Hello, friends, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. This is part three of our series on Iran—ancient Persia—and God's prophetic plan for this remarkable nation.
In part one, we explored the biblical promises to Elam, including Jeremiah's explicit prophecy that God would restore this nation in the latter days.
In part two, we saw how Zoroastrianism prepared Persian hearts for the Messiah, and how the Magi became the first Gentiles to worship Christ.
Today, we're going to look at what happened when Islam conquered Persia, how the 1979 revolution weaponized religion, and—most remarkably—how the Church is exploding in Iran today despite brutal persecution.
Because friends, something extraordinary is happening. While the Islamic regime tightens its grip, God is keeping His promise. The restoration of Elam is underway.
Let me start with the history.
Before Islam arrived, Persia was one of the most advanced civilizations on earth. The Achaemenid Empire—Cyrus and Darius—the Parthian Empire, and finally the Sassanian Empire dominated the region for over a thousand years.
And the dominant religion was Zoroastrianism—that ancient faith we talked about in our last episode, with its emphasis on moral accountability, final judgment, and a coming deliverer.
Persia had a deeply spiritual worldview long before Islam arrived.
But in the 7th century, everything changed. Between 633 and 651 AD, Muslim Arab armies defeated the Sassanian Empire. The key battle was at al-Qadisiyyah in 636 AD, and by 651, Persia had fallen.
Political power shifted to the Islamic caliphate. Arabic became the language of religion. Islam became the state faith.
But here's what's fascinating: Persia was conquered militarily—but it later conquered Islam culturally.
The Persian language eventually revived. Persian culture, bureaucracy, and philosophy remained influential. And over time, Persia didn't just adopt Islam—it reshaped it.
Originally, Persia was mostly Sunni Islam, like the rest of the Islamic world. But that changed.
Shia Islam—which emphasizes martyrdom, suffering under unjust rulers, and reverence for a sacred lineage of leaders called Imams—resonated deeply with the Persian worldview.
The martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali at Karbala in 680 AD became central to Shia identity. And for Persians, with their Zoroastrian background of cosmic struggle between good and evil, Shiism fit their religious instincts far better than Arab Sunni legalism.
The real turning point came in 1501 AD with the Safavid Revolution. Ismail I founded the Safavid Empire and declared Twelver Shiism the state religion.
From that point forward, Iran became religiously distinct from its Sunni neighbors and the global center of Shia Islam. The clerical class—the ulama—gained enormous power.
This is the birth of modern Iranian religious identity.
Fast forward to the 20th century. From 1925 to 1979, Iran was ruled by the Pahlavi Shahs—particularly Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. The Shah was pro-Western, secular, and aggressively modernizing Iran.
He promoted Western dress, reduced clerical power, aligned with the U.S. and UK, and sidelined mosques and religious leaders.
But here's what he didn't understand: religion didn't disappear. It went underground. And it was building pressure.
Then came 1979.
The Iranian Revolution, led by Ruhollah Khomeini, ousted the Shah, abolished the monarchy, and established an Islamic Republic.
But this wasn't just a return to traditional Islam. Khomeini introduced a radical innovation called Velayat-e Faqih—"Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist"—which meant that clerics would rule directly.
Friends, this was unprecedented in Islamic history.
And it changed everything.
Islam wasn't just revived—it was systematized, militarized, and globalized.
Let me show you five reasons the 1979 revolution amplified Islam in Iran.
First, religion became the state. Islam now controlled law, courts, education, the military, and all media. Every aspect of Iranian life was Islamized.
Second, martyrdom theology became political. The story of Karbala—the martyrdom of Husayn—was transformed into modern politics. Death for the cause was glorified. This was used extensively during the Iran-Iraq War.
Third, the anti-West narrative unified identity. The U.S. became the "Great Satan." Israel became the "Little Satan." Islam was framed as a resistance ideology against Western imperialism.
Fourth, Shia messianism intensified. Belief in the Hidden Imam—the Mahdi , the 12th Imam, who will return to establish Islamic rule—took on apocalyptic urgency. The regime presents itself as preparing the way for his return.
Fifth, the revolution was exported. Iran created and funded Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shia militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen and Hamas in Gaza. Proxy warfare was justified religiously. Iran became the ideological engine of modern Shia Islam with global reach.
Friends, this is the regime that rules Iran today—theocratic, apocalyptic, committed to exporting revolution and destroying Israel, and right now, they seem bent on destroying their own people.
But here's what the regime doesn't want you to know: despite brutal persecution, the Church in Iran is exploding.
According to multiple mission organizations and persecution watchdog groups, more Iranians have come to Christ in the last 40 years than in the previous 1,400 years combined.
In 1979, there were estimated to be fewer than 500 Iranian Christian converts. Today, estimates range from 500,000 to over 1 million Persian-speaking Christians—mostly meeting in underground house churches.
Friends, this is one of the fastest-growing movements of Christianity in the world.
Why is this happening?
First, disillusionment with Islam. Forty-five years of Islamic rule has driven many Iranians—especially young people—to question Islam itself. They've seen what an Islamic state looks like, and they want nothing to do with it.
Second, dreams and visions. Countless testimonies report Iranians encountering Jesus in dreams before they ever meet a Christian or read a Bible.
Third, access to satellite TV and the internet. Despite government censorship, Iranians are accessing Christian teaching, testimonies, and Scripture online.
Fourth, the witness of house churches. Despite arrests, torture, and imprisonment, Iranian Christians are boldly sharing the gospel.
And fifth—and most importantly—God is keeping His promise. Jeremiah 49:39 says, "In the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam." That's not just political restoration—it's spiritual restoration.
But the cost is high. Christians in Iran face harassment, arrest, imprisonment, torture, and execution. Churches are raided. Bibles are confiscated. Pastors are imprisoned for years.
The regime views conversion from Islam as apostasy—punishable by death.
And yet, the Church grows.
Now let me give you three lessons and then a prayer guide.
First: God's promise to restore Elam is being fulfilled before our eyes.
This isn't speculation. This is measurable reality. The spiritual awakening happening in Iran is unprecedented in its history.
Isaiah 60:3 says, "Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn."
That's happening in Iran right now.
Second: The enemy's greatest weapon—persecution—is fueling the Church's growth.
Tertullian, one of the early Church Fathers, famously said, "The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church."
That's true in Iran today. Every arrest, every imprisonment, every execution only strengthens the resolve of believers and draws more Iranians to Christ.
Third: We have a responsibility to pray for Iran.
The early Church Fathers understood that nations are battlegrounds in the unseen realm. Daniel 10 reveals spiritual powers assigned to nations—including Persia.
Our prayers matter. Spiritual warfare is real. And God calls us to intercede.
So let me give you a biblical prayer guide for Iran—one that's rooted in Scripture and consistent with how the early Church prayed.
First, acknowledge God's sovereignty over nations. Daniel 2:21 says God "changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others."
Second, pray Daniel 10 prayers—restraining spiritual powers. Daniel 10:12-13 reveals the "prince of Persia" resisting God's purposes.
Third, pray for the Church in Iran. Acts 2:9 reminds us that Elamites were at Pentecost.
Fourth, pray Jeremiah 49—restoration after judgment. God promised to restore Elam in the latter days.
Fifth, pray for Israel. Genesis 12:3 says God will bless those who bless Israel.
Finally, close with Christ-centered hope. Revelation 1:17-18 says Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades.
Let me pray using these ideas:
Thank you for joining me for this three-part series on Iran. We've seen God's promise to Elam, how He prepared Persian hearts for the Messiah, and how He's keeping His promise today despite Islamic oppression.
Friends, Iran is not forgotten by God. The restoration of Elam is underway. And the Church—purchased by Christ's blood—is unstoppable.
Until next time, keep your eyes on the nations, pray for the persecuted Church in Iran, and remember—God keeps His promises. Elam is being restored.
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