Continuing the Legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong Continuing the Legacy of Herbert W. Armstrong,
“Preparing the Bride”
The events of September 11, 2001, have brought into sharper focus another critical element of end-time prophecy that God's people should watch.
The September 11 assault on America was not the beginning of the tribulation. Instead it created the environment which will propel Europe into the Middle East and bring to pass a prophecy in Daniel 11.
In Daniel 11:36, the king of the North, the first beast of Revelation 13, or leader of the final resurrection of the Roman Empire “will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place.”
“At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land [Palestine]” (Dan 11:40-41a).
But who is this king of the South, who will engage him in battle? Anciently the kingdom of the south was Egypt. To this day Egypt considers herself the leader of the Arab nations. However Egypt is ruled by secular leaders. The Arabs have been looking for a religious leader to unite them against Roman Catholic Europe since the Mahdi of the Sudan, Mohammed Ahmed, captured Khartoum in 1885 and killed the British general Charles “Chinese” Gordon.
The Arab word “Mahdi” means “he who is guided aright,” and is their title for a coming Messiah who will establish the reign of justice on earth. Could Osama bin Laden or one of his followers become the Mahdi who unites the Islamic nations into an empire?
The United States and British led campaign against bin Laden and the Taliban could well create the unity that in the past the Arab and Muslim nations have failed to achieve for themselves.
What if a more formidable biochemical pestilence than anthrax strikes the United States, and the economy collapses and we are unable to fund our military? Today, this country is officially in a recession and the government is borrowing heavily to stop the downward spiral into a depression and to provide funds for counter-terrorism.
What happens if the United States cannot control Israel? Israel feels it must protect itself against Arab terrorists. However, the United States condemns them for attacking those responsible for the suicide bombings and assassinations. Yet this is what the United States advocates against Bin Laden and those responsible for September 11. Israel is feeling vulnerable, which makes her very dangerous. In Isaiah 9:21, we see Manasseh and Ephraim, the United States and Great Britain against Judah, the Israelis!
Returning to Daniel 11, we find the king of the South attacking the king of the North and then in retaliation, the king of the North attacks Egypt (Dan 11:42-43), and surrounds Jerusalem. What is missing? There is absolutely no mention of the United States or Great Britain in this scenario, of the coming Great Tribulation.
Do you wonder why? What is going to happen between today and that day? A day when the United States no longer exists as a nation! Remember the war in Afghanistan is just the beginning of a wider world war against terrorism.
What will the unintended consequences be? A war against terror might include most Arab nations. This in turn may very well jeopardize the flow of oil to Germany and the European Union. Who will they blame for that? Can Israel remain on the sidelines? We have entered a very dangerous new phase in world events.
The Church of God must prepare herself now (Rev 19:7)!
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