There was a note posted in a crack of the Western Wall on Thursday 12th June, the day before Israel took action in Iran. It was a Bible verse. Here’s what the note said:
“Look, a nation like a lioness will rise up, and like a lion he raises himself.” (Numbers 23:24)
The person who posted it was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the codename for Israel’s military action was “Operation Rising Lion”. The verse is from the story of Balaam, who tries to curse Israel, but can only pronounce blessings instead.
The lion is symbolic of the tribe of Judah, the line of the Messiah, but it also has another significance.
More than one lion arising
The Iranian red, white and green flag exists in two versions: One represents the Islamic regime with the stylized red symbol which represents the name “Allah” written in Arabic and also symbolizes the value of being a martyr for the jihadi cause. The other shows a lion and a sun, from the time of the Shah before the Islamic takeover in 1978-9.
The Iranian regime has been referred to as “the head of the octopus”, the number one sponsor of global terror, using proxies to carry out its diabolical will through tentacles in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and the Palestinian Territories. Most of those tentacles have been cut off, or at least incapacitated to a large degree, over the last year and a half of as Israel has been forced to battle all these terror groups on every side.
Now all that remains is the head of the octopus itself: the Iranian regime.
People who have been following events in the Middle East closely will realize this is not the start of a new war, but the end of an old one.
Having disarmed the dangers in surrounding areas, Israel can now finally go for the jugular. It’s time to take out the nuclear threat and the IRGC.
“It’s like watching a movie about a once-powerful leader who took over a country… But now we’re in the closing scenes. All his proxies are collapsing—without him lifting a finger to help. Not in Lebanon, not in Gaza, not in Syria, not in Yemen,” said an Iranian dissident speaking to YNet news from Tehran.
“We’re praying Israel keeps hitting senior officials. That’s the only thing that will make a difference here—only then will there be no more rush to nuclear weapons or warmongering. If Israeli jets ultimately succeed in toppling the regime, that’s the only way to stop the atomic threat,” she added.1
At the Iranian new year in March, son of the exiled Shah, Reza Pahlavi said, “For decades, the Islamic Republic under Ali Khamenei has falsely claimed to represent Iran and its ancient people. It holds no legitimacy, no mandate, and no rightful place in our history. Iranians overwhelmingly reject this regime and its dark vision. But there is another Iran.” (Arutz 7, March 21, 2025)
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The people of Iran are speaking out, thanking Israel
The cruel Islamic regime has been butchering and oppressing the Iranian people for decades, and they have had enough. One Iranian named Cyrus Basham explained his point of view to the watching world, horrified by all the violence, very eloquently:
“Let me explain to you, from my heart, why many Iranians do not mourn when Israel strikes the Islamic regime in Iran. You see, while some in the West speak of diplomacy and peace, we Iranians have lived under the shadow of these monsters for more than 40 years,” he said.
“They took my father. They stole my childhood. They shattered my youth. They buried my dreams. They killed my people, not just once, but over and over for five generations. They executed fathers. They raped daughters. They tortured sons. They erased the faces and names of the brave. They filled mass graves with students, workers, mothers, anyone who dared to speak the truth. And when they ran out of Iranians to kill, they exported death to Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen – leaving behind the blood of innocent children far from our borders. They built empires of terror. They fed themselves with black blood stolen from our land while millions of Iranians fell into poverty. They built penthouses of gold funded by sanctions evasion, human trafficking, and the tears of mothers who lost their children to the regime’s bullets.”
Expressing his great frustration with westerners calling for “restraint” and seeking to deescalate, Basham responds,
“Let me tell you: Those who die are not innocent. They are the butchers who drained rivers of blood inside and outside Iran,” he said, knowing very well how careful the IDF is not to harm civilians.
“Israel is not attacking the Iranian people. Israel is hunting the regime that has held us hostage for decades — the regime the world allowed to grow while we were being silenced… And for that, many of us are grateful.” ~Cyrus Basham
Basham is not the only one who feels gratitude for Israel’s actions. Indeed, the hashtag #سپاس_اسرائيل (“Thanks to Israel” in Farsi) has been appearing all over the place.
Iran in biblical prophecy
What is so remarkable is that the Bible speaks of a time in the latter days when the leadership of Elam would be deposed, and God’s glory would be so great that His throne will be established in that place! In Jeremiah 49 we read of a time in the “latter days” when the people of Elam (located in Iran) will be scattered across the world. Elam is one of the ancient kingdoms that made up ancient Persia and geographically is part of present-day Iran. The scattering of Iranian people happened as a result of the Islamic revolution in the late 1970s and 80s, and up to today. As a result both of the cruel Iranian regime and also fleeing to Christian countries, many Iranians have left Islam and found faith in Yeshua, and many also come to faith with a big heart for Israel.
Here’s what Jeremiah predicted, thousands of years ago about the time we are living in now:
Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might. And I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven. And I will scatter them to all those winds, and there shall be no nation to which those driven out of Elam shall not come. I will terrify Elam before their enemies and before those who seek their life. I will bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger, declares the Lord.
I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them, and I will set my throne in Elam and destroy their king and officials, declares the Lord.
“But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 49:35-39)
The “throne of God” speaks of His authority and kingdom rule. Reports from Iran indicate that over 50,000 mosques have closed and that there could be as many as a million believers in Iran today, all counting the God of Israel as their Lord and Savior. It is the fastest growing church in the world, and has been for some decades. These are not average believers either — they are mighty men and women of God who endure terrible persecution, imprisonment, torture and execution. God will surely hear their cries for freedom and justice.
And look how Jeremiah describes the judgement coming to the leaders: God will “break the bow” of Elam, the “mainstay of their might”. This sounds very much like their capacity to fire weapons. We also see that God will “destroy their king and officials”, that the leaders will be taken out.
Lastly we see that in the “latter days” God plans to “restore the fortunes” of the people, a phrase that can also be translated, “restore the captives” and is seen in several places in scripture, often referring to God gathering people to Himself by raiding the camp of the Enemy. This is good news for the people of Iran! And can you imagine what could happen if the regime falls and there is peace with Israel? All these wonderful believers could be free to come to Israel, bringing the light of Yeshua with them! This is our hope and our prayer: the breaking of the bow, the deposing of leaders, freedom for the captives… and God’s glorious kingdom coming to Iran.
The Lion of the tribe of Judah
Meanwhile, Israel is paying a considerable cost.
Last night Iranian warheads carrying over a ton of explosives pummeled the Promised Land. At least 13 people have been killed since the strikes began, three of whom have been children. A Christian Arab family of four in Haifa were killed in a direct hit on their home last night, while others were killed when buildings in Bat Yam were demolished near Tel Aviv the night before. A seven month old baby was pulled from the wreckage of a building in Rishon Lezion near Tel Aviv, and they are still searching for missing people in Bat Yam. Over 370 have been injured, with 9 in serious condition, and 35 are still missing. Many more suffering from shock and trauma.
Even with all our bomb shelters and the sophisticated defense systems, Israel’s ability to intercept rockets has been overwhelmed by the waves of multiple missiles coming at once. The Iron Dome typically stops over 90% of warheads targeting Israel, but due to the sheer numbers pelting the country, not all of the missiles could be successfully intercepted.
It has been shocking to see pictures of entire blocks destroyed and reduced to rubble, but according to channel 14 news last night, some 90% of the Israeli public backs this war against Iran. We all know what the alternative is: a nuclear Iran. An unthinkable possibility. We have to do this for the sake of both Israelis and also Iranians.
“Challenging days are ahead. There will be more launches and impacts in the coming days,” IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin warned at a press conference, saying that the Israeli Air Force is “not stopping striking for a moment.”
“Even at this hour, we are striking dozens of targets in Tehran,” he continued. “We are deepening the damage to [Tehran’s] nuclear program and military capabilities, to disrupt and reduce the risk to the home front,” This may go on for some weeks, and we are all bracing ourselves for more strikes and sleepless nights.
The lion representing Judah is arising, together with the lion of the persecuted people of Iran. Everyone wants the war to stop, but evil will not voluntarily quit. It must be stopped. None of this bloodshed is desirable and we all long for the reign of the Prince of Peace who will bring war to an end for God. Only God is good. Only He is worthy.
“Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:5)
Please pray
Pray for those who are grieving, and all those affected by the strikes.
Pray for Israeli and Iranian people in danger at this time, for protection. Many do not have proper bomb shelters.
Please pray for wisdom and divine intelligence for Israel’s leaders and commanders.
Pray that Iran’s weapons against Israel would not prosper, but that their nuclear ambitions would be thwarted.
Pray that many in Israel and Iran would turn to Yeshua, the true Lion of Judah, in these difficult days.
Pray that Israel would be successful in overcoming the Iranian regime very soon, and that we would have peace with a new leadership in Iran.
- https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkkm8rimgl
Main picture by Iván Díaz on Unsplash
