Red heifers & Islam- A sign of the end of the world?
Sunday, April 28th, 2024Al-Asqa Mosque (Pixabay)
A reader sent me a link to the following:
Red heifers in Israel – A sign of the end of the world?
April 28, 2024
As crazy as it sounds, a bunch of red cows from Texas have sparked conspiracy theories about the Third Temple, the wars of Gog and Magog and Armageddon, and the coming of the Antichrist. …
Even Muslim commentators have been in uproar over the arrival of the red heifers to Israel.
Marking the 100th day of the Gaza War, Hamas spokesman Abu Obeidah said Jews “bringing red cows” to Israel was part of the reason for the Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7.
According to … groups, the arrival of the red heifers in Israel is a sign that Jews will soon try to rebuild their Temple, possibly even destroying the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque, in preparation for the coming of the Messiah. …
This would be problematic, because the majority of historians and archaeologists believe the Temple Mount, where the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque currently sit, is the site of the First and Second Temples. Thus, a plan to rebuild the Temple would indicate an apparent willingness to destroy either or both of those sites or, at least, build a Jewish center of worship in an area that has been reserved for Muslim worship for at least the past thousand years. …
According to many of these Muslims, there are three signs they expect to see before the coming of the Dajjal, the Mahdi, and the ultimate subjugation of the world to Islam. These signs are based on passages in the Quran (one of which is Sura 17:7) as interpreted in the Tafsir. …
Among many of the interpretations that I investigated, some Muslims are expecting the coming of the Dajjal (the antichrist figure in Islamic eschatology) to be a sign welcomed by Jews. One scholar even said that the Dajjal would be accepted by the Jews as their Messiah. He tied this understanding to the prophetic statement of Maimonides, saying the coming of the Dajjal could only happen after the sacrifice of the 10th red heifer. …
However, several of these teachers of Islamic prophecy, believe that the killing of the red heifer will be followed by some kind of Jewish uprising that will destroy the Al Aqsa Mosque.
Abdullah Hakim Quick expressed a common Muslim misunderstanding when he said: “Above the Temple (of Solomon) is the Majid al-Aqsa (al-Aqsa Mosque).” In reality, the Al Aqsa Mosque does not sit above the site of the Temple, but where the outer courts used to be. The Dome of the Rock is situated above the site where the Temple stood.
Sheikh Abdullah Quick claimed that religious Jews believe that if they perform the red heifer sacrifice (which is not truly a sacrifice in biblical terms), the Mashiach (Messiah) will appear to lead the Jews to dominion over the earth.
While some Muslims believe the return of Jesus will lead to Jews abandoning their religion and converting to Islam, that view appears to be a minority view among the jihadist interpretations.
More common is the view expressed in the hadith of Sahih Muslim:
“The Prophet said…The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree, and a stone or a tree would say: Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him.”
[This hadith was quoted in the original Hamas charter.]
What is concerning, in the hype and hubbub over the red heifers in many Christian and Muslim videos, blogs, and podcasts, is the central role given to the supposed inherent evil of Jews, as well as the focus on the supposed nefarious plans of Jews to sacrifice a red heifer in order to bring about the destruction of Al Aqsa Mosque. https://allisrael.com/red-heifers-in-israel-a-sign-of-the-end-of-the-world
As far as Islam and Jews go, Islam believes that the Dajjal (who corresponds to the Beast of Revelation 13:1-10 and the ‘King of the North’ of Daniel 11:40-43, who Protestants and Muslim tend to call the Antichrist) will be a Jew (Yasseen M. The Signs of the Judgment Day (Qiyamah). 2021, p. 144).
The Arabic word Dajjal, itself, literally means deceiver. But generally, the use of Dajjal in Islam is a considered to be a reference to al-Masīḥ ad-Dajjāl essentially meaning “the Messiah of Mixed Deception.” The Dajjāl is expected to mix truth with error. Because most people seem to be quite comfortable with that (cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:12), that will be one of the reasons Islam believes the Dajjāl will be successful for a time.
In its newsletter today, the Jewish group called the Temple Institute did not have anything new about the red heifer matter. However, its website makes it clear that the Temple Institute wants the area known as the Temple Mount to be cleared of all Islamic structures in order for it to construct a temple as they believe that Muslim structures are where their temple needs to be. Here is some information from two webpages of the Temple Institute related to that:
In our own times, the commandment of the red heifer takes on more and more significance. For without it, the Divine service of the Holy Temple cannot be resumed. There is a spiritual renaissance today in Israel; after almost 2,000 years, Israel is clearly moving towards the time when the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah – the prophesied Third Temple – will be rebuilt. https://templeinstitute.org/red-heifer-introduction/ accessed 03/11/24
Geo-politically, the Temple Mount has to be cleared of the Dome of the Rock and the mosques which are presently located upon it before the physical rebuilding of the Holy Temple can begin. Many scenarios can be imagined which would accomplish this, the most promising, and not necessarily the most far-fetched, would entail Moslem recognition of the Mount as the intended location for the rebuilt Temple. With the acquiescence of the Moslem world the Moslem structures currently on the Mount would be disassembled and reassembled elsewhere. https://templeinstitute.org/frequently-asked-questions/ accessed 03/17/24
By saying that the area must be cleared of the mosques that are presently on the area called the Temple Mount, the Temple Institute is clearly including the Al-Asqa Mosque, which Muslims hold to be sacred.
The sacrifice of a red heifer may even become a factor in an expanded regional war that could ultimately result in the confirmation of the deal of Daniel 9:27 and the countdown to the start of the Great Tribulation approximately 3 1/2 years later as well as the return of Jesus seven years after the deal is confirmed by someone that the Bible refers to as a prince in Daniel 9:26. So, in that sense, a red heifer may be a sign of the countdown to ‘the end of the world.’
Now, it should be pointed out the Jews do not need a massive temple in order to re-implement animal sacrifices. All they need is an altar and possibly a tent, which they have.
This was confirmed with me personally by a member of the Temple Institute as well as by the reconstituted Sanhedrin.
We have a video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel related to the Temple Institute, the red heifers, and Hamas:
Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent
In March 2024, the Temple Institute recently pointed out that how God blessed the Sabbath, He also blessed the construction of a tent tabernacle. They pointed out progress from the ancient Israelites. Should Christians be making spiritual progress each year before Passover? The Temple institute has stated that the area called ‘the Temple Mount’ needs to be cleared of Muslim mosques, etc. so that a ‘third temple’ can be built. It also claims that it has four thriving red heifers, one of which it want to sacrifice before the implementation of regular animal sacrifices. Has Hamas claimed that the existence and possible use of a red heifer was a factor in its attack in Israel on October 7, 2023? Does the Temple Institute believe it must have a massive temple in order for sacrifices to resume? Or is having a priesthood, an altar, and a tent enough? What does the Sanhedrin say about that? Did Ezra write that animal sacrifices were made after the first temple was destroyed, but before the second temple was started? Is that believed by numerous modern Jewish rabbis and scholars? Does the Bible teach that regular animal sacrifices will be resumed? Could there be any relationship to the stopping of them and the return of Jesus? Is the day of Jesus coming getting much closer? Dr. Thiel and Steve Dupuie address these issues.
Here is a link to our video: Temple Institute, Heifers, Hamas, and a Tent.
Some believe that a red heifer sacrifice could happen between now and Pentecost, which is June 16th in 2024 (see also ‘Red Heifers could be ready for the Temple by Passover’ or Pentecost?).
We will see.
But what we know for sure is that the objectives of the Temple Institute and many Muslims are in serious conflict.
The red heifer matter remains something to “Watch” as Jesus indicated in Mark 13:37.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
The ‘Peace Deal’ of Daniel 9:27 This prophecy could give up to 3 1/2 years advance notice of the coming Great Tribulation. Will most ignore or misunderstand its fulfillment? Here is a link to a related sermon video Daniel 9:27 and the Start of the Great Tribulation. A short video is also available titled Trump’s Deal of the Century and Daniel 9 27? Here is a link to something related in the Spanish language: Estados Árabes emiratos unidos y el tratado de paz en el medio este.
Iran in Prophecy Is Iran in Bible prophecy? If so, what does the Bible teach? What names, other than Persia, may be used to describe Iran? There are also two related videos: Iran In Prophecy and Iran and Israel Conflict.
Why is a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem Not Required? Although people like Timothy LaHaye teach a third Jewish temple is required, who is ‘the temple of God” in the New Testament? Does the Bible require a rebuilt Jewish Temple? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Por qué no se requiere un templo judío en Jerusalén? Here is a link to two sermons The Temple, Prophecy, and the Work and God’s Temple in Prophecy. And here is a version of the latter one in the Spanish: El templo de Dios en profecía.
Nascent Sanhedrin and Prophecy The reconstituted Sanhedrin wants the reimplementation of animal sacrifices. A related video is titled Sanhedrin pushing animal sacrifices. And a newer one is: Sanhedrin makes burnt offering to dedicate altar!
The Red Heifer, Jewish Beliefs, and the End of the World The Temple Institute is watching a ‘red heifer.’ Why might this be important in the sequence of end time events? Here is a related link in the Spanish language Novilla roja descubierta en EE.UU. e Instituto del Templo está interesado en ella. Here are links to three related videos in English: Red Heifers and the Fate of the World and The Red Heifer and the End of the World and 5 Red Heifers and Year 5783?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2024, 2025, or 2026? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede la Gran Tribulación comenzar en el 2020 o 2021? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? A related video is: Great Tribulation: 2026 or 2027? A shorter video is: Tribulation in 2024? Here is a video in the Spanish language: Es El 2021 el año de La Gran Tribulación o el Grande Reseteo Financiero.