We respect anyone who is sincerely and humbly searching for God. The Quran, upon which Islam is based, claims that the Day of Judgment is committed unto Jesus. “And he (Jesus, son of Mary) shall be a knowing sign for the coming of the hour (Day of Resurrection) (i.e., Jesus’ decent on earth). Therefore, have no doubt about it.” Sura #43 Zukhruf: 61. We are glad we can at least agree with that quote. However, when assertions are made as to prophetic authority, we have some tests which are set forth in the Bible.
First, the Bible makes a much stronger claim to being the word of God. The standard for determining what is the word of God is stated plainly in the Bible. Deuteronomy 18:22 “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken…”. Isaiah 42:9 “Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them”. John 13:19 “Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he”.
How long should we wait for the predicted event to come true? Anyone can predict the future when there is no time limit for the thing predicted to occur. The Bible has literally hundreds of time prophecies that have come to pass just as stated. There is no other book in the world that makes this claim and fulfills this claim. Only someone who is receiving information from one who has complete knowledge of the future can get it right every time. Today, we see so many precisely fulfilled, Biblical, time prophecies, that it gives us great confidence and faith. What the Bible predicts about the future will also come to pass as stated.
The most popularly used time prophecy in the Bible is given by Daniel, and it predicted the date of Jesus death and the destruction of Israel to follow. It is found in Daniel 9:24-27, “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy…” It is not my purpose here to tell you how this was fulfilled but cited for you to see that there was a time period given.
Another big difference between the teachings of the Bible and the Quran is what it teaches about your enemies. The Bible teaches you to love your enemies whereas the Quran tells you to kill them. 1 John 4:11,12, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another…If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.” So, even though we may not agree with followers of Islam, we will still love them.
