CONTENT OF VIDEO – Vlad Savchuk interviews Joel Richardson on recent events: Hamas invading Israel and how this fits with end times prophecies – Antichrist & Israel War.
1. Intro 1:04 – Why do Christians stand in opposition to supporting Israel?
2, 5:35 – It is never justifiable to inflict genocide
3. 16:22 – Jewish identity is not just all about the bloodline
How to Build a Faith That Will Withstand Any Persecution
I will close this book with a few words of hopeful wisdom to help you in case you are terrified of the future and wonder if you will be able to withstand the difficult days ahead. I do not claim in any way that I have a monopoly on how to build a solid Christian life, or some special secret to achieve rapid maturity, an oxymoron in itself. It would be impossible for you to have the same huge host of people build into your life that have built into mine. I’m very sorry for those of you who have had few, if any, people pour into your life by spending time with you, praying with and for you, and guiding your growth as a Christian. I have been hugely blessed in this regard. Because of that godly input over many years and forty-plus years of walking with the Lord, I have a few ideas on how to build an unshakeable faith. People often ask me if I have doubted my faith while serving the Lord abroad in overwhelmingly Muslim communities. My answer is always “No. Being the only Christian for miles around actually builds my faith stronger.” That is because I continually see the vivid contrast between the reality of Christianity and the Holy Spirit within us, and the deadness of religion, even one that calls for extremely high commitment. As I’ve said many times before in print and in person, ONLY the Holy Spirit can change a life, no one else. That’s the primary, on-the-ground difference between Christianity and every other faith out there. The longer you are among those other faiths, even as you find elements worthy of admiration in them, you will understand that none of them actually change the heart.
So let’s take a brief look at a few steps you can consider to build a faith that will remain true and strong, even if Islamists order you to forsake it. 1. Get Into a Small Group(s). There is absolutely no need to build a strong faith through your own effort, gutting out daily Bible reading, going to church whenever you can, and trying to pray for longer and longer amounts of time each day. The modern, Western thought that we can walk with Jesus but not follow any “organized religion” is wrongheaded. This type of Lone Ranger Christianity is nowhere to be found in God’s Word. It is a Western, individualistic interpretation of a faith that grew out of small groups, as we see all over the Book of Acts. I am saying clearly that you cannot grow the type of faith you will need in the End Times by watching sermons on television or online and staying in your own home with no regular contact with other Christians. The Church will never stand strong if it’s built on survivalists who move as far away from others as they can and practice an isolationist Christianity. You should not want to dive into body life simply because it is commanded. You should do it because it is enjoyable and a necessary part of your growth. We all need that sharpening from one another, as Proverbs 27:17 says, As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
The author of the book Arab Spring Christian Winter – Islam Unleashed on the Church and the World, Ralph Stice has spent many years living, working, and ministering in Muslim countries. His time in Turkey (seat of the former Ottoman Empire) has led him to the same conclusion as Joel Richardson author of The Mid East Beast – The Scriptural Case for an Islamic 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.
This is a debate on the doctrine of the Antichrist moderated by Derek Gilbert of Skywatch TV
The topic is “Will the Antichrist be a False Jewish Messiah” Chris White takes the affirmative position and Joel Richardson takes the negative. Chris’s website is http: http://www.BibleProphecytalk.com and Joel Richardson’s is http://www.JoelsTrumpet.com.
Most of you, that have followed my journey on this website know that I have favoured the position taken by Joel Richardson on the identity of the Antichrist. He proffers the Mahdi (long-awaited Muslim Messiah) as the likely candidate for the Antichrist. However, as a result of watching this video, I decided to devote time to looking at the arguments Chris makes for Jerusalem being Mystery Babylon and the Antichrist the long awaited Jewish Messiah. I have even purchased his book “Mystery Babylon – When Jerusalem Embraces the Antichrist” I will possibly do a post on it when I have read it. Let me know who you think presented his case most convincingly.
“And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” – Revelation 17:18
Which city is this that reigns over all the kings of the earth? Rome? New York? Mecca?
There are over 90 characteristics given in the book of Revelation about the city of Mystery Babylon, and none of these three cities meets all of the criteria.
But there is one city that does…or should I say will.
Too often people look for the city of Mystery Babylon in history, or in their present day, as opposed to what the scriptures say we will see in the future.
The Bible tells us exactly which city will be the capital city of the Antichrist in the last days, it tells us the city that will promote the Antichrist’s worship to the rest of the world, and the city in which the Antichrist will institute the greatest persecution of all time.
That city is Jerusalem.
The city of Mystery Babylon will be Jerusalem when it embraces the Antichrist as if he was their long-awaited Messiah. The reason that she is referred to as a “harlot” is the same reason she was referred to as a harlot hundreds of times in scripture because she is committing spiritual adultery.
A film which will hopefully give you a clearer vison of Jesus and will inspire you to love Him more dearly. If nothing else, I hope it drives you to want to know more about the book of Revelation which is ultimately the book of the Revelation of Jesus. It is the last book of the Bible and it needs to be the book we know best in these last days so we know Him and what to expect will happen on this earth before He appears.
You need to connect with Maranatha Ministries (download their app) to get great teaching on Biblical “end times” prophesied events. Make sure you work through the Maranatha series on Daniel. It will prepare you for the coming series on Revelation. I am confident that God has raised up both Dalton Thomas and Joel Richardson to prepare His church for His second coming. I met Joel at an “end times” convention in Texas and we have corresponded over a number of years now. Joel and Dalton have been working together for a number of years now and it has been interesting to see how God has expanded each of their ministries as they have been faithful with the tasks God has given them.
Most of the persecution Christians face occurs in predominantly Islamic nations, and the estimates are; as many as two-thirds of Middle East Christians “have left the region or been killed” in the past century. Persecution is reaching a fever pitch in places like Gaza, Iran, Egypt, Sudan and Syria. Its origin is the antichrist spirit spoken of in the last days prophecies, that will usher in the Antichrist, the Mahdi, the Islamic Messiah. Most Muslims believe his appearance is imminent. Take a look at the % of Muslims who expect Mahdi to return in their lifetime.
Persecution of Christians:
SYRIA: The 220,000 residents of Raqqa, Syria, didn’t know what to think when the black flag of the Islamic State (IS) went up over their city. Then the executions began. A young man accused of unspecified criminal activity was shot in the head, and his body was left in the public square for three days. Several others were crucified. Some had their heads cut off and placed on fence posts. There were many new rules to obey. No one seemed to know for sure which behaviours were now criminal offences. An eyewitness named Abu Ibrahim said, “People were frightened, which is what they [IS] wanted. They wanted everyone to be terrified of them.” The city’s three Christian churches were padlocked. Crosses and other Christian symbols were either destroyed or covered.
MOSUL: “Isis came in and they rounded up all of the Christians. Not some, all of them. And they killed huge numbers. They chopped the children in half. They chopped their heads off. It was just so terrible what happened.”
EGYPT: In Egypt, dozens of churches have been bombed or set ablaze by radical Muslims, most of them alleged members of the Muslim Brotherhood.
Egypt has the largest number of Christians of any Arab nation, with about 10 percent of its 95 million population said to be believers in Jesus Christ. Most of them are Copts (Coptic Orthodox), but there are also thousands of Roman Catholics, evangelicals and members of various denominations. Persecution is nothing new to Egypt’s Christians, but it grew in intensity when the Arab Spring brought down the dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak.
Do you suppose this was the work of Islamic extremists and that most Egyptians would be shocked by such a tragedy? Think again. In 2010, the Pew Research Center asked Egyptians whether they thought people who converted from Islam to Christianity should be executed. Eighty-four percent said they should be. That same year, a member of Egypt’s Ministry of Islamic Endowments appeared on state-run television and said he believed people who converted from Islam should be killed.
I have prepared a sermon Islamic Antichrist based on Joel Richardson’s book Mid East Beast – The Case for an Islamic Antichrist which is up on my other website http://www.powerpointsermons.net (PPS)
Did you know that the Second Coming of Jesus and the establishment of His Kingdom is the primary story of the OT prophets? God revealed to them, that His nation Israel, would be restored and it’s enemies defeated. The Messiah, a descendant of King David would rule and reign the universe on this earth, from Jerusalem for one thousand years (Millennium). Moreover, Bible prophecy provides a lot of detail on the last seven years prior to Jesus return – Daniel’s 70th week. It is a time of escalating tribulation – “great tribulation”, when a Satanically empowered individual, labelled the Antichrist, wields immense power, particularly in the Middle East. What this presentation seeks to do, is to examine the biblical evidence for the identity of this prophesied Antichrist and to compare him with the Messiah figure expected by the Muslims – the al Mahdi. If Islam is the religion of the Antichrist then its implications for the church are massive.
Watch out for another great end times sermon The Mystery of Catastrophes. It will be put up on PPS shortly.
Preterist versus futurist. Preterism believes that most prophecies have been fulfilled, many about 70 AD.
Joel interviews Dr Brock David Hollett, the author of the new book Debunking Preterism. They tackle difficult Scriptures such as “The Day of the Lord is at hand”. In this case, for all of us at anytime, death can occur at any moment in time, so we need to be ready for Jesus return at anytime, this is an essential understanding to deal with the many times this Scripture appears in both the O.T. and N.T.
Another difficult Scripture is Matthew 24:34 “This generation (quality of the generation at hand) will not pass away until these things take place.” Brock does a good job of providing an explanation for these otherwise difficult passages. I hope the video is helpful as it was for me.
As followers of this website will know, on a recent post “Why Hell is Not Eternal Torment” I supported the Conditional Immortality (Lake of Fire – a Fire that Consumes) view. Joel Richardson in the video below supports the Traditional Eternal Torment view.
This video is the second in a series of three on Hell. In the first video, Joel interviewed a representative of www.rethinkinghell.com who presented the Conditional Immortality view so I would suggest you start there.
For different reasons, Joel and I believe this is an important subject, and as I value his opinion and the work he is doing on the “end times”, I want you to hear him out. However, you need to ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding of the truth, in respect to God’s justice, and to what God has in store for unbelievers after the white throne judgement.
I have comments I would like to make on this presentation but I would prefer to wait to hear what Joel has to say about the N.T scriptures and then I will respond as I hope you will too.
What we see unfolding in the Middle East is a lead up to the “end times” wars prophesied in the Bible.
Listen to Joel talk about what is unfolding now – conflict between Iran (Shia) and its neighbours as it attempts to exert its dominance on these Muslim nations. This is already happening with Iran troops in Syria and Iraq and its proxies, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
What follows in Daniel 8:5-8 is the prophesied Goat with a single horn (Turkey) trampling the ram (Iran). This is Turkey’s (Sunni) response to re-establish a revised Ottoman Empire.
These all proceed the final Gog/Magog war.
Gabriel told Daniel three times “for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end.” I believe we are living in the time of the end when we are seeing these prophesied events unfold. We are fast approaching the final week (shabua) of the Seventy weeks prophesied in Daniel 9:24-27.
Will God restore Israel? No question, the wayward child will be restored. He is faithful. His promises are not dependent on Israel being faithful just as His promises to the church don’t depend upon our faithfulness.
He will return to save them, restore them, and rule and reign from a restored Jerusalem for one thousand years (Millennial reign). Good to hear Joel Richardson devastate the Preterist view (a perverted and evil view) of end times.
The primary focus and prophetic burden of all the O.T. prophets is the return of the Messiah and the events that surround His coming. God was gracious to show each one of them the end of the story – the “Day of the Lord” when he comes to defeat Israel’s enemies and He rules and reigns from Jerusalem in the Millennium.
Joel does a great job of unpacking the different positions held on the identity of Mystery Babylon.
![Mystery Babylon - When Jerusalem Embraces The Antichrist by [Chris White]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Jkb7FoOML.jpg)
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 