Islam
The developing situation in the earth at the moment is indicative that God’s program of preparation for Jesus’ return is well under way. For those watching and waiting for his return, there are several exciting signs which could be significant. If these signs are what they seem to be, the return of Jesus could be perhaps only a few short years away.
Throughout the past 2,000 years, the followers of our Lord Jesus have felt sure that he would come in their lifetime. Like those who have gone before us, we have this same hope. But in our case, if our view of prophecy is correct, there are specific signs occurring that we usually link with latter-day developments immediately before his return.
Central and pivotal in these latter days is the growth and influence of Islam. Islam is growing fast throughout the world. Islamic philosophy and beliefs stunningly resemble the characteristics of the Beast described in Revelation 13 and elsewhere.
Islam is a direct and growing threat to God’s people — both Jews and Christians. It is strongly expected that the prophesied attack against Jerusalem (Zech 14) will be by Arab Islamic nations who will be joined by non-Arab Islamic nations such as Iran, Turkey and maybe others.
Islam, and in particular Iran, which has in recent times become the voice of Islam, is strong in its hatred of Israel and in its determination to wipe Israel off the map. Islam is also violently against Christianity, and many Christians have already suffered and been killed by Islamic forces.
The growth, influence and objectives of Islam are a distinct latter-day phenomenon. The writer has believed for years that the Beast of Revelation is likely to be Islamic. As each day passes, the likelihood of this becomes more compelling, as Islam becomes more and more dominant and demanding all over the world. The threat of Islam against Israel is also very significant.
How does this fit with Daniel’s prophecies about a latter day evil power which is the final evil power in the image of Nebuchadnezzar? Daniel makes it clear that this power will be cruel and vicious. Daniel gives us a glimpse of this terrible final power:
“I saw in the night visions and behold, a fourth beast, terrible and dreadful and exceeding strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces and stamped the residue with its feet” (Dan 7:7-8).1
It was different from all the Beasts before it, and it had ten horns. “I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things” (Dan 7:8).
The description of the Beast in Revelation is remarkably similar to Daniel’s description of this fourth Beast. The Beast of Revelation will be “allowed to make war on the saints and conquer them, and authority was given to it over every tribe and people and tongue and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it . . .” (Rev 13:7-8).
Compare these words with
“As I looked, this horn made war with the saints and prevailed over them . . . As for the fourth beast, there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth which shall be different from all the kingdoms, and it shall devour the whole earth, and trample it down and break it to pieces” (Daniel 7:21, 23-25).
“As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, and another shall rise after them; he shall be different from the former ones, and shall put down three kings. He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High” (Dan 7:24).
Further, Daniel’s little horn will have “eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth speaking great things”, and the Beast of Revelation will also have “a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words”.
The three horns
If this interpretation is correct, Daniel’s fourth Beast is Islam, and the little horn will grow out of Islam and will therefore be Islamic.
Daniel states that the little horn will destroy three of the ten horns. This indicates that there are nations in these last days which will have Islamic influence within them, but which do not sufficiently reflect Islamic aims and philosophies in the eyes of fundamental Islamism. These nations are likely to be pro-western and therefore unacceptable to fundamental Islam.
Three of these nations will be overthrown (plucked up) “by the roots”. Their un-Islamic governments will be overthrown and replaced by an Islamic government.
Who are these three nations?
There are current developments in the Middle-East which could indicate that the three nations (three horns) may be Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan.
The Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, has now been toppled. There is a widespread belief that once elections are held in Egypt (later this year) an Islamic government will be voted into power. The next few months will determine whether this is the case. If so, we may have seen the first of the horns of Daniel “plucked up by the roots”.
Lebanon’s government is also currently in danger of being overthrown by Hezbollah, an Islamic regime backed strongly by Iran and Syria.
In past weeks, Jordan’s King Abdullah has sacked his government in response to Islamic demands. Will it, too, be replaced with an Islamic government? Jordan is already feeling the strain of Islamic demands upon it.
All of these three nations are pro-western. If their governments are replaced by Islamic governments, Israel will be surrounded by Islamic governments in the north, east and south. The Mediterranean Sea is to the west. Israel would be completely ringed about by its Islamic enemies.
If the next few weeks or months bring about Islamic governments in Egypt, Lebanon and Jordan, it is suggested that we will be witnessing the overthrow of the three horns in Daniel 7 by the little horn (Islam). If so, we are very close to the time of great tribulation spoken of by Jesus and by Daniel (chapter 12), and therefore very close to the time when the Beast will begin to rule for the 31/2 years prophesied by Jesus in Revelation 13.
Israel’s isolation
Students of Bible prophecy are well aware that Israel must eventually stand alone in isolation from all other nations. Already, most countries of the world are anti-Israel. Up to now, Israel could count on its main allies as being America, Jordan and Egypt. If Egypt and Jordan are overthrown by Islam, and if Lebanon is governed by the Islamic Hezbollah, this will have the effect of isolating Israel even more.
There are two factors that could result in Israel losing America as an ally:
- President Obama is already showing real signs of being somewhat pro-Islam and pro-Arab in his political philosophy. Israel no longer enjoys 100% support from America’s government.
- America’s economy is weakening. It has massive institutional debt — most of it with oil-rich Arab nations and China. This is a decidedly insecure and shaky situation for America. If its economy “falls over”, it will no longer be able to support Israel or anyone else. There will also be major implications for all world economies.
Israel is therefore facing a potentially dangerous situation. Once it stands alone, without allies such as America or Egypt and perhaps Jordan, it will be vulnerable to the long-expected attack against Jerusalem.
The current Islamic activity in the Middle-East could all contribute to a situation where Islamic nations would attack Jerusalem, knowing that Israel will have no-one to come to its aid.
The attack on Jerusalem
The Scriptures make it clear that the expected attack on Jerusalem will leave it in ruins, with its people taken into exile. Here are three powerful prophecies expounding this:
“I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken, and the houses plundered and the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into exile . . .” (Zech 14:2).
“O God, the heathen have come into Thy inheritance. They have defiled Thy holy Temple; they have laid Jerusalem in ruins . . . Let the groans of the prisoners come before Thee. According to Thy great power, preserve those doomed to die! Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbours the taunts with which they have taunted Thee, O LORD” (Psa 79:1, 11-12).
“. . . For it (Jerusalem) is given over to the nations and they will trample over the holy city for 42 months” (Revelation 11:2).
Revelation 13:5 tells us that the Beast will rule for 42 months (31/2 years). Daniel 7:25 says that the little horn will rule for “a time, two times and half a time” (31/2 times).
Once Jerusalem is attacked, the time period of 31/2 years is given on several occasions in scripture. We therefore know that the attack on Jerusalem will signal:
- The beginning of the rule of the Beast, and a time of great tribulation for Jews and Christians.
- The trampling down of Jerusalem which will be left in ruins.
Conclusion
The purpose of this article is to draw attention to events happening right now in the world. Prophecy warns that these things could well occur just prior to the return of Jesus.
If current political happenings in the Middle-East and the natural disasters which are taking place at the moment are reflective of latter-day prophecy, then it is highly likely that Jesus’ return is imminent.
It is always unwise to try and put a time on the return of Jesus, but in view of what is taking place in the world, we are probably looking at a few short years before he returns, rather than decades.
“Lift up your heads”, for we can expect to shortly see our Lord returning in power and great glory to gather his elect, and begin the great work of establishing God’s world-wide Kingdom.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One