[Rashputin]

IMHO, Turkey is currently the nation most likely to step into the ME stew, make a treaty to defend Israel against anyone who attacks it, and rise dramatically in international importance when they actually do defend Israel in some conflict against Islamic attackers. Since the Eastern Roman Empire lasted a thousand years past the Western half and since Istanbul was built on seven hills, there you have it, a neat fit with the usual stuff people say about Rome. Turkey could easily become the head of the Islamic world the same as it was up until the Caliphate collapsed. Some folks think Iran will, but they'll be smashed either by internal forces or by the usual inability of totalitarian revolutions to outlast the first crop of young radicals who help build it. Not the ones who first rule, mind you, but the ones who are in line right behind them.

Now, playing games with "when", that means 1979 for Iran then add seventy years, and you have Iran as toast around 2049 no matter what happens. That's also about a lifespan past when Arafat dedicated himself to Islamic Revolution rather than Marxist Revolution. IOW, right after he returned to the fold of faithful Moon God worshipers making it impossible for anyone other than Islamic Radicals to get popular support and survive. In addition, 1979 is the year when the generals in Turkey first decided that a coup was required and began deciding when to act. In 1980 they staged a coup, had a new constitution drawn up around 1982, and in doing so created the Turkey we all deal with these day. So, 1979 is a critical and Bada Bing, Bada Boom, you have a whole new time-line to market. The beauty of it is that you need only minor changes to the way people currently interpret the better known Scripture passages and you can make it all fit. Just think what a great mew mix you can come up with if you spend a few weeks on it?

Personally I think there are an endless number of ways you can play games with Scripture and events to come up with your own interpretation of prophecy. I think Shoebat is right about the Antichrist rising out of Islam because it fits all the criteria of being anti-Christ and is clearly anti-Christian. Beyond that, I don't care about End Times theories, particularly those that include "The Bestselling Rapture Doctrine" as one of the hooks to sell books.

A friend gave me a book by Shoebat because he says many of the same things I've said over the years when I would criticize popular prophecy theories. Otherwise, I wouldn't know who he is. What he has to say makes at least as much sense as the more popular and more widely accepted interpretations and in my opinion is more solidly grounded in history. There are a lot more important things to focus on than prophecy, though. First and foremost accepting that Christ is your only way to Salvation, then making sure you're carrying your cross and following Him.

But that's all just my opinion and everyone has an opinion. Especially those folks who insist that individual revelation ended with the Apostles but make a very comfortable living by marketing and selling their opinions as if they're individual revelation that allows them to interpret His Word better than anyone else can.

Regards

[ScubieNuc]

There are a lot more important things to focus on than prophecy, though. First and foremost accepting that Christ is your only way to Salvation, then making sure you're carrying your cross and following Him.

For the most part, I agree with you here. Knowing and understanding what prophecies there are and what is to come is important. I think it's important in giving us who are saved, assurance that regardless of what calamities are happening in the world, in the end, God prevails.

With the understanding that all is ultimately in God's hands and control, that should help us to "go into all the world and preach the gospel".

I recognize that there is a danger to get trapped into closing oneself off from the world, waiting and hoping for God to punish the evil, and trying to justify it all as "end times study". That is not my goal. Like with everything else, God seeks for us to have balance. Studying prophesy can be done with balance.

I also think ignoring prophesy because it is hard or associated with "lunatics" is also bad, though.