The Day the Trumpet Sounds!
Bismillah al-Rahman al-Rahim
Assalamu’ aleikum!
In the Injeel, Isa al-Masih tells us He will “come again” to this earth. John 14:28. Are you among the many in Islam who believe the time of His Second Coming is soon? When Isa al-Masih does return, how can we be certain that whom we see and hear is really Isa al-Masih? Could such a glorious event and such a holy Person be counterfeited? Who would try, and why?
The Counterfeits of Iblis…
Remember that Iblis (Satan) has tried to counterfeit everything Allah has done. For example, Taurat Genesis 1:1 says that “in the beginning Allah [God] created the heaven and the earth.” The Honored Qur’an states the same thing: “It is Allah Who has created the heavens and the earth, and all between them, in six Days, and is firmly established on the Throne (of Authority): ye have none, besides Him, to protect or intercede (for you): will ye not then receive admonition?” Sura 32.4 As-Sajda.
Yet we find that many, even among believers, say that this is not so. They have been taught, and now claim, that the earth, mankind, and both land and sea animals have “evolved” over millions or perhaps billions of years to get to the point they are now. To believe that Allah created all things in nature around us within six days is unthinkable for them.
Likewise, Taurat Genesis 1:26 records Allah’s words, “Let us make man in our image….” Yet despite this clear language, many otherwise-intelligent people believe that over a very long period of time, apes gradually developed (“evolved”) into humans. This, too, is a lie of Iblis (Satan). The Word from Allah makes it plain that the first humans were created fully human, even “in the image of God.”
Those who believe these counterfeit teachings have set aside the Word of Allah for the pleasing fable of “evolution.” They have accepted a counterfeit of truth, instead of the truth. And this counterfeit theory of evolution (“evil-lution”) that attempts to replace Allah’s six-day creation has led man astray—away from Allah-- for many years now. It is very apparent that Iblis (Satan) hates the Word from Allah. He hates the Holy Books and those sent from Allah.
Because of Iblis’ past deceptions such as evolution (evil-lution), we can be certain he will also try to counterfeit the Second Coming of Isa al-Masih! But Allah, in His goodness, compassion, and great mercy, has already sent down truth ahead of time, so that we may know the tricks or deceptions of Iblis (Satan). (Injeel) Matthew 24:4 says, “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.” Five times in the Injeel we are warned not to be deceived! The Honored Qur’an confirms Iblis as the “chief deceiver.” Sura 31.33 Luqman; Sura 35.5 Fatir.
The success of any counterfeit lies in its ability to precede or replace the true. Those who do not know what the true is can easily be deceived by something closely resembling it. I once was given a counterfeit monetary note from a taxi cab driver. I did not examine the note closely until later that evening, when I noticed something was different about one note I had received from him. It was indeed a counterfeit; I had been deceived! Fortunately, the amount of money was small, so the matter was not very significant to me. However, the great Second Coming of Isa al-Masih has immense significance to every human being.
To defeat Allah’s purposes, Iblis (Satan) will cause the false to precede the true. To millions it will appear that Isa al-Masih is coming to earth the second time, but the whole scene will be Iblis’s counterfeit. In that way, Iblis will attempt to deceive all that believe in Isa’s Second Coming to earth, and to lead them to depart from the straight path of Allah.
The Truths of Allah…
The Holy Books, the Bible Scriptures, tell us that the true people of Allah will be expecting Isa al-Masih (Christ the Messiah) to return. They will “look for” Him, as foretold in the Injeel Hebrews 9:28: “So Christ [Isa al-Masih] was once offered [the ransom] to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time….”
Allah, in His mercy, has given warnings ahead of time, so that we need not be deceived by any counterfeits. The Injeel (Gospel) warns us that many men shall claim themselves to be Isa al-Masih, and many will be ensnared by their lies. Injeel Matthew 24:5 states what verse 24 repeats: “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many…. There shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, ... if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.”
Injeel 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 also mentions those deceivers, and adds Iblis’ deception: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan [Iblis] himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Iblis (Satan), a false Christ, will present himself to the world as Isa al-Masih, intending by his assumed grandeur and pretended compassion to deceive all people and gain their allegiance before the true Christ arrives. But Injeel Matthew 24:30 gives us details about the arrival of the true or “real” Christ: “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Why do “all tribes of the earth mourn?” Because they have accepted the false, counterfeit Christ. When the real or true Christ appears in the clouds with power and great glory, they realize they made a grave mistake, but alas! It is too late for them! Dear friends, it is not yet too late for us. We can know truth!
How will Isa al-Masih return?
In the Revelation of Isa al-Masih given to Yahya (John, on the Isle of Patmos) we learn about the true return of Isa al-Masih: “Behold, he (Isa al-Masih) cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him….” Injeel Revelation 1:7. We are assured that “every eye shall see him” as He comes with “clouds” (huge gatherings of angels). But it also says that “all kindreds of the earth shall wail.” Why? Because everywhere on earth will be people deceived by the counterfeit.
The Second Coming of the true Isa al-Masih will be as brilliant as lightning. Injeel Matthew 24:27 tells us, “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man [Isa al-Masih] be.”
The Second Coming of Isa will be seen all over the world. You will not need to go to your television or internet or iPod to see this event. Wherever you are when it occurs, you will see it.
Another amazing feature of this event will be a resurrection of the dead from their graves. “The trumpet shall be sounded, when behold! from the sepulchres (men) will rush forth to their Lord!” Sura 36.51 Ya-Seen.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 first tells us about the sounds: “For the Lord [Isa al-Masih] himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump [trumpet] of God [Allah]….” This event will not only be seen by every eye, but every ear will hear a shout, a great voice speaking, and a trumpet call. And then: “…The dead in Christ shall rise first.” Yes! This is the resurrection of true believers from their graves. They “rise” from their dusty graves, having been given life again.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 tells what will happen next: “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them [those righteous ones who are raised from their graves] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” What joy and peace! And don’t miss this critical point: The resurrected ones and the righteous living ones rise “to meet the Lord in the air.” The Holy Scriptures specifically state that when Isa al-Masih comes this second time, He will not land upon the earth and walk about as He did the first time, long ago. This time, He comes to gather the believers to Himself “in the air.” This is a rescue mission from off this planet, which has become corrupted due to the counterfeits and deceptions of Iblis (Satan).
Signs of Isa’s Return…
How can we be sure that His coming is soon? Will there be signs of its nearness? Yes. One of the signs Isa al-Masih named is that life on earth will be as it was in the days of Noah before the Flood, and as in the days of Lot in Sodom. Injeel Luke 17:26-30: “And as it was in the days of Noe [Noah], so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe [Noah] entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man [Isa al-Masih] is revealed.”
Just how wicked and evil was it back in those days before the Flood? Taurat Genesis 6:5: “And GOD [Allah] saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
Every thought and motive was evil! Does this not describe our day as well? Wherever one goes, it is rare to find a person who is honest, or a person who is truly seeking the way of Allah with his whole heart! Truly the wickedness described in the Injeel about the pre-Flood days is being repeated today. War abounds around the planet, it seems. Therefore, we can soon-- very soon-- expect the return of Isa al-Masih to end this terrible evil and rebellion against Allah.
“And the Day that the Trumpet will be sounded - then will be smitten with terror those who are in the heavens, and those who are on earth, except such as Allah will please (to exempt): and all shall come to His (Presence) as beings conscious of their lowliness.” Sura 27.87 An-Naml.
Will you and I be ready for that day? Will we heed the warnings to avoid the counterfeits of Iblis? To prepare for this event, we must trust our lives to One Who was sent down, to Isa al-Masih Ibn Maryam. He is your personal Saviour from sin; He will keep you from being deceived. May Allah grant unto you His Eternal Peace!
For a free Bible download onto your computer, go to www.e-sword.org. Text copied from DivineIslam's Qur'an Viewer software v2.913; Bible scriptures from King James Version.
For more info: www.salahallah.com
The Day
the Trumpet Sounds!
Sura 27.87
An-Naml
R. M. Harnisch
Series no.06