Islam awaits its Messiah! The Koran and the Hadith gives a clear picture of just who and what they expect. The Bible too, is clear on the character and career of the Antichrist. It’s incredible how the two match up.
WHO DAT MADHI ?
When we examine the resume of the predicted Islamic Mahdi, and what the Bible has to say about the end times “man of sin,” we find the similarities astounding. Now, the prospect of an Arab / Islamic Antichrist presents a most interesting scenario: A descendant of Ishmael, Abraham’s son with his wife’s servant girl, father of the Arab race, leading the assault on Israel, the offspring of Abraham’s rightful heir Isaac, all happening in the last days.[i] The Islamic holy books, the Koran and the Hadith, actually say that this will be so. The only difference is that they portray the Jews and the followers of Jesus as evil. Here are the characteristics and career of the Islamic Messiah, the Mahdi, as outlined in the Islamic scriptures.
- Called ‘The Guided One’ – Guided by Allah, that is.
- Physically Attractive – He will be tall, and fair with a prominent nose and forehead. So says the Hadith.
- Partnership With Jesus – The Prophet ‘Jesus’ will return to earth. Then The Mahdi and ‘Jesus’ will head to Jerusalem, where ‘Jesus’ will deny his divinity. This is strangely parallel to the partnership between the Antichrist and the False Prophet described in Scripture. This False Prophet, a religious figure, is called “another beast” who “had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon.” (Revelation 13:11) This False Prophet leads a counterfeit form of Christianity / Biblical religion. Posing as a lamb, Islam claims that it had its origin with Abraham, just following another line.[ii] It speaks like a dragon, when it corrupts the Word of God and denies His message concerning His only Son. Islam expressly denies the Sonship and divinity of Jesus. 1 John 2:22-23 clearly characterizes such beliefs. “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”
- He Will Convert The Entire World – Muslim scriptures proclaim a time, in the last days, when all the world will belong to Islam. The Bible describes a time when the world will follow after and worship the Antichrist.[iii] “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:8)
He Is A Co-Ruler With ‘Jesus’ For Seven Years – That is exactly the length of the Antichrist’s reign given by the prophet Daniel and John writing in Revelation. The False Prophet partners up with the Antichrist for the first half of his reign, establishing a false religious system identified as “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT.”. (Revelation 17:5) The False Prophet serves his purpose by causing “the earth and those that dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.” This prophet performs miraculous signs, even making “fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men.” (Revelation 13:12-13) After using the ‘prophet’ and his system to consolidate his power over the world, the Antichrist will have no more use for him or the religious system he heads and will destroy both. Revelation 17:16 says he will “hate the harlot, making her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire.”[iv]- Conversion Will Be Mandatory – Islam teaches that there will be a time, under the Mahdi, when there will only be one religion in the world: Islam. Islam offers conversion or death.[v] In Sura 9:5, the Koran teaches Muslims to “slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them”.[vi] (Sounds like ‘convert or die’ to me!) John The Revelator tells us this end times religious revival will not be voluntary. He says of the Antichrist, “and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nation” (Rev.13:7) That’s total control.
- He Makes War On Christians & Jews – Islamic writings freely describe the hunting and killing of Jews in the last days. The Bible says the same of the Antichrist. “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.” (Revelation 13:7)
- The Price…Your Head – The Koran calls for beheading those who do not bow the knee to Allah.[vii] “I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Therefore strike off their heads and strike off every fingertip of them.”[viii] (Sura 8:11, Koran) The Bible concurs that this will be the case in the end times. Revelation 13:15 tells us that, “as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.” Revelation 20:4 talks of “the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast.”
- The Political & Religious Triumph Of Islam – Islam’s Sharia Law will be triumphant. The Hadith says of the coming Mahdi, “He will fill the world with justice and fairness at a time when the world will be filled with oppression. He will rule for seven years”.[ix] Again, that seven year career is the exact time given to the Antichrist by both Daniel and John.
- A Final Battle Between Good & Evil – The Hadith says the Islamic Messiah will lead the “forces of righteousness and do battle with the forces of evil” in a climactic battle.[x] Scripture too, describes such a battle at the end of the Tribulation. It is a time when Jesus returns with His saints to pass judgment “and make war” on the nations. (Revelation 19:11) It is the end of the line for both the Beast and the False Prophet. “Then the beast was captured and with him the false prophet…These two were cast alive into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 19:20)
Without discounting the possibility of Antichrist coming from Europe, or the Western part of the revived Roman Empire, we must admit that the similarities between the Biblical “man of sin” and the Mahdi as described by Islamic writings at the very least leaves open the possibility that they will be one and the same. Hal Lindsey summarized these similarities very well. Both come on the scene during a time of upheaval. Both present themselves as ambassadors of peace, destroying many in the process. Both have a 7 year career, and “…head a one world religion and one world government, both claim supernatural origins and both reigns end in a battle between good and evil that brings Earth’s final judgment”.[xi] Coincidence? I think not!
[i] Jerry Robinson, Calling Al Mahdi, Understanding The Antichrist – Part II, WIR
[ii] Jack Kinsella, The Third Pillar of Antichrist, Omega Letter, March 13, 2006
[iii] Hal Lindsey, The 4 Horsemen, al Mahdi, and the Magnetic Polar Reversal, Oracle, March 14, 2006
[iv] Consulted notes from: John MacArthur, MacArthur Study Bible, notes for revelation 17, pg 2,016-2,017
[v] Hal Lindsey, The 4 Horsemen, al Mahdi, and the Magnetic Polar Reversal, Oracle, March 14, 2006
[vi] The Koran, as translated by MH Shakir
[vii] Jack Kinsella, The Third Pillar of Antichrist, Omega Letter, March 13, 2006
[viii] The Koran, as translated by MH Shakir
[ix] The Hadith as quoted by Jerry Robinson, Calling Al Mahdi, Understanding The Antichrist – Part II, WIR
[x] Jerry Robinson, Calling Al Mahdi, Understanding The Antichrist – Part II, WIR
[xi] Hal Lindsey, The 4 Horsemen, al Mahdi, and the Magnetic Polar Reversal, Oracle, March 14, 2006
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