Who is the Anti-Christ?

Who is the Anti-Christ? Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, and even Barney, the purple dinosaur have been accused of holding this undesirable title. Are there clues to his mysterious identity or is the "Anti-Christ" just a fable of a man who holds no future credence? All one has to do is research the book of Daniel and Revelation, pay close attention to the news, and the characteristics of the beast known as the Anti-Christ will be revealed before your very eyes.

As believers in Christ, we are instructed to await the return of our Messiah, Jesus Christ not the Anti-Christ. In Islam, they are also awaiting the return of their Messiah called, the Mahdi. In Islamic prophecy, the Mahdi is the prophesied redeemer of Islam who will bring peace and justice throughout the world by establishing Islam as a global religion. The word Anti-Christ is first mentioned in 1st John: Chapter 2. In verse 22, Apostle John states, "Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the Anti-Christ who denies the Father and the Son." According to Islamic beliefs, Jesus (Isa, in Arabic) was not the Son of God, but was a prophet, but will physically return to the Earth, and together with the Mahdi usher in world peace under the banner of Islam. In the book of Daniel, we are given more details concerning what to look for once the Anti-Christ steps onto the world stage. In Unleashing the Beast, Evangelist Perry Stone goes into greater details surrounding Daniel's prophecy:

• The Anti-Christ will sign a peace treaty with Israel for seven years.
• The peace treaty will be signed after major wars in the Middle East.
• The man who signs the treaty will be destroyed at the end of seven years.

In Islamic Prophecy they believe:
• A peace treaty agreement will be signed and upheld for seven years.
• The agreement will come after a major war.
• The Mahdi will rule for seven years, then die.

Who is the Mahdi? Although Shi'ites and Sunnis disagree on a lot of issues, both religious fractions believe the Mahdi or 12th Imam, who went into occlusion in the ninth century at the age of five, will return. Even more critical, Shi'ites believe his return will be preceded by a cataclysmic war and chaos-possibly a confrontation between the East and the West. Current Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad firmly believes that in forcing a clash of epic proportions with the West, the Mahdi will return within the next two years. In a speech last year in Tehran, Ahmadinejad contended, "The main mission of my government is to pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi. May God Hasten His Reappearance." Ahmadinejad has made it obvious to the world and the United Nations that Iran will and has the right to acquire nuclear weapons. Yet, President Bush declared that during his presidency he would not allow the country of Iran to develop nuclear weapons.

Look at the events in the world. The 9-11 attacks helped escalate an already tumultuous situation in the Middle East. In one attack, the world was changed forever. All of a sudden, three major religions were forced under a microscope by the world due to a senseless attack based in the name of the Islamic religion. According to the CIA World Fact book, there are 2.1 billion Christians, 1.6 billion Muslims, and 14.8 million Jews in this world. Some would argue, wondering how this terrorist attack could have happened if we all serve the same God? Believing these three religions serve the same God is a common but incorrect assumption. Christians and Jews worship the same God, Jehovah, while the Muslims worship, Allah. Aren't they basically the same God? No. During his research for the book, Race, Religion, and Racism vol. 3, Evangelist, Dr. Fred K.C. Price notes that, "The Koran over, and over, and over, again quotes from the Bible. The Bible never quotes from the Koran." In addition Price declares, "If they [Jehovah and Allah] are the same God, they should teach the same things of the same subject. They are not the same God if they there are two completely different messages."

In the New Testament, Christ taught, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you. (Matthew 5:44)"

The Jihad Verses from the Koran teach, "Fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you...[2.191] And kill them wherever you find them, and drive them out from whence they drove you out, and persecution is severer than slaughter, and do not fight with them at the Sacred Mosque until they fight with you in it, but if they do fight you, then slay them; such is the recompense of the unbelievers." (Sura 2 Verse 190-191)

In the New Testament, Christ proclaimed, "The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. 11I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (John 10: 10-11)

In stark contrast, the Jihad Verses from the Koran states, "Let those fight in the way of Allah who sell the life of this world for the other. Whoso fightesth in the way of Allah be he slain or be he victorious, on him. We shall bestow a vast reward." (Sura 4 Verse 74)

On an interesting note, during the Age of Terror series on the Zola Levitt program, Walid Shoebat, a former Muslim terrorist explained why he believed the Anti-Christ will be a fanatical Muslim. When he read Apostle John's cryptic 666 description (Revelations 13:18) in it's original Greek manuscript, Shoebat claimed upon looking the ancient Greek symbols he immediately saw the word "bismillah" which means in the name of Allah. Can there ever be peace between different religious ideologies? For a season of seven years a man will rise up and build a bridge of false "peace" between all religions. Many evangelists agree that the rapture must take place before the Anti-Christ comes onto the world stage. 3 ½ years after he signs the peace treaty with Israel, a great tribulation shall occur. For the Bible clearly says, "For God has not appointed us to [incur His] wrath [He did not select us to condemn us], but [that we might] obtain [His] salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). (1 Thess. 5:9 AMP)" Just like Sodom and Gomorrah, the angels told Lot that they could not act until Lot left the city. The Lord is unable to pour his wrath onto the righteous.

But please don't take my word for it. This article is not meant to attack anyone's religion; the purpose of it is to discover the truth. In fact, I hope that you don't believe me and become inspired to do your own research. The results may surprise you.