PROPHETIC IMPLICATIONS

Prophecy is a major component of the Bible. One of the most significant prophecies in regard to world instability is found in the eighth chapter of Daniel. There, the Prophet Daniel receives a vision of a Ram. Prophecy is a type of literature which has defined
characteristics and rules for interpreting it properly. In this type of literature, an animal (often the word “beast” is used) relates to a government or empire. It is clear in this eighth chapter of Daniel that this Ram is actually an empire. The reader is told that this Ram has two horns and will emerge from the east, toward the west, north and south. The word used to describe this movement is likened to a charging bull, which serves to convey fear.

The prophecy states that no one will be able to stand against this empire nor save one from it. This empire will grow and do whatever it wants to do. To what empire does the Ram (beast) refer? The answer is the Islamic Caliphate. The Caliphate is the seat for an Islamic government that rules over not just Muslims, but according to Islamic doctrine, over the entire world. This term has entered into the vernacular today because of the “Islamic State” (ISIS or Daesh). This empire of Daniel chapter eight will spread its influence and control to the west, north and south. It will not be a peaceful empire, but one that is characterized by fear and bring a sense of hopelessness to much of the world’s inhabitants. The point which must be understood is that this empire wants to establish an Islamic Caliphate and they will achieve this. This Caliphate will rule over a significant portion of the world’s population.

According to a recent Pew study (a leading American research organization), the fastest growing religion in the world is Islam. This is due to several factors, such as the number of children Muslims have, the fact that Muslims have a much higher concentration of
younger people (child-bearing age), and Islam, is predominate in Africa and the Middle East. These locations are projected to have the largest population growth in the future. Muslims will grow in percentage of the world’s population faster than that of other
religious groups. These facts, along with Islam becoming progressively more militant, will set Islam on a collision course with the rest of the world.

IS ISLAM A RELIGION?

When examining Islam from its formation, an interesting characteristic is discovered. Islam was assembled from other popular religions (Judaism and Christianity) and from common pagan practices, more than from an assertion of divine revelation. The reason behind Muhammad utilizing these known traditions was to attract their followers to his new “movement”. I prefer to use the term movement rather than religion for a few reasons.

The first is that Islam aspires to conquer lands and rule over people much more than any moral or ethical behavior that it teaches. In fact, the concept of redemption is more applied to regaining lands and assets which were once controlled by Islam; rather than in reference to the spiritual condition of an individual. Let’s look at the Islamic State (ISIS) as an example. In those locations under the control of ISIS, is there any evidence that Islam is improving the quality of life for the people over which it rules? According to the New Testament, true and real religion visits orphans and widows in their time of need. The intent of this statement is to demonstrate that any legitimate religion in God’s eyes must act to assist those whom society, in general, commonly exploits and oppresses. Islam, in fact, tends to be a highly oppressive movement. Liberty would certainly not be a term that could be used when describing Islam. Women and children are highly and regularly exploited sexually, socially, and physically. There is also a lowering of the economic opportunity and conditions. The leaders of Islam tend to be wealthy, while the masses suffer in every aspect of life. In short, Islam is an oppressive political philosophy that utilizes religious practices in order to conceal its primary objective.

Islam’s objective, and how it devalues human life, is why terroristic behavior comes naturally to this movement. Those who assert that a small minority of extremists has hijacked a great world religion are sadly ignorant of the historical records. ISIS is not an
abnormality to Islam, but rather the best modern example of the Koran’s teachings. Some individuals have interpreted the first part of Daniel chapter eight as referring to ISIS. This is not accurate. Daniel is emphatic that the Ram is actually Iran (the ancient empire of the Medes and the Persians that will reemerge in the last days). However, there is an interesting occurrence taking place. One of the most significant outcomes of ISIS’s activity is the strengthening of the Iranian nation. Iran has greatly increased its influence in such places as Iraq, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon. From the statements of Iranian leaders, it is quite clear that continued influence and power is their primary goal. Several nations in the Middle East are extremely concerned about Iran’s growth, and it’s rhetoric. Iran sees itself as the leading Islamic nation, and it’s expansion as related to Islamic prophecy. Iran
has been quite candid about its desire to destroy Israel. The fact that Iran has been actively trying to acquire a nuclear program for military purposes, adds to the threat it will be able to mount attacks in the near future. It would seem that the international agreement with Iran (January 2016) guarantees that Iran will be allowed to become a nuclear State in a period between ten and fifteen years.

Currently, the Middle East is in a state of mass confusion, with ISIS’s activity and other terrorist organizations. Such confusion is also found in a growing number of places, as Al-Qaida, Boko Haram, the Taliban, etc., continue to spread Islam through their terroristic activity. This has spread into Africa, Asia, and Europe. Great numbers of Muslims have immigrated legally or have come as refugees to many countries and make up a growing percentage of the population. As their percentages grow, they become much more demanding that their “religious” norms and practices become the law under which their communities are to be administered.

SHARIA LAW

One must recognize that there are significant differences between those who profess to be Muslims, but do not embrace Sharia Law, and those Muslims who do in fact recognize the authority of Sharia Law. Any expression of Islam that does not submit to Sharia Law is based only on a cultural identification with the “religion”; rather than doctrinal. Many of these Muslims have adopted a more spiritual and religious understanding of certain texts from the Koran and additional writings; rather than accepting the actual rendering of the texts. Some have referred to this as “moderate Islam”. The fact is that this expression of Islam is rooted in a modern understanding and one that desires to become a part of the larger religious community. It actually denies and/or ignores much of what the Koran teaches. Moderate Islamic leaders participate in ecumenical endeavors and are slowly beginning to express criticism for the Muslims that believe in a literal interpretation of the Koran and the other authoritative texts of Islam. Once again, it is the acceptance or rejection of Sharia Law that identifies to which camp a Muslim belongs.

Although moderate Muslims are perceived to out number what the world calls “extremist” or “radical Islam”, the number of Muslims who embrace Sharia Law are nevertheless highly significant. In addition to this, the number of Sharia Law adherents is growing rapidly, and this growth is coming largely from those who were once part of moderate Islam.
Slowly, more and more people are coming to the conclusion that there is a problem with Islam. However, many world leaders, such as President Barack Hussein Obama, refuse to acknowledge such a problem. The first step in dealing with the threat of Islam is to understand that true Islam is the Islam that embraces Sharia Law and interprets the Koran in a literal or straightforward
manner. It is a grave error to see Islamic terror organizations or Muslim States, which carry out gross human rights violations as well as support these terror organizations, as the abnormality and label them as extreme or radical. These nations and organizations are indeed the normative expression of Islam. 

ISLAM AS A POLITICAL MOVEMENT

President Obama has commented numerous times that those who participate in ISIS, Al-Qaida, and other Islamic terror organizations are not really Muslims, and they do not reflect Islam. Such statements fail to accurately portray what the Koran teaches and the violent objectives of Sharia Law. It is actually moderate Islam that is not truly Islam. In light of these things, there are two crucial points that the world must understand about Islam:

1. It is Islam that commits terrorist acts and oppresses millions of people.
2. Islam needs to be understood and responded to as a militant political movement and not a religion.

As long as these two points concerning Islam are ignored, there will not be any significant steps taken to combat the serious threat that Islam poses today. Unfortunately, there is currently strong resistance against this viewpoint. Therefore, what we can expect in the short term is for Islam to continue to spread and grow in its influence throughout much of the world. The country that will benefit most from this expansion will be Iran. Eventually, the world will come to recognize that Iran, and Islam in general, pose more than a regional threat, and will endanger the very existence of the free world.