Sid Roth

SID: Hello. Sid Roth here with Joel Richardson. And Joel has been hand-picked by God to explain in such a simplistic fashion End Time events, and we’re supposed to understand this from the Bible. Now Joel, you are so convincing to me of who these beast nations are, and in particular, who is the chief beast nation. And it will surprise you. Tell me.

JOEL: I think the Bible is very clear that the nation of Turkey will emerge as a regional leader in the Middle East. And what’s so interesting about that is that when we look at the history of the Islamic empire in the Middle East, it began with the Umayyad in the vast empires which culminated with the Ottoman Empire. For over 500 years, Asia Minor, that’s Turkey, ruled the Middle East. And it was not until 1924 that that empire was actually broken up, and the head of that empire was essentially beheaded, the Caliph of the Islamic world.

SID: So when the Bible talks about this beast will have a fatal head wound, that’s what you’re talking about?

JOEL: Yeah. A lot of believers think that this is referring to the Anti-Christ, the individual. But in fact, when the Bible speaks of the Beast, it’s primarily first and foremost referring to an empire. That’s based off of the pattern of Daniel 7. Now it does also sort of consolidate down to the leader of that empire. But first and foremost, it’s speaking of the empire. It says that the empire would suffer what appears to be a fatal head wound and that it would come back to life. For over 500 years the head of the Islamic empire was Turkey, and it was from Turkey that the Caliph, again think pope, general and president all wrapped into one, ruled the entire Islamic world. In 1924, that office was abolished. That was the beheading. That was the fatal head wound. Today, Turkey is reemerging as a world power, but primarily as a regional power in the Middle East.

SID: Well it’s interesting. Turkey used to be considered the only friend Israel had among the Arab countries. But that’s ended with the flotilla and the big uproar over that. I mean, the timing is very significant. Tell me about some of these top think tank people like George Friedman.

What does he say about Turkey?

JOEL: Sure. George Friedman is the CEO and founder of STRATFOR. This is the world’s leading think tank, forecasting, strategic forecasting outfit. What he said is absolutely true. He said that the Middle East is incapable of being dominated by outside western forces. But as we are slowly evacuating from the Middle East we’re creating a vacuum. Inevitably, Turkey is the only nation, as history shows, that has the ability to dominate the Middle East, to rule the Middle East. Muslims are capable of being ruled by a Muslim power, not a western power. And he says that in the days to come, in the years to come, we will see Turkey emerge as a world superpower, and they will reemerge in their role as the leader of, in essence, a neo-Ottoman empire. And that’s exactly what the Bible predicts.

SID: Now will Babylon, Saudi Arabia, be concerned about the coalition of nations run by the Beast, Turkey? What does the Bible say?

JOEL: Sure. Well what we need to understand with regard to the geo-strategic alliances in the Middle East is that you have the Arab block. That’s Saudi, Egypt and Jordan. And then across the Gulf you have Iran. Those are the Shiah. Now most of the average Islamists on the street, they go, okay, given the choice between these, what they think are corrupt western puppet regimes or the bold, but yet Shiah, i.e., sort of heretical Muslims, they go, “We’re not really sure which side to go with.” Now there’s a third choice, and that’s the Turks. They’re bold, they’re confrontational, they’re strong. The heart of the Islamic world is turning to Turkey and they’re looking to Turkey is the natural leader. Of the three options, they’re saying this is the best. This is the strong horse that we should start betting on.

SID: Okay. Mystery Babylon is supposed to be very wealthy. How wealthy is Saudi Arabia?

JOEL: There is no nation in the world that lives in the excess, in the absolute abundance of luxury that the Saudi princes do. You know, there are just numerous examples. You have stories going back to the ‘80s when the Saudi king would go up to Paris for the evening and gamble away over $20 million in one evening. Now you take inflation and figure what that is today. That’s like wasting $40 million for fun and pleasure in one night.

SID: So when the Bible states that this Mystery Babylon, or as you believe, Saudi Arabia, will be opulent, tell me about that car you told me about on the radio show.

JOEL: Same guy, Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, recently showed off one of his cars. It was a diamond-studded Mercedes Benz. The entire car was encrusted with diamonds, $43 million in one car. And he’s got 38 or some-odd cars.

SID: Okay briefly, tell me about this man, because I find him fascinating, Adnan Oktar.

JOEL: Adnan Oktar is the most published author in the entire Islamic world, a Turkish intellectual. He’s got close to 300 books, widely influential, very moderate for a Muslim, very, very popular. He is openly calling for all sorts of very interesting things, one of which is what he calls a Turkish-lead Islamic union. Just after the recent flotilla incident I saw maps of the Turkish-lead Islamic union all over the world. They were holding up these signs saying, “The Turkish-lead Islamic union is the solution.” He’s also calling for, of all things, here’s a Muslim leader that is calling for, a very influential Muslim leader, calling for the reestablishment of the Temple in Jerusalem to be built by the Jews. He calls it Solomon’s Palace.

SID: Why does he want this?

JOEL: From his perspective, he thinks that it’s just something wonderful. He believes that because Solomon was a prophet that we should rebuild these ancient buildings.

SID: And the Bible talks about rebuilding the Temple in the last days.

JOEL: Exactly what the Bible talks about. And there are various movements, alliances between orthodox Jews and Muslims to rebuild this temple.

SID: Okay. That is an anti-Messiah situation that is evolving. Are many Muslims coming to believe in Jesus now?

JOEL: Absolutely, absolutely. The fact of the matter is that numerous trends are merging at one time. We have the information revolution. We have a revival throughout the Islamic world of Muslims who are encountering Yeshua, Jesus. He’s appearing to them in dreams and visions, and as a result you have some of the most bold and fearless witnesses that the Islamic world has ever seen.

SID: I see that boldness. I plain call it normal. And it’s time you became normal. How do you become normal? Number one, you hit that dead, hard of flesh and you repent your sins, and you believe that Jesus washed away your sins, and ask him to live inside of you. Then number two, become a Talmudin, a student of the Word of God, and start, not just hearing, but doing what He says. Some of these radical Muslims that are coming to Jesus, they’re gonna be on fire for God. Can you see these radical Muslims that come to Jesus and these orthodox Jews that come to Jesus lining up hand in hand saying, “I love you. I love Arabs” and the Arab says, “I love Jews” and being one new man, a full dwelling place for God, and wrapping up the whole thing? Make sure you’re part of it. That’s what you have to do right now.