Political pressures mounted so high in Muhammad's home city of Mecca that he was forced, along with his followers, to flee north to the city known then as Yathrib, now as Medina. The Jews in particular of that area seemed to accept Muhammad. Historically the Jewish people have yielded to the appeals of false Messiahs. The One Messiah who met all the requirements of the prophecies, they seem to have overlooked.

At any rate, the climate was right for a leader to come in and help settle the disputes between this and that Arabian tribe. Muhammad thus cut all ties, at least for awhile, to his home land, all that was near and dear. He had been soundly rejected by the Meccans and the Meccan religion. He would have to start over.

What can I compare this to in the life of Jesus Christ? My Lord also left His Home Land to sojourn in a place that was foreign to Him. From the heavenlies it had become obvious to the Father that things on Earth must be corrected once and for all. He would send His Son into this hostile environment on a mission of love. No armies followed Him here, except for the invisible hosts of heaven that had been all but silenced by Heaven's orders. There was to be natural protection but no show of force. He would speak the Father's words, do what He came to do, and return.

So Muhammad fled from a city's rejection to a place of refuge. Jesus came from a place of acceptance to a city's rejection.

Both returned to their place of origin by the end of the written record. Muhammad triumphantly entered Mecca and took authority over the Holy Place and all the citizenry. Arabia would eventually fall to Muhammad's sword, as well as most of the Middle East and Northern Africa. The word and the sword of Islam continues conquering men's lands and persons to this day.

And Jesus? He returned to Heaven having conquered sin and death, and waits there for a little while before He conquers the world too.

We often speak of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem that occurred one week before His death, and we are thrilled with our Lord's work. But the ultimate triumph occurred weeks later when He ascended to the Father, victory in hand, mission accomplished.