The new millennium is having a deep effect on religious and non-religious groups in the World. In December 1999, hundreds of Christian fundamentalists from all over the world had gathered in Jerusalem and in the town of Magedo in Palestine hoping to witness the return of Christ on the Mount of Olives. Magedo is the modern name of Armageddon, the ancient place where the biblical prophecy says the final world war will be fought. Security in Israel was at an unprecedented level, with 20,000 policemen on standby in case of religious violence around al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in the run-up to the New Millennium.
One thousand years ago, the disappointment of the Christians at the failure of the return of Christ is thought to have been one of the triggers for the Holy Crusades, when thousands left Europe to reclaim Jerusalem from Muslim rule. Modern day fundamentalists say the medieval knights got it wrong because they misinterpreted the scriptures - this time it is for real!
In USA, Canada, Switzerland and elsewhere hundreds of cults members killed themselves in the belief that the appearance of the Halley’s comet heralded the time of rescue from earth. Members of the US based religious cult, the Concerned Christians, had been arrested after threatening to commit mass suicide to coincide with the millennium in what they see as the fulfillment of the biblical prophecy.
The collected prophecies of the famous clairvoyant Nostradamus about the cataclysmic world war have sold more than six million copies around the world - a record beaten only by the Bible. Nostradamus fans have a preview of Armageddon in many films, which depict the world’s end. In Japan - the home of several Nostradamus cults - it is estimated that up to 20 per cent of the population believe that the final world war is about to start.
The Biblical Prophecy:
Nowadays, the word Armageddon has been frequently used in the Western media as a symbol of the final battle in the world. The original word from the Bible is “Ar Magedon” which literally means “Mount of Megiddo” an ancient city to the south of Haifa in northern Palestine. It controlled a pass that cut through the Mount Carmel ridge from the coastal Plain into Esdraelon plain. Megiddo commanded the road leading from Egypt and the coastal plain of Palestine into Galilee, Syria, and Mesopotamia.
As prophesied in the Books of the Bible (Revelation to John 16:16) the battle of Armageddon will take place at the end of world history. Satan is deceiving the kings and leaders of the world, preparing them for this battle. They will delegate their power to a one-world power or demonic leadership called “the beast”. This one-world power will congregate a great army to wage war on Christ and the forces of God. When Christ, and his armies are coming from the heavens, the deceived human armies will think this is an invasion from extraterrestrial aliens (now there are enough movies on this sort of theme).
The dead humans will be a big meal for the wild animals of the earth. All of the violent events on the earth today are the beginning scenario of the final battle against the forces of Satan. Some of the signs and events leading to the battle of Armageddon in the Bible include mass killings caused by wars, famines, diseases, and earthquakes. Nowadays, everywhere there are national terrorists, and people are so scared, shocked and overwhelmed with anguish that they are dying of heart attacks .
On the other hand, the directors of the Journal of the Atomic Scientists maintain a Doomsday Clock and they used to push the hands of the clock forward by some minutes to midnight symbolizing the zero hour of an apocalyptic nuclear conflict, and to reflect a higher perceived risk of global nuclear Armageddon .
Timeline of Events according the Bible:
- War, hunger, death by weapons, famine, evil men, etc.
- Religious persecution and tribulation for the word of God.
- Signs in heaven. 144,00 sealed from 12 tribes of Israel.
- At this point in time the mark of the beast becomes mandatory.
- Hail and fire mixed with blood.
- Great mountain burning with fire hurled into the sea.
- Burning star falls from heaven. Water turns bitter.
- Third of {sun, moon, and stars} are smitten.
- Abyss is opened. Men harmed by “locusts”.
- Army of 200 million; 1/3 of men killed. The two witnesses are killed
- 24 Elders. Babylon the Great falls.
- An ulcer upon the men with the mark of the beast.
- All life in the sea dies. sea becomes as blood, river and fountains of water become blood.
- The sun scorches the men with fire.
- Kingdom of the beast becomes darkness. People bite their tongues in pain.
- River Euphrates dries up. Preparation for Armageddon.
- At this point in time Christ returns to earth. Re 19:14, Re 20:4
- Beast and false prophet seized and thrown into lake of fire.
- Satan chained and thrown into abyss for a thousand years.
- People killed by the government of the beast resurrected.
- This is the government of Christ on earth with his saints for 1,000 years.
- At the end of the Millennium, Satan is let loose for a short time; he again deceives humanity and war ensues. The final defeat of Satan and his angels heralds the next event.
- White throne judgment. People are resurrected and judged according to their deeds.
- God makes a new heaven and a new earth and brings New Jerusalem from heaven down to this new earth.
Islam and the Biblical Prophecies:
All Muslims believe in Jesus (’Isa) as a Messenger of Allâh to the children of Israel (the Jews) for the revival of the true religion revealed to Moses. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): “And Allah will teach him (Jesus) the Book and Wisdom, The Torah and the Gospel., And appoint him a Messenger to the children of Israel ..” (3:48)
Within three centuries after Jesus was sent as a Messenger of Allah, the faithful Apostles of Jesus were persecuted and too many alterations were made in the Bible. Therefore, so many versions of the Gospel and epistles were invented by the Biblical writers and Jewish rabbis (e.g. the Gospel according to Mark or Luke etc..), which are contradictory to the original teachings of Jesus. The real Injeel (Gospel) of Jesus lost its authenticity and the doctrine of Trinity was introduced. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an : “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah’, to purchase with it a little price! Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for that they earn thereby.” (2:79)
Muslims believe in the original scriptures revealed to Moses and Jesus. However, neither Muslims nor anyone else can ascertain which portions of the current scriptures are intact, and which are fabricated. Books of the Bible, after the advent of Islam, were revoked and set aside by the Holy Qur’an revealed to Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam - SAWS).
The Islamic Version of the Descent of ‘Isa (Jesus):
The Qur’an and Sunnah, contain so many signs to be fulfilled for the coming of the Day of Resurrection, e.g. the descent of Jesus (’Isa) from heavens to the earth and the decisive battle against the evil powers. Some of the signs associated with it have not yet been fulfilled. Allah says: “And he (’Isa “Jesus” Son of Mary ,i.e. his descent on the earth) shall be a known sign for (the coming of) the Hour (Day of Resurrection). Therefore have no doubt concerning it (the Day of Resurrection) and follow Me (Allah). This is the Straight Path.” (43:61)
There are many ahadith of the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) in this regard. ‘Abdullah bin ‘Omar (Radhiallahu Anhu) narrated: Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) said, “You (i.e. Muslims) will fight against the Jews till some of them will hide behind stones. The stones will (betray them) saying, ‘O ‘Abdullah (i.e. slave of Allah)! There is a Jew hiding behind me; so kill him.’ “ (Al-Bukhari). In another hadith narrated by Abu Huraira (RA), Allah’s Messenger (SAWS) said, “The Hour will not be established until you fight against the Turks (Romans)...” (Al-Bukhari)
The Prophet of Allah, Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him) will descend during the last days and judge among the people with justice, following the Law of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). He will break the cross and kill the swine. He shall put an end to the payment of the jizya (tribute). He will only accept Islam from the people. The People of the Book, the Jews and Christians, will all believe in him before his death, after he descends during the last days.
Allah has stated: “There is none of the People of the Book but must believe in him (as only a Messenger of Allah) before his death. And on the Day of Resurrection, he (Jesus) will be a witness against them.” (4:159)
Allah has stated that all the People of the Book, Jews and Christians, will believe in Jesus son of Mary (peace be upon him) before his death - that is, before the death of Jesus. That will be when he descends during the last days as a judge and just caller to Islam, as shall be noted in the hadith describing his descent.
This is the meaning of the words [in the verse quoted above]. The context of the verse is demonstrating the stance that the Jews took toward Jesus (peace be upon him) and what they conspired to do against him. It also shows the way of Allah in saving Jesus and refuting the works of his enemies.
The pronouns in the phrase, “believe in him before his death” must both refer to Jesus to be consistent with the context and so that the antecedents will be the same. It is confirmed in numerous authentic hadiths, that have come through numerous chains and have reached the level of mutawatir [narration that has been reported through so many chains and from so many people that there is no way to doubt its authenticity], that Allah raised Jesus to the heavens. They also state that he will descend during the last days as a just ruler and will kill the False Messiah.
In another narration from Abu Huraira, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “How will you be when the son of Mary descends among you and your leader will be from among yourselves?” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim] It is also confirmed in the Sahih from Jabir ibn Abdullah that he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say, “A group of people from my Nation will continue to fight in defense of the truth and remain triumphant until the Day of Judgment.”
He also said, “Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will descend upon them and their leader will say (to him), ‘Come and lead us in prayer.’ He will say, ‘No, Allah has honored this Nation by putting some as leaders over others.” [Saheeh Muslim]
These hadiths demonstrate that he will descend during the last days and that he will judge according to the Law of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They also show, without doubt, that there will be a leader for this nation at that time. Furthermore, there is no contradiction between his descending and the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the seal of the Prophets. This is so because Jesus will not be descending with a new law.
The Capture of Palestine Is the Beginning:
In the long run, the motive behind the Western policy rested on the importance of Palestine as a strategic point on the land and sea routes to and from the oil rich countries of the Middle East. Furthermore, the establishment of a Zionist state have given the crusaders possession of the Holy land claiming that it is the Promised Land gifted by God to the Jews, i.e. the Sons of Ibrahim (Abraham - SAWS). Such a claim is definitely false because Muslims are the followers of Muhammad (SAWS), the Son of Ibrahim (SAWS), who was really following his way of worship which has never up to now been altered by his Muslim nation.
The tribulation for the Muslim nation started with the fall of the Caliphate and it continued over the years . Then the severe blow was dealt by the Declaration issued by the British Foreign Secretary, Balfour on November 2, 1917 that Great Britain is in favour of establishing a national home for the Jews in Palestine. As an indirect result of the Balfour Declaration, Israel was established as a de facto state in 1948 in the British mandated area.
The Western support for the Zionist movement, continued without consideration to the civil, religious and political rights of the Muslim people in Palestine. Nowadays there are about 40 million Christian people in USA who believe in Armageddon and take it as a pretext for backing the Zionist state in its war against Muslims. Some of those right-wing Christians are prominent politicians and even presidents.
The Anti-Ballistic Missile Program in USA was initiated by the former President Regan who firmly believes in Armageddon. A report by the FBI says there is a chance that some right-wing organisations may try to initiate the apocalypse foreseen in the Bible by launching racist attacks in the new millennium. Thousands of churches with predominantly black congregations have been warned to be on alert for possible domestic terrorist attacks from groups such as the so-called Christian Identity Movement, which believes that Armageddon will be a race war of Aryans against Jews and non-whites.
Today Israel has a population of over 4 million and there’s an estimated 13 million Jews in other countries. Most of the Muslim Palestinians fled or were driven from their homes. They have been scattered all over the world and many still live in refugee camps. Palestinians today live in nearly every nation on earth as a result of the Zionist captivity and expulsion policy.
Moreover, the Muslims have no jurisdiction over Al-Aqsa Mosque, and have no access to pray there. The Zionists are excavating under Al-Aqsa mosque so as to destroy it and construct the Temple of Suleiman (Solomon) on its ruins. When we look into history we shall find no hope that the conflict between Jews and Muslims can be resolved peacefully.
The control of Jerusalem by Jews is an event that could continue for the time being but our Messenger Mohammad (PBUH) promised that it will end. Leaders such as Salahuddin (Saladin) will be reborn somewhere in the Muslim Nation and the holy land will sooner or later return to its Muslim owners who deserve it by the Word of Allah Who says: “And verily We have written in the Scripture, after the Reminder: “My righteous slaves will inherit the earth.”
