Black Banners Rising Series

ISIS: What You Need To Know Series

Black Banners Rising (3 of 3)

April 26, 2015 CFBC Chester, IL Dr. Mike Fogerson, Speaker

Introduction:

A In Scripture we have seen that in the Last Days there will be a rising of the “Kings of the East” that will assemble against Israel.

1 13 And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; Revelation 16:13 (NASB)

1 Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD gave them into the hands of Midian seven years. 2 The power of Midian prevailed against Israel. Because of Midian the sons of Israel made for themselves the dens which were in the mountains and the caves and the strongholds. 3 For it was when Israel had sown, that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the sons of the east and go against them. Judges 6:1-3 (NASB)

a The “people from east” in the past were able to harass and overpower God’s people because Ancient Israel did “evil in the sight of the Lord.”

aa When a people break covenant with God, He hides his face from them, removes the hedge of protection, covering of blessing . . . allowing another presence to move in/lord over His people.

bb In Judges 6, this invading Arab coalition was allowed to oppress Israel for 7 years, devouring their crops/stealing their livelihood.

cc Judges 7.12 compares the invading armies as locusts; locusts consume the land and everything there in.

12 Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. Judges 7:12 (NASB)

b In the Exodus account (Ex. 10.13) of the locusts devouring Egypt’s crops came from a very distinct direction; “So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD directed an east wind on the land all that day and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.” A wind coming from Saudi Arabia brings destruction upon a nation.

aa East of Israel are the nations of Saudi Arabia & Iraq, the direction that the wind blew to bring this assault.

bb It is from this same area that today we are seeing an incredible amount of distressing and destructive news coming from in ways of beheading, crucifixions, raping, & cruelty that hasn’t been seen since the 7th century.

c When we couple all the information we’ve learned in the last two weeks about ISIS with the information we find in Revelation 9 (cf. Rev. 9.1-11) describing locust-like creatures (Rev. 9.3,4) that harass and sting men for five-months and whose “king” is called Abaddon (Rev. 9.11) (or Destroyer) it seems possible that there is connection to the “people of the east” and Revelation’s “Kings of the east.”

3 Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. 4 They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Revelation 9:3-4 (NASB)

11 They have as king over them, the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek he has the name Apollyon. Revelation 9:11 (NASB)

aa If there is still doubt, consider what happens at the conclusion at the battle between Gideon’s 300 and the battle against the people of the east . . . “So Gideon arose and killed Zebah and Zalmunna, and took the crescent ornaments that were on their camel’s necks.”-Judges 8.21 (NASB).

bb It seems plausible that what we forming in the Middle East today is the embryonic stages of the coalition that Scripture calls “the kings from the east”; Syria, Iraq, and other nations being gobbled up by the ISIS system.

cc When this coalition becomes a reality, it will be presided over by none other than the Antichrist, a person who seeks to steal, kill and destroy anything & everyone associated with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

B ISIS is growing and taking shape in the heart of the ancient kingdom of Babylon, the kingdom described by Daniel & John the Revelator.

1 These prophets describe this future Beast as being terrifying, dreadful and having “iron teeth” with which it devours and breaks everything it encounters.

a 7 "After this I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrifying and extremely strong; and it had large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed and trampled down the remainder with its feet; and it was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. Daniel 7:7 (NASB)