Iran leaders pave way for messianic 'Mahdi'

[Mark]

Inetresting to see that Ahamdinejad is now saying that the mahdi will return withe Jesus - he's some deceiver!

Well, for one, this is nothing new, and besides, it isn't just Ahmadinejad saying it.  It's not even exclusive to Shiites.  It's been a Muslim belief for a while now, actually.  I don't know how widespread this belief is, but my understanding is that it's actually quite common.  I look at this description and see a picture of the Antichrist and his false prophet.  This doesn't mean that the Antichrist can't be European or even come from the Roman Catholic Church.  It simply means that the Muslims will identify him as the Mahdi.

After the destruction of Isalm [possibly very soon, see Psa 83] and a possible major conflict, [WW3? like many American hawks are wanting], then there will be a call [from the Club of Rome at least] for a one world government.

Speaking as an American hawk, born and raised, I never met anyone who wanted World War Three.  However, the real argument is whether or not we have a choice.  If Iran gets nukes, then Iran might very well use them, even without provokation.  That would be your major conflict, even if we do nothing.  The only question is how to stop it, though it's probably already too late.

  The east is not ready for that yet but the revived RE is a likelhood. 

Is the European Union already a revival of the Roman Empire?

Well, if this character in Iran declares that anyone in particular is the Mahdi, then I'd suggest we keep an eye on the man, because if their prophecy ever gets fulfilled, even self-fulfilled, then we could be looking at the Antichrist.

[Mark]

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1254393087547&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

"Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was born Jewish and converted to Islam, according to a report in London's Daily Telegraph."

Apparently Ahmadinejad is of Jewish descent.  It reminds me of Daniel 11:

37 He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all. 38 But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. 39 Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.

This is not to say that the president of Iran is the antichrist, but "God of his fathers" has generally been a term referring to the God of the Israelites.  Many who read this verse have suggested that the Antichrist would be an apostate Jew.  This does, of course, beg the question as to what an apostate Jew is, because they have largely rejected the Son of God, anyway.

[grahamps23]

The old Roman Empire was far greater territorially than Europe is now; it extended over most of what we now call the Middle East and North Africa, but the main reason for a revival of that empire not taking place now, is that it is in relation to Israel as a 'religious' nation, not a secular one as it is now.
When the 'prophetic clock' of Dan 9 restarts many situations have to be in place, this the reason for the overlap.  I don't see the mahdi as antichrist; it more likely mahdi will rise before the end of this dispensation and Islam will cease, leaving the stage for the old conflict to be settled properly, Ishmael and Isaac - Arab and Israel.  We forget that Islam is the very new kid on the block. 
However, it might happen that we could see this revived empire in its infancy as there is usually a phonemum called 'dispensational overlap', when things start up in one age which properly belong to the next dispensation.  We can't be sure about these things but it is fascinating to see scripture being fulfilled in the church age, ready for the next.
I knew that the mahdi concept is not a new, the Sunny in Saudi were looking for him 25 years ago; but I have never heard of the link between the mahdi and Jesus before!  The contrast could not be greater!
Blessings - Graham

[Mark]

Daniel 11, in particular, identifies the war between the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires.  This chapter was not written in regard to Rome.  Almost all of the prophecy has already been fulfilled, but if what has not yet been fulfilled is understood as a continuation of what has been fulfilled, then the meaning is fairly clear, that the king of the north is either from Persia (Iran), Turkey, Syria or Lebanon.  I had thought that Daniel 11:2 identified that king as Persian, but I realize that this is not necessarily true.

While the Roman connection can clearly be seen in the Beast from the Sea (Revelation 13:1-10), the Beast from the Earth (Rev. 13:11-18) bears the horns of a ram, which links it to the ram from Daniel 8.  Therefore, the Beast from the Earth is, in fact, Persian (Iranian), which makes it a very likely candidate as Daniel's evil King of the North, from Chapter 11. 

Put it all together, and we have an Iranian leader, an apostate Jew, whose purpose in prophecy is to glorify the Antichrist and help usher him (her?) into power.  In reality, we have an apostate Jew, named Ahmadinejad,  who rules Iran, and who seeks to usher in the coming super-leader, called the Mahdi.

Why am I stubborn on this part?  It is because I made the connection before Ahmadinejad came into power, before I had known of the Mahdi.  I had characterized a future Iranian leader based on Biblical prophecy, during a time when there was no indication that such a thing could be true...

and then it came true.

Ahmadinejad may not be that Beast from the Earth, but, like I say, if he ever names the Mahdi, then we had better take him seriously.

[Steph]

Hi Mark 
I have also been following the recent news articles stating the Jewish roots of Ahmadinejad with great interest. We will have to keep watching it unfold whatever there is to unfold.  Phew!

[Mark]

http://www.almanar.com.lb/newsSite/NewsDetails.aspx?id=109241&language=en

Here's a Lebanese news link about a statement of praise by the Pope for Iran.

This one's a little old, but it's certainly interesting:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1687445,00.html