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Now, here's today's message from Pastor Skip.
So we have the false prophet. We know that for sure. We have the Antichrist followed by the false prophet. We know that for sure. Here's what else we know for sure: and it's the best news.
After all of that, Jesus Christ will indeed come back and vanquish the Antichrist and the false prophet and set up his kingdom all over the earth. Verse 27. Then the kingdom, well, let's read verse 23. Let's go. Then he said, The fourth beast.
shall be a fourth kingdom on earth. which shall be different from all other kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, trample it, and break it in pieces. The ten horns are ten kings which will arise from this kingdom. and another shall rise after them. He shall be different from the first ones, and shall subdue three kings.
He shall speak pompous words against the Most High. shall persecute the saints of the Most High. and shall intend to change Times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time times and a half a time. But the court shall be seated, and the court and they shall take away his dominion to consume and destroy it forever.
And then the kingdom. And dominion? And the greatness of the kingdoms, plural, under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him. him.
Now, that's what we know for sure, it's going to happen. What we don't know for sure is exactly who the Antichrist is, and I'm not going to be added to the list of people who have tried to guess and were wrong all throughout history. It started in the early church. They said Caesar Nero was the Antichrist. Then they said Caligula was the Antichrist.
And then just about every single pope who's ever been in the Vatican has been called the Antichrist. John Fitzgerald Kennedy was called the Antichrist. Henry Kissinger. Ronald Reagan, Bill Gates, Barack Obama. has been called the Antichrist, maybe even by some of you, I don't know.
But I would think it's safe to say they're wrong. Hello. If you had asked me when I was 19, I said My anatomy professor, I think that's the Antichrist. We just had a rough class there. For years, scholars have looked to Western Europe.
For a revived Roman Empire, because they said, well, that's sort of where the Roman Empire was and fragmented. And so they have looked for some secular Western leader. Or perhaps a religious leader like the Pope Today I'm just going to suggest that we look in a different direction. And we consider What is today the fastest growing religious system on planet Earth? If for nothing more than to be aware of it, To be able to pray for it.
and to share Christ with those people. Did you know that right now on the earth, you may not see a lot of it in this town, but there is an Islamic revival. A revival. It is the fastest growing religion, get this, since. september eleventh, two thousand one.
Did you know that before 9-11? They estimate roughly 25,000 Americans per year converted to Islam. Since 9-11, it has quadrupled, 100,000 a year. Over 80% of the American converts to Islam were raised in Christian churches. Islam will bypass Christianity as the world's largest religion in about 20 years.
And when that starts to happen, there's going to be an emotional, psychological tipping point that happens on both ends of that spectrum. I guess With all of that significant data, it's just good to ask this question. What plan do 1.8 billion Muslims have? In the plan of God for the end times. Any at all?
My hope is there will be mass conversions to Christ. But could there be something else? No, I know. I know that Even talking about this is not politically correct. Probably most of what I do is not politically correct.
But I know it's fashionable to sort of lump all religions together and put bumper stickers in our car that say, coexist and You know?
Okay. I know it's fashionable to say that Judaism and Christianity and Islam, because they're monotheistic, they believe in one God, they're basically all the same with just different names. It's fashionable to say that. It's even fashionable in Christian churches to say, That Muslims are okay because they believe in Jesus. And you're right.
They do believe in Jesus. But the Jesus they believe in is not the Jesus that this book speaks about. It's a very different Jesus.
So there's things we know for sure. But then number two. The second question. What are we told that we'll see? You see, we're not the only ones that are predicting the future using our Bible.
The Muslims have their idea of what the end times is going to be like. What do Muslims believe about the future? Did you even know that Muslims had an eschatology? And some of you are giving me that look like, what is an eschatology? Eschatology simply means A theology, a belief system about the end of days, the end times.
All that I'm talking to you about in the last couple weeks has been eschatological. It's the theology from the Bible about the end of days. Muslims refer to Jews and Christians. In a rather respectful term, they don't do this all the time, but we are called the people of the book. The people of the book means that we believe in the Bible.
Now they believe that our Bible, Old and New Testament, has been corrupted over time, does not reveal the will of God. Because it has been corrupted, God gave the final revelation to mankind, and that is the Quran.
So there are two sources for theology for all Muslims. Number one, the Quran. The word of Allah. The scripture of Allah. And number two, the sunnah.
The Sunnah are the words and the works of Muhammad the Prophet. It includes the hadith. Simply, whatever Muhammad said, whatever he did, whatever he condemned, whatever he condoned, all of that forms the tradition called the Sunnah, and they use the Sunnah and the Quran to establish everything they believe in. Much like Roman Catholic theology is based upon scripture and the tradition of the fathers. Or Jewish theology is built upon the Old Testament and whatever is the tradition of the rabbis over time.
So the Sunnah and the Quran form their view, their worldview. According to Islam, There will be three great signs at the end of days, and all three signs are three persons. First of all, they believe somebody is coming called the Mahdi.
Now the Mahdi, if you've ever heard The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed the United Nations. He's addressing now all the nations that are there. He always mentions that the Mahdi is coming. In fact, Always, every time he speaks, he says, glory to the Mahdi. Glory to the 12th Imam.
One and the same persons. The Mahdi means the guided one. He is also called the awaited savior. The Lord of the Age, interestingly. and the twelfth imam.
What is he going to do? And by the way, all Shia and Sunni Muslims believe in him. as coming. The Mahdi, they say, is coming to set up a new world order. to establish an Islamic caliphate around the world.
that is a civil, political, and spiritual world domination. He will lead a world revolution. He'll establish Islam as law around the earth. According to their sources, quote, Mahdi will offer the religion of Islam to the Jews and the Christians. If they accept it, they will be spared, otherwise, they will be killed, close quote.
He's going to do that through a series of Battles, holy wars, jihad. Using a massive army on Earth, all carrying black flags. On the black flag is one word, punishment. Interestingly. The armies of Iran today carry black flags.
Because they pray for that they will be included in that massive army of black flags when the Mahdi comes. He will lead the army of black flags to conquer Jerusalem. He will kill Jews in the process. He will establish his headquarters, his rule, from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. They call it Haram Ash Sharif.
He will make a peace agreement after that with the Jews. And the West. whom interestingly they refer to as the Romans. And what is probably most noteworthy and most amazing is the timeframe they say the Mahdi will rule. Take a guess.
Seven years. The Mahdi will rule seven years. They even say he's going to come riding a white horse. And get this, they even say in their writings, as it is predicted in the book of the prophets, Revelation chapter 6, verse 1. He will come Conquering and to conquer the rider on the white horse.
Now they say that our scriptures are corrupt. corrupted but evidently there's a few that aren't and that's In their view, some that aren't.
So put it all together, here's the summary. They say he's a messianic figure. An unparalleled leader. He'll take control of the world. He'll destroy all who resist him.
He'll invade many nations. He'll enact a seven-year peace treaty with the Jews. He'll conquer Israel and massacre Jews. He'll establish Islamic world headquarters at Jerusalem on the Temple Mount. He'll ride a white horse.
He'll rule seven years. He'll be loved by all people on the earth.
Sound familiar? It's what the Bible describes as the Antichrist. That's sign number one in Islamic eschatology. Their second sign is the coming of Christ. Yes, they believe Jesus Christ is coming again.
You go, oh goody, see? Yeah, but just wait. Muslims do not believe that Jesus is anything but a man. And that he never died. He certainly didn't die on a cross and atone for sins.
Nobody, they say, can do that.
So he didn't die. You know what that means? If he didn't die, he didn't what? Rise. If he didn't die and he didn't rise, there is no atonement for sins like Christians claim.
So, what they say is, Jesus almost died, but God whisked him to heaven where he is now at the side of Allah, waiting to come back. And at some point in the future, Allah will send Jesus back to the earth. This is Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we return to Pastor Skip's message, think about this. If we really are living in the last days, wouldn't you want to know?
The Bible doesn't leave us guessing about the future. It offers clear prophecies, solid truth, and real hope to anchor your faith in uncertain times. That's why this month, we'd like to send you two resources from Pastor Skip. The Bible from 30,000 feet 2 CD teaching from Daniel. and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days?
These explain key end times passages, how they apply today, and how to live with confidence in Christ. They're yours when you give $25 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Request yours at connectwithskipp.com slash offer. or call 800-922-8888. Let's return now to today's message.
Why would Allah want to send Jesus back to the earth? He's got a lot of prophets to choose from. They say, so that Jesus can correct. All of the Christians who have misunderstood who he was. That he is not the Son of God.
He is not God in the flesh. He did not die on the cross. And he's going to correct Christians and direct them. to worship In Islam. They say he's going to come back as a radicalized Muslim.
He's going to descend from heaven to a minaret just east of Damascus. As the Mahdi is gathered with his army of black flags, as they gather for prayer. He will come and Mahdi will see him and ask Jesus to lead in the prayer. Jesus will say no. He will stand behind the Mahdi.
showing that he's inferior to the Mahdi. and asking the Mahdi to pray. They say that Jesus will be the greatest witness on the day of judgment against non-Muslims. And he will kill The Dajal. The Dajal is the Muslim version of Antichrist.
Then Jesus will Get married. Raise a family. Die. and be buried next to Muhammad. The third person they believe is coming after Mahdi and Isa, Jesus, is Dajal, this Antichrist, third major sign.
His full title is Al-Masih ad-Dajjal, which means the Messiah, the deceiver. It's written in numerous hadiths in Islamic literature. Get this. He's going to come as a false miracle worker. He's going to claim to be Jesus.
and even claim to be God. They say he will attempt to destroy Mahdi and Jesus. But the Islamic Jesus, Isa, will conquer and kill. The Dajjal.
Now are you putting all this together? The Bible's Antichrist is Islam's Savior. The Bible's false prophet is Islam's Jesus Christ. And the Bible's returning Jesus Christ is their Antichrist. It is an exact threefold reversal.
and substitute counterfeit. Here's the real truth. Baby Ruth. According to this text of scripture. as well as what Jesus Christ said and Paul and John altogether.
At the end of days, the Antichrist will come, followed by the false prophet. Jesus Christ will come and put an end to their kingdom and set up his kingdom forever and ever. And ever, and ever, and ever. No end.
Now If you can't get excited about that, I cannot relate to you. Look at verse thirteen of Daniel 7. I was watching in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the ancient of days. And they brought him near before him.
Then to him was given. Dominion and glory in a kingdom that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion. Which shall not pass away in his kingdom, the one which will not. be destroyed.
Now, this idea that I've been talking about does pose some issues that people have. One of them is: yeah, but what about the revived Roman Empire? That doesn't sound like the Roman Empire because we're thinking about. Um Rome in terms of Western Europe, right?
Well, if you know your history, you know that The Roman Empire survived a long time, the longest of all of the previous empires mentioned in Daniel. Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. Before chapter 7 was chapter 2, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream, Daniel interpreted as the same succession of kingdoms. The longest part of that statue that Nebuchadnezzar saw. were the two legs That were on it.
Of iron, that's the kingdom of Rome.
So you got two legs. It's split into two. We know from history 395 AD the Roman Empire split into west and east. Constantine decided to move the seat of government from Rome to Constantinople, which is today Istanbul. It Continued for another thousand years, even after the western part of the Roman Empire.
virtually dissolved. Did you know that over 60% of the Roman Empire. At the time of the New Testament is today under Muslim control. Those are the fragments of the Roman Empire.
Something else that's just interesting to note: look at verse 25. This has always puzzled scholars. He shall speak pompous words against the Most High. He shall persecute the saints of the Most High. and shall intend to change times and Yeah.
Times and law. In all Islamic Apocalyptic literature. The Mahdi will come. And use Jesus to institute Sharia. Do you know what Sharia is?
It's Islamic religious law. Ladies, there's a burqa in your future. Establish worldwide Islamic law, changing the law from the laws of the land. That's always the ambition. to Sharia law.
Not only that, but every observant Muslim must change the times. in which he or she lives. There's an Islamic calendar that follows the migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, and it's based around that. And every observant Muslim. is told that he must observe those times and those laws.
Well, there's a third question. What do we hope for some? I realized that this kind of a Talk is kind of a study. can unnerve people and bring fear. I do not want to bring fear.
I want to grow your faith. That God indeed has a plan and that you're a part of it. And to balance out everything I've said so far, Muslims are coming to Jesus Christ en mass around the world. Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. First of all, you said it's the fastest growing religion in the world, and in 20 years it's going to be the largest.
You're right. But mostly because of birth rate, not conversions.
So hey, there's a dare for you, right? Young Christian couples have pump out those babies. God loves children. We're kind of lagging behind the baby thing. That's an interesting dare.
But truly, Truly. Across the Middle East, South America, Asia, Africa. Many, many Muslims are coming to faith in Christ, many of them by dreams and visions. I've read many books on this and heard many stories. One Muslim sheikh has claimed that in Africa alone, over six million Muslims have converted to Christ.
Six million. That would break down to 667 per hour. 16,000 per day. Folks? Muslims are not the enemy.
Don't think of them as the enemy. Satan, with his lies and his false teachings and doctrines, that's the enemy. We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but principalities and powers in heavenly places. And I loved Revelation where John sees the vision. And keep this in your mind as you leave today: the vision of what John saw.
He saw that people from every nation, tongue, and tribe were gathered around the throne of God, worshiping God in that heavenly scene. And I'm praying that many of them will be Muslims who have seen the light of the gospel.
Now, let me end with this. I'll give you four quick takeaway things that you can do. This is what you and I need to do. Number one, be prayerful. Be prayerful.
Now I know you think, well, yeah, you're a pastor, and that's sort of the thing you always start with, right? Pray.
Now I mean this seriously. Prayer is the most significant power that God has enabled us to have on this earth. And try tapping into that. Be prayerful in the midst of this. Number two, be watchful.
You and I need to look at our world and current events. through the lens of scripture. We can't just go on anymore and just like, okay, well, then I'll go to college, then I'll have a family, then I'll have a job, then I've got to do this, then I'm going to do it, I'll have a boat, and I'll retire. You wanna have a boat around here? We have to think differently.
We have to be watchful. Be prayerful, be watchful. Number three. Be tactical. Be tactical.
You know, we Christians could be a little more strategic in our thinking. This is what I mean. Right now. Not 20 years from now, right now. 20 to 25% of the entire world is Muslim.
What that means to you and me is One person out of every four or five people. is a Muslim. In a few years, it's just going to be one out of four. And yet, 25% are Muslim. Only 2% of Western missionary strategies, include sending people or mission or resources.
to Muslim nations. And if, indeed, 100,000 Americans every year are converting to Islam. That means we need to be doing evangelism in spades. All the time. We can't just say, well, just whatever happens.
Listen. Don't go to churches that don't evangelize. Don't do that. We have to ratchet up by giving the gospel out. Fourth and finally.
to kind of tone it all down now. Be respectful. That Muslim man or woman that you encounter at college or at work or in the community is made in the image and likeness of God. God loved the world, including that person who doesn't see or think like you do. They have a soul.
And many of them sincerely, authentically want to worship and please God. That's just all they know.
So be respectful to them. Open your hearts to them. in dialogue.
Well, we began with that weird thing, the stolen baby Jesus syndrome. I still can't get my head around that. It's an actual syndrome. It's going to happen every year. They're stealing Jesus.
Not just from city displays, I read an article about one man who had his personal baby Jesus in front of his house and his little plastic nativity set stolen. 10 watt light bulb in all. Stolen from his house.
Well It got out in the community. The newspapers even came over, and he said in the paper, Do you know where my Jesus is? Please return him to me, close quote. The world By and large, doesn't have a real clue as to the real Jesus. He's been stolen by secularists.
He's been stolen by other religions. He's been even stolen by so-called Christian churches. and made into something he is not. He is Lord. He is God.
He is coming back. He's going to rule and reign over this planet, and I want to be a part of that. And I want to bring as many people to that as I possibly can. Don't you? To do that, we need to let the real Jesus be seen and really let him shine.
And that's our task. What a glorious task it is. on Team Jesus. We're so glad you joined us today for Connect with Skip Heitzig. Before we go, remember to request Pastor Skip's two CD teaching from Daniel, Bible from 30,000 feet.
and his booklet, Are We Living in the Last Days? They'll give you clarity and confidence about the days ahead. And they're yours when you give $25 or more to support Connect with Skip Heitzig. Call 800-922-1888 or visit connectwithskip.com slash offer. And while you're there, sign up for the 30K 30-day challenge and take your Bible study deeper.
Come back next time for more verse-by-verse teaching of God's Word here on Connect with Skip Heitzig. Make a connection at the foot of the crossing. Cast your burdens on his wood. Make a connection. Connection.
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