Each week we present what we call a Prophecy Update. This is #420 in that series.
If you are a regular, you know that 80% of the almost 2500 prophecies in the Bible have been fulfilled to the letter. The remaining 20% must therefore be fulfilled.
We ought to be able to identify trends in the world, and hard news items, that would be expected in the light of the yet-to-be-fulfilled prophecies.
ISIS dominates the news. ISIS stands for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. They are extremist militant Muslims led by and mainly composed of Sunni Arabs from Iraq and Syria.
As of November 2015, ISIS has control over territory in Iraq and Syria with an estimated population of 2.8 million to 5.3 million people. Through loyal local groups, it has control over small areas of Libya, Nigeria and Afghanistan. The group also operates or has affiliates in other parts of the world, including North Africa and South Asia.
The question for us is, What part (if any) do they play in Bible prophecy?
I don’t know; no one knows. But there are some interesting things we could mention.
Express UK posted an article claiming that Russia was sending 150,000 troops to Syria to fight ISIS.
Excerpts:
Russian leader [Vladimir Putin] is reportedly mounting an enormous military mission to take control of the terror group’s stronghold of Raqqa.
The city is the self-declared capital of ISIS in Syria and is patrolled by as many as 5,000 jihadi members.
Putin is set to mobilize 150,000 reservists who he conscripted into the military in September.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/609757/Putin-ISIS-Islamic-State-Syria-Raqqa-troops-soldiers-air-strike-jets-military
In addition to his own troops, Putin is putting together a coalition of nations to fight ISIS, including Syria, Iran and Iraq.
The Bible says, in the last days, a Russian-led coalition of nations will invade Israel from the north. Today a Russian led coalition of nations is amassing in Syria – directly north of Israel.
True, they are there to fight ISIS; but they are nonetheless there.
The Bible says that God will put His hook in the jaw of the end time, Russian led coalition, drawing them south toward Israel. It could be that ISIS is simply setting the stage for troops to be exactly where God said they would be.
It’s something to watch.
Something else interesting regarding ISIS. Another Express UK article was titled, Apocalypse NOW: The battle sites that ISIS predict will bring about the end of the world.
Excerpts:
The savage terror group was founded on the belief that all civilizations will crumble in an imminent apocalypse…
According to their theory, [and I quote] “nations gathering under 80 flags will confront the Muslim armies.”
… fanatics are constantly counting the number of nations that have pledged to fight against ISIS. And to date, more than 60 nations have committed to fight against the terror network.
It means that were a handful more countries to join the growing anti-ISIS alliance, jihadists could act on their terrifying prediction.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/601641/Islamic-State-apocalypse
ISIS will likely do a great deal more harm. Without minimizing the tragedies they have been, and will, be responsible for, it’s all setting the stage for the appearance of a powerful world leader – a man – who will be able to enforce peace in the volatile Middle East.
We know him as the antichrist. It is his reign of terror that will culminate in the final battle – not ISIS – at the end of the seven year Tribulation, at the Second Coming of Jesus.
We are living in the perilous times the Bible predicted. Things are going from bad to worse, and they aren’t going to get any better.
Former Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was quoted recently stating that the world is experiencing “historic defining times that will result in a new world order.”
Elaborating further Hagel said, “This is a time of global transformation. We are essentially seeing a new world order evolving and being built. I don’t think we’ve seen such a time since right after World War II.”
While we see the signs, we are not waiting for anything to happen before the Lord comes to resurrect the dead in Christ, and to rapture living believers. That event is imminent, pretribulational, and premillennial.
Are you ready for the rapture? If not, get ready, stay ready, and keep looking up. Ready or not, Jesus is coming!