Here's another "little" hint to a Islamic future.
When I was in my twenties our church did a lot of outreach. One of the things we enjoyed was showing films on Bible prophecy. In those days you could not go online (there was no "online") to find any of hundreds of titles, then download them. There were only a few available, usually done by some company like, "Gospel Films", or some such name. They all looked pretty much the same (unless you got lucky and Billy Graham had just made a new flick). Lots of atomic explosions, fiery red sunsets, people running down streets, and universally bad acting.
One scene that was always the same, no matter which film it was, was the depiction of the death of Christian martyrs in the tribulation period. This was derived from Revelation 20 verse 4.
"Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years."
Beheaded?!? Interestingly enough, the manner of death in these old prophetic films was always a guillotine! You know, one of those head choppers with a slanted blade used by the French in the old days. Why? Well, the guillotine was a product of advanced Western civilization. Perhaps it was the ultimate in efficient, cold-blooded dispatching of the unwanted masses. And since post-WW2 people were undoubtedly making these movies... a black-booted Nazi pulling a guillotine handle was the ultimate horror of execution. I always thought it was weird. A guillotine?! It was hard enough to imagine that beheading people was going to be fashionable in the last days. Surely, a more modern piece of equipment would be used!
But, how could I have known that this particular form of execution would return as a form of capital punishment! And that it would come from a culture that revels in using the old instruments of death!
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Islamic Anti-Christ: Little things mean a lot!
Here's an interesting little passage which is normally attributed to Anti-Christ. Daniel 7: 23-25:
"Thus he ("one of those who were standing by") said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time."
For 40 years I have wondered what that phrase meant... "he will intend to make alterations in times and in law;" The words are pretty much the same in all translations. "Times and law." What "times"? How do you change time?! What "law"? Civil? International? Without getting too much into it... let me say that in the last few years the media has started reporting on two curious but very real aspects of the Islamic agenda.
How many reporters have you heard say something to the effect of, "Islamic fundamentalism basically wants to take us all back to the 7th century!" Evidently, the 7th century was a bang up time for serious Moslems and to reset the calendar to that period in history would be a thing of great pleasure! An Islamic Anti-Christ would be the guy to get it done if for no other reason than the fact that keeping a calendar based on Jesus Christ's birth has to gall them! (Question: Who other than an Islamic fundamentalist would have the desire or temerity to do such a thing!!) In any event, the scripture clearly indicates that Anti-Christ will attempt to change the times.
But, an even stronger argument lies with the second term. The attempt to change "law".
"Alterations... in law." What an interesting thought. This can't be talking about just making or adding or proposing new law(s). It speaks of something totally new... a whole approach... a massive realm-change in the way the whole world views law. In our lifetimes, actually in the last year or two, a whole new way of viewing law has been thrust upon us.
Sharia. Sharia is the sacred law of Islam.
Almost every day we hear of another attempted application of Sharia law in western culture. It is on the move! Is this a harbinger of the attempted alteration of "law" spoken of in Daniel 7? I don't know for sure. But, it fits perfectly into the profile of an Islamic Anti-Christ. An Islamist would/will attempt to alter the long-existing foundations of worldwide law and cultural life. If I am correct, the only positive thought here is that, apparently, it is only, as the scripture states, an "intention" or attempt to change the law. Maybe he can't quite get it done... too much opposition, or something else. But note, again from Daniel 7: "He (this beast) will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints." This will not be a pleasant time. But, hasn't the time of "wearing down" already begun?
For an amazing insight into Sharia check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib9rofXQl6w&feature=player_embedded
"Thus he ("one of those who were standing by") said: 'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time."
For 40 years I have wondered what that phrase meant... "he will intend to make alterations in times and in law;" The words are pretty much the same in all translations. "Times and law." What "times"? How do you change time?! What "law"? Civil? International? Without getting too much into it... let me say that in the last few years the media has started reporting on two curious but very real aspects of the Islamic agenda.
How many reporters have you heard say something to the effect of, "Islamic fundamentalism basically wants to take us all back to the 7th century!" Evidently, the 7th century was a bang up time for serious Moslems and to reset the calendar to that period in history would be a thing of great pleasure! An Islamic Anti-Christ would be the guy to get it done if for no other reason than the fact that keeping a calendar based on Jesus Christ's birth has to gall them! (Question: Who other than an Islamic fundamentalist would have the desire or temerity to do such a thing!!) In any event, the scripture clearly indicates that Anti-Christ will attempt to change the times.
But, an even stronger argument lies with the second term. The attempt to change "law".
"Alterations... in law." What an interesting thought. This can't be talking about just making or adding or proposing new law(s). It speaks of something totally new... a whole approach... a massive realm-change in the way the whole world views law. In our lifetimes, actually in the last year or two, a whole new way of viewing law has been thrust upon us.
Sharia. Sharia is the sacred law of Islam.
Almost every day we hear of another attempted application of Sharia law in western culture. It is on the move! Is this a harbinger of the attempted alteration of "law" spoken of in Daniel 7? I don't know for sure. But, it fits perfectly into the profile of an Islamic Anti-Christ. An Islamist would/will attempt to alter the long-existing foundations of worldwide law and cultural life. If I am correct, the only positive thought here is that, apparently, it is only, as the scripture states, an "intention" or attempt to change the law. Maybe he can't quite get it done... too much opposition, or something else. But note, again from Daniel 7: "He (this beast) will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints." This will not be a pleasant time. But, hasn't the time of "wearing down" already begun?
For an amazing insight into Sharia check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ib9rofXQl6w&feature=player_embedded
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