PERSIA AND PROPHECY
"We're hungry, Can't Survive"
Chuck Crismier: This is Viewpoint with attorney and author Chuck Crismier. Viewpoint is a one-hour talk show confronting the issues of America's hearts and homes. And now with today's edition of Viewpoint, here is Chuck Crismier.
Chuck Crismier: The U.S. Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent says the Iran confrontation is entering its end game. The U.S. President says Iran is completely collapsing.
Chuck Crismier: In addition to that, the Iranian Parliament speaker said, we are hungry and we cannot survive. So what is the future?
Chuck Crismier: What is the future of Persia as compared with biblical prophecy?
Chuck Crismier: Will Iran survive the sanctions?
Chuck Crismier: We'll talk about it here on Viewpoint today, and I'm glad that you've joined us.
Chuck Crismier: It's conversation as always with ever increasing conviction talk.
Chuck Crismier: that transforms.
Chuck Crismier: And indeed, there's so much going on with regard to Iran. Iran has stood in the gap and has pumped its chest.
Chuck Crismier: Internationally and said that the world is recognizing that Iran has actually won the battle against the West and against America.
Chuck Crismier: However, there's desperation.
Chuck Crismier: Continuing desperation, as a matter of fact,
Chuck Crismier: the Iranian state-run television channel aired a video threatening President Trump's youngest son, Barron, and claimed that details of his security arrangements had been exposed.
Chuck Crismier: Not only that, but Netanyahu then revealed last evening that Iran has attempted to assassinate one of his children after Iranian state TV threatened President Trump's son.
Chuck Crismier: Why are they doing that?
Chuck Crismier: These are last-ditch efforts, friends.
Chuck Crismier: These are serious last-ditch efforts.
Chuck Crismier: If you can't win any other way, just assassinate.
Chuck Crismier: Well, assassination seems to have become one of the most popular political tools these days.
Chuck Crismier: No matter where you turn, assassinations are everywhere.
Chuck Crismier: But is that how to win a war? Well, maybe, but on the other hand, what's going to be the ultimate result?
Chuck Crismier: Will Persia survive?
Chuck Crismier: You say, why do you call it Persia, isn't it called Iran?
Chuck Crismier: Well, it is called Iran today, but in 1935, it was called Persia. In fact, for the 2,000 years, actually, for 4,000 years before that, it was called Persia.
Chuck Crismier: So, we're going to take a look at this matter of Persia.
Chuck Crismier: Persia has a very troubled history.
Chuck Crismier: A very troubled history indeed, but a very long history.
Chuck Crismier: And so, we take a look at it to set the stage here on Viewpoint today.
Chuck Crismier: Iran's flag itself was adopted in 1980 after the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Chuck Crismier: And their words, Allah Akbar, God is great, are repeated 11 times on both the green and red stripes of the flag.
Chuck Crismier: Allah Akbar, God is great, 11 times on both the green and red stripes of the Iranian flag.
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic Republic of Iran contains a barren central plateau, which covers 50% of the country actually.
Chuck Crismier: It's a very interesting place, very wide, large country.
Chuck Crismier: And has hot and cold summers and cold, excuse me, hot and cold summers and cold winters.
Chuck Crismier: And it's you could say, in some respects, it's like the U.S.
Chuck Crismier: Varied, very, very varied.
Chuck Crismier: The Aryans settled in Persia in 2000 BC.
Chuck Crismier: That is before the Jewish people were delivered from Egypt.
Chuck Crismier: They were delivered from Egypt around 1300 BC.
Chuck Crismier: And so 2000 BC, Persia existed before that. The Persian King Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC.
Chuck Crismier: And that was about the time that the children of Israel had been sent to Babylon for 70 years.
Chuck Crismier: And so he was the one who assisted the Jewish people in returning to Israel and rebuilding the Temple.
Chuck Crismier: Cyrus the Great. In fact, Cyrus the Great was depicted in the scriptures there in the Tanakh, that is the Old Testament, as, shall we say, a type of Christ.
Chuck Crismier: Cyrus the Great.
Chuck Crismier: And then we have the Persian Empire falling to Alexander the Great in 331 BC.
Chuck Crismier: Persian rule was restored by the Sasanids in AD 224.
Chuck Crismier: The Arabs conquered Persia in AD 641 and introduced Islam under Muhammad.
Chuck Crismier: And for the next two centuries, Persia was the center of Islamic art and architecture.
Chuck Crismier: Then the Turks conquered Persia on the 11th century, but in 1220, the land was overrun by the Mongols.
Chuck Crismier: You see, this is a tremendous variety of rulership and dislocation and there in what was formerly Persia and now Iran.
Chuck Crismier: The Safavid dynasty was founded by Shah Ismail in, and that was between 1501 and 1722 AD.
Chuck Crismier: And then there was a Shiite theocratic principle of modern Iran that was established then, way back then.
Chuck Crismier: So his despotic rule, the Shah's despotic rule, was noted for imperial ambition.
Chuck Crismier: And then there are a whole bunch of other dislocations and changes then Persia began to decline in the face of the European expansion.
Chuck Crismier: Britain and Russia competed for influence in the area.
Chuck Crismier: The discovery of oil in Iran led to the Russian and British division of Iran in 1907.
Chuck Crismier: In 1919, the treaty with Iran effectively became a British protectorate. I even have the postage stamps collected when I was between 10 or 12 years of age, showing the British nature of then Persia and Iran.
Chuck Crismier: In 1919, a treaty, Iran effectively became a British protectorate, and in 1921, Reza Khan seized power in a military coup.
Chuck Crismier: Established by the Pahlavi dynasty and was elected Shah in 1925.
Chuck Crismier: He annulled the British treatment, treaty, and began a process of modernization.
Chuck Crismier: And, of course, that led to the installation of the Shah and the 1943 Tehran Declaration guaranteeing Iran's independence.
Chuck Crismier: The 1951 oil industry was nationalized and the Shah fled Iran, but soon returned to U.S. backing and restored Western oil fields in 1953.
Chuck Crismier: In the 1960s, the Shah undertook large-scale reforms, such as landownership and extending franchises to women.
Chuck Crismier: But discontent surfaced over increasing Westernization and economic inequalities, the secret police crushed all dissent, Iranian clerics led by the Ayatollah Khomeini openly voiced their disapproval.
Chuck Crismier: Of the secularization of society, and so, ultimately, Khomeini called for the abdication of the Shah in 1978. The Shah fled in 1979.
Chuck Crismier: Khomeini established an Islamic Republic, a theocracy profoundly conservative and anti-Western.
Chuck Crismier: And the oil industry was renationalized in 1979.
Chuck Crismier: And the U.S. Embassy was seized in Tehran, taking 52 American hostages. I remember that day very well. Because the son of the pastor of the church that we were then part of in Pasadena, California, was part of those that was taken captive.
Chuck Crismier: That was a salutary event for the West, for the United States.
Chuck Crismier: And in fact, led to a massive problem with gasoline and everybody had to line up every other day to get eight gallons of gas.
Chuck Crismier: Wow, what a time that was in the 1970s.
Chuck Crismier: We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel.
Chuck Crismier: So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces.
Chuck Crismier: Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities.
Chuck Crismier: President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent.
Chuck Crismier: We are now entering the end game.
Chuck Crismier: A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary.
Chuck Crismier: Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran.
Chuck Crismier: He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable.
Chuck Crismier: Under President Trump, that era is over.
Chuck Crismier: Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said.
Chuck Crismier: He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines.
Chuck Crismier: That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world.
Chuck Crismier: That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini.
Chuck Crismier: In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran.
Chuck Crismier: Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing?
Chuck Crismier: Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power?
Chuck Crismier: Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy?
Chuck Crismier: And what might that be?
Chuck Crismier: We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today.
Chuck Crismier: But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out.
Chuck Crismier: When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication.
Chuck Crismier: So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed.
Chuck Crismier: It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump.
Chuck Crismier: The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump."
Chuck Crismier: Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible.
Chuck Crismier: Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us."
Chuck Crismier: Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding."
Chuck Crismier: But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming.
Chuck Crismier: What happens when people begin to speak like this?
Chuck Crismier: Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace.
Chuck Crismier: These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride.
Chuck Crismier: When pride takes over, watch out.
Chuck Crismier: And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall.
Chuck Crismier: A great fall.
Chuck Crismier: So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.
Chuck Crismier: Therefore, beware.
Chuck Crismier: The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah.
Chuck Crismier: And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive.
Chuck Crismier: Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive.
Chuck Crismier: And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that.
Chuck Crismier: Pride.
Chuck Crismier: It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride.
Chuck Crismier: That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country.
Chuck Crismier: We just don't agree with God.
Chuck Crismier: We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Chuck Crismier: Again, I welcome you back to Viewpoint. Today we're taking a look at the matter of Iran, formerly known as Persia, asking the question, then whether Persia will survive? Will Iran survive the sanctions? And all the other things that are going on. Even though Iran claims that the world is recognizing it as the victor over the battle with the United States and Israel. So, all of that here today on Viewpoint.
Chuck Crismier: Today, President Donald Trump stated that Iran is completely collapsing as a result of the economic and military pressure it faces. Trump's statement comes after the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that Washington is approaching the end game in its confrontation with Iran. Following what he described as the destruction of much of Tehran's military capabilities. President Trump has dismantled Iran's military capabilities, destroying nearly 100% of its military factories and buried its nuclear program, said Bessent. We are now entering the end game. A dawn begins an economic D-Day, he said, the single greatest financial offensive ever marshaled against an adversary. Bessent argued that the Trump administration had fundamentally changed the balance of pressure between Washington and Tehran. He said the Islamic Republic has subsisted by dressing exhortation, extortion, rather, as security guarantees. It has drawn strength from a calculus that regards Iranian retaliation as certain and American enforcement as negotiable. Under President Trump, that era is over. Said Bessent, and those who fear the danger of defying Tehran ought not to discount the cost of testing Washington, he said. He said Trump had also laid the groundwork for an expansive campaign targeting Iran's remaining economic lifelines. That he has created the conditions to leverage every agency, every authority, and action many had assumed would never be summoned. He said, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains the tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone.
Chuck Crismier: What happens then if Tehran stands alone?
Chuck Crismier: What happens if it doesn't have the, shall we say, the backing of those around it?
Chuck Crismier: The Islamic nations around it.
Chuck Crismier: Then what?
Chuck Crismier: Well, you see, Turkey isn't very likely to come to Iran's defense, since, since Turkey believes under Mr. Erdogan that they are entitled to and will ultimately establish a global Islamic caliphate to rule the world. That was the vision of Iran under Khomeini. In fact, even Louis Farrakhan, a number of years ago, went from the United States to meet with then, then President of Iran, Rafsanjani. And declared that Iran was the vanguard of the Islamic Revolution. In other words, it was like the, the point of the arrow or the tip of the of the rocket. That would carry out and completely envelop the earth with Sharia law.
Chuck Crismier: But last Wednesday, Mr. Trump declared a sweeping new economic campaign against Iran. Described the effort as an economic D-Day and warned countries providing economic assistance to Tehran if they would face terrifying consequences that would cripple them.
Chuck Crismier: Well, where does all that go?
Chuck Crismier: Is Iran completely collapsing? Will Persia again collapse in the face of another power? Or is another pattern going to emerge based upon biblical prophecy? And what might that be? We'll get to that as we move forward in the program here today. But indeed, there are threatenings and slaughterings that are going out. When an Iranian, Iranian state-run television airs a video saying that how and where Barron Trump should be killed. Claims that Barron, Trump's movements have been fully monitored, that the information obtained includes the location of the university he attends, the vehicles that accompany him here, and the locations of the Secret Service personnel protecting him. The video also claims that a $10 million bounty has been offered for him, although that claim has not been independently verified. At the time of publication. So the broadcast comes after a similar video published in July. Affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, claiming that access routes and weaknesses in Melania Trump's security arrangements had been exposed. It also alleged a plot to harm Ivanka Trump. The Iranian state media has also issued direct threats against President Trump himself. A billboard in July was displayed in Tehran's Islamic Revolution Square showing Trump apparently dead in a coffin alongside the English words, "We will kill Trump." Another event cited in the threats of the death of Ayatollah Khomeini in combined strike by the IDF and the U.S. military. Several Iranian state media outlets linked the personal threats against Trump to the Islamic concept of Qisas, which under, they argued, the killing of the leader of the Islamic Republic creates an obligation to strike those deemed responsible. Mohammad Larijani, a commentator on Iranian state television, said that Qisas is the Islamic Republic's inalienable right, referring to those responsible for Khomeini's death. He said, "We will do everything in our power and there's no international legal barrier that will stop us." Another commentator on state-run network said, "If we do not carry out Qisas against Trump, if we do not punish the murder of our leader, the current leader and the leaders of the Islamic Republic will always have to live in hiding." But Mr. Trump has previously warned that an attempt to assassinate him would result in a severe American response. Saying on January 20th that the event of such an attempt, the entire country of Iran is going to get blown up, will be wiped off the face of the Earth.
Chuck Crismier: Now, all of these are very strong, very bold statements that are coming. What happens when people begin to speak like this? Well, it certainly isn't bringing about peace. These are not the words of peace, they're the words of increasing antagonism and the demonstration of pride. When pride takes over, watch out. And yet, we're told in the scripture that pride, well, is just proceeding a great fall. A great fall. So, whether the pride is coming from the U.S., whether it's coming from Iran, whether it's coming from both end, that's another issue altogether. But pride is the foundation for destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Therefore, beware. The Bible even talks about a situation where two kings, one an Israeli king and the other, I can't remember who he was. Maybe it was the king of Israel as opposed to the king of Judah. And the king of Judah said, well, let's go and meet ourselves face-to-face. Those were words meaning, let's go to battle. And so the king of Israel said, hey, don't get so proud. It's one thing to say boldly, let's meet for battle. It's another thing to walk away from it alive. Well, the king of Judah did not walk away alive. And yet, he was a godly king. So pride got in the way and caused his destruction. Pride is a very devastating thing. I don't know if you've noticed that. Pride. It's the root of all sin, actually. It's the, it's the very thing that took Satan out, Lucifer out of the Mount of God in the heavens, because he decided he could be equal with God. And also, it's also the root of all of our sin, because we actually are going on along with Satan's question to Eve, "Hath God said?" and then we answer, "Yes, but." In other words, we, we allow our own thinking, our own ways, our own opinions, our own viewpoint to replace God's viewpoint, in whole or in part. That's pride. That's pride and pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. And that's why we're in danger here in the United States of America, particularly in the church house, of a great fall, or a great falling away. Because pride has become huge in this country. We just don't agree with God. We don't agree with God from pulpit to pew. Oh, we agree with what we agree with, but then there are things we don't agree with, and that's where the problem comes. You see, Satan agreed with God. Satan knew what God had said. He agreed that God said, you shall not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but in the day you eat of it, you shall surely die. He knew that. That's why I asked the question of Eve, "Hath God said?" He knew what God said. Just like we do in the church today. On the other hand, it doesn't seem to matter what we know that God said, because we have a different viewpoint. We don't like what he said about this, that or the other. And so, we pick and choose what we're going to agree with. That's what Satan did in the heavenlies, and he got Eve to do it on Earth. Adam bought into the strategy. And the rest is history, and that's why we needed a savior. I mean, that's distilling the picture pretty simply. But that's why we needed a savior. So this matter of pride is a really big deal. It just is. And we've got to be very careful about pride. One of the things that has troubled me over the years. Growing up in the church, in a variety of different denominations, and hearing some of the most prominent pastors and evangelists of our history speaking, and I, I listened to them, and I hear the things that they say that are true, but then I also hear some things that they're saying that are not true, or how they leave out teaching or preaching about things that are very, very important, but they don't want to teach about them because they know that people won't agree. Therefore, the pastors and leaders themselves are playing the game with Satan. Hath God said? And yet, they won't preach it. So they're saying yes, but. They're leading the people to go along with the yes, but answer, which is pride. And pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall. Okay, well, you say, well, what does that have to do with Iran and Persia? Well, fortunately, the word Persia and pride go together. So does biblical prophecy. Because pride actually lies at the heart of much of the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. It just does. God doesn't mess with pride. He doesn't like it, he hates it, and pride is not something that we want to engage in. And so, we want to test ourselves. One of the things that I've found myself doing over the years is increasingly testing myself. Lord, is there something here in your word that I see, that I read, and heretofore, I was led to believe that that's not what you said, but what I'm reading here, what I'm seeing, not just in part of the word, but in the whole of your word, is quite contrary. It's leading to a different, a different viewpoint, a different understanding of what you have said and what your intent was. And so, I have to think very hard, go before the Lord. Humble myself, so to speak, and say, okay, Lord, have I been, has my thinking been wrong? And I've had to change my viewpoint on some major issues, not salvation itself, not on whether Jesus is God, not on whether God is God, not on whether we needed a savior, not on whether all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. But a lot of other things that are supremely important in the life of the church and in the life of Christian people, and God's people have been led astray hugely by not teaching and preaching those things. So pride entered in, and I found in my own life, that I had to deal with that issue of pride. Am I going to go along with what other people have said, with the opinions of others, even if it seems to be the majority, or if I'm going to go along actually with what God has said? That's my choice, and that's your choice. That's America's choice. And we're in a situation where in America, we have made that choice for a very long period of time, even in the house of God, certainly since the late 1950s, up till today. Through the whole church growth movement of the 1970s and 80s, to the church sensitive movement of the 1990s, to the emergent church movement in the year 2000 and so on, we've made that choice over and over again and deepened our resistance to God. Deepened our resistance to him. Deepened our pride. So what can we expect from God? Would he allow Persia to attack us? You say, why are they going to do that? We're much stronger. That doesn't mean they can't attack us. They have their ways, what would they risk doing? It might risk annihilation, but would they be willing to do that if they feel trapped? Oh, speaking of feeling trapped. That brings up a whole another story. A whole different story. When the speaker of Parliament in Iran makes a profound statement. Wow, we're going to have to deal with that profound statement. It's shocking. We'll be back.
Featured Offer
LASTING LOVE can be a dream come true. Yet love requires more than a dream or those loving feelings we so much desire.Lasting Love, Chuck and Kathie Crismier, celebrating their Golden Anniversary, unveil seven enduring secrets that will inspire and strengthen your marriage as it has theirs. COPY and PASTE this link to WATCH the TRAILER: https://www.facebook.com/Save-America-Ministries-204687919570536/videos
Past Episodes
This ministry does not have any series.
Featured Offer
LASTING LOVE can be a dream come true. Yet love requires more than a dream or those loving feelings we so much desire.Lasting Love, Chuck and Kathie Crismier, celebrating their Golden Anniversary, unveil seven enduring secrets that will inspire and strengthen your marriage as it has theirs. COPY and PASTE this link to WATCH the TRAILER: https://www.facebook.com/Save-America-Ministries-204687919570536/videos
About Save America Ministries
About Chuck Crismier
Contact Save America Ministries with Chuck Crismier
crismier@saveus.org
http://www.saveus.org/
Save America Ministries
P.O. Box 70879