The U.S. pull out of Iraq and the death of Qadaffi

Last week brought two major news stories involving the Middle East.  First, President Obama announced that the withdrawl of U.S. military forces from Iraq would be complete by the end of 2011.  Second, was the death of former Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi.  I believe that both of these could potentially be of enormous significance in terms of end-times prophecy. 

First let's look at the withdrawl of U.S. troops from Iraq.  One of the great fears brought about by the withdrawl of U.S. forces in Iraq is that the country will come under the control of Iran and the Apocalyptic Muslims who run the country.  To understand why this is a distinct possibility, you have to understand the eschatology of those running Iran.  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is of the belief that he has been commissioned by Allah to be the forerunner of the Mahdi, the Islamic Messiah figure whose description from Islamic texts mirrors that of the Antichrist.  Iraq plays into the Islamic beliefs on the Mahdi. 

It is believed that when the Mahdi appears that he will emerge from Iraq.  It is likely that Ahmadinejad wants to control Iraq because he believes this will hasten the appearing of the Mahdi.  It is also interesting to note that this is the same geogrpahic area that the Bible says the Antichrist will come from.  If the theory that some Bible scholars holds is true that when the Antichrist takes center stage that the Muslim world will hail him as their Mahdi, then what we are about to see take place in Iraq could very well be setting the stage for the appearance of the Antichrist. 

Now let's look at the death of Muammar Qadaffi in Libya.  There have been a couple of interesting reports coming out of Libya from Fox News.  One is that Iran is now looking to increase its influence in the nation as its new government forms.  The second is that the new government of Libya will be based on strict Islamic Sharia law.  Both of these developments points to the fulfillment of Ezekiel 38 where Libya is part of a coalition along with Iran that will suddenly attack Israel. 

As these two stories continue to develop over the coming weeks and months, it will be interesting to see how the stage continues to be set for the fulfillment of Bible prophecy.