What follows was largely taken from the work of Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn. Many thanks for his scholarship.
When the operations against Iran began on February 28, I was not aware of the prophetic significance of the timing of the event. I heard it mentioned on the news that it was the eve of – the week of the Jewish holiday of Purim. Purim was celebrated this year from sundown on March 2 and through March 3. Purim is a joyous holiday for the Jews. They celebrate the foiling of a plan by a figure named Haman, to wipe out the Jews. Haman was a Jewish government official who hatched that plot and he met his end on that day. February 28, was the Sabbath (Shabbat) before that celebration. And on each Shabbat there is a Torah reading assigned to be sung for the coming week. These readings have been assigned from ancient times. Keep that in mind as you read this story. We’ll get to the amazing details of that later.
It was on February 28, on the Sabbath before Purim that the Ayatollah Khamenei met his end in the first hours of the attack. Khamenei had been in power since 1989. He had long threatened Israel with destruction. He had sponsored terror. Enabled Hamas & Hezbollah and others. He was responsible for thousands of American and Israeli deaths. And he led the drive to achieve a home-grown nuclear capability. [They would have used it.]
The Biblical / Prophetic Background
This story goes back to the time of Moses and Joshua, when the Israelites left Egypt for the Promised Land. The Amalekites were the first people to attack the Israelites. God caused Israel to win that battle and made a promise to His People. “The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” (Exodus 17:16) That means, the conflict would continue to go on – but God would be there to control the result. This has continued down, even to today. In Deuteronomy, God gave a command. “Never forget what the Amalekites did to you as you came from Egypt. They attacked you when you were exhausted and weary, and they struck down those who were straggling behind. They had no fear of God. Therefore, when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies in the land he is giving you as a special possession, you must destroy the Amalekites and erase their memory from under heaven. Never forget this!” (Deuteronomy 25:17-19) (NLT)
Now, centuries after that King Agag of the Amalekites was confronted by Israel’s first king, King Saul. Saul was given clear instructions to completely destroy the Amalekites including Agag. “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.” (1Samuel 15:2-3) (NLT) The battle ensued. “Then Saul slaughtered the Amalekites from Havilah all the way to Shur, east of Egypt. He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.” (1Samuel 15:7-9) (NLT) [In case you’re wondering, the Prophet Samuel, who had given Saul the command to destroy – came by later and killed Agag himself.]
Still later, we find that an offspring – a seed of Agag shows up in the Kingdom of Persia during the time of Esther. In Esther 3:1, Haman is defined as related to King Agag of the Amalekites. “Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire.” (NLT) And Haman is hell bent on destroying the Jews. He developed a plan – and sought the king’s approval – to approve the slaughter of the Jews. It is beyond the scope of this article to give the details – but in the event, Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai got the king to relent. The Jews are allowed to arm themselves and resist. And Haman is hung on the same gallows that he had constructed for Mordecai. The Jews of the kingdom celebrate.
Now, we began talking about the appointed Torah Word for the Sabbath leading into Purim. It is sung throughout the Jewish world. It included Deuteronomy 25:17 which we looked at above. Here it is in the ESV. “Remember what Amalek did to you on the way as you came out of Egypt.” It also talked about the blotting out of Amalek. As Jonathan Cahn points out: “Khamenei was blotted out on the same day,” that these words were being sung in synagogues across the globe. Another Scripture was intoned, 1Samuel 15:2, which reads in part: “I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel.” (NKJV)
So, Agag was connected to Haman and Haman was connected to Persia – or today’s Iran. This ties together the timing (Purim), the place (Iran / Persia) and the person (someone seeking the destruction of the Jewish people.) Now, in the Book of Esther we learn that Haman was executed on his own gallows in his own home. So too, the Ayatollah was killed in his own home compound. While Haman’s gallows led to his death, Khamenei’s nuclear program contributed to his. When Haman was executed there was great rejoicing. When Khamenei was killed there were celebrations in the streets by Iranians.
Rabbi Cahn sums it up nicely. This is just more evidence of the fact that the God of the Bible is real and that He is still on the throne exercising His will despite the plans of men. And because He has proven faithful to Israel we can be assured that He will be faithful in His promises to us.
“Behold, He who watches over Israel Will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:4) (NASB)
Leave a Reply