Today’s may be a difficult and controversial topic, so let’s start with this: hell is a very real and dreadful place meant only for Satan and his demons. Thus, it should not be our desire that any should perish and go there. Yet, when one has exhausted his God-ordained number of days on earth without repentance before the One True God, his destination is sealed. Those who live evil, scandalous lives destine themselves more visibly than “the common sinner,” and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is one whose evil clearly set his destiny.

Known as the “Butcher of Tehran,” the 63-year-old Shiite cleric was responsible for hideous torture and myriads of deaths of Iranian citizens who failed to toe the hard lines drawn by the oppressive career politician. Hand-picked by the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it is believed Raisi was being groomed as the next Supreme Leader to succeed the current 85-year-old Ayatollah who is in poor health.

Following Raisi’s death, there have been very opposite reactions by the people of Iran. During his funeral procession, streets were jammed with throngs of followers who mourn his death. In other places around Iran, fireworks went off and sweets were handed out as many celebrated at least a glimpse of freedom from the tyranny of a man whose evil has spread throughout the land.

Around the world, there were similar reactions. The UN General Assembly held a moment of silence during which it appeared virtually everyone participated. Several world leaders, including our own White House, published condolences. Meanwhile, there was dancing in the streets and celebration by Iranians and others in many of those nations. It is clear. Raisi was loved by some and hated by some.

The fact remains, he was an incredibly evil man. Not only did he murder his own people, but he was also Iran’s point man in supplying and bolstering the capabilities of terrorist regimes throughout the Middle East and around the world. Iran most certainly funded, directed and supplied Hamas in their attack on Israel, and they currently fund, direct and supply Hezbollah (in Lebanon), Islamic Jihad (in Gaza and the West Bank), the Houthis (in Yemen) and other terror groups across North Africa and the Middle East in an ongoing effort to wipe Israel from the face of the earth.

In various ways and to different degrees, Iran is also behind the uprisings in streets and on college campuses in America and throughout the world. Radically trained jihadist have been exported to those countries to create havoc and lead “revolutions.” With Iranian encouragement and financial backing, it is almost certain America’s borders have been breached by terror cells just waiting to unleash catastrophe and chaos in the US, just as they have throughout Europe.

With Raisi’s death and the waning energy and capability of the Ayatollah, it begs the question: might this be a strategic time to assist an oppressed Iranian population in the overthrow of an evil regime?

On the face of it, there are certainly factors that lend themselves to that. Iran’s younger population is energetic and longing for freedom. Oppressed populations fail to thrive in the face of evil and are thus motivated for something better. Iran is not particularly overpowering militarily and could not stand up against a strong push from the West.

However, the leader of the world’s greatest superpower is chomping at the bit to stake his legacy on a nuclear deal with Iran, peace in the Middle East favorable to enemies rather than allies, and an infatuation with using Israel as a bargaining chip. Turkey, whose maniacal leader (Erdogan) sees Iran as a threat to his own ambition of imposing his brand of Islam throughout the Middle East, has run itself into financial and geopolitical crisis. They would be of little help.

Europe has been taken over by radical Islam and is chanting for Palestinian rights. Don’t count on them to be a strong push toward regime change in Iran.

Russia is in cahoots with Iran and has their own little skirmish to deal with, and Ukraine…well, they are fighting for their own survival. China is certainly not going to step into the fray, as Iran is a major source of oil and gas to them. And forget Australia and South Africa who are both working for causes that boost Iran. (Example: actions in the International Criminal Court against Israel.)

Bottom line: It would be an excellent opportunity to set the radical Islamic regime of Iran off its brutally evil course, except the West is feckless, void of leadership, and has not the wherewithal to effect change in Iran or the greater Middle East.

Instead, we will sit back and watch Iran replace one oppressive tyrant with another equal or worse. There are plenty of tyrants waiting in the wings and, as good as Israeli covert operations are, they can’t take them all out. We may or may not see Iran pull back slightly to reload, but be assured, reload they will.

No matter how you slice it, Iran is marching onward toward their place in the coalition described by the prophet in Ezekiel 38-39. The next Iranian president will be every bit as determined, if not more so, to accomplish what predecessors could not: bringing about the arrival of the twelfth imam (Islamic messiah).

Buckle up, believers! Instability in Iran only intensifies the pressure in the Middle East! Get into God’s Word and rest assured that He knows the end from the beginning, and will ultimately declare victory! Israel is not going anywhere, though tribulational times are coming. But rest assured, God’s faithfulness to Israel is His guarantee of faithfulness to us! (Check out the Bible study by that name!)