The Purpose Of Islam

The ninth chapter of Revelation is about the rise of Islam to the end of the Ottoman Empire. However, I believe we can learn from history, and the judgements inflicted are being repeated. God allows other nations to punish our people when we depart from God’s laws. The answer is always a return to God for deliverance from national chastisement.

To understand the chapter, I looked at three books: Study in Revelation by Howard B. Rand, A Flood of Light Upon the Book of Revelation by John S. Fox, and The Book of Revelation from an Israelite and Historicist Interpretation by Charles A. Jennings. All three authors believe in the identity of the lost tribes of Israel (the Anglo-Saxon and kindred people), and the historicist interpretation of Revelation. They believe the prophecies are for the full history of Christianity, not just the last few years before the return of Christ.

The chapter starts with a star falling from heaven to open the bottomless pit. Stars are symbolic of messengers, angels or men. Jennings interprets the star as representing Mohammed. Rand gives a detailed description of the beginning of Islam, how Mohammed was jolted by a power and then an angel appeared to him and told him to preach the true religion. His wife encouraged him to be a prophet to his people. Smoke came from the bottomless pit (vs. 2-3), followed by locusts pouring out into the world. The writers link these verses to the Saracens, violent Muslims under the Caliph after the death of Mohammed (extra information by Encyclopedia Britannica). The locusts were forbidden to hurt the grass or green things (vs. 4). The Israelites far to the west were protected from this scourge. Rand says they were sealed. The evil angel over the Saracens was Apollyon, the destroyer (vs. 11). Fox connects this scourge with judgement on the Roman world and their pagan practices.

After the Saracen Empire faded, the Turks crossed the Euphrates (vs. 14) and started the next Muslim destruction on the Christians in the former Roman Empire. Othman founded the Ottoman Empire which eventually conquered the great city of Constantinople. Rand calls this a judgement on apostate Christianity, but the judgement did not come upon all of the old Roman Empire. “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.” Revelation 9:20-21. Through all of this, the Israelites were kept safe because they were far to the west.

Islam was permitted by God to bring judgement on apostate Christians. We should learn from history and stick to the Bible in our beliefs if we want to be free of judgement at the hands of the Muslims. We are facing war in the Middle East, and God will not be with us if we are a sinful, unrepentant people. Also, we have thousands of Muslims living in our Israel nations. We cannot escape coming in contact with them. We need to be real Christians, with a living faith in Jesus Christ inspired by the Holy Spirit, and a desire to follow God’s laws. If we do that, I believe we can work things out in our Israel lands. I do not criticize people who have been hurt by Muslims. In history there were thousands of innocent people who suffered in the conflict of religions. However, I believe we can have peace if our people turn back to God. God can do miracles.

I do not have much hope for the little Jewish country called Israel. In history they were conquered quickly at the very beginning of Islam. I do not believe the U.S.A. can save them. The power of Islam and the angel Apollyon is beyond their understanding. The only one who could save them is Jesus, and they don’t want anything to do with Him. In contrast, our people (the Anglo-Saxons and kindred people) will go to their churches when things get very bad. They will call on the name of Jesus and He will save them. “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21.