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2015 February – The Approaching Global Islamic Jihad
The Approaching Global Islamic Jihad
“And there went out another horse that was red; and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.” – Revelation 6:4
By Mike Wingfield
We are at war, while most of the free world is in a moral stupor concerning Islamic jihad! The world refuses to recognize that a deadly political and religious ideology called Islam has renewed an ancient declaration of war against those who refuse to submit to its beliefs and way of life. Since 9/11 the world has had numerous daily reminders, like the recent terrorist attacks in France, to remind us of this reality. Islamic terrorists have carried out more than 25,000 attacks around the world since 9/11. (www.thereligionofpeace.com) I believe, according to the Bible, that when the end of this age comes, the entire world will experience the brutal and savage attacks of Islamic jihad warriors. This will account for much of the massive global death toll of the entire 7-year Tribulation Period.
After the January massacres by militant Muslims at the magazine Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in France, there was a massive international demonstration in Paris. Four million people participated in the march to voice their opposition to the violence perpetrated against innocent French civilians. However, many who joined the protest were Muslims who support Islamic jihad. Comments by the French leaders made no mention of Islamic jihad or anti-Semitism. “The words ‘Islam’ and ‘jihadist’ were not mentioned. President François Hollande said, against all evidence, ‘Those who committed these acts have nothing to do with Islam.’” (www.gatestoneinstitute.org, January 19, 2015)
In September 2014, President Obama stated in one of his speeches that the ISIS terrorist group that is marching across Syria and Iraq, brutally killing thousands of innocent people in the name of Allah, “is not Islamic.” (townhall.com, September 10, 2014) He totally disregards the reality of their self-appointed name, “the Islamic State,” and their mimicking of Islamic history, traditions, and doctrine.
Comments by these two world leaders clearly demonstrate that the West is in utter denial of the threat of militant Islam. The Obama administration has attempted to remove any connection between Islam and the brutal acts of terrorism that are sweeping across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the entire world. Not only is the West in denial, but it is attempting to appease Islam, thinking it will eventually curtail the march of these Islamic death squads across the globe. History demonstrates that such appeasement never works.
It is true that there is an overwhelming number of Muslims who do not practice jihad. Some are silent because if they speak out against these jihadists they will also become the target of Islamic terrorism. However, most of these silent Muslims support Islam’s goal of ultimate global domination. In other words, they support the eventual subjugation of all nations to Islam, but may disagree on the methodology of how to achieve it.
Most of the world is walking in spiritual darkness and does not understand that global jihad is a warning flare, signaling that the Tribulation Period is about to begin. It is my understanding that militant Islam will play a major role in the godless world system of the final seven years of man’s control of this planet.
I believe the religious system that is called “MYSTERY BABYLON” in Revelation 17:5 is Islam. In light of ancient Biblical customs, it is clear that the imagery in this text points to a religion. This religion is centered in a desert (Revelation 17:3), kills believers in Jesus Christ (Revelation 17:6) by decapitation (Revelation 20:4), and has a resource (oil) transported by sea that makes political leaders, merchants, and marine transporters rich. (Revelation 18:9-20) When the Bible student examines the Old Testament passages that are quoted and alluded to by the Apostle John in his references to Babylon, it becomes clear that he is talking about a religion that is centered in the Middle East, and especially in Iraq. For example, when the final destruction of Babylon comes in the Tribulation Period, as described in Isaiah 13, Jeremiah 50-51 and Revelation 18, it will be completely devastated. No one will ever inhabit that region again, even during the Millennial Kingdom. (Isaiah 13:19-20; 34:1-10; Jeremiah 51:24-26; Revelation 19:3) Isaiah declared: “neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make there fold there.” (Isaiah 13:20)
When you connect all of these dots, they point to only one religious power structure in the world – Islam. It is not an accident that in the last 40 years Islam has been riding a very powerful revival, like a tsunami crashing into the nations with devastating impact. Massive numbers of Muslim immigrants are flooding the Western nations with the goal of bringing radical change that will ultimately bring them into submission to Islam. The fact that Islam is the fasting-growing religion in the world, while Biblical Christianity is being rejected, certainly shines a light into the spiritual darkness of the approaching Tribulation Period.
The worship of the crescent moon god did not begin with the creation of Islam about 1,300 years ago. In recent decades, archaeologists have uncovered the crescent moon symbol and linked it to various pagan gods who were worshiped over 3,000 years ago in Turkey, Egypt, Syria, Canaan, Assyria and Babylon. The traditions, teachings, and practices of Islam are a revival of the religion of their Arab ancestors in Old Testament times. (Revelation 18:24)
In Revelation 17-18, the Apostle John depicted this false religion as a woman riding a beast with seven heads and ten horns. Those who have studied this imagery, beginning in Daniel 7 and Revelation 13, agree that this beast represents the final one-world government that will “devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it into pieces.” (Daniel 7:23) This final global kingdom will be assaulted by the Antichrist, finally conquering it by the mid-point of the seven-year Tribulation Period. The Antichrist will rule over all nations for 42 months, the final half of this horrific period on earth. (Revelation 13:5-7) It is worth noting that this final kingdom and its ruler are depicted as being controlled by the religious system. Notice that the woman (religion) is pictured riding the beast (political kingdom of the Antichrist). Thus, the Antichrist and his kingdom will be in submission to the one-world religion, which is Islam.
There are several Biblical clues that point to the Antichrist being an Islamic caliphate (dictator). In Isaiah 14:4 he is given the title: “the king of Babylon.” In Daniel 11, the Antichrist will have no respect for other gods. (verse 37) He will not have any respect for women. (verse 37) He will honor a god of military might. (verse 38) He will promise peace, while strategizing the destruction of many. (Daniel 8:25) He will blaspheme the God of the Bible. (Revelation 13:6) The Antichrist will declare war on believers in Jesus Christ. He will kill those who refuse to submit to his authority and his god. (Revelation 13:15)
The primary focus of the Antichrist will be upon Israel. He will seek to divide the land of Israel. (Daniel 11:39) Once he has attained world power, he will break his false covenant with Israel and take control of the Temple Mount and the Jewish temple located there. (Daniel 9:27) He will seek to capture and kill Jewish believers in Jesus, who will flee from him. (Matthew 24:15-20) In light of current developments in the Middle East, this clearly points to the Muslim identity of the Antichrist.
The understanding of the opening events in the Tribulation Period in Revelation 6:1-11 must be viewed in light of the larger Biblical context. Depicted as four horsemen, a very powerful military force will rapidly move across the nations of the world. This force will use its militant power, while preaching a message of peace, to take political control of the world. The net result of this militant global attack will shatter world peace and the economy of the world. In the wake of this global attack, one-fourth of the world’s population will die.
In my opinion, these four horsemen represent the impact of global Islamic jihad at the beginning of the Tribulation Period. First, it is important to establish that the opening of the seal judgments in Revelation 6 represents the inauguration of the Tribulation Period. In order to grasp this, the Bible student must examine the context of this passage. Remember that in this book, the Apostle John has been transported into the future day of the Lord. (Revelation 1:10) He is given the assignment to write down what he experienced in his walk through the present and the future. (Revelation 1:19) In chapters four and five, John is in heaven. He first reports what he saw and heard around the throne of God. In these chapters John reports that he saw a group, called the 24 elders, who had been judged, received their crowns, and cast them at the feet of their Lord in heaven. In Revelation 5:9-10, we are told that this group of 24 elders represents a redeemed group of believers who are kings and priests from all the nations in the world. This must be a reference to the church, which has been raptured and judged. It must be noted, according to the Bible, that all believers are not judged and do not receive their rewards until after their resurrection. Therefore, the chronology of events in Revelation 4-6 demands that the church will be raptured before the Tribulation Period begins!
After John’s picture of the church’s worship around the throne, in chapter five, John focuses upon a little scroll with seven seals upon it. In light of Biblical customs and the subsequent results of opening these seals, it is apparent that this scroll represents the title deed to the universe. The action of Jesus taking this scroll from His Father and opening the seals is very significant. The breaking of these seals represents the sovereign judgment of our Lord upon the nations. He is literally taking control of the governments of this world. This is declared by the voices in heaven in Revelation 11:15: “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.”
In light of this, the breaking of these seals represents the opening events of the Lord’s judgment upon the nations. Notice that before each rider proceeds upon the earth, they are commanded by Jesus to “come.” (Revelation 6:1, 3, 5, 7) As believers in Jesus Christ, we should take great comfort in the fact that all that is happening now, and at the beginning of the Tribulation Period, is under the control of the King of heaven. Jesus Christ is Lord of all.
Now, let us turn our attention to identifying who the four horsemen in Revelation 6 represent. A casual reading of this text clearly indicates that these horsemen represent the brutal acts of militant people at the beginning of the Tribulation. In light of the broader context of Biblical customs, horses represent military conquest. For example, Proverbs 21:31 declares: “The horse is prepared against the day of battle.” In light of the wars of the last days mentioned in the Bible, all of the wars and rumors of wars are mainly focused upon Israel. Notice that in the Battle of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38-39, the Islamic nations that invade Israel are depicted as coming on horses. (Ezekiel 38:4, 15; 39:20) It is worth noting that all of the nations that are named that come with the Antichrist against Israel at Armageddon are Muslim nations. (Psalm 83; Isaiah 63:1; Joel 3:4, 19) The Islamic nations at Armageddon are pictured as coming on horses. (Revelation19:18) Therefore, to be consistent with this Biblical context, it is proper to view the four horsemen in Revelation 6 as the global militant advances of Islam at the opening of the Tribulation Period. With this in mind, let us examine the Biblical text about these opening events of the Tribulation Period.
White Horse- Islamic Caliphate Restored
Revelation 6:1-2
Many conservative Biblical scholars agree that the rider on this horse is the Antichrist. Some have thought that this rider is Jesus Christ. However, this cannot be the proper interpretation. First, Jesus is the Lamb in heaven who opens these seals. He is not the rider on the white horse on earth. Jesus descends from heaven on a white horse at the end of the Tribulation Period. (Revelation 19:11) According to Islamic tradition and teaching, when their messiah arrives – the Madhi – he will appear on a white horse.
Notice that he is pictured as having a bow, with no mention of arrows. Many have correctly interpreted this as a reference to the peaceful promises of the Antichrist. The Antichrist will portray himself as a man of peace, while he will really be a man of war. Daniel 8:25 states: “by peace [he] shall destroy many.” Islam continually proclaims that it is a religion of peace. However, in reality, the doctrine of Islam divides the world into two houses: “the house of peace” (for all Muslims in submission to all of Allah’s commands) and “the house of war” (for all infidels and moderate Muslims who will not submit to the laws of Allah). This is the very doctrine that is being applied in the nations by militant Islam.
Next, notice that Revelation 6:2 states “and a crown was given unto him.” The Greek word that is translated “crown” speaks of an overcomer who has won a military conquest. This is exactly what many Muslims are expecting. Islam teaches that through Islamic jihad, Muslims will conquer the world and force the nations to submit to the rule of an Islamic caliphate (dictator). This is a system of government that is based upon the Koran as dictated by a recognized leader who is a descendant of the prophet Mohammed. This system is in some ways very similar to the socialist system of government, where a very few rule over the masses and control every facet of their lives.
The Biblical text continues, “and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.” (Revelation 6:2) This simply means that the objective of this one on the white horse will be military conquest that will lead to political domination. The doctrine of militant jihad against infidels and apostate Muslims is a major teaching in the Koran. There are 164 verses in the Koran that teach Islamic jihad as it was practiced by the founder of this religion, Mohammed. (www.answeringislam.org/Quran/Themes/jihad_passages.html)
Red Horse- The Beginning of Global
Islamic Jihad
Revelation 6:3-4
The rider of the red horse must also be a representation of Islam. Revelation 6:4 states: “And there went out another horse that was red…” The Greek word “another” means “same as the other.” So, if the first horse represents Islam, then the second one must also be connected to this religion.
Notice this rider is given “a great sword” with which he will “take peace from the earth,” as people “kill one another.” (Revelation 6:4) The Greek word translated “sword” does not refer to the long saber type of sword that was used in ancient military conflict. The word used here refers to a short dagger, which was the weapon of assassins. Here this represents violent massacres and terrorism that will be characteristic of the jihad type of guerrilla warfare against the infidel nations.
In addition to this, the recognized symbol of Islam is the sword of Allah. It appears on many flags and banners of militant Islam. For example, look at the flag of Saudi Arabia, and the emblem of the Muslim Brotherhood.
“The swords [on the Muslim Brotherhood emblem] reinforce the group’s militancy and, as traditional weapons, symbolize historic Islam. They also reinforce the group’s commitment to jihad. The Koran denotes the group’s spiritual foundation. The motto, “Be prepared,” is a reference to a Koranic verse that talks of preparing to fight the enemies of God.” Copied from:
http://archive.adl.org/terrorism/symbols/muslim_brotherhood_1.html
Islamic jihad is gradually changing the face of the globe. The events in Syria and Iraq perpetrated by the Islamic State give us a glimpse into the kind of events that will become global at the beginning of the Tribulation Period.
Black Horse- Global Sharia Law Declared
Revelation 6:5-6
When Muslim forces are successful in conquering an area, it is their goal to immediately declare sharia law (the law of the Koran). Notice that the rider of this black horse has a pair of balances in his hand. The pair of balances represents the control of commerce and the economy, which is one of the chief goals of Islam, and is implemented as a part of sharia law. Sharia banking is a system that is sweeping the world. It is a dictatorial system of Islamic economic applications based upon the Koran.
According to the context, all of this will come at a time of famine and global economic upheaval. We cannot be sure if the famine and economic upheaval precede the beginning of global Islamic jihad, or if the famine and economic collapse are a result of the jihad. It could go either way. However, it is most interesting to observe that in the war-torn areas that the Islamic State controls there is great concern of a collapse of the economy and agriculture. Some are predicting that the shortage of food in the areas controlled by the Islamic State could result in famine, which could cause malnutrition that could trigger the eruption of diseases. (See Revelation 6:8.)
According to Revelation 6:6, the areas that are impacted by global jihad could suffer to the point that a quart of wheat would cost the equivalent of a day’s wage. Think about it! A person would need to work all day to buy about two loaves of wheat bread. About one-half of the world’s population, many of them forcefully living under sharia law, currently live on less than $2.50 per day. (www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats)
Pale Green Horse- Global Sharia
Law Implemented
Revelation 6:7-8
The color of the final horse is pale green. I personally do not believe that it is a coincidence that this is the official color of Islam. It is the color of their mosques, banners, and flags. Notice that in Revelation 6:8 the name of the person on this horse is “Death” and that “Hell followed with him.” A study of world history will show that Islam has a record of bloody jihad. Several sources provide statistical data to show that Islamic jihad has been responsible for 270 million killed in the last 1,400 years.
However, what is about to take place during the Tribulation Period is unprecedented. According to Revelation 6:8, near the beginning of the Tribulation Period one-fourth of the global population will be killed. Shortly after the Rapture of the church, the remaining global population of 7 billion will face the most brutal killing rampage in the history of mankind. Approximately 1.5 billion people, will die in the opening months of this time. During this time, millions from around the world will turn to Christ for salvation. Revelation 6:9-11 and 7:9-17 indicate that the major target of the Antichrist’s Islamic jihad will be the newly born-again believers in Jesus Christ. Observing what is happening now in Sudan, Nigeria, Syria, and Iraq, it is easy to understand how these developments will unfold at the beginning of the Tribulation Period.
There are many reports coming out of the Middle East about Muslims coming to Christ. It is apparent that in the midst of all of the jihad taking place, that Muslims are rejecting a message of hate and war for the message of love and eternal life found in the Jesus Christ. In the last few weeks I had the privilege of meeting with an Egyptian believer who lives in Cairo. He shared with me how hundreds of house churches are ministering to the growing number of former Muslims who are now believers in Jesus Christ. He shared with me how hungry these believers are for the Word of God. They constantly live under the shadow of persecution and death if they are discovered.
The liberal west continues to deny that terrorism is connected to the religion of Islam. They really do not recognize the threat that Islamic jihad is to the freedoms we have enjoyed in a country that was founded upon the Word of God. The godless leaders of the West have moved so far away from God that they have morally collapsed, calling good evil and evil good. This is really not a surprise to me. The book of Revelation repeatedly declares that the inhabitants of the world will be “intoxicated” with the religion that will dominate the world when the end has arrived. (Revelation 14:8; 17:2; and 18:3) The idea that they are intoxicated means they will be in a mental stupor and unaware of the dangerous realities before them.
I am convinced that our world is being shaped for the Tribulation Period as never before. The growing threat of Islamic jihad and the intoxication of the West to this danger tells me that our world is heading down a deadly corridor. Someday, the church will suddenly exit this world and the four horsemen of Revelation 6 will be ready to ride onto the stage of human history.
Friends, we have the only message of hope for our world. Jesus Christ is the only One who can set us free from our sins. (John 8:36) We have been commanded to take the gospel to the nations of the world. Jesus Christ is the only way to eternal life. This is the message of the Bible. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be save.” (Acts 4:12) “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)
Jesus demanded that His followers worship Him as God. He said: “Ye believe in God, believe also in me. …I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me. … he that hath seen me hath seen the Father.” (John 14:1, 6, 9) If Jesus is not God equal with the Father, then He is a liar or a lunatic. He cannot be just a great prophet. Prophets do not claim to be God. Jesus is not a liar, or a lunatic, or just a great prophet. He is God! If you do not believe that, then you are lost and on your way to eternal damnation.
As you are reading this newsletter, some believer is giving his life because he believes that Jesus Christ is God. Millions of believers have faced persecution and death because they know that Jesus died for them. They love Him so much they are willing to die for Him.
Please do not continue to walk in spiritual darkness. We are near the end of this age. Please confess that Jesus is God. He died on the cross for your sins. He arose from the grave three days later. He ascended back to His Father in heaven and is coming again. Soon! Are you ready for the shout that will take us out?
Massive Jewish Immigration
to Israel Under Way
Israel is preparing for a large wave of new immigrants from Europe. A recent survey indicates that one-half of Great Britain’s population is anti-Semitic. Consequently, one-fourth of Great Britain’s Jews are planning to immigrate to Israel.
A similar development is taking place in other European countries. French Jews are feeling that is no longer safe to remain in France. Hundreds of thousands of French Jews are in the process of making application to immigrate to Israel.
The International Jerusalem Report states: “The French situation is part of a broader European picture that stretches from Kiev to London. In the East, nationalist instability seems endemic, and is now coupled with economic failure underscored by collapsing currencies. In the West, growing social tensions between Muslim immigrants and indigenous Christians are making a growing number of Jews feel increasingly insecure.” (The International Jerusalem Post, January 23-29, 2015, pp. 16-17)
These movements are very significant in light of Biblical prophecy. When the millennial kingdom begins every Jew in the world will return to Israel. (Ezekiel 39:27-29) Today there are about 15 million Jewish people in the world and only 6.3 million of them are living in Israel. However, as the world’s economy collapses and anti-Semitism increases, we will witness a growing number of Jews that will return to their ancient homeland.
Russia and Iran Sign Military Pact
According to several sources, “Iran and Russia signed an agreement [on January 20, 2015] to expand military ties in a visit to Tehran by the Russian defense minister.
“Sergei Shoigu, in remarks carried by Russian news agencies, said Moscow wants to develop a “long-term and multifaceted” military relationship with Iran. He said that the new agreement includes expanded counter-terrorism cooperation, exchanges of military personnel for training purposes and an understanding for each country’s navy to more frequently use the other’s ports.” (Associated Press, January 20, 2015)
T hese kinds of agreements continue to forge the Gog and Magog alliance as mentioned in Ezekiel 38:1-6.
In addition to Russia’s military pact with Iran, we are witnessing the collapse of the Russian economy. With punishing financial sanctions against Russia due to her invasion of Ukraine and falling oil prices, Russia’s currency is in a free-fall. This is also significant because according to Ezekiel 38:12-13, one of the major reasons for Russia to join the militant Islamic nations in an invasion of Israel is to take a great economic spoil from Israel.
In light of these reports, it does seem that Russia, Iran, Turkey, Libya, and Sudan are being prepared for their supernatural defeat in the land of Israel.
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February 1, 2015
2014 November/December – The Global Pandemic of Deadly Diseases in the Last Days
The Global Pandemic of Deadly Diseases in the Last Days
“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and [diseases], and earthquakes, in [different] places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” – Matthew 24:7-8
By Mike Wingfield
In recent months, the world community has become alarmingly aware of the threat of a global outbreak of Ebola. The transmission of this deadly disease from Western Africa to the United States has sent the medical world scrambling for answers to stop its spread before it spirals out of control. If unchecked, this disease has the potential to kill tens of millions of people around the world.
About six decades ago, most people thought the world would never again be faced with a serious plague of deadly diseases. Many concluded that modern medicine had a silver bullet to deal with any type of disease that mankind would encounter. Since the discovery and use of antibiotics and medical innovations through the advancement of technology, many people thought humanity was now medically invincible.
However, in the last few decades, the world has gradually been reminded that the wonderful medical achievements that seemed to have made us think we are invincible, have in reality made us more vulnerable than ever before to the inevitable global spread of deadly diseases.
Now, medical researchers are more concerned than ever with what they have discovered. They know that there are thousands of known viruses and have identified hundreds of thousands of strains of bacteria. Whenever these viruses and bacteria enter into a living organism, they have the potential to mutate, producing new diseases for which, in some cases, there are no immediate cures. These newly mutated microscopic germs are clever and dangerous. They can cause cancer, or chemically manipulate the human immune system to their advantage, and hide for years inside human DNA.
About 15 years ago, while I was studying the Scriptures and the medical research available on this subject, the Lord brought into my path a medical doctor. Dr. Matthew Patrick had been hired by the federal government to lecture to EMTs and doctors across America. His lectures centered on the threat of deadly diseases and their potential sudden transmission to millions of Americans due to the use of a biological weapon. Dr. Patrick was the brother of a man who pastored a church near Pittsburgh. I was scheduled to speak at this church, and when the pastor picked me up at the airport; Dr. Patrick had just happened to be accompanying him. Once we were together inside the car, Dr. Patrick introduced himself to me and began to ask me about my ministry. He was very knowledgeable about the prophetic Scriptures and began to question me about certain prophetic subjects. Then, he passionately fired a question to me: “Have you ever considered what the Bible has to say about the pandemic of deadly diseases in the last days?” I was stunned! This was the very area I was researching at the time, but was somewhat at a loss to know where to begin my investigation. I wanted to know what medical analysts were saying about this whole subject. For about 30 minutes, Dr. Patrick gave me a thorough overview of his own personal research. He also detailed his assignment from the federal government to teach medical professionals in the United States about infectious diseases. He then suddenly reached inside his brief case and handed me his personal copy of Laurie Garrett’s award winning book, The Coming Plague, Newly Emerging Diseases in a World out of Balance. This book, published a few years earlier in 1994, was well worn and marked. He told me that he wanted me to have his personal copy to assist me in my research. After church the next morning, Dr. Patrick left. I began to pour over the book he had given me and it has amazed me since how the Lord perfectly timed Dr. Patrick’s assistance in understanding this complex issue and helping me develop the very message I am sharing with you in this newsletter.
Although Garrett’s book was published 18 years ago, it is still considered to be an invaluable tool in understanding the threat of emerging global diseases. In the opening page of the book, Garrett writes: “The history of our time will be marked by recurrent eruptions of newly discovered diseases,… epidemics of diseases migrating to new areas, … and diseases which spring from insects and animals to humans, through man-made disruption to local habitats.
“[There exists] the increased potential that at least some of these diseases will generate large-scale, even worldwide epidemics. The global epidemic of [Aids] is the most powerful and recent example. Yet AIDS does not stand alone; it may well be the first of the modern, large-scale epidemics of infectious diseases.
“The world has rapidly become much more vulnerable to the eruption and, most critically, to the widespread and even global spread of both new and old infectious diseases.” (Laurie Garrett, The Coming Plague, p. xv)
According to the prophetic Scriptures, our world needs to heed the warning of Garrett and others in the medical field. The Bible is filled with warnings that the last days will be marked by global plagues of deadly diseases. In Matthew 24:7 and Luke 21:11, Jesus taught that there would be “pestilences” at the end of this age. This word refers to a plague of deadly diseases. According to Revelation 6:8, one-fourth of the world’s population will die in the opening months of the Tribulation Period, due in part to diseases. They will be killed “with the sword, and with hunger, with death and with the beasts of the earth.” (Revelation 6:8) Within the context of Revelation 6, I believe we are being told that this massive death toll will be the result of global Islamic jihad (described in Revelation 6:2-4), famine (mentioned in Revelation 6:5-6), and the transmission of diseases that will be carried by animals (“with death, and with the beasts of the earth,” Revelation 6:8).
For years, Bible students have puzzled over the statement in Revelation 6:8 that people will be killed “with death, and with the beasts of the earth.” To say that people are killed “with death,” very well could be a reference to diseases that erupt due to the massive numbers of rotting corpses that have been left behind by Islamic jihad warriors around the world. In light of the horrific jihadist activities by the Islamic State warriors in Syria and Iraq, we are currently witnessing a small-scale example of what is coming to earth during the Tribulation Period. It has been the practice of Islamic jihadist warriors for centuries to leave corpses of those they have tortured and brutally murdered to rot for days to terrorize those left behind. Everyone recognizes the potential that this carries for widespread diseases to those who come in contact with these dead bodies. For another example of God’s judgment upon Islamic warriors who invade Israel in the last days and are killed by diseases, read Ezekiel 38:18-22; 39:11-16 and Joel 2:20. The possibility of this interpretation seems to fit the context of Revelation 6.
Furthermore, when Revelation 6:8 states that people will be killed “with the beasts of the earth,” this could mean one of two things. First, this could be a symbolic reference to the savage brutality of these Islamic warriors who kill people without any remorse, acting like wild animals that indiscriminately kill other animals and devour them. Please notice that God gave Daniel a vision of the murderous kingdoms of history. They were depicted as savage beasts that devour human beings. (Read Daniel 7.) In the book of Revelation, the Antichrist and the False Prophet are continually referred to as beasts. (Read Revelation 13.)
Several sources have reported that some Islamic jihadists in Syria and Iraq have been collecting blood from Christians they have beheaded. They then sell a vial of this blood for as much as $100,000 to wealthy Muslims in Saudi Arabia. Some radical Muslims believe that if they wash their hands in the blood of a beheaded Christian they will have their sins forgiven and be guaranteed entrance into heaven upon their death. This chilling activity certainly suggests that these savage terrorists are acting as if they have no conscience. They are acting like wild beasts.
A possible second interpretation of the reference to people being killed “with the beasts of the earth,” could be the contraction of deadly diseases that have come from people being in close contact to animals that carry deadly diseases. In recent decades, there have been some cases of human beings contracting diseases from animals. Known examples are: swine flu, bird flu, and mad-cow disease. With the mass production of animals for human consumption and the increase of pork and beef in the daily diets of affluent societies, such as the U.S., the threat of these kinds of diseases are always lurking in the background. “Of the roughly 400 emerging infectious diseases that have been identified since 1940, more than 60% are zoonotic [they came from animals].” (The Guardian, November 9, 2013)
Humans can contract these diseases from infected animals by eating their flesh. For example, meat tainted by mad-cows disease, when consumed by humans, can affect the human brain at a later time. “… the symptoms it produces are neurological. It may start out subtly with insomnia, depression, confusion, personality and behavioral changes, and problems with memory, coordination, and sight. As it progresses, the person rapidly develops dementia and involuntary, irregular jerking movements called myoclonus. … In the final stage of the disease, the patient loses all mental and physical functions, lapses into a coma, and eventually dies.” (www.rarediseases.about.com/od/rare diseases1/a/vcjd.htm){article no longer available at this address, sending you to the front page} Since its discovery, only 164 people in the world have been diagnosed with mad cow-disease.
God’s people can take great joy in the fact that the Bible repeatedly testifies that our Creator has complete control over the body of every person. The health, sickness, and death of everyone are fully under His control! However, this does not mean that we do not bear some human responsibility in this matter. The Lord has created our bodies to naturally respond to His holy standards – mentally, physically, and spiritually. Our wellness or sickness can be impacted by our mental, physical and/or spiritual disobedience.
The Scriptures give many testimonies to these truths. God demonstrated to Moses His power over the dreaded disease of leprosy. (Exodus 4:6-7) When King Uzziah of Judah defiantly went into the temple to burn incense, God suddenly struck him with leprosy. (2 Chronicles 26:1621) When Jesus came to the earth 2,000 years ago, He came to display the power of God to man. (John 1:18) Jesus repeatedly demonstrated that God has total power over all of His creation, including diseases. During His earthly ministry, Jesus healed all that came unto Him. (Mark 1:29-34)
In some cases, the Lord has used diseases as a form of divine judgment of man due to sin. God has struck individuals with a disease because of their personal sin. For example, read about Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. (Daniel 4:28-37) When King David disobeyed the Lord by numbering his people, the Lord sent diseases among the people. In three days 70,000 men died. (2 Samuel 24:13-15) The wicked Roman King Herod died suddenly due to a divine judgment of a disease in Acts 12:21-23. The Lord also uses diseases to judge an entire nation that is in rebellion against Him. God used Moses to warn Pharaoh that He would use diseases and other horrific judgments against the Egyptians if he would not free God’s people and let them leave Egypt. He warned: “For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon they people: that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:14) The Lord repeatedly warned Israel that if they departed from Him, He would visit the nation with incurable diseases. Read Deuteronomy 28:21-22, 27-28, 35, 58-61.
However, we must be very careful to not conclude that all diseases and health-related difficulties are the result of God’s divine judgment due to personal sin. God in His sovereignty has ordained the path of our lives. The Scriptures testify that many times He has chosen that some of His most godly saints suffer and endure some of the most difficult diseases and trials, even unto death. We must remember that God’s work on this earth is not about our good, but His glory. Jesus, the perfect, sinless Son of God, suffered while He walked this earth. Who do we think we are to expect or demand that God not allow us to suffer? It is a hard thing for the depraved mind to grasp, but sometimes it is the perfect will of God for people to suffer and die for His glory. (1 Peter 4:12-19; Revelation 6:9-11) Remember the story of the man who was born blind from his birth in John 9. Jesus disciples asked: “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2) Notice Jesus’ answer to them: “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” (John 9:3) In essence, Jesus told His disciples that this man had suffered with totally physical blindness from the time of his birth so that Jesus could heal him for the glory of God.
The modern lifestyles of our ever expanding global population are at the core of the increase of deadly diseases in the last days. More people live on earth than any other time in human history. World population is now estimated to be 7.27 billion. We are growing at the rate of 1.5 million people per week. For comparison, the global population at the time of Christ was only 500 million. Obviously, this means that when a contagious disease appears, there are more people to transmit it. Consequently, there is a greater potential for many more to contract that diseases, threatening a greater number of people.
During the last century, when world population went from 1 billion to 6 billion, with the majority of people moving from rural areas into big cities. In 1900, only 15 percent of the global population lived in urban areas. Today, 54 percent of the world lives in cities. In our affluent nation, 81 percent of Americans live in urban areas. This problem has culminated in the creation of mega cities – cities with a population that exceeds 10 million. In 1952 there were only two mega cities in the world. Today, there are 30 mega cities, and 12 of these have a population that exceeds 20 million! It is obvious that these mega cities have the greatest potential for massive contraction and transmission of diseases. Laurie Garrett states that cities are
“microbe heavens, or graveyards of mankind.” (Laurie Garrett, The Coming Plague, p. 235) In light of this, it is interesting to note that the Lord gave the following warning to Israel: “And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me: I will bring seven times more [diseases] upon you according to your sins. … and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the [diseases] among you.” (Leviticus 26:21, 25)
Many of our diseases are related to sexual immorality. Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) have become a mega problem for the healthcare industry since the sexual revolution in the 1960s. Here in the U.S., it is reported that there are 20 million new cases of STDs among young adults (15-24 years old) each year! It is estimated that 40 percent of sexually active teen-age girls in America have a STD. Hundreds of millions of people around the globe are suffering and dying from STDs. We must warn these people that their Creator has designed their bodies for sex only within the marriage between one man and one woman. To transgress this law is to invite the natural consequences of divine judgment, which are STDs. (Read Romans 1:27.) People are forced to accept the idea that God has designed our bodies with safety limits. Our bodies were not created to jump off of a three story-building, stay under water for hours, or have sex with multiple people. Deadly consequences remain in effect for those who refuse to accept God’s laws within His creation and in His book – the Bible.
The abuse of illegal drugs is also causing a marked increase in certain diseases, such as AIDS, the hepatitis B virus, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis. When a person takes illegal drugs and is involved in immorality, it greatly increases his potential to contract and transmit diseases among his drug buddies and multiple sex partners. According to the Bible, this will be a major problem during the final days man will be on this earth. Revelation 9:21 reports: “Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries [this word could be translated ‘drugs’], nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”
There are other factors to consider concerning our modern lifestyles and the increased risk of a global outbreak of infectious diseases. As a result of our population explosion in the 20^thcentury, new agricultural inventions and techniques for massive food production had to be invented to keep pace with the growing population. Several generations now have known nothing about raising their own food. Less than 2 percent of the population is providing any food for themselves.
Research demonstrates that the agricultural products that are being mass-produced today do not have the necessary nutritional value that is necessary for maintaining the health that our bodies need. The overuse of fertilizers and pesticides has yielded fresh fruits and vegetables that have been raped of their nutrients. In many cases the remaining nutrients in these food products are destroyed with radiation before they are shipped to our supermarkets. We may have more food that looks great, is larger, and tastes good, but is void of nutritional value. This problem is being magnified by the use of genetically modified foods. Once again, Laurie Garrett helps us understand how serious this situation has become. She writes: “Among the cells of the body most dependent upon a steady source of nutrients are those of the immune system, most of which live, even under ideal conditions, for only days at a time. As nutritional input declines, these vital cells literally run out of fuel, or, in worst cases, die off. The body may also lack nutritional resources to make replacement cells, and eventually immune deficiency can become so acute that virtually any pathogenic microbe can cause lethal disease.” (Garrett, p. 199) In addition, there is concern that antibiotics are being used in animals that we consume. It is a proven fact that these antibiotics may protect the farmer’s livestock, but their use has led to the spread of more dangerous microbes that invade our bodies.
Please keep in mind that in relationship to history, these are new lifestyles. Just a little over 150 years ago, almost everyone raised their own food. They knew what they were eating. All of this is further complicated by the increasing trend to eat out more often. Several generations ago, eating out was a very rare occasion. Now, it is not uncommon for the average couple or family to go out to eat several times a week. When people eat out they have no control over the quality of the food they consume, food preparation, food handling, or eating conditions. Therefore, this increases their risk of dangerous food contamination or excessive amounts of harmful foods that lead to poor health, making the body even more vulnerable to diseases.
Since the 1940s, the medical profession has attempted to aid our fight against infectious diseases with the use of antibiotics. However, it is now apparent that we are in grave danger due to the overuse of these antibiotics. When a patient fails to take the entire prescribed antibiotic, the surviving bacteria mutates, strengthening itself against the next round of antibiotics. Consequently, when the next infection comes we need to use a more powerful or different antibiotic. Concerning this problem, Laurie Garrett explains: “We’re running out of bullets for dealing with a number of these infections. [Like MRSA.] … Patients are dying because we no longer in many cases have antibiotics that work. … Bugs are always figuring out ways to get around the antibiotics we throw at them. … They adapt, they come roaring back.” (Garrett, p. 431) Later, she quotes from another medical research scientist that sounds this most alarming warning: “Unfortunately, we played a trick on the natural world by seizing control of these [natural] chemicals, making them more perfect in a way that has changed the whole microbial constitution of the developing countries. We have organisms that probably caused a tenth of a percent of human disease in the past that now cause twenty, thirty percent of the disease we are seeing. We have changed the whole face of the earth by the use of antibiotics.” (Garrett, p. 437)
Another aspect of our modern lifestyles in recent decades has been the marked increase in the movement of goods and people due to increased global air travel. Obviously, this magnifies the potential for the global transmission of deadly diseases. We consume products that are shipped to our communities from around the world. Each year, over 800 million people travel in and out of the U.S. in international air travel. Over 2,500 years ago the prophet Daniel predicted that in the “time of the end many shall run to and fro.” (Daniel 12:4) In recent weeks we have learned that the potential threat of an Ebola outbreak in the United States has increased due to the return of some Americans who have traveled to parts of Western Africa where over 4,900 have died due to an Ebola epidemic.
The potential for the pandemic of deadly diseases is also related to our changing environment. Some are debating the reality and cause of climate change or global warming. However, according to the prophetic Word of God, it will become a great problem during the Tribulation Period. (Malachi 4:1; Revelation 16:8-9) A true consideration of the factors that contribute to global warming, both scientifically and biblically, indicate that climate change is not due to man-made emissions or burping cows! True climate change comes from radical increases of radiation from the sun and gases released from volcanic eruptions. I would like to point out that the Bible indicates that both of these will play a major role in the increase of global warming during the Tribulation Period. As the global climate heats up, it will produce ripe conditions that will cause the multiplication of insects and rodents that transmit dangerous diseases. The man-made pollution of our water, land, and air will also magnify the increase in deadly diseases. Please notice that during the Tribulation Period, the Lord will “destroy them which destroy the earth.” (Revelation 11:18) While evangelical Christians do not agree with those who worship “mother earth,” we do need to recognize that we should be good managers of the creation the Lord has entrusted to us. (Genesis 2:15) For far too long man has raped the land, abused and altered the vegetation, polluted the water, poisoned the air, and wasted our resources. God’s payday is coming. It appears that He will allow mankind to suffer the consequences of his own abuse and neglect as stewards of His creation He allows us to enjoy.
Aside from all of these considerations that make us more vulnerable to the creation, mutation, and transmission of deadly diseases, there is one more concern that is even more frightening. We are living at a time when evil regimes possess weapons of mass destruction (WMD). While we often think about the dangerous threat of nuclear or chemical WMDs, it is a known fact that biological weapons are the easiest to make, maintain, transport, release, and in some ways are the most lethal WMD. “Biological weapons contain natural toxins or infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, or fungi; sprayed or burst over populated areas, they might cause limited but severe outbreaks of … deadly diseases.”(www.britannica.com) Nine nations of great concern possess these WMDs: Algeria, China, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Syria. Israeli news sources have reported that several Islamic terrorist groups, including the Islamic State, are trying to acquire biological weapons. “Plans to develop biological weapons and instructions on how to weaponize the bubonic plague from infected animals were found on a laptop belonging to a Tunisian Islamic State jihadist, by a Syrian rebel commander from a moderate group in northern Syria.” (www.timesofisrael. com, August 30, 2014)
Should these terrorist groups successfully release a biological weapon in Europe, Canada, or the United States, we cannot begin to image how this would change our lives in an instant. This makes me think of the warning in 1 Thessalonians 5:3: “For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”
We are living at a time when mankind is more vulnerable to events that threaten our lives than ever before! On the surface it all appears good and glorious. However, when you examine the Word of God and conservative secular research, we are in deep trouble. Our Lord spoke of the alarming death rate that will characterize the final period of this age. In Matthew 24:21-22, He warned: “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 days shall be shortened.”
My friend, if you do not know the Lord, you need to surrender your life to Him today. Only those who have repented of their sins and called out to the Lord for salvation will escape the time “which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth.” (Revelation 3:10) Those who believe and trust in Him, and demonstrate that by abiding in Christ and keeping His Word, will be kept from the “hour of temptation” (Revelation 3:10), and be delivered “from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
May our Lord give us great wisdom for living in this fallen world until He takes us home to be with Him. Keep looking up! Be listening for the shout that will take us out!
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November 1, 2014
2014 October – Descending into the Darkness
Descending into the Darkness
“… the night [is coming] when no man can work.” – John 9:4
By Mike Wingfield
If you are saved and walking in the light of God’s Word, you know we are living in a time of great spiritual darkness. We can see our world descending into a deep, dark pit of depravity. The global culture is rapidly plunging into a deadly cycle of brutal violence, gross immorality, and civil anarchy. All of these developments are being accompanied by an unprecedented global economic collapse. This is extremely dangerous because it is taking place at a time when man continues to create and proliferate powerful weapons of mass destruction around the globe. This will be most deadly because planet earth is currently home to the largest global population in history – 7 billion souls.
The Bible tells us that in this pit of darkness, the world will display the greatest rebellion of all times against the Lord. It is my opinion that the global culture has reached the spiritual tipping point of no return. When this happened in the days of Noah, the Lord said: “My spirit shall not always strive with man.” (Genesis 6:3) This simply means that the culture of Noah’s day had collectively destroyed their consciences so that they were never guilty nor ashamed of their gross immorality and brutal violence.
The conscience is the spiritual means whereby the Holy Spirit strives with man to produce guilt and repentance that leads to salvation. Without this work of the Spirit in the conscience of man, no one is able to come to Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:3) Therefore, when a society collectively reaches the final stage when its conscience is seared (see 1 Timothy 4:2), they are vulnerable to demonic influence and possession. In their fanatical rebellion against God, He gives them over to their passionate desires to continue down the path toward eternal damnation, without any spiritual warning. When this happens in the last days, the Lord will allow Satan to use evil men to deceive the global masses. “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, That they should believe [the] lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12)
It is true that history has been filled with some of the same sins that are being expressed around the world today. So, how do we know that this hour is any darker spiritually than previous times? How do we know that this spiritual darkness is the one described in the prophetic Scriptures that will usher in the Great Tribulation? To answer these questions, we must turn to the prophetic Word of God and examine the way God will measure spiritual light and darkness in the last days.
I would like to suggest that Isaiah 60 is the perfect Biblical text that gives us insight into to how the Lord will measure spiritual light and darkness in the last days. This text begins with a prophetic promise given to the Jewish people at the beginning of the millennial kingdom. The millennial kingdom will be established by Christ following the Great Tribulation. First, the text focuses upon the spiritual light that will shine greatly at the beginning of this earthly Messianic kingdom. “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:1) When the Lord returns to earth at the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period, the entire living nation of Israel will be saved. (Ezekiel 36:25-28; Zechariah 13:8-9; Romans 11:26) No unsaved Jew or Gentile will enter the Kingdom of God on earth. Only the saved Gentiles and Jews who have survived the Tribulation Period will physically inhabit the earthly kingdom of God in their natural physical bodies. (Matthew 25:31-46) The remaining kingdom dwellers will be made up of the redeemed saints of all of the previous ages. These resurrected saints will rule with Christ in His kingdom in their heavenly glorified bodies they respectively received at the time of their resurrection.
This will be a glorious time for planet earth and all those who live to enter this glorious kingdom. “The earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the earth.” (Isaiah 11:9) All of the Jewish people will return home to Israel and the Lord will rule over them and all of the nations from Jerusalem, Israel. Finally, the passionate sovereign will of God for His chosen people will be fulfilled. The God of Jacob has declared: “For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth.” (Isaiah 62:1) The entire nation of Israel, every Jew on earth, will be a spiritual light unto the Gentile nations. As believers in Jesus, “the light of the world” (John 8:12), the entire nation of Israel will reflect the glorious light of their Messiah and Redeemer. The Lord has given them His promise: “The LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory.” (Isaiah 60:19) So, the Lord will begin His millennial reign with this command to His redeemed chosen nation: “Arise, shine: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:1)
However, in sharp contrast to this glorious moment of spiritual light at the beginning of the kingdom, the Lord directed His prophet to remind His people concerning the time that will precede this kingdom – the Tribulation Period. Isaiah wrote: “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” (Isaiah 60:2) According to this verse, and many others, the Tribulation Period will be a time of dangerous global spiritual darkness. On what basis does God measure this spiritual light during the Kingdom and the spiritual darkness that will precede His Kingdom? The following context in Isaiah 60 answers this question.
After making his opening statements in the first two verses of Isaiah 60, the prophet was directed to write about the evidences of the great spiritual enlightenment that will exist during the Messianic kingdom for 1,000 years. He lists four major evidences of this time of spiritual light that will shine forth from His physical kingdom in Jerusalem, Israel, and be reflected throughout the Gentile nations over all the earth. Let us briefly examine these four evidences of the spiritual light during Christ’s global kingdom. Understanding this will enable us to know and examine the spiritual darkness that will be displayed during the Tribulation Period.

Spiritual Oneness
We must remember that during His kingdom on earth, the Lord will “rule all nations with a rod of iron.” (Revelation 12:5; compare Psalm 2:9) As the global dictator, He will not tolerate any other gods, idols, or forms of worship that would honor any former pagan deity. Satan and his demons, the great counterfeiters behind all gods and idols, will be banished from earth and locked away in the bottomless pit until the thousand years are finished. (Revelation 20:1-3)
All of the nations will worship the Messiah on His throne in Jerusalem. “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light. … and they shall show forth the praises of the Lord. … They shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.” (Isaiah 60:3, 6-7) Earlier in his prophecy, the prophet Isaiah wrote: “And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:2-3)
In Isaiah 60:6-7, the Spirit of the Lord directed Isaiah to write about the spiritual transformation that will take place in the Arab/Islamic nations that will surround Israel. During the kingdom, the people from Midian, Ephah, Sheba, Kedar and Nebaioth will all come up to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. These ancient names clearly point to a remnant of the Muslims living in the desert areas east of Israel, who will surrender to Christ before He returns to earth at the end of the Tribulation. In this text, the Lord points to the incredible transformation of the people who have violently and passionately rejected the God of Jacob for centuries. Finally, they will be spiritually one with Israel and come to Jerusalem to worship the God of Jacob.
Civil Peace
Because of the spiritual oneness that will be enjoyed by both Jews and Arabs during the kingdom, there will finally be peace in the Middle East and throughout the world. In this context, Isaiah reminded the future Jewish generation that will inhabit the kingdom: “Violence shall no more be heard in thy walls, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise.” (Isaiah 60:18) There will be no more war in the Middle East, or among the Gentile nations.
“And he [the Messianic King] shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4)
Therefore, the spiritual light that will permeate the kingdom of God on earth will be evidenced by the dramatic change among the nations in their attitude toward the presence of the Jewish people in their land. The conflict over the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem will cease. The wars and acts of terrorism that had preceded the kingdom will be over. The gates of the millennial Jerusalem will never need to be closed to defend itself against invading forces. (Isaiah 60:11)
The nations will support the immigration of the final Jewish remnant to the land of Israel. (Isaiah 60:4, 9) Hatred for Israel and the Jews will be replaced with an attitude of honor, service, and acceptance. (Isaiah 60:7, 10, 12)
“The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The city of the LORD, The Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Whereas thou hast been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations.” (Isaiah 60:14-15) With great praise and joy, Isaiah announced to his people: “the days of thy mourning shall be ended.” (Isaiah 60:20)
Political Unity
Another amazing evidence of the spiritual light that will exist within the kingdom is the global political unity. The nations of the earth will be in submission to the Messianic administration that will be centrally located in Jerusalem. The king will rule with a rod of iron. There will be no tolerance of any rebellion, defiance, or disobedience. He will have no competition. Those who rule with Him will be in glorified bodies and will not be able to sin or rebel. They will be spiritually and politically one with their Lord and King.
Jesus the Messiah will return to earth as “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16) The earthly kings of the nations will submit to the Messianic King. Isaiah wrote: “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” (Isaiah 60:3) Through Isaiah, the Lord promised: “And the sons of strangers shall build thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee.” (Isaiah 60:10) Rebellion against the Jerusalem-based government of the kingdom will be met with swift judgment. “For the nation and king that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” (Isaiah 60:12)
Economic Submission
The spiritual light of the kingdom age will be evidenced by the economic submission of the nations to the Lord and His people – Israel. All of the kings and their nations will demonstrate their recognition and acceptance of the Jewish Messiah as their King and Lord by flooding Israel with economic wealth. The nations will bring their silver and gold to Israel. (Isaiah 60:6, 9) The abundance of precious metals in Israel during the kingdom will be so astounding that Isaiah offers the following description: “For brass I will bring gold, and for iron I will bring silver, and for wood brass, and for stones iron.” (Isaiah 60:17)
Therefore, we must conclude that the Lord measures the great spiritual light of His kingdom by the amazing transformation of the Arab/Islamic nations that surround Israel. The light of His kingdom is evidenced by the Arab’s spiritual oneness with Israel. Because their heart has been changed, they will not hate the Jews, but love them because of their Jewish Messiah. Wars and violence over the land of Israel and the Jewish possession of Jerusalem will cease. The Islamic passion to dominate Israel and control the world will be replaced with a submission to the Jewish administration in Jerusalem. Instead of investing in military hardware to destroy Israel, they will give full financial support to the Jewish people and their presence in the land that the Lord has given them.
In light of this understanding, we must now turn to the divine understanding of the darkness that will permeate the earth before the kingdom. Remember what Isaiah wrote: “For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people.” (Isaiah 60:2) This spiritual darkness must be the exact and extreme opposite of the spiritual light that is described in Isaiah 60. Let us now examine the evidence of this gross spiritual darkness.
The current developments in Israel are being driven by many prominent radical Islamic groups. The agenda of these radical Islamic terrorists threaten life and freedom in the Middle East and around the world. On Monday, September 29, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the United Nations General Assembly and very clearly sounded out a warning to the nations concerning the radical Islamic threat to the entire world. It is my opinion that Israel’s leadership is at this time speaking with the greatest moral clarity and spiritual light within the nations gathered at the U.N. Here are a few of his comments: “The people of Israel pray for peace. But our hopes and the world’s hope for peace are in danger. Because everywhere we look, militant Islam is on the march. … For the militant Islamists, ‘All politics is global.’ Because their ultimate goal is to dominate the world.
“Now, that threat might seem exaggerated to some, since it starts out small, like a cancer that attacks a particular part of the body. But left unchecked, the cancer grows, metastasizing over wider and wider areas. To protect the peace and security of the world, we must remove this cancer before it’s too late.
“… They all share a fanatic ideology. They all seek to create ever-expanding enclaves of militant Islam where there is no freedom and no tolerance — where women are treated as chattel, Christians are decimated, and minorities are subjugated, sometimes given the stark choice: Convert or die.
“… Militant Islam’s ambition to dominate the world seems mad. But so too did the global ambitions of another fanatic ideology that swept to power eight decades ago.
“The Nazis believed in a master race. The militant Islamists believe in a master faith. They just disagree about who among them will be the master… of the master faith. That’s what they truly disagree about. Therefore, the question before us is whether militant Islam will have the power to realize its unbridled ambitions.
“The fight against militant Islam is indivisible. When militant Islam succeeds anywhere, it’s emboldened everywhere. When it suffers a blow in one place, it’s set back in every place.
“That’s why Israel’s fight against Hamas is not just our fight. It’s your fight.” (http://www.jpost.com/ArabIsraeli-Conflict/Full-text-of-Prime-Minister-NetanyahusUN-speech-376626) link no longer valid, routing to home page
I applaud Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech. He not only speaks with moral clarity, but from experience. Israel is on the front line of the global battle against militant Islam. In essence, he is acting like the proverbial watchman on the walls of Jerusalem, sending out a warning to all the nations. (See Ezekiel 3:16-21.) The world is facing the same threat and should listen to his warnings and advice. However, it is apparent that this is not the case. Israelis were saddened when they realized that almost half of the U.N. delegation left the auditorium before Netanyahu spoke. The world, including the United States, is not listening to his warning. Our world is doomed to suffer the wrath of God as He allows Islam to dominate the world during the Tribulation Period.
It is not an accident that the agenda of radical Islam is an exact replication of the spiritual darkness defined in the prophetic Scriptures. In essence, three major agendas are being promoted by these radical elements:
The Elimination of Israel
An examination of the prophetic Scriptures quickly reveal that the elimination of Jews from the Middle East and the world will be a major agenda of the Antichrist during the Kingdom. (See Revelation 12; 16:12-16.) Many Biblical texts state that the Tribulation Period will be the darkest page in Jewish history. (Jeremiah 30:4-7; Daniel 12:1) When the end of the Tribulation arrives, two-thirds of the global Jewish population will have been killed. (Zechariah 13:7-9) At the very end of the Tribulation Period, at the Armageddon campaign, the Antichrist and his Islamic coalition will lead a global assault against Israel. (Revelation 16:12-16) This will represent the world’s final attempt to slaughter the remaining Jewish population in Israel and return the Promised Land to Islam.
The teachings of the Islamic prophet Mohammed, the rhetoric coming out of the majority of mosques throughout the Middle East, the media outlets of Muslim countries, and the education curriculums in the countries that surround Israel, all espouse an agenda aimed at eliminating the only Jewish state in the Middle East – Israel. In some cases, this seems to be the sole purpose for the creation of some terrorist groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas. The battle cry to free Palestine and Jerusalem from the Jews is heard throughout the nations and especially in the Muslim lands that surround Israel.
The modern return of the Jewish people to their national homeland has been in progress for about 100 years. This entire century has been filled with many violent attempts to remove the Jewish people from their land. However, it is very apparent that this attack on the modern nation of Israel and the Jewish people living among the nations is reaching a very significant climax.
Many Jewish agencies who monitor and report on global anti-Semitism indicate we are witnessing a frightening rise of hatred against Jews. With the massive influx of Muslims in Europe in recent decades, Europe has become a hot-bed of Jew bashing. Attacks upon Jewish people are becoming very common. Natan Sharansky, the Israeli chairman of the agency that monitors global anti-Semitism, recently commented: “Something historic is happening,” … It may be the beginning of the end of European Jewry.” (www.jta.org/2014/07/08/news) link no longer valid, routing to home page As a result, many European Jews are leaving, many of them immigrating to Israel.
The Middle East in general is going through a major shift from a moderate Islamic position to a more radical Islamic agenda that calls for the destruction of Israel and the militant advance of Islam to establish a global Islamic kingdom. This has been the driving force behind what has
been called “the Arab Spring.” This is not, as some here
in the West have proposed, a call for democracy in these countries. It is clearly an attempt to overthrow modern Arab regimes with a more radical element that will join the crusade toward the goal of Islamic world domination. The elimination of Israel is at the heart of this movement.
The rise of the radical and brutal terrorist force called “the Islamic State” in Syria and Iraq demonstrates the sweeping shift that is taking place in the Middle East. The sudden rise of this group and its ability to control large swaths of land in Iraq and Syria is unprecedented in this modern era. When one examines ISIL’s stated goals, it is not surprising that it is bent on controlling all Islamic countries and removing the Jewish state of Israel from the center of their proposed Islamic kingdom in the Middle East.
However, from Israel’s point of view, the most dangerous threat is the religious leadership in the Islamic State of Iran. While the rest of the world is focused upon other increasingly pressing problems, Iran quietly continues to move toward the production of its first nuclear weapon. Once again, Prime Minister Netanyahu is warning the world of this grave threat to Israel and the entire world. While speaking about Iran in his recent address to the U.N., he said: “The Islamic Republic is now trying to bamboozle its way to an agreement that will remove the sanctions it still faces, and leave it with the capacity of thousands of centrifuges to enrich uranium. This would effectively cement Iran’s place as a threshold military nuclear power. In the future, at a time of its choosing, Iran, the world’s most dangerous state in the world’s most dangerous region, would obtain the world’s most dangerous weapons.
Allowing that to happen would pose the gravest threat to us all. It is one thing to confront militant Islamists on pickup trucks, armed with Kalashnikov rifles. It’s another thing to confront militant Islamists armed with weapons of mass destruction.” (http://www.jpost.com/Arab-IsraeliConflict/Full-text-of-Prime-Minister-Netanyahus-UNspeech-376626) link no longer valid, routing to home page
Anyone who is paying attention to all of these developments must conclude that we are moving toward a major confrontation in the Middle East. While we might not be able to connect all of the dots at this time, it is apparent that the stage is being set for the Gog and Magog invasion of Israel mentioned in Ezekiel 38-39.
A War on Christians
A major agenda of the Antichrist during the Tribulation will be the elimination of all those who reject him and his religion. (Revelation 13:16-18) His wrath will especially be poured out upon those who received Christ during the Tribulation. He and his global coalition of all nations will declare war on believers in Jesus Christ. (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 13:7)
The second agenda being promoted by the radical Islamic elements in the Middle East is the war on the church of Jesus Christ. In recent years, the number of Christians who have been brutally murdered by the Islamic terrorists in the Middle East has dramatically escalated. Thousands of believers in Egypt, Syria, and Iraq have been targeted by these radicals. For those who have the financial ability, they are leaving their homes in the Middle East. The exodus and death of Christians in the Middle East is a major story that is being ignored by the liberal media in the U.S. For those who are closely following these events, they have concluded “there is likely to be little place for Christian Arabs in a Middle East rebuilt on intolerant ideologies like those of Isis.” (The Guardian, July 23, 2014)
The brutal killing of Christians in Iraq and Syria by the ISIL is a precursor to the Tribulation Period. The Antichrist will rule the world from Babylon, Iraq. (Isaiah 14:4) The chief means whereby he will execute believers is decapitation. (Revelation 20:4) We are currently witnessing a microscopic picture of what will develop in Iraq and the Middle East on a more grand scale during the final seven years of this age.
The Establishment of a PoliticalReligious-Economic Kingdom in Iraq
The political, religious, and economic center of the world’s final superpower will be in the Middle East in general and in Iraq in particular. All of the nations that participate in the Armageddon campaign as a part of the Antichrist’s coalition are mentioned several times in Scripture. They are all Islamic nations. (Psalm 83:6-8) The religious power that will be in league with the Antichrist’s kingdom in the last days is called “Mystery Babylon.” (Revelation 17:5) The context of Revelation 17-18, along with the Old Testament passages alluded to in these two chapters (Isaiah 13, 47; Jeremiah 50-51), support the conclusion that both the religion and the political structure of the Antichrist will be centered in Iraq. Those who do not submit to this new international economic order will be killed. (Revelation 13:15-18) These prophetic revelations are an exact carbon copy of the Islamic strategy promoted by the current ISIL forces in Iraq and Syria.
Therefore, in conclusion, we should note that the descriptive distinctions of the spiritual light that will exist during the kingdom age, according to Isaiah 60, will focus upon the incredible spiritual transformation of the Muslim countries that surround Israel. Israel’s enemies will become Israel’s devoted friends. So, the gross darkness that will permeate the preceding Tribulation Period will be measured by the level of hatred that will motivate these same nations to annihilate the Jewish State.
It is a very sobering thought to grasp the reality that our world is entering into the darkest period in all of human history. This is a difficult conclusion for some to grasp. They look at all of the academic, scientific, medical, and technological achievements of this modern era and conclude that this kind of spiritual darkness does not seem possible at this time. However, one must remember that when Nazi Germany conducted its Holocaust campaign against the Jews almost eight decades ago, it was the academic and scientific giant of the civilized world. While many modern cultures may be excelling in academic and scientific areas, these same cultures are morally and spiritually in a state of self-destruction.
Those who are attempting to warn our present generation about this time of great spiritual darkness are being confronted with rejection and stern opposition. Jesus warned us that this day would come. He said: “the night [is coming], when no man can work.” (John 9:4) As we wait for Jesus to come for His church, the darkness will intensify and the global attack on the church and Israel will expand.
It is time for us to join the early church, which was facing persecution and martyrdom at the end of the first century, when they pleaded with the Lord: “Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” (Revelation 22:21)
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October 1, 2014