Protests Increase in Egypt and Elsewhere in the Middle East

جامعة الدول العربية
Jāmaʻat ad-Duwwal al-ʻArabiyya Arab League Flag

More in the Middle East are protesting:

Violent protests escalate outside Egypt’s capital

USA Today – ‎1/27/11

CAIRO (AP) – Violence escalated in two cites outside the capital Cairo Thursday where anti-government protesters torched a fire station and looted weapons that they then turned on police.

Yemenis take to the streets calling for President Saleh to step down

The Guardian – Tom Finn, Shatha al-Harazi – ‎‎1/27/11

Thousands of people took to the streets of Sana’a today, calling for an end to the reign of President Ali Abdullah Saleh in some of the biggest anti-government rallies Yemen has seen for a decade.

.

Jordan king urges speedy reforms ahead of planned Friday protests 1/27/2011

.

Protests in Tunisia, foreign minister resigns 1/27/2011

Sunnis riot to protest Lebanon’s new leader 01/25/2011

Things seem to be heating up in the Middle East.

I reported last week that the chief of the Arab League indicated that he believes that some type of stronger military alliance within the Arab League needs to happen. And historically, this would involve some type of “strong man” leader rising up.

I have mentioned before that certain Muslims are looking for the arrival of the Imam Mahdi, who seems to be the same person as the final King of the South. Notice what the old WCG wrote about this:

But who is the “king of the south”?…in verse 40 we skip to “the time of the end”…The verse undoubtedly found partial fulfillment in the offensive of 1896…But Mussolini did not finish the prophecy…Just as there is yet to be a final “king of the north”…there may very well emerge in the same manner a final “king of the south”–an overall leader of an Arab-Moslem confederation, possibly bearing the very title Mahdi…a prophetic psalm (Psalm 83) provides additional insight into the Mideast picture. Germany (Assyria in Bible prophecy) and perhaps the rest of Europe will be in league in the future with a union of Arab nations…But in the end, this European-Arab alliance will prove short-lived…And the king of the north shall come against him [the king of the south]…The Arab-Moslem Confederation will, of course, be thrown into chaotic disarray in the fact of invasion. (Stump K. The Arab World in Prophecy. Plain Truth, December 1979, pp. 11-12).

(Note: There is actually a Shiite prophecy that some believe points to Barack Obama as one who will help the final “Mahdi” (Arabic for “the guided one”), please see Obama in Islamic Prophecy?,Prophecies of Barack Obama?, and The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy.) This leader is sometimes also called the Imam Mahdi or the thirteenth Imam by Muslims.

In the Plain Truth of December 1980–the year that HWA often claimed he now had the Church back on track–another article states:

Bible prophecy reveals the coming emergence of an Arab-Moslem confederation in the Middle East. It is referred to in prophecy as the ‘king of the south’ (Daniel 11:40). This confederation will play a crucial role in end-time events (Stump, K. Plain Truth. December 1980, p.26).

A related Plain Truth article states:

Bible prophecy reveals the coming emergence of an Arab-Moslem confederation in the Middle East. It is referred to in prophecy as “the king of the south” (Dan. 11:40). This confederation will play a crucial role in end-time events. (Stump K. Seeing the World Through Islamic Eyes. Plain Truth, June 1983, p.44).

These quotes make it clear that WCG’s written position was that there would be a future King of the South–an Arabic-Islamic confederation. And that the “Mahdi” may be the King of the South.

Jesus warned that there would be “troubles” prior the start of the Great Tribulation (Mark 13:8).

While it may take a war in the Middle East for the final King of the South to rise up, civil unrest, riots, demonstrations, and protests may also be involved. Things are changing in the Arab world. And events are lining up for the King of the South/Imam Mahdi to arise.

Three articles of possibly related interest may include:

The Arab World In the Bible, History, and Prophecy The Bible discusses the origins of the Arab world and discusses the Middle East in prophecy. What is ahead for the Middle East and those who follow Islam?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?
Africa: Its Biblical Past and Prophesied Future What does the Bible teach about Africa and its future? Did the early Church reach Africa? Will God call all the Africans?