Watchman Warning: What's in a Name? - By Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com
On last week's The Hal Lindsey Report, I spoke of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) sweeping "across the land like a plague, feeding and growing on the spoils of the people it conquers."
Like many organizations in that part of the world, it carries more than one name. In my report, I used the name ISIS to avoid confusion because most of the western media seems to have settled on that nomenclature. However, President Obama says, "ISIL" when referring to the group. That stands for "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant."
Both names are significant. ISIS, "the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria," tells us that their first focus is where it has always been, on Iraq. In fact, they were once known as "al-Qaeda in Iraq." The name also shows the importance of Syria. The final "S" in "ISIS" can mean "Syria," "Greater Syria," or "al-Sham."
ISIS has been fighting and growing in Syria since early in the civil war there. It's where they honed their skills and became battle-hardened. Though not recognized by any nation, ISIS declares itself to be an independent state, and presently claims the territories of both Iraq and Syria.
But the other name - ISIL, "the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" - tells us they have far bigger goals in mind. The Levant is the area surrounding the Eastern Mediterranean. It includes Cyprus, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, so-called Palestine, part of southern Turkey, and, most significantly, Israel.
ISIL wants to create an Islamic caliphate across this vast region. A caliphate is a strict Islamic state with a caliph in charge. A caliph is considered a successor to Mohammad.
ISIS gives us a remarkably clear picture of the Islam of Mohammad's day. It isn't a picture of peace, but torture, intolerance, murder, mutilation, and burning rage.
On last week's The Hal Lindsey Report, I spoke of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) sweeping "across the land like a plague, feeding and growing on the spoils of the people it conquers."
Like many organizations in that part of the world, it carries more than one name. In my report, I used the name ISIS to avoid confusion because most of the western media seems to have settled on that nomenclature. However, President Obama says, "ISIL" when referring to the group. That stands for "Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant."
Both names are significant. ISIS, "the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria," tells us that their first focus is where it has always been, on Iraq. In fact, they were once known as "al-Qaeda in Iraq." The name also shows the importance of Syria. The final "S" in "ISIS" can mean "Syria," "Greater Syria," or "al-Sham."
ISIS has been fighting and growing in Syria since early in the civil war there. It's where they honed their skills and became battle-hardened. Though not recognized by any nation, ISIS declares itself to be an independent state, and presently claims the territories of both Iraq and Syria.
But the other name - ISIL, "the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant" - tells us they have far bigger goals in mind. The Levant is the area surrounding the Eastern Mediterranean. It includes Cyprus, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, so-called Palestine, part of southern Turkey, and, most significantly, Israel.
ISIL wants to create an Islamic caliphate across this vast region. A caliphate is a strict Islamic state with a caliph in charge. A caliph is considered a successor to Mohammad.
ISIS gives us a remarkably clear picture of the Islam of Mohammad's day. It isn't a picture of peace, but torture, intolerance, murder, mutilation, and burning rage.
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