attempting to flee from an isolated nuclear disaster. Iran still has the Bushehr nuclear reactor, and should this also be struck, this then could become a very real possibility because the facility is loaded with Russian supplied fuel rods and these fuel rods are inserted into the reactor, an attack would almost certainly release the radiation into the atmosphere. (John Bolton, former US Ambassador to UN, said in 2010).  Several other studies conducted of the safety of the Bushehr nuclear site have concluded that an accident at this facility could result in such a disaster. The radioactive mess would cause a mass exodus of peoples in the surrounding area - a worldwide dispersion of the Iranian people just as Prophesied!

“For I (God) will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before them that 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.” – Jeremiah 49:37. From the scripture we can derive the Lord is angry with Iran which results in some disaster in Iran.

“And I (God) will set my throne in Elam and will destroy from there the king and the princes, said the Lord. But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, said the Lord.” – Jeremiah 49:38-39. Jeremiah's Prophecy also points out the Lord will set His throne in Elam. What exactly does that mean? Well think about this …Iranians who accept the Lord Yeshua – Jesus Christ before His Second Coming will be returned from Global exile into the restored fortunes of their historic homeland in Elam. Interestingly, over the last few years the Nation of Iran has been experiencing one of the largest revivals on earth. From approximately 500 believers in 1979 (the year of the Iranian Revolution), to several million today and Iran is the fastest-growing Evangelical population in the world! Christianity is burgeoning so rapidly that the rogue Islamic regime has instituted harsh policies to curb its growth. Many Iranians support Israel and want Israel to destroy their evil regime!

What are the other factors that would most likely be a fulfilment of this Prophecy of Elam? (1) When the nuclear reactors are destroyed by Israelis (this has basically happened with Israel and America side-by-side). (2) BUT take note that the region where Bushehr reactor is in Elam is also active “earthquake” country, and it sits on a tectonic plate. The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is physically separated from greater Iran (Persia) by the Zagros Mountain range. Interestingly, Ezekiel was familiar with Elam, according to Ezekiel 32:24-25 …but he did NOT include Elam in the lineup of invaders in Ezekiel 38, perhaps because it is destroyed by then either by the Israeli’s and Americans or by earthquake! 

Written more than 2,600 years ago, Jeremiah may have predicted the fate of Iran’s nuclear program and today’s spiritual showdown in Iran! What are the odds of that? You see, IRAN does have a role to play in these End-times!

Iran’s involvement in the End-times WILL be as one of the nations involved in the battle of Gog and Magog, which probably occurs during the first half of the Tribulation as Ezekiel 38:5 specifically mentions Persia (Iran) as an ally of Magog (Russia). Other nations included in this coalition will be Sudan, Turkey, Libya, …and others. This vast army will come against Israel, who at that time will be “…peaceful and unsuspecting people.” (Ezekiel 38:11).

So, after the Prophetic Prophecy war on Elam – what happens next on God’s Prophetic agenda? Truly, each day we can only see the “signs” and “pieces of the puzzle” coming together as God allows it to happen. For all true Judeo-Christian believers God has opened our eyes and so it is such a privilege to be able to see that what is taking place in the world today and especially since 2020 we know that our “Redemption draws near!” Before 2020 everything in Israel appeared to be normal - some daily attacks nothing that would shut down a Nation and so from many Nations as we watched and greeted tourist, saw many tour buses arrived, and all religious Biblical sites were filled. We loved it! God’s Land a great blessing as we watched this happening over the many years living in Israel …suddenly it all changed!

Today the streets in Israel and especially Jerusalem are not filled with tourists as before…   Then came 7 October 2023 gruesome, demonic, brutal attack on innocent Israelis by the Iranian regime’s proxy radical terrorists from Gaza and many hostages were taken and kept in underground tunnels in inhumane conditions where they either starved or died! Israel retaliated and so this escalated as Hezbollah joined the war against Israel, followed by Syria, Houthis in Yemen and antisemitism grew substantially in Western Nations! Iran then joined the war and thank God for two great Leaders, PM Bibi Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump and that brings us to Elam – Iran war against Israel!

Could what’s unfolding now in the Middle East with Iran and Russia supporting them be a pre-lude to Ezekiel 38-39, the Gog Magog war? Or could we be seeing the “Covenant of Many” through the Abraham Accords giving rise to a shaky PEACE? “For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labour pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:3. The Abraham Accords, while significant for peace in the Middle East, are not seen as the fulfilment of Biblical Prophecy but rather a foreshadowing of FUTURE events related to Israel. The Abraham Accords, signed on 15 September 2020 (here’s that 2020 date again), established normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab Nations, including the UAE – United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. This agreement was viewed as pivotal moment in the Middle East Diplomacy, promoting “so-called peace” and co-operation including trade and security!

Was this the Confirmation of the Covenant prophesied in Daniel 9:27? Only time will tell! Four thousand years ago, God entered a Covenant with Abraham. This pivotal event is recorded in Genesis 15:18: “In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates.’” Before his first election, Donald Trump declared the number one goal of his presidency would be to achieve peace between Israel and her Arab neighbours. It is Prophesied in the Bible that “a peace agreement” WILL be signed between the Israelis and Palestinians just 7-Years before the Battle of Armageddon and the physical return of Yeshua (Jesus) to the earth. The Prophecy is clear; “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week (seven years) and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” - Daniel 9:27.

The Prophesied FINAL 7-Years WILL contain more Prophetic fulfilment than any other 7-Year period since the world began, Except for the ministry of Yeshua - Jesus Christ! During the first half of the Final 7-Years, Israel’s Third Temple WILL be built on the Temple Mount. When the Temple is completed, animal sacrifices WILL be resumed. Soon after this, the Antichrist WILL order the sacrifices to be stopped, claiming to be Messiah and God. This event called the “Abomination of Desolation” WILL trigger the final 3 -1/2 Years called the Great Tribulation!

Now Let’s examine the “pre-lude to the Gog Magog war… Remember that IRAN is modern day Persia in Ezekiel 38-39 Gog Magog war line-up has already shown signs of Russia and Turkey and many of these countries are supporting Iran and this Northern Confederate line-up with many other countries will one day attack Israel. But God will intervene and destroy all but 1/6th of the invading armies. Specifically, Ezekiel 38:20 mentions; "The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep on the earth, and all the men that are on the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground." This passage describes the widespread FEAR among ALL creatures and the earth itself shaking due to a massive earthquake, caused by God's judgment! The context of this passage is a Prophesied “invasion” led by "Gog" from the land of "Magog" against the land of Israel. The invading army is described as possessing armour. However, God intervenes with a supernatural disaster, including a massive earthquake …which leads to the destruction of the invading forces!

According to the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 39:9-10) a future event where the people of Israel will burn the weapons of their defeated enemies for fuel for 7 years. Specifically, they WILL gather and burn shields, bucklers, bows, arrows, hand staves, and spears. This act symbolizes a complete victory and the transition from a state of war to one of peace and prosperity, where the spoils of war become a source of benefit for the people! So, we see Ezekiel 39:9 states that the people of Israel will go out and make fires with the weapons, burning them for 7-Years.

The burning of weapons has a symbolic meaning… Even as the people burn them for fuel it also is a symbolic act that represents the “complete” and “utter defeat of the enemy” …and the subsequent transition to a time of “peace and abundance” for Israel and highlights the idea of the “spoils of war” becoming a source of blessing for the people, rather than being used for further conflict! God will protect Israel in the face of this great threat, and His power WILL be recognized by the Nations!

And the Antichrist will unleash a flood of darkness upon the chosen people of Israel who will stand alone — but not abandoned as Heaven watches and Prophecy unfolds... During the Great Tribulation, a time of unmatched suffering will come upon Israel - it will not be political -it will be spiritual - not random …but written. You see its All about Israel’s Salvation. It’s NOT about the Church as they no longer on earth – but raptured! Israel is the “apple of God’s eye” and everything is about Israel; “And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. “And I will bring the third part through the fire and will refine them as silver is refined…They shall call on my name, and I will hear them.” - Zechariah 13:8-9. God will NOT allow His people to be destroyed - They will be refined. And a remnant will rise — not in religion, but in faith. HELL will once again try to erase God’s Chosen BUT Prophecy has already written the END! The Antichrist will make war against the Saints (possibly those that were left behind) and the remnant of Israel -but the end is NOT in his hands … it’s ALL in God’s Hands - The same God who parted the Red Sea and the same God who preserved the Jewish people through every Empire that tried to destroy them WILL answer them once more from Heaven!

God's power and holiness WILL be revealed to the Nations and result in the national conversion of Israel…. The Bible don't say exactly when this war will occur but believe right before the Rapture – Harpazo – snatching away …of the “Bride of Christ” – Christ’s glorious Church

Yes, the next outcome of this End-times invasion is predicted BUT God supernaturally intervenes, and Gog’s coalition is utterly destroyed! "On the mountains of Israel you will fall, you and all your troops and the nations with you. I will give you as food to all kinds of carrion birds and to the wild animals" – Ezekiel 39:4-5). Iran, allied with Russia, will think their invasion of Israel is a sure victory, BUT God has different plans. In protecting Jerusalem, God will send a strong message to the world; "I will make known my holy name among my people Israel. I will no longer let my holy name be profaned, and the nations will know that I the Lord am the Holy One in Israel" – Ezekiel 39:7. Never underestimate what is taking place in our day as we are truly privileged to witness all the End-time events. Remember it’s our generation that lives in a time where Israel after 2,000 years is back in her Homeland. We are witnessing so much BUT still many before us only wished to see the fulfilment!

We most sincerely believe that God WILL bless you for your faithfulness and love for His land and chosen people. God’s Word is true! He IS watching to see how the Nations are treating His people. God will have mercy on Israel through Gentile believers acting as mediators towards them. This is one of the most amazing revelations ever given to the Church – an opportunity to do something that carries the highest priority in the heart of God. Yet, sadly, so few have seen the potential and the rewards of serving God in this manner - as agents of mercy to Israel and the Jewish people! Israel was and still is despised today and a despised Nation continually turning away from God …BUT nothing ever altered the purpose of God for that Nation. The "despised element" is always a noticeable element in the purpose of God. When the Saviour of the world came, He came of that "despised Nation" (and just like Israel) He Himself was "…despised and rejected by men." And there is that despised element; "…things that are despised God has chosen," - 1 Corinthians 1:28.

We hope that you enjoy and become more informed by our work. We serve an awesome God and we are humbled by this opportunity to bring you this information.

With Shalom to you and your family always,

Alf & Julie Saunders

01st July, 2025

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