Many people are watching to see how Islamist movements, many of them currently banned as political parties, try to reposition themselves before expected elections later this year.
In Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood, the country’s largest opposition group, has said it would join the protests but has not organized the demonstrations, which have been led by young people angry at poor living standards and authoritarian rule. However, the outlawed group enjoys wide popular support.
Robert Danin, senior fellow for Middle East and Africa Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, says the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups in the region could still gain influence.
“This was not an Islamist uprising. This was not something that was planned by the Muslim Brotherhood. In fact, the argument in Egypt over the course of the last five years has been about liberal values and liberal principles, and you see the Muslim Brotherhood appropriating the discourse – of the liberal discourse about reform.”
The Muslim Brotherhood is banned as a political party, and has faced repeated crackdowns. Supporters have run in recent elections as independents.
“It is wrong because the Islamic groups, Islamic movements all over the world are modern and peaceful movements,” complained MB leader Abdel Mounoun Abdel Fouthouh. “It is a miserable thing that the Western regimes, especially the American one, is afraid of the Islamists. Yes, there are extremists in Islamic movements here and there, but the main bodies of the Islamic movements all over the world is a national and peaceful and moderate movement.”
Source; Voice of America Radio
My comments;
The Moslem Brotherhood in Egypt has a history of violent action, as well as encouraging the violence of its franchises, most notably Hamas in the Gaza Strip. For them to claim that they are moderate and peaceful is so absurd that it doesn’t require a response.
The Moslem Brotherhood assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in 1981 in an effort to turn the country into a Moslem theocracy based on Sharia Law. They never gave up on that vision, and now, with President Hosni Mubarak’s regime apparently on its way out, they may be about to achieve it. This will have reverberations all over the Arab/Moslem world, possibly leading to other Moslem theocracies coming to power all over the region.
Ezekiel 38: 2-5 says;
Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet
As we have said before on this blog, this prophecy is about a war against Israel that will take place in the very near future. “Libya” in this passage refers to the Arabs of North Africa. The governments in Egypt and Tunisia are about to fall under the influence of Islamic fundamentalists, and the same is likely to happen in Morocco, Algeria, Sudan and even Libya.
Lebanon has now come almost totally under the control of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and its local affiliate, Hizbullah.
The government of Turkey is already heavily influenced by the Turkish branch of the Moslem Brotherhood and Hamas in Gaza is a franchise of the Moslem Brotherhood. The Islamic Action Front, the Jordanian franchise, is eagerly participating in anti-government protests in that country. If the government of Jordan falls, Israel will once again be surrounded by enemies implacably dedicated to her destruction, just as she was in 1967. Only this time, Israel’s enemies won’t be stopped even if they suffer terrible defeats on the battlefield, but will continue fighting until they have been “martyred.”
The scenario prophesied in Ezekiel 38-39 is playing out in front of our eyes. We must pray for the protection of Israel and for the Bible believing Church in these countries. Life was difficult for them under the secular dictatorships that have governed these countries for so many years, but it is about to get much worse.
Written by Aaron
News that matters 
What a difference two weeks makes. It makes me realize how absurd my comments were about King Abdullah and Iraq. Aaron do you believe the war of Psalm 83 has already happened or is it still to come?
Speculation Richard. You can spend your whole life wondering about this stuff.
Keep the main thing the main thing.
Aaron I speculate because I long for the rapture of the church. I’ve had tremendous loss in my life as well as medical issues and as far as I am concerned there is nothing good about about life on earth. I will quit asking speculative questions. The main thing is all I have.
Richard,
Nothing wrong with asking questions, as long as Jesus Christ is the main focus. I do believe Psalm 83 will happen. I don’t believe it has come yet. That is my opinion, as I don’t know for sure.
But in regards to your medical issues and loss of life, lay it on the hands of Jesus Christ. That’s what I do. I tell Jesus, it’s all in your hands. And my Christ has never failed me yet 🙂
God Bless you.
Gloria
I’m sorry to put it quite like this Richard, but we’ve all had loss and we all long for the reward which comes to the faithful but as long as we’re here on this earth than we have a job to do.
Think about how you’ll feel when you stand before Him and He asks you to give an account of your time in this life and all you can tell him is about how you did a lot of speculation about when it would all end and you wouldn’t have to suffer anymore.
That’s not going to sound very good is it?
It would be better if you could tell Him about all the people you led to faith in Christ wouldn’t it? Or it might be better if you could tell Him about all the work you did in your Church, how you served others and blessed them.
I don’t like much about life in this world either, and I too am ready to see the Redemption, but I also never go to sleep at the end of the day without wondering if I made the best use of my time that day, or if maybe there wasn’t one more thing I could have done to help build the Kingdom.
Start thinking about that Richard, and stop thinking about all your pain and regret and speculation about when it’s all going to end.
Aaron,
The Word of God tells us to encourage one another and build each other up 1 Thessalonians 5:11, to rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn Romans 12:15.
You are not mourning with Richard, in fact,you are scolding him more than anything.
When we go to bed at night, let’s think more of how we can try not to hurt each other feelings.
Richard, my heart goes out to you. I pray that you will have some relief with your pain and enjoy life more till the Lord comes…
I agree with your advice Aaron and I appreciate the response. However I dont look for the end but for the begining.
I also think about the BEMA seat of judgement all of the time. I dont think there is anything wrong with longing for out saviors return. I’m just eagerly watching for the signs of his return as a prophecy enthusiast. Sometimes that includes speculation. Mark 13:9 You must be on your guard! Mark 13:33 Be on your guard! Be Alert!
Aaron I look forward to placing the crown of righteousness at the feet of my savior as soon as possible. 2nd Timothy 4:8
Your absolutely right though, we must be humbly serving in his name until his return. Something I know need to do more of. Richard