For Israel, this is an existential war. For the Islamic Republic, it is an ideological, apocalyptic war. The regime believes it must continue fighting the world to expand Islam globally and bring about the return of the “Hidden Imam”, the Mahdi (and the End of Days), a deeply disturbing and inhumane ideology. From a Biblical perspective the Mahdi is a picture of the Biblical Antichrist.

Acts 2:9: On the Day of Pentecost, “Parthians and Medes and Elamites” (among others) hear the apostles speaking in their own languages about the wonders of God. This shows Elamites (Iranians) were present at the birth of the church.

Many O.T. references portray Iran (Elam/Susa) as an ancient powerful region (sometimes an enemy or ally in war), a place of exile and return, a setting for God’s deliverance (Esther), a site for prophetic visions (Daniel), and part of God’s broader plans for judgment, scattering, and ultimate restoration of peoples—including in end-times contexts like Isaiah 11. The Persian-period books (Esther, Nehemiah, Daniel, Ezra) especially highlight how God sovereignly worked through or in the heart of the Elam/Susa region for His people Israel.

Ezekiel 38:5 – God using Persia (Iran) in an end-times coalition

This portrays God sovereignly using (or allowing) nations including Persia in a major end-times conflict against Israel, which ultimately leads to God’s dramatic intervention, victory, and demonstration of His glory (Ezekiel 38:18–23; 39:1–8, 21–29). It does not describe restoration of Persia itself but its role in God’s end-times purposes before final judgment on the coalition, However, there are scriptures that indicate God will restore Iran in the last days.

Ezekiel 38 (and the continuation in chapter 39) is one of the most detailed end-times prophecies in the Bible. It describes a future invasion of a restored Israel by a massive multinational coalition led by “Gog, of the land of Magog.” This occurs in the “latter years” or “latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8, 16), when Israel is living securely in the land after being regathered from exile—setting it in an end-times context that many interpreters place before or early in the Tribulation period.

“Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him… Persia, Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet; Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.” Ezekiel 38:2, 5–6

God Himself sovereignly draws this coalition against Israel “like a hook in the jaws” (v. 4) so that He can display His holiness and power to the nations through supernatural judgment (earthquake, pestilence, hail, fire and sulfur—vv. 19–22; see also 39:21–29). The invasion is not a surprise to God; it fulfills earlier prophecies and ultimately magnifies His name.

Here’s a breakdown of each component, including ancient locations and the most common modern identifications in evangelical/prophetic scholarship.

Ancient Name	Ancient Location / Description	Common Modern Equivalent(s) in Prophetic Views	Notes / Role in Coalition
Gog	Title or leader (possibly a person or symbolic ruler)	A future leader of the northern alliance	Commander-in-chief; God is “against” him personally.
Magog	Descendants of Japheth (Gen 10:2); Scythian peoples north of the Black/Caspian Seas	Russia and/or former Soviet Central Asian republics (e.g., Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan)	Core “land of the north”; often seen as the power base.
Meshech & Tubal	Ancient Anatolian kingdoms (near modern Turkey/Black Sea region)	Turkey (or parts of southern Russia/Caucasus)	Military allies providing troops and armor.
Persia	Ancient empire (modern southwestern Iran)	Iran (explicit and undisputed)	Major eastern ally; listed right after the northern core. Ties directly to our prior discussion on Iran/Elam in end-times prophecy.
Cush	Region south of Egypt (Nubia)	Sudan (sometimes broader Horn of Africa/Ethiopia region)	Southern contingent with shields and helmets.
Put	Ancient North African coastal region (Libya area)	Libya (sometimes Algeria, Tunisia)	Western/North African allies.
Gomer	Descendants of Japheth; Cimmerians in Asia Minor	Turkey (or sometimes Germany/Austria in older views)	“All his hordes” — large military force from the north.
Beth-togarmah	“House of Togarmah”; region in eastern Asia Minor	Turkey and/or Turkic peoples of Central Asia	“From the uttermost parts of the north” — far-northern hordes.
Many peoples with you	Additional unspecified allies	Possibly other Islamic nations, Syria, or broader confederates	Expansive multinational force “like a cloud covering the land.”

These identifications draw from ancient historians (Josephus, Herodotus), the Table of Nations (Genesis 10), and geographic/historical correlations. The overwhelming consensus in popular Bible prophecy teaching is a northern-led coalition (Russia/Turkey axis) joined by Iran (east), Sudan/Ethiopia (south), and Libya/North Africa (west).

Persia/Iran’s role is especially clear and undisputed: it is the only modern nation named with virtually no interpretive debate. It joins the northern powers as a key ally in this end-times attack on Israel—aligning with the broader theme regarding God’s use of the region in prophecy (cf. Ezekiel 38:5 with Jeremiah 49 and Isaiah 11).

Jeremiah 49:34–39 – The clearest direct reference to restoration “in the latter days”

This oracle against Elam describes divine judgment (breaking its military power, scattering its people to the four winds, disaster, and setting God’s throne in Elam while destroying its king and officials), but concludes with hope:

“But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 49:39, ESV/NIV similar wording; also translated as “bring back the captives” or “reverse the captivity” in some versions).