Wars and Rumors of Wars
My Reflection
It seems like all my life I’ve heard of wars, rumors of wars or preparation for war. Today, the news is filled with it! As I write this, daily, I watch the latest update on the war Putin (president of Russia) is waging against Ukraine. He denied it for weeks, and then just invaded a peaceful nation. I believe we are living in end times. What that means for a timeline, I have no idea. As I said before, live like Christ is returning in the next minute, but prepare like he’s not coming for a thousand years.
But, I’m not entirely sure that war is as significant a sign, for through the prophet Daniel, God prophesied that there would be wars to the end of the age – “War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.” (Dan 9:26 last sentence). I don’t think the world has known true sustained peace since Christ’s resurrection. Putin did break 80 years of peace in Europe with this invasion of Ukraine, not counting the invasion of Czechoslovakia in 1968, for that was relatively peaceful, when one compares it to the destruction of Ukraine. (I am not a historian, so please pardon me if I got this wrong, but I would love to hear from you, as I am always open to learn more.)
Jesus’ Comforting Words
But if we read further in Matthew, we learn that Jesus comforts his listeners, by telling them that we are not to worry about this aspect… wars and rumors of wars. These are things that will be happening, but they are not a particular sign… “but the end is still to come”. So, let’s not lose sight of our purpose here on earth. Having prepared for Christ’s return, let’s live like Christ is not returning for a thousand years, and work to expand his kingdom.
Matthew 24:6-8
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.
7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
Commentary on Matthew 24:6-8
- 24:6 the end is still to come. False prophets, as well as wars and rumors of wars, characterize the whole of the present age, but will escalate toward the end (cf. 2Ti 3:13).
- 24:8 birth pains. Famines, earthquakes, and conflicts have always characterized life in a fallen world; but by calling these things “the beginning” of labor pains, He indicates that things will get notably and remarkably worse at the end of the era as these unique tribulations signal the soon arrival of Messiah to judge sinful humanity and set up His millennial kingdom. Cf. 1Th. 5:3; Rev 6:1–17; 8:1—9:21; 16:1–21; see note on v. 14. (MacArthur Study Bible Notes NIV)
Daniel 9:26
26 After the sixty-two ‘sevens,’ the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. (Jesus Bible)
Check out this article from GotQuestions.org.
https://www.gotquestions.org/wars-and-rumors-of-war.html