Okay, Bible students, let’s attempt to answer a question that seems to be asked more and more often every day:  Are the Biblical Medes today’s Kurds?

As ISIS stormed across Iraq, they were met with resistance by Kurds in northern Iraq.  But who are the Kurds?  Though generally Sunni Muslim, Kurds are not ethnically Arabs.  In fact, many Kurds harbor hatred for the Arabs.  They live in a vast area of land called Kurdistan, stretching from eastern Turkey, across northern Syria and Iraq, into western Iran.  Iraq allows them autonomy, though Saddam Hussein repeatedly attempted to destroy them with chemical weapons.

Historians and many Bible scholars indicate that the Kurds of today may be the Medes of the Old Testament, and they point to prophecy to help support that position.  Isaiah 13 and Jeremiah 50-51 describe the total destruction of Babylon at some point in the future, and those chapters give us evidence that it will be the Medes who bring about the Babylonian demise.

• Isaiah 13:17: “Behold, I am going to stir up the Medes against them [the Babylonians]…”
• Jeremiah 51:11: The Lord has aroused the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is against Babylon to destroy it; for it is the vengeance of the Lord…
• Jeremiah 51:28-29: Consecrate the nations against her, the kings of the Medes, their governors and all their prefects, and every land of their dominion. So the land quakes and writhes, for the purposes of the Lord against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitants…

It is too early to be dogmatic about how or exactly when those prophecies will be fulfilled.  However, what we see today may be the development of those prophecies.  For example:

• There is growing hatred between the Kurds and Arabs.
• The Kurds occupy the oil-rich northern region of Iraq. Not only do Kurdish enemies envy that, but oil resources have the potential to make the Kurds wealthy and powerful during the last days.  (They are working toward forming an independent nation.)
• The Kurds have a formidable military, capable at times of overpowering enemy forces.

Also of interest is the fact that roughly 10% of Kurds are Christians.  That’s a much greater percentage than other Arab or Persian populations.  Many of the Christians persecuted by ISIS were of Kurdish descent.   Pray for Kurdish Christians, as well as others in the region.  May they see dreams and visions, and come to know Jesus as Lord.

Fellow Bible students, be assured that God is aligning events and people groups during every stage of history.  We do not know the day or the hour in which Jesus will return, but we are told to know the times and the seasons.  As I look around, today’s events seem to be aligning with Bible prophecy.  Could the season be at hand?  Is the God of the universe bringing the Medes into position to fulfill the prophetic destruction of Babylon (which happens during the tribulation)?  Regardless, we must be ready!  Our Redeemer is soon to come, so let’s keep looking for the Blessed Hope!