�He which testifiet these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. even so, come, Lord Jesus.� (Revelation 22:20)
Have you seen those car insurance commercials where a live person is morphed into a cartoon character? If you�ve ever watched a video clip on the internet you probably have. Those little commercials are the price we pay for accessing short news snippets on the �net.�
Well, hold on to your hats; I�m about to enter that zone!
I have received many email�s from concerned Christians, and probably a few dishonest persons whose political interests led them, which have asked that I consider the possibility that Oprah and Obama are the Beast and the False Prophet of Revelation.
I am not prophet enough to tell you that these persons are wrong. But, be real!!
No! I do not think Oprah and Obama are the Beast and the False Prophet of Revelation! I would be tempted to say that such a remark as this trivializes the Biblical prophecies except... I believe that the push which Orpah�s, an entertainer who has used her forum to advance some �New Age� religious philosophy (If you doubt this is true run a check of �New Age, Opah� on your computer�s search engine.), endorsement gave Obama�s campaign at a time he was far behind Hillary Clinton a �jump start� that has led to his present position.
I do believe that this pairing have shown us how the coupling of the Beast and the False Prophet can work together to control the Tribulation Age. A part of prophecy we might not have understood has become a bit more understandable.
To the uninitiated, the Beast is a political leader who is also called �The Man of Peace� because he finds a way to bring a seeming peace to the Mideast. He induces Israel and Muslim states to sign a seven year peace treaty. Unfortunately, after three and one half years he breaks this peace.
The False Prophet is a religious leader who leads the people to follow the Beast. This mixture of religion and politics is a time honored symbiotic relationship in the history of this world. The history of the world shows more time with nations led by religious leaders than time led by political statesmen.
The events of the Tribulation will be greatly furthered by the hysteria which will surely surround the Rapture. Still, even in our own days we watch as small pieces of a yet to be completed puzzle continue to fall into place before our very eyes. We watch the events in Iran and consider the interest which China has in the present controversies. Could this be a precursor of the two hundred million man army of Revelation 9:16? Even if not, we can no longer say, as could any reasonable person in the day in which John penned this prophecy, �Such an army could not be raised.�
The prophecies of God continue.
Right now the world�s interest is in Russia and her foray into Georgia. This is important because Georgia sits upon some important oil pipelines. Howl about �oil dependancy� and shout for �Green Energy,� but keep one foot in present reality. This is an important situation as concerns world security and global peace.
Could Russia be on the rise as a world power as Hal Lindsey saw them several decades past in his book, �The Late Great Planet Earth?� Lindsey based his entire research on Scriptural considerations. His �mistake� was that he worked with one hand on the Bible and another hand on then current newspaper articles. With the fall of the Soviet Union most of the Lindsey scenario was derided.
The same derision was leveled against those who argued for a ten nation confederacy in Europe. The Bible does predict a �Revived Roman Empire.� For a few years Bible teachers argued that when the EU reached ten members, considering the prophecies of the beast with ten horns from Daniel, that this restoration would be complete. Imagine their surprise when the EU membership passed ten!
But now, as we look at the map of economic treaty states, we can see much of the old Roman Empire area being joined in various treaties. Hmm. Both the Eastern and Western Empires are represented. If Turkey does join the EU, coupled with the economic treaties of Israel, Jordan and Egypt already in place, the addition of Lebanon would complete the circle.
Did you know that the number ten, in Biblical numerology, means �completion?�
Don�t say it couldn�t happen. Could anyone have imagined the demise of the old Soviet Union back during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962? The only real constant of the history of the past one hundred years, or so, is that the impossible keeps finding ways to happen.
Of course, Bible scholars have for years argued that the Jewish Temple must be rebuilt in Jerusalem. Not a likely event considering that this is one of the holiest sites of the Muslim world. The Dome of the Rock sits on the site where Mohammad is believed to have been taken into Heaven.
The Muslim religious complex also sits on the site where it is believed that the Temple of Solomon was situated. The rock from where Mohammad is believed to have ascended is the same spot where the Holy of Holies of the Solomonic Temple is said to have been.
This �rock� is also the place where it is believed that Abraham was prepared to offer Isaac. It isn�t too far from the place where Jesus was offered for the sins of the world.
Earthquakes have been predicted, there are some very serious faults in the area, by some as the means of the removal of the Dome of the Rock and the restoration of the Jewish Temple.
Somehow this seems very unlikely. Even if an earthquake occurred the ground would still be considered as holy ground to the Muslim. The likelihood of an unobstructed construction of a Jewish religious site would be highly unlikely.
However, recent history has shown us that the Muslim terrorists of area�s surrounding Israel have become very fond of shooting missiles into the Jewish state. Not all of these missiles have reliable guidance systems. Iran�s flirtation with nuclear armament, and the fact that she is a supplier to these rogue entities could also factor in.
Considering these possibilities, it is possible that the Dome would be destroyed by the Muslim militants, themselves. The resulting confusion, along with the departure of thousands in the rapture, might be the impetus of the rise of the �man of peace,� who would broker a seven year peace deal between Israel and her neighbors.
Factor in, what if this man were an Arab? The Arab�s are the cousins of the Jew. This man would have the cachet to bargain with the Muslim leaders. We know that this man, the Beast of prophecy, will sit in the Temple. The conventional wisdom has always been that he must be Jewish in order for this to happen.
But, consider that this man would be hailed by the Jewish people as the savior of their land. Some would even, perhaps many, consider him to be the long awaited Messiah of prophecy. After all, this might come about after a short nuclear war. Part of the bargain might be that this �man of peace,� who we know from prophecy to be duplicitous toward the Jewish state, would take up a seat in the Temple as a way to mollify the Muslim.
In the background of the bargaining might be the understanding, among the Muslim parties, that the Jewish Temple would soon be returned to their own control with the breaking of the treaty of peace in just three and one half years.
Now, one more piece to put into place. In the Book of Revelation there are prophecies relating to a �one world church.� Frankly, modern Christianity is just too weak to make the deal. She has few doctrines, and little inclination, to consider a �power grab� of this sort. It would go against the current religious themes for Christianity, especially modern liberal inspired Christianity, to compel anyone to worship in their manner.
But, what of the growing influence of the Muslim culture? A leading British judge, I read this on Yahoo news!, has already said that Shiera Law (Muslim religious law) is not incompatible with British laws. Many nations around the world already have this dual standard of law - one secular and the other religious. We�ve seen pushes for this even in our own nation - consider the situation of the cab drivers at the Minneapolis airport. In some locations, both city and college, special rest rooms are available to the Muslim so he can do ritual cleansing.
Europe has already well on the way to becoming Muslim. Not all of the people, of course; but the influence is steadily climbing. Where the Muslim religion has reached parity, or even near parity in the population their influence climbs. The non Muslim must abide by the culture imposed by the Muslim culture.
This is a culture that envisions a complete control of the populace.
I can recall a time in the not too distant past when churches were sued in this nation for �noise pollution� over the sounding of their church bells in some areas. It is not uncommon, now, for Muslim minarets to issue the call to prayer loudly enough to be heard throughout the entire neighborhood or city.
It could well happen. It would be well within the parameters of Biblical prophecy. It wouldn�t be the first time that the impossible has become the standard.
Is any of this going to happen? Not much chance! The point of my little cartoon is that we can see how things might happen to usher in the conditions of the Tribulation age. They don�t have to happen in this manner. In all probability they will not. But, the prophecies of Scripture are true and will come about.
Count on it.
We now return you to your regular programing.
Folks, the point is that Jesus is coming again, at an hour we do not know. He could come today. He could come this hour. Are you ready. Accept Him as your Savior.
Do it today!