This blog is for all you eschatology, or future event, thinkers out there. You may want to think more broadly about who the Antichrist is, particularly if you are a follower of Lindsey, LaHaye, or Hagee, because this study considers the idea of whether the Antichrist is a Muslim, a conclusion from the book The Islamic Antichrist by Joel Richardson. His best proof for that claim is by proving that the same man is in the Bible and in the Quran (or Koran, depending on your spelling). The irony is, the same man is the Antichrist in the Bible, but the Savior in the Quran! This one chapter in the book that I will summarize might convince you too.
Now, first, keep in mind that there is more than one sacred text to the Muslim Scripture: In addition to the foundational Quran (Mohammed’s writings of “God’s actual words” through the angel), you have the Sunna (presumably Mohammed’s life and thoughts) and the hadiths (presumably Muhammed’s sayings); these are sacred as well. A deeply dedicated Muslim believer will follow any of these to the death, if need be.
Why is this study of the Quran worthwhile, you may ask? The Quran records five things that a Muslim must believe in to be a true Muslim; these five areas are fixed and non-negotiable. As it says in sura 2:177: “righteous is he who believeth in (1) Allah and (2) the Last Day and (3) the angels and (4) the Scripture and (5) the prophets.” Note the importance of the Last Day to them. Eschatology (study of future events) may be optional for study to us Christians, but their scary Last Days may lead to some irrational and murderous action—on Jews and Christians. Also keep in mind that the religious leaders truly rule in Iran, not the secular government. The military responds accordingly. We need to know their predictions of their future, in thinking about a defensive strategy against them. There is also this: In some terrorist’s twisted mind, bringing the Last Days sooner, might send them to heaven—and we are the “Great Satan.”
Of their many key figures in the Last Days, the man above all men was al-Mahdi, which means “the Guided One.” Other names given to him by Shia Muslims are Sahib Al-Zaman and Al-Mahdi al-Muntadhar. These names mean “the Lord of the Age” and “the Awaited Savior.” Let me quote hadiths, for much of the details Muslims have in their theology are about him. Then we’ll compare to what the Scripture says about the same man.
From the hadiths: The Mahdi will be a world ruler through revolution. To quote Al-Sadr and Mutahhari, former leaders of imams, “He will reappear on the appointed day, and lead a world revolution, and set up a new world order… ” Quoting imams Izzat and ‘Arif, this will bring ”victory of the Truth and the fall of all tyrants.” According to Islamic tradition, the Mahdi is said to preside over the entire earth as the final caliph of Islam.
But what the Quran says about Mahdi is what the Bible says about the Antichrist. The Bible says the Antichrist will be a world ruler, same as the Madhi, through military power. It calls the Antichrist the “fourth Beast” In Daniel 7:23:
‘The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, And shall devour the whole earth, trample it and break it in pieces
The first three kingdoms (“beast” or “beasts” can mean kingdoms or people). were Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece, most experts agree. Each of those dominated much of the known world. Rome was the fourth kingdom. Daniel 2:33, about the same four kingdoms, he adds this about Rome:
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His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay
This suggests a revived fourth Roman kingdom that will have a weakness—it did not merge well with a partner. This one is yet future. The first Roman empire was “legs of iron;” the future fourth empire has “his feet part of iron and part of clay.” We’re suggesting the partner for the latter Rome is Islami (the partner idea is mine, not Mr. Richardson’s).
Secondly, hadiths say: “The Mahdi will be worshiped, a popular political genius, and able to perform climate control. Allah will sow love of him in the hearts of all people…everyone only talks about Him.” He will have control over the wind and the rain and the crops; the world will live in prosperity, says Sahih Hakim Mustadrak.
The Bible says that the Antichrist will be worshiped, a popular political and military genius, and seemingly able to come back from a fatal wound. Revelation 13:3,4,8 says:
3And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast.…they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?”… 8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Third: According to Hadiths, The Mahdi will be spiritually good and a Messiah;
Sahih Hakim Mustadrak claims: “He will give away wealth profusely, flocks will be in abundance.” He will be perceived to be a miraculous archaeologist, uncovering Jewish and Christian sacred treasures, perhaps to convert them to Islam at the beginning: he finds the Torah (first five books of the Old Testament) from a mountain in Syria, and the Gospel from a town called Antioch (a major town in south-central Turkey). And if that weren’t enough, the Ark of the Covenant (a wooden chest clad with gold, containing the Ten Commandments) will be brought forth from the Lake of Tiberias and will be placed in Jerusalem. As quoted by Ayatullah Baqir al-Sadr: “For the ultimate salvation of mankind he is the Pole Star of hope on which the gaze of humanity is fixed…He stands high above the narrow walls in which humanity is cut up and divided.” To quote Al-Sadr and Mutahhari, “He will…set up a new world order based on justice, righteousness, and virtue.” From Sachedina again: “He will create a just social order and a world free from oppression.”
The Bible has a different view: The Antichrist will be worshipped, but he will spiritually and literally be the embodiment of Satan, with hate and murder of God’s family at his core beliefs
II Thessalonians 2:4 shows his hunger to be worshiped, and his blasphemy against God:
…who 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
Revelation 13:4-7 shows the Antichrist (the beast) gets his authority from Satan (here as in many places, his symbol is the dragon); it shows his control will last 3-1/2 years; and shows he will persecute Christians to the death:
4 So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” 5 And he was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months. 6 Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. 7 It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.
This man will be sly in hiding his true hatred for Jews and Christians for awhile.
In further proof of his real nature being evil, let’s quote Muslim sacred texts which, without shame, confess his hatred and murderous spirit as a thing of pride. As Sunan Abu Dawud says, “Every believer will be obligated to support him.” As Ibn Maja says, “Give him your allegiance, even if you have to crawl over ice.” The Mahdi’s means of accomplishing world revolution will include multiple military jihads (holy wars), as Abdullrahman Kelani says. Even Harun Yahya, supposedly a moderate, says, “the Mahdi will invade all the places between East and West.” Sheikh Kabbani says, “black flags coming from the area of Khorasan (in Iran) will signify the appearance of the Mahdi is nigh.” The black flag is the flag of jihad. On the flag is one word written in Arabic: punishment. Here are some really ugly quotes showing their anti-Semitism: Egyptian authors Muhammad ibn Izzat and ‘Arif: “The Mahdi will be victorious and eradicate those pigs and dogs and idols of this time…will abolish the leadership of the Jews…and put an end to the domination of the Satans who spit evil into people and cause corruption in the earth, making them slaves of false idols and ruling the world by laws other than the Sharia of the Lord of the worlds.”
To quote a famous Islamic traditional belief: “the last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews, and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide behind a stone or a tree and a stone or tree would say: “Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him.”
Fourth: Hadiths: The Mahdi will have his seat of authority in Jerusalem
As Tirmidhi says, “No power will be able to stop them and they will finally reach Eela Baitul Maqdas, where they will erect their flags (i.e., the jihad black flags).” This place is the Jewish Temple Mount, in Jerusalem, which no longer exists—but will then.
To quote Izzat and ‘Arif again: Jerusalem will be the location of the rightly guided caliphate and the center of Islamic rule, which will be headed by Imam al-Mahdi.
Vs the Bible: The Antichrist will set his throne in God’s Temple (Jerusalem) and desecrate it
Zechariah 14:2: For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem; The city shall be taken, The houses rifled, And the women ravished. Half of the city shall go into captivity, But the remnant of the people shall not be cut off from the city.
Matthew 24:15, 21: “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (i.e., in Jerusalem)…21 For then there will be great tribulation…
Fifth: Hadiths: The Mahdi will present Jews and Christians with a “Hobson’s Choice”
To quote the Ayatollah Ibrahim Amini: The Mahdi will offer the religion of Islam to the Jews and Christians; if they accept it, they will be spared, otherwise they will be killed.
Bible: The Antichrist will present Jews and Christians with a “Hobson’s Choice”
This is in Rev. 12:17, keeping in mind that the Antichrist is the embodiment of Satan (the dragon). It is a picture of the woman being persecuted; she is Israel (as indicated elsewhere in Scripture). Note the added reference to “her offspring, who…keep the…testimony of Jesus Christ.” This refers to Christians. Thus, we Christians will not escape the Antichrist’s intense persecution. Here is the verse:
And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ
Remember, the Antichrist is the embodiment of Satan.
Sixth: Hadiths: The Mahdi will ride a white horse
The Muslims’ authority for that idea came from the Bible, of all things (which they consider it a source, but “less than sacred” book). They quote Revelation 6:1-2, but misrepresent it. They are proud that he will be a conqueror:
Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” 2 And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
The Bible agrees, but only about the white horse. The real guy on the horse is NOT anybody’s savior: It is The Antichrist.
The same Bible verse is used on both sides of this debate in this point. But Scripture actually proves that this is not a messiah, but a deceiver. For proof, first, we look at the word “crown” in Rev. 6:2. The Greek word is “stephanos,” used for the winner of war games. A true Messiah crown is a “diadem,” a kingly crown. Plus, note the chronology of subsequent seals in Revelation 6:3-17: war, famines, death and Hades, martyrdom, and cosmic disturbances. There is no way this follows a triumphal entry of a Messiah. No, this terrible trail follows that of a deceiver, one who pretends to be a Messiah. And the world then chaotically reels under his hatred and destruction, when he unmasks his true nature.
Seventh, the best comparison of all: From the hadiths: The Mahdi will make a Seven year treaty with Jews. This is the most shocking and convincing testimony that the Antichrist and the Mahdi are the same. Because the Bible has the same length of a covenant.
Note the hadith first: this is called the “fourth treaty,” to be made with a descendant of Moses’ brother Aaron the priest. To quote Muhammad Ali Ibn Zubair: “There will be four peace agreements between you and the Romans (i.e., Christians, Westerners). The fourth will be mediated through a person who will be from the progeny of Hadrat Aaron and will be upheld for seven years. The people asked, “Who will be the leader of the people at that time?” The prophet said: He will be from my progeny and will be exactly 40 years of age.
Bible: The Antichrist will make a seven year treaty with Jews
This is from Daniel 9:27:
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one seven; But in the middle of the seven He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate…
Note the use of “abominations” and “desolate,” which we tie in to Jesus’ reference to the Antichrist (from Matthew 24, above).
Thus, in these seven important comparisons, what happens when the Antichrist comes to power will mean the Muslims who read their sacred texts will be completely deceived into thinking that this horrible man, this embodiment of Satan, is Their Messiah! This will bring about, I believe, an intensity to follow their sacred texts—which are texts of murder and hatred. (I have another blog on their version of Allah vs. our Biblical God). And with over a billion Muslims in the world, they would rise up in religious fervor and perform whatever their sacred texts tell them to. This would lead to unbelievable deaths and chaos.
My fellow Christians, think about the “Hobson’s choice,”whenyou are offered to become a Muslim believer or die. When persecution comes, as it may be in our lifetimes, you should think of the ultimate sacrifice–as Jesus did for us. Think nothing of your bodies, which are temporary abodes. If all this happens in this age, be ready to be a martyr if given the choice of Jesus or al-Mahdi. Your reward for the right choice will be a place in heaven for eternity. If you “play” along with pretending to worship the Mahdi (to survive), you are condemning your soul to hell. The Bible is clear on that in Revelation 14:9-11:
Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one seven; But in the middle of the seven He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate…
Note the use of “abominations” and “desolate,” which we tie in to Jesus’ reference to the Antichrist (from Matthew 24, above).
Thus, in these seven important comparisons, what happens when the Antichrist comes to power will mean the Muslims who read their sacred texts will be completely deceived into thinking that this horrible man, this embodiment of Satan, is Their Messiah! This will bring about, I believe, an intensity to follow their sacred texts—which are texts of murder and hatred. (I have another blog on their version of Allah vs. our Biblical God). And with over a billion Muslims in the world, they would rise up in religious fervor and perform whatever their sacred texts tell them to. This would lead to unbelievable deaths and chaos.
My fellow Christians, think about the “Hobson’s choice,”when you are offered to become a Muslim believer or die. When persecution comes, as it may be in our lifetimes, you should think of the ultimate sacrifice–as Jesus did for us. Think nothing of your bodies, which are temporary abodes. If all this happens in this age, be ready to be a martyr if given the choice of Jesus or al-Mahdi. Your reward for the right choice will be a place in heaven for eternity. If you “play” along with pretending to worship the Mahdi (to survive), you are condemning your soul to hell. The Bible is clear on that in Revelation 14:9-11:
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
Thus, every one alive at that time has a “Hobson’s Choice:” Do you save your body, which is only temporary, for a few years of survival, by bending the knee to the antichrist, and taking his mark? But with that you spend an eternity of torture in hell. Or do you trust Scripture, and willingly sacrifice whatever you have, even your life, to hold onto Christ, who will bring your soul to a forever existence in heaven? You decide! Whatever you do, do NOT say, “I know God. He would never make hell for people like me.” Well, you THINK you know God. Why don’t you spend a little time to read Scripture, especially Jesus’ words in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and maybe you’ll see yourself, the reason for Christ’s crucifixion, and God’s personality a little differently? Revelation 14 clearly points out your destination for making the wrong choice. Would you side with Satan, God’s enemy, even to live for a few more years—when the destination is Hell?
Acknowledgement: The Islamic Antichrist, Joel Richardson
