Triple Threat

Is the world, as we know it, about to suddenly change? Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran, certainly seems to think so.

Why is the world so taken with a man who began his September 23 speech to the U.N. with a prayer to Allah to hasten what some would call the end of the world? --What? You didn’t catch that part? No surprise since most media outlets didn’t report it and left his prayer out entirely.

He said, “All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Universe, and peace and blessing be upon our Master and Prophet, Mohammad.... Oh, God, hasten the arrival of Imam Al-Mahdi and grant him good health and victory and make us his followers and those who attest to his rightfulness.”

Ahmadinejad is not a lunatic, as some believe. He is a dedicated Shiite Muslim who believes in the soon return of a Messiah-like figure, the Mahdi, a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed.

Muslims of this persuasion believe that the Mahdi’s return will coincide with an apocalyptic battle between the forces of good and evil (an “Armageddon,” if you please). Ahmadinejad sees his role as a “John the Baptist” type, preparing the way for this Muslim “Messiah.”

For listeners that understood his meaning, Ahmadinejad’s speech was troubling. And for students of the Bible, it’s hard not to notice an unusual convergence of End Times beliefs taking place in the three monotheistic religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

A triple threat, if you please.

“Now hold on just a minute! What is threatening about the beliefs of these three religions?”

Due to the best-selling “Left Behind” books, many Americans are aware that Evangelical Christians believe in the “Second Coming” or return of Jesus Christ. They also believe it is “imminent”—meaning it could happen at any time—and that it involves judgment of the world.

What many didn’t know until recently is that Islam and Judaism shared similar expectations.

Muslim “Twelvers” like Ahmadinejad believe in the promised Mahdi (the Twelfth Imam) who will return with Prophet Isa (Jesus Christ). In addition, there are Rabbis in Israel discussing and writing books about whether the Jewish Messiah is about to come and if we are seeing a present-day fulfillment of the biblical prophecies in Ezekiel 38 and 39.

Until recently I had no idea that these three religions shared similar, Messianic “End Times” expectations. (Even more interesting is that Israel apparently had a similar Messianic expectation just before Jesus Christ was born.)

A recent survey of average Americans shows that 42% believe we are living in what the Bible calls the “Last Days.” And it’s not just Evangelical Christians. One in three Jews also believe we are living in the “Last Days.”

Regardless of what you believe about the Bible and its prophecies, just a brief review of these facts should be interesting, if not disturbing. There are many differences between the three religions. But all three seem to agree on this: Jesus Christ was a teacher or prophet and that he (or a messianic figure like him) may be about to come soon—in one way or another.

All of this, plus the daily events in the Middle East, is enough to make a thoughtful person wonder if something important (of Biblical proportions?) is unfolding on the world stage.

Do you want to see what Jesus said about all this? Now might be a good time to pick up a Bible and read the Gospel of St. Matthew, chapter 24, where Jesus said he is coming back.

What if it’s sooner than we think? Now that would change the world overnight!

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!