The Apocalyptic Beheaders

There are numerous corroborating signs of fulfulled Biblical prophecy indicative of the last days of this age. We've covered a few of them. One which has not been discussed so far as I'm aware is the practice of execution by beheading.According to Revelation 20:4, the primary mode of the execution of the latter day Christians during the period of the apocalyptic beast kingdom will be by beheading. This is significant because for a long time since firearms became abundant not much about beheading has been in the news. This was Muhammed's method of putting away folks he had eliminated for Allah, his god.Now I read some alarming news from the Voice of the Martyrs that the president of Hopegivers International, the largest orphanage Christian benevolent organization in Northern India has been arrested and the operation shut down leaving thousands of orphans, lepers students and other of India's poor which Hopegivers International has sponsered to likely have to go to the streets and beg. Most of Hopegiver's support has been from Christian doners in the US. The Hindu militants (abe: in government) have also put out a bounty for the arrest of M.A. Thomas, founder of Hopegivers who is in hiding. They want him and his son Thomas, Hopegivers president beheaded, according to VOM. Having followed and lent support to the Hopegivers for a number of years, this is particularly alarming to me. I have met M.A Thomas and heard him speak here in the US on more than one occasion. Hopegivers has graduated thousands of their orpans from their schools, provided medical facilities for the sick, supported leper colonies, and much more for Northern India.The Muslims and Hindus appear to want to make a statement by this bloody and grusome practice of beheading because they want to prevent (nonviolent) Christianity from sweeping their turf in India and the Muslim theocratic nations. The prophecies specify severe persecution to Christians before the 2nd advent of Jesus the Christ/Messian. This is the Great Tribulation which is prophesied to kill (abe: and otherwise persecute) most of the Christians of the apocalyptic latter days.Of course, the hope of the resurrection as promised by God to his people is what causes Christians to be willing to take the punishment rather than to capitulate to the demands of the beheaders. It appears that this practice of beheading will escalate world wide as I understand the prophecies. It is also indicative of who will have the authority before Armageddon. Islam, being the fastest growing religion of all world wide appears to be the prominent emerging authority in the decades ahead. The implication is not good so far as the War On Terror goes, imo. This, again is just one more of the prophecies being fulfilled which appears to be corroborating the credibility of the Biblical record. My wife has gone to bed. I'll get a link on the Hopegivers matter from her later and edit it in. What do you think?Probably Faith and Belief for this one and open to suggestions from other admins.This message has been edited by buzsaw, 04-11-2006 12:46 AM

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BUZSAW B 4 U 2 Z Y BUZ SAW

Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

I did find a few news reports that support the fact of the arrest. But I have not been able to find any reputable confirmation of any of the threats of beheading nonsense.And it does look like they were breaking the laws. If so, then they deserved to be arrested.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

I'm sure some people thought that the French Revolution (15,000¹ decapitations) was the beginning of the end of days, and likewise the Second World War (40,000 by the Nazis²). These recent beheaders have a lot of catching up to do if their beheading is going to beat the Nazis.¹Source
²Source

Buz, my missionary grandfather was beheaded, apparently after being killed by gunfire, back in 1932 in China. The End Times didn't happen.As far as India, a couple of places on the Web indicate that they've had about 40 executions, by hanging, since the 70's and only one since 1995. We here in Texas do way more than 40 every year. Now there likely are some lawless folks in India calling for executions, in Pat Robertson style, but it doesn't appear that the government supports such.

quote:

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There are numerous corroborating signs of fulfulled Biblical prophecy indicative of the last days of this age. We've covered a few of them.

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To be more accurate there are many claims, and we've debunked a few of them here. Beheading's been around for a long time. And it appears that Thompson's situation has more to do with his intemperate attacks on Hinduism than simply being a Christian and an evangelist as such.So it really seems that even if Thompson were beheaded - and I have not heard that he has - it would not be significant in terms of increased persecution of Christianity or a significant increase in the use of beheading.n

This mostly seems like a streach, buz
i agree with other people, that beheading isn't a new form of execution, and certainly not new in the middle east, nor is it a new execution style of anywhere elsei think some people go over board, which isn't good, but objectivly looking at a muslim based goverment, i could see them looking badly on christianity trying to infiltrate thier way of life (hey i don't agree with them but logically they might see it this way)i really doubt beheading will become popular again, most people who are willing to accept people being executed, would want more humane killing (not sure about texas,sorry jar) i thought athieism was? or is this the new boogy-man of the year?most of this seems like fearmongering to me

Since most responses so far have been similar, this is my response:Yes, there's been beheadings all along. The significance of the times we are in is that prior to our time, beheadings were so unusual that few notations of them were in the national media. Nearly a hundred million citizens were killed by their own Communist governments last century, but beheadings were few. Now the news is full of events relative to nations who practice this significantly, nations which are becoming the focus on the world scene and which appear to become more significant in the future.

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BUZSAW B 4 U 2 Z Y BUZ SAW

I think it's a mistake to put to much emphasis on the method of execution. I don't see anything in Revelation 20:4 to suggest that beheading would be the "primary" method - it's just a method that happened to be mentioned.So it doesn't make much sense to try to link it to modern-day beheadings.

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I think you might be right on one thing and wrong on another, i don't think there are more beheadings anymore than 20 years ago or 50 years ago. there is a lot more coverage of things of this nature than 20 years ago, as we become more of a globel society we will get more media looking into things that in the earlier years people didn't know a thing about.
you do know that that thier was a lot of beheadings in france right?, thats why the gilatine (sp) was invented.

Beheadings are still very rare compared with the late 1700s and the mid 1900s. I reckon we'd find Islamic extremists have killed more using high explosives than by beheading in the 21st century. As a point of note, beheading was used in the Soviet state, and relatively frequently I'm reading, but was retired in about 1953. Does Revelations discuss media attention? The secularization of France via mass beheading of the Monarchy would seem to fit the Revelations bill far more than a handful of events trickling through we see today.How many people have been beheaded for witnessing Christ in the 21st Century?

Firstly Revelation 20:4 doesn't say when the people beheaded were killed. It could be read as implying that they were killed by the regime of the Beast - but if we take that reading then the modern beheadings have no special bearing on the matter - no mo re than ancient use of beheading. There is nothing that would require beheading to be common prior to the institution of that regime. If we assume that no particulsr time is meant then it could be talking about people beheaded hundreds of years earlier w hich would make modern beheadings even less significant.Even if beheading was rare in the last few decades - and I would suspect that it was more the beheading of Westerners that was rare - nothing in the Bible says that beheading would become rare then common again.So really there is nothing at all in this that could reasonably be considered a sign that the Apocalypse is coming. The more significant fact is that the argument is even made. The use of such a tenuous link is itself a clear indication that the claim made at the start of the OP is false. It is so obviusly clutching at straws that it would be ignored unless there were nothing better.

Hi Paul.1. Where you and even a lot of evangelical prophecy buffs err is that the apocalypse has begun. The apocalypes is not an event that comes in a day, a month or even a year. It is an event that emerges beginning with the restoration of the nation of Israel as per the OT major and minor prophets and Jesus in his famous Olivet Discourse prophecy.2. Most of the evangelical prophecy teachers err in trying to claim that the apocalyptic tribulation period is seven years. I challenge anyone to produce Biblical documentation for this doctrine. In the 20th century around a hundred million were executed by their own governments, mostly Communists who did not behead, but nevertheless murdered millions of Christians as well as others. That's tribulation beginning, but the worst is yet to come! There is more of that persecution going on, but apocalyptically, we are entering a transitional period.Beheadings will emerge as the primary mode of execution!! Providence's inspired prophet prophetically pronounced persecutoral proceedure pedicting predominant apocalyptic punishment practice. Muhammed promoted it. Biblical prophets declared it for the time when Muhammed's religion would prevail. Unfortunately, the citizens of the free world are blind to the enormity of the greatest threat global freedom has ever encountered by a fanatic ideology who's theocratic totalitarian regimes instills into every youth from preschool on up the nobility of dying for their god, Allah in holy Jihad.3. The heads of Westerners have already begun to fall. It's just the beginning. No pun intended, but hang onto your hats, folks! Save your heads by using them!4. This is an area of prophecy where it is imperitive that students of it cross reference scripture with scripture. Again, sadly, evangelical prophecy greats fail in this respect. Revelation 20:4 must be understood by the information provided in both chapters 13 and 17 of the same book. The ten horned, seven headed beast of Rev. 13 is one and the same as the 10 horned, 7 headed beast of Rev. 17. Take a paper and outline all the info in these two chapters regarding this beast. You discover that it makes war with the saints i.e. all the true Christians and overcomes them This is the beginning of the greater intense period of the tribulation of the latter days. Note also in Rev. 17 that this beast confederation of 10 kings who rule as kings, implying that they may not be kings perse. (Abe: They rule) all citizens of the planet.Having said the above, as per thread topic, Rev. 20:4 reveals that beheading will be the primary proceedure prevailing apocalyptically.Edited out the "s" in "prophets," 4th paragraph.This message has been edited by buzsaw, 04-14-2006 09:48 PMThis message has been edited by buzsaw, 04-14-2006 09:54 PM

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BUZSAW B 4 U 2 Z Y BUZ SAW

are those Christians that think Revelations refers to some end time instead of events nearly 2000 years ago.

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Aslan is not a Tame Lion

1) You claim that the Apocalypse has already begun but you can't find any signs of it. And even if it had begun it would not address my point.Since you bring up the Olivet Discourse, you will remember that it is only Luke that mentions a return to Israel and he does not mark that as the start of the Apocalypse as you do. The siege of Jerusalem and the exile are also part of his Apocalypse - as the siege is part of Mark's and Matthew's Apocalypse.2) According to the Olivet Discourse the Tribulation starts with or even before the siege of Jerusalem. If you want to claim that anything special is going on now, you have nearly 2000 years of history to compare it to.Your idea that beheading will become the major mode of execution is simply speculation on your part. It isn't supported by the evidence you've produced3) The French Revolution executed many Westerners. So why is this case significant when it hasn't even resulted in one beheading yet ?4) There is nothing relevant in your point 4. The regime you talk about doesn't exist yet, nor do you identify anythign about it that allows us to say that it might plausibly exist in the near future.So your arguments amount to saying:1) All accounts of the Olivet Discourse are incorrect. Only Luke mentions the crucial event and even he gets the order of events wrong.Can you explain why your ideas of what Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse are more reliable than the Gospel accounts ?2) The call for a single evangelist to be executed by beheading - because he has grossly offended Hindus - is strong evidence that beheading is going to become the major mode of execution in the near future.
You've offered nothing to explain how this makes any sense. Personally I very much doubt that the man will be executed in any fashion.e