Troublesome times, filled with stage setting prophetic signs, have many
concerned they live in the last generation. As such, many eschatologists
field questions about the Antichrist whose reign of terror dominates the
final generation.
Topping the list is the curiosity over his origin. Will he be a Jew,
Gentile, Muslim, or perhaps a Supernatural being like the Nephilim in the
ancient Days of Noah?
According to the majority consensus of several experts interviewed by
Dr. David Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries, there doesn’t seem to be a
Jewish bone in Antichrist’s body. Additionally, those pondering the supernatural origins of the Antichrist
comprise a minority thus far. In fact, the first time I had heard about
it was in a radio interview I hosted with end time’s expert, Terry James. Terry made a compelling argument for a supernatural
Antichrist.
However, through a process of deductive reasoning, it appears most
scholars believe the Antichrist is either a non-Muslim Gentile or a
Muslim Gentile. Traditional teaching points to a non-Muslim Gentile
Antichrist rising out of the Revived Roman Empire. Advocates of this
view point to Daniel 9:26, which says this crazed individual will be a
Roman. The prophecy declares the Antichrist will come out of the people
who destroyed Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple, an event fulfilled in 70
A.D. by the Roman Empire.
Recently, I was asked to pen my position on several questions related to
the Antichrist. One of them was regarding the
potential for a Muslim Antichrist. Some of the best teaching on this
controversial subject is written in a transcript entitled, “The Muslim
Antichrist Theory and Evaluation” by Dr. David Reagan.
Dr. Reagan's article points out that Islamic eschatology also
has an Antichrist called the Dajjal and that similarities between the
Islamic Dajjal and biblical Antichrist exist. Muslim Antichrist
advocates often use these similarities to argue their point. However,
any similarities between the two are inadmissible due to the fact that
Islamic scribes had several thousand years of previously recorded
biblical prophecy available to them, which enabled them to fabricate the
features of the Dajjal.
Summarized below are a few of the reasons I don’t believe the Antichrist
will be a Muslim.
To hypothesize the Antichrist could be a Muslim, which is a relatively
new paradigm shift in thinking, ignores the prophetic ramifications of
Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38, and the first four seal judgments of Revelation
6:1-7. Prophetic insights written in Isralestine, The Ancient Blueprints
of the Future Middle East, suggest Psalm 83, and possibly Ezekiel 38,
appears to occur before the Antichrist rides in on the world stage as
the "white horseman" of the apocalypse in Rev. 6:1.
As pointed out in the Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 arguments below, the
fulfillment of both prophecies will negatively impact the religion of
Islam. Therefore, by the time the Antichrist emerges, Islam should be
undergoing a deepening crisis in faith thereby hindering any Muslim's
bid for world worship.
The Psalm 83 Argument
Psalm 83 is a confederation of ten predominately Muslim populations that
will invade Israel to reclaim Palestine for the Palestinians. They will
be decisively defeated by the Israeli Defense Forces as per Ezekiel
25:14, Obadiah 1:18, and elsewhere. This defeat will serve as a severe
“punch to the gut” of the Islamic faith. Muslims worldwide will be
shocked to witness today’s tiny Israel militarily overpower their
present surrounding Arab foes.
The Ezekiel 38 Argument
In the aftermath of the I.D.F. victory of Psalm 83, the predominately
Muslim nine-member coalition of invaders of Ezekiel 38:1-6 will make
their bid to invade Israel to capture Israeli plunder and booty. We are
informed in Ezekiel 38:18 - 39:6 that the invaders will meet their doom
via the divine doings of the Lord rather than the I.D.F. The defeat of
the Ezekiel invaders will be nothing less than a powerful “uppercut to
the jawbone” of Islam.
In the aftermath of these two victories the downward slide of Allah will
be observable as Muslims worldwide will become increasingly disenchanted
with their Islamic faith. This is already occurring. Fueled by the
Internet and social networks, many Mideast Muslim youths are looking
beyond the confines of seventh-century Islam and state censored media
for a brighter democratic future. Allah’s downward slide partially
fulfills the prophecy in Zephaniah 2:11, which foretells the fall of all
false gods.
These two Pre-Tribulation prophetic events, Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38,
should assure that Islam is both crippled and compromised by the time
the predicted wars of Revelation 6 occur. These apocalyptic wars predict
indiscriminate death and destruction worldwide putting Islam well within
its sites. As a result, Islam should be “knocked out for the final ten –
count” before the midpoint of the seven – year tribulation arrives.
In addition to the objections identified above, 2 Thessalonians 2:4
declares the Antichrist will someday have the audacity to declare
himself as god. Such a declaration flies in the face of Islam’s primary
tenet that “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet or
messenger.” According to the prophecy the Antichrist opposes and exalts
himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he
sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
Once the Antichrist fulfills the 2 Thess. 2:4 prophecy a fatwa would
certainly be issued to assassinate him if he was a Muslim. When this
fact is pointed out to Muslim Antichrist advocates they often point out
that Revelation 13:3-4 and Rev. 17:7-11 suggests the Antichrist will
die. But, they argue these passages also suggest he will subsequently
resurrect to rule the world.
The logical question then arises, "wouldn't that prompt the issuance of
another fatwa against his life?" In order to avoid an unending vicious
cycle of fatwa, death, and resurrection they speculate that fatwa’s
calling for the Antichrist’s death ultimately cease to be issued. Such a
conclusion is difficult to support scripturally. Thus, the 2
Thessalonians argument also opposes the Muslim Antichrist theory.
Furthermore, attempts to identify a Muslim Antichrist often require
historical revisionism and sensational newspaper exegesis. Historical
revisionism occurs when Muslim Antichrist advocates discount Roman
responsibility over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple.
They teach Arab conscripts, even though they were subservient under
Roman rule, did the dirty work. This argument is highly suspect and
easily refuted. (Refer to the blogs here).
Newspaper exegesis occurs by focusing on Islam’s adversarial role in
current Mideast events rather than appropriately ordering the Israeli
war prophecies described in Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38. Muslim Antichrist
advocates attempt to give Islam longevity by conveniently incorporating
these prophecies into the campaign of Armageddon.
It is commonly taught that the final Armageddon battle, whereby the
Antichrist and his armies are defeated, occurs during the latter part of
the seven-year Tribulation period. Many, including myself, believe the
Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 prophecies occur independently from, and in
advance of, the final Armageddon battle. Therefore as stated above,
before Armageddon comes Islam will be “knocked out for the ten – count”
It appears humanity is about to witness the fulfillment of Psalm 83
followed by Ezekiel 38. These two powerful prophetic events should
render Islamic eschatology, which has no Godly inspiration apart from
that clumsily plagiarized out of the bible, useless. There will be a
biblical Antichrist and he may be alive today. But, it is highly
doubtful that he will be a Muslim.
Some Bible Prophecy
Scholars believe the Antichrist will be a Jew, or
a gentile of Roman descent, or even of
supernatural origin.
Recently, some are coming to the conclusion that the Antichrist will
be a Muslim from Syria or a future Assyria. Similarly some believe the Antichrist's kingdom will be worldwide emanating from Europe, while others believe it will be restricted to the Middle East area. It is important I think to be open to all well founded arguments until the evidence for or against them becomes clearer. If we are open to various arguments and don't become prematurely dogmatic one way or the other, at least we should not be taken by surprise, confused or caught out in any way, by the eventual realities. ....Keygar. |