Will Iran Change with This Treaty?

Congressmen and Congresswomen, while on their long August summer recess, are having the opportunity of reading the recently inked treaty between Iran and the P5+1 nations in Geneva.  They have also had the opportunity of visiting with constituents and hearing how the common American citizen feels about this treat with Iran that will supposedly limit Iran's nuclear capabilities that would lead to the production of a nuclear weapon. 


Iran has become one of the most powerful nations in the world.  It has one of the largest oil reserves in the Middle East.  It has one of the largest standing armies in the Middle East.  It has a strong theocratic government run by its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.  And it is known that Iran is the most prolific exporter of terrorists around the world.  The question that the American people need to be asking of their legislative leaders is: Can Iran be trusted to keep this agreement? 


Let's look at what has been learned since Secretary of State John Kerry affixed his signature to this treaty this past July.  No sooner had the ink been dried than news leaked of several "closed door" decisions that were made between Iran and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and the United Nations.  One of those decisions, just recently revealed, granted Iran the ability to select its own inspectors for those nuclear sites.  That reminded me of what it might have been like back in our country during the prohibition era.  What if the bootleggers were given the ability to inspect suspected alcohol warehouses?  Do you think their reports would have been honest?  Of course not!  Can we trust Iran to inspect its own nuclear sites?  Of course not! 


Then, just this week, the head of the IAEA stated that his committee was running out of money to hire inspectors for the Iranian nuclear sites, so the sites would be left uninspected.  Now, who do you think gains from that lack of inspection? (www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/199900).


But what I find most disturbing, and should disturb each one of us, is the continued belligerence of Iran toward Israel.  Just yesterday, a senior Iranian official stated that the annihilation of Israel is his country's policy, according to a report from the group The Israel Project.  "Hussein Sheikholeslam, a foreign policy advisor to the speaker of the Iranian parliament, Ali Larijani, said, 'Our positions against the usurper Zionist regime have not changed at all; Israel should be annihilated and this is our ultimate slogan.'"  In other words, Iranian leadership still believes that they exist for the express purpose of completely destroying the nation of Israel - wiping it off the face of the earth. 


Just last week, at least three rockets were fired from Syria into northern Israel, prompting the United States government to issue a warning to America tourists concerning visiting the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights.  Israeli officials strongly believe that those rockets were fired by Iranian proxies in Syria.  And those same Israeli officials believe that, with the release of $150 billion in frozen assets to Iran with this new treaty, much of that money will be used to provide weapons and supplies to militants in Syria, Lebanon, and the Gaza Strip that Iran is using to conduct its war against Israel. 


Historically treaties have never stopped a nation whose leadership was determined to destroy another.  British Prime Minister Chamberlain's treaty with Adolf Hitler did not bring "peace for our time," but a world war in less than a year.  Friends, from what I have been reading through many different sources, I am convinced that this treaty with Iran does not produce a nuclear-weapons-free Iran, but merely delays that ultimate end by a few years at best.  And then what will happen?  Well, we already have their answer: the annihilation of Israel.  They have made that goal perfectly clear. 


I recently re-read Ezekiel 38 and 39 where that 6th century BC prophet describes an event that will shake the world.  A land known as Magog - recognized by many biblical scholars as referring to ancient Russia - will form a coalition with its neighbors - one of those neighbors is clearly called Persia or Iran.  The purpose of this coalition is to invade Israel to cause its destruction.  From a biblical point of view, it is fascinating to see the relationship between Russia and Iran in this modern day.  One wonders are the foundations for this coalition being laid with an invasion attempt in the very near future?  The intent of this coalition is the annihilation of Israel and the capture of its resources; but God has other plans.  The destroyers become the destroyed.  Those who had been the target of destruction become the recipients of blessing instead. 


So I watch with fascination the debate on the treaty, knowing that ultimately, God will have the final say and I know who will be on the winning side.  Just read Ezekiel 38 and 39 and you will make that discover for yourself.