A Neo-Ottoman Empire – Part 2
TimeWatch Editorial
July 21, 2016
In our last Editorial entitled: “A Neo-Ottoman Empire,” there was an article written by John Hayward21st of April 2016 on the BREIBART Website entitled: “Kurdish Opposition Leader: Turkey’s Erdogan ‘Wants a Caliphate.’ In that article he said the following:
“On Tuesday, Germany’s Der Spiegel published a lengthy interview with Selahattin Demirtas, leader of the Kurd-aligned HDP Party of Turkey. Demirtas leveled some serious allegations against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying the Kurds stood in the way of Erdogan’s creating an Islamic State-style (ISIS/ISIL) “Caliphate” of his own, and warning that Erdogan’s war against the Kurds could make the already-fearsome refugee crisis in Europe even worse.”John Hayward BREIBART Website, “Kurdish Opposition Leader: Turkey’s Erdogan ‘Wants a Caliphate’ 21st of April 2016
This understanding of the desire to create a Caliphate is not new by any means. John Callahan writes in November 2013 an eight page treatment entitled: “The fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of the Republic of Turkey.” In answer to the question, Why look at Ottoman History? Callahan responds:
“In an era in which the modern day republic of Turkey appears to be moving away from nearly a century of secularism, it is useful to look at the last century of Ottoman history to see if and how such leanings have developed and either failed or blossomed. One could argue that the current radicalization of Turkey, and the governments reaction to it, is but part of a repeating cycle that stretches back at least to Janissary resistance to the various attempts to modernize (read here westernize) the Ottoman armed forces in the Napoleonic era. Whether cyclical or not, a deeper understanding of the Ottoman past helps to illuminate the problems of the Turkish present.” John Callahan, “The fall of the Ottoman Empire and the rise of the Republic of Turkey.” November 2013.
In other words, this is not the first time that Turkey has had multiple conflicts between those who sought to modernize the nation and those who sought to maintain its status as a Caliphate. A caliphate is of course an area containing an Islamic steward known as a caliph. This is a person considered a religious successor to the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, and a leader of the entire Muslim community. Burak Sansal, writing on the All About Turkey website describes the Ottoman Empire this way.
“Their empire was centered in present-day Turkey , and extended its influence into southeastern Europe as well as the Middle East. Europe was only temporarily able to resist their advance: the turning point came at the Battle of Varna in 1444 when a European coalition army failed to stop the Turkish advance. Only Constantinople (Istanbul) remained in Byzantine hands and its conquest in 1453 seemed inevitable after Varna. The Turks subsequently established an empire in Anatolia and southeastern Europe.”Burak Sansal, All About Turkey, The Ottoman Empire
In the quote taken from John Callahan’s eight page treatment above, is the word “Janissary.” It is critical that you understand what that word describes. Listen to Burak Sansal explain it.
“The greatest military asset of the Ottoman Empire was the standing paid army of Christian soldiers, the Janissaries. Originally created in 1330 by Orhan Gazi, the janissaries were Christian captives from conquered territories. Educated in the Islamic faith and trained as soldiers, the Janissaries were forced to provide annual tribute in the form of military service. Murad I (1319-1389) transformed the new military force into the elite personal army of the Sultan. They were rewarded for their loyalty with grants of newly acquired land and janissaries quickly rose to fill the most important administrative offices of the Ottoman Empire.” Burak Sansal, All About Turkey, The Ottoman Empire
It is clear then, that the struggles to maintain the Ottoman Empire guided its leadership, Until August 11, 1840, when the Turkish government surrendered its independence. That event was not only a turning point in history, but also an awakening to the power and accuracy of the prophecies. Stephen N. Haskell in his book, The Story of the Seer of Patmos, says the following:
“In 1838 Josiah Litch and William Miller published an exposition of the ninth chapter of Revelation, in which it was predicted that the Ottoman Empire would fall in 1840. The exact fulfillment of this prophecy on August 11, 1840, when the Turkish government surrendered its independence, and has since been known as "the sick man of the East," was a startling proof to many that prophecy could be understood, and that men were living in the end of time.” Stephen N. Haskell, The Story of the Seer of Patmos, page 52
There is not a single event in history or the present, or the future that has avoided the eye of God. The constant mention of nations today will all lead to the direct fulfillment of God’s prophecies. The question therefore is, “What is in your heart?”
Cameron A. Bowen
