The Bible tells us that Jesus will be from Nazareth, yet born in Bethlehem, and that He will come out of Egypt.  This all seems incoherent at first glance, doesn’t it?   Regardless, what we discover in the New Testament is that our Savior fulfilled all these prophecies to the “T.”   When God speaks through one of His prophets, you can be assured it will be fulfilled completely and in His perfect timing.

“Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isaiah 46:10)

Sadly, the professing Church of today almost completely ignores and neglects the study of prophecy, a neglect which results in the loss of one of the most powerful weapons against unbelief. That the denial of the Bible as the inspired Word of God has become widespread in the West is but one result of this.  But in other parts of the world, this is not true.

Last week there was an event overseas that served reminder of a prediction made almost 2600 years ago that has been vastly overlooked by many Bible scholars, and that the Church should be aware.  On Saturday a missile attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure by a combination of cruise missiles and drone missiles were launched by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards from Khuzestan and the Anbar province of western Iraq, according to multiple sources.

The prophet Jeremiah predicted a portion of Iran would one day undergo a massive disaster, that this epic event would be caused by the Lord, occur in the latter days, and precipitate the worldwide dispersion of many Iranian exiles. Specifically, he stated that there would be “no nations” that these exiles “will not go.”  Where will this occur?  Elam.

“The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.  And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds; and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come.  For I 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: And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes, saith the Lord. But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam, saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 49:34-39)

WHERE IS ELAM?

During the time of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, Elam comprised what is today considered the central western portion of Iran.  Elam basically hugged much of the northeastern coastline of the Persian Gulf.  Persia, spoken of by Ezekiel, encompassed most of today’s northern Iran at their time.

WHO IS ELAM IN THE BIBLE?

Elam was a son of Shem, Noah’s oldest son.  His descendants settled in what is today central western Iran, east of the Tigris River.  The Elamites were a war-like people, according to Genesis 14:1-9.  And Isaiah 22:6 tells us the Elamites were experts in archery. (Hence, “break the bow.”)

WAS THIS PROPHECY NOT FULFILLED IN ANCIENT TIMES?

The prophecy regarding Elam is believed to have been issued by Jeremiah in 597 BC, one year prior to Nebuchadnezzer’s conquest of Elam in 596 BC.  Although subjugated by the Babylonian king, as a whole the Elamite culture and language remained intact and they were not dispersed worldwide.

Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon in 539 BC commencing the Persian Empire until 330 BC.  The Persian Empire extended through most of the Middle East and encompassed Elam.  However, Ezra 4:9 reveals the Elamites still had political representation during that time and Ezra 2:7, 31 states that the Elamites returned to their homeland after the Babylonian Captivity.

Furthermore, Acts 2:9 references Elamites in Jerusalem at Pentecost.  And Jeremiah 25:17-29 and Isaiah 11:11 give evidence of Elam’s existence in the last days.  There is no historic record of people from this specific region/ethnic group being dispersed worldwide at any time.

Thus, the historical tracking and Scriptural evidence suggest that these Elamite prophecies remain unfulfilled.  Of notable importance, none of the events cited above indicates Elam aroused the fierce anger of the Lord, suggesting it is an event in waiting.

CAN YOU SUMMARIZE THIS PROPHECY SUCCINCTLY?

The most important declaration in this prophecy to note is that Elam has done something that has provoked the “fierce anger” of the Lord.  As a result, God has Jeremiah declare eight times, “I will” bring about a judgment against Elam:

1. Break the bow of Elam, the foremost of their military might,
2. Bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven,
3. Scatter them (Elamites) toward all of those winds (worldwide)
4. Cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies and before those who seek their life,
5. Bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger,
6. Send the sword after them until I have consumed them, (then, afterwards)
7. Set My throne in Elam, (?)
8. Destroy from there the king and the princes, and
9. (in the latter days) bring back the captives of Elam.

It appears that Elam (or political leadership of Iran) does something that angers the Lord greatly so that they become “dismayed” suffering a “disaster” and that a “sword” falls upon them, suggesting His judgment is military related.  This provocation may involve Israel.

Today, Iran’s quest for regional power includes potential acquisition of nuclear weapons and equipping an array of surrogates with missiles.  Enemies that might “seek to end” the rogue state’s ambitions include: America, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and a number of other Sunni Muslim states (Iran is Shiite Muslim).

WHAT ARE THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES TODAY?

That the Elamites were expert archers, it is interesting to see how Jeremiah picks up on this theme.  The Hebrew word for bow is qesheth. Without a functional bow, an archer is unable to launch arrows at his target.  Today, Iran’s greatest military strength is its large arsenal of ballistic and cruise missiles that have been borrowed from technology imported from Russia, China and North Korea. They are also seeking a nuclear warhead.   Many of these strategic missile sites are situate in southwestern Iran facing the Persian Gulf in what was Elam and they may be the target of this prophetic judgment.

But another major issue is Iran’s strategic development of its nuclear program.  One of their chief nuclear sites is the Bushehr nuclear reactor inside the boundaries of ancient Elam and which is loaded with Russian made nuclear fuel rods. It is a nuclear disaster waiting to happen. (See map)

The Bushehr project began in 1975 under the Shah’s government but came to an abrupt halt in 1979 during the Islamic revolution when German manufacturers withdrew from the project.  The Iranians were unable to complete it, so they contracted the Russians and the reactor became operational in May, 2011.

The Bushehr nuclear plant sits atop three tectonic plates making it vulnerable to seismic activity. There was a 6.3 earthquake in the province of Bushehr on April 9, 2013 that killed 37 and injured 850 people. This quake prompted Russian scientists to promptly visit the facility to inspect their nuclear fuel rods.

The question becomes, is this prophecy a military action against Iran by another country(s) or a natural disaster involving a nuclear site?  And will the Church be present to see this event?  We don’t know these answers until it happens, but we should be aware of this prophecy for it will happen one day according to God’s word.

Finally, this prophecy also appears separate from the Gog and Magog invasion in Ezekiel 38-39.  Nowhere in the Book of Ezekiel is there a reference to Elam.  For although there is a worldwide dispersion from this area of southwestern Iran, according to Ezekiel there will be a “Persia” in northern Iran that will join the eventual Russian-pan Arab invasion of Israel.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2^nd Peter 1:20-21)

FOR TODAY, BE REMINDED

Over the last 10 years one of, if not the fastest growing underground church movements in the world is in Iran.  The Holy Spirit has begun an incredible work in that nation and it is mostly unreported in the West.  The Iranian Awakening is a house church movement that is often led by women and is exploding despite intense scrutiny and persecution.  It is being accompanied by incredible testimonies of visions, dreams, miracles, and healings.  When I first learned of the underground movement in Iran years ago it was reported that many Iranians were very much aware of this Jeremiah prophecy and that it served as a catalyst for their salvation.  Please pray for them!

Sources: Bill Salus, Bill Koenig

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In effect, the Bible tells us in 2^nd Corinthians 5:1 that in this “earthly tent” we live, we are only renting it for a time as we pass through this life.  I heard it shared this way, you can purchase a flash drive or CD and it might weigh only .3 of ounce.  You can load it with 5 million bytes of data and it will still weigh .3 ounces. The software has no mass, only its embodiment, but it can pass through the air.   We know from Einstein’s Theory of Relativity that time is a relative physical property.  Time is related to mass, an acceleration of gravity.  If you have no mass, you have no time.  We know that God created time, that He is outside of and not subject to the commodity of time, and that He created time ostensibly for redemptive purposes.

Scientists will tell us that 99% of the human body is comprised of six main elements: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, etc.  But that is not the real you.  The real you….is like the software.  The real you is eternal whether you are saved or unsaved.  In that regard, the Resurrection and judgment is not good news to the non-believer.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, we will personally be subject to four different judgments, but we are not to view them as a negative.

FOUR JUDGMENTS

FIRST, as a believer, our first step is to accept the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross.  It is here that we see initially the judgment of our sins on the Cross.  In acknowledging before God that we are sinners and that Jesus the Son of God died for us to pay the penalty of our sins, and that by His resurrection alone we too are promised resurrection.  At the cross, Jesus bore the judgment of our sins.

“And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” (John 9:39 NASB)

“When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” (Colossians 2:13-14 NASB)

In Hebrews 10:10,14,17-18, it cannot be made more clear, that Christ was judged and punished for ALL our sins, both confessed and unconfessed, both all past and future sins.  Paul reminds us in Romans 5:1-11 that, as a result, we are declared righteous before God, not based on what we have done, but for what Christ has done for us.  It is why we preach “Christ crucified” in order to compel repentance and belief.

The Bible tells us that as we go through this life that there are three other judgments that we need to consider.

SECOND, there is a Self-Judgment that we are to exercise continually whenever we are about to partake Communion.  We are instructed that before receiving the elements of Communion we must ask the Holy Spirit to examine and illumine our sins in order to confess them.  In Corinth this intended act of “communion” with the Lord had become a thoughtless and even selfish church ritual.  Have you seen it before?  It is why Paul wrote to them:

“Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.  For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.  That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.” (1^st Corinthians 11:28-30 NIV)

Here Paul informs us that there are real consequences for taking Communion in a careless manner.  It is important for us to commemorate the Crucifixion in humility and with a repentant heart, having confessed our sins before the Lord.  The elements have been ordained to soberly remind us of the high cost of God’s forgiveness. Eating and drinking them vividly depicts our union and solidarity with Christ as our Savior, Lord and Source of spiritual life.

Many churches today hurriedly “go through the motions” of celebrating Communion and “checking it off the box” in the order of service without approaching the Lord in the reverential tone and manner He prescribes.  This is a mistake and time should be allotted for this self-examination by members, a form of self-judgment aided by the Holy Spirit.

We are reminded that “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1^st John 1:8-9 KJV)

It is important to understand this moment.  When we confess our sins before God as a believer, this is not a legal transaction akin to a judge and a criminal.  This is more a form of family forgiveness, much like that of a father and a wayward child.  This feeds into the next form of judgment.

THIRD, is the Disciplinary Judgment that is mentioned in 1^st Corinthians 11 and further amplified in Hebrews 12:7-13. 

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.” (1^st Corinthians 11:31-32 KJV)

Aided by the Holy Spirit, if we thoroughly examine ourselves, and condemn and correct what we find amiss, we can often escape times of God’s “chastening” in our lives.  To be exact and severe on ourselves and our conduct enables us to avoid the severity of God’s discipline.

But the writer of Hebrews reminds us that when God’s “chastening” or Disciplinary Judgment occurs in our lives, He disciplines us out of love just as we discipline our children.

“It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.  Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.  All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.” (Hebrews 12:7-11 NASB)

Judgment looks back to the past on sinfulness in order to bring about retribution.  But instead, as God employs discipline in our lives, He is looking forward to our restoration, exhorting and strengthening us along the way.

As we move towards the FOURTH JUDGMENT, we are continually reminded that the Bible implores us to take the Christian life seriously, to live by the Word and will of God. In his letters to the Corinthians he exhorted believers to take the “far look”, that the present is all temporary if not a testing ground for our faithfulness.  He used the analogy of a runner’s marathon race.  Why?

The ancient Grecian and Isthmian athletic games were well-known by the Corinthians. The arena contained a raised platform on which the president or judge of the games sat.  From here judges rewarded all contestants and awarded all winners.  It was the “bema seat” or “rewards seat.”  It is in this context that Paul likens our faith walk to that of a long-distance race. (Hebrews 12:1; Galatians 5:7; 1^st Corinthians 9:24-27; 2^nd Timothy 4:7; Romans 5:3-4)   

The Bible says that our FOURTH JUDGMENT will be the Bema Judgment (2^nd Corinthians 5:10) or Judgment Seat of Christ and which is visually amplified in Revelation 4 when the elders of the Church fall down before the throne of God and “cast their crowns” before Him.  Wearing white robes in verse 4 signifying that they have gone through the Bema Judgment and received their crowns, then casting them before the Lord Jesus Christ in honor and gratitude.  (See blog post dated 7/31/19)

How we live today is how we will be rewarded tomorrow.  God is evaluating us today with view of rewards for eternity.  Yes, we are living in this present world, but we are moving towards glory and resurrection.  Not our innate glory, but the reflection of Christ’s glory in us!

No one knows the day or hour, but the next event for the Church will be the Rapture.  Immediately after the Rapture we will all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ whereby our Lord will evaluate our lives.  “Surrounded by a cloud of witnesses” we are in a marathon race, how are you running yours?

“And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:42)

In a handful of mail, it was the first thing you picked up.  Before the advent of the Internet, written correspondence was the norm and quite often nothing was more cherished than receipt of an exotic postcard.  Like little self-made telegrams behind the jots of smudged ink, on the other side a photo of some distant location that prompted your imagination. In some respects, the Book of Philemon is like a “postcard” of the New Testament, a brief personal letter.  Seemingly devoid of any church doctrine, some have even asked, “why is it included in the canon of Scripture?”

At that time the population of the Roman Empire was estimated to be 120 million and of that total, 60 million were slaves, virtually one in every two people was a slave.  The average slave sold for 500 denarii and a single denarius was equivalent to one day’s pay of a common laborer.  Although Roman law allowed slaves to purchase their own freedom it was not common (i.e. Acts 22:28).  Mostly a sad life filled with drudgery, often slaves were separated from family.  When slaves escaped, it was common for them to flee to the city of Rome where they could disappear within its large population.  It is here in 60 A.D. that the Book of Philemon is born, one of Paul’s four “prison epistles.”

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)

While preaching in chains during his first imprisonment, Paul made a convert of Onesimus (“o-NEH’-sih-muhs”), a runaway slave from the house of Philemon.  And Paul knew his master quite well from his third missionary journey, for Philemon had converted to Christianity when Paul had visited Colossae.  Onesimus had obviously become quite meaningful and helpful to Paul in ministry and he wanted to keep him.  But incredibly, and most likely after many emotional conversations, Paul insists that he return to his master in Colossae, but under a different set of circumstances.  Ironically, it would be Onesimus who would hand deliver this brilliant letter to Philemon.

 ^“Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved, and fellow-labourer, And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in thy house” (Philemon 1-2 KJV)

It is a standard greeting for Paul, but he chooses not to refer to himself as an apostle, but as a “prisoner” to contrast his own imprisonment with the matter of Onesimus, for context.  Timothy and Paul are well known to Philemon and he is greeted as a fellow “bondsman” or brotherhood in Christ.   Most feel this is a personal letter but make note that it is also written to Apphia (likely his wife and who would have managed the slaves) and Archippus (means “horse master”), possibly his son or business manager, and the “church in thy house” (home churches were the norm for the first 200 years).

Verses 4-7 denote why he is well known to Paul and Timothy.  In his prayers Paul is thankful to God for the fruitfulness and many good things he has heard about Philemon.  As a wealthy man Philemon has used his resources for the benefit of the Church.  There was a massive earthquake in the area of Colossae around 60 A.D. and some have speculated that he may have been a great source of aid in the region during that disaster, but it is purely conjecture.

Paul does not use his apostolic authority to instruct Philemon in verses 8-9, but invokes his heart for this matter, it is for the sake of Christian love.  He then refers to Onesimus as his “son” who came to Christ in prison.  “I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds.” (v 10) And in the next verse (11) he has a total play on words.

Onesimus means “profitable” in Greek and inherent to this word play Philemon means “holy kiss” or “greeting.”  It is still the standard greeting in the Middle East today.  In other words, “he was unprofitable to you in stealing from you, he became profitable to me in ministry, I return him to you, thus greet him with a holy kiss as your brother in Christ.”

“For perhaps he departed for a while for this purpose, that you might receive him forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave—a beloved brother, especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.  If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me.” (v. 15-17 NKJV)

Paul’s appeal is on the basis of love.  Love cannot be compelled.  It is not just an emotion it is a commitment.  In giving us free will, God allows us to make a choice whether we turn our back on Him.  This letter is not intended for coercion or to pressure, it is to make the choice in the love of Christ.  It is predicated on the same logic as Joseph to his brothers (“what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good” Genesis 50:20)

He presses the point. “He is more than a servant, he left you as a slave, but he returns to you as a brother.  If you are a partner (“koinonos”=fellowship) with me, then receive him as myself.”  The Greek word for “receive” literally means “receive into your family circle.”

Paul then signs a ‘blank check’ to Philemon in verse 18. Onesimus has apparently robbed Philemon of some value enough to get him to Rome and Paul is signing an open ‘IOU’ for restitution.  Paul knows there is a debt to be paid and he is willing to pay it.  He apparently asks for the paper to be brought to him to sign when he says, “I Paul have written it with mine own hand, I will repay it” (v. 19) for in prison he would have been signing with a manacled hand.

This letter should leap out to each of us as a personal message!  For each of us is Onesimus in one form or another before the Lord.  But it takes more than love to solve the ‘problem’ for each of us.  Someone has to ‘pay the debt’.  Is not that what Christ has done for us?  It is the imputation of our debts (sins) on Him.

Paul is interceding for a runaway slave, but nowhere in this letter will he specifically ask Philemon to grant his freedom.  But he knows that his Master is in heaven, thus he is expected to be obedient and out of obedience his actions will exceed the request.  “Having confidence in thy obedience I wrote unto thee, knowing that thou wilt also do more than I say.” (v. 21)  In fact, so convicted is Paul (v. 22)  that he expects early release and he intends to visit Philemon to see how he handles this and implores not only Philemon but his church to pray “I shall be given to you.”

This was a private letter, so that it was circulated publicly suggests strongly that, although not recorded, Paul’s request was fulfilled.  And it would have been Philemon who actually circulated this letter.

That is why this little “postcard” epistle is included in the Bible.  Not only is it a love letter, but it captures the essence of the Church and the nature of God.  It reveals the heart, soul and spirit of the Church, its people and its destiny.

Everyone on the face of this planet is an Onesimus.  Either as a bondservant to sin and death or as a born-again brother or sister purchased through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.  At one time as non-believers we were all “unprofitable” to our Lord, but as believers today we are “profitable” (“saved unto good works”) for our Lord Jesus Christ.

“God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.” (1^st John 4:16)

Both Joseph and Philemon need to be our active role models today.  For just as our brothers and sisters can offend us or turn their backs on us at one time or another, we too need to respond to them with the love of Christ as they did.

The question isn’t ‘are you an Onesimus?’  It is, ‘are you a philemon?  That is, can you be reconciled and extend to them who have offended you a ‘holy kiss?’

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

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