JABRIL.MUHAMMAD
I ended my last article with these words: He has not directly mentioned these things in public. The times he did mention this subject were very few and indirect. He has talked of it in his home throughout the 60’s in a direct way. During the past few years, he has spoken in a way that leaves no doubt that he not only expects to be gone very soon, but that he will return in person.
This is to says that him and his followers’ expectations correspond with the expectations of the New Testament writers, such as Paul, Peter, James, John and others. This is not to say that they actually had the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in mind, when they wrote as they did. However, they did draw upon prophecies in the Old Testament to form the New Testament, which originated in the mind of Allah, Who did have the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in mind.
The New Testament writers misapplied those prophecies in such a way that for nearly 2,000 years people have thought that they were reading of Jesus of Palestine, born of Joseph and Mary. Even though we are dealing with misapplied prophecy, mixed false ideas (of varying degrees), throughout the New Testament, we are yet confronted by the truth. This is so because prophecy originated in the mind of Allah and was given to the public through prophets, messengers and warners. Allah does not lie. The fact that prophecy has been mishandled, and is scorned today, does not detract from its power and value. Furthermore, that which was spoken and written of these times are fulfilled, or are being fulfilled before our eyes.
All kinds of people over America, and the rest of the planet, recognize that we are living during the time of the fulfillment of some of the greatest prophecies, which holds the attention of the people and has to do with the return of Christ. The ever growing number of articles, books, movies, plays and speeches outside of churches, testify to the intense and widespread interest in this subject.
Increasingly “big name” people openly admit that they see the events of our times, in and outside of America, as signs of the end of this world and the return of Christ. The correspondence between prophecy and these events are so striking that people are less ashamed to admit what they “feel in their bones” to be true. In fact, the fulfillment of prophecy in current events is becoming more obvious everyday to an ever growing number of people.
A high percentage of the New Testament is concerned with the second coming of Christ. For instance, the letters to the early Christians, written by Paul, Peter, etc., and the book of Revelations, excluding the four gospels and the book of Acts, make up a little over 81 percent of the New Testament.
Jesus is spoken of in the past, present and future tenses. He is spoken of as having taught and worked among them, as having recently departed to God. He is (from the point of view of these letters) regarded as with Almighty God, even as those letters were written. Heavy emphasis, however, in terms of stress, time, space and words, are devoted to the glorious second coming of Jesus. Add to this the many references to this return to be found in the four gospels and in the book of Acts, and it becomes clear that the imminent return of Jesus was the dominant factor in these letters and in the lives of the writers and the rest of the early Christians. A reading of the history of those days verifies this conclusion anyone can justifiably draw from a reading of the New Testament. Some scholars may disagree.
Although we are more concerned with what the Honorable Elijah Muhammad has spoken and written about this subject, we will look at what others have put before the public on Jesus’ return. We’ll begin with an article from MESSAGE TO THE BLACK MAN, page 286. He began this article by quoting Matthew 24:2. Here are the first three verses or four verses, depending on which version of the Bible you read from.
“And Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came forward to show him the buildings of the temple. But he answered and said unto them, ‘Do you see all these things? Amen I say to you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.’ And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, ‘Tell us, when are these things to happen, and what will be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world?’”
The Honorable Elijah Muhammad wrote on page 286 of this book:
“This chapter refers to the signs of the judgment of the wicked world. Jesus pointed out examples of the destruction of the Jewish Temple or synagogue, and the historians wrote that the Romans came about 70 years later after the death of Jesus and sacked Jerusalem. Really, this was not the end of Jesus’ prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans for all the stones were not overthrown by Rome.
Jesus was speaking of those things that would serve as signs of the end of this world. His description signs, rather than future dates, was his way of answering the question “… when are these things to happen. …” About 40 years later the Romans, led by a general named Titus destroyed Jerusalem. But this only partly fulfilled the terms of Jesus’ prophecy. That destruction was a sign, or a type, of that which was to come now, within a few years from the time of this writing.
These events expected to occur before the end of this world are signs or clear indications and evidence that we are at the end now. A little reading, observation and reflection should convince anyone that these times are unique and indeed is the period of time pointed out in the Bible and Qur’an as the time of the manifestation of God’s reality. His wisdom and power are evident in the destruction of this world of evil and are also evidence of the coming in of His world. That world will be ruled exclusively by Him and those of His choice. Of this the Honorable Elijah Muhammad wrote:
“The fall of America is now visible and understandable, not only in the eyes of scholars and scientists but even in the eyes and understanding of the ignorant. Allah (God) has been gradually removing the power of the great and mighty America while few have noticed it. This has been done by degrees, and they do not perceive it.”
The Holy Quran says, “He brings powerful nations to a naught,” and when it is discovered, it is like a growth of cancer that has been eating at the body many years while the patient is unaware of it.
Have you studied thoroughly the words of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad concerning Jesus. If not, why not?
More next issue, Allah willing.
