By Bob Mitchell

“If one were to hand the text of revelation 17 to a detective from Scotland Yard, he would immediately go out and arrest the Church of Rome."

Charles Spurgeon

It is interesting to witness the strange parallels taking place within prophetic events as they gradually move toward their predicted conclusion in these days.

Take the Middle East for example. We see the Jewish people restored to their ancient homeland as prophesied for these days prior to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Yet from the outset she has been under attack from the nations surrounding her. Also the Western nations, which in the main voted for her re-birth in November 1947 at the United Nations, have over the years shown their anti-Semitism toward her as revealed in the monumental work by John Loftus and Mark Aarons “The Secret War Against the Jews.” This book reveals how Western governments have outwardly supported Israel yet have, behind the scenes, sought her demise.

Radical Islam with its Shaheeds (Martyrs) for Allah and his cause have continued to kill themselves and spill Jewish blood whenever possible in an attempt to weaken the resolve of the Israelis and bring an end to the “Zionist State.” Israel responds by singling out those who help prepare and encourage suicide bombers in their filthy work of death and carnage.

Yet when this happens we witness the almost unbelievable. The United Nations says nothing of the Islamic murderers but loudly condemns Israel for killing those responsible for the planning of these atrocities.

Islam demands that all lands and people that have been under Islamic control must be returned to Islam. Islam sees only two sets of people in the world. “Dar-el-harrb” and “Dar-el-salam.” The House of War and the House of Peace. If you are a Muslim you belong to the House of Peace. If you are not a Muslim and are not willing to become one you belong to the House of War.

Israel sits on land which according to Islam was once Islamic property. Therefore it must be returned to Allah. Be aware this is also the case for parts of Europe which were once under Islamic control from Spain to Vienna.

Islamic supporters have publicly said Islam will rule the world. Israel simply wants her little bit of promised land. But the West condemns Israel, appeases Islam and thinks everything will be alright. That is exactly what Islam wants the West to think.

Islam is on an evangelistic march. Today she is winning converts and friends as never before. More Mosques are being built today in the UK than churches as Westerners succumb to the teachings of Islam and convert, sometimes even accepting the traditional way of dressing.

Indeed Islam is very willing to put up a front of peaceful co-existence until such time as she is numerically or militarily strong enough to wipe Israel off the map

Hamas will, I am sure, eventually come to the negotiating table with Israel as did Arafat and the PLO. But as with Arafat it will be simply a ruse, a sop to put the West and Israel back to sleep until Hamas and their co-conspiritors are ready to launch a final attack upon Israel.

It will fail as all other wars against Israel have failed. Because the god of Islam is not the God of the bible. The god of Islam is a desert deity. Originally one of 360 tribal gods in Mecca. Mohammed and his followers came to Mecca and destroyed all the gods but Allah the moon god, hence the crescent moon above the minarets on Islamic mosques. Allah even married and had three daughters. He married the sun goddess.

Although he had three daughters the god of Islam has never had a son as the Koran states:

"O people of the Scripture! Do not exaggerate in your religion nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, and His word which he conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit [sic.] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and say not 'Three' - Cease! (it is better for you! - Allah is only one God. Far is it removed from His transcendent majesty that He should have a son...The Messiah will never scorn to be a slave unto Allah." Quran [004.171 ]

Incredibly both religious and political leaders in the West attempt to convince the world that the followers of Islam worship the same God as the Jews and Christians.

They would also try to tell us Islam is a religion of peace.

While many followers of Islam are law abiding people wanting nothing more than a quiet life it is also true that almost every nation in the world today that is experiencing internal strife, war, bloodshed and persecution is a nation ruled by Islam or in which Islam is attempting to take control.

And it is coming closer to the sleepy West each day. Something will soon burst upon the world scene that will change the planet forever. Many believe a war is coming between Islam and the West.

And many New Agers etc. believe that from the ruins of this war will step a man Christians call Antichrist. The people expecting him with gladness call him the New Age Christ, or “Maitreya.”

Antichrist will rule the planet alongside his religious partner known in scripture as the false prophet (Rev. 13). But they will both meet their end at the return of Jesus when He comes with His saints to rule from Jerusalem.

Islam believes the Imam Mahdi is coming. He is an Islamic version of the Jewish Messiah. It is said he is alive today. According to Islamic tradition he will rule for 7 years with Jesus at the end of which both he and Jesus will kill all Jews and Christians.

Now turn the coin over.

I see a parallel in the spiritual Gentile world. Until the Reformation all of the world was Roman Catholic. Luther, Zwingli and other heroes of the Protestant Reformation put an end to Rome’s religious stranglehold on humanity.

Like Islam and Israel, Rome wants Protestantism to die. Since the Reformation she has tried to win back the rebels and the ground she has lost. She has used the rack, the thumbscrew, the stake and war.

Like Islam which offers immediate entry to Paradise to those who sacrifice themselves for Allah, Rome offered the same thing to any who could enter England and kill Queen Elizabeth I.

Like Islam Rome says she is the only way to God.

True salvation is to be found nowhere outside of the Roman Catholic Church. Like Islam Roman Catholicism is a political as well as a spiritual movement.

The Roman Catholic Church has its own Ambassadors in nations around the world. And Rome’s ambassadors take precedence over all others.

Like Islam Rome’s version of salvation is not found within the pages of the bible.

Like Islam Rome is seeking ways to regain all she has lost and to sit as queen of the spiritual if not the physical earth.

Like Islam Rome is winning converts and friends as never before from Protestantism.

Those who do not become outright Roman Catholics attempt to convince Christians that the Catholic church has changed and is a religion of peace and biblical truth.

Pope kissing the Koran

It may not go to war as it did in days gone by, but Rome is using the velvet glove rather than the iron fist.

And Rome will seem to win as she convinces Christians, sadly Charismatics especially, that she is a Christian denomination.

And Rome and Islam are friends:

"But the plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge

the Creator, in the first place among whom are the Muslims: these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day." (Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium 16, November 21, 1964).

Both have eyes for Jerusalem. Muslims believe it is the third holiest place on earth. They believe Mohammed ascended into the air on a white horse from the Temple Mount.

Many Roman Catholics believe as Jerusalem is the Holy city over which Jesus is rightful king, so the Pope as Christ’s representative on earth should perhaps rule from Jerusalem instead of Rome.

How interesting, then to take note in these days of prophetic fulfilment, the New Agers look for the Maitreya; the Muslims believe their Imam Mahdi will appear soon and rule from Jerusalem; the Roman Catholic church, in some quarters, believes the Pope should rule from Jerusalem; The Jewish people believe the Messiah is coming soon and the Christians believe a false Messiah and a false Prophet will soon rule from Jerusalem.

Could it be, that the Imam Mahdi will appear, or someone claiming to be him, alongside the Roman Catholic pope in an effort to bring all faiths together as one?

We wait with baited breath and look up for our redemption is ever closer.

Shofar Ministries