Shawn Boonstra on the Events in the Middle East

[John317]

by SHAWN BOONSTRA

When the first Gulf War broke out, I discovered that my little black-and-white television was good for more than late-night reruns of Bonanza. I found myself glued to footage of anti-aircraft tracer bullets over the night skies of Iraq, half-wondering if some of the evangelicals I knew at the time were right. Would Saddam Hussein launch a Scud missile at Jerusalem? Was Armageddon a literal battle in the Middle East, and was I watching its opening moments?

My gut said no - but still, I couldn’t help but wonder. Talk of World War Three and the inevitable rapture of the church was everywhere, and so, like millions of people, I took careful note of every new development. I had, after all, thumbed through a copy of The Late Great Planet Earth at some point in the past. The war in Iraq provoked a lot of questions, and my re-awakened interest eventually led me through the doors of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

Nothing demands world attention quite like trouble in the Middle East. There are African nations that have struggled with far worse internal problems than either Egypt or Libya, but they don’t get nearly as much airtime in Western media. For example, in the first quarter of 2011, more than 70,000 people desperately made their way to a refugee camp to escape the fighting in Darfur.1 That’s fourteen times as many people as lived in my hometown, and that larger group was tragically displaced and living in tents. Yet it doesn’t arrest attention or provoke Western response like Gaddafi’s struggle to retain power.

Why? There’s no question, in my mind, why evangelical America is watching Libya and Egypt so carefully. They’re expecting this path to eventually lead – somehow – to Israel. There’s also little question why secular America is watching: any political shift in Muslim nations becomes important when there are multiple anti-American groups that would love to seize power. (Of course, there’s also that uncomfortable tether we have to oil producing nations.)

But Seventh-day Adventists watch the Middle East from a unique perspective. Revelation 13 describes a coming religious coalition – one that involves the “whole world.” We have an easy time imagining how Christian America might coalesce, and we can see building pressure from Rome in Europe. But those nations have a long history of Christianity, even if the faith is no longer widely practiced in some. The question that leaves us scratching our prophetic noggins is how rapidly expanding Islam might factor into the picture – a broad and complex faith group that has frequently been at odds with Western Christianity.

It’s not that there hasn’t been some motion in the expected direction. Rome has at least one door through which to build dialogue with the Muslim world: the Virgin Mary. She holds a place of high regard in the Koran, and it hasn’t entirely escaped the notice of Muslims that she chose to supposedly manifest herself, in 1917, to three young girls in the city of Fatima, Portugal—a city indirectly named for Mohammed’s daughter. According to some Muslim accounts, Fatima (the girl, not the city) occupies a position of honor in heaven second only to Mary. The late Bishop Fulton J. Sheen made this observation:

Since nothing ever happens out of Heaven except with a finesse of all details, I believe that the Blessed Virgin chose to be known as “Our Lady of Fatima” as a pledge and a sign of hope to the Moslem people, and as an assurance that they, who show her so much respect, will one day accept her divine Son too.2

Thus far, however, mutual respect for Mary has yielded little in the way of building a meaningful relationship between the Vatican and the Muslim world. There have been reports of Muslims paying their respects at Marian festivals in North Africa, and of Muslims eager to visit the shrine in Fatima, but there has been nothing yet to signal a certain end to historic Christian-Muslim tensions.

The recent decision by U.N. forces to establish a no-fly zone over Libya has done little to quiet tensions, either. Military intervention by an international coalition will be seen by many in the Middle East and North Africa as a Western – Christian – attack on Islam. Not surprisingly, Gaddafi is already labeling the intervention as an attack by “crusaders,” and is calling on Islamic nations to come to his defense. “Long live Islam everywhere,” he stated recently, “all Islamic armies must take part in the battle, all free [people] must take part in the battle....” 3

It is doubtful that anybody will come, and it is likely that Gaddafi’s regime is finished. If it is, that would mean that three popular Middle East uprisings have succeeded in overthrowing their governments in a matter of weeks. And that might be all that happens. It may not spread to other nations.

But what if it does? What would happen if popular unrest spread to some of the larger power centers of Islam? What if it happened in Iran? How would that change the playing field? What propheticdevelopments might ensue?

Honestly, I have no idea. Maybe nothing. The current situation may simply fall under the heading of “wars and rumors of wars.” We may even discover when it’s over, that Jesus returned without the Muslim world ever coming into any particular alignment with Western Christianity.4

It’s important to remember that, as fascinating as it is to watch world events unfold, the purpose of Bible prophecy is not to give God’s people remarkable powers of prognostication. Prophecy is not a crystal ball that allows us to fill in minute details of the future on a timeline. Jesus once said, “Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He.”5Our faith builds as we see God’s word come to pass.

When the Seventh-day Adventist movement was born, the vast majority of the predictions in Daniel and Revelation were already in the rearview mirror. We were (and still are) in the toes of the statue of Daniel 2. The 1260 days had already come to a close. We were standing on the far side of the sixth seal. Our confidence as a movement was built on prophecy that had already been fulfilled. Our future confidence will grow as we watch how the remaining events play out. God has provided enough of an outline to keep our senses sharp.

Prophecy is not about placing bets against the future; it’s about recognizing the future when it happens. Final events are important trail markers. When all visible evidence appears to be against us in the last moments, we will be able to return to the prophecies of the Bible and see that we have not been following, as Peter puts it, “cunningly devised fables.”6

Only those who have been diligent students of the Scriptures and who have received the love of the truth will be shielded from the powerful delusion that takes the world captive. By the Bible testimony these will detect the deceiver in his disguise. To all the testing time will come. By the sifting of temptation the genuine Christian will be revealed. Are the people of God now so firmly established upon His word that they would not yield to the evidence of their senses? Would they, in such a crisis, cling to the Bible and the Bible only?7

Watching world events is fascinating. But as they steadily move in the direction God has shown us, it is not so that we can smugly cross them off a prophetic checklist, satisfied that we know something nobody else knows. God has laid out the future to keep our feet on the ground and our hearts safely riveted to Christ. He is, after all, the purpose and focal point of prophecy. Daniel and Revelation aren’t about knowing the future nearly as much as they are about knowing Jesus. And God has given us a clear mandate: to share with the world what we know of Him.

Nothing demands world attention quite like trouble in the Middle East. I know full well that I was not the only one glued to a TV set during the first Gulf War, starting to wonder if the events I was watching might not have broader implications. My questions eventually led me to a Seventh-day Adventist church, and I thank God every day that the church in my city was committed and caring enough to show the community what they believed. Naturally, they couldn’t give me specific prophetic details about the Middle East, but they were able to demonstrate – convincingly – that our planet is headed somewhere definite, and that God has given us plenty of reason for hope.

Since that time, I’ve seen tens of thousands people all over the world end up at the doors – and in the baptisteries – of Adventist churches. With confidence, I can tell you that right now, in your community, there are people whose hearts have been stirred by the Holy Spirit to ask important questions about the world around them. I’ve noticed that evangelistic audiences are growing, and that people are more sincere in their pursuit of truth. They’re coming from every walk of life, every demographic imaginable.

We have a lot to share with them. We can’t tell them what will happen in Libya next week or next year, but we do know something about the real struggle being played out behind the scenes in every world event. We can paint an astonishingly beautiful picture of Jesus using a palette of colors that God provides in the remnant message – a picture that draws people irresistibly to the foot of the cross.

Take careful note of world events, and always keep your Bible open next to your news feed. Take heart as you watch things unfold. But take even more careful note of the awakening hearts around you, and be ready to give “a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”8

You might just be surprised to discover how many of them there really are.

___________

1 http://af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE72L1Q220110322

2 You can find his thoughts posted in greater detail at http://catholicexchange.com/2010/11/01/92999/

3 Evangelicals Fear Libya May Become ‘Another Iraq.’ Christianity Today, March 23, 2011.

4 The first half of Revelation 13 took place primarily in the West. Is it possible that the remainder of that chapter will also be Western? Personally, I doubt it. Many thoughtful observers believe that Rome is seeking a dominant role across the planet.

5 John 13:19

6 2 Peter 1:16

7 Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 625

8 1 Peter 3:15

_________________

Shawn Boonstra, former speaker/director for It Is Written, writes from Southern California. This article was published March 25, 2011.

ISLAMIC MESSIAH

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2011/March/Iranian-Regime-Video-Says-Mahdi-is-Near-/

AR In Touch: As Things Unravel: An Adventist Ponders the Middle East

http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=4277

[Dr. Rich]

Prophecy is not prediction, God knows what is going to happen and when it will happen. Now read Rev. 1:1-3. Jesus did not give Revelation to the Baptists, JW's, Mormons, Muslims, Christians or even the Adventists. He was specific in that ONLY the "Bond Servants" will know and understand what Jesus gave to John to write down. And these Bond Servants will be the ones living in the last generation.

In fact, God did not even give the understanding of the end time prophecy of Daniel's prophecy to anyone other than the "wise" who will be living in the last generation. The "wise" are the same as the "Bond Servants". These are the 144,000 who will be sealed by God before the time of trouble starts. (Dan. 12:3 and 10)

[phkrause]

A really excellent article John. Shawn has a great grasp of the Bible and Prophecy.

[skyblue888]

"The current situation may simply fall under the heading of “wars and rumors of wars.” We may even discover when it’s over, that Jesus returned without the Muslim world ever coming into any particular alignment with Western Christianity."

S. Boonstra

________________________

Now do not these words make it sound like this matter is of no certainty, as to whether the Muslim world, in these last days, will align itself with Western Christinanity? Is that showing a true knowledge of prophecy as adventists ought to know it?

Chapter 13 of Revelation clearly tells us that all nations, tongues, and people will worship the beast and its image, will pay homage to Western Christianity with the papacy leading the way.

To say that "we may even discover that it's over, that Jesus returned without the Muslim world ever coming into any particular alignment with Wester Christianity" would be a denial of that prophecy.

I would like to share some excerpts from my own website, from a book titled THE ORDER OF LAST DAY EVENTS, Volume 2, chapter titled:

A WORLD WIDE UNION

Our course of study has now established for us from the prophetic word that the time when the fall of Babylon the Great becomes an established fact, is that point of time when the churches secure the power of the state in the United States of America to enforce the decrees and the dogmas of the church. The decree which will be the special subject of such enforcement will be the one concerning the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for which there is no scriptural authority whatsoever.

We have seen that this truth is so plainly taught that none need to err in the knowing of it. This thing is coming exactly as prophesied and not one of us can stop it, for the powers that be in church and state are determined upon it, and they will have it as fast as they can gain the opportunity. At any time anyone may find some doubt creeping into the mind in regard to this, then let that one read again the words of Revelation 13:11-18.

So much is stated in the Word of God about this thing appearing in Christendom, and, at the same time from the human point of view, it seems so impossible for this thing to appear among the so-called non-Christian nations, that it is necessary for us to consider this question at this stage of our study, as to how extensive this thing will be in the world in the end. That is to say, in the restoration of the Beast to power with the establishment of the Image of the Beast, how much of the world is involved? Does this thing appear only in Christendom or does it extend to the non-Christian nations as well? Will Russia, China and the Muslim world also set up an image to the Beast in their countries and enforce the Sunday as an act of homage to the Papacy as will be done in the Christian nations of the world?

Set the Word of God aside and look at the world scene and how swiftly would we declare that it could never happen in such lands as India, China, Arabia and Russia. Look at the manifest hostility, scorn and even open hatred revealed in these nations toward the Christian religion in the world today. So utterly are they opposed to the western nations, who have been losing prestige and standing before them, that one could hardly believe that they ever could or would do homage to the Papacy!

But God sees not as man sees and He knows better than we, the forces which are even now at work in these vast dominions and powers of the earth. God sees and understands long before it even appears that which we neither see nor understand when it is right here with us. But, in His great mercy He has not kept selfishly to Himself that which He has seen and understood of that which we should know for our best good. Plainly He has revealed these things to us in the Word of truth. Ever in the past we have found every such prophetic utterance to be absolutely true and reliable, and from this we can know that in every prophecy as yet unfulfilled, there is the same absolute truth and reliability. When the God of Heaven tells us that it is going to be so, then we just simply know that that is exactly how it is going to be.

THE WHOLE WORLD

So we take our unaided eyes off the confusing and discordant world scene, and look instead upon the Word of God and ask the grave question which is before us and in that Word we shall find that nothing less than the whole world will give its allegiance to the Papacy. Every nation, kindred, tongue and people on the face of the whole globe will do this and nothing else. It matters not that witness of sight and circumstances may deny this at the time when this is written. The fact is that the Lord has said that it will be so and therefore that is how it will be. God has spoken, and it is only a matter of time before that which He has spoken will most certainly be fulfilled.

Let us turn to the prophetic word and see the truth of it written there. In Revelation 13:8, after reading of the restoration of the Papacy to power comes this statement, "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world."

In this verse are brought to view two classes. There are those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life, and obviously they are the ones who serve God in spirit and in truth in every nation, kindred, tongue and people. These are the only exceptions given. All the rest of those who dwell on the earth shall worship the beast. In that day we are going to be among the one or the other of those two classes whether we like it or not. Either we shall be among those who have their names written in the book of life and therefore have the power to resist the power of the beast and his image or we shall be worshipers of that beast and his image.

How this will be is made plain from previous verses in the chapter. In verse 4, it is evident that a situation arises wherein the beast is able to make such a display of power as to intimidate the rest of the world to the place where they say, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" This is but another way of saying that the beast is too powerful to give anyone the slightest hope of victory in any contest with such a power as he. And so it is then that "power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations," verse 7, as a result of which all who dwell upon the earth shall worship him willingly or unwillingly except for those whose names are written in the book of life.

We look upon the world today and we see that the nations of the earth are divided in their attitude to the papal power with the larger proportion of the earth's people in positive open hostility to the Papacy, and we ask as to how it could be that such could come to the place where they would worship this potentate.

But when we look upon that scene as it is today and draw the conclusions we do, we do it without realizing that our conclusion is dependent upon our holding a certain concept as to what worship is. We naturally think of worship as being a willing thing, of being something that is given because we want to give it. Without a doubt this must be true so far as the worship of the true God is concerned, for it is the only kind of worship acceptable to Him. But it is not true so far as the worship of the Beast and his image is concerned. This is a worship which is forced from the worshiper because the power of the potentate is of such magnitude as to command that worship whether the person desires to give it or not.

TO BE CONTINUED

[skyblue888]

For every truth in the New Testament there is a type in the Old and the type of the enforcing of the Sunday worship on the part of modern Babylon is to be found in the enforcement of the worship of the golden image on the plains of Dura in the days of King Nebuchadnezzar. He was the pope of that day and he it was who called the people of every nation to the worship of his golden image. In Revelation 13, we read that the death penalty hangs over the head of all those who do not worship the Beast and his image. This is but the antitype of the type found in the days of king Nebuchadnezzar, for he threatened with death all those who refused to bow down before the golden image. As it was then so it will be again.

At that time there were gathered the rulers of the people of all the nations of the whole world over which Babylon then had the power. And every one of them was required to worship the power of Babylon under pain of death. Knowing well the spirit of rebellion which dwells in the hearts of the conquered, we can know that many of those who bowed that day bowed, not because they had a mind to worship the golden image, the symbol of the power of Babylon, but because they had a mind not to go in the burning fiery furnace. They worshiped it is true, but not because of any love for Babylon, but because of fear of her power, and because they were so held in the grip of her power that they had no choice but to obey or to perish.

That which has been will be. Therefore the hatred which these nations possess for the Papacy and the western world which protects and fosters the Papacy is not evidence at all in the case for not believing that the papacy will gain the worship of the whole world. She will do it because she will obtain the power to do it. A situation will develop through the power of spiritualism and the power of the United States under the leadership of Apostate Protestantism, which will give back to the Papacy the supremacy of the world.

On the plains of Dura there were two classes of people before that image and two only. They were the people of the whole world who bowed before the image and there were the faithful few, only three in number, who had no fear of the power of Babylon and whose names were written in the book of life. These alone did not bow before that image, and so it will be again. But a faithful few will know the power of God, and thus will be able to stand against the power of Babylon the Great.

It is the Third Angel who gives the specific warning against receiving the mark in his forehead or in his hand. To whom does he give this warning? The answer must be to those who are in danger of doing the very thing against which this warning is given. It therefore must be that the angel will go wherever the people of the earth are in peril of this thing. If there is no danger to any particular people from this peril, then he will not take the specific warning against the beast and his image to them, but another warning to cover the particular peril in which they stood. That is to say, if, in the last days, Russia and China and Arabia were not going to worship the beast and his image, then there would be no point in warning them against something with which they would never be faced. Therefore, the third angel would not go to them.

But the third angel does go to them. This is made certain by the word of the prophecy which states that "The third angel followed them," that is, the other two angels. Of the first of the other two it is specifically stated that he goes to "every nation, and kindred, and tongue and people," with his message.

Therefore, if the third angel follows him, it can only be that he too takes his message to every nation, and warns every such people of their danger of worshiping the beast and his image. This can only mean that the beast shall be worshiped by people of every nation, kindred and tongue, otherwise the warning would not go to every such people. If there was to be another test to the people of other lands then a different angel would carry a different warning to them.

to be continued

sky

[skyblue888]

SOME SPECIFIC STATEMENTS

Here now are some specific statements which tell in just so many words that the test will be the same in every part of the world. "As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the Papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honour the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example...Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the earth." Testimonies, vol.6:18,395.

These statements need no comment as their message is too plain to be misunderstood. Along with them goes the Following:

"History will be repeated. False religion will be exalted. The first day of the week, a common working day, possessing no sanctity whatsoever, will be set up as was the image at Babylon. All nations and tongues and peoples will be commanded to worship this spurious sabbath. This is Satan's plan to make of no account the day instituted by God and given to all the world as a memorial of creation. The decree enforcing the worship of this day is to go forth to all the world. Trial and persecution will come to all who, in obedience to the Word of God, refuse to worship this false sabbath. Force is the last resort of every false religion. At first it tries attraction, as the king of Babylon tried the power of music and outward show. If these attractions, invented by men inspired by Satan, fail to make men worship the image, the hungry flames of the furnace were ready to consume them. So it will be now. The papacy has exercised her power to compel men to obey her, and she will continue to do so. We need the same spirit that was manifested by God's servants in the conflict with paganism." Signs of the Times, May 6, 1897.

"The world is filled with storm and war and variance. Yet under one head, the papal power, the people will unite to oppose God in the person of His witnesses." Testimonies, vol.7, 182.

Inasmuch as the subject matter of this statement is the world, then the people will unite, even though they now are at war and variance with each other. They will have one head and that will be the papal head, Babylon the Great.

Thus, "There will be a universal bond of union, one great harmony, a confederacy of Satan's forces... In the warfare to be waged in the last days, there will be united in opposition to God's people all the corrupt powers that have apostatized from allegiance to the law of Jehovah." Manuscript 24, 1891.

These statements leave no doubt whatsoever as to the fact that the same image to the beast will be made in every other land, as it will be in America. It leaves no doubt but that Russia and China and the Muslim nations will be among those nations who will join in this last great apostasy, not so much because they have a mind to do it, but because they will have a mind to escape the punishment that Babylon will surely inflict on all those who do not submit to her authority. They will do it, not because they want to, but because, not having the power of God in them as did Meshak, Shadrack and Abednego, they will have nothing with which to resist and overcome the power of Babylon the Great.

They will do it because they will have no choice but to do it or to perish. But should it be that there are still some who cannot accept that China and India for instance, will bow to the papal power, then here is a statement actually naming these two lands as countries where the test of the beast and his image will be imposed upon the people. Let us read it now:

"Among earth's inhabitants, scattered in every land, there are those who have not bowed the knee to Baal. Like the stars of heaven, which appear only at night, these faithful ones will shine forth when darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people. In heathen Africa, in the Catholic lands of Europe and of South America, in China, In India, in the islands of the sea, and in all the dark corners of the earth, God has in reserve a firmament of chosen ones that will yet shine forth amidst the darkness, revealing clearly to an apostate world the transforming power of obedience to His law. Even now they are appearing in every nation, among every tongue and people; and in the hour of deepest apostasy, when Satan's supreme effort is made to cause 'all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond' to receive, under penalty of death, the sign of allegiance to a false rest day, these faithful ones, 'blameless and harmless, the sons of God without rebuke,' will 'shine as lights in the world.' Revelation 13:16; Phil.2:15... The darker the night the more brilliantly will they shine." P.K.188-189.

Read the statement over very carefully and it is then to be seen how plainly it teaches that Babylon the Great will seek to force all in all parts of the world to worship the false day of rest as Nebuchadnezzar sought to have the peoples of all nations worship the image in his day. The test will come right to them where they are.

Sky