The Bible says wars and rumors of wars...so does this mean our world will end with war?
What does the Bible say about end of the time wars? Let us explore this together by opening the Scriptures. First let us look at the context of the mentioned text in the question.
Matt 24:6 “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” NIV
Wars and rumors of wars are not the end of the world, but a sign of the soon coming of the Lord. Should we be alarmed about those? The Bible encourages us not to. Didn’t Jesus promise us: Matt 28:20 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” NIV
In fact the Bible tells us that we are in a constant spiritual war. The sad part of this is that many Christians don’t even realize that.
1 Peter 5:8-9 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” NIV
Our enemy is not only the devil, but the world itself.
John 15:18-21 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me.” NIV
The reason we are hated by the world is because of Jesus’ name and because we do not belong to the world.
John 17:14 4 “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.” NIV
This is why we are encouraged to put God’s armour on. How could a soldier survive war if he is not equipped for the war?
Eph 6:11-13 “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” NIV
As long as we live on this world we will be in this spiritual war. However Jesus is our ally and if we rely solely on Him we will be victorious. We can do nothing without His help. John 15:5 “Apart from me you can do nothing.” NIV
The last battle (besides the great tribulation) that is mentioned in God’s Word is when the millennium will be over and Satan is released from his prison. He will continue in deceiving people and nations and will gather them to do battle against God and His people. The outcome is clear and sure: they will all be destroyed. Nobody can oppose God unpunished.
Rev 20:7-10 “When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth-Gog and Magog-to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” NIV
My friend, are you tired of leading a defeated life? Are you tired of leading a double life, flirting between the world and God? It is time you take your stand firm, my friend. Don’t be a casualty of the spiritual war that is going on. You can be victorious if you accept Jesus fully into your life and rely on Him for victory. Why don’t you invite His call at http://www.answers2prayer.org/saviours_call.html .
Rob Chaffart
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INTRODUCTION
Matthew 24:1-6
1. "Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and
His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the
temple.
2. And Jesus said to them, "Do you not see all these things?
Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here
upon another, that shall not be thrown down."
3. Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came
to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these be? And
what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the
age?"
4. And Jesus answered and said to them: "Take heed that no
one deceives you.
5. "For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the
Christ,' and will deceive many And you will be hearing of
wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; all
these things must come to pass; but the end is not yet.
6. "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that
you are not troubled; for all these tings must come to pass
but the end not yet"
I am sure your question emanated from verse number 6 above.
It would not be correct to answer the question in isolation,
that is why I have brought verses 15 as introduction. These
are the signs of the second coming of Jesus Christ. However
read on about what the exact verse 6 means as follows:
Wars here denotes all the wars from the first century to the
present. They are signified by the red horse of the second
seal in Rev. 6:3-4.
Our world has already been filled with wars and rumours of
war. It is part of the signs of the second coming of the
Lord Jesus Christ. All the events mentioned from verses 1 -
6 are those things that would come to pass before Jesus
comes again.
The end denotes the consummation of this age (v.3; Dan.
12:4, 9, 6-7), which will be the three and a half years of
the great tribulation. Although vv. 6-9 and 14 are in the
section concerning Israel, the tribulations and the
preaching of the gospel mentioned in these verses take place
generally, in the whole world, from the time of Christ's
ascension to the end of this age. Verse 15, immediately
following v. 14, speaks concerning the beginning of the
great tribulation (v. 21), which is the time when Antichrist
will set up his image in the temple of God, which image will
thereby become the abomination of desolation.
I like to ask you. Are you prepared for His coming? If you
died today, where exactly would you be? In hell or heaven?
If the Lord should come today, and you are found on face of
the earth, would you be among those who would go with him in
the air? Or would you be left behind for the anti-Christ to
deal with? You should not be among those that would not go
with the first flight (rapture) when the trumpet would
sound.
You must do something about your life. Give (Release) your
entire life to Jesus Christ today by confessing and
repenting of your sins and accept Him as your Lord and
Personal Saviour. Then you should live for him. Let sin be a
forgotten issue in your life. You should be born again
today! Do you want to do that? Please click into the
relevant area of this newsletter and get born again.
Please feel free to contact me; should you need further
spiritual help in your life.
Rev Debo Adeyemo
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Not necessarily: Matthew 24:6 says: And ye shall hear of
wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for
all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Mark 13:7says: And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of
wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but
the end shall not be yet.
By a careful study of these verses and a comparison of the
prophecy in Zechariah, chapter 14, we can see clearly that
the Apostles were thinking of the end of the age when
Jerusalem will be surrounded by the armies of the world,
when the Lord will return and His feet stand in that day
upon the Mount of Olives, and when the present age is
brought to a close and the Millennial Era is ushered in.
Since the Apostles concluded that He was speaking of the end
time, Jesus warned them to be careful and to avoid drawing
hasty conclusions with reference to the end of the age
whenever a war might break out, or they might hear of rumors
of wars. He then told them that there would be local wars
going on all during His absence "And ye shall hear of wars
and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for these
things must needs come to pass; (((but the end is not
yet)))" (24: 6.) Hence a local war, according to our Lord
had no prophetic significance with reference to the end of
the age.
Although a world war is expected at the coming of Christ.
Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom.
There will be famines and earthquakes, etc. as spelled out
to is in scripture. But local wars will continue to go on
and on throughout our lifetime until the Lord is ready to
make His great and mighty return.
DeeDee
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War may well play a part in it. Certainly, we can expect
wars to increase, along with natural disasters such as
famines, earthquakes, floods and so on. Here are some
references to the end of the world.
2Pe 3:7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the
same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the
day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the
night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the
earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned
up.
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day
of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be
dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
Hebrews 12:26-AV Whose voice then shook the earth: but now
he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the
earth only, but also heaven.
Joel 3:16-AV The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter
his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth
shall shake: but the LORD [will be] the hope of his people,
and the strength of the children of Israel.
Jeremiah 25:30-AV Therefore prophesy thou against them all
these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on
high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall
mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as
they that tread [the grapes], against all the inhabitants of
the earth.
Jeremiah 25:31-AV A noise shall come [even] to the ends of
the earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations,
he will plead with all flesh; he will give them [that are]
wicked to the sword, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 25:32-AV Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil
shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind
shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.
Jeremiah 25:33-AV And the slain of the LORD shall be at that
day from [one] end of the earth even unto the [other] end of
the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor
buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.
Revelation 16:17-AV And the seventh angel poured out his
vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the
temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.
Revelation 16:18-AV And there were voices, and thunders, and
lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was
not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake,
[and] so great.
Revelation 16:19-AV And the great city was divided into
three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great
Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the
cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Revelation 16:20-AV And every island fled away, and the
mountains were not found.
Isaiah 24:19-AV The earth is utterly broken down, the earth
is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
Isaiah 24:20-AV The earth shall reel to and fro like a
drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the
transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall
fall, and not rise again.
Jeremiah 4:23-AV I beheld the earth, and, lo, [it was]
without form, and void; and the heavens, and they [had] no
light.
Jeremiah 4:24-AV I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they
trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.
Jeremiah 4:25-AV I beheld, and, lo, [there was] no man, and
all the birds of the heavens were fled.
Jeremiah 4:26-AV I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place [was]
a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at
the presence of the LORD, [and] by his fierce anger.
Jeremiah 4:27-AV For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land
shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full end
A study of the seven last plagues will reveal that the first
six are likely to be brought about by our misuse of the
planet. Pollution, global warming etc.; things we are
getting concerned about now. The seventh plague which occurs
just before the return, is consistent with a major impact.
Not to say that any of this will be the case, but the above
verses seem to indicate a global catastrophe capable of
disrupting the whole surface of the earth, burning up the
whole earth and even setting on fire the atmosphere.
It is quite possible that war will have something to do with
the plagues that trouble the earth just before Christ
returns. It is also possible that the burning up of the
earth and the intense earthquake may be caused by global
nuclear warfare.
We know that our planet has only a short time to exist as we
know it. The concern of all should be to ensure they will be
among those who are either resurrected or translated at the
coming of Christ. A more immediate concern should be our own
personal end. None of us knows when he or she will take the
last breath. Do not put off making your peace with God. Once
you are dead it is over for you and there are no second
chances. If you feel the need, answer 'The Savior's Call' in
this newsletter.
Lance Wearmouth
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Personally the war will be a war of man. It may not be a
war such as WWII, it may be a war of conflict between our
souls. The man who has conflict between his god and God will
be destroyed. I hope this makes sense. The conflict/war may
well lie WITHIN man and not without.
BJ Cassady
