12/09/09
The Apocalypse, Messianism Define Ahmadinejad’s Policies
By Abbas Djavadi, RFE/RL
Mahmud Ahmadinejad: “A divine hand will come soon to root out the tyranny in the world.”
It’s both crazy and dangerous.
Iran’s President Mahmud Ahmadinejad believes and acts on the expectation that the reappearance of the Hidden Imam is imminent, and that U.S. efforts in the Middle East are primarily focused on preventing his return. Shi’ite Muslims believe that their 12th imam, the Mahdi, born in 869, did not die but was hidden by God and will eventually reappear as the savior of humankind, ending tyranny and bringing justice to the world. One-tenth of the world’s Muslims and 85 percent of Iranians are Shi’a.
In a recent speech in the central city of Isfahan, Ahmadinejad said: “With those [U.S. troops] who came to occupy Iraq, the appearance was that they came just to exploit the oil. In reality, though, they know that something will happen in this region — a divine hand will come soon to root out the tyranny in the world.”
“And they know,” he added, “that Iran is paving the way for his coming and will serve him.”
Belief in the apocalypse and messianism are nothing new in human history. There are both Jewish and Christian messianic traditions, according to which a king of Israel or messiah will appear to herald global peace. And Shi’ite Muslims, unlike the majority of their Sunni co-faithful, have always believed in the Mahdi.
But Ahmadinejad and his main supporter among the ultra-conservative Iranian clergy, Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi, a member of the Assembly of Experts, do not want to just peacefully hope and wait for the Mahdi. RFE/RL Radio Farda’s analyst Majid Mohammadi says Ahmadinejad has introduced a completely new system in the Iranian politics: “a militarist and messianic Islamism.”
‘Divine Mission’
Ahmadinejad and his supporters believe the best preparation for the Mahdi’s reappearance is the consolidation of an absolutist regime that brutally suppresses all real and potential opposition, from moderate and reformist pro-regime forces to nationalist and democratic individuals and groups.
On the eve of the June presidential election, Yazdi said that the legitimacy of the Islamic regime does not stem from a popular vote but from its “divine mission.” He also reportedly issued a fatwa, or religious decree, instructing election officials across the country that rigging the vote results to save the Islamic system from infiltration by what he called “anti-Islamic” forces is permitted.
After the much-disputed election that the opposition claimed was indeed widely rigged, millions of Iranians in different cities protested the election results. Hundreds were killed, jailed, and tortured. But Ahmadinejad told his supporters: “Let the inauguration pass, and we will hang them [the opponents] from the ceiling.”
Both before, and even more intensively after, the election, political groups and newspapers that criticized Ahmadinejad were banned and websites blocked. Gradually, the Revolutionary Guards, Ahmadinejad’s main support within the regime, took over all mass communication companies and started to intensify its surveillance of the Internet.
In 2005, after Ahmadinejad was elected president for his first term, Ayatollah Ali Meshkini, another messianic supporter of Ahmadinejad, had said: “The last action has started. We have to move fast to clean up Iran internally in order to turn to the revolution’s international tasks.”
Ahmadinejad has already started to turn to those “international tasks.”
Apart from supporting terrorist groups in the region, they defy increasing international pressure to ensure that Iran’s nuclear program is indeed peaceful, as they claim. They hide their new nuclear sites and threaten to build 10 or more uranium-enrichment plants — which according to experts is an empty provocation, or a dream that could be fulfilled only in 50 years.
The more pressure mounts on them, such as Russia and China joining other world powers in asking Iran to be open and cooperative, the more aggressive and provocative Ahmadinejad’s clique becomes. To prepare the return of the Mahdi, they seem ready to risk reprisals that could logically endanger their own rule — from tough sanctions to military action.
In Shi’ite Islam, as in other messianic traditions, the apocalypse precedes the coming of the savior. Ahmadinejad’s aggressive and destructive messianism is trying its best to speed up the apocalypse.
For Iranians, the apocalypse began with Ahmadinejad coming to power more than four years ago. Maybe Iranians really need a worldly Mahdi of their own, an Iranian messiah, or just a few individuals who would save them and the world from the tyranny and saber-rattling of the Ahmadinejad regime.
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I must say that torah is a fence and a hedge of protection that man cannot break. It is designed to be, wo that we don’t manipulate YHWH’s words into something more managable. It breaks all who fall on it or all who it falls on…as the stone that the builders rejected. We can beat our head against it all day…or we can surrender, trust and obey…
Chris,
I don’t care about alternate view but two things that don’t agree can’t walk together. Editing comments and banning is the least of a moderator’s functions. I asked you early on because I thought it would be a good learning experience. I don’t really regret it, many people have seen your posts and gotten to follow through the dialogue and as a result have learned.
I am sure that those who who start close to your position (the overwhelming majority of readers) but end up in agreement with the majority position at one time believed the rest are hard headed and stubborn. Many people have told me that regarding the dialogue between myself and others with you as I travel. To this day, the overwhelming majority of the people here are NOT of a Hebraic understanding…and that is fine with me…100%
Whether one believes in 8 or 7 or 550 or 613 or 1100 commandments from YHWH is of no concern. I am not interested in trying to change a person, just share the scriptures.
I don’t mean to be personal but I thought you were facing financial issues, isn’t Christmas a little bit silly…in light of recent circumstances…both at home and globally. I am genuinely concerned.
Regarding Shumman,
What is not fair is to rope everyone into an argument that nobody is interested in which is how he made his last debut. I deleted his comments and he rephrased it (a little bit) but still managed to create a stir. Anytime there is disagreement there is contention. Contention by itself is not a bad thing so long as it is in love with the desired goal being unity. Unity DOES NOT include throwing out scripture and commandments, they are life.
Scot,
Off topic, I know you said “two things” and not persons in “two things that don’t agree can’t walk together”, but KJV Amos says in 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed? I don’t think it refers to agreeing on doctrine, but two cannot walk together except they know each other and agree, hey let’s walk, whether they have the same theology or not. LXX Amos 3:3 Shall two walk together at all, if they do not know one another? YLT Amos 3:3 Do two walk together if they have not met? Just curious what you think. I believe the “traditional” interpretation has been used by the “church” to excommunicate people with different views.
Scot,
Do you have an interlinear (both hebrew and greek) for e-sword or the word or something I can convert to these formats?
This is NOT to stir things up, however if anyone with a babtist connection would help enlighten their TV advertizing dept. it would be welcome.
BROUGHT to YOU by the Babtist of ” ” : JESUS is Christmas!
This is being broadcast to peolple we are called to be making diciples of?
Give and receive freely, fellowship with family and friends but keep our Saviour and His things holy.
Well Duncan,
You can’t find too much fault with that! Perhaps they’re right Jesus is Christmas. Yeshua is another thing altogether though. He is Sukkot!
David,
We all(Chris) know what I meant, lol.
You know, I was having the thoughts this morning that possibly the reason some of our brothers rebel against the knowledge of the feasts and other commandments is they know they are for our good, and are the right way. It is provoking to witness the truth in action. Sometimes you got to let go of (some of) the old to take hold of the true.
I love you Chris, and am seeing substance in your scripture teaching. Many have commented on your recent post.
Just to clarify:
“Sometimes ( really always ) you got to let go of (traditions void of eternal truth and life) the old pagan mixes, to take hold of the true.”
Duncan,
Yes brother, I also knew what you meant. You know me though. I will never let an opportunity pass to make a point.
Chris, Christmas shopping? We love you brother! Come Home! Give your family the best gift that can be given. The Truth! Save your money for rice and beans. You are going to need it.
Chris and Christmas and Me,
Brothers and sisters, you all know that I am a Torah observant. I am Jewish by blood, I study the Tanach and the Brit Hadasha, I wear my tzitzot during the whole time I am awake and in public places, I am working on celebrating the Feasts with brothers and sisters, I eat clean foods, I faithfully keep the Sabbath holy, anyway, I learn and apply one commandment at the time.
But, I also celebrate my husband’s birthday, my children’s birthday and most of the time NOT on the day/month they were born. I bake a cake, decorate it, make a special dinner, sing a b-day song and give a gift to the birthday person.
I do not see anything wrong on picking a day to also celebrate Yeshua’s birth. For me it is a BIG deal the day God arrived on earth as a human. The angels sung, there was a special star in the sky…things you do not see everyday. All those prophecies being fulfilled, wow, it is BIG!
I agree that the way it is celebrated has many pagan traditions and the traditions are not the same in all countries btw. I choose not to do them, just keep the focus on the birth, that is all. God did not commanded to celebrate Purim, Hannuka, Thanksgiving, my birthday…would that be wrong to celebrate them too?
No Roberta,
And it is not wrong to celebrate the Birth of Messiah. I do so every year at Sukkot by keeping the Feast as commanded as best I can. We must all follow our conscience.
Roberta,
You said ” wow, it is BIG! ” Exactly, that is why all the more to do the truth. Yahshua said, the Ruach would lead into all the truth. And the Ruach would have the truth we practice to bring more glory to Yahshua/YHWH. Then it would really be a big witness to the world. The unity of faith = Blessing.
Roberta,
The only problem I have with what you do is the date. Dec 25th is not an evil day. However, when the “fathers” were deciding what day to observe whatever it was that they were celebrating, they chose a day that had much meaning to their culture. There are several other “gods” that have a ‘birthday” on dec 25th. The Moedim are appointed times. Yah’s appointed times. Messiah’s birth was a BIG event, thus it would have coincided with an appointed time. I know that the defenders of the 25th cry “guilty by associtaion”, but just a little deductive reasoning will tell you otherwise.
The sin in xmas is mixing the holy with the profaine. If Messiah was born in the winter, it still would follow the hebrew calendar and not pope gregory’s.
Either way, Shalom to you!
OT
Roberta,
My wife’s mother made our family a caramel cake topped with pecan halves on my birthday a few years ago. That is some tasty cake!
I like cake
Dave said:
“Scot, I’m curious how you know that the majority of people reading this blog are not Torah observant? Do they email you or something?”
Yes, they do…a bunch.
Roberta, Hannukah and Purim, although not commanded feasts but rather “civil” celebrations, are in fact key to understanding some of the prophecies in Daniel (even though they were instituted hundreds of years after Daniel’s time).
Remember, the angel said to Daniel, “Seal up the vision, for it is of the time of the end”. Daniel was greatly troubled about some of his visions; they could not be completely understood because not all of the pieces of the puzzle were in place. It certainly is not wrong to celebrate Purim and Hanukkah – they both have significant prophetic significance to end-times believers.
OT Duncan
Wow, that sound very good!
Menorah,
I agree that the day is a bad choice since there is a more accurate date, which will be sometime during Sukkot. In Brazil it is believed he was born in the Summer, since December is one of the hottest month of the year.
I just think it is hypocritical to celebrate purim and hannakah but to shun Christmas. But hey I guess since the former are “jewish holidays” its ok. Its only Christian holidays that are despised and loathed!
Whatever! Merry Christmas!
Chris,
You said “Merry Christmas!”
I know you think Christmas is alright, but I also know you mean it from your heart to wish us blessings and well, so I thank you for your heart and I wish you Abba’s blessings!
Chris…
hmmmm….celebrate occasions that are ACTUALLY IN SCRIPTURE or celebrate an occasion with clearly pagan roots….that unbelievers celebrate with as much fervor as do the folks who want to keep “Christ” in Christmas?
Do you see any unbelievers celebrating Purim or Hannakah? Don’t think so.
What’s hypocritical is claiming to be a believer and not doing what God says.
Chris,
I trust you will see that it is despising the traditions of man that usurp the written Word, but not the leaders and people who still continue the error. Abba knows who does those things in ignorance, ie: Saul of Taursus.
pastor_chris says:
December 22, 2009 at 10:42 pm
I just think it is hypocritical to celebrate purim and hannakah but to shun Christmas. But hey I guess since the former are “jewish holidays” its ok. Its only Christian holidays that are despised and loathed!
Whatever! Merry Christmas!
For any who might be interested in when Yeshua was born:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16870027/Jesus-Real-Birthday
Chris,
You are right regarding Purim and Channukah. I stood in a congregation where I was invited to speak @ Channukah and told them IT WAS NOT a commanded feast and Purim as well…in the last year. That would be hypocritical. We don’t want to do that.
To be real honest Chris…the reason you get so much flack is because you know better. I DO NOT support Jewish tradition anymore than Christian tradition…both tend to be done instead of what is commanded. That is where the problem lies.
Larry,
Chris knows better. Your olive branch was very kind but unfortunately He is purposefully leading people away from YHWH’s commandments in numerous other areas and that is why we plead with him. This is about MUCH more than Christmas festivities. I wish it were not so…
scot,
You said “Chris knows better. Your olive branch was very kind but ….”
I agree. I wasn’t even thinking of Christmas, but of Chris’ heart and our heart for him. He’s been told about the lies he’s spreading so many times. He knows what I/we think! I just wanted to reassure him that we really love him and wish him well and OUT of confusion/babylon.
Not too hard to understand that hanukkah and purim are not commanded feasts… However, not everything that isn’t commanded isn’t bad, it’s just not commanded. I guess many need to read and see just what is commanded of us.
The struggle of Israel, even if the world doesn’t want to accept it, is the struggle of the world.
http://www.israpundit.com/2008/?p=19340
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