Click here for a .pdf file with all of the original formatting.

ISIS vss Christianity from a Secular Point of View

Mt. 24:23 - 25  "Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. 24"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25"Behold, I have told you in advance.

Even though our text this morning comes from the book of Matthew, I want to take a break this morning from our weekly verse by verse walk through Matthew's gospel and take a look at the phenomenon that is playing out in front of our eyes, in the Middle East.

We're seeing spectacles on TV that look like a cross between a horror movie and how we might perceive a medieval battle. Things so shocking that the news anchor describes what he's seeing but doesn't show us the video.

A man in a cage is doused with flammable liquid and set on fire. Alive. Then the charred black remains are crushed under boulders, while the onlooking people are shouting in a frenzy that looks satanic to us. It's so debased it makes us feel ill. Eventually we see a single still photo, a frame capture, of the man in flames. The video is too much.

Is this the same planet we're living on? Really?

Twenty-one christians in orange jump suits in a line with 21 men in black garments, their faces covered in black birka's. They slit the throats of the christians. What was their crime? They were christians. Jews would have done just as well, but the christian thing shocks the press and causes slightly more outrage.

Obviously, the rules of engagement of modern warfare have been breached. Civilized warfare has become passe. Something to laugh at. Already considered a relic of a time now past.

So, how did we get from Roberts rules of order amongst civilized gentlemen, to a pack of thugs who strain to out-do each other in their degradation.

It's because civilization grew out of the revealed truth that God gave first to the Jews, and then to the christians. Judeo-Christian ethic. Western Civilization. Abandon that, and we're shocked how quickly the vacuum was filled with an ethic of violence and death. How quickly? I'm 60. It happened in my lifetime.

Civilization. Western civilization came from the Jews and the Christians. Now those 2 groups are at the very top of the list of folks who will get their throats slit first.

And it's happening in the name of God. Not our God. Not the God of peace, but a counterfeit god.

The old "west" of so-called western civilization is gone. Europe and America, once steeped in the traditions of judeo-christian belief became a vacuum to higher learning and rationalism, and finally replaced with a secularism that has no category for the religious terror that was once held in balance by christian principals.

Secularism is as hostile in thought to christians and jews as radical islam is in deed. Neither group has anything but loathing for christians and jews.

Turn with me to Revelation 6. The four horsemen of the apocalypse.

The First Seal—Rider on White Horse

1Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.” 2 I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

The Second Seal—War

3When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.” 4And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

The Third Seal—Famine

5When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.” I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. 6And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

The Fourth Seal—Death

7When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.” 8 I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.

We're at the tip of this iceburg. A fourth of the worlds population will die.

So, I set myself to study and try to understand what is happening, because I'm always looking for mile markers on this biblical path. What's going on?

And the answers are both fascinating, and chilling.

This group called ISIS has published lots of information about who they are, and what their ultimate goals are, available for anyone that's listening.

The name is mis-leading. Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. ISIS. But when you begin to understand who these folks are, you learn that their state has no boundaries.

Allah owns it all. The whole earth. And their job is not to live in boundaries, like Iraq and Syriah, but to go and take back, by force, the whole world.

That's why when Abl-bakr al-Baghdadi was walking away from the concentration camp Bucca in Iraq, he jeered at some american soldiers; "I'll see you guys in New York"

In the world of Islam, you need to have a sort of aligning of the planets. Because Islam is an order more than a religion. It is a kingdom, rather like what Jesus came offering. It is an authority to reign.

So, in order for it to be meaningful, true Islam that goes back to the roots of the prophet, Mohammed, must have several things in order to exist.

It must have real estate. Something Osama bin Laden did not have. It must have an all powerful ruler, a Caliph at the helm, and he must be from a certain tribal family, and Sharia, the law must rule everything.

That hasn't come together for a thousand years. Even the Ottoman empire couldn't claim the correct lineage.

So, what has happened in Syria and Iraq is that a vacuum was opened up and an Imam with all the correct credentials has contolled enough real estate and enough people that he has declared himself the Caliph, and a Caliphate has begun.

Absolute religious rule by Sharia law with holy war to gain more real estate until the whole earth is covered, is the only option.

Abu-bakr al-Baghdadi is the Caliph. Caliph means successor. It means he's the successor to Mohammed and has all the power and authority that Mohammed weilded. Similar in idea I suppose to the Catholic Pope.

He declared Caliphate in June or July of last year. He is, therefore, not only the commander of all Muslims, he is the executioner of all infidels and apostates.

So, here are your choices. You can declare bay'ah which is your pledge of allegiance to the Caliph and all the Caliphate stands for, or you can be an infidel and have your throat slit. Or worse.

We have In God We Trust printed on our coins and have ignored it for generations. On their coins and propoganda and billboards, everywhere you look, they have something called "the prophetic methodology".

In our vernacular, that becomes, not what would Jesus do, but What Would Mohammed Do. And their clerics are searching their scriptures daily to see what that is.

Trouble is, Mohammed, unlike Jesus, was messy. So, to follow Mohammed means you turn or burn. You kill anyone who isn't under the authority of the Caliph. And there's certain ways that needs to get done. Amputations, beheadings are how Mohammed would do it.

Plan to see crucifixions. That's also in line with WWMD. And slavery. Plan on seeing women and children forced into slavery. That's WWMD.

When it comes to holy war, when you're on the offense, WWMD laughs the modern rules of engagement to scorn. That's infidel stuff. Slit throats. Poison crops. Poison water supplies. Germ warfare. Anything goes, and the nastier you make if for the infidels, the more Allah is pleased.

Since the Caliphate was declared, reports from inside are that the beheadings are daily and on-going. This Caliphate is an authentic throw back to early Islam and is faithfully reproducing it's norms of war. Again, I say, expect to see crucifixions. They have to, in order to be consistent with WWMD and the other early prophets.

What about all the peaceful muslims? The caliphate has already declared them to be apostates and as such, in line for the same tortures and death as us infidels.

Right now, the west takes comfort in numbers. The radical Caliphate driven muslims are relatively small in number. I heard 8 million. While the ordinary peaceful Muslims rank in the billions. But the Caliphate grows exponentially. Like cells reproducing on a cancer. When heads begin to roll, we may see an alarming numbers swap. I'm watchin' this thing like a soap opera.

So, thinking about all these things, one day I got a lawyers tablet and made 2 columns and began to write down all of the parallels with WWMD Islam and Christianity. And I wanted to do that with a certain slant. So listen up.

How would Joe BagoDonut's, a completely secular man, a practical atheist whether he knows it or not, just a modern secular learned educated person. Let's say he's a college prophessor, or a congressman, but modern, secular.
How would he view the parallels of Biblical Christianity, and WWMD Islam.

And the reason I'm going here is because, to that person, we are in their minds, going down the same scary road as the WWMD Islam guy is. This is fascinating.

So I started listing things. Here we go;

1. Ancient book. Christians; yes. Muslims; yes.

2. The ancient book has authority over the lives of men. How they must live. Yes, and yes. Whether it seems reasonable to modern reason or not. Authoritative doctrine that must be obeyed.

3. That authority trumps local governance where that governance is in conflict with the book. And here, we have our first departure. Remember now, this is JBOD perspective looking at both groups.

The christian ancient book tells it's adherents to submit to governments. They are put in place by God to protect the good of all. You are required to obey the government. Until that government crosses a line and starts requiring you to do and observe things that break God's moral law.

The radical Islam ancient book says you are basically at war with any other government on earth that is not Sharia under a Caliphate. All governments on earth can not be recognised. Only Sharia law exercised by the Caliph is a legitimate government. They are immediately and unequivocally at war with every other government.

4. Modern secularism and Biblical Christianity are mutually exclusive.
Modern secularism and WWMD Islam are mutually exclusive.

Both groups will tell the modern secularist he's a lost person waiting judgement. Both will tell him he cannot be both secular and either or.

WWMD might bring the very judgement the same day. Biblical christianity says that's God's business, after death. We're happy to share the room in the meantime.

5. Sex outside of the marriage of one woman and one man and being a Biblical christian are mutually exclusive. Period. No exceptions.

Sex outside of the marriage of one woman and one man and being a radical muslim are mutually exclusive. Except for a possible exception. Multiple female wives seem to be possible.

Both groups see sex in any form outside of the bounds of marriage of opposite gender partners as perverse. That includes homosexuality and all it's current derivitaves.

Jihad is a free-for-all. Jihadists can torture their captives in any kind of aberrant sexual conduct imaginable.

6. Martyrdom is possible. Christians are to be faithful to Jesus, even unto death, if necessary.

Moslems are taught that the only insurance of eternal bliss comes from martyrdom. Get in the front line and die for the cause. It's a free pass to heaven. It's the only sure way to get there. Throw in some black haired virgins to have eternal sex with, and this gets pretty attractive to the average 19 year old muslim that has about the same chance of a normal love life as a telephone pole.

7. Sky God. Remember now, we're considering these parallels as a secularist. This seems to be the worlds source of non stop trouble. The Sky God. If we could get rid of christians and muslims, we'd all be singing Don't worry, Be happy with Bob Marley. We believe in a sky God.

Christians, yes. Moslems, yes.

Our Sky God; He owns the whole earth and everything in it. He'll come again and re-take what is His from the usurper, Satan. He'll distribute it to His saints and will reign with them, on earth.

Islam Sky God; He owns the whole earth and everything in it. His people under the authority of the Caliphate will retake it, now, by force. Kill every one who stands in the way.

8. Judgement.

Islam. If you are the enemy of God, you must die. Now. Right now. Being the enemy of Mohammid is the same. Being the enemy of the Caliph is the same. Judgment is now. Not later. Jihad Now.

Christianity. It is appointed unto men once to die, and after this, the judgement.
Vengeance is mine saith the Lord. I will repay.

My responsibility is to warn you. To teach you about God's judgement. Beyond that, I'm just called to love you. Peace Now.

9. World Peace. This one will shock you.
Islam; Yes, when all who oppose are dead. Achieved by armies. Beginning NOW and through the apocalypse. Never attained.

Christianity; Yes, when all who oppose are dead. Achieved by God, through Jesus with the apocalypse. Attained. …Rev. 19:12 - 14  His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses.…R19

10. Eschatology. Future things. Both groups believe their ancient book tells them how things will end. This is where the overlap gets spooky. Weird.

Islam; Caliphate will engage Rome at Dabiq Syriah and crush the roman armies. They will conquer Istanbul and proceed to march throughout the earth. Killing everyone in their path that does not swear all allegiance to Caliph.

Remember what al Baghdadi said; "See you guys in New York" He wasn't being flippant. He believes it.

Here's where my secular point of interest begins to break down. The secular guy is comparing the 2 groups on the basis of general danger and nuisance to secularism.

Both groups seem to offer a challenge and threat to modern erotic liberties, by stupidly adhering to some ancient book that was written by goat herds, and both groups seem prone to be the cause of wars and strife.

So, as secularism strikes back at a more inclusive radical extremism, we can expect to be caught in the cross fire. Oh, and by the way, the Jews are steeped in all of these same things I've listed and even the source of many on the christian side of the radical extremism argument.

To modern secularism we are the collective problem. We, if we adhere to our book, are radical extremists. It's hard for them to make the distinction between grace and no grace. We warn, peaceably. It's God's problem after that. Islam gives you about 5 minutes to join the caliphate and then lops off your head. Secularism doesn't get that.

I want to circle back to where we began, with Jesus words on the evening before His crucifixion. We'll leave the secularists behind now. We've reached their conclusion and I wouldn't expect them to delve any further into the problem.

But when you look at the parallel eschatology of our book, and Islam's book the parallels get frightening. In a spooky-make-your-skin-crawl sort of way.

Both books have the same main actors. The difference would be, if God wrote one of the books, and Satan wrote the other one. Because in one book, the bad actors lose, and in the other, the bad actors win.

So, before we begin, let me re-establish that our book consists of 4 very general sections. Stay with me now. Moses. The Prophets. Jesus. The Apostles.

Are you with me. Now put your thinking caps on. Those 4 sections that comprise most of our book were given with the attestation of miracles. God backed up His revelation, His book by affirming those 4 main categories with attending miracles. Miracles witnessed and affirmed by thousands of witnesses.

These things weren't done in a closet. Two or three witnesses is all that's needed in a courtroom, but God gave His revelation, with the affirmation of miracles, witnessed by thousands, written down for time immemorial, for us.

Islams book is a book on a lower plane. It is confusion. There are no attendant miracles.

I just wanted to begin there, because the eschatology is similar enough that you really need to pick one. Satan's book. Or God's book. It seems like a no-brainer to me, but tell that to 1.2 billion muslims.

The Muslims, now that they have some real estate, and a Caliph are looking for someone they call the Mahdi.

The Mahdi is similar in every way to who the jews would call messiah. He's going to lead his people, the muslims in a worldwide kingdom. The whole world will fall under the rule and control of one person, the Mahdi.

And the Mahdi has a right hand man, a second person in control, and guess who that is. Jesus. Jesus, son of Mary is second in command to the Mahdi. He never died. The whole cross and resurrection thing was made up by his mis-led followers.

He was taken to heaven, bodily, having never died, and lives still, to return to some mosque in Syria where he's going to join with the Mahdi in ruling the earth.

And guess what else. These 2 men can do miracles. They're going to be established by miracles.

OK, full circle, back to where we began. Listen to the words of Jesus to his Holy Apostles on the night before He was crucified.

23"Then if anyone says to you, 'Behold, here is the Christ,' or 'There He is,' do not believe him. 24"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. 25"Behold, I have told you in advance.

Now listen, because I'm going to say something important and controversial.

Biblically, this is the next incidence of miracles after the cessation of the miracles done by the apostles that established the church and the New Testament. X2

I'm going to say it again. Miracles ceased at the close of the apostolic era. We have many references by 2nd generation church fathers all the way through the dark ages forward that affirm that miracles ceased.

I am a cessationist. In a 1900 year unbroken line of cessationists. It's the same lineage that the church has recognized as sound doctrine.

The reason is because, the next generation of miracles found in the Word of God, is what Jesus refers to here.

The Mahdi, and the phony Jesus that supposedly returns from heaven will both, I believe, be able to fool the onlooking public, with miracles. great signs and wonders!! Not the phony leg gets lengthened, lower back pain fixed kind. This is all part of God's plan.

He sends a God-Man, who does miracles, even the miracle of resurrection from the dead, who tells us ahead of time about what's going to happen at the end. False prophets and false Christs will perform miracles, and the entire earth, including if it was possible, even the elect, will be mesmerized and fooled into believing the lies. That's how strong the delusion is. Not a few. Everybody. And the miracles are the key.

Do you see how dangerous it is for so-called christians to be dabbling in so-called miracles today. We're unwittingly, I believe, paving the way for Anti-Christ to come on the scene, with no less than Jesus, and the proof is going to be miracles. Hello church? Anybody home?

Listen to Revelation 13:3 - 5
3 I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed. And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast; 4they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?" 5There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.…

A fatal wound healed.
The whole earth amazed.
They follow the beast.
He gets his authority from Satan.
They worship the beast.
"Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?"

Do you see why I'm watching this stuff. Daily. Like a soap opera.

Shame on me. I should be going door to door warning people.

It's hard to warn secular people. Our stuff sounds nuttier than their stuff, but guess what. It's playing out on a grand stage right in front of us on TV every day.

ON Feb. 21st I typed into Google; "has ISIS performed a crucifixion yet?"
This article from Reuters News Service dated February 4th came up.

ISIS Reportedly Crucified, Buried Children Alive In Iraq: UN

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Islamic State militants are selling abducted Iraqi children at markets as sex slaves, and killing other youth, including by crucifixion or burying them alive, a United Nations watchdog said on Wednesday.

Iraqi boys aged under 18 are increasingly being used by the militant group as suicide bombers, bomb makers, informants or human shields to protect facilities against U.S.-led air strikes, the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child said.

"We are really deeply concerned at torture and murder of those children, especially those belonging to minorities, but not only from minorities," committee expert Renate Winter told a news briefing. "The scope of the problem is huge."

Children from the Yazidi sect or Christian communities, but also Shi'ites and Sunnis, have been victims, she said.

"We have had reports of children, especially children who are mentally challenged, who have been used as suicide bombers, most probably without them even understanding," Winter told Reuters. "There was a video placed (online) that showed children at a very young age, approximately eight years of age and younger, to be trained already to become child soldiers."

Islamic State is a breakaway al Qaeda group that declared an Islamic caliphate across parts of Syria and Iraq last summer. It has killed thousands and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes, in what the United Nations has called a reign of terror.

On Tuesday, the group, which is also known as ISIL, released a video showing a captured Jordanian pilot being burned alive.

The U.N. body, which reviewed Iraq's record for the first time since 1998, denounced "the systematic killing of children belonging to religious and ethnic minorities by the so-called ISIL, including several cases of mass executions of boys, (now why do you think they would execute boys, and not girls?) as well as reports of beheadings, crucifixions of children and burying children alive."

A large number of children have been killed or badly wounded during air strikes or shelling by Iraqi security forces, while others had died of "dehydration, starvation and heat," it said.

ISIL has committed "systematic sexual violence," including "the abduction and sexual enslavement of children," it said. (WWMD)

"Children of minorities have been captured in many places... sold in the market place with tags, price tags on them, they have been sold as slaves," Winter said, giving no details.

The 18 independent experts who worked on the report called on Iraqi authorities to take all necessary measures to "rescue children" under the control of Islamic State and to prosecute perpetrators of crimes.

"There is a duty of a state to protect all its children. The point is just how are they going to do that in such a situation?", Winter said. " end quote

I got a double hit there. I said expect to see slavery and crucifixion. It's already happening.

I believe this is the tip of the iceburg. This is Satan and he's coming on strong. Hitler's going to look like childs play compared to WWMD.

And he who restrains is still present. What do you think this is going to look like when the real church is taken up and Satan is given a full green light?