The Islamic Empire
THE WOUNDED EMPIRE
But then we are given some key information concerning one of these empires: “One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed.” (Revelation 13:3)
One of the heads, that is one of the seven beast empires, has a head wound. Again, we have already learned from our study of the previous snapshots of the beast empire that the empire specifically that suffers the head-wound—an apparent death—is the Islamic Empire. This head-wound may be understood as the abolition of the Caliphate that occurred in 1924. Yet, presently, the Islamic Empire is arising anew. It is reconsolidating its power and developing new bonds of unity. Soon the head—the Caliphate—will be revived, healed and restored.
Thus, based on this passage, what we may expect to see emerge in the possible near future is ten rulers or leaders from the Islamic world that will form some sort of partnership, league, union or coalition. When this partnership emerges, these then would be the ten kings mentioned both in Daniel and here in Revelation 13. Then we are told that another king will arise, and will displace three of these kings, ultimately taking a leadership position over the fragmented empire. This individual will be recognized by at least a portion of the Muslim world as either the Caliph or the Imam Mahdi or both. This will be the Antichrist. While there are yet many specific circumstances that need to fall into place in order for this whole scenario to fully become a reality, the truth is that it is not an unimaginable scenario. Dozens of world circumstances are all seemingly now merging toward making this scenario a reality.
When this scenario does become a reality, the Bible says that the reaction of the rest of the world will be astonishment and a deep sense of fear. “The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, ‘Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?’” (Revelation 13:3-4)
Later, a similar description is given concerning the emerging revived Islamic Empire: “The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, then he was not, and yet came again,” (Revelation 17:8).
Chapter 13 concludes with some strong descriptions of what the Antichrist and his empire will do and how they will act when they are revived and brought together. The descriptions are again very similar to what we have already found in the Book of Daniel. “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world,” (Revelation 13:1-8).
Section VI
Solving Mysteries Unlocking The Mark of the Beast
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The Dilemma
Of all of the mysteries Bible students have wrestled with throughout the millennia, the infamous Mark of the Beast is perhaps the most dogged and stubborn of all. From the earliest days of the Christian Church, believers have struggled to understand the nature of the Mark of the Beast. What exactly is this mark? And what is its relationship to the infamous number 666? The verses that speak of these things are few and cryptic. They are only found within the pages of the Book of Revelation—“a mystery within an enigma,” as they say.
In the earliest days of the Church, some sought to use the Gematria—a mystical form of numerology—to unlock this mystery. They hoped to find the number 666 encoded within the names of archenemies of the Church, such as the assorted heresiarchs or the persecuting Roman Caesars.
MODERN BIZARRE CONCLUSIONS
In the last century, many bizarre and even humorous speculations on this subject have surfaced. In the early 1970’s, various Protestant End-Time thrillers popularized the idea that in the Last-Days, the actual number 666 would be visibly tattooed on people’s foreheads or wrists as an indicator that they had submitted to the Antichrist. In these days of unprecedented technological advancement, in which microchip implants and invisible barcode tattooing exist, some Christians anxiously await the day when all people will be required to receive a microchip implant or an invisible Universal Product Code tattooed on their wrists or foreheads.
And if those who hold to this notion were not anxious enough, in recent years, the microchip implant has achieved a wide spread usage for pets. Perhaps there is something to the notion that the prophesied “mark” will be some form of technological personal identification system; but to be honest with you, I don’t think so. I’m not implying that this technology will not eventually be used in abundance throughout the world—in the same way that ATM bankcards are commonly used throughout the world. But I seriously doubt there will ever be a global enforcement of this technology for religious purposes. Perhaps this scenario makes some sense to those who know nothing of life outside of the highly technological West, but in many parts of the world—particularly the portion that Biblical prophecy focuses on—there are still far too many people who live in pre-industrialized societies. Shifting their cultural paradigm to accommodate sophisticated technology would be nearly impossible. Can we really expect modern technologies, such as invisible bar-code tattoos, to penetrate every last corner of the world? I see no reason to believe that the UPC code or microchip implant is what the Bible calls the Mark of the Beast.
THE SIMPLE APPROACH
As I said at the beginning of this book, my goal is to help the reader see things in a different light, through Eastern eyes—through the eyes of a native Arab speaker and a former Muslim.
I’ve always been of the opinion that our interpretations and ideas about the future as seen through Biblical prophecy should be fairly real world. I am uneasy about many of the various prophetic scenarios that read like sub-standard science fiction fantasies or offbeat comic books. I think that after you have completed this portion of the study, you will agree that what I suggest makes sense and demystifies the subject. It is certainly a more plausible alternative than many of the sensational ideas about the Mark of the Beast being offered today.
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Unlocking The Name Of The Beast
THE MARK IS THE NAME OF THE BEAST
The mark of the beast is defined in Revelation 13 as “the mark, which is the name of the beast.” First we need to understand that in the Bible, a “name” does not always indicate a literal name, as the modern Western mind understands the term. In the Bible, someone’s “name” is essentially a reference to the nature, character, and mission of the one who possesses it. It need not indicate a literal name per se, as it commonly does in the West.
Consider, for example, the following references to Jesus: “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God,” (Revelation 19:13). Or, “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords,” (Revelation 19:16). There is also the well-known passage in Matthew from the prophecy of Isaiah: “His name shall be called Immanuel which means God with us,” (Matthew 1:23). In all of these passages, the “names” of Jesus are never literal names.
If Isaiah prophesied that His Name shall be called Immanuel, and we insist on the literal name Immanuel, then Jesus would not be Messiah because his literal name is Yeshua and not Immanuel. We must think beyond the surface.
The mistake of not applying the same concept to the Beast is not as drastic. Yet, can you see the problem with identifying political figures to the Name of the Beast?
This method of applying literal names would be fatal for the case of the Messiah. This is why we need to hermeneutically apply the interpretation of the word “Name” in alle
goric sense from previously fulfilled prophecies, and not a literal one.
THE NAME IS A CREED
So, in the case of the Messiah, Mary and Joseph did not call him Immanuel, nor did Jesus’ friends call him “the Word of God.” Instead, these are all titles and/or descriptions that refer specifically to the nature and the character of Jesus.
Also, the creed, or declaration of faith, in this Messiah matches His name: for we believe in God with us, and the Word was God, and He is also called Mighty God. (Isaiah 9:6) Those who call Jesus by these names affirm that they worship “the man-befriending God”, who “for our salvation, came down from heaven and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,” (Nicene Creed). He is “the word which became flesh and dwelt amongst us,” (John 1). In conclusion, the name is a creed, dogma, article of faith, or statement of faith.
THE NAME OF BLASPHEMY
The significance of the Name of the Beast is that it is The Name of Blasphemy. (Revelation 13:1) Biblically speaking, blasphemy is an anti-Yahweh or anti-Christ word or deed—to claim the attributes of God, claim to be Messiah, deny the Holy Spirit, deny the trinity, the cross, or even denying God’s edicts and declarations—are all blasphemy. Satan blasphemed when he said, “I will be like the Most High,” (Is. 14:14). Satan has always desired to be like God. He wishes to be considered equal to or greater than Yahweh. The name Allah in Islam is always used in conjunction with the word Ta’ala, The Most High. If we look again at the verse, we see that the Name of the Beast is not simply a name of blasphemy, but rather it is the name of blasphemy. It is the highest quintessential blasphemy—it claims to possess the attributes or nature of Yahweh, the God of the Bible. As such, the Name of the Beast is a claim to be equal to or greater than God and the Messiah. The Name of the Beast will contain or imply some form of anti-Yahweh and anti-Christ doctrinal or creedal language that will exalt another above Yahweh.
We know that the Antichrist will be the premiere representative of a faith that worships not the God of the Bible, but rather the adversary, Satan disguised as God. The god of the Antichrist will not only be God’s premiere enemy, but he will masquerade as the Most High God.
This masquerading serves a two-fold purpose. First, of course, it fulfills Satan’s desire to be like God. Secondly, it confuses and deceives mankind into offering their worship to him instead of God.
THE SHAHADATAN: ISLAM’S BLASPHEMOUS CREED
As we have already seen, the theology of Islam thoroughly—even systematically—fulfills all of the definitive elements of anti-Yahweh, anti-Christ theology as specified by John the Apostle in his first epistle. Beyond denying the Trinity, Islam also denies the Divine Incarnation of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, as well as his death, burial and resurrection. But beyond all of this, Islam has memorialized its anti-Yahweh, anti-Christ theology specifically in a creedal formula.
The Shahadatan is the Islamic creed or declaration of faith. In Arabic it reads as follows:
La ilaha il Allah, Muhammadan Rasul-Allah.
This means: “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is The One sent by Allah [The Messenger of Allah]”
The two elements of this creed are the following:
Allah is the only One True Supreme God and Mohammed (The Praised One) is the seal and final messenger of Allah.
These two components of the Shahadatan, in a very succinct manner, perhaps better than any creedal statement could, perfectly fulfill both dimensions of the definition of blasphemy that we just discussed. First, it attempts to claim that another god other than Yahweh is the Only True God.
And secondly, the Shahadatan is blasphemous toward the God of the Bible because it attempts to place Mohammed in the position that only Jesus the Messiah can fill. Muslims identify Mohammed as Al-Insan Al-Kamel, the perfect man; Rahmatan-lil-A’alameen, a mercy to all mankind; Al-rasul Al-A’tham, greatest of all sent by God; Shafi, Healer; Munji, saviour; Mahdi guided one/deliverer; Mustafa, chosen; Amir, the prince; Awal, first; Akher, last; Rasul Al-Malahim, messenger of the Last-Days battles, and finally Mohammed, the praised one.
Such are the blasphemous names of Mohammed.
Yet despite the quintessentially blasphemous nature of the Shahadatan, it is recited into the ear of every Muslim child the moment after they are born. It is the verbally expressed, outward sign of conversion to Islam. According to Biblical theology, the Shahadatan could not be more perfectly blasphemous.
AN INDICATOR OF ALLEGIANCE
The next obvious and essential observation that needs to be made is that all four of these elements—the Mark, the Name, the Number, and the Image of the Beast—are indicators of allegiance and submission to Beast. “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on the forehead or on the hand, he, too, will drink of the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. He will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment rises forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name.” This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God’s commandments and remain faithful to Jesus (Revelation 14:9-12).
In the simplest of terms, the Mark of the Beast is essentially the emblem, the symbol, or the identifying mark of the coming Beast kingdom. By donning this mark, people will identify with the Kingdom of the Beast and the values and beliefs that this kingdom represents.
The next point is essential: The Mark of the Beast (the identifying symbol of the Antichrist kingdom) is not something that someone might accidentally embrace or receive. It is rather, an outward indicator of an inward allegiance or submission to the Beast. It is something that one must choose to accept.
The Scriptures make it clear that anyone who receives the Mark of the Beast will spend eternity in hell. One cannot accept the Mark of the Beast without also implicitly denying Christ. Biblically speaking, it is only a denial or rejection of Christ and his Gospel that can cause any individual to end up in hell. Sadly, I’ve actually spoken with a few individuals who, although they reserve absolutely no room in their lives for Christ, adamantly swear that they will never accept the Mark of the Beast! The Mark of the Beast is not some loophole or back door clause that Satan will use to bypass God’s normal Biblical standards of justice in order to slip as many people into hell as he can. Yet, as foolish as this may sound, there are many who perceive the Mark of the Beast in precisely this way. In receiving the Mark of the Beast, there is an implicit acceptance and identification with a very specific anti-Yahweh and anti-Christ theology.
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Unlocking The Number Of The Beast
In all of the various attempts to explain the meaning of the number 666 throughout the history of the Church, none make enough sense to gain any measure of universal recognition. Some scholars claim that the number 666 represents the fullness of fallen and rebellious mankind. But this theory fails to explain why there is a Name, a Mark, a Number and an Image of the Beast. Why does God give us different flavors? This symbol represents something utterly blasphemous and this vague explanation does virtually nothing to help us identify any specific Antichrist system or its leader. Perhaps the most commonly accepted interpretation is that the number 666 is to be solved by a mystical form of Hebrew numerology called the Gematria. But the Bible gives us a strong exhortation to use wisdom to discern this issue “This calls for wisdom” (Revelation 13:18) How would such puzzling numerological symbolism convey any such wisdom?
In short, the Gematria is a mystical form of numerology that assigns a numerical value to each letter from any given name. After the sum total of all of the letters are added up, the final result is the number of that individual’s name. If this sounds strange, that’s because it is. In fact, the use of the Gematria is closely rooted to a form of Jewish Kabalistic mysticism—a practice that many have labeled as occultist. American pop-star Madonna—not exactly anyone
’s role model of Biblical virtue—is a strong devotee of a pop-form of Kabala. In any case, because of the possible occultist dimensions of this practice, some interpreters have suggested that this passage in Revelation has nothing to do with the Gematria. The use of the Gematria has been used by some to create a myriad of Antichrists: American President William Jefferson Clinton, Ronald Wilson Reagan, George W. Bush, Bill Gates, Mikhail Gorbachev and nearly every other world leader or high-profile power broker you can imagine all have had their names manipulated in various ways to equal 666. Yet no one knows if this Gematria should be applied in English, Hebrew, Latin or Greek; neither does the Bible give us any indicator as to what we should use. Do we use Greek because the Book of Revelation was written in Greek?
Some researchers, including the Roman Catholic priest Louis Maracci and English Scholar Humphrey Prideaux, have reportedly found in the Byzantine name Maometis the number of the Beast:
M(40)A(1)O(70)M(40)E(5)T(300)I(10)S(200) in Greek Gematria totals 666.
Or do we use Hebrew because it is the original Biblical language? Since Hebrew doesn’t really use vowels, this could be difficult. For example, in Hebrew, George is spelled “Jorj” or even “Jrj”. Do we use the middle name, or simply the first and last name? In President Clinton’s case, there is the question of whether to use Bill or William? Should the title of “President,” be retained or not? Should the whole name add up to 666 or should each name—the first, middle and the last name—simply add up to 6, thus leading to three sixes? Are you beginning to see the many problems with this approach?
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