Hold on to your seats, friends! Iran is in the news a lot these days, and thoughts and opinions about what might happen and what should happen are widespread. But there is a glimmer of hope in it all! Let’s start with the glimmer, then we’ll take a different angle on the Iran dilemma tomorrow!

The drums of war are beating. Iran continues to amass ballistic missiles and chase nuclear ambitions with the vow of wiping Israel off the map. Then they will turn their sights toward America. Meanwhile, the US is amassing the largest gathering of troops in the Persian Gulf since the Gulf War back in the 1990’s. Is the ayatollah full of bluster? Is President Trump bluffing? Will the Iranian regime fall?

Arm-chair pundits are making all kinds of predictions, so we’ll leave that to them. However, I want to point out two seemingly opposing viewpoints from Biblical perspectives.

The first is that Ezekiel 38-39 talks of a large coalition of Russia, Iran, Turkey and some North African areas that will invade Israel from the north (War of Gog and Magog). That coalition is already cozy, and the season described in Ezekiel’s prophecy seems to be at hand. If so, it seems highly unlikely (if not impossible) for Iran’s leadership to be wiped out. They will play a major part in that coalition with Russia and Turkey. Those on that side of the fence say the Iranian regime is not going anywhere, or if taken out, another leader as bad or worse will take the ayatollah’s place.

The other view is that, if Israel and America are somehow able to thread the needle and take out the Iranian regime without causing all-out war in the Middle East, the Iranian people are ripe for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In that case, we could see one of the largest revivals in history take place. Perhaps a free Iran is possible if the ayatollah is gone and regime change is successful.

Obviously, no one knows what is ahead. Though I tend to lean one way, I know which way I PRAY this conflict goes! What glory to God if we could witness a tremendous revival among the Iranian people! In fact, those ministering in the underground church in Iran tell us Iran already has the fastest growing Christian population in the world. I hope that’s true, and I ask the Lord daily to bring about the freedom of Iranians who just want to live freely and peacefully. Many are sick of Islam and are searching for the real hope.

Ramin Parsa, an exiled Iranian Christian, is one who believes we could see a wide-open door in Iran if the people of Iran are somehow set free. It is a fascinating interview taped several months ago, and one that will fill your heart with hope for the troubled people in Iran. Enjoy!

Stay tuned tomorrow for a troubling thought following a statement by Iranian negotiator, Steve Witkoff.