December 2023 – The End is in Sight

PTNews

P r o p h e tic Truth in the N e w s

October 2024

   Published monthly by Mike Wingfield Ministries

All Bible references are from the KJV   

The End is in Sight

“And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come before me.” Genesis 6:13

By Mike Wingfield

As we stand at this pivotal point in human history, those of us who study the prophetic Scriptures can clearly see the end of this age approaching! While we do not know exactly how much more time will elapse, we do know what the last seven years will look like.

During the days of the prophet Isaiah, at a time of great spiritual apostasy in Israel, God continually spoke through this great prophet to remind the children of Israel that He is the One and only true God, and there are no others. God gave evidence of this truth when He said to Israel, “Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is none else: I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure” (Isaiah 46:9-10). This statement proves that He knows and orchestrates all events from the beginning to the end. Nothing surprises Him. All the efforts of Satan and his demons never catch the Lord off guard. Nothing that individuals and nations do can thwart His eternal purposes. Not one single event occurs outside of His all-inclusive will and eternal plan of the ages.

Before time began, prior to the foundation of the world, God chose every single detail of how and when everything would end. He is the eternal Holy One who “worketh all things after the counsel of his own will” (Ephesians 1:11). In His infinite wisdom, He has chosen to give us incredible insight into the details of the last seven years of man’s rule on earth.

Many of the details of the end of this age are horrific. I shall never forget how more than 30 years ago the Lord caused me to intently pour over the numerous Scriptures that give the precise details of the Tribulation P

The divine revelation concerning the events at the end of this age are perhaps more prominent and pronounced than most other subjects in the Bible. … God in His mercy has chosen to give mankind ample warning of those things that await the rebels against Him at the end of time.

The divine revelation concerning the events at the end of this age are perhaps more prominent and pronounced than most other subjects in the Bible. … God in His mercy has chosen to give mankind ample warning of those things that await the rebels against Him at the end of time. Period. This process lasted several months. There were many nights when I found it hard to sleep. I personally discovered that the divine revelation of the nature of the Tribulation Period is very troubling to the child of God. During this time, I began to understand why there is so little desire on the part of man to investigate the heart of God and see His purposes for the horrific features of this unique time in man’s final years at the end of this age. Some have chosen to ignore God’s revelation about the Tribulation. Many others do not believe there will be a time of great Tribulation. Consequently, I must warn you that many things I will say in this newsletter will be very disturbing. We don’t like to think about these things!

When we look through the pages of biblical history, we can see the sharp contrast between the light of God’s blessings when man walks with Him, and the darkness of God’s judgment when man rebels against Him. The Bible speaks much about the darkness of the depraved human heart and God’s response to it. Because He is holy, He must and will judge sin. It is a part of His divine justice. He has declared, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay” (Romans 12:19).

History reveals there have always been wars, violence, wickedness, rebellion, diseases, natural disasters, and famines. Mankind has had to suffer through spiritual deception, lawlessness, and hatred. However, the Tribulation Period will surpass any of these former horrible developments. It will be a time when all these troubles will escalate and reach the catastrophic point that will bring the earth’s population to the brink of self-destruction. Speaking about the end, Jesus said, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake [those who will physically inhabit the Millennial Kingdom] those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:21,22).

In the study of the prophetic Scriptures over many decades, I have been literally overwhelmed with the volume of Scriptures that speak of the Tribulation Period. I have attempted to collect, organize, correlate, analyze, categorize, and put them in chronological order with the aid of the book of Revelation. In this attempt, I have tried to be very careful to literally interpret the Scriptures and follow a set of biblical guidelines to help me look at the Bible from a divine eternal perspective. To do this, it is important to examine the historical context, customs, languages, and geography of Israel and the Middle East, where civilization began, and it will end.

The divine revelation concerning the events at the end of this age are perhaps more prominent and pronounced than most other subjects in the Bible. For example, the Bible has far more to say about the Tribulation than all the combined verses in the gospels concerning the First Coming of the Messiah. God in His mercy has chosen to give mankind ample warning of those things that await the rebels against Him at the end of time.

I am convinced that God in His infinite wisdom has designed a final response to the historical sins of man and the nations from the beginning to the end. What God began in Genesis He will finish in the Book of Revelation. His focus among the nations in the last 4,000 years has been upon the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. When the end comes, He will deal harshly in His holy wrath against the nations that have cursed Israel for more than 4,000 years.

In Genesis 12:1-2, God chose a land, and a people. In an unconditional covenant, He promised Abraham, “And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great: and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Genesis 12:2-3). God has kept His unconditional promise to the Jewish people, their land, and their nation – Israel. If He would do otherwise, He would cease to be the faithful God of truth! That will never happen. In the last book of the older testament, God declared, “For I am the LORD, I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed” (Malachi 3:6).

The tragic events perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 in Israel are a vital part of the strategy of Muslims to destroy Israel as the first step toward the establishment of a global Islamic empire.

People who fail to grasp the reality of this eternal promise given to Abraham and His divinely chosen descendants will be totally confused in their interpretation of Scripture. Furthermore, they fail to grasp the significance and meaning of the current events that are unfolding at this very hour! The church has not replaced Israel in God’s eternal plan. The events taking place in Israel now are setting the stage for God’s final judgment upon the nations that have had a history of cursing the Jews. Sadly, most of the church leadership in America and the world are totally silent about what is to take place in our world. Instead of bearers of God’s light, they are pawns in the hands of the kingdom of darkness.

I believe that the tragic events that unfolded on October 7 in Southern Israel in 14 Jewish communities near the Gaza Strip, are a precursor to what will unfold during the seven-year Tribulation. For those of you who are faithful readers of this newsletter, you know that my interpretation of the Bible has led me to conclude that the end-time conflict with Israel and the world will revolve around the nations of the Middle East (Ezekiel 36:4, 7). Historically and prophetically, the Bible is consistently focused upon the Middle East.

Those who continue to cling to the view of a revived Roman Empire and a global power structure in the West in the Tribulation are not reading all of the Bible. All the events, trends, wars, and nations of the Tribulation Period focus upon the Middle East. The Western nations will not play a major role in the end time events. It is apparent that the West is in a free-fall spiritually, morally, socially, politically, economically, and militarily.

The tragic events perpetrated by Hamas on October 7 in Israel are a vital part of the strategy of Muslims to destroy Israel as the first step toward the establishment of a global Islamic empire. Their goal is to destroy Israel and America, and then wage a religious war against the rest of the world. Their goal is to rule over all nations and force the global population to become Muslims or be murdered.

Most non-Muslims do not know or comprehend the true face of historical Islam. People need to ask, “What Muslim groups today represent the teaching and model of the founding prophet Muhammed?” In answering this question, we must be very careful who we listen to. Muslims, the liberal Western media, and educational systems, cannot be trusted to give us the factual evidence about anything – including Islam.

To grasp the truth about Islam we must look at Islam through the lens of the Bible. The Bible is our only valid standard of truth. At the same time, we need to have an accurate grasp of the teachings and history of Islam since its founding by Muhammed in Saudi Arabia in 630 A.D. We need to have a thorough knowledge of the holy books of Islam – the Quran and Hadith. These two books have guided the faith and thinking of Islam for more than 14 centuries.

After many years of searching for an accurate biblical understanding of Islam, I have come to respect and follow the writings of Dr. Mark Gabriel. Mark was born and raised as a devout Egyptian Muslim. When he was 12 years old, he had memorized the entire Quran. He attended Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt where he earned his Bachelor’s, a Master’s, and a Doctorate degree in Islamic history and culture. After earning his doctorate, he became a professor at this oldest and most prestigious Islamic University in the world. While still searching for answers to questions about his faith, he was given a copy of the Bible. After reading the Scriptures, he became a committed believer of Jesus Christ. Eventually, he fled to the United States after many attempts upon his life. For security purposes, he changed his name and adopted his current Christian name.

Upon coming to America, he earned a Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Bible and Christian education. Who better could understand Islam than a former devout Muslim who taught other Muslims about their faith? Most importantly, he is now a Christian and has a great grasp of the Bible. This is a person who can be trusted to give us a true biblical perspective of Islam.

In this newsletter, I will be frequently quoting from Mark Gabriel’s book, Islam and Terrorism. We are offering this book for $7.00. See our order form on page 8. If you want to understand what is happening in our world, I highly recommend this simple, yet profound and insightful 213-page paperback book.

Today, there are 2 billion followers of Islam in the world. That means that one out of every four people in the world is a Muslim. Islam is the second largest religion in the world, only exceeded by Christianity. Muslims are currently living in almost every nation. It is believed that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world.

At the heart of the religion of Islam is its goal to rule the entire world. Islam is more than just a religion. It is also a political ideology that wants to govern all of earth’s citizens. “Islam is a religion and a state. After Muhammed emigrated from Mecca to Medina, he set up a political government, established laws, and established Islam as a system of belief that covers every aspect of life” (Islam and Terrorism, p. 15). In many ways this is like the atheistic global control of socialism and communism. This is why these political systems of radical domination of people support one another in the United Nations.

Like the Communists, Islam’s method of conquering the world is through war. The followers of radical Islam are the true followers of their historical teachings that originated with Muhammad. “The Islamic radical is a fundamentalist – he wants to practice Islam the way Muhammad practiced Islam. So, his definition of jihad [holy war] is based on Muhammad’s – both in word and by example. The Quran contains a tremendous amount of teaching about jihad. In fact, I estimate that 60 percent of the Quran is related to the concept of jihad” (Islam and Terrorism, p. 16). Islam is a religion that spreads its influence by war!

Revelation 6:1-8 features four horsemen that symbolize the beginning activities of the seven-year Tribulation Period. After much study of the prophetic context of the Scriptures, I have concluded that the actions of these horses represent the beginning of global Islamic jihad against the nations at the opening of the Tribulation.

It is obvious from the context that each of these horses represents the evil acts of wicked people. In the Bible, horses usually represent war (Proverbs 21:31; 1 Kings 4:26). Horses played a significant role in the first Islamic jihad of the 6^th century and the following centuries of Islamic warfare. Some of the most famous horses that were bred in the region are called “Arabian horses.”

Most of the wars mentioned in the Bible concerning the end-time revolve around the Islamic nations of the Middle East (Ezekiel 38-39, Daniel 11:40-45, Psalm 83:1-8). The battle of Armageddon will feature Islamic nations: Lebanon and Gaza (Joel 3:4; Obadiah 19), Iraq (Revelation 16:12-16), and the Palestinians, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia (Ezekiel 34).

The rider on the white horse in Revelation 6:2, represents the introduction of the restoration of the Islamic Caliphate (the global Islamic Kingdom). Islam ruled the world and the Holy Land from 1517 to 1917. It is now in a state of revival to restore what they lost after WW I. The rider on the white horse represents the Islamic messiah, who deceptively comes in the name of peace. Note that the rider has a bow, but no arrows – symbolically coming in the name of peace. Daniel 8:25 says that the Antichrist will come “and by peace shall destroy many.” Notice that Revelation 6:2 says that “a crown was given unto him.” The Greek word used here for crown means an overcomer, a victor. It means that the rider on the white horse has won a military conquest. This is exactly what Islam is expecting.

Islam views itself as a peaceful religion. They divide the world into two groups – “the house of Islam,” and “the house of war.” In other words, they are at peace with you if you are a Muslim, but if you are not a Muslim, you are in the house of war and must be annihilated.

Revelation 6:2 also states, “and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” This means that his military conquests will ultimately lead to his political domination. The Antichrist will be known as a man of war (Daniel 11:38-39, Revelation 13:4). Notice that his call for Armageddon will come from the Middle East (Revelation 16:12-16).

The Antichrist will make a false peace treaty with Israel and will allow them to rebuild their temple and revive the ancient sacrificial system (Daniel 9:27). The antichrist will ultimately break this false covenant. After he does this, he will be passionate about his control of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem – considered to be the third most holy site in the religion of Islam (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Revelation 11:1-2). Today, the struggle over the control of this mountain is the central focus of the war between Islam and Israel. No other political groups seem to be so passionate about this valuable historic property. Once again, this proves that the end-time struggle is between Islam and Israel.

The second rider in Revelation 6:4 is said to be “another horse”. The Greek word “another” indicates that this rider is the same as the rider on the white horse. This rider has a “sword.” The Greek word for sword indicates that this is a short dagger (in contrast to the long saber used in war). This is the weapon of assassins. It represents the violent massacres and terrorism that will be characteristic of the jihad-type of guerrilla warfare against all non-Muslim nations.

Furthermore, the action of this rider will “take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another” (Revelation 6:4). This is not the language of conventional warfare. It is speaking of the inhabitants of earth being at war with each other – the perfect language of Islamic terrorism.

The riders of the next two horses in Revelation 6 report the results of this global jihad by Islamic terrorists. This war of terrorism will destroy the global economy (verses 5-6) and introduce serious global famine conditions (verse 6).

Islam’s goal is to remove the high-tech world and return the world to the ancient lifestyle of the days of Muhammed. As this is implemented, it will bring about death to many because without the use of agricultural high-tech applications the world cannot feed eight billion people. According to Revelation 6:8, one-fourth of the global population will die during the opening months of Islam’s global jihad.

It appears that our world is ready for the beginning events of the Tribulation Period. I am convinced the attack upon Israel by Hamas on October 7, and the global response to it signal that the Tribulation is about to begin.

The methods used by Hamas against Israel illustrate the kind of brutal and inhuman warfare that will be waged against all nations as mentioned in Revelation 6 at the beginning of the Tribulation. Hamas was acting as an agent of radical Islamic elements that are ready to murder all non-Muslims in the name of Allah. As they attacked innocent Israelis on October 7, they continually shouted “Allah is Greater!” In their view, this is a holy war against Israel and the entire non-Muslim world.

Here is a list of the activities of Hamas and their connection to Islamic jihad.

Murder all non-Muslims

According to the Quran, if non-Muslims fail to repent, they must be killed. Surah 4:89, states, “Those who reject Islam must be killed, If they turn back (from Islam), take (hold of) them and kill them wherever you find them.”

Jihad is a vital part of practicing historic Islam. “Jihad is definitely commanded for all Muslims in the Quran” (Islam and Terrorism, p. 30). According to the Quran, this is the only way a Muslim can guarantee his entrance into heaven. So according to Islam, a person can seal their own salvation by their own personal sacrifice for Allah.

Beheadings and Mutilations

According to the Quran, Islamic warriors are to behead and dismember their victims. Surah 47:4 of the Quran states, “Therefore, when you meet the Unbelievers (in battle), smite at their necks, at length, when you subdue them, bind a bond firmly (on them)…” On October 7^th, hundreds of Israeli victims were beheaded and mutilated. This will be the method the Antichrist and his followers will use in their war against the world during the Tribulation (Revelation 20:4)

The Plunders of War and Hostages

Muhammed taught his followers to not work or earn wages, but to wage war to take the possessions of those whom they killed. Muhammed’s “important source of income was plundering after battle. This was his economic lifeblood, just as oil is the economic lifeblood of the Gulf countries today. They did not farm, work trades, or conduct business. They fought. Part of their profit came from slave trading. When invading an enemy country, they killed all males and took the women and children as slaves” (Islam and Terrorism, p. 70).

It has been very disturbing to watch the hostage release process between Israel and Hamas. The world does not grasp how Hamas abducted women and children to use them to wage war against Israel. Israel is now being forced to exchange murderers in their prisons to get their people back home.

According to Joel 3:3, the forces of the Antichrist will be involved in taking Jewish children as hostages and turning them into slaves for their own purposes. This is one of the things that enrages our Holy God (Matthew 18:6). Hamas has demonstrated that they do not respect the lives of Jewish or Arab children. God has promised that they will suffer His divine judgment (Joel 3:4).

Special Targets of Jihad – Jews and Christians

According to the Quran, the main targets of Islam are Jews and believers in Jesus. This is exactly what is depicted in the Book of Revelation. The Bible declares that Islam will be “drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus” (Revelation 17:6).

There are numerous reports that Islamic terrorists are killing Christians, burning churches, and gang raping Christian women in Europe, Africa, and throughout the Middle East. The Islamic sexual immorality, murders, and theft will be a part of their jihadist rampage during the Tribulation (Revelation 9:21). Western media groups are completely silent about these attacks upon Christians.

The Inducement of Mind-Altering Drugs

According to the Bible, the followers of the Antichrist, who will be just like ISIS and Hamas, will use drugs. Revelation 9:21says, “Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication [illicit sexual activity], nor of their thefts.” The Greek word that is translated as “sorceries” is pharmakia. This is the word from which we get the English word pharmacy. In Revelation 9:21 it points to illegal drugs. In ancient times, mind-altering drugs were always associated with witchcraft and sorcery. Those who took these drugs were inducing themselves into a demonic state, while submitting themselves to demons to control their mind and body. There is evidence that the armies of Muhammed did the same thing 14 centuries ago!

Lying about Agreements

“Muslim groups will use peace talks or agreements to buy time so they can make new plans, prepare, and position themselves for victory. Muslim military leaders will tell the other side whatever it wants to hear in order to buy time, but when it comes time to deliver what is agreed upon, you will see a different story” (Islam and Terrorism, p. 88).

We must pray for Israel. Pray for its political and military leaders. Pray that they will have victory over Hamas. They are currently fighting the Islamic war that is poised to spread around the globe.

I am convinced that Islam’s war with America is about to reach a new level of attack. Our open southern border has provided thousands of terrorists’ illegal entry into our country. The terrorists who are here are simply waiting for the signal from Iran to begin their attacks against Americans just like they did against Israelis on October 7.

They attacked Israel on a day of great spiritual significance – on the day of Simchat Torah. This was to be a day of great rejoicing in Israel as they began a new cycle of the annual reading of parts of the Bible. However, Islam chose to bring sorrow at a time when the Jewish people were supposed to be experiencing great spiritual joy. Will Islamic leaders choose to attack America at such a moment? If so, it could be at some time around our great celebrations of Christmas. They would love to turn our Christmas celebrations into a time of sorrow, pain, and fear. We need to be in prayer. This is a very serious moment in the history of our nation and world.

It is shocking to realize that many people in the world are supporting the Islamic terrorists’ attacks against innocent Israeli civilians. The hatred for Jews and Israel is spiraling out of control, fomenting lawlessness. This signals that our world has reached a point of moral and spiritual destruction. Society is at the breaking point of self-destruction.

I consider Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be a leader who speaks with great moral clarity, perhaps more than any other world leader. Recently he said, “The horrors that Hamas perpetrated on October 7 remind us that we will not realize the promise of a better future unless we, the civilized world, are willing to fight the barbarians. Because the barbarians are ready to fight us… and usher in a world of fear and darkness, … It is time for all of us to decide if we are willing to fight for a future of hope and promise or surrender to tyranny and terror, …In fighting Hamas and the Iranian axis of terror, Israel is fighting the enemies of civilization itself. It begins with knowing the difference between good and evil, between right and wrong… It means making a moral distinction between the deliberate murder of the innocent and the unintentional casualties that accompany every legitimate war. Israel will stand against the forces of barbarism until victory. I hope and pray that civilized nations everywhere will back this fight,” he said. ‘Because Israel’s fight is your fight; because if Hamas and Iran’s axis of evil win, you will be their next target. That’s why Israel’s victory will be your victory,’” he added. (Benjamin Netanyahu, World Israel News, October 30, 2023).

“Be ready for the shout that will take us out!”