PROPHECY AND THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN POLITICS

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The biblical mandate for political involvement

The Bible is replete with examples of God’s people being called to influence nations and governments. One of the most striking examples is found in the book of Daniel.

Daniel, a prophet, served in the courts of Babylonian and Persian kings, providing wisdom and guidance that shaped the course of entire empires (Daniel 2:48). His role was not just spiritual but also political, showing that God can use His people to influence leadership at the highest levels.

Similarly, Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt under Pharaoh (Genesis 41) demonstrates how God can elevate His chosen individuals to positions of political authority to fulfill His divine purposes. These biblical stories underscore that involvement in politics is not inherently dangerous but can be a means through which God’s will is enacted on earth.

Prophecy and political leadership

Prophecy has always been pivotal in guiding God’s people, especially in times of crisis or transition. The Old Testament prophets were often called to speak truth to power, offering divine insight into the direction of nations. Amos 3:7 states, “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” This suggests that God uses prophecy to guide leaders and nations.

In the New Testament, the role of prophecy continues, with the Apostle Paul urging believers not to “treat prophecies with contempt” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

Prophecy serves as a way for God to communicate His will, including matters of leadership and governance. Therefore, dismissing modern-day prophecies about political figures like former President Donald Trump could mean overlooking a vital aspect of God’s communication with His people.

The danger of political neutrality

The Newsweek article highlights concerns that endorsing political candidates from the pulpit could harm the church’s witness. However, political neutrality is not always the safer path. In fact, remaining silent on political issues can be just as dangerous, as it may allow unrighteousness to go unchecked. Proverbs 29:2 reminds us, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”

The Bible calls the Church to be the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16). This mandate extends beyond personal morality and into the realm of social and political influence. If the Church fails to engage in politics, it risks allowing ungodly leaders and policies to prevail, leading to the moral and spiritual decline of the nation.

Prophecy and the modern church

The rise of prophetic voices in support of former President Donald Trump has sparked controversy, with some Evangelical leaders warning against equating God’s will with that of a political party.

Yet, history shows that God has often raised up leaders who are imperfect but chosen to fulfill His purposes. King David, for instance, was far from perfect, yet he was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).

The key is discernment — churches must prayerfully consider whether a leader aligns with biblical principles and values. Rejecting prophecy outright because it does not fit our preconceived notions of what a leader should be could mean missing out on God’s chosen vessel for a particular time and purpose.

Why churches must engage in politics

The Church has a responsibility to engage in politics, not for the sake of power but to ensure that God’s principles and justice prevail in the land. Prophecy is one of the ways God communicates His will for nations, and the Church must not ignore this vital aspect of divine guidance.

By carefully discerning the role of prophecy in political leadership, the church can fulfill its biblical mandate to be a guiding light in times of moral and spiritual darkness.

Rather than retreating from political involvement, the church should embrace its role as a prophetic voice, calling leaders to righteousness and ensuring that God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.   

This article is by Troy Anderson. His upcoming book, The Trump Code (Charisma House/FrontLine, September 17, 2024), delves into various prophecies and their potential connections to contemporary political events, providing a fascinating perspective on the 2024 Presidential Election.

Troy Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated investigative journalist, bestselling author of The Babylon Code, Trumpocalypse, The Military Guide to Armageddon, and Revelation 911, former executive editor of Charisma magazine and Charisma Media, and reporter at the Los Angeles Daily News and other newspapers. He’s the founder and president of the Inspire Literary Group and writes for Newsmax, Charisma, Townhall, and other media outlets. www.troyanderson.us and www.inspireliterary.com.

PERSECUTION IN IRAN AND ITS CONNECTION WITH THE CHRISTMAS STORY

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Persecution is and has always been at the center of the Christmas story because Jesus came to rescue the lost and crush Satan’s head. This cosmic battle still rages on today. As Christians celebrate Christmas in Iran, they find comfort in the similarities between their story and the story of the birth of Christ.

We must first understand the connection between ancient Persia (Iran), the Wise men, and the birth of Jesus, and how persecution unites them all. Did you know that Iran has a historic significance all over the Bible? From Esther saving Israel to King Cyrus paying for the rebuilding of the Jewish temple, Iran has always played and will continue to play a major role in the biblical narrative. Let’s take the wise men for example. Did you know that the wise men were Persian? The Iranians were the first people to recognize and worship Jesus as Messiah. Let’s follow the Christmas story as it plays out so we can see how Iran is a major player in the Christmas narrative. 

A star shone in the East, where wise men from modern-day Iran felt compelled to follow the once-in-a-lifetime cosmic event passed down to them by Daniel the prophet of God. It must be remembered that Daniel was the chief prefect over all the wise men (Magi) of Persia (Iran). Daniel’s prophecies about the coming King of the Jews including the 70 Weeks prophecy would have been known by the Magi.

“Then the king (King Nebuchadnezzar) gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon.” Daniel 2:48

When they reached Jerusalem, Herod demanded to know about this “king of the Jews.” So the Magi sensed what he was up to and made their way to Bethlehem, where they presented their gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus, the toddler (The greek word paidion). That night, they were warned in a dream to return to their country by another route because Herod was about to launch a campaign to massacre the innocents.

This is the incident described in the nativity narrative of the Gospel of Matthew (2:16–18) in which Herod the Great, king of Judea, orders the execution of all male children, who were two years old and under. Jesus and His family knew what persecution tasted like from a very young age. Mary and Joseph were also awoken in the night by an angel and urged to flee in the cover of night to Egypt, where they escaped the wrath of Herod. 

Some can say believers from Iran go through similar trials to worship Christ as they face persecution daily from their government leaders. Just as Mary and Joseph went into hiding to escape being killed by Herod, members of the underground church left their homes to protect their families.

Like the wise men, believers have received dreams and visions of the “Man in White”, guiding them to a real and tangible relationship with the Messiah. Many have had “power encounters” with Jesus, just as Mary and Joseph had encounters with the angel. In this way, the Christmas story remains more relevant than ever to Christians who put their lives on the line for their faith. Despite the persecution, the Iranian church loves to celebrate Christmas together. It’s a time to gather and experience the peace Jesus brought, even in dangerous areas of the world. They truly understand the truth of this Scripture.

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard-pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.” Philippians 1:21

As we celebrate this Christmas holiday season, let us make sure we pray for our persecuted Christian brothers and sisters not only in Iran but all over the world particularly in Muslim countries.

IRAN THREATENS TO ANNIHILATE ISRAEL

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Head of Iranian army says his forces working to ensure collapse of Israel within 25 years; Hassan Nasrallah says his missiles can hit any target in Israel

Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, head of the Iranian Army. (Screen capture)

The threats from the Commander of Iran’s Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi come amid almost daily warnings of conflict from Tehran and Jerusalem, heightened by an alleged Israeli strike on an Iranian base in Syria earlier in the month.A day

“When the arrogant powers create a sanctuary for the Zionist regime to continue survival, we shouldn’t allow one day to be added to the ominous and illegitimate life of this regime,” Mousavi told a ceremony in Tehran on Saturday, April 21st, according to the Fars news agency. “The Army will move hand in hand with the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps so that the arrogant system will collapse and the Zionist regime will be annihilated,” General Moussavi said.

He predicted this would take place within 25 years, a number frequently used by the Iranian leadership.

Speaking hours later Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned that the Lebanese terror group’s rockets could hit all of Israel.

A day earlier, Vice commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, Hossein Salami, threatens Israel in an address in Tehran, Iran, April 20, 2018. (YouTube screenshot)

“Israel: Don’t trust in your airbases; they’re within reach,” Hossein Salami wrote on Twitter, also making similar comments in a fiery speech.

On Friday, the vice commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards warned Israel  that its airbases are “within reach,” in remarks apparently reacting to Israel’s publication on Tuesday of a map showing five Tehran-controlled bases in Syria.

Israel, said Salami, was living “in the dragon’s mouth.” Both northern and western Israel were “in the range of our missiles,” he threatened, in a speech given in Tehran.

“Wherever you are in the occupied land, you’ll be under fire from us, from east and west. You became arrogant. If there’s a war, the result will be your complete elimination,” he said.

“Your soldiers and civilians will flee, and you won’t survive. And you’ll have nowhere to run, except to fall into the sea.”

EZEKIEL 38 & 39 – Gog of Magog and  DANIEL 11: 40-45. Both Ezekiel and Daniel  give us a description of the last days invasion (Armageddon) of Israel led by the Antichrist (Gog) of Turkey (Magog). The five named nations (Muslim) involved in the Gog invasion are Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia/Northern Sudan) and Put (Libya and other parts of Northern Africa). Gomer and Togarmah (modern-day Turkey) but they state “many” other nations will join them.

 

END TIMES SIGNIFICANCE OF THE HANUKKAH

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Another powerful insight on the “end times” delivered by Jonathan Cahn. Only a Messianic Jew would see this gem in the New Testament. Jesus celebrating the Feast of Dedication. It is not an Old Testament feast.

“At that time, the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” John 10:22

What was this Feast of Dedication? Today it is known as Hanukkah or Festival of Lights and it was once called the Feast of the Maccabees.

The history of the Feast of Dedication goes back to the intertestamental period and the Maccabean Revolt. After the Seleucid king Antiochus Ephiphanes (name means God Manifest) profaned the Jewish temple and forced the Jews to abandon their sacrifices and adopt pagan rituals, a group of Jewish freedom fighters rose up, defied the oppressive pagan regime, and overthrew the Seleucids. The temple in Jerusalem was re-dedicated to God; ever since then, the Feast of Dedication has been celebrated to commemorate this meaningful event in Jewish history.

We know from Daniel and Revelation that Antiochus Epiphanes provides us with a template/picture of the last days Antichrist. Jesus himself said that “when you see the ‘abomination of Desolation’ spoken by Daniel standing in the holy place then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.” Matthew 24:15 

Jonathan reveals what we can learn from the Hanukkah, on how we need to face the Antichrist in our day. What did the Maccabees do to overcome the impossible odds in their day?

  1. Decided there could be no compromise with the world regardless of the impossible odds against them. Must trust God.
  2. Must obey His Word and stand on His Word. Even fight with the Word of God.
  3. Separate from the world, don’t try and fit in and bend the Word of God. Become radical and be the salt and light.
  4. Learn how to be warriors putting on the full armour daily – Belt of TRUTH first, breastplate of RIGHTEOUSNESS, GOSPEL OF PEACE on our feet, take up the shield of FAITH, helmet of SALVATION to shield our mind and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT which is the Word of God. Maccabees were called the “hammers of God’
  5. The Maccabees carried on the war joyfully knowing God was with them giving them victory over impossible odds.

Paul told us to be joyful in all circumstances even in tribulation. We overcome by the blood of the lamb.

Let us live in the light of Jesus soon coming return, to rule and reign for a thousand years. We are on the winning side. Moreover, at the end of Jesus Millennial reign on this earth, eternal life awaits in the promised new heaven and new earth.