[Editor’s note: This is a reprint and was published online June 27, 2003.]
It’s in the nature of the universal order of all things, that before anything appears, there are signs of its coming or birth or arrival. This is a fundamental law or principle that governs the workings of the universe. There are no exceptions to this.
Many have stated it in many ways. One such saying is: “Coming events cast their shadows before they arrive.” So it is with the coming of the Messiah and the end of this world.
The New Testament is said to contain a record of Jesus’ predictions of the signs of the end of this world and of his return.
Millions of Christians have been, or are, looking for the Messiah’s appearance. So are millions of Muslims. Millions of Jews expect him too, but not the man called Jesus who lived 2,000 years ago.
Muslims expect the Messiah to accompany another man, Who will bear the title of “Mahdi.”
The wise have observed that, as the time for the arrival or the appearance of the Mahdi and the Messiah draws near, signs would be produced before their arrival, that serve as announcements that their presence was very near.
As their arrival becomes closer, the signs become clearer. When they have arrived, the signs become more pronounced. With time, the signs become obvious.
Of all of these signs, there is one that signals the arrival and the presence of the Mahdi and the Messiah, clearer than any other. This sign explains all of the other signs, while announcing their presence and work.
That sign is a human being. Who else, other than a human being, can articulate the mind of God and explain the signs?
It’s been the purpose of this column, since this newspaper came into existence, to bear witness that this sign is the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan.
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One of the places where some of the signs of the coming of the Messiah can be read is in the 24th chapter of Matthew.
It’s written that Jesus said to a few of his followers that “many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.
“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now–and never to be equaled again. If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect–if that were possible. (Verses 5-24)
“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.
Now, learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. (verses 30-39)
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
To be continued, Allah willing.
Here is the next to the last point that Minister Farrakhan made, about eight-and-a-half years ago, on the significance of the greeting words of “As-Salaam Alaikum.”
How many of you would like to see and meet Master Fard Muhammad and His Christ? How many of you? If you had an opportunity to speak with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, the Exalted Christ, would you say: ‘Hey EeeeLiJJah, hey!’
“You know that’s not right.
“How would you speak to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad? Would you say, ‘As-Salaam Alaikum, dear Holy Apostle?’
“And you would make sure that your voice was at the right pitch, because you’re not supposed to raise your voice above his, and since you would be greeting him first, you would make sure that your voice is, you know, heard, but pleasant. Isn’t this right?
“Have you ever called pigs? Is anybody here from the South? Thank you, South. When you call hogs, you got to have a sweet voice. Call that hog, let me hear you. (Sounds and laughter.)
Now, the reason you use such a sweet, sweet sound is because the hog has a very sensitive ear. He just does not answer any rough sound.
“But what about a hog-eater whom you (seek to) call into the way of God?”
Now, in Volume 22, Number 29 of this series, I quoted Minister Farrakhan:
” ‘If you did not offer peace to one another, the peace that you offer me is suspect.’ “
Then I wrote: “Then Minister Farrakhan made a very significant point, concerning the treatment of the ‘least Believer and that Believer’s value’ that he stated he would later prove.”
Now we’ll come to that very significant point next issue, Allah willing.
