Revelation 17:8-11 (NASB) “The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction…11 “The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.Shi’ite pilgrims pray at the Imam Hussein shrine during the preparations for the annual festival of Sha’abaniya pilgrimage in Kerbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, June 23, 2013. Sha’abaniya is a ritual marking the birth of Mohammed al-Mahdi, the 12th Shi’ite imam and a revered figure in Shi’ite Islam.[Photo/Agencies]
![Shi'ite pilgrims pray at the Imam Hussein shrine during the preparations for the annual festival of Sha'abaniya pilgrimage in Kerbala, 80 km (50 miles) southwest of Baghdad, June 23, 2013. Sha'abaniya is a ritual marking the birth of Mohammed al-Mahdi, the 12th Shi'ite imam and a revered figure in Shi'ite Islam.[Photo/Agencies]](https://i2.wp.com/www.jacksmithprophecy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/shias.imam_.mahdi_.jpg?resize=205%2C300)
For most of the world, the day passed with little fanfare. June 23, 2013 was a Sunday according to the Gregorian calendar. I spent the day enjoying the presence of God’s Holy Spirit in my church — I could have preached all day long (but by 1pm, I would have been by myself!). Yet, thousands of miles away, Shia Islam pilgrims journeyed to Karbala, Iraq (the Sha’abaniya festival), to spend the day remembering the birthday of their 12th Imam, Muhammad bin al-Hasan, born on Friday, 15th of Shaban 255 A.H.1 Of course, the journey for Shias is never a journey of peace. Along the way, their Sunni “brothers” exacted the perpetual toll of blood-violence upon them. According to reports, ten car bombs exploded in Baghdad, killing 40 and maiming hundreds more.
Based on the Western calendar, the date of the 12th Imam’s birth was August 1, 869 AD. The date is far more than just another date to Shias — the unbelievable woos us — according to Shias (Twelver branch)2, the 12th Imam is still alive today. Twelver Shias are celebrating the 12th Imam’s 1,179th birthday! How do Shias explain the unexplainable? The 12th Iman is in hiding by the command of Allah. That is, he is still alive, but not visible to the naked eye. Allah has concealed him, hidden him, in order to protect him from those who might harm him (hard to figure how Allah can hide him for 1,179 years and not be able to protect him in plain view). Thus, the 12th Iman is also referred to as the “Hidden Imam” (al-Maktūm3) by Shias.
Within Shiism there is even a doctrine describing his concealment: it is called “occultation” (ghayba). Here is how one noted Muslim source defines the doctrine of “occultation”:
Occultation (ghaybah4) is a state chosen by God for the Imam who is in danger of being slain by his enemies. Thus the twelfth Imam, Muhammad b. al-Hasan … went into occultation in the year 873–874 and will continue to live in this state for as long as (Allah) deems it necessary. Then He [Allah] will command him to reappear and take control of the world in order to restore justice and equity.5
You may wonder why the 12th Imam was ever forced into hiding in the first place. The reason is rather simple. Since the Sunni and Shia divide in 680 AD, Sunnis have been the dominant and controlling sect of Islam. Shias have been the persecuted, minority sect, even to the point of being considered unbelievers by Sunnis. Shia imams were considered a threat to Sunni leaders because Shia imams were blood descendants of Muhammad through Ali and Fatima (Muhammad’s son-in-law and daughter).6 Sunni caliphs did all they could to insure the elimination of this threat through death or imprisonment of the imams. Because of the danger to the imam and his descendants, when Muhammad b. Hasan was born, his father, the eleventh imam, hid his son from public view. At his father’s death (873), when Hasan was only seven, he went into hiding — and the doctrine of “occultation” became the explanation of his whereabouts.7
If you think about it, a birthday celebration after 1,179 years is very likely to lose its “celebratory” nature. So why has this not occurred for Shias with their 12th Imam? One reason is Shias believe their 12th Imam is actually hiding in a well (what a bummer place to have to hide!) outside Qom, Iraq, in the village of Jamkaran.
Jamkaran Mosque (courtesy of mahdiwatch.org)
Here is how one noted Islamic scholar describes the location:
Qom has also taken on importance for its proximity to the village of Jamkarān, located some six kilometers from the city center and famous for its celebrated mosque of the same name. The Jamkarān mosque is believed to have been built by a believer in the late tenth century C.E. at the request of the hidden twelfth Imam. It is believed that the Imam himself walked in the courtyard of the mosque. The mosque features a well into which visitors are encouraged to drop prayer requests, many believing that the hidden Imam reads each request.8
Perhaps the many prayer requests dropped into the well keep Shias coming back one more time; but there is more. Shias believe that the 12th Imam will one day reappear by the command of Allah, that is, he will rise up (al-Qaim) from his occultation. When the 12th Imam rises9, he will rise with a new name– the name of his ancient ancestor, the Messenger of Islam, Muhammad, himself. The 12th Imam will then be known as: Muhammad al-Mahdi, the eschatological figure who will lead Islam in dominion over the entire world. Al-Mahdi will begin his dominion by redressing the wrongs committed by Sunnis against Shias. Then, after subduing Sunnis and uniting Islam, he will turn his sword upon the world, and usher in peace in the name of Allah.
What does this have to do with Bible prophecy? The Shia version of al-Mahdi (not the Sunni version) is specifically described in end-times Bible prophecy. Consider our opening passage, Revelation 17:8-11 NASB above, which describes the “scarlet beast.” The beast:
- “was”
- “is not”
- and is “about to rise up” from the abyss…
Each of these three conditions are satisfied by the Shia Islamic doctrine of al-Mahdi. Al-Mahdi:
- He “was” — that is, he existed at one time in human history as a person, Muhammad bin Hasan, the 12th Imam of Shiism;
- He “is not” — that is, the 12th Imam is in hiding, concealed from humanity; it is as if while in hiding the Hidden Imam is alive but simply not present;
- He is “about to rise up from the abyss” — according to Shia prophecy the 12th Imam will one day “rise up” from his concealment where, according to Shia prophecy, he will lead Islam in world dominion through his sword. Interesting that Revelation 17:8-11 describes the “abyss” as the place from which he rises. Sounds very similar to the Jamkaran well in which the Hidden Imam supposedly resides. Nevertheless, don’t be fooled by the similar description of his abode. I think the “abyss” of Revelation 17:8 and the Jamkaran well are not the same place. The abyss is the abode of the demonic, not some well in Jamkaran, Iraq (Luke 8:31 NASB).
What is even more amazing is that all three of these Biblical conditions are satisfied simultaneously by the Shia doctrine of al-Mahdi. It is only in their simultaneous satisfaction that the prophecy of Revelation 17:8 – 11 has any real meaning.10
What is my point? The Islamic doctrine of the eschatological Muhammad al-Mahdi and the Biblical prophecy of the coming antichrist (“scarlet beast”) are the same. Why is that important in the modern day? Because Iran is a Shia Muslim country. Iran threatens world peace with the advance of its nuclear weaponry, including the annihilation of Israel. It is this country that the doctrine of Muhammad al-Mahdi is the stuff of its leaders.
This eschatological figure is the “long awaited one” spoken of so frequently by the former president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. One of his famous quotes was in his closing prayer before the United Nations in 2005. In part, he stated this about al-Mahdi:
He will lead the world to justice and absolute peace. … Oh mighty Lord, I pray to you to hasten the emergence of your last repository, the promised one, that perfect and pure human being, the one that will fill this world with justice and peace. ((Ibid. Islam the Cloak of Antichrist, p. 184.))
In spite of the end of Ahmadinejad’s term as president of Iran, his public voice and esteem for his relationship with the Mahdi seems to prevail. A recent report from Radio Free Europe quoted Iranian news agencies:
Iranian government spokesman has said that outgoing President Mahmud Ahmadinejad will return with the Hidden Imam, who according to Shi’ite belief went into hiding in the 10th century and will reappear to bring justice to Earth. “God willing, with the manifestation of Imam Mehdi, Ahmadinejad will also return and work for the establishment of pure Islam,” spokesman Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as saying by Iranian news agencies.
In recent days, Iran’s president-elect Hassan Rouhani has been reported to have credited the 12th Imam (still in hiding, of course) as the means through which he was elected. Rouhani has also stated that he is interested in improving relations between Iran and the West. How are we to believe Rouhani’s statement in light of his belief in the rising up of al-Mahdi who will lead Islam to world dominion? Rouhani is a Shia Islam cleric, not a layperson as was Ahmadinejad. Joel Rosenberg’s blog makes the following point about Rouhani:
Despite the Western media’s insistence that Iran’s President-Elect, Hassan Rouhani, is a “moderate” and a “reformist,” the evidence is clear: Rouhani is actually a high-ranking Radical Shia cleric who fundamentally agrees with the terrorist and repressive policies of the Ayatollah Khamenei and has been faithful in supporting such policies.
Through whom will the Antichrist launch his world assault? From the perspective of this writer, it is Iran. Iran and her Shia leaders will pull the trigger. When the gun explodes, the great tribulation will begin.
Jesus come quickly.
Blessings.
Jack Smith
- “A.H.” refers to the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the Hijra, or emigration of Muhammad and his followers to the city of Medina in 622 CE. The year “2013” corresponds to the Islamic years 1434–1435 AH. [↩]
- Twelvers are the majority branch among Shiites, predominantly in Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, and Syria (Alawites) [↩]
- Newman, Andrew. “Ghaybah.” In The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World. Oxford Islamic Studies Online, http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t236/e0270 (accessed 24-Jun-2013). [↩]
- Newman, Andrew. “Ghaybah.” In The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World. Oxford Islamic Studies Online, http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t236/e0270 (accessed 24-Jun-2013). [↩]
- Abdulaziz Sachedina, Islamic Messianism, The Idea of the Mahdi in Twelver Shiism, Albany: State University of New York Press, 1981, p 23. [↩]
- See sources cited in Islam the Cloak of Antichrist, Jack Smith, p. 187 [↩]
- Ibid. [↩]
- Fischer, Michael M. J. and Omid Ghaemmaghami. “Qom.” In The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World. Oxford Islamic Studies Online, http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t236/e0660 (accessed 25-Jun-2013). [↩]
- he does not “rise up” in the sense of a resurrection from the dead as Christ rose from the grave; the 12th Imam has never died [↩]
- Interpreters of Bible prophecy often interpret this passage to apply to a “revived Roman Empire paradigm.” That is, the Rome Empire once existed (it “was”); it does not exist currently (“is not”). However, it will one day “rise up” to be the empire it once was. This interpretation does not require a simultaneous application of the three criteria provided by Revelation 17:8-11; and, without a simultaneous application, any past empire could fulfill the prophecy of Revelation 17:8-11. This seems hardly the correct view because the conditions of the prophecy are rendered meaningless unless all must be met simultaneously. [↩]
Jack,
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All my sincerest thanks Jack
Your research as always is thorough and cutting edge, and this post is “off the hook” as they say!
Doubtless, there existed such a person as Muhammad bin Hasan at one time in human history according to your reference in this post, but I would think the big question is whether this is the one spoken of not only by John who saw him in his holy video, but also can be seen in other references…of this same “Beast” elsewhere in Scripture?
There was only one personage in history who can be said to meet the three condition you cited from Revelation:
1. “was”
2. “is not”
3. and is “about to rise up” from the abyss…
That historical person is Judas Iscariot.
Our Lord first referred to Judas in John 17: 12 calling him by the Title “the Son of Perdition”. Then Paul in 2 Thess.2: 3 also use this very same Title calling him “the man of sin to be revealed, the Son Perdition.”
And, again in Revelations 17: 8 John said this one would “come up from the bottomless pit, and goeth into perdition.”
And how this disciple came to be in the bottomless pit in the first place, I believe is told us in Acts 1: 16-25.
“Men and brethren, this Scripture must need be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry…for it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation (burial place) be desolated (empty), and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick (apostleship) let another take.”
24) “And they prayed, and said, Thou Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,
That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he may go to his own (Greek idioj) place.”
This Greek word idioj, pronounced id’-ee-os, means: as pertaining to self, i.e. one’s own; by implication, private or separate, alone, or apart.
I know that you are very much aware of this extremely controversial and thorny subject concerning Judas Iscariot being the Anti-Christ which for many centuries has been so hotly disputed among theologians, but as you didn’t mention him as a possible candidate, I would imagine its because you simply saw it as your duty to maintain focus upon Islam itself.
But even so, we have the Testimony of our Lord’s apostles themselves shows us that David in the Old Testament prophesied that the grave of Judas would be empty of his corpse. Nowhere else in all of Scripture do we have such an historical personage who was treated in this special way except Judas, who was, and is not, but, according the this testimony of the Son of Perdition” throughout Scripture, he will come “stepping up out of the bottomeless pit.”
Praises to our Saviour
Phillip
Phillip – I am aware of this view but I interpret it differently. Judas certainly was indwelt by satan on the night of the Lord’s betrayal. John 13:27 NASB states, “… satan then entered him….” Satan pre-existed Judas (satan as a spiritual entity) but Judas was a human being like the rest of us (not a spiritual being). Christ’s foreknowledge that Judas was the one who would betray him is the reason why Judas was not allowed to believe and therefore the reason why Judas “perished” (John 6:64-65 NASB). The Greek word that is translated “perdition” has the literal meaning of destruction or loss, and so Judas, as an apostle of our Lord, lost his eternal salvation because he was given over to his unbelief and to satan who claimed him for purposes of evil (John 17:12 NASB). Judas is the only apostle who “perished,” that is, spiritually. All 12 of the apostles died; but only Judas “perished,” literally to be “completely destroyed.” How could the literal Judas survive spiritually in any way if John 17:12 says he is the only one that perished?
I do not see that Judas survivied death except in the way of man, i.e., his soul survvied and is experiencing the terrror of hell because of his unbelief. Judas cannot be the “antichrist” because Judas was a human being not a spiritual being, and Judas perished spiritually. If we are saying that Judas’s soul somehow takes on or becomes the role of the Antichrist in the end-times, then how do we explain the meaning of John 17:12, “perish”?
To me the antichrist is some spiritual being that, like satan, prexisted Judas. The term “antichrist” is only used by the Apostle John. (1 John 2:18, 22, 4:3; 2 John 1:7). The book of Revelation does not refer to this demonic entity as “antichrist.” There are several terms that we have interpreted to apply to him. For example the “false prophet” of Revelation, “Abaddon” of Revelation 11, the “beast from the earth or the beast from the sea of Revelation 13, and the scarlet beast of Revelation 17. However, there are only three spiritual beings that are judged in the end so we know that regardless of how many names we might use for them, there are only three literal beings. They are listed in Revelation 16:13, 19:20, and 20:10, as: the “false prophet” (Revelation 16:13), the “beast” (Revelation 13:1) and “satan” (Revelation 12:9) Judas was indewelt by one of these thrree (satan, I believe), but he is not a fourth spiritual being to be judged in the Lake of Fire. These three have come to be referred to by some as the “trinity of evil.”
For more info, I suggest you check my book under the topic “trinity of evil.” I do not discuss Judas as a fourth spiritual being (or the name of the antichrist) but the basic principle is covered there.
Thanks for your good comment. Really gives us something to think about.
Jack
Forrest – that is a very difficult question to answer, and as you know, there are many that come down on either side. Its been awhile since I looked at Daniel 8 (Daniel 9 is the place I am stuck on these days), but as I recall my thoughts before were that Daniel 8 has already been fulfilled with the exception of the last verses beginning with v 19 referring to the “final period of the indignation,” and v 23, “in the latter part of their rule when the transgressors have run their course.” For me, that limits the future application solely to the “king” who is to arise beginning in v 24. The king has “identifiers” to help us recognize him and there are several that intrigue me. One is v 24, “his power will be mightly, but not by his own power..” I have wondered if this is a reference to Assad and his allies, Russia and Iran to be specific. Assad has power but only through these two. The problem for Assad being the referenced king is that the rest of the identifiers dont seem to work, i.e., prosper, perform his will, destroy many man, etc. I can see Iran and the Ayatolllah also being referenced particularly because the Ayatollah is considered “divine” by Shias, and meets the “magnify himself in his heart” identifier. Regardless, this “king” will oppose the Prince of princes (Jesus Christ) which points us in the direction of Islam. He also will destroy the “holy people” which could be a reference to the destruction of Israel (Ezekiel 38 and 39 fulfillment, and Revelation 11:2). If you really want to go out on a limb then “holy people” (literally “saints”) is not a reference to Israel but the body of Christ and the “mighty men” would be a reference to America!
Hope that gives you something to think about. It did me.
Blessings and thanks for your comment, Forrest.
Hi Jack
Thanks for your reply, but I don’t think you actually address any of the issues.
Firstly, I called Judas the Beast but pointed out that others argued he was the Anti-Christ, but I never called him that in my comment.
I have yet to see anyone in print address that fact of this being a Title, and that in Scripture Titles are very important. They always tell us something vital about the person given them.
Our Lord called Judas “The Son of Perdition”, and it Acts chapter 1 it was said the he Judas “may go to his own (Idios) Place”, after the verse from Psalms 69:25 quoting David who prophesied his (Judas’) body was not in his grave.
“That he may go” according to the Koine Greek sentence construction would mean the same as would be said of a condemn man by an official “the prisoner was put in a truck, ‘that he may go’ to the place of execution.”
I believe Jesus was saying by this Title that Judas was The Son of separation. In other words, that his fellowship or relationship with the other apostles has been completely destroyed…by being sent elsewhere, apart from them.
The English word Perdition is a transliteration of the Latin word Perditio, but the Greek word is apoollumi, pronounced ap-lo-löö-mee.
And it has the sense of a judicial declaration: to put out of the way entirely and because this is a verb of motion; from a physical place, and it connotes any kind of separation of one thing from another by which the union or fellowship of the two is destroyed.
The 64.000 dollar question is this: if this depraved betraying apostle of our Lord is not in his grave, then where is he now? And, if he has his own special unique “Place”, then where is that place now?
Now we know from Scripture that for a human being to be put in Tartarus, called the Abyss-the bottomless pit, is unique and special, for we are told it is the temporary place of incarceration of the fallen angels under Judicial sentence, and of demons who are deathly afraid of being sent there if they go too far.
The only place to look for Judas is in the Abyss or bottomless pit. And even here the Greek gives the figurative sense of one being tied to a strong post to which he can only travel to the end of its tether.
The Apostle John tells us by the use of this same Title, that this one must first come “stepping up out of the bottomless pit” (as it says in the Greek text) BEFORE he goes into perdition or age-lasting separation. Therefore this perdition or separation has until now, not as yet actually taken place.
I used to study Koine Greek in my early teens. We used to play around with it and my best friend and I were always passing notes back and forth in Greek, as my first pastor was a Greek scholar, so I remember all of this, but that was over 40 years ago, and I’m not so good with it anymore.
However, I would speculate here, that Judas is the false prophet, and Islam is the Beast, and Satan heads up this false and Godless imitation of the Trinity.
In Christ
Phillip
Jack
I am only an amateur (it means: to love) so I’m not an expert theologian, but If I can add this further comment on the eventual fate of Judas, I believe all the confusion about the Beast being a supernatural being has everything to do with our faulty understanding of the Greek word usually translated Eternal…as in: suffering for eternity in Hell.
Of course, this goes against all traditional teaching, but from my own personal study, there is only one class of beings who it can be said are destined for perdition or complete and total annihilation in the Bible.
It is the class called Demons in Scripture.
These would be the children of the Nephilim, who were themselves given birth to by the fallen angels who forced themselves upon human women. The composition of these children were of angel spirits and human spirits, so when they were killed, they did not die…they take no food, but are hungry and thirsty because they are disembodied and so seek out any material body to enter into, even animals.
These are deathly afraid of going too far, as know they shall be completely destroyed, because thet were not a part of God original created order.
This all boils down to the true meaning of the Greek word ainios.
Well, I discovered that everywhere I look in the New Testament this word was always linked to Yeshua’s 1000 year kingdom with few exceptions. And I believe therefore, Ainios must be translated “Age-lasting” and not eternal.
And this is also implied by the fact of those in Christ being raised up in their new spiritual bodies in the first resurrection, while all others are raised to live only mortal bodies after the 1000 years are over.
Therefore, the Scripture does not say that they have eternal life, but age-lasting life, as this duration is only for that 1000 years.
While I know this will sound so radical in the extreme, I just do not see that the Bible ever said that hell is a place of annihilation, not for fallen angels or fallen mankind. I argue this because in every case, the so-called “fire” while quite real, it is also figurative, as this is expressed in the Greek text.
And while I am no Universalist or humanist, I still think that when Bible actually declares that God is “not willing that any should perish”, that that’s just what it means: He will not totally annihilate any of His children, either angels or men. For our we not all God’s children, even the angels?
I believe this is what the Apostle Paul meant by The Mystery of God.
That God will redeem every living creature, men and angels. And He will do so by what is called the greatest teaching at the very center of the whole Bible: which is, the Glory of God in Salvation through Judgment.
But what He will do is to bring them back to stand in their physical bodies, and then burn their physical bodies up in hell, some suffering more than others, until they have been completely and entirely purged and purified by such punishment.
After all, we could ask “what love is this?” if the ‘Eternal One’ has known the end from the beginning, and He caused all to happen, both the evil and the good. Our answer is that all the suffering was for one purpose only, that He might have Children. Punishing His children in order to bring them back into the beloved Father’s house, is just like God, He is so good, this is just how He would do things.
And this is where Judas comes into the picture here. Just as with the demon spirits who destined for perdition and will be totally and completely annihilated, so will Judas Iscariot.
This is roughly what I believe the Bible teaches.
Phillip
PS: hope you will pardon all the typos….really busy day here in Sweden..
Philip – here is what I read as your main discussions points:
1. The 64.000 dollar question is this: if this depraved betraying apostle of our Lord is not in his grave, then where is he now? And, if he has his own special unique “Place”, then where is that place now?
2. However, I would speculate here, that Judas is the false prophet, and Islam is the Beast, and Satan heads up this false and Godless imitation of the Trinity.
On point #1, beats me “where is that place now?” One thing for sure, its not a happy place (as it is for the other apostles). Hebrews 9:27 simply states we all die once and then comes judgment. Judas may have been given the title of “son of perdition” but I dont think that changes his species as a human being. Hebrews 9:27 doesnt give Judas an exception because satan entered him and used him as the tool to murder the Son of God. It was satan (spiritual being) that entered Judas (human being) not Judas (spiritual being) that entered Judas (human being). Judas was deceived just like Adam and Eve; and just like Adam and Eve are responsible for their sins as human beings so is Judas. I dont think that his title means he is now a spiritual being, antichrist or otherwise, but a human being who will be judged, rather severly, as the rest of the unbelieving world. Humans and angels (satan is a fallen angel not a fallen human) are two different species in Gods created order. When we die, we do not lose our nature as a human soul and become an angel, demon, or spiritual being. Wherever Judas is, he is in a place reserved for the judgment of human souls, not a place where he will return to be a spirit, evil or otherwise.
Most have interpreted the place of judgment to be hell, and that there are varying degrees of punishment depending upon the offenses against God. Judas, therefore, having been labeled the “son of perdition,” has a unique place of destruction, the significance of which is defined by the punishment for his sins not the location of the punishment. Matt 5:22, 29-30, 18:9, 23:15, 23:33 all imply a more painful punishment for the more heinous our sins.
I think a passage that helps conclude the nature of this punishment is 2 Peter 2:9-10 (NASB) ” then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,” The soul of Judas, wherever he might be literally, is “under punishment for the day of judgment.” I don’t think the location of that place is the key but the degrees of heat he is experiencing as he awaits the last judgment when his destination will be the Lake of Fire described in relationhip to the Great White Throne judgment seat, and where he will join the trinity of evil. Rev 20:11-14.
I know that doesnt answer your question #1, but I dont think there is an answer to your question, biblically. Anything beyond would be speculation on my part.
2. From my view, I identify the trinity of evil a little differently. I see the beast as Allah, not Islam. Rev 13:2-4 describes him as having been given the throne, and authority of satan. So he is not satan, but some representative of satan; therefore, he is a real, separate spiritual being. Of course, if Allah is the beast then Muslims are the “body” of the beast, and all who carry the “mark of the beast” (metaphor for those who are followers of Allah) will be judged in the Lake of Fire with the one they worship, i.e., Allah. Revelation 14:9-11.
I don’t see Judas as the “false prophet” however because Judas is a dead human whose human soul is under judgment, and the false prophet is a spiritual being who will incarnate itself in some human being in the last days; that person will be the Antichrist, i.e., the last false prophet. We know he is described as the 2nd beast of Revelation 13. He will be literally present on earth (Allah will not; he is spiriutal being only) and he will cause the world to worship the first beast, Allah (Revelation 13:11-13).
Philip – may God bless you in your studies. I can tell you have thought about this and researched biblically your views. Keep up the great work, and come back again to the blog soon.
Jack
Thanks Jack
I really appreciate your further comments here, but I would only add, that I believe there is a much better case for Judas for Beast…in the Bible, than what Islam teaches as to the Al-Mahdi beginning his dominion which you see as the Beast.
The Koran, the Sira and the Hadiths are all Satanic lies from the Father of Lies, Satan.
I would therefore most strenuously argue that no Scripture in the Holy Writ would be in agreement with anything said in these Bastardized imitations of the Hebrew/Christian Bible such any notion that Al-Mahdi is anything other than the coming Beast, whose true identity can actually be found,as I have argued, in the Holy Bible.
Thanks and God bless you and your very good and important ministry to the world,Jack.
Yours In Christ
Phillip