By Jack Kinsella -
Omega Letter Editor In November, Iranian president Ahmed Ahmadinejad startled the world when he announced that felt 'the hand of Allah' entrancing world leaders as he delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly last September.
According to Ahmadinejad, during his UN address, he suddenly felt himself surrounded by light. It wasn't the stage lighting, he said -- it was light from heaven. Ahmadinejad related his otherworldly experience in a videotaped meeting with a prominent ayatollah in Tehran.
(A transcript of his comments and sections of the videotape wound up on a hardline, pro-regime internet site, baztab.com.)
According to the transcript, Ahmadinejad said a member of his entourage at the UN meeting first told him of the light. "When you began with the words 'In the name of God', I saw a light coming, surrounding you and protecting you to the end (of the speech)," the member said.
Ahmadinejad confirmed sensing a similar presence. "I felt it myself, too, that suddenly the atmosphere changed and for 27-28 minutes the leaders could not blink ... They had their eyes and ears open for the message from the Islamic Republic," he told Ayatollah Javadi-Amoli.
Ahmadinejad's "vision" at the UN could be dismissed as political posturing if it weren't for a string of similar statements and actions that suggest he believes he is destined to bring about the "End Times" -- the end of the world -- by paving the way for the return of the Shia Muslim messiah.
In a November 16 speech in Tehran to senior clerics who had come from all over Iran to hear him, the new President said the main mission of his Government was to "pave the path for the glorious reappearance of Imam Mahdi (may God hasten his reappearance)".
The mystical 12th Imam of Shia Islam disappeared as a child in 941AD, and Shia Muslims have awaited his reappearance ever since, believing that when he returns, he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about the Last Judgment and the end of the world.
In order to prepare for the Mahdi, Ahmadinejad said, "Iran should turn into a mighty, advanced, and model Islamic society". Iranians should "refrain from leaning toward any Western school of thought" and abstain from "luxurious lives" and other excesses.
Scared yet? It gets worse. Ahmadinejad is rumored to have ordered his cabinet to sign a loyalty pact with the 12th Imam and throw it down a well near the holy city of Qom, (where they believe the imam is hiding).
In a December article called "Waiting for the Rapture in Iran," the Christian Science Monitor's Scott Peterson wrote that Ahmadinejad has earmarked $17 million for the Jamkaran mosque, supposedly built on the Mahdi's orders.
"Officials deny rumors," Peterson said, that when Ahmadinejad was mayor of Tehran, he "secretly tasked the city council... to prepare a suitable route for the Mahdi's return."
That the leader of Iran believes that these are the last days is one thing -- for him to base national nuclear policy on that belief is another. Ahmadinejad not only believes the 12 Iman's appearance is imminent, he believes that it is his mission to bring about the apocalypse in order to force his early return.
Most pagan religions share a vision of a coming apocalypse with Christianity. The Buddhists are awaiting the appearance of the 'Lord' Matreya.
The Hindus await the 'natural ending of the world' during the 'Kali' Age. Note the similarities between the Hindu description of the Kali Age and the Apostle Paul's description of end-times society.
"All kings occupying the earth in the Kali Age will be wanting in tranquillity, strong in anger, taking pleasure at all times in lying and dishonesty, inflicting death on women, children, and cows, prone to take the paltry possessions of others, with character that is mostly vial, rising to power and soon falling. They will be short-lived, ambitious, of little virtue, and greedy. People will follow the customs of others and be adulterated with them; peculiar, undisciplined barbarians will be vigorously supported by rulers. Because they go on living with perversion, they will be ruined." - Upanishad
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away." (2nd Timothy 3:1-5)
In Israel, Jews are preparing for the coming of the Jewish Messiah. Secular Israelis call it 'Messianic fever' but the so-called 'fever' is mainstream enough for Israel to reconsititute its Sanhedrin after a 1600-year absence. (Only the Sanhedrin can officially announce the Messiah's return)
The 'end of the world' is a recurring them throughout the world's religions, including Baha'i, the New Age, Omega, 2012 Unlimited, Hale-Bopp, the Raelians, and so on.
In addition, there are secular think-tanks like the "Millennium Institute" which claims to take a 'holistic' approach to the coming apocalypse. The Millennium Institute is an NGO, or "non-governmental organization" with Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.
Among the MI's clients are; General Motors Corporation, Action Aid, World Bank, UN Development Program, The Carter Center, developing country governments, and so on.
Visions of the apocalypse are also becoming part of American pop culture. ABC has two new end-of-the-world-themed programs for this season. On the CBS docket, the post-apocalyptic programs are called “Four Horsemen” (a plague drama) and “Jerico” (life in a small town after America is destroyed).
Hollyweird is also concerned about the end. Consider some of the following movies: The Matrix, End of Days, Dark City, Armageddon, Deep Impact, the Postman, Contact, The Fifth Element, Jerusalem, The Stand, The Day After . . . it is a long list. These are just a few.
The expectation of a coming apocalypse is deeply ingrained in the human psyche; it isn't merely religious, although most religions have some expectation of it. It isn't merely cultural, although most cultures are looking for some kind of world-ending cataclysm.
It isn't merely scientific, although most scientists agree that the world faces existential threats from pollution, global warming, an expanding or contracting universe, solar flares, meteor strikes and the like.
More importantly, it is unique to this generation. Previous generations, particularly in the religious world, expected the world to end 'someday'.
In this generation, it seems everybody is looking for some kind of messiah, whether it is Jesus, the 12th iman, Matreya, the Jewish Messiah, the Kali Age, or Arnold Schwartzeneggar doing direct combat with the antichrist, or Hollyweird's obsession with 666.
In Romans 1, the Apostle Paul writes of a universal "God-conscience" shared by all humanity.
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:" (Romans 1:18-20)
The point is this. All humanity, whether it wants to admit it or not, knows instinctively that God exists. They know instinctively of sin and righteousness, and they know instinctively than mankind has fallen short of God's righteousness.
That gives rise to the instinctive knowledge of Divine accountability -- even the lost recognize a world as sin-sick as this one cannot evade judgment much longer -- even as they deny the existence of the One to whom they know mankind is accountable.
"Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things." (Romans 1:22-23)
The whole world knows that Jesus is coming, whether or not they want to admit His identity to themselves. The recognition of a Divine standard of righteousness is universal, as is the universal recognition of mankind's inability to attain it.
Not only that, but the whole world also recognizes that He is coming soon.
"And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?"
This was a fairly direct and specific question, and Jesus' reply was equally direct and specific. He outlined the events that would identify the generation of the end, but notice the very FIRST thing He said in reply:
"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in My Name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." (Matthew 24:3-5)
The Lord IS coming. He is coming soon. The Bible says so.
So do the newspapers.
End article
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Are you ready? Its far past time to put off accepting redemption. Accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour today, dont wait..... Because the days are running out - Rapidly!
He is coming folks, and He is coming very soon!
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