| Starting
in the 1980s, a revival of the Islamic religion began to spread
all over the world. People, who in the past were ashamed of
their religion, are taking a new pride in Islam and the
Koran. Sometimes referred to as Islamic fundamentalism,
there has been a return to the
foundations of Islam, and a new seriousness in following the
Koran.
The expansion of Islam has been supported by oil
revenues. The discovery of large reserves of oil in the
Islamic nations and rapid increase in oil prices has vastly
strengthened the power of Islam.
The modern
Islamic revival has touched the whole of the Moslem world. It is
very powerful at a grass roots level, and even secular rulers are
coming under its influence.
Islam is one of the most powerful movements in the world today.
The secular magazine, The Economist recognised Islam as one of
three major cultural movements shaping the modern world (6 Aug
1994).
The vitality of Islam
should be a challenge to Christians. Islam ignores the gap
between a person's inner life and his public actions; between
religion and politics. It relates morality to day-to-day
life. It denies the western idea that religion is a personal
thing, which should be kept separate from the rest of
life. Christianity is also a faith, which should
impact the whole of life. When we see the vitality and
influence of Islam, we should be embarrassed by the way the
influence of Christianity has been pushed out of public life
into our private lives.
The
first horseman of Revelation represents the advance of Islam that
started in the 1980s and is still continuing. As the first seal is
opened a white horse rides forth.
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of
the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like
thunder, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held
a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest. Rev
6:1,2
There is considerable debate about the
white horse. Some commentators see it as a picture of Jesus Christ, and the victories of
the gospel. In Revelation 19:11 Jesus is pictured as riding on a white horse, so there is
some justification for this view. The problem is that this horseman is armed with a bow,
and there is no other place in the prophetic books where the Messiah is pictured as being
armed with a bow. Bowmen are usually the enemies of God (Ps 46:9).
The rider on the white horse probably
represents a false messiah or a false religion. He looks like Jesus and could be mistaken
for him,
but the bow is a
sign that he is the enemy of God.
In the Old Testament a number of nations are referred to as bowmen. In Jeremiah
49:34-39
the nation of Elam is described as being armed with a bow (c.f. Is 22:6). Elam was
situated in the western part of modern Iran. The Persian army which came from the same
area is also described as being armed with bows (Jeremiah 50:14,29,42).
There are bowmen in Arabia (Is 21:13-16).
The people of
Libya are also described as bowmen (Isaiah 66:19). In fact the Hebrew word for Libya,
"Put", could come from an Egyptian word meaning bowman. In Jeremiah 46:9, men of
Lydia are said to be bowmen. Lydia was situated in modern Turkey. Iran,
Saudi Arabia,
Libya and Turkey
are all countries in which the religion of Islam is strong. Iran and Libya
were
the leaders in the Islamic renaissance which is taking place throughout the world.
A
bowman on a white horse is
a good description of the Islamic
religion. Mohammed was a false prophet who claimed to be a successor
to Jesus. Islam has certainly been conquering in recent times. The modern Islamic revival has
touched the whole of the Moslem world. It is very powerful at a grass roots
level and
even secular rulers are coming under its influence.
Zechariah saw the white horse advancing to the west (6:6).
Islam is now expanding rapidly into the west.
Large
numbers of Moslems migrating and settling in Europe. There are now more Moslems in
Britain than there are Baptists. 450 British churches have been
changed into mosques and the largest mosque in the world is in Regent Park. The
historian, Paul Johnson says that Moslems are moving into Spain
and Italy in such numbers that, should present trends continue,
the majority of the population in these traditionally Catholic countries will
be
Moslem sometime during the 21st century.
In Rome there
is a mosque with a minaret taller than the spire of St Peters.
I believe that the first horseman has already ridden forth. He
represents the advance of Islam. |