Since taking power from the USA in 2021, the Taliban have been in conflict with a group of jihadists in Afghanistan loyal to the Islamic State – the caliphate that began in 2014 in Mosul, Nineveh Governorate, Iraq.
The burden of Nineveh… There is one come out of thee, that imagineth evil against the LORD, a wicked counsellor.
Nahum 1:1-11
This group of Islamic militants call themselves ISIS-K, the K for Khorasan. Unlike the Taliban, whose flag is white, ISIS-K wages war under a black flag, the same one as ISIS.
It is a hadith of Islam’s prophet Muhammad that, in the last days, an army of jihadists carrying black flags is to rise up in Khorasan and march towards Jerusalem undefeated.
Islamic scholars such as Sheikh Imran Hosein have been talking about this for some time, and they assumed that the Taliban, the ones who were fighting against the USA of George Bush, would be that army. But the thing is, the flag of the Taliban was always, and still is, white, rather than black.
When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021, I too simply assumed that, in time, the new Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would be a part of the forthcoming fourth beast – the fourth beast must at least include all of the lands of the third beast, the empire of Alexander the Great (ref. Daniel 8:21-23); hence, Afghanistan.
And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king [Alexander]. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four kingdoms [one of the four is Seleucia, incl. modern day Iraq and Syria] shall stand up out of the nation, but not in his power. And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance [the Assyrian], and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people.
Daniel 8:21-24
Back then, I did not think that ISIS-K, a small group of jihadists operating at that time in only one province of Afghanistan, could ever become strong enough to take all of Afghanistan.
Now, two years later, the situation is different.
The news is that there has been a wave of assassinations of Taliban officials across Afghanistan (ref. 1). What is more, ISIS-K is managing to recruit from within the ranks of the Taliban. In retaliation, the Taliban have carried out raids on ISIS-K strongholds, and shuttered Salafi mosques (ref. 2). But even so, ISIS-K continues to grow in strength.
On 16 March 2023, US CENTCOM commander testified that ISIS-K will be able to attack American and Western interests outside Afghanistan in less than six months (ref. 2).
And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore [Mystery Babylon], and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
Revelation 17:16
It is said that ISIS-K is the “most extreme and violent of all the militant groups in Afghanistan” (ref. 3).
In terms of Bible prophecy, the re-emergence of ISIS, after their fall in 2017, is the healing of the deadly wound of the beast.
And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
Revelation 13:3
Now, let me remind that I was the first to identify the beast, the one commonly known as the Antichrist. I did this in 2019.
Notice Revelation 13:18 plainly reads that the one who is able to count the number of the beast is the him that has understanding.
Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.
Revelation 13:18
It follows equally from this that any preacher who has not figured out this part of Bible prophecy hasn’t the faintest idea what is going on.
Of course, it is important to know who the beast is, in order to avoid following him and taking his mark (ref. Revelation 14:9-11).
In these last days, one can either serve God by spreading the truth, or else serve demons by spreading lies, nonsense and confusion. A European Antichrist based on a renewed Roman Empire? A Russian Gog? A Saudi Babylon? An Antichrist that controls a one world government? A pre-trib rapture? All of that is confusion, and it all is emanating from American pulpits (ref. Isaiah 24:10).
Abdullah Qardash, the second leader of ISIS, is the Assyrian, otherwise known as the Antichrist. His name when spelt with a K sums in gematria to exactly 666.
America lied or was mistaken when it told the world that its special forces had killed Qardash. Remember, I said at the time that no official statement about the killing of Qardash had been made by ISIS through their mouthpiece, Amaq. By contrast, when Baghdadi, the first caliph of ISIS, was killed, ISIS released a statement through Amaq.
Evidently, Amaq, which was once silenced by US and European intelligence as part of a psyop or an information war (ref. 4), is still intact. A week or so ago, ISIS claimed responsibility for an atrocity in Congo that killed 19 (ref. 5). ISIS made this statement through Amaq (ref. 5)!
Next, notice, in Daniel, the Antichrist is described as “the little horn”. Little because, at first, he commands the least of all the armies of the beast. At first, his is merely a group of jihadists without significant firepower.
Notice also, to Islam, “Khorasan” means “the land of the sun”, the east.
And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south [Cush], and toward the east [Khorasan], and toward the pleasant land [Palestinians]. And it waxed great, even to the host of heaven [Satan’s angels]; and it cast down some of the host and of the stars to the ground, and stamped upon them.
Daniel 8:9-10
At the appointed time, Abdullah Qardash will surface for all to see. He is none other than the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, the rider of the pale horse (ref. Revelation 6:8). He will command a quarter of the earth (ref. Revelation 6:8). Hell will follow him (ref. Revelation 6:8), or put another way, all who are going to hell will be with him. He will speak blasphemy against the true God (ref. Daniel 7:25, Revelation 13:6). And he will wield the supernatural power of Satan himself (ref. Daniel 8:23-24, Revelation 13:2).
References:
1. “Black Flags from Khurasan by Sheikh Imran Hosein”, youtube.com/watch?v=ouYykVGEWio
2. Andrew Mines and Amira Jadoon (21 March 2023), “A string of assassinations in Afghanistan point to ISIS-K resurgence – and US officials warn of possible attacks on American interests in next 6 months”, theconversation.com
3. “Taliban Hunts Down ISIS K Amid Series of Attacks in Afghanistan”, youtube.com/watch?v=B94d5EMgpN0
4. CBS (2 May 2018), “ISIS’ media mouthpiece Amaq was silenced, but not for long”, cbsnews.com
5. Reuters (15 March 2023), “Islamic State claims responsibility for east Congo attack that killed 19”, reuters.com