The Islamic Revolution launched in 1979 by Iran may have just come of age.
Is this a “chaos” dry run, or is it the real thing? According to Islamic sources, a Messianic figure will emerge in the last days to save humanity from itself by instituting the pure religion, Islam, as the dominating religion. Chaos and unrest are prerequisites for this figure to emerge from his place of hiding and announce to the Islamic world that it is time to wage the final war leaving Islam standing among the rubble.
Islam calls this messianic figure “The Mahdi.” Tradition is that he disappeared from the Shi’ia stream of Islam (Muhammad’s family line) in the 10th century and lies in hiding for the proper time to emerge. The prerequisites for that revealing are:
- Oppression of human rights
- Economic injustice and oppression
- Compromise and restriction of the pure religion (Islam)
Although there is no real Mahdi, the concept is explosive and ancient. It was probably borrowed from Christianity and Judaism when Muhammad established Islam in 630 A.D. in Medina and Mecca. Although the stream of Islam known as Shi’ite Islam is the most radical in this belief, both currents expect his appearance in the end of time.
The demonstrations have even spread to NYC today and other cities around the world. Many would ask how an Egyptian national problem could erupt into such a widespread conflagration. The push of Islam; a once world empire seeks to reestablish itself as just that – a world empire. Though the Egyptian uprising may have been local, the underlying causes echo the triggers for the emergence of the Mahdi. What may not have started as the cue for the Mahdi to reveal himself, may in fact escalate into that.
The saving grace in previous emergences of The Mahdi (rent these movies: The Four Feathers, and Khartoum) is that there is no unifying cohesion within Islam. In fact there is division and rivalry with murderous potential.
History has lessons to offer if we are willing. The British faced the Mahdi in Africa under famed commander Charles Gordon, after which Gordon’s Calvary, Jesus’ crucifixion site, was named in Jerusalem. His end in Khartoum was at the hands of a self-proclaimed Mahdi in the 1800s.
Prayer for internal strife is the second best strategy. Loving Muslims into the light of God’s Kingdom is prime focus. African Islam is losing 700 souls to Christianity per hour according to Libya’s President of the Sharia University in Tripoli. Al-Jezeera News interviewed him over 16,000.000 Muslims converting to Christianity per annum. Islam is trembling at the costly advance of God’s Kingdom of deliverance there.
We are surely being called upon to activate our deepest spiritual capabilities in this hour. Our time to shine has come. It may be the first time in history when the real solution is at hand: a revolutionary revival of God’s love and grace by ‘seeking His face’ and reaping the Scriptural benefit of that simple act of adoration.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land(s).” 2 Chron 7:14 (plural added).
The New Nazarite 