Jesus Alone

August 9

Many adherents of the religion/world view of Islam believe that upheaval, world strife and war are a necessity if their Twelfth Mahdi is to manifest himself on earth. Generating the conditions required for the appearance of the one they believe will usher in the great caliphate where Islam is the only religion on earth and all people are believers, is their responsibility.

Understanding this foundational belief gives great insight into the bellicose actions we see on the part of leaders of ‘rogue states.’ In their minds, they are not corrupt, evil, bellicose men, they are the instruments of Allah in ushering in his will. And the whole world suffers because of this deception that the enemy of men and of the One True and Living God has perpetrated in the spirits and minds of those who espouse this concept.

Yet we who believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of the Holy One who inhabits eternity, realize that HE is still in control; nothing happens without His knowledge or His permission. Just as Pharaoh breathed out threatenings against the children of Israel (see Exodus), but was ultimately an instrument in God’s hand, so those who rattle their atomic sabers today must bow before His unfathomable power. Does our great God of love desire war?

No, but man’s hardened heart demands that end times events play out until, “God makes known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Christ to put into effect when the times shall have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and earth—together under the headship of Christ,” Ephesians 1:9, 10. When the wrath of man has spent itself and the evil schemes of the wicked one have been brought to nothing, JESUS ALONE WILL REIGN!