A Sign of the Antichrist?
A Study by: Timothy M. Youngblood
Copyright © The
Master's Table
Historical Perspective:
Could there be a connection between Abraham and the Antichrist? From our
research we have found some very interesting facts that may surprise many Christians
and Jews alike. As some bible students know the Hebrew, Christian, and Muslim
religions originate from the same time, place, and 'father' whose name was Abraham.
Abraham is the father of Isaac and traditional founder of the ancient Hebrew
nation. Abraham is also acknowledged by Muslims to be the ancestor and Father
of the Arab peoples through Abraham’s first born son Ishmael. This is a
fact but the main question is which son; Ishmael or Isaac received the birthright?
And thus inlys the problem that has existed for thousands of years, and is today
becoming the nucleus for what could become World war III.
According to the account in Gen. 17:15-20 Abram and Sarah were promised a son by God. Sarah did not believe she could conceive a child because of her age, and as a result of her unbelief the scriptures relate that Abram and Sarah agreed that they would have a son who would be Abram’s heir through Sarah's handmaid, Hagar, and the scriptures record that Hagar had a son named Ishmael. (Note: Abram was "Abraham’s name at this time" God changed it to Abraham and it is important to note that God did not change Abram’s name to Abraham until after Ishmael was born. Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born and he was ninety-nine when God changed his name to Abraham and made the covenant with him. It is acknowledge by many that the changing of his name to Abraham was in fact part of the covenant because the name "Abraham" itself means Father of many that became known as the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Christian & Jewish holy texts claims that God gave the promise to the Hebrew people but the Qur'an claims the promise was given to Ishmael because he was the first born. The first born was to always receive the honor of the father's place, and the Hebrew people can not refute that Ishmael was the first born of Abram because their own scriptures back this up. However the Hebrews and Christians claim that Ishmael was not the first born son from Sarah, (Abraham’s legal wife) and that God had chosen Sarah, so therefore Ishmael could not be heir of the promise. Remember the scriptures relate that Abram and Sarah agreed (Not God.) that they would have a son who would be Abram’s heir through Sarah's handmaid, Hagar.
It is believed by Muslims that the scriptures in the Hebrew bible was later changed as we read according to the Hebrew text, when Abraham was promised, and received, a son from Sarah, his legal wife. We read in Gen. 17:18-19 that Abraham presented Ishmael to God but he was rejected by God. “And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!" Then God said: "No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.”
Remember the story in Gen 22:1-2 when God tested Abraham to take his son and offer him there as a burnt offering? "Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am." And He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you." (The Muslims believe that it was Ishmael that was taken on this trip and that this account was also changed in the Hebrew text.) It is believed by both groups that this test was the great sign from God who was the son that God had chosen to be the heir of the house of Abraham. This is the very event that the Hebrew, Christian, and Muslim religions use as proof that God had given the birth right to them with all the promises God gave to their father Abraham. This is why the two groups also demand by virtue of a right the land in the Middle East which includes the area from Libya to Afghanistan, usually including Egypt, Sudan, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the other countries of the Arabian peninsula.
The same story is recorded in the Qur'an and records that the oldest child of Abraham (Ishmael) was the one to be sacrificed on the mountain to test Abraham's obedience to Allah. Ch. 37 Vs. 100-114 page 445. But as stated above in the Hebrew writings, God did not include Ishmael in this covenant. So what we have thousands of years later is the same conflict of two brothers claiming the birthright of their father Abraham and when we understand this fact we may see why many prophecies relate to this conflict.
Antichrist:
The big point and identifier we find in the prophecies of the Old Testament
and the record of the New Testament is "Do you believe that God would send
His Son Jesus the Messiah to bring a New Covenant to all mankind? Do you believe
the old prophets that God sent to prepare His people for the coming of this
great one that would bring a New Covenant and do away with the old? Those that
disbelieve would be rejected as Anti-Christ so just what is meant by the term
"Antichrist? It simply means those that do not believe God can have a Son,
and teach that those that claim Jesus was the Son of God or the Messiah is a
infidel. Does the Muslims believe that God can have a Son? Absolutely not! We
find in the Qur'an under "Doctrine of the Son ship of God" Chapter
9 Vs. 30-31 page 177 that the Jews and Christians are taking their Monks and
divines for Lords and that there is but one God Allah. Do Muslims believe that
Jesus was the prophesied Messiah that was to come? No! We do however find in
the Qur'an under "Christianity" Chapter 4 Vs. 172 page 97 that they
do believe Jesus was a prophet. We also find this same admission in Chapter
19 Vs. 31-34 in the Qur'an. But Islam (extremist or not), is not the only religion
that believes Jesus was but a prophet and not the Son of God.
However, is it possible that the radical Muslim extremists will be the end-time antichrist prophesied in Scripture? What is the scriptural warning and identifying sign of the antichrist that could point to radical Muslims? The Christian bible states in I John 2:22-23: “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” However the failure to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God may not be enough to label any extremist religion as "Antichrist", as described for end-time fulfillment. It may however just be only ONE of the identifiers of the antichrist. The actions of the Anti-Christ will define them for the most part in the future. Remember the antichrist will have other traits such as thinking they are doing a service to their God by murdering those that reject their religian as recorded in in the Christian bible. John 16:2-3. "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me." Also we have heard the extremist anounce many times that their god will reward them for their sacrifice if they murder the infidels. Did you know that the extremist believe that they can't even go to heaven unless they die in a Jihad? Another point is that the Anti-Christ will take over the Holy City Jerusalem and the man of perdition will set in defiance of God and claim by virtue of a right that he is in fact God. II Thes. 2. They also will be in power and control of the wealth and army's of the World at the time of the end.
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Let's take a look at the 'marks' of Antichrist, gleaned from the Christian/Hebrew
bible.
Denies that the Father in heaven can have a Son, which denies the only way to
salvation. I John. 2:22-23
Sets himself up as God and sets in the temple of God. Dan. 11:36-37 and II Thess.
2:4
Takes over the holy city Jerusalem. Rev. 11:2
Worships a God never before worshipped. Dan. 11:38 (See "God
of this age.")
He is a man of sin full of lawlessness. II Thess. 2:3
He is a false prophet producing lying wonders and false miracles. Matt. 24:11-24
The worker of a Great
Apostasy from the truth. II Thess. 2:1-12
Sets up a kingdom which will spread ultimately Worldwide. Rev. 13:3-4
Beheading those that he considers his enemies; mainly those of Christianity
and Judaism. Rev. 20:4 - Matt. 24:9 - Rev. 13:15.
Beheading in the name of his God thinking he is called to do so. John 16:2
Still powerful at Christ's return, and can only be destroyed by the returning
Messiah. Rev. 17
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Might there be a connection with the Iraq, the Muslim faith, and Revelation
17:4-6's Babylon the Great?
How does God describe the people (Tribes)
of Ishmael? We find that the Hebrew Scripture describe the decendants of Ishmael
as a warring people and as a wild man; his hand shall be against every man,
and every man's hand against him. See Gen 16:11-12. "And the Angel of the
LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, and you shall bear a son.
You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction.
He shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every man's
hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."
This goes along with the fact that the prophices state that Babylon (Iraq) is drunk with the blood of the Christian saints in verse 6. Rev 17:5-6 5. "And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (6) I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement." Also we find in Rev 17:9-10 9 "Here is the mind which has wisdom: The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue a short time."
The people in the Middle East have always considered seven hills as the number of completion and as the center power of the earth. Ernest L. Martin stated in his book "Mystery Babylon the Great" We are all familiar with Babylon on the Euphrates (which became the capital of the world in the time of Nebuchadnezzar in the sixth century B.C.) as being the "Seven Hilled City." This is very significant in that the book of Revelation depicts Babylon (Iraq) as setting on seven hills which denotes the great power of the beast.
How rich and powerful can Iraq or Iran become after they win their freedom in the next few years and then use the United States to access great technology and goods the U.S. have developed. With a democratic system in place who will gain control of Iraq in the future? Is it possible that the U.S. is creating the very power that might become the antichrist, and the very ones that will fulfill the prophecies of the Old and New Testament prophets? Is it possible that the U.S. is creating the very power that will destroy all that profess Jesus as the Messiah and the Son of God?
President of Iran, Dr. Ahmadinejad, or someone with his ideology could play
a role as well.
Hastening the Return of a Muslim Messiah? The current President of Iran, Dr.
Ahmadinejad, is a Ph.D. in engineering and former Revolutionary Guardsman. He
is also a member of an obscure Shiite sect that eagerly anticipates the return
of the 12th Imam or the Mahdi. His religious sect believes the righteous
descendent of Muhammad will soon return and usher in universal peace, but that
his return will be preceded by cosmic signs, plagues, pestilence, and war. President
Ahmadinejad apparently believes the return of this Muslim Messiah can be hastened
by “the creation of chaos on earth”—something he and other religious
zealots may be able to facilitate through their actions and influence (Washington
Times online, Feb. 6, 2006). Iran views itself as the defender of Islam, and
Ahmadinejad appears to see himself as the great catalyst. It remains to be seen
whether he or some other yet-to-emerge leader will bring to pass the prophesied
conflict between the king of the north and the king of the south (Daniel 11:41-45).
The Imam or the Mahdi is, explains the Encyclopaedia of Islam, “the restorer of religion and justice who will rule before the end of the world.” The concept originated in the earliest years of Islam and, over time, became particularly identified with the Shi‘ite branch. Whereas “it never became an essential part of Sunni religious doctrine,” continues the encyclopedia, “Belief in the coming of the Mahdi of the Family of the Prophet became a central aspect of the faith in radical Shi‘ism,” where it is also known as the return of the Twelfth Imam. Mahdaviat means “belief in and efforts to prepare for the Mahdi.”
Is there also a connection between Revelation 11:1-2's mention of the outer court being given over to Gentiles and the Jews leaving the Gaza? Could the return of the Gaza advance a return of Ishmael's descendants to the West Bank and eventually Jerusalem? Already, the Muslim extremists who murder Christians, Jews, and their own citizens think they are doing service to God. Remember that Jesus Himself is recorded as making this statement. "They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.”
Not only do we find old connections and prophecies that relate to a variety of faiths, including Islam, but there are prophecies that seem to point to a great Christian Church that has gone into Apostasy. Who could this Church that calls itself Christian be? The answer might be found in the Catechism book of the Catholic Church as we can find a friendly relationship between the Muslims and the Great Church called the Universal Church. On page 242 under content 841 titled The Church’s Relationship with the Muslims in the Catechism it reads: “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”
Fact: Pope John Paul II actually kissed the Koran. This may appear to give it the same respect as the Bible. That gesture was a sign of the Pope’s respect for the 1.34 billion followers of Islam; and his eagerness to make a pilgrimage in what he calls the footsteps of Abraham, the common father of Christians, Jews and Muslims.
News article:
Fides News Service (Rome), 11/6/99.
"At the end of the audience the Pope bowed to the Muslim holy book the
Koran presented to him by the delegation and he kissed it as a sign of respect."
This was said by Raphael Bidawid, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans who
told Fides about his audience with Pope John Paul II on May 14th when he was
received with a delegation composed of the Shiite imam of Khadum mosque and
the Sunni President of the council of administration of the Iraqi Islamic Bank
and also a representative of the Iraqi ministry of religion.
More connections with Catholic and Muslims:
Many don’t realize that history shows Mohammed's wife, Khadijah, was
a devout Catholic as were her Uncles. It was through her and her uncles that
the religion of Catholicism was taught to Mohammed. When Mohammed's Daughter
Fatima was born she became - contrary to modern accounts - one of the
iconic stations of Mary worship for the Moslems and Catholics.
"Fatima -The Arabian Moon Goddess in the Mohammedanized incarnation as the fictitious daughter who was nevertheless described as the Mother of her father. Her name means Creatress. She was also known as the source of the Sun, Tree of Paradise, the Moon and Fate. She was the eastern counterpart of the western Mary. " Barbara Walker, pg. 306.
"Fatima means Creatress. A Shi'a text, Omm-al-Kitab, said she
appeared at the creation of the material world, " crowned and seated on
a throne, holding a sword, and ornamented with a million varicolored shimmering
lights" which illuminated the entire garden of Paradise. She was the first
to occupy the Seat of the Dominion, 'The resting place of Allah, the Most High.
Her symbol is the Crescent Moon and she is called Al-Zahra 'Bright-Blooming.'
a former title of the Great Mother. It is said to be the symbol of her and,
surmounting a solar disc, 'represents the whole of the religion of Islam."
Barbara Walker, pg. 52
The Catholic Church like Islam has a firm footing in the worship of the female principle as god. The moon has represented the female principle for ages. Just as we find in history Isis the oldest of the old one, and Hera the illicit lover of Zeus. Although many Muslims will not acknowledge this today the Bedouins of Arabia were into moon worship before Mohammed and this icon was incorporated into Islam in the symbol of the crescent moon and star and in Catholic Christianity through the worship of the icon of the Madonna Mary. Look at the flag of Pakistan at the top of this article.
We read in Amos 3:3 3. Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?
If the United States is the most powerful Nation on earth today how and why will the Antichrist murder thousands of Christians in America? The United States needs to repent and turn back to the creator God who has given what all America has today and reaffirm that God has protected this country for many years. But if America refuses then they must keep an eye on the Middle East because what takes place there very well may be the future of America.
Study Notes:
Woman's Encyclopedia by Barbara Walker
Catholic encyclopedia
Webster's Dictionary
Old biblical Names of Iraq:
Iraq is not the name used in the Old Testament. The names used are.
Babylon: Is on the Euphrates River, famed for its magnificence and culture:
capital of Babylonia and later of the Chaldean empire.
Shinar: Identified with Sumer.
Ur: An ancient Sumerian city on the Euphrates, in South Iraq:
Mesopotamia: An ancient region in West Asia between the Tigris and Euphrates
rivers: now part of Iraq.
Babal Gen. 10:10 and Gen. 11:9. "And the beginning of his kingdom was
Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went
to Assyria and built Nineveh, Rehoboth (Ir, (Or Ur) Calah, and Resen between
Nineveh and Calah (that is the principal city).
Gen. 11:31 and 15:7; Ellasar and Elam Gen. 14:1-9 and Mesopotamia in Gen. 24:10
- Assyria, 2 Ki. 15:19; Babylon, 2 Ki. 17:24 and Chaldea Job 1:17, Jer. 50:10
were portions of what is now Iraq. No other land, except Israel, has more history
and prophecy associated with it than the land of Iraq.