Here’s a concise article by Bill Pratt about what the early church thought about the Millennium:

“Did the Early Church Believe in a Literal Thousand-Year Reign of Christ on Earth?”

Excellent synopsis with a poll at the end testing our current understanding.               *Top

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There really could be dueling Jesuses in the future—Isa-Almasih (Jesus Messiah in the Quran) of Islam verses Jesus Christ of Christianity.

First of all the birth of Jesus is portrayed in similar ways by both religions but the results are quite different. Both teach that Mary was a virgin and the angel appeared to her but in the New Testament, God is the Father of Jesus while the Quran teaches that the angel Gabriel was somehow responsible.

As strange as it seems, I believe that there is a strong possibility that the two might actually meet up and battle each other at the end of history—That’s right—two claiming to be the real Jesus.

One who supports the coming Mahdi and tries to destroy all who reject Islam particularly the Jews, and another who is the Son of God who comes in the clouds with the host of Heaven where everyone can see Him and saves Jerusalem and what is left of Israel.

What it really amounts to is dueling scriptures—the Quran verses the New Testament.

I started thinking about this possibility when I received the following in a comment from a Mohammad in Pakistan:

“I believe soon the promised one will reappear and fill this earth with justice.  …we are waiting for the promised one our Mahdi our imam our love our respect our leader our heart. …O my imam my leader soon we will pledge with you along with all good inhabitants in this world along with Jesus Christ who will pray behind you and will ask his followers to accept the straight path of Islam.”

There is one scenario I can see where the prophetic eschatological expectations of both the Quran and the Bible may be largely fulfilled.

Those in Islam are looking for a Mahdi to appear on the scene and become the ruler over the entire world—with one world government and one official World religion–Islam. Isa-Almasih, the historical Jesus is supposed to come back and support the Mahdi and ask all of his followers—the Christians to convert. Those who don’t are to be beheaded. Meanwhile he is also suppose to be instrumental in conquering Jerusalem, defeating the Dajjal (Evil One) and finally killing off the Jews who naturally refuse to join.

In the New Testament there is an  almost identical scenario presented, only the one world ruler is called ‘The Anti-Christ’ and the religious leader who supports him is referred to as ‘The False Prophet’. Thousands of Christians will be martyred by beheading and millions of Jews will also be killed. Just when it looks like Jerusalem will be conquered and all Israel will be eliminated, Jesus Christ appears in the clouds with the Hosts of Heaven, everyone shall see him, and He will touch down in Jerusalem and save the day. By the way—the Anti-Christ (Mahdi?) and his False Prophet (Isa?) are thrown alive into the Lake of Fire.

Like I said, the scenarios are quite similar but in a potential battle between the two Jesuses, Jesus Christ the Jewish Messiah and Son of God will prevail, the Muslims might call him the ‘Dajjal’ but it is the pretenders who will be overthrown. All of the scriptures in the Bible will be fulfilled, and He will reign for 1,000 years on planet Earth.            *Top

(Image by Yukari* via Flickr)

For the small fee of $110, a new business will take care of your pets after the Rapture. They have signed up confessed non-believers to be involved in the ‘service’.

Eternal Earth-Bound Pets styles itself as a service that will take care of ‘left behind’ pets when their Christian owners are raptured. The motto on their website is:

  “The next best thing to pet salvation in a Post Rapture World”

On their site they have the following caption:

"You’ve committed your life to Jesus. You know you’re saved. But when the Rapture comes what’s to become of your loving pets who are left behind? Eternal Earth-Bound Pets takes that burden off your mind."

Response: Wow, how clever! I wonder what they’re going to do with all the $ money? Maybe buy some more anti-God ads on busses?             *Top          (Cross-posted on the Main Page)

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Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejab has been talking about an apocalyptic Shia/Islamic scenario for several years now–predicting that ‘the Hidden Imam‘ would soon return as the end-time Mahdi that establishes Islamic rule over the entire world.

Following the election of Barack Obama, some Shities actually believe that Obama could be a possible fulfillment of an end-time Islamic prophecy.

I found the link to this at SmartChristian.com and in an article by Daniel Pipes. Here is a quote from the original article

by Amir Taheri:

According to the tradition, Imam Ali Ibn Abi-Talib (the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law) prophesied that at the End of Times and just before the return of the Mahdi, the Ultimate Saviour, a “tall black man will assume the reins of government in the West.” Commanding “the strongest army on earth,” the new ruler in the West will carry “a clear sign” from the third imam, whose name was Hussein Ibn Ali. The tradition concludes: “Shiites should have no doubt that he is with us.”

In a curious coincidence Obama’s first and second names–Barack Hussein–mean “the blessing of Hussein” in Arabic and Persian. His family name, Obama, written in the Persian alphabet, reads O Ba Ma, which means “he is with us,” the magic formula in Majlisi’s tradition.

Mystical reasons aside, the Khomeinist establishment sees Obama’s rise as another sign of the West’s decline and the triumph of Islam. Obama’s promise to seek unconditional talks with the Islamic Republic is cited as a sign that the U.S. is ready to admit defeat.

Response: This is not good at all. It is the type of scenario that Ahmadinejab might take serious and plan accordingly. If there is a perception that the USA is in decline under Obama’s administration and that he is an actual sign that Islam is about to rise up and dominate, the Iranian leaders might miscalculate and bring about an actual confrontation with Israel, the United States, and the West.

Pres. Ahmadinejab has already threatened Israel’s existence on a number of occasions. The Iranians last week tested some new missiles that could reach Israel and parts of Europe. If and when they actually go nuclear–then this scenario could end up having some serious consequences indeed.

It is doubtful that the Israelis would wait to act until a nuclear missile was actually in the air headed their way. Look for a strike way before the Iranians have that capability. One can only guess what the aftermath would bring–it would not be pretty and it could be apocalyptic!           *Top

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You have to consider the source, Farrakhan is the ultimate cult leader.

Is Barack Obama The Messiah? No way no how! Also, it is very doubtful that Barack himself would agree with Farrakhan on this issue.

According to the Bible, the Messiah will not be voted into office, the coming of the real Messiah is like this:

-Acts 1:11:

“… This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into Heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

-Matt. 24:27, 30:

“For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. … They will see the Son of man coming on the clouds of the sky, with great power and great glory.” –

Also see: I Thess. 4:16-17 and Rev. 19:11-16.             *Top

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The Jewish groups presented, are merely trying to prepare for the coming of the Messiah.  Some are preparing to rebuild the Temple, making priestly robes, golden Temple vessels, and new corner stones.  Even some Christian ranchers are trying to help out by raising ‘red heifers’ (cattle) used in purification rituals.  These folk are not looking for ‘The Apocalypse’, they are seeking the good ‘Messianic’ times promised to the Jews by the OT prophets.

The Christian groups in the article, are trying to fulfill ‘The Great Commission’, hoping to take the gospel to every nation and bring about the Second Coming of Jesus.  None of these Christians are seeking ’The Apocalypse’.  They are actually trying to save as many people as possible from facing those end-time events.  To infer that Christians involved in trying to save  a ‘Billion Souls’ are actually pursuing “an ultimately bloody hope, a slaughterhouse hope,…” as a UCLA professor seems to imply, is more than outrageous. 

The Muslim example given in the article, is that of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran.  Here the ‘Apocalyptic’ designation is more than appropriate.  The author correctly mentions that Pres. Mahmoud talked about the coming of the ‘Mahdi’ in an address before the United Nations last year.  He said that soon the 12th Mahdi would reappear and conquer the World, and force everyone to convert to Islam.  However, the article did not mention that Mahmoud recently commented that Israel needed to be utterly destroyed and the Jews forced to leave; and that soon, Iran would have the nuclear capability to fulfill that goal.  Now that’s what I call ‘really’ seeking the Apocalypse!  Goodbye ‘moral equivalence’.  

*Top

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