WHY HAMAS AND HEZBOLLAH ATTACKED ISRAEL IN SUCH A RADICAL WAY KILLING CIVILIANS INCLUDING WOMEN, CHILDREN, AND BABIES?

This CBN News article gives us details about Muslims’ long-awaited Mahdi. Both Shia (Iran) and Sunni (majority of Muslims) believe in a coming Messiah – al Mahdi. He is the antithesis of our Messiah, Jesus, and a best-fit candidate for the Antichrist.

“The horrific Hamas attack on Israel was the first phase of a long-term plan by Iran to wipe out the Jewish State. Iranian leaders believe Israel must be eliminated before the return of an Islamic “messiah-like” figure known as the Mahdi. For years, Iran has been indoctrinating its fighters in the belief that there must be an apocalyptic war that destroys both Israel and Jews around the world to usher in the Mahdi’s return. Islamic expert Raymond Ibrahim says, “The Mahdi basically means ‘guided one,’. ‘ He takes on different guises, depending on which sect of Islam you ask, Sunni or Shia.” Islamic writings say his name is Mohammed Ibn Abdillah. Sunnis, the majority of the world’s Muslims, believe the Mahdi has not yet been born. Shia Islam, which Iran dominates, teaches that the Mahdi is already alive, and has been hiding for over a thousand years. Brother Rachid, a former Muslim who hosts a Christian program for Muslims called “Daring Questions,” says, “Shia Muslims, especially the ‘Twelver Shia’ believe he is the 12th Imam, and that he was born around 868. He’s still alive today. His age is 1,155. So, he’s still living somewhere and one day he will show himself.”

Muslims in Iran believe the Mahdi is hiding in a well in the small village of Jamkaran. Pilgrims peer down the well with flashlights, leave prayer requests for the Mahdi, and hope he will reappear. Muslims believe that when the Mahdi returns, he will be accompanied by Jesus, who is referred to in Islam as the Prophet Isa, to rid the world of evil.  Iranian leaders have seized upon belief in the final battle before the Mahdi’s return to motivate its military and allies to fight harder to destroy Israel.  Ibrahim says, “A lot of the Islamic schools or jihadists are being indoctrinated by Iranian propaganda into Mahdism. It always centres around Israel and attacking and destroying Israel.” Some believe in the next phase of its plan to wipe out Israel, Iran might initiate a multi-front attack through its heavily armed proxy armies in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. Ibrahim and Brother Rachid say the doctrine of the Mahdi’s return means that any attempts by Israel to make peace with the Muslim world will ultimately prove futile. “Israel is a threat to Muslims, to the coming of the Mahdi,” says Brother Rachid. “So, they have to be eliminated. There is no other solution. You cannot do peace with Israel.” Ibrahim says.” Source: CBN News

Further proof for Muslim Antichrist is in Daniel 8 where Daniel sees a vision of a battle between a Goat (Turkey) and a Ram (Iran). Turkey (previous Ottoman Empire) will not allow Iran (Shia) to usurp its position of dominance over Muslims. It aspires to re-establish its Ottoman Empire. We are told it will be successful for a short period but then is to be broken up into four nations probably by the United Nations who would not allow another Ottoman Empire to dominate Europe.

Then the goat (Revived Ottoman Empire) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.Daniel 8:8

Biblical prophecy reveals that a little horn (Antichrist) arises from out of one of these four Muslim nations.

Out of one of them came a little horn (Antichrist), which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven.Daniel 8:9

As for the horn that was broken (Revived Ottoman Empire), in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from his nation, but not with his power. And at the latter end of their kingdom, when the transgressors have reached their limit, a king of bold face (Antichrist), one who understands riddles, shall arise. His power shall be great—but not by his own power, and he shall cause fearful destruction and shall succeed in what he does, and destroy mighty men and the people who are the saints. By his cunning, he shall make deceit prosper under his hand, and in his own mind, he shall become great. Without warning, he shall destroy many. And he shall even rise up against the Prince of princes, and he shall be broken—but by no human hand.Daniel 8: 22-25

ISLAMS TRUE HATRED OF THE JEWS EXPOSED

Islamic Centre in Sydney Australia calls to kill Jews and spruiks ani-Semitic tropes

A Sydney Islamic centre where a preacher urged Muslims to engage in jihad has broadcast another sermon by a prominent Sydney cleric reciting parables about calls to kill Jews and spruiking anti-Semitic tropes. Al Madina Dawah Centre uploaded the sermon on the weekend by Abu Ousayd, who it is understood runs the centre, ­titled The Jews of Al Madina. It is now known that his real name is Wissam Haddad a known Jihadi terrorist.

A still from a video posted by Al Madina Dawah Centre, titled The Jews of Al Madina, by preacher Abu Ousayd. A still from a video posted by Al Madina Dawah Centre, titled The Jews of Al Madina, by preacher Abu Ousayd (Wissam Haddad).

“Towards the end of times, when the Muslims will be fighting the Jews, the trees will speak,” Mr Ousayd said, citing Islamic scripture and parables.
Towards the end of times, when the Muslims will be fighting the Jews, the trees will speak. They will say ‘oh Muslim, there is a yahud (Arabic for Jew) behind me, come and kill him” ABU OUSAYD

Anti-Semitic Protestors Attempt to Breach White House Fence, Deface Historic Statues with No Consequences

“Allahu Akbar” chanted the army-sized crowd at the White House on Saturday afternoon, who cursed the U.S. president, waved the flag of a foreign adversary, and endeavoured to breach the White House compound. Despite ubiquitous defacement of public property, attempted intrusions onto White House Grounds, and calls for genocide, law enforcement made only one arrest.

Tens of thousands — some unofficial reports estimate 100,000 — pro-Hamas demonstrators from all over the U.S. gathered near the White House on Saturday, denouncing President Biden’s show of support for Israel and demanding that he cut their army off at the ankles as they prepare to root Hamas militants out of northern Gaza. Some demonstrators carried signs implying they worked for Congress or the Biden administration.

The Palestinian national anthem blared at a massive rally in Freedom Plaza, southeast of the White House, the site of the national World War I memorial.

The attack by Hamas has galvanized Muslims worldwide to show their true colours in relation to Jews and Israel.

As I reported in my previous post, there is no doubt in my mind that the Antichrist will be the Muslim Mahdi. The Muslim’s long-awaited Messiah and now expected by the majority of Muslims.

The Bible tells us what is yet to unfold: Turkey will seek to re-establish an Ottoman Empire but the U.N/One World Government breaks it up into four and out of those four Muslim nations arises the Antichrist (Little Horn).

Then the goat (Turkey – revived Ottoman Empire) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken (U.N./One World Government), and instead of it, there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.
Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven.
Daniel 8:8-10

A king shall arise having fierce features, who understands sinister schemes. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper, and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. Through his cunning, he shall cause deceit to prosper under his hand, and he shall magnify himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall also stand up against the Prince of princes, but he shall be broken without human hand.Daniel 8:23-25

Can you imagine how Muslims the world over will react when their man, Mahdi/Antichrist appears on the scene?

LINK BETWEEN THE MAHDI AND THE ANTICHRIST

What both leading Muslim scholars, Sunni and Shia, declare: Islam allows the accumulation of sufficient force to “terrorize the enemy and deter against an attack upon Muslims.” The “prevention of Muslims from the production of weapons of mass destruction … while other countries are allowed to do this – causes general, great and large damage upon all Muslims.”

It is thus permissible for Muslims to produce WMDs “in order to seek balance in armed conflict between them and hostile forces.” The achievement of strategic balance with the enemy is not only legitimate but religiously obligatory. “It is possible for an Islamic state to use this type of weapon if the enemy uses it, or it is thought likely that the enemy is poised to use it. It is why Iran is determined to have nuclear weapons.

The achievement of strategic balance with the enemy is not only legitimate but religiously obligatory.

When recognized Islamic scholars speak, all Muslims listen. When those scholars state clearly that it is a religious obligation to produce nuclear weapons of mass destruction to ward off the infidels, and that Islam sanctions use of such weapons if “it is thought likely that the enemy is poised to use it,” you can see why everyone in the world should be nervous about Islamists getting within a million miles of nuclear weapons.

Who Will Unite Muslims and Take On the West?

What kind of leader would be needed to unite an extremely disparate group of Muslims around the world, tired of Western domination and seeking earnestly to “prepare” the world for Allah’s final judgment as the “last, best revelation of God” is presented to all? This man would have to have unusual gifts of diplomacy, holiness, charm, wisdom, and the ability to gain the admiration and respect of Muslims worldwide. Well, you should know that Muslims are already waiting for this man, with 42 percent in a recent survey believing the Islamic superman will appear in their lifetime. His name is al-Mahdi, the “Rightly Guided One,” who has been discussed since the earliest days of Islam. This Islamic messiah was referred to by Muhammad’s grandson, Ali, who said that Islam would “prevail over all religions … when the Messiah of this ummah (Islamic nation) makes his appearance.

All branches of Islam throughout history are expecting the al Mahdi, as revealed by this quote from what has been called the greatest Islamic history book from the pre-modern era: “Let it be known that it is a narrated event by ALL Muslims in EVERY era that at the end of time a man from the family of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) will, without fail, make his appearance and will strengthen Islam and spread justice; Muslims will follow him and he will gain domination over the Muslim realm. He will be called al-Mahdi.

He will appear just as mankind reaches a stage of great suffering, to show the light of Islam when men and women need it most, and to prepare the world for Allah’s judgment just in time, according to accepted Islamic teaching.

He will reappear on the appointed day, and then he will fight against the forces of evil, lead a world revolution and set up a new world order based on justice, righteousness, and virtue … ultimately the righteous will take the world administration in their hands and Islam will be victorious over all the religions.

If this sounds like the Antichrist, you can see why many of us who have studied Islam for years believe that Mahdi will be that man. One Muslim background Believer who has done a lot of speaking and writing about al-Mahdi, Walid Shoebat, says that as he read scriptural prophecy for the first time, he was astonished by the description of the Antichrist. His conclusion? This is the Mahdi (Mehdi) that we have long talked about in Islam.

Other aspects of Mahdi’s profile include: He will be from the line of Fatimah, Muhammad’s first wife, and become a public figure at the age of forty. Physically, he will have a high forehead and hooked nose, according to prophecies traced back to Muhammad.

He will center his operations in Karbala, Iraq, according to Shiites. A hadith of Muhammad says that he will sweep across the Middle East and set up his reign in Jerusalem. That reign will, of course, be headquartered at the Dome of the Rock, the mosque in Jerusalem

He will have miracle-working power, which will impress the Islamic community and verify his status as a special instrument of Allah. One teaching says, “In the Last Days of the ummah, the Mahdi will appear. Allah will give him power over the wind and the rain, and the earth will bring forth its foliage.”
He will guide Muslims to great wealth, but he will not lead a profligate lifestyle. Instead, he “will give away wealth profusely, flocks will be in abundance, and the ummah will be large and honored.” Likewise, “A man will stand and say, ‘Give to me Mahdi!’ and he will say, ‘Take.’”
He will rule over the world for seven years, according to most accounts, including those that claim to trace this time span back to Muhammad’s prediction. This will feature a seven-year “peace agreement” between the “Arabs and the Romans,” what many believe will be between Islam and the West. Such parallels with Scripture are no accident, according to many. He will be assisted by “Jesus,” who will descend, probably in Damascus, from heaven to work miracles and preach Islam. “Jesus will testify against those who had called him son of God, the Christians, and those who had belied him, the Jews.” I think this Islamic version of Jesus fits the description of the Antichrist’s assistant in Revelation 13 perfectly.

While Mahdi straightens out the ummah by “freeing Islam from the hypocrites who have corrupted it,” this Jesus will handle the evangelization of the Jewish and Christian communities.

The end result? “Jesus” will summon Christians and Jews “to live by the Qu’ran by purging them of the errors into which they have fallen. As Christians follow the Prophet Isa [Jesus], the Christian and Islamic world will unite in a single belief, and the world will enjoy a period of great peace, security, happiness, and well-being, known as the Golden Age.”[210]
Here is a fitting capstone to describe al-Mahdi: “He is the precursor of the victory of the Truth and the fall of all tyrants. He heralds the end of injustice and oppression and the beginning of the final rising of the sun of Islam which will never again set and which will ensure happiness and the elevation of mankind … The Mahdi is one of Allah’s clear signs which will soon be made evident to everyone.” Muhammad ibn Izzat, Muhammad Arif, Al Mahdi and the End of Time (London: Dar Al-Taqwa, 1997).

And, he will rule from Jerusalem, according to a hadith from Muhammad: Jerusalem will be the location of the rightly guided caliphate and the center of Islamic rule, which will be headed by Imam al-Mahdi … that will abolish the leadership of the Jews … and put an end to the domination of the Satans who spit evil into people and cause corruption in the earth, making them slaves of false idols and ruling the world by laws other than the sharia of the Lord of the worlds.

These Islamic prophecies are not from an infallible source. However, if the entire Islamic world is looking for a Messiah who will arise from the Biblical prophesied nation and accomplish all that the Biblical prophecies say the Antichrist will do it is unlikely it is a coincidence.

PROPHESIED END TIMES WARS AND RUMOURS OF WARS

As China, in the past several years, stably imported over 60% of its semiconductor manufacturing equipment from the US, Japan, and the Netherlands, these countries agreeing to impose export controls together will effectively set back China’s semiconductor industry development. This will only intensify China’s interest in taking back Taiwan which with the Taiwan Semi-Conductor Manufacturing Company (TSCM) is the largest chip maker in the world including the most advanced microchips. They even contract manufacture for Nvidia and Apple. This would be a major win for China and assure the growth of all those manufacturing industries that depend upon the availability of the very best microchips. AI, Robotics, EV vehicles, I.T., etc. China would also be concerned that TSCM is building an enormous semiconductor manufacturing facility in the USA and announced its intention to build facilities in Europe and Japan. This only intensifies the pressure on China to respond as so much of China’s manufacturing relies on the availability of microchips.

While speaking at the Aspen Security Forum on November 3, 2022, Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: “Based on my analysis of China, I think that it is likely (invasion of Taiwan) in the near future – being defined as six, 12, maybe 24 months, that kind of window.

Iran unveils attack drone ‘capable of bombing Israel into Stone Age’. Mohajer-10 has a range of around 1,240 miles and is armed with a 660lb explosive payload.

Iran has blamed Israel for a mysterious explosion at the weekend that knocked out power at its uranium enrichment facility at Natanz.

Israel has not publicly said it was behind what Iran calls “an act of sabotage” but US and Israeli media reports are quoting officials as saying it was carried out by Israel’s overseas intelligence agency, Mossad. Iran has vowed to take revenge “at a time of its choosing”.

This is not an isolated incident. It follows a gradually accelerating pattern of hostile, tit-for-tat actions by both countries as they step up their covert war while being careful – so far – to avoid an all-out conflict.

What about the Russia/Ukraine war? The support given to Ukraine by the USA and European countries has escalated Russia’s losses of soldiers and equipment. The sanctions on trade by both the USA and European countries are having a major impact on the Russian economy. Putin is now under enormous pressure to end the war. The following announcement by Yury Borisov, the director general of the state space corporation Roscosmos, in a recent media appearance is of concern: “Russia’s newest nuclear weapons system — the Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, known in the West as “Satan II” — is now operational, Yury Borisov said. It will replace a Soviet-era missile system. The Sarmat strategic complex has been put on combat duty,”

Back to the Middle East, The Israeli government has allocated $1.5bn (£1.1bn) to prepare the Israeli armed forces for a potential strike against Iranian nuclear sites, and there are near-daily warnings from political and military leaders.

Israel bombing Iran will awaken the Muslim world to a long-time enemy and unite Muslims against Israel and the “Zionist” U.S. It will create a perfect Petri dish for Islamism to thrive, as Muslims construct a compelling narrative that Israel and the U.S. do indeed want to wipe Islam from the face of the earth. As that message is spread around the world, it will not matter to Muslims if they are Shiite in Lebanon or Sunni in Turkey. They will amalgamate to defend what they have in common. This temporary unity will dissolve quickly unless someone can bridge the Sunni-Shiite gap and maintain the momentum toward a unified Muslim world, a caliphate. It so happens that all Muslims, Sunni, and Shia, are expecting their Messiah (al Mahdi) to appear soon. Considering the Bible says the Antichrist (Little Horn) arises out of what is now Turkey, we can assume he will be a charismatic, well-educated Muslim, very fluent in English. He may well be a leader for his country in the U.N. and the one who initiates a peace treaty with Israel. The Muslims al Mahdi, their Messiah, our Antichrist.

All of the prophesied end-times signs are happening now, whether it is wars and rumours of wars, pestilences, famines, earthquakes, an apostate church with most of the denominational churches compromising with the world on gay marriage, homosexual pastors, and even lesbian bishops. Most have forgotten that the major end-times sign occurred over 70 years ago, the re-establishment of the nation of Israel.

TURKEY – THE ORIGIN OF THE ANTICHRIST

The following quote is from a nationalist poem used by Recip Tayyip Erdoğan in a famous speech that he gave when he was mayor of Istanbul. The speech landed him in jail for four months in 1999 and banned him from political life in Turkey under the charge of “inciting hatred based on religious differences.” It gives us a peek into the man’s heart and aspirations.

Our minarets are our bayonets, our domes are our helmets, our mosques are our barracks. We will put a final end to ethnic segregation. No one can ever intimidate us. If the skies and the ground were to open against us. If floods and volcanoes were to burst, we will not turn from our mission. My reference is Islam. If I am not able to speak of this, what is the use of living?

Erdogan is the type of person the Antichrist would have to be, the type of leader that most prophetic experts predict – slick, persuasive, able to bridge the Eastern and Western worlds in dress, manner, and understanding, and being well-spoken and fluent in English. It is not a great leap to imagine a Turkish man. Perhaps a good candidate would be Sinan Ogan of the far-right Nationalist Movement Party.

Sinan Ogan is out of the recent presidential race but he has played a pivotal role in the second round as he came out in favor of Erdogan and is now seen as the “kingmaker”. In the aftermath of Turkey’s dramatic elections, a new name is on the lips of political commentators: third-placed presidential contender Sinan Ogan.

In the US, Gog and Magog in biblical prophecy were Russia, reflecting the Cold War lenses that were used at the time to interpret Scripture. However, now many end times Bible scholars believe Gog and Magog represent Turkey.

Turkey is identified by multiple ancient place names/locations that existed within that country’s current borders (i.e., Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, Togarmah). This coalition of nations, and the Bible implies many more nations with them, will make an all-out assault on Israel, intending to destroy her. God told Ezekiel that this event would occur in the ‘latter years’ (Ezekiel 38:8). At the last moment it will look like Israel will be wiped out, but God will intervene and … the other nations, including Iran, will suffer a 7-fold judgment from God – a great earthquake, pestilence, bloodshed, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone (Ezekiel 38:19-22). Finally, if the nations of the Middle East mentioned in Ezekiel 38 (i.e., Libya, Iran, Turkey, etc.) are right now coming into alignment with each other before our very eyes, and assuming that the incredible event described above occurs sometime during the Great Tribulation period as most Biblical scholars believe, how much closer are we then to the soon coming return of Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 38, one of the primary End Times passages in God’s Word, “confirms Turkey’s leadership role” due to five of the eight “nations” mentioned are located in Turkey.

Revelation 17 reaffirms Turkey as the host of the Antichrist, with Istanbul as the empire that suffered a fatal wound but will return to stun the world. That blow, many would say, was the AD 1453 capture of the glorious city of Constantinople, a true wonder of the world that was taken over by the Turks.

Another interesting note is Istanbul has long been known as the “city on seven hills,” which has a strange ring when you read this verse in Revelation 17: The seven heads [of the woman on the Beast] are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction (vv. 9-11).

Daniel 9 says the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed by the people of the prince to come (v. 26). The unit of the Roman legion that leveled the Temple in AD 70 was based in Antioch in modern Turkey.

Daniel 11 tells us of a “king of the North” who will be much like the Antichrist (an archetype of him). Most prophecy scholars agree that this was Antiochus IV Epiphanes, the ruler of the Seleucid Division of the Greek Empire. Much of that king’s reign was over modern-day Turkey.

Isaiah’s and Micah’s frequent mentions of Assyria’s opposition to Messiah Jesus further underscore the geographical proof of Turkey’s role. The ancient kingdom of Assyria comprised much of modern Turkey.

Zechariah 9 reaffirms Turkey’s role as it says the sons of Zion will be roused against the sons of another kingdom. Verse 13 has often been translated as “sons of Greece,” leading to many interpretations of the End Times centered around a revival of the Greek Empire, or the Western world as exemplified in Greek thought. But more careful, literal translations interpret this verse as “sons of Yavan.” Who was Yavan? A grandson of Noah, whose descendants settled in western Turkey, many in the city of Izmir, a longtime biblical site. Another son of Yavan (or Javan) was Tarshish, now modern-day Tarsus, also in Turkey.

The “throne of Satan” mentioned in Revelation 2 was constructed in Pergamum, a city whose spectacular ruins you can see in Turkey today, along with a reconstruction of that throne. In addition to these seven “biblical proofs,” Walid Shoebat* makes a powerful case for a Turkish Antichrist by noting that any Beast who would be able to dupe the nation of Israel into a peace treaty for three-and-a-half years would have to “have the reputation for being moderate and must possess the trust of the Israelis and the world.” I agree. There will need to be some repair in the Turk-Israeli alliance before this can happen, but these two nations have shown a remarkable willingness to partner in hopes of keeping the rest of the Middle East calm, up until very recently. And despite the political tension between the two, the economic relationship remains strong, with a nearly 40 percent jump in trade reported in 2013.[274] Turkey and Israel have a history of cooperation, unlike Israel with other Middle

Turkey is one of the few Middle Eastern countries that recognized Israel’s right to exist immediately, on March 28, 1949. Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the U.A.E., and Yemen still do not accept Israeli passports, and I don’t see another country of consequence in the region that would be able to lure Israel into a peace treaty.

Shoebat affirms the common scriptural narrative that “the Antichrist will initially appear to be moderate and trustworthy, but he will also eventually show his true colors. And, his success will come through deceit and shrewdness.” He added, “When searching for the Antichrist, one must never look to Ahmadinejads or Usamas of the world, but instead to someone with a moderate mask – at least in the beginning. His sinister, rabid hatred for Jews and Christians will not be revealed until he lures the sheep into his den.”

Anyone able to pull off a peace treaty with Israel and then negotiate his way to global domination will look great, speak well in English, and be comfortable around all sorts of people from the West and East. I don’t think he will wear an Arab dress or be monolingual. I think he will look like a handsome politician and wear a variety of clothing to fit the context; he will be familiar with Western ways of thought, and he will probably have been educated at some point in Europe or the U.S. This fits the profile of many leaders in Turkey who have studied abroad and speak at least passable English. They present themselves and their country as moderate, tolerant, and inclusive, but they are not shy about their faith, either.

The fact is the Turks have either killed or driven out all minority peoples and faiths. The Armenian Genocide in 1914-18 is increasingly recognized, even among Turks, as having occurred. One-and-a-half million Christians were expelled in 1923, and another 150,000 left after anti-Christian riots in Istanbul in 1955, helping to cut the Christian population from two million to a mere four thousand today.[

The author Ralph Stice tells a story that is classical Turkish “tolerance.” At the University he was teaching, he tried to book the room that was designated for religious minorities to meet. On the surface, it looks as if religious minorities will be welcomed to practice their faith as they see fit. In reality, however, Christians were not allowed to meet in the room designated for them in a religious complex. The promise was, in fact, a lie. Perhaps this is why the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Christian Church, Bartholomew, told 60 Minutes, “I feel crucified” living under a Turkish government that “would like to see his nearly 2,000-year-old Patriarchate die out,” as the church’s seminary was shut down and part of its property seized, like a python slowly squeezing a victim to death.[

As the idea that Turkey could be the home of the Antichrist has gained circulation, Turkish imams are fighting back even as they agree to be interviewed by American authors such as Joel Richardson. Adnan Oktar is a renowned Islamic teacher who oversees a popular website bursting with information on al-Mahdi. When challenged; in a soft, calm, reasoning voice, Oktar says that labeling Turkey as the Antichrist “makes the slaying of the Muslim world lawful,” and then says, “It is wrong and illogical to portray Turkey as the Antichrist. It is cruelty … You fail to think the best … You must trust people … You are sowing the seeds of hatred in all Christians’ hearts … You should be demanding warmth and brotherhood … We believe in the same Allah, don’t we?

Summary by Ralph Stice: For the many reasons I’ve stated – from Turkey as the site of the largest Muslim empire in the world and the only country seeking to revive such an empire, to possible scriptural evidence for the “Lost Land of the Bible” being a key country in the End Times – I believe Turkey merits our most careful attention in the years to come. As I lived in Turkey, I found a brand of Islam that I think would play very well in the modern world as a deceptive lure into the religion of Muhammad. There is just enough charm, Sufi-inspired emotion, and emphasis on “love,” “understanding,” and “tolerance” to make a Turk a prime candidate for the Antichrist, someone who appears quite palatable with politically correct people, yet who has a burning desire to spread Islam across the globe. Let me add Sinan Ogan is a good example of such a Turk.

*Walid Shoebat. He used to be a radicalized Muslim willing to die for the cause of Jihad until he converted to Christianity in 1994.
A significant portion of this post was taken from the book by Ralph Stice, Arab Spring, Christian Winter: Islam Unleashed on the Church and the World. ANEKO Press.

al MAHDI BEST CANDIDATE FOR ANTICHRIST

I met Joel Richardson at a conference in Dallas where he was one of the speakers on End Times. He was introduced to me by Nelson Walters who I have known for a number of years. Joel spoke on “The Scriptural Case for an Islamic Antichrist“.

Since then a number of other books have been written that focus on the long-awaited Muslim Messiah, al Mahdi, and how he fits the Biblical descriptions of the Antichrist. One book that I have used to extract much of the information for this post is Ralph Stice’s book “Arab Spring, Christian Winter – Islam Unleashed on the Church and the World

Forty-two percent of Muslims in a recent survey believe the Islamic Superman will appear in their lifetime (www.mahdi-watch.org). His name is al-Mahdi, the “Rightly Guided One,” who has been discussed since the earliest days of Islam. This Islamic messiah was referred to by Muhammad’s grandson, Ali, who said that Islam would “prevail over all religions when the Messiah of this ummah (Islamic nation) makes his appearance.” (Ed Hotaling, Islam without Illusions: It’s Past, Its Present, and Its Challenges for the Future (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2003), 102).

The following quote is from what has been called the greatest Islamic history book from the pre-modern era:

Let it be known that it is a narrated event by ALL Muslims in EVERY era that at the end of time a man from the family of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) will, without fail, make his appearance and will strengthen Islam and spread justice; Muslims will follow him and he will gain domination over the Muslim realm. He will be called al-Mahdi.” Ibn Khaldun, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1967), 257-58.

Mahdi (also Mehdi or Maadi; the vowels are flexible in Arabic) will appear just as mankind reaches a stage of great suffering, to show the light of Islam when men and women need it most, and to prepare the world for Allah’s judgment just in time, according to accepted Islamic teaching.

One writer predicts: “The Mahdi will establish right and justice in the world and eliminate evil and corruption. He will fight against the enemies of the Muslims who would be victorious.” Sideeque M. A. Veliankode, Doomsday: Portents and Prophecies (Scarborough, Canada: Al-Attique, 1999), 4-5.

Note what these two Ayatullahs say, “He will reappear on the appointed day, and then he will fight against the forces of evil, lead a world revolution and set up a new world order based on justice, righteousness, and virtue … ultimately the righteous will take the world administration in their hands and Islam will be victorious over all the religions.” Ayatullah Baqir al-Sadr and Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari, The Awaited Saviour (Karachi, Pakistan: Islamic Seminary Publications, 2013), 4-5.

He will be assisted by prophet Isa “Jesus,” who will descend from heaven to work miracles and preach Islam. “Isa will testify against those who had called him son of God, the Christians, and those who had belied him, the Jews.”

This Islamic version of Jesus’ end-times role fits the description of the Antichrist’s assistant (False Prophet) in Revelation 13 perfectly. While Mahdi straightens out the ummah by “freeing Islam from the hypocrites who have corrupted it,” this Jesus will handle the evangelization of the Jewish and Christian communities. (http://www.awaitedmahdi.com/mahdi01.html, November 15, 2013).

If this sounds like the Antichrist and the False Prophet, you can see why many of us who have studied Islam for years believe that Mahdi will be that man. One Muslim Background Believer who has done a lot of speaking and writing about al-Mahdi, Walid Shoebat, says that as he read scriptural prophecy for the first time, he was astonished by the description of the Antichrist.

His conclusion? This is the Mehdi that we have long talked about in Islam.