Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani was sentenced to death by hanging several years ago after he was arrested for objecting to Islamic education for his Christian children on a charge of apostasy, a sentence the pastor appealed to Iran's Supreme Court which handed down the latest verdict, "Choose Islam or die".
Iran's constitution declares that the official religion of Iran is Islam but adds that other Islamic denominations are to be accorded full respect and it recognizes Christianity as a protected religious minority.
There are reports coming out of Iran that this Christian pastor will be questioned again then to state whether he is a Muslim, then to be released or a Christian that would lead to his execution.
Jimmy's Prophetic Prospective on the News
Iran's decision to execute a Christian pastor who converted from Islam is a precursor to what Bible prophecy reveals will happen in the last days.
The recent report coming out of Iran that the Iranian Supreme Court had ruled in favor of the state and will allow for the execution of a Christian pastor who will not denounce Christianity has shocked the world. The supreme court in Iran said they will ask one question, "Are you a Muslim" if his reply is yes, the pastor will be released; however, if he says he is a Christian, then he will be executed. Death by hanging for Muslim converts to Christianity has been a major weapon by the Islamic world to keep control of their Muslim worshipers and has been so down through the ages.
The publicity of this sentence for a Christian pastor has brought to light the extent to which a false religion will go to stop defections from their Islamic faith. In a number of prophetic passages, one can find the warnings of the times ahead when these executions of believers in Jesus will be commonplace. Revelation 6:9 tells of the slaughter of believers during the seven years of terrible trouble called the Tribulation. Revelation 20:4 reveals how many in the Tribulation Period will be beheaded for their faith.
The death sentence given to the Iranian pastor is indeed evidence of a soon coming time when Bible prophecy will be fulfilled.
