With the world seemingly in turmoil, many more people are looking to the future and considering where the world might be are going. With hostilities seemingly increasing between Russia and the Ukraine, and the increasing conflict in the Middle East, with militant Islam, causing untold suffering with the spread of the ISIS philosophy’s causing extreme misery in the area on which they are imposing their will. The increasing spread of Islam in Europe and America and the increasing number of local people joining the ISIS is causing concern to the European, American and Australian leaders, are enough to cause them to impose restrictions on some people’s movements. They are indeed concerned about events might be going.
Christians who are looking for the return of Christ, are looking to the signs of end times. These are written in many places in the Scriptures, notably Matthew chapter 24, Luke Chapter 21, Isaiah, Zechariah, Daniel and many, many other Bible references. One of the key Scriptures relates to the revealing of the Antichrist, who will come, seemingly to put the world to right’s, but in effect will be motivated by Satan. The Christian Church and all believers will be raised to meet the Lord in the air, so we will be forever with the Lord. [1 Thess 4:17]. We will be taken before the revealing of the Antichrist. [2 Thess 2:3-5] and will miss the worst of the Tribulation time and the persecution that will ensue with the arrival and rule of the Antichrist, and the associated turmoil and bloodshed that will result as he sets up his own religion for his own worship and aggrandisement.
Is Islam included in prophecy? There are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world which accounts to 23% of the world’s population. There are about 3.5 million Muslims in America and 43 million in Europe. Of these, expert’s asses there are over 100million radical Muslims, of which 250,000 are in America and are continually being caught in terrorist activity. We are told in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 that along with Magog and his hordes they will experience defeat on the mountains of Israel. Some scholars such as Joel Richardson and Walid Shoebat see the 12th Imam or “Hazrat Mahdi” forecast to arrive, who will, according to some Muslim’s put the world in general to rights and impose the strict Sharia or Caliphate law, and spread the Moslem faith throughout the world. Many members of the Islam faith are looking for him to come. Apparently he will be born in Turkey in a little village of Kara, but not be revealed until his time is come. It is forecast he will reign for 7 years. It may be coincidental but he will reign for the same length of time that Antichrist is due to rule. However in Dr. Ed Hindson’s book “15 Future Events that will shake the world” he reminds us that “terrorizing “is a part of “lawlessness” predicted in the Bible. He can never see the idea of Caliphate rule offering any cooperation with the world leaders unless they are Muslim. Dr. David Reagan writes; “The Bible tells us the Arab’s will come against Israel in the end times and try and take the Land of Israel. God will react by making the Arab lands desolate [Ezek 35:6-7, 15]” Maybe God’s answer to the prayer of Psalm 83, and perhaps as part of the conquests of Antichrist. Dr. Reagan is doubtful that the Mahdi will be the Antichrist as the Bible indicates that he will be of Roman descent and arise to power in Europe. However if a new leader arises within Europe and comes from Roman stock, there is no reason why he could not have been born in Turkey or be Muslim. Turkey is trying hard to join the common market and with their efforts with the refugees from Syria, it might help them to become accepted into a United Europe further swelling the number of Muslims within it. So perhaps we should keep our minds open as the Lord only gave us the general synopsis of future events not the detail.
Last month we looked at the Moslem religion, its foundation and details of its route through history. We know the Antichrist will form a universal religion involving all religions but worshiping the Antichrist as God. He will meet his end at the final battle of Armageddon. I will leave you to interpret this as there is no indication in the Bible as to his origins other than he will be based in Rome. One thing that is said about him however is that he will attack the world’s mightiest fortresses with the help of a foreign god, and then when in power will replace this god with himself.[Dan 11:37-39].
The Moslem’s of today believe they worship the one true God and have obtained their birth right through Ismael when God promised Ismael’s mother he would be the forbear of many people but would be a wild donkey of a man, and his hand would be against everyone including his brothers [Gen 16:7-16]. Today that prophecy is being fulfilled. The question remains; what will happen to the descendants of the Arab nations descended from Ishmael, Esau and Lot when our Lord comes to reign during the millennium? Ishmael’s mother was Egyptian and we find a reference to the survivors of the Tribulation in both Assyria and Egypt. We are told they will be judged by The Lord and will be converted and turn to God, and adopt the faith of the Jews. [Isa 19:19-26]. God is not against the Arab world but I think they will be unspeakably judged for the harm they have done or tried to do to God’s earthly people Israel. However there will be a remnant of the Egyptians and Syrians that turn to the Lord in the last days and will worship as the Jews. God will fulfill His promise to make Ismael’s descendants an honoured and beloved people after all.
It is though the world is building up to a climax. We are told that in the last days the state of events would be as in the days of Noah, where the whole world was filled with violence [Gen 6:11], Also the last days will be as the time of Lot, chapters 18 & 19 of Genesis tell us all about this situation. Jesus referred to it [Luke 17:28-29]. On both occasions God brought judgement to bear for the sins that were being committed. Let me gently ask you, have you had your sins washed away in the precious blood of Jesus, are you forgiven are you fit to meet the Saviour? For I do not think the Lords arrival is far away.
Brian D. Papworth
Representative for the P.W.M.I. in the South Pacific