in the latter days Nigel Bernard

Elam was a separate power in ancient times, retaining Persian empire is often taken as the its identity, even under Persian rule. Consequently, beginning of a new era”.1 Elam, the modern-day province of Khuzestan, has a Elam, of course, is mentioned in Daniel 8 as a province of the Persian separate role to play from in the latter days. Empire: “And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was N EZEKIEL 38, Persia (v. 5) and Tarshish (v. at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province 13) are shown to be in opposition. The recent of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the Icapture, and later release, of fifteen British river of Ulai” (v. 2). In New Testament times, sailors and marines by Iran has provided evidence Elamite Jews attended Jerusalem at the time of of tensions between Persia and Tarshish. Mean- Pentecost: “Parthians, and , and Elamites, while, Iran’s defiance of international opinion and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judæa, with regard to its nuclear ambitions serves to and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia” (Acts 2:9). demonstrate its continued development for its The question is, by this time, are Elamites simply future role in the invasion of Israel by Gog. In Persians by another name, or are they a distinct this article, however, we draw attention to the group? Iranian province of Khuzestan, arguing that, as Discerning Elamite and Persian identity is criti- the latter-day Elam, it has a separate role from cal for understanding prophecies of the last days. Iran at the time of the end. Jeremiah states: “But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity Elam of Elam, saith the LORD [Yahweh]” (49:39). In Elam is first mentioned in Genesis 10 as one of the Ezekiel 38 Persia undoubtedly refers to modern- children of Shem: “The children of Shem; Elam, day Iran. If Elam and Persia are referring to the and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram” same power, then Jeremiah’s prophecy is simply (v. 22). In Genesis 14, Elam has become a nation predicting the emergence of Iran in the latter ruled by Chedorlaomer: “And it came to pass in days as a power able to assist Gog. Generally, the days of Amraphel king of Shinar, Arioch king Christadelphians have equated Elam with Persia. of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal As Brother C. C. Walker wrote: “Elam comes to king of nations . . .” (v. 1). stand roughly for Persia”.2 However, this article In the seventh B.C., Elam, including its argues that, whilst clearly it is closely connected capital (Biblical Shushan), was subjugated by with Persia, Elam should be treated separately the Assyrian King . It is thought that from Persia when considering prophecies of the this is the king referred to as Asnappar in Ezra time of the end. 4, where the deportation of Elamites to Samaria Potts disagrees with the assertion that Elamite is mentioned: “then wrote Rehum the chancel- history essentially ends with the Assyrian defeat. lor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their He argues that Elamite history and identity can companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, be traced through the Persian period and beyond the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the to Islamic times: “during the early Islamic era we Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and continue to find the name Elam used to denote the Elamites, and the rest of the nations whom the an ecclesiastical province in what is today the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in Khuzistan [Khuzestan] province of south-western the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this Iran”.3 He acknowledges that “the differences side the river, and at such a time” (vv. 9,10). Traditionally, the defeat by has been viewed as the termination of Elam. As the archae- 1. Potts, D. T. (1999), The Archaeology of Elam—Formation and transformation of an ancient Iranian state, Cambridge, ologist Daniel Potts has written: “The Assyrian Cambridge University Press, p. 4. conquest of Susa in the BC is seen by 2. Walker, C. C. (1948, second edition), The Ministry of the most scholars as the great watershed which marks Prophets—Jeremiah, Birmingham, The Christadelphian, the end of Elamite history . . . and the rise of the p. 275. The Testimony, May 2007 163 the Arabian presence within this province has precipitated previous calls for inde- pendence. Some refer to this province as Arabistan. Two particular events that oc- curred in 1980 are worth highlighting in this regard. On 6 May 1980, in full view of televi- sion cameras, units from the British SAS regiment dramatically freed hostages taken by terrorists at the Iranian Embassy in . As the journalist Tony Geraghty wrote, in his history of the SAS: “the ter- rorist objectives were to publicize the cause of Arab nationalism and autonomy in the region of Iran that contains the richest oilfields [that is, Khuzestan], and to force the release of political prisoners in Iran”.7 Later in the year, Saddam Hussein, the then president of Iraq, invaded Iran. One of his war aims “was to induce the seces- sion of Arab-inhabited Khuzistan from Iran”.8 This desire for the secession of this province, together with the terrorist’s aim Map of Iran and the Persian Gulf, with Khuzestan of autonomy, can be matched with God outlined. bringing “again the captivity of Elam” (WorldAtlas.com/CIA) (Jer. 49:39). Of course, neither the terror- between Persians and Elamites were fast becom- ists at the Iranian Embassy nor the invasion of ing blurred during the course of the sixth century Iraq achieved these aims. And in any case, the [B.C.]”.4 For example, “the Elamites increasingly exact way in which the captivity of Elam will be adopted Persian customs and dress as they were reversed is not revealed. However, the events of gradually absorbed into the rapidly evolving 1980 serve as an indication that even then there Persian realm”.5 were those who were seeking to “bring again the Yet Potts’ overall conclusion is that, when captivity of Elam”. considering all the evidence, “it becomes clear In January 2007, the BBC reported that “Iran that Elamite cultural identity did not simply has publicly hanged four men convicted of taking evaporate in the wake of the Assyrian conquest part in deadly bombings in the south-western and the Persian ascent to political ascendancy”. city of Ahwaz last year . . . Ahwaz, in Khuzestan Indeed, he goes on to say that “Elamite identity is, province, is home to a large community of ethnic if anything, even clearer in the subsequent Seleu- minority and has simmered with anti- cid and Parthian periods”.6 Therefore, Jeremiah’s government tension since 2005”.9 The following prophecy of a revival of Elam in the latter days month, the BBC reported that another three men is telling us, not about Iran as a whole, but about had been hanged for bombings in Khuzestan. the area relating to the ancient country of Elam, The unrest in this province is a possible sign that the area which became one of many provinces within the Persian empire. 3. Op. cit., p. 5. Khuzestan 4. Ibid., p. 311. As the above quotation from Potts indicates, 5. Ibid., p. 341. Elam relates to the modern-day Iranian province 6. Ibid., p. 351. of Khuzestan. We would therefore expect this 7. Geraghty, T. (1983), Who Dares Wins—The story of the SAS 1950-1982, Glasgow, Fontana/Collins, p. 217. province to emerge as a power in its own right 8. Miller, J. and Mylroie, L. (1990), Saddam Hussein and at the time of the end. This province is located the Crisis in the Gulf, New York, Time Books, p. 109. in the southwest of Iran and is rich in oil fields. 9. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/6295767. It also has a significant Arab population. In fact, stm . 164 The Testimony, May 2007 the fulfilment of Jeremiah’s prophecy is soon to prophecies relating to the time of the end. How come to pass. Elam will have her captivity reversed remains to be seen. If military action is ever directed against Conclusion Iran by the United States and Britain, an invasion As the above has shown, Elam and Persia were of this area would be an obvious option. This distinct powers in the ancient world. This distinc- could lead in turn to the freeing of this area from tion should not be forgotten when interpreting Iranian control. Moses: earth’s meekest man 10. The final stroke John Mitchell

The conflict between Yahweh and reaches its Celebrating the Passover climax with the night of the first Passover, in which the The preparations for the Feast and Egyptians suffer the loss of their first-borns and Israel for the release had been according to the conditions laid down by Yahweh leave in their journey to the Promised Land. and transmitted to Moses and Aaron. Through their representatives the HE PASSOVER in which Egypt was hum- whole congregation of Israel were told that on bled and Israel delivered was the second the tenth day of the month Abib each household Tgreat sign in the Old Testament of God’s according to their tribes was to select a perfect plan of salvation. When Abraham offered his lamb or kid ready for the feast four days later. son Isaac upon the altar, having said that “God Households that were too small to consume [would] provide Himself a lamb” (Gen. 22:8), He it were to share the lamb or kid with another established the principle of the salvation of the household of the same tribe that was similarly individual through faith. But when Yahweh’s placed, provided they ate it together under the angel of death passed over the dwellings of the same roof: “they shall eat the flesh in that night, children of Israel as, also in faith, they ate the roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with paschal lamb or kid, having struck their doorposts bitter herbs they shall eat it”. Not a bone of the and lintels with its blood, God established for a animal was to be broken, and any that was left chosen people a principle of salvation that was had to be burned with fire before the dawn. Nor to have far wider ramifications. was this to be a sit-down feast: “thus shall ye eat And though on both occasions it was the sac- A table set out with items for a modern rifice of God’s only begotten Son, the true Lamb Passover celebration. of God, which was symbolised, the significance (Picture: © iStockphoto.com/Yakov Stavchansky) of the second was greater by far for Israel in the time that then was. It meant the birth of a na- tion and the institution of an annual ‘birthday’ in the repetition every year of the two feasts of Passover and of Unleavened Bread. Moreover, the united participation of the twelve tribes of Israel in one great act of faith and deliverance transformed them overnight from a scattering of slaves in the Nile Delta and Goshen into a united people with a common goal and purpose. And to emphasise the radical nature of the event, the calendar itself was changed: “This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you”, said the God of Israel (Ex. 12:2). The Testimony, May 2007 165