ISRAEL UPDATEMay 27, 2001 - One final consideration in Muslim teaching is that the hour could be identified by yellow haired Byzantines and Franks gathered with Egyptians in the wastelands to do battle against Saddam. This obviously would indicate an American presence in Iraq.
While this was probably a propaganda attempt by Saddam Hussein supporters, it fueled the fire of anti-American sentiment and further complicated negotiations, since America and Israel are already thought of as the Great and Little Satans respectively.
While there may be some ideas that are parallel to Christian and Muslim eschatology, the biggest difference is motive.
The Muslims want to purify the world by the sword of Islam (which means submission) and the Christian thought is to evangelize through love of Christ, saving souls and allowing G-d to cleanse the earth.
We will see the glory of G-d manifested on the holy mountains of Jerusalem and all the nations of the world will come to hear G-d's Word.
May 27, 2001 - The scriptures tell us in Daniel 12:4, “But you Daniel shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall increase.”
We can see in the past century that this prophetic passage has come to pass with uncanny accuracy, thus validating G-d's Word one more time. However, this vast gain of knowledge has created a huge chasm. Unfortunately, because of man's pride and arrogance, this has separated him from G-d, with man thinking he has been the reason for his success.
We cannot find peace in the world, nor can we solve the hunger problem or homeless issues. Rare strains of diseases are killing hundreds of thousands of people. The world is being destroyed while all the activist groups try to protect Mother Nature’s environment and the creatures that live here.
Civil upheaval, political unrest, uncontrollable dictators and corrupt leaders seem to run unchecked while the watchdog groups monitor and attempt to intervene.
While there is ever increasing knowledge, we see why it is unfruitful. II Tim 3:7 tells us that man is always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of truth, because we seek truth apart from G-d.
To be continued…