8 You transplanted a vine from Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it.
9 You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land.
10 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches.
11 Its branches reached as far as the Sea, its shoots as far as the River. Psalm 80:8-11
Asaph has painted a fairly detailed picture of Israel while she was in captivity and after she got out. Clearly they were the chosen people who were protected and blessed by God.
Today the tiny nation of Israel outshines and outproduces its surrounding nations in most areas. Even as it is surrounded by its sworn enemies, Israel has been able to protect itself on several occasions. Today it is even facing a more significant danger, that of a nuclear Iran.
The leaders in Iran have vowed to annihilate Israel and to a lesser degree the United States. The interesting thing is that there is seems to be a major move of God happening within Iran, something that most media in the West refuse to cover. Recent history has shown us that any time a repressive government is in power, the church grows. That was true for the Soviet Union, Eastern Bloc nations, nations on the Arabian Peninsula, China, North Korea, and now in China.
Pray for the church in Iran. While you do not hear a lot about it, it is growing.
I have a story. About 15+ years ago when we were living in Chicago, I would frequent an Middle Eastern grocery store. I became friends with the owner and many of his employees. We would “spar” about religious, cultural, and economic things. It was fun and we’d go at it again a few days later. Well, he went back to Iran to get married. When he returned he said that he was walking in his town one day and saw a church. He was curious about it so he entered. That’s all he would say about it and I didn’t press him for details.
Three points I’d like to make about my time with “Tom.”
- Even though you don’t think you are making dents into an non-believer’s thinking and spiritual well-being, think again. I had no idea Tom would be even thinking about spiritual things, and here he was visiting a church in Iran. In other words, don’t underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit in the life of an unbeliever.
- If it happened to Tom, it is probably happening throughout the country. People are hungry for truth.
- Iran is not our enemy. Our governments may hate one another, and even as the Iranian government threatens to blast Israel and the U.S. from the map, the people are not our enemy. The Bible tells us there are spiritual forces of evil in high places. It doesn’t mean we should trust the government (and the same for our own government for allowing Iran to get that far) but there is a spiritual war going on for millions of people inside that nation.
So, pray for Iran. The power of God is infinitely greater than all of the government’s hatred of outsiders, and persecution of those who live there.