Arguments Against a Muslim Antichrist

By Bill Salus

Troublesome times, filled with stage setting prophetic signs, have many concerned they live in the last generation. As such, many eschatologists field questions about the Antichrist whose reign of terror dominates the final generation.

Topping the list is the curiosity over his origin. Will he be a Jew, Gentile, Muslim, or perhaps a Supernatural being like the Nepilim in the ancient Days of Noah?

According to the majority consensus of several experts interviewed by Dr. David Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries, there doesn’t seem to be a Jewish bone in Antichrist’s body. Their views can be watched here or read in my blog article called “Is the Antichrist, a Jew, Gentile, or Supernatural.”

Additionally, those pondering the supernatural origins of the Antichrist comprise a minority thus far. In fact, the first time I had heard about it was in a radio interview I hosted with end time’s expert and co-founder of Rapture Ready, Terry James. During the Prophecy Update radio program Terry made a compelling argument for a supernatural Antichrist. This fascinating interview took place on November of 2010 and can be heard here.

However, through a process of deductive reasoning, it appears most scholars believe the Antichrist is either a non-Muslim Gentile or a Muslim Gentile. Traditional teaching points to a non-Muslim Gentile Antichrist rising out of the Revived Roman Empire. Advocates of this view point to Daniel 9:26, which says this crazed individual will be a Roman. The prophecy declares the Antichrist will come out of the people who destroyed Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple, an event fulfilled in 70 A.D. by the Roman Empire.

In January 2009 I wrote an article called “Does Daniel Debunk the Assyrian Antichrist.” This article hit a sensitive nerve among those interested in the origin of the Antichrist and prompted 143 blogs, including many from author Joel Richardson of the bestselling book “The Islamic Antichrist.”

Recently, I was asked by Dr. David Reagan to pen my position on several questions related to the Antichrist. One of them was regarded with the potential for a Muslim Antichrist. Some of the best teaching on this controversial subject is written in a transcript entitled, “The Muslim Antichrist Theory and Evaluation” by Dr. David Reagan.

Dr. Reagan's excellent article points out that Islamic eschatology also has an Antichrist called the Dajjal and that similarities between the Islamic Dajjal and biblical Antichrist exist. Muslim Antichrist advocates often use these similarities to argue their point. However, any similarities between the two are inadmissible due to the fact that Islamic scribes had several thousand years of previously recorded biblical prophecy available to them, which enabled them to fabricate the features of the Dajjal.

Summarized below are a few of the reasons I don’t believe the Antichrist will be a Muslim.

To hypothesize the Antichrist could be a Muslim, which is a relatively new paradigm shift in thinking, ignores the prophetic ramifications of Psalm 83, Ezekiel 38, and the first four seal judgments of Revelation 6:1-7. Prophetic insights written in Isralestine, The Ancient Blueprints of the Future Middle East, suggest Psalm 83, and possibly Ezekiel 38, appears to occur before the Antichrist rides in on the world stage as the "white horseman" of the apocalypse in Rev. 6:1.

As pointed out in the Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 arguments below, the fulfillment of both prophecies will negatively impact the religion of Islam. Therefore, by the time the Antichrist emerges, Islam should be undergoing a deepening crisis in faith thereby hindering any Muslim's bid for world worship.

The Psalm 83 Argument

Psalm 83 is a confederation of ten predominately Muslim populations that will invade Israel to reclaim Palestine for the Palestinians. They will be decisively defeated by the Israeli Defense Forces as per Ezekiel 25:14, Obadiah 1:18, and elsewhere. This defeat will serve as a severe “punch to the gut” of the Islamic faith. Muslims worldwide will be shocked to witness today’s tiny Israel militarily overpower their present surrounding Arab foes.

The Ezekiel 38 Argument

In the aftermath of the I.D.F. victory of Psalm 83, the predominately Muslim nine-member coalition of invaders of Ezekiel 38:1-6 will make their bid to invade Israel to capture Israeli plunder and booty. We are informed in Ezekiel 38:18 - 39:6 that the invaders will meet their doom via the divine doings of the Lord rather than the I.D.F. The defeat of the Ezekiel invaders will be nothing less than a powerful “uppercut to the jawbone” of Islam.

In the aftermath of these two victories the downward slide of Allah will be observable as Muslims worldwide will become increasingly disenchanted with their Islamic faith. This is already occurring. Fueled by the Internet and social networks, many Mideast Muslim youths are looking beyond the confines of seventh-century Islam and state censored media for a brighter democratic future. Allah’s downward slide partially fulfills the prophecy in Zephaniah 2:11, which foretells the fall of all false gods.

These two Pre-Tribulation prophetic events, Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38, should assure that Islam is both crippled and compromised by the time the predicted wars of Revelation 6 occur. These apocalyptic wars predict indiscriminate death and destruction worldwide putting Islam well within its sites. As a result, Islam should be “knocked out for the final ten – count” before the midpoint of the seven – year tribulation arrives.

In addition to the objections identified above, 2 Thessalonians 2:4 declares the Antichrist will someday have the audacity to declare himself as god. Such a declaration flies in the face of Islam’s primary tenet that “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet or messenger.” According to the prophecy the Antichrist opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Once the Antichrist fulfills the 2 Thess. 2:4 prophecy a fatwa would certainly be issued to assassinate him if he was a Muslim. When this fact is pointed out to Muslim Antichrist advocates they often point out that Revelation 13:3-4 and Rev. 17:7-11 suggests the Antichrist will die. But, they argue these passages also suggest he will subsequently resurrect to rule the world.

The logical question then arises, "wouldn't that prompt the issuance of another fatwa against his life?" In order to avoid an unending vicious cycle of fatwa, death, and resurrection they speculate that fatwa’s calling for the Antichrist’s death ultimately cease to be issued. Such a conclusion is difficult to support scripturally. Thus, the 2 Thessalonians argument also opposes the Muslim Antichrist theory.

Furthermore, attempts to identify a Muslim Antichrist often require historical revisionism and sensational newspaper exegesis. Historical revisionism occurs when Muslim Antichrist advocates discount Roman responsibility over the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple. They teach Arab conscripts, even though they were subservient under Roman rule, did the dirty work. This argument is highly suspect and easily refuted. (Refer to the blogs here).

Newspaper exegesis occurs by focusing on Islam’s adversarial role in current Mideast events rather than appropriately ordering the Israeli war prophecies described in Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38. Muslim Antichrist advocates attempt to give Islam longevity by conveniently incorporating these prophecies into the campaign of Armageddon.

It is commonly taught that the final Armageddon battle, whereby the Antichrist and his armies are defeated, occurs during the latter part of the seven-year Tribulation period. Many, including myself, believe the Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38 prophecies occur independently from, and in advance of, the final Armageddon battle. Therefore as stated above, before Armageddon comes Islam will be “knocked out for the ten – count”

It appears humanity is about to witness the fulfillment of Psalm 83 followed by Ezekiel 38. These two powerful prophetic events should render Islamic eschatology, which has no Godly inspiration apart from that clumsily plagiarized out of the bible, useless. There will be a biblical Antichrist and he may be alive today. But, it is highly doubtful that he will be a Muslim.

Will Arab Protests Hasten Psalm 83 & Ezekiel 38?

By Bill Salus

Following closely behind the 2010 pullout of American boots on the ground in Iraq, the first quarter of 2011 experienced an unprecedented period of Arab Protests. Even today’s top eschatologists are asking who opened up Pandora’s Box in the Middle East. Like California wildfires, these Arab protests have spread out of control across the region.

Chronologically ordering the protests, which have often morphed into revolts, helps achieve a greater understanding of where Mideast events could be heading.

January 5, 2011 – Shiite Muslim Cleric Muqtada Al-Sadr came out of self-imposed exile in Iran to team up with pro-Iranian Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki in Iraq. In a slap to America’s face, Iraq is now closer to becoming an Iranian proxy state than ever before. Although Iran (Persia) is prominent in Ezekiel 38:5, Iraq seems to appear in the Psalm 83 prophecy along with Syria under the banner of “Assyria.” (Ps. 83:8)

January 13, 2011 – Secretary General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah convinces 11 Lebanese cabinet members to resign, collapsing the government of Lebanon. Hezbollah shows up in Psalm 83:7 as the stateless “Inhabitants of Tyre.”

January 15, 2011 – Tunisians protest the 23 year rule of Arab dictator Zine El Bidine Ben Ali causing him to step down from his presidential post. This represented the first time in history that an Arab dictator was overthrown by popular revolt. The consensus amongst many end time’s experts is that Tunisia enlists with Russia under the banner of "Put" in Ezekiel 38:5

February 11, 2011- Egyptians crowd Tahrir square for 18 days provoking Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to relinquish his 30 year reign. Interestingly, the Egyptians are still protesting. However, now they want chief military leader Mohamed Hussein Tantawi to step down. Recently, Egyptian protesters crowded around the Israeli embassy promoting the “May 15th Million Man Arab March” against Israel. The goal of this March is to bring hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Refugees from the surrounding Arab communities to the borders of Israel.

All of the activity in Egypt hints of the soon fulfillment of Isaiah 19:1-4, which predicts Egyptian unrest will lead to regional conflicts and ultimately a cruel master over Egypt. The Palestinian march could find association with those forced to the border of Israel in Obadiah 1:7. Additionally, Egypt shows up in Psalm 83:6 as the descendants of Hagar under the banner of the Hagarenes or Hagrites in some bible translations, and the Palestinian refugees as the stateless “tents of Edom.”

February 11, 2011 – Algerians and Yemenis begin independent protests. Many expositors believe Algeria participates in the Ezekiel 38 & 39 invasion of Israel as part of the "Put" delegation. Conversely, the Yemenis show up in Ezekiel 38:13 objecting to Russia's invasion plans under the banner of Sheba.

February 11, 2011 – King Abdullah II of Jordan sacks his cabinet to sway off a popular revolution against his ruling Hashemite Kingdom minority.

February 13, 2011 – King Abdullah II engages in the first round of a series of meetings with members of the Muslim Brotherhood (MB). The MB is pro-Palestinian and Anti-Israel. Additionally, they support Jihad against the Jewish State. Jordan appears in Psalm 83:6-8 as the Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, and children of Lot.

February 15, 2011 – To the extreme displeasure of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, rebels protest his 40+ year rule and call for his ouster. Shortly thereafter, civil war breaks out between the rebels and Gaddafi supporters. At the time of the issuance of this article, Gaddafi is still ruling the country. Libya is listed among the Ezekiel 38 invaders.

March 18, 2011 – Libya’s civil war drags France, Britain, and the USA into the fighting by implementing a “No-Fly” Zone over Libyan airspace.

March 25, 2011 – Saudi Arabia annexes Bahrain as a 14th province under the jurisdiction of Riyadh in order to protect the ruling Sunni minority from violent protests emanating out from the Shiite majority. This move ruffles Iranian and Iraqi feathers and forces Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to combine forces and deploy 11,000 troops and numerous tanks into Bahrain.

Saudi Arabia shows up in Psalm 83:6 as the “Ishmaelites” and as a protester alongside Yemen against the Ezekiel invaders. They are listed as Dedan in Ezekiel 38:13. The fate of this pending face off over Bahrain between Iran and Saudi Arabia remains unknown at the time of this article.

March 29, 2011 – Syrian protesters flood the streets of many Syrian towns calling for radical reforms in the Alawite led government of Bashar Assad. Due to state censored media it is difficult to know how bloody the protests have been. However, numerous reports suggest that many protesters have died and / or been injured and Syrian soldiers have been killed for disobeying orders to shoot the protesters. As mentioned earlier, Syria and at least northern Iraq seem to be listed in Psalm 83:8 as the “Assyrians.”

Meanwhile, Israel has become increasingly insecure and isolated as a result of all the protests and renewed rocket assaults out of Gaza from the Hamas. Hamas, is identified in Psalm 83:7 as Philistia. This renewed violence has prompted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to recently visit Germany to procure a sixth “Dolphin Class Submarine.” These subs can support a nuclear payload and Israel presently has three in operation, two coming soon, and hopefully a sixth a few years down the road.

Additionally, Israel has deployed their Iron Dome Defense System, which has intercepted 8 out of the 8 rockets aimed within its vicinity as of April 9, 2011. According to the “Israel Project,” which monitors the number of Hamas rocket assaults, Hamas has fired 315 rockets into Israel as of April 10, 2011. This eclipses the 238 rockets lobbed into Israel in 2010 and has many Israelis concerned its “Operation Cast Lead” all over again.

Due to all the events above, the department of Homeland Security has raised the terror threat level to orange (high), which is its highest level since the twin towers were toppled on September 11, 2001.

Additionally, due to increased oil prices, Americans are again experiencing pain at the pump. In 2009 the average price per barrel of crude oil was $53.48. In 2010 a barrel of crude averaged $71.21. Already in 2011 a barrel of crude oil has cost $108.00, prompting many economic analysts to project a summer spike of $150.00 per barrel. Many believe the cost per gallon of gasoline will soon surpass the $5.00 mark.

While the world is struggling to remedy its global financial crisis, Mideast unrest is threatening to turn world economies into a tailspin. Liberal pundits believe the protest will result in Arab democracies popping up in the affected areas; however the irony is that all of these populations surface in the end time war prophecies of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38. Therefore, we can logically conclude that when the Mideast dust settles, the Israeli war prophecies will begin.

I’m watching for the fulfillment of Psalm 83 first followed shortly thereafter by the Ezekiel 38 invasion. Both of these prophecies could occur between now and anytime real soon and likely during this present generation.