By Walid Shoebat and Theodore Shoebat
When Turkey’s Grand Mufti, Mehmet Gormez, enters Hagia Sophia, looks at the sign of Bismillah (literally In The Name of Allah) then announces that Allah is God in what historically is known to Christendom as “The Temple of God,” I pay close attention:
This says many things: that Turkey has announced that the bruising of the Ottomans is over, that Kamal Ataturk’s cancellation of Hagia Sophia as a temple for Muslims is over, that a time to make a false Hudna ‘peace treaty’ with Christendom is on the way, that Hagia Sophia now becomes another center for the world of Islam and that Jerusalem is also next.
On Feb. 20, for instance, Gormez received a delegation led by Sheikh Hamid bin Abdullah, head of the International Al-Quds Institute, and said during the meeting, “If the holy al-Quds [Jerusalem] is calling for help, then every Muslim has to heed this appeal.”
Grand Mufti Gormez with Pope Francis
Grand Mufti Gormez with Sultan Erdogan
Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs headed by the Grand Mufti Mehmet Gormez, with its massive budget controls all religious affairs and enjoys generous privileges from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), the institution — which is affiliated with the Prime Ministry has become a major instrument in shaping the Muslim world as imagined by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and has “close interest in current affairs and his choice of taking pronounced attitudes on political issues.”
And if one thinks that Hagia Sophia is not Temple of God or that such scenario which happened last week is biblically insignificant, think again.
Firstly, Hagia Sophia cathedral as a temple dedicated to the Son of God is also characteristic of several writers contemporary to the founder of the reconstruction of the Constantinopolitan basilica – Justinian I the Great. Procopius of Caesarea (ca. 500 – ca. 560) repeatedly mentions in his writings that the main metropolitan church was known as the church of the Holy Wisdom, because it was a name recognized at that time by the Byzantines as the most suitable for God as a name of his sanctuary. (1)
Mosaic above the inner entrance to the Church of Hagia Sophia, Istanbul where Christ is depicted on His throne receiving worship from the Byzantine emperor Theodosius I.
During the reign of emperor Basil I (867–886), in eastern Christian sophiology and just like in the case of Byzantine writers of the 5th–6th century the Constantinopolitan basilica was (in the eyes of the inhabitants of the empire) a church dedicated to the Only Begotten Son and Word of God and so it was dedicated to the Son of God, and the name Hagia Sophia points to one of the attributes of the Creator, the Wisdom of God (Latin Sancta Sapientia), and not – as it was claimed in the West – a saint named Sophia.(1)
A clear statement that Hagia Sophia is a temple dedicated to Jesus, the Son of God can also be found in a medieval Byzantine normative source. A Chrysobull by Emperor Manuel Comnenus, dated 1153, states that the Constantinopolitan cathedral was built in honour of the Saviour and another source the Pilgrim’s Books (Книги Паломник), written by Dobryna Jadrejkovič from Novgorod the Great who traveled to Constantinople between 1200 and 1204 described many Byzantine objects of the capital, including the Hagia Sophia basilica, whose name according to him should be understood as the Temple of Wisdom and Word of God. In the work dedicated to Theodosius of Tărnovo the author calls the Constantinopolitan Hagia Sophia – a temple of the “Wisdom of God’s Word.” (2)
The Hagia Sophia in Constantinople is different from any other in that the preserved source material justifies the thesis that in Byzantium, regardless of the era, the cathedral basilica called Hagia Sophia was conceived primarily as a temple dedicated to Christ – the Incarnate Word of God.
Secondly, Erdogan of Turkey has done what no other Muslim has done in our times; he is reviving Islam in the “far reaches of the north” and is leading the Muslim world in shaping and spreading an objective: to speedily revive Islam in the regions of the north, the Turkic republics in the Balkans, Central Asia and African nations. The Turkish religious authority under Mufti Gormez, had had 200,267 meetings, conferences, panels and symposiums, all organized solely in the northern parts of the globe as an objective to influence non-Arab Muslim countries, especially in the Balkans. To Turkey Central Asia’s C.I.S nations (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) is the goal of this anti-Christ agenda and Turkey today takes the lead in what the Bible predicts regarding Antichrist’s region of “Meshech, Tubal, Gomer and Beth Togarmah” as mentioned in Ezekiel 38, and in Isaiah 14, Antichrist takes prides to have accomplished this very issue:
You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north (Isaiah 14:13)
In all this we see an Antichrist state (Turkey) forming and allying with Iran and seeking to expand to the North Quarters of Beth Togarmah.
Thirdly, that Erdogan desires to sit in that temple should make us pay close attention. One travel publication, a year ago, revealed:
Confirmation of the plan came on Thursday from the Turkish pro-government daily Yeni Safak, after press leaks last week in Radikal reported the prime minister’s intention to pray in the Byzantine basilica prior to the August presidential elections, possibly as early as May 29.
The date is a highly symbolic one, as it marks the 561st anniversary of the fall of Constantinople into the hands of the Ottomans. A few days later the basilica became a mosque on the orders of Mehmet II the Conqueror and remained so until 1934, when on the decision of the father of the modern Turkish ‘secular Republic Mustafa Kemal Ataturk it was made into a museum.
Erdogan himself wants to sit in Hagia Sophia, the Temple of The Word of God is significant.
And his desire to declare Hagia Sophia as mosque, enter it and further desecrate it, Erdogan is coming closer perhaps in fulfilling 2 Thessalonians 2:
“for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who oppose and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” (II Thessalonians 2:4)
Erdogan has alluded to be Allah while at the same time worships Allah. Similarly, Antichrist, while he claims titles that belong to deity, he also worships a deity: “He will honor a God of fortresses” (Daniel 11).
This is not some allegory for he “acts against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory” (Daniel 11:39). This is a “foreign god,” which he shall “acknowledge” and via warfare he “advances its glory”, the glory of this single-war-god while does not honor the “desire of women” (woman’s needs, rights) which is exactly what Erdogan has done.
Only in Islam can we find Muslim multitudes, while they deny the worship of a man, yet Muhammad in Islam holds a uniquely exalted status unparalleled by anything or anyone else. He is given the titles Al-Maqam-Al-Mahmud (The Glorious One), Awal-Khalq-illah (The first of Creation), Muhammad (The Praised One), Al-Insan Al-Kamel (The Perfect Man), Rahmatan-lil-A’alameen (Mercy to All Mankind), Al-rasul Al-A’tham (The Greatest of All sent by God), Shafi (Healer), Munji (Savior), Mahdi (The Guided One/Deliverer), Al-Mustafa Al-Mukhtar (The Chosen One), Amir (The Prince), Khatimun-Nabiyeen (The Seal of Prophets), Al-Hadi (The Guide), Awal (First), Akher (Last), Sayyid Walad Adam (The Leader of The Sons of Adam) and Al-Siraj Al-Muneer (The Luminous One, The Glowing Lamp).
Erdogan by re-invoking prayers at Hagia Sophia wants to be Sultan and Mahdi in order to be exalted above all of creation and literally wants to sit in the Temple of God in Hagia Sophia.
Others propose the possibly of a temple in Jerusalem. That is also a possible scenario while the text in Second Thessalonians does not insist on this. Many Christians object to such rebuilding referring to John 4:21: “Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.” (John 4:21) Historically it has been the pagans who wanted to rebuild a Jewish Temple in Jerusalem during the mid fourth century and God struck them dead. Others argue that this was not the right timing. (3)
But we cannot eliminate such possibilities and we must be open to see how it all unfolds. Antichrist says:
“I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north.”
This is not in Jerusalem, but the land of the North, Turkey. And just as Mehemet II, the seventh king did, so will the eighth, the Antichrist.
The reference in Isaiah 14 is not regarding Lucifer in his angelic state, but in his carnal state as Antichrist “is this the man that made the earth tremble” (v.17) and is said to rule from Pergamum (Revelation 2:12-13) which Christ proclaimed would be the future seat of Satan (Antichrist). This “mount of the congregation” is on the sides of the northern lands in Asia Minor—Turkey. It is in Turkey that the Seven Churches and the Seven Lamp stands were. These are no small issues to ignore.
Erdogan is already eying not just Hagia Sophia, but also Jerusalem. If one wants to hear how the Antichrist would sound like when he speaks in the Temple of God, all one needs to do is to watch some of the videos that are released by the Turks where Erdogan’s speech, Hagia Sophia and Jerusalem are central focus:
And while these appear “civil” meeting with the Pope and such, remember, in private, they are demonoids:
The man in the center, becomes the direction of prayer instead of Mecca as the Sufi Jalal al-Din al-Rumi taught, where this one is called The Prince who gains complete loyalty as al-Rumi said: “The Shaikh had become the Light of God. And whoever turns his back on the Light of God to face the wall of the prayer niche has assuredly turned his back on Mecca …” This is why they form the shape of a chandelier with the niche, the light of Allah, the luciferian (Luminous one) stands in the middle.
While I write this, many would think they are dreaming, is it that close, “honey, wake me up, I dreamt that I read an article by Walid Shoebat and it all sounded so scary”. The only problem is, your not dreaming. This is reality, wake up and smell the stench of demons.
In the meanwhile, please consider the serious issue on Christian persecution which will increase as we see these events unfold. we operate a very effective mission in rescuing fellow Christians. We are a unique organization (Rescue Christians) who rescue Christians, predominately in Pakistan that live under the Muslim yoke baking bricks in kilns under the heating sun. Christians in Pakistan are also burned in furnaces. To see an example out of the thousands we rescue, click here, and listen to the amazing testimonies first hand on how you can help and make a difference, now in this life and for eternity.
SOURCES
(1) Procopius Caesariensis, De bellis, III, 6, 26, ed. H.B. Dewing, London 1916 (cetera: Procopius, De bellis): Σοφίαν καλοῦσιν οἱ Βυζάντιοι τὸν νεὼν, ταύτην δὴ μάλιστα τῷ Θεῷ πρέπειν τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ἡγούμενοι; Pro- copius Caesariensis, De aedificiis, I, 1, 21, ed. H.B. Dewing, London 1940 (cetera: Procopius, De ae- dificiis): Σοφίαν καλοῦσιν οἱ Βυζάντιοι τὸν νεὼν ἐπικαιριώτατα τῷ Θεῷ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ἀπεργασάμενοι. A.M. Am- mann, Darstellung und Deutung der Sophia im Vorpetrinischen Russland, OCP 4, 1938, p. 123. In that way it took its name: the Church of Divine Wisdom (Hagia Sophia), expressed [in the matter] the Word of God – Narratio de structura, 10, p. 418; Г. Флоровский, op . cit .; С. Золотарев, София Пре- мудрость Божия…, p. 244. * K.N. Ciggaar, Une Description de Constantinople dans le Tarragonensis 55, REB 53, 1995, p. 129‒130; Таррагонский аноним, О граде Константинополе . Латинское описание реликвий Константи- нополя XI в., ed. Л.К.М. Санчес, [in:] Реликвии в искусстве и культуре восточно-христианского мира, Москва 2000, p. 165; С. Золотарев, София Премудрость Божия…, p. 244.
(2) G. Dagron, op . cit ., p. 231, 299–300; M.L. Fobelli, op . cit ., p. 168.
A.M. Ammann, op. cit., p. 131; G. Dagron, op . cit ., p. 300; О. Этингоф, Иконография Иисуса Хри- ста как образа воплощенной Софии Премудрости Божией, [in:] София Премудрость Божия…, p. 59; С. Золотарев, София Премудрость Божия…, p. 244
(3) “Julian, who in his third consulship had taken as his colleague Sallustius, the prefect of Gaul, now entered on his fourth year, and by a novel arrangement took as his colleague a private individual; an act of which no one recollected an instance since that of Diocletian and Aristobulus. And although, foreseeing in his anxious mind the various accidents that might happen, he urged on with great diligence all the endless preparations necessary for his expedition, yet distributing his diligence everywhere; and being eager to extend the recollection of his reign by the greatness of his exploits, he proposed to rebuild at a vast expense the once magnificent temple of Jerusalem, which after many deadly contests was with difficulty taken by Vespasian and Titus, who succeeded his father in the conduct of the siege. And he assigned the task to Alypius of Antioch, who had formerly been proprefect of Britain. But though Alypius applied himself vigorously to the work, and though the governor of the province co-operated with him, fearful balls of fire burst forth with continual eruptions close to the foundations, burning several of the workmen and making the spot altogether inaccessible. And thus the very elements, as if by some fate, repelling the attempt, it was laid aside.” (Ammianus Marcellinus, Roman History, 23.1-3, trans. C.D.YONGE)