The beheading of the U.S. journalist Jim Foley by ISIL earlier this week may be a historic turning point in the war against the evil practitioners of Islam. It takes a lot to galvanize the West into action, but this event may be one of the sparks that begins to unite the world against ISIL.
There have been other beheadings, and there will be other bloodthirsty murders in the name of Allah but, from a biblical perspective, ISIL has been weighed in the divine balances and has been found wanting (Daniel 5:27). The annihilation of ISIL may not come suddenly, or easily, but it is certain that ISIL will enter into the dustbin of humanities human debris for several reasons.
First, the goal of ISIL is to dominate the Middle East, Europe, and the West. This is a godless goal of egotistical proportion that flies in the face of the known will of the Sovereign God. The Bible teaches that God “hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitations” (Acts 17:26), meaning the habitations of the nations. Any, and every attempt to destroy God’s divinely ordained boundaries for nations has failed, and shall always fail. It cannot happen. God will never allow it to happen for He is never going to surrender His Sovereign rule over the nations on earth. Ideologies of internationalism are a direct challenge to the authority of God.
Second, the methods of ISIL to achieve their delusional and misguided global ambitions are rooted in their father, the Devil, whose work they are doing. Long ago, in the Garden of Eden, Satan maliciously led Adam to plunge all of humanity into heartache and sorrow. The army of ISIL continues to plunge humanity deeper still into the abyss of madness, murder, and mayhem.
Nevertheless, God is a God of mercy and grace and will not bless, nor tolerate forever the injustice that is perpetuated in His name. God will rise up to defend the righteous and the innocent. God will move to protect the women and children subject to genocide by those who are clothed in black. The black garments of ISIL are a fitting representation of the blackness of their souls, and the depths of darkness from which they spring.
Third, God will not allow racism to triumph, and ISIL is a racist organization. The Bible teaches that God “hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26). Therefore, any organization—military, political, or religious—that promotes racism is intrinsically evil and subject to divine annihilation.
Finally, the army of ISIL will be annihilated because the forces of good shall always triumph over the forces of darkness. That is one of the grand lessons of human history. Babylon the Great has fallen and is no more. It was predicted to fall.
The mighty Medo-Persian Empire collapsed. It was so prophesied. The empire of Alexander the Great gave way to the Roman Empire. And then Rome was conquered by Christ and the church. All of these events were part of biblical prophecy (Daniel 1:1-12:13). The church militant has been on the march since the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and is still moving from victory to victory.
Islam has tried to destroy Christians and Christianity before, and failed, as the Battle of Tours in AD 732 is a reminder. The forces of Islam shall fail again, for the Bible teaches that ultimate victory belongs to Christ and the church. Therefore, Christians, do not despair. Lift up your heads. Your Redeemer draweth nigh. Christianity shall yet prevail against Islam and the expression of Islam that ISIL gives. It is only a matter of time, based upon biblical revelation and the known will of God, as recorded in His Word.