How
well
does Mohammed's prophethood stand up to scrutiny?
It is
crystal clear from numerous
scriptural warnings that many false
prophets will arise - some will
attract many followers. Some
will delude and convince
vast multitudes. For
this important reason, God's
law provides clear and easily applicable
tests to any aspiring prophet.
These
are tests we are obliged
to apply if we wish to be safely lead and
guided.
5
false and dangerous
tests
First of all there are a number of criteria
often vaunted of prophets,
which are certainly not
given by God to indicate true prophethood.
Whilst they may seem persuasive and enticing
to the flesh, they are
extremely dangerous to rely upon.
Historically they are the criteria used by
false prophets explicitly
condemned by the Word of God.
Military
successwas
the pride and boast of pagan
Shalmeneser and his spokesman,
Pharaoh, and
idol worshipping
Nebuchadnezzar.
Antiquity
and longevity of faith, has
been the hallmark of idolatrous Babylon
and Rome
Large
numbers of followers, Baal's
temples were one of the few
in the Bible that were full to
overflowing.
Eloquence
of expression, and charm, The
muallaqat of the age of jahaliya
is still considered a masterpiece of
eloquence.
Acquired
political or social status, Korah
the great arch enemy of Moses,
and Jeremiah's opponents had become
stong and eminent but were
spokesmen for Satan.
4
Scriptural Tests -
each essential for evaluating a claim to
prophethood
Doctrine
Consistency
with prior revelation
A central
test of prophets is
whether they agree with what went before,
(Deut. 13.)
- numerous massive discrepancies
with manuscripts that antedate Messiah and
so could not have been
altered either by the Jews or Christians
(how could they conspire
together to embarrass the Qur'an!)
- numerous even greater discrepancies with
manuscripts that antedate
Mohammed by at least 3 centuries, so they
could not have been altered
by
Christians!
God
honouring
- but the
Qur'an embraces Greek
anti-anthropomorphism that demean His
personality,
His grace and the
mysterious character of His name.
-it ascribes to Him the authorship of evil
and the intention to deceive.
Sin
exposing
-
the great sin of the worship of
the Ka'aba stoneis enshrined
and sanctified in Islam Miraculous
Signs Especially
when new doctrine is
taught.
The prophet of Islam bereft - his own
revelation a feeble and
insufficient substitute Personal
Character Distinctive
holiness of life
essential
The 'prophet's' life abounds in
assassinations of nonviolent
critics/torture/repeated, unrenounced sexual
impurity/oath breaking
and even false revelation that needed
rebuke,
according not to
Christian critics but to
reputable Muslim historians
and the Hadith literature. Consequences
of ministry; the
social fruits Muslim
nations now the most corrupt,
miserly
even towards the Muslim needy and backward,
in spite of extraordinary wealth and
privilege.
Even in its
golden days, the Islamic
empire dosesn't compare with the fruits of
the
Protestant Reformation for:
Orphanages/hospitals/schools (yes, girls
too) / integrity and freedom
from corruption/ sexual mores/
nepotism/scientific and intellectual
progress - despite
corrupting trends at its inception
- like the sanctifying of usury, an
overreliance on philosophy, or evil
anti-Semitism.
Malaysia, a
rare exception,
benefitted from Christian influence after
WW2 and heavily relies on a
highly industrious Chinese subpopulation,
dealt with as second class
citizens by the lazy Malays,
even now the country is beginning to revert
to type. (the
progressive petrifaction of the
Muslim mind, since Ibn
Hanbali,
a heavy reliance of Greek learning and
analysis and the explanation for
the
significant benefit gained before to be
found in the proper
renunciation of visual idolatry, the
prominent role in Islamic
progress played by Jews and Christians).
Western apostasy since the intrusion of
antinomianism into the church.
