Latest / truthunedited / The Truth About Iran in the Bible_ Iranians in Biblical Prophecies ( Part 2)
Transcript
- 0:00Speaker 1: Persia was not just another empire that interacted with Israel.
- 0:04It was a divinely chosen instrument to restore Israel and
- 0:09fulfill key biblical prophecies. Due to overwhelming interest and repeated
- 0:15questions in the comments of our previous video, we're back
- 0:19with a second part focusing on Iran's biblical role. In
- 0:25our last video, we explored Iran's origins in the Bible
- 0:29and how it became a major player in Biblical prophecy.
- 0:33If you missed it, don't worry. The link to part
- 0:36one is in the description below. In this second video,
- 0:40we'll dive deeper into the question how did Persha modern
- 0:45day Iran help Israel during some of its most challenging periods.
- 0:51You'll be surprised to learn that Persia was not just
- 0:54another empire that interacted with Israel. It was a divinely
- 0:58chosen instrument to restore Israel and fulfill key biblical prophecies.
- 1:05From Cyrus the Great's decree to Darius's support for rebuilding
- 1:09the Temple, Persia's role was far more significant than many realize.
- 1:14By the end of this video, you'll understand how Persia's
- 1:18unprecedented assistance set the stage for Israel's restoration and renewal.
- 1:24So let's begin our journey into this fascinating connection right
- 1:29here on deep Bible stories. One of the most extraordinary
- 1:33figures in Biblical history is Cyrus the Great, the founder
- 1:38of the Achemenid Empire commonly known as Persia. While many
- 1:43empires like Babylon and Assyria oppressed Israel, Persia under Cyrus
- 1:49did the opposite. Cyrus became the unlikely hero who fulfilled
- 1:54one of the most important prophecies in the Old Testament. Incredibly,
- 1:58over a hundred years before Cyrus's birth, the prophet Isiah
- 2:03prophesied his coming, naming him specifically as the shepherd who
- 2:07would deliver Israel, who says of Cyrus, he is my shepherd,
- 2:13and he shall perform all my pleasure, saying to Jerusalem
- 2:17you shall be built, and to the Temple your foundation
- 2:21shall be laid. Isiah forty four, twenty eight. This prophecy
- 2:26was groundbreaking for several reasons. First, Cyrus was a pagan king,
- 2:31not a believer in the God of Israel. Yet God
- 2:35calls him my shepherd, a title typically reserved for Israelite leaders. Cyrus,
- 2:43though unaware of his divine role, would become the instrument
- 2:46through which God's will was accomplished. At the time, Israel
- 2:51was in Babylonian exile, having been forcibly removed from their
- 2:55homeland after Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the First Temper. For
- 3:01seventy years, the Jewish people lived in exile, yearning for
- 3:05their return to Zion. The prophet Jeremiah had prophesied that
- 3:10the exile would last seventy years Jeremiah twenty five eleven
- 3:15through twelve. But many wondered how this could possibly come
- 3:18to pass, especially under the oppressive rule of Babylon. Then,
- 3:24in five hundred thirty nine b c. Cyrus the Great
- 3:28conquered Babylon and everything changed. Instead of continuing the policies
- 3:33of oppression and subjugation, Cyrus issued a decree allowing the
- 3:37Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.
- 3:42This remarkable event is recorded in the Book of Ezra.
- 3:46Thus says Cyrus, King of Persia, the Lord, the God
- 3:50of Heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth,
- 3:54and he has commanded me to build him a house
- 3:56at Jerusalem in Judah Ezra one two. This wasn't just
- 4:03a political gesture it was a divine intervention. Cyrus's decree
- 4:09was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy and a demonstration of
- 4:13how God can use even foreign kings to accomplish his purposes.
- 4:17Under Cyrus's leadership, the Jewish people were granted not only
- 4:21permission to return to their land, but also resources to
- 4:25begin the rebuilding of the Temple. Cyrus emerges as one
- 4:29of the most crucial figures in Israel's restoration, a pagan
- 4:33ruler who unwittingly became a deliverer of God's people. While
- 4:38Cyrus made the initial decree, the process of rebuilding the
- 4:42Temple in Jerusalem was not a simple one. The Jewish
- 4:46returnees faced immense opposition from neighboring peoples, including the Samaritans,
- 4:53who attempted to halt construction by lodging complaints with Persian officials.
- 4:58This opposition threatens and to stall the work indefinitely, and
- 5:03for a time, construction on the Temple ceased. But Persia's
- 5:07involvement didn't end with Cyrus. After his death, his successor,
- 5:12Darius the Great, took up the mantle of support for
- 5:15the Jewish people. Darius, recognizing the importance of fulfilling Cyrus's
- 5:20decree reaffirmed Persia's commitment to the rebuilding project. In Ezra
- 5:28six seven through eight, Darius issues a command that goes
- 5:32beyond mere permission. Let the governor of the Jews and
- 5:35the elders of the Jews rebuild this House of God
- 5:39on its site. Moreover, I issue a decree as to
- 5:43what you shall do for the elders of these Jews
- 5:46for the building of this House of God. Let the
- 5:50cost be paid at the King's expense from taxes on
- 5:53the region beyond the river. Ezra six seven to eight.
- 5:57Not only did Darius give permission for the work to
- 5:59con continue, but he also provided financial support from the
- 6:03Imperial Treasury to ensure the project's completion. The funds came
- 6:08from taxes levied in the regions west of the Euphrates River,
- 6:12including Syria, Phoenicia, and Beyond, ensuring that the Jewish people
- 6:19had the resources necessary to rebuild the House of God.
- 6:24Darius's support didn't stop with money. He also ordered that
- 6:28the enemies of Israel stop interfering with the work. Anyone
- 6:33who tried to hinder the rebuilding was to be punished severely,
- 6:38showing how deeply Persia was invested in seeing Israel restored.
- 6:42Imagine this, Persia, a powerful pagan empire, wasn't just permitting
- 6:48the Jewish people to rebuild their temple, they were actively
- 6:52funding and protecting the project. This is a remarkable display
- 6:57of God's sovereignty over the nations, where even a pagan
- 7:01empire was used as an instrument to restore Israel. In
- 7:05addition to providing funds, Darius went a step further by
- 7:10ordering that sacrifices be made to the God of Israel
- 7:14on behalf of the Persian royal family, that they may
- 7:18offer sacrifices of sweeter roma to the God of Heaven
- 7:22and pray for the life of the king and his
- 7:24sons Ezra six'. Ten this command shows an incredible level
- 7:31of respect and understanding From, darius who recognized the spiritual
- 7:35power of The god Of. Israel persia was not only
- 7:39rebuilding The, temple but also acknowledging that their success as
- 7:43an empire could in part depend on the blessings Of Israel's.
- 7:47God this unprecedented support continued Under, darius and The Second
- 7:53temple was completed during his reign in five hundred fifteen B.
- 7:58C as record In ezra six point. Fifteen once, Again
- 8:04persia had gone above and beyond to ensure That god's
- 8:07chosen people were restored to their land and could worship him.
- 8:11Freely after The temple was, rebuilt the city Of jerusalem
- 8:16still lay. Vulnerable its walls were in, ruins leaving the
- 8:21city defenseless against attack and Symbolizing israel's continued. Weakness this
- 8:28brings us to the story Of, nehemiah one of the
- 8:31most Important jewish leaders during this time of. Restoration nehemiah
- 8:37was the cupbearer to Art, exerxes The, first The king Of,
- 8:41persia a position of great influence and. Trust despite his
- 8:46prestigious role in The persian, Court nehemiah's heart was with
- 8:50his people In jerusalem when he learned that the walls
- 8:54Of jerusalem were still broken down and the gates had
- 8:57been burned with. Fire deeply, distressed the survivors who are
- 9:03left from the captivity in the province are there in
- 9:07great distress and. Reproach the wall Of jerusalem is also
- 9:13broken down and its gates are burned with Fire nearmyah one.
- 9:19Three naemiah knew That jerusalem could never be truly restored
- 9:24without its. Walls, however approaching the king with such a
- 9:28request was. Dangerous artaxerxes had the power of life and
- 9:33death over his, subjects and asking for favors could be
- 9:37seen as presumptuous or even. Treasonous Yet naemiah prayed to
- 9:42The god of heaven and approached the king with. Boldness
- 9:46in an incredible act of divine, favor Art exerxes not
- 9:49only Granted neemiah's, request but also provided him with letters
- 9:54of safe, passage military, escorts and timber from the royal
- 9:58forest to rebuild the s city. Walls AND i said
- 10:02to The, king if it pleases The, king let letters
- 10:05be given to me for the governors of the region
- 10:07beyond the, river that they must permit me to pass
- 10:10through TILL i come To. Judah and The king granted
- 10:14them to, me according to the good hand of My
- 10:16god Upon menahemiah two seven through. Eight once Again persia
- 10:24was stepping in to Help, israel providing both material and
- 10:28political support for the rebuilding Of jerusalem's. Walls naemiah's mission was,
- 10:35successful and the walls Of jerusalem were rebuilt in just
- 10:39fifty two, days an astonishing accomplishment given the constant threats
- 10:45and opposition the builders. Faced this restoration of the walls
- 10:50symbolized the full restoration Of, israel both spiritually and. Physically
- 10:57with The temple rebuilt And jerusalem four, mortified That jewish
- 11:01people could begin to rebuild their nation under the protection
- 11:05Of god's. Promises the favor That Nea mayah received from
- 11:09Art exerxes shows once again How god Used persia to
- 11:14bring about his purposes For. Israel it wasn't just about
- 11:19the physical reconstruction of walls and. Buildings it was about
- 11:24the spiritual renewal Of god's people and the fulfillment of
- 11:27prophecies that had been spoken long. Before why Did, persia
- 11:32a pagan, empire play such a significant role in the
- 11:36restoration Of. Israel while other empires Like, Babylon, assyria and
- 11:41Even egypt were often seen as enemies or oppressors Of god's,
- 11:44People persia stood apart as a nation that Helped israel
- 11:49at crucial moments in. History one reason may lie In
- 11:53persia's religious culture at the. Time The Persian empire was
- 11:57deeply influenced By, zoroastrianism a religion that emphasized a cosmic
- 12:02struggle between good and. Evil While zoroastrianism was not monotheistic
- 12:08in the same way As, judaism it did believe in
- 12:11the existence of a Supreme God Ahura mazda and a
- 12:15moral order to the. Universe this cultural belief in a
- 12:19higher power may have Made persian kings Like, Cyrus darius
- 12:24And artaxerxes more open to the idea Of Israel's god
- 12:28being active in the. World while they didn't convert To,
- 12:32judaism they did recognize the importance of The jewish people's
- 12:36covenant with Their god and acted to support. It more,
- 12:40Importantly persia's role in Restoring israel serves as a powerful
- 12:45reminder Of god's sovereignty over the. Nations even a pagan
- 12:50empire could be used to fulfill divine. Prophecy from the
- 12:55decree Of cyrus to the rebuilding efforts Under darius and art,
- 12:59Exercises persia's kings were key figures In god's redemptive plan
- 13:05for his. People the story Of persia also illustrates That
- 13:09god's purposes transcend national, boundaries, politics and. Religions Cyrus darius
- 13:16and Artak xerxes were Not. Israelites they were outsiders to the,
- 13:21covenant yet they played crucial roles in the fulfillment of
- 13:26prophecies that had been declared long before their. Time this
- 13:31shows That god's control over history is far greater than
- 13:34any one nation or. Leader While persia's role in Restoring
- 13:39israel during The Second temple period was, significant its prophetic
- 13:43role isn't. Over The book Of, ezekiel chapters thirty eight
- 13:48to thirty, nine speaks of a future time When, persia
- 13:52along with other, nations will be part of a coalition
- 13:55that comes Against israel in the end times in The
- 13:58war Of gog And Mayisgg persia modern Day iran is
- 14:03listed as one of the key nations that will join
- 14:05With gog to Attack israel in the final. Days this
- 14:09war is seen as a major eschatological event that will
- 14:13precede the return of The. Messiah, Persia kush And put
- 14:19will be with them all with shields and Helmets, ezekiel thirty,
- 14:23Eight colon. Five this prophecy indicates that While persia helped
- 14:27Restore israel in the, past it will also play a
- 14:30role in the final battle Against god's. People, However god's
- 14:34sovereignty remains, supreme And ezekiel's prophecy assures that this coalition
- 14:41will be, defeated With israel ultimately being saved by divine.
- 14:46Intervention the role Of iran in modern day geopolitics and
- 14:51its relationship With israel adds even more significance to this. Prophecy,
- 14:56Today iran And israel are often seen as adverse in
- 15:00The Middle, east and many view this tension as part
- 15:04of the unfolding of end time. Prophecy persia's role in
- 15:08The bible is. Unique while many other empires oppressed and
- 15:12enslaved The jewish, People persia was used By god to
- 15:16Restore israel to its, land rebuild The, temple and renew
- 15:21its covenant With. Him figures Like, Cyrus darius and Art
- 15:25exerxes played key roles in the fulfillment of prophecies that
- 15:29would shape the course Of israel's. History, yet as The bible,
- 15:33Foretells persia's future role is far from. Over in the end,
- 15:39Times Iran persia will once again take center, stage this
- 15:44time as part of a coalition that seeks to Destroy,
- 15:48israel a battle that will ultimately be won By. God
- 15:52thank you for Watching Deep bible. Stories if this exploration
- 15:57Of persia's role in Helping israel has given you no new,
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