So Trump has said bridges and powerplants will be obliterated 1st if Iran doesn't tomorrow (i doubt this will happen, it will either be Iran does the smallest of concessions only to continue being pests or Trump will huff and puff some more and he'll set another deadline)could this be how Jeremiah 49 is fulfilled?
Does Jeremiah 49 say that Israel will be the ones used to fulfil this prophecy or does it just say the Lord will do this which could also mean that he uses Trump as an instrument to carry out this fulfilment via the attacks that may or may not happen?
To answer the 3 questions you pose
Here is the relevant passage: Jer 49:34-39 (NIV) my emphasis.
34 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet
concerning Elam, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah:
35
This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“See,
I will break the bow of Elam,
the mainstay of their might.
36
I will bring against Elam the four winds
from the four quarters of heaven;
I will scatter them to the four winds,
and there will not be a nation
where Elam’s exiles do not go.
37
I will shatter Elam before their foes,
before those who want to kill them;
I will bring disaster on them,
even my fierce anger,”
declares the Lord.
“I will pursue them with the sword
until I have made an end of them.
38
I will set my throne in Elam
and destroy her king and officials,”
declares the Lord.
39
“Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam
in days to come,”
declares the Lord.
1: could this be how Jeremiah 49 is fulfilled? Yes possibly, but we won't know until the relevant parts are fulfilled. To do that we should also look at the other big Elam prophecy because that could be talking about the same thing.
Ezekiel 32:17-32 which deals with the theme of terrorism, and the defeat of Elam and some others as a result. Taken together it is quite likely we could be seeing the beginning of this prophecy being fulfilled, but there are still a lot of missing pieces to say that it is.
AND
this passage here in Jeremiah indicates that her foes come at her from all over - the 4 winds idiom, reinforced by 4 quarters of heaven, a similar idiom and again as the 4 winds.
This is repeated 3 times, so this idiom is super significant.
So for Jer 49 to be fulfilled - there have to be other nations involved. And that is backed up by the way that Ezek 32 speaks- as though this is a result of terror inflicted all over the place. Ezek 32 mentions other nations that were involved with Elam in causing terror. So it sounds like a group of terrorist nations get attacked by a multinational force from all 4 corners of the globe. Right now it's just the USA and Israel as far as I know. And the only group besides Iran is Lebanon in the Ezek 32 group so that has to broaden out as well before this can be Jer 49.
2: Does Jer 49 say Israel is the one to fulfill Jer 49? No, not specifically. It doesn't say they are not involved, simply that those involved come from all over, and the ultimate force behind the foes of Elam is God Himself. So it means more than just Israel and the States.
3: Does it just say the Lord will do this? (which could also mean He uses Trump?) Yes.
Ultimately the Lord is behind the fall of Elam (which in turn is only a part of Iran or ancient Persia). He will use those He wishes, which of course could include Trump but doesn't have to if this isn't being fulfilled during Trump's term of office.
By limiting this to Elam, this leaves the ancient Persian empire in the form of modern Iran only partially destroyed, which means that Persia in Ezek 38 is still able to act.
Just a super important side note here.
Setting His throne in Elam is an idiom which is further reinforced by the rest of that phrase about destroying her king and officials. This was done in the ancient near east as a routine custom of a conquering king who would come in, conquer and as a final act to cement the defeat, the conquering king would set up his throne IN the former court, the capitol of the conquered nation and destroy the former king and officials in front of him.
Too many people confuse that idiom to mean that God will set up another throne outside Jerusalem, in ancient Elam. It doesn't mean that at all. It means that God is taking possession of Elam, and destroying her rulers and authorities. Putting them beneath HIS feet.
The LAST verse DOES have a future promise for Elam though- and the phrase "Days to Come" looks like a Millennial kingdom reference. A promise to restore.
