A Nuclear Disaster on the Horizon?
Prophecy in Scripture
Today’s Verse and Thought
“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…But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, declares the Lord.”(Jeremiah 49:35-36, 39)
“It should be noted, when the phrase “four winds” is mentioned in the Bible, it’s usually in reference to some remarkable, unusual, or devastating event. These events are being reported by some of the Lord’s prophets, most often in the form of a vision...”(source)
The Bow of Elam is Broken -”until I have consumed them” says the Lord
This oracle was given to the prophet Jeremiah in the early part of King Zedekiah's reign, around 595–593 BC. Within the passage, it mentions the ancient nation of Elam.
This prophecy potentially points to the end of time (“latter days”) for complete fulfillment, but some scholars teach that it was already fulfilled in history. Still others believe that this is a passage that is meant to be spiritualized, and not a warning about a literal event. It’s a spiritual lesson.
We humans tend to think in either/or propositions. We are very binary in our approach to life. But, as we’ve previously seen, the prophecies in scripture tend to be much more complex in meaning with more than one way to look at it.
Is it possible that this prophecy is both historical, and future, as well as also providing a general spiritual lesson if read casually? I think this could very well be the case, so let’s take a look at it and see what we come up with.
Where is Elam today?
Today ancient Elam is located in modern day Iran where the Bushehr nuclear facility is located. Bushehr—specifically, the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant - is a civilian nuclear power plant designed to generate electricity, and is located on the Persian Gulf coast in Khuzestan Province.
The Bushehr plant was built with the help of Russia and began operating in 2011. It’s Iran's only operational nuclear power station. In theory, its primary purpose is energy production, but it’s become a place of international concern, especially with Iran trying to ramp up their nuclear weapons program.
This would be of particular interest to Israel (as well as the US) due to the fact that Iran has repeatedly declared that they want to literally destroy both.
“When Iran says, ‘Death to Israel,’ they mean it.”(source).
If Iran gains nuclear weapons capabilities, it would finally have the means to wipe Israel off the map. Today with the ongoing war in the Middle East, and the tensions that have been building with Iran, this prophecy in Jeremiah against Elam (Iran) is particularly noteworthy.
If Israel is still the Apple of God’s eye (Deuteronomy 32:10), His love and plans for His chosen people would still be relevant today. So if Iran is threatening to destroy the Jewish people today, it stands to reason that God would intervene as He did throughout all Scripture.
Is it possible that once again we may be looking at a dual/complex prophecy? Especially in light of the geopolitical tension between Israel and Iran? It’s interesting to me to watch the news today as the US has threatened to blow up this nuclear facility. If they did, it would bring about a complete destruction and scattering of the people.
A headline from Sky News January 28, 2025 - “US and Israel would be 'crazy' to attack Iran's nuclear facilities, Tehran says” (source)
In Jeremiah 49, God declares judgment against Elam for their arrogance and warring. The Lord promises to break the power (the bow) of Elam scattering its people, and bringing “Kalah” upon them, indicating a complete destruction.
The word used here - Kalah - means: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
The prophecy concerning Elam is found in a passage in Jeremiah where God pronounces judgments against several nations. The context of this prophecy highlights a volatile political situation in the ancient Near East during the time of Jeremiah's ministry, particularly as the Babylonians were rising to power and the Assyrian empire’s power was waning.
“…some prophecy teachers believe that the prophecy of Elam in Jeremiah 49:34-39 has been fulfilled historically. The number #1 argument is that it happened during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II in the sixth century.”(source).
So, was this prophecy fulfilled in the time of Nebuchadnezzar II as some teachers believe, or is it possibly once again a dual prophecy that was partially filled in history with a future latter days completion?
Historical Elam
“Many messages and prophecies can be understood correctly only if seen against the background of the time in which the prophets ministered and in the light of the events that happened during their lives.”(source)
Elam was an ancient kingdom located to the east of Israel with a long history of significant power in the region. At the time of Jeremiah, Elam was under the control of the Neo-Babylonian Empire and its political relationship with Israel and Judah was complex.
The prophecy against Elam, if it’s only historical, likely refers to a time when the Babylonians were dominating the region and the Assyrian Empire was collapsing. Elam had been a historical enemy of Israel and Judah, and it’s possible that they were caught up in the broader struggles between Assyria, Babylon, and other regional powers.
The Prophetic Message of Jeremiah 49:34-39
In these verses, God declares judgment on Elam because of its role in the turmoil of the time. The prophecy is directed at Elam’s rulers and people, warning them of the devastation that would come upon them.
The Oracle starts out by saying that God will break the bow of Elam - which is a symbol of military strength. If the bow is broken, the arrows are useless. This signifies the impending downfall of Elam’s power and military might.
God promises to bring a great disaster upon Elam, causing its people to scatter and face destruction. The text mentions that God will send the sword after them, scattering them to various nations.
The region of Elam did eventually fall under the control of the Medes and Persians, which happened historically later on, but there’s no recorded proof that Nebuchadnezzar II fulfilled this prophecy. And while Elam was harmed, it wasn’t completely destroyed back then.
Cycles of Destruction and Renewal
Even though Elam would face judgment and destruction, God promises that He would restore the fortunes of Elam in the future. This suggests that after their downfall, there would be a period of recovery or renewal.
The Elamites did faced harm under the Babylonians, but not complete destruction. And then later, the Persian Empire (founded by Cyrus the Great, a descendant of the Elamites) also emerged in the region, marking another period of renewal for the area that had once been Elam.
Then in the 7th century, the area once again faced another destruction due to an Arab invasion with the spread of Islam. Iran eventually experienced renewal after this as well, and it became the center of the powerful Islamic empire in the 16th century.
In the 20th century, Iran went through yet another significant political upheaval - the Iranian Revolution of 1979 - which overthrew the Pahlavi monarchy and established the Islamic Republic that we know today. This too could be seen as another cycle of destruction and renewal.
So is there another cycle coming? One that is “complete” in its destruction?
Interpretation of the Prophecy
“If the complete destruction of Elam does not seem to have been fulfilled in history, wouldn’t this logically mean that the prophecies of Elam in Jeremiah 49:34-38 are going to take place sometime in the future?
Who could God be so fiercely angry at in modern-day Iran in our day? Could it be the rogue Islamic regime that wants to wipe Israel off of the map?” (source)
Elam had been a major player in the power struggles of the ancient Near East. The judgment reflects God's sovereignty over the nations, and it is likely that Elam’s military strength, involvement in the conflict with Israel and Judah, and its general pride and arrogance in the face of God’s sovereignty contributed to the prophetic judgment.
The prophecy seems to have been partially fulfilled in the subsequent rise of the Medo-Persian Empire, which eventually conquered the region. Elam did experience significant destruction, and many of its people were scattered. And then later the region did see some degree of revival under Persian rule, as Elam was integrated into the Persian Empire.
But once again, just as we read in the Damascus prophecy yesterday, Jeremiah hints at a later fulfillment for Elam as well. Particularly because it speaks to a time of restoration “in the latter days.” And the fact that complete destruction did not take place in the 600s BC.
Some churches teach that the judgment on Elam is spiritualized (rather than pointing to any literal event). They teach that, overall, the words against Elam are seen as part of the larger theme of God’s justice for all nations, not just Israel or Judah. The message is that no nation, regardless of its power or military strength, is beyond God’s judgment. And, just as in other passages, God offers restoration and hope.
We can easily spiritualize any message in God’s Word, but if we do that to a passage that is supposed to be taken literally, we will miss the importance of what God is telling us.
The overarching theme that God’s judgement and hope is for all the world is definitely an important lesson, we just don’t want to miss something important that God is sharing with us. As we have seen, this prophecy against Elam (Iran) might easily be fulfilled in our day given the fact that there is a potential for a nuclear event.
Today we can hope that that the destruction of Elam was historical, as a nuclear disaster would be horrific. But we also know that the end of days will bring great tribulation and destruction towards God’s enemies.
God tells us to know His Word and keep watch. We will keep an eye on Iran as we wonder if this is going to be a prophecy that we will see fulfilled in our lifetime. And while we keep watch on that, we have another prophecy that we want to keep an eye on as well.
To be continued…
Today’s Question
Today’s Prayer
Father your Word is amazing. I can read the same passage one day and see one thing, and then come back to it and you reveal even more to me. I wonder if you do this as a way to grow our understanding when we are ready for it? I think about a child and how they wouldn’t be able to read a college text book, but they can understand some of the words and their meanings. That’s how the Bible is to me Father.
It seems that the more years I devote to study, the more the whole picture comes into view. How silly I was to think that my little brain could casually understand the deepest things of heaven! I am so humbled by the fact that I know so little. And I feel privileged to be able to discover more truth as I diligently search for it.
Your Word tells me that we find you “when we seek you with all of our hearts.” Once again, I think this is a complex truth. For you reveal yourself to us when we first seek you, and you keep revealing more and more as we look diligently for truth.
Today I ask that you open our eyes to show us what it is we need to see in our day. And if we are in the latter days, as I suspect, show us Father the signs that we are to pay attention to. How wonderful that you have let us in on what you are up to in the world! That’s amazing to me.
I pray that those reading today are blessed with your insight and filled with the hope that you have set before us. And thank you for peace even in the midst of storms. All honor and glory are yours. Amen.❤️
So the trouble in the Middle East isn’t over. I didn’t believe so. Persia and Babylon feature prominently in the end days. Thank you for clarifying where Elam is, and explaining its historical context. Are you familiar with Tim Cohen’s work?