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In our study of Islam, several facts should have become clear; one at least is highly significant:
But God scattered them and separated the nations and languages. 1.WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF THE WAR ON TERROR?(a) The war on terror declared by GW Bush is, like or not, a war on Islam. This will become clearer as the next decade unfolds. Islam as a whole will respond with vengeance. A second war upon Iraq in the next year is inevitable. (b) The world will become more Islamic "with major civil wars over religion and Sharia law flaring up all over the planet. Hot spots will include Palestine, Turkey, the Caucasus, East Africa and Asia. (c) I am convinced that the Islamic states will link up formally to create a block and will assist militant movements all over, including Indonesia. An Islamic block-state in Asia is, I would think, almost inevitable.*2 (d) Several Islamic states, like Pakistan, will "proliferate" nuclear technology to the others. Inevitably, the nuclear genie will spread across Islamic states and nuclear standoffs and showdowns will be a regular feature. (e) Islamic terrorists will eventually gain access to, if they do not already have it, nuclear material and will learn how to "weaponise" it in the form of a dirty bomb. I consider it likely that one or more major Western cities will be a victim to such an attack. Low-technology violence will become commonplace, and we will learn to live with terror from Islam. It appears very likely a major attack will take place in Australia in the next decade or earlier. (f) Nation states will see themselves as too small to deal with ideological challenges that split the world basically in two "A " Christian" West supported by Communist China and Hindu India and a handful of non-Islamic states in Asia and Africa faced with a militant and now nuclear-enabled Islamic world. Nation-states will form up, probably along cultural and economic lines first and then along more formal lines (e.g. the EU model). *3 (g) In the wake of some terrible event, a nuclear skirmish or large conventional war, the UN or some other "superstate" global body will appeal as the likely and best form of stable government for the whole planet to have a future. Which leads me to the following: 2.WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH ABOUT THE END OF HISTORY AND THE RETURN OF CHRIST?First, we must lay out a basic sketch of biblical eschatology. Here is what we know for sure: *4No one knows the time of the end, but God (Matthew 24.35; Mark 13.32; Acts 1.6-7) *16
There will be a time of great suffering, tribulation and carnage upon the earth (often described as a 7 year period), which the Church also will endure (Matthew 24.14-34; Mark 13.9ff; 13.13; 13.18-20; 2 Thessalonians 2.3: Revelation 13.9-10; 14.12). Many nations will fight against other nations (Mark 13.8). Apparently, one huge army will emerge from the East, from the Euphrates River (Iraq) (Revelation 9.13-14). *5 The danger comes from North of Israel (see Ezekiel 38-39 "The Battle of Gog and Magog). An Antichrist figure will arise (2 Thessalonians 2.3) *6, Satan"s servant, who will deceive many (Matthew 24.14-34; Mark 13.21-23; 2 Thessalonians 2.4); he will set himself up in the Jewish temple *7 (Mark 13.14) as an object of worship (2 Thessalonians 2.4; Revelation 13.3ff; 13.12) or perhaps his image as an idolatrous statue (Revelation 13.14-15). He can only appear at the god-ordained time (2 Thessalonians 2.6) and may well rule over the Old Roman order (Revelation 14.8 = Babylon; *8 see also 16.10). The armies of earth will gather against the Lord (see Ezekiel 38-39 *9), but near Jerusalem *15 (Matthew 24.30; Revelation 11.2; *10 16.14; 19.19); those same armies may well believe that the problems of the earth are about to end or have ended (I Thessalonians 5.3). They will gather near Megiddo (Revelation 16.16). This may suggest a one-world government (see Revelation 17.13; 18.9 etc) based on economic and trade reasons (Revelation 18.11ff; 18.23). There will be the sound of a trumpet *11 blast in heaven (Matthew 24.31; 1 Thessalonians 4.16) Christ will return (Matthew 24.30; Romans 13.11; 1 Thessalonians 1.3,10; 4.13-18); all humanity will see him (Mark 13.26) *12 Christ will be victorious (1 Corinthians 15.24; 1 Thessalonians 5.1-4; 2 Thessalonians 2.8); the Church will be redeemed (Colossians 3.4; 1 Thessalonians 5.9; 2 Thessalonians 1.10); Christ will destroy his enemies (1 Thessalonians 5.9; 2 Thessalonians 1.8-9; Revelation 16.19-20; 19.15). This world will end (2 Peter 2.10). One of Christ"s enemies will be the world system itself, portrayed as a great whore, and also as Rome in St John"s day (Revelation 17). There will be resurrection and judgement (see Revelation 20). 3.WHO ARE THE KEY OPPONENTS OF CHRIST AT THE END OF HISTORY?A few comments and conclusions on the above schema:I see no evidence of a clear role for either Islam or even the USA in biblical prophecy. There does seem to be room, however, for a one-world government that gathers to resist Christ. The biblical materials are very specific in some respects and vague in others. If there is a place for Islam, there is no obvious evidence for it. The Scriptures tend to talk in terms of peoples, nations and kings, not global religions. Thus, the key opponents of Christ at the end are: A one-world government under the headship of the Anti-Christ, together with his false prophet. This Anti-Christ has both a connection with Rome (or what Rome represented in St John"s day) and with Jerusalem and the Jewish temple. Are we to assume the Al-Aqsa Mosque is as good as, or are we to assume that this current building is to be destroyed and rebuilt? *13 If so, how does the Anti-Christ, as a presumably global figure and global head of government, gain by association with Judaism, a pariah religion? *14 Is it in some ecumenical form because all major religions have a stake hold in Jerusalem? Summing up then, we must anticipate a one-world government that, like with the Tower of Babel story, gathers all humanity together in a network of both political and religious myth. The Antichrist is part of the political and religious mythmaking (see esp. 2 Thessalonians 2). 4.ISLAM & THE WEST AT THE END OF HISTORY?I see no necessarily independent role for Islam at the end of time, so whatever is happening today in terms of conflict with the West must be preparatory in some sense"but not final! Will Islam or some Islamic terrorists eventually use nuclear weapons against the West? Very likely! And in doing so, perhaps we will see the final preconditions for a one-world government. Perhaps humanity, desperate for answers and standing at the brink of ultimate self-destruction will lay aside its hubris and its competing religious, political and economic stories, in order to engage one another through a truly global UN-- Who can say?One thing we can be sure of, however, is that Islam is not the end-time enemy of God's people, or the US its protector. Both these powers are too small to represent fully the biblical notions of resistance to Christ or opposition to his people at the end. But the struggle between Islam and The West may very well lead us to the End. 5.A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE:Psalm 2 may well be one of the most profound of Psalms. It is a royal or "enthronement" Psalm originally penned as part of the annual coronation liturgy for the king (perhaps David). It enters the Psalms as an introduction to the first book of Psalms (Ps 3-41 "all " of David" ).The early church read Pslam 2 in light of Christ, the Messiah, since the Psalm mentions the Lord"s "anointed" son. The Psalm hints that the same Son of God, destined to rule the nations wit a rod of iron, will be opposed by all the nations, who will gather together to fight against him. This Pslam is a profound word of prophecy, and points to the fact that at the end, all peoples "not just Muslims" will gather together in the "valley of decision" to fight against the Lord and his anointed Christ. And they will fail; and Christ will be victorious. Finally a few words about Jerusalem and its relationship to the End and Islam. 6. JERUSALEM: THE CENTERPIECE OF HISTORY:When all peoples *17 gather to fight against the Messiah, they will gather outside Jerusalem.
Is it Jerusalem, and all the religions that have their hopes and aspirations there, that will unite the World?
Well, if the UN ever moves its head office from New York to Rome, [ or even Babylon...Ed ] look out! Until then, even our neighbours must wonder how the old iron-age Jebusite stronghold that King David captured "the city billed as yr-shalem ("the city of peace")" could stand at the center od so many hopes, dreams and aspirations; as the seat of interest of so many religious minds; as the heart of all prophecy about the end; and as the reason for so much violence in our own time. One thing is sure. Islam will never own Jerusalem again. *1 Some of what I say here, I consider to be probable fact, some likely possibility and the rest idle speculation. I claim no prophetic inspiration; this is all personal opinion and should be treated with as much respect as opinion demands. *2 I would like to believe, like the fathers of the Western democratic ideal, that capitalism, greed and materialism will subvert traditional and tribal beliefs world wide and in this way modernity can subjugate the last remaining people groups ...alas, I think it not so. Just as there has been a backlash against the modernist agenda in the West through postmodernism, so there will be a backlash from primitive and tribal movements. *3 I expect in our lifetimes will see an Anzac dollar that will eventually become a Western (US?) dollar. Such an idea has already been mooted several years ago in the prestigious Journal of Foreign Policy. *4 There are several key passages to note: Matthew 24; Mark 13; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18; 2 Thessalonians 2.1-12; The Book of Daniel; and The Book of Revelation. *5 This army is said to destroy a third of humanity: does this mean by nuclear or chemical weaponry? *6 In 2 Thessalonians 2.3, Paul offers two preconditions to the end--the 'falling away' and the Antichrist's appearance. *7 Could this apply to the Al-Aqsa Mosque? *8 We must note that Babylon represents human government in opposition to God (see Genesis 11). *9 St John in his Revelation locates the Gog/Magog battle after the Millennium; some have speculated that Gog represents Nebuchanezzar of Babylon (Iraq). *10 This verse mentions Jerusalem being trampled under foot for 42 months (= 3.5 years). *11 On eschatological trumpet blasts, see Revelation 9-10. *12 On CNN? *13 The present troubles between Jews and Palestinians began with Ariel Sharon taking a visit to the Mosque, which stirred up Islamic fears that Israel planned to desecrate the site or destroy it. Osama Bin-Laden's November 2002 speech against the USA accuses Israel of such a plot to destroy the Mosque. *14 Notice, however, that Jews, Christians and Muslims all consider the temple mount in Jerusalem significant. Is a new monotheism to be built globally in Jerusalem? Believe it or not, the UN has had discussions about what a global religion could look like. Even National Geographic felt Jews, Christians and Muslims had enough common ground to go on. Frankly, I can't see how. *15 WE, at CWM, must add that it is MORE than just Jerusalem that is being fought over. We started with Abraham and we must end with him. GOD (of Isaac & Jacob) promised (unbreakable) a specific plot of land to Abraham and his children. Christians claim it is for Isaac's children- Muslims claim it is for Ishmael's children *16 Somewhere in here has to be the Rapture- To end the Time-of-the Gentiles and thus allow Israel to become center stage. [ --Ed ] *17 WE, at CWM, would add that Jesus will return to meet the world armies outside Jerusalem. However the armies are there to crush Israel. By annihilating Israel -- Israel is unable to repent of the "Unforgiveable Sin" [rejecting Jesus as their Messiah]. It is the repentance of Israel and consequential asking for help from Yaweh that will bring Jesus back to earth to face and defeat the armies --of Israel at Jerusalem. Armegeddon.. *18 There is a tradition that Muhammad had a dream that he went up to heaven from Jerusalem on a white horse. That is why Jerusalem is Islam's third holiest site. [ TOP ] ... [ Part 1 ] ... [ Part 2 ] ... [ Part 3 ] ... [ BACK ] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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