Yesterday a brother in the Lord Jesus sent me a link to a report written from Channel 9 News Online today on March 20th. This report spoke about President Erdogan of Turkey maligning the Australian soldiers who laid down their lives at Gallipoli. This man from Turkey made the following statements; “”We had no issues with you, why did you come all the way over here?” “The only reason – we’re Muslim and they’re Christian.” “Your grandparents came, some of them returned in coffins.” “If you come as well like your grandfathers, be sure that you will be gone like your grandfathers.”
Our PM Scott Morrison replied. He told a Canberra press conference that Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s comments were “highly offensive”. PM Scott Morrison also said; “They insult the memory of our Anzacs and they violate the pledge that is etched in the stone at Gallipoli, of the promise of Ataturk to the mothers of other Anzacs.” “So I understand the deep offence Australians would be feeling about this. It is truly upsetting.” Mr Morrison said he passed on his thoughts “in the strongest possible terms” to the Turkish ambassador.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he summoned Turkey’s ambassador for a meeting, during which he demanded Erdogan’s comments be removed from Turkey’s state broadcaster. “I will wait to see what the response is from the Turkish government before taking further action, but I can tell you that all options are on the table,” Morrison told reporters in Canberra. At Gallipoli over 130,000 Aussies and New Zealanders lost their lives fighting the Ottoman Turks.
I am persuaded that God’s bigger picture was the liberation of Jerusalem from Turkish oppression and paving the way for the Balfour Declaration, a public statement issued by the British government in 1917 during World War I announcing support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Israel, then an Ottoman region with a small minority Jewish population.
Considering the seemingly arrogant comments of President Erdogan towards Aussies and New Zealanders I am reminded of what the prophet Daniel said about the future Antichrist to come. Daniel writes; “This horn (ruler) had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully.”(Daniel 7:8)
When John was writing his letters to the seven Assemblies in the book of revelation these Assemblies were all located in modern day Turkey. This is no accident. The seven Churches not only represent seven literal assemblies that existed in the time of John but prophetically apply to the whole body of the Messiah down through history and especially to the Body of the Messiah, the faithful Assembly (Church) in the last days.
Why would the blessed Holy Spirit instruct John write to the Assemblies in Turkey? I am persuaded it was because the Holy Spirit “who reveals the things to come” was speaking to the reality of the last days when the faithful Christian Church would be faced with the Beast Empire of Islam that would persecute the saints and that the source of this persecution would come from Turkey.
Daniel also writes about this; “As I watched this horn was waging war against the saints and defeating them… He will speak against the Most High and oppress the saints and to try to change the set times and the laws. The saints will be handed over to him for a time, times and half a time” (three and a half years) (Daniel 7:21, 25)
Down through the centuries there have been many antichrists who have persecuted the saints of God, the most known were the Emperors of Imperial Rome and the Popes of Papal Rome. However this man, this “horn” Daniel mentions is prophetically the final Antichrist himself. When John writes to the Assembly at Pergamum he mentions two things about Satan. It is the city “where Satan lives and has his throne.” (Revelation 2:13) Pergamum was the city where Emperor Worship really started in the days of the Ancient Roman Empire.
Also it is interesting that at Pergamum the martyrdom of Antipas is specifically mentioned. Christians are already being persecuted by the beast empire of Islam all over the world today. According to Open Doors research statistics 215 million Christians experience high levels of persecution in the countries on the World Watch List. This represents 1 in 12 Christians worldwide.
This man from Turkey, if he is indeed the Antichrist, will take persecution and anti-Semitism to a new level of intensity and frequency throughout his domain which will be vast, spreading across the whole of the Middle-East, into much of Africa and into parts of Europe.
As the apostle John writes; “And he (the beast empire ruled over by the horn or antichrist) was given a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies, and he was given authority to continue for forty-two months (three and a half years- for a time, times, and half a time). Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them.” (Revelation 13:5-7a)
Having said this we are told what will happen to the Antichrist and to his beast empire, Daniel writes; “I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire; A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him .A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him.
The court was seated, And the books were opened. “I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words which the horn (Antichrist) was speaking; I watched till the beast (Empire) was slain, and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. As for the rest of the beasts (empires), they had their dominion taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.
“I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:9-14)
There is no doubt that Daniel saw a vision of the Lord Jesus in eternity and including His Second Coming. Both Ezekiel and the apostle John had the same vision. (Ezekiel 1:26-28) (Revelation 1:12-18) And again Daniel writes; “I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favour of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:21-22)
Only after the Lord Jesus comes back do the saints inherit the kingdom, not before! Those into Kingdom Dominion, Kingdom Now theology have it wrong! When you consider the seeming arrogance of this man from Turkey it reminds us of Adolph Hitler who was of the same mindset only he envisioned a 1,000 year Reich. In the end Hitler brought fire and death, devastation and destruction upon the German people and himself.
Turkey will also go the same root. There is no doubt that President Erdogan wants a revived Turkish Ottoman Empire that expands the globe and is ruled by Sharia law and by the creed of the Muslim Brotherhood. There is no doubt that Australia and New Zealand would be invaded to get back at them if the man from Turkey could do this.
The day will come when Turkey and its allies will be firebombed by the LORD out of heaven on the mountains of Israel. (Ezekiel 38:22; 39:6) and the man from Turkey and his whole beast empire consigned to the eternal flames. (Revelation 19:20)
Scott Morrison our PM has stood up to President Erdogan and has flexed his muscles against this outburst of Turkish tyranny. New Zealand’s Deputy PM is travelling to Turkey to confront President Erdogan over his comments. Our PM’s stand against this Turkish boasting is reminiscent of the Aussie spirit which saw the Light Horsemen charging the Turkish guns at Beersheba and capturing the water wells there.
Those brave Aussies were the catalyst for the liberation of Jerusalem from Turkish oppression and the demise of the Turkish Ottoman Empire which President Erdogan has not forgotten. Of course the man from Turkey wants to take back Jerusalem for Islam. His seemingly expressed contempt for Australians, for Jews and for Christians is clearly evident.
On that day when the thrones of God’s judgement are set in place this man from Turkey and his henchmen will have no place to hide from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? (Revelation 6:18-17)
By the way when the dust of battle finally settles Jerusalem, Israel and the resurrected and raptured saints will be “the last man standing” and that under the reign of the Messiah! As for the wicked we are told in God’s Word that the memory of the wicked will be blotted out forever! (Psalm 34:16)
As for the man of sin, the Antichrist, we are told in Daniel; “He (The Turkish Antichrist) will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end with no one to help him” (Daniel 11:45)
It is recorded in history that after the Mexicans under the despot General Santa Anna murdered the brave Texans that held the Alamo for 13 days against them, the cry resounded from all Americans at that time “Remember the Alamo!” and with that battle cry on their lips the American forces under General Sam Houston routed the Mexicans in a battle that lasted only 18 minutes! I would like to think that when the British armies under General Allenby liberated Jerusalem from the Ottoman Turks that many Brits as they marched into the city cried out triumphantly “Remember the ANZACS!”
