Wars and Rumors of War

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Wars and Rumors of Wars

 

We are living in volatile times today. The United States continues to face the threats of terrorist attacks. Radical Muslim countries are constantly threatening war. China is always looking to take over Taiwan, who is our ally. Russia has invaded Ukraine and is threatening to use nuclear weapons against anyone who helps the Ukraine people militarily. The world has gone mad. Is the United States about to be swept into war? Is the end of time just around the corner? 

 

While we may think all of this is new, it is not. 

Ecclesiastes 1: 9 - 11

 

These things are so common in the world of man, that Jesus told His disciples not to even be troubled by them when we hear of them. 

Matthew 24: 6 - 8

Mark 13: 7 - 8

Luke 21: 9 - 11

 

Jesus plainly stated that these things will happen, but they are not signaling the end. We may never know why these things happen.

Isaiah 55: 8 - 9

 

We may realize that these things will always happen because all humans sin and don’t follow God’s will. 

Romans 3: 23

 

Despite what may be going on around us in the world we live in, we must always remember and be assured that God is in control. 

Daniel 4: 25

 

God rules over the kingdoms of men. He has always done this, and He will alway be in control, so those who are His children have nothing to fear or to worry about, no matter what is happening in the world. 

 

Jesus did tell us to be on guard during times such as these, even though they wouldn’t be bringing about the end. That’s because the world does not want to have anything to do with the light that the gospel brings. 

John 3: 19 - 21

 

As such, they will hate those who try to enlighten them to the truth. This hatred will eventually lead to persecution when push comes to shove. 

John 15: 20

 

That’s the reason Jesus told His disciples to be on guard during times such as these.

Matthew 24: 9 - 13

He told them to expect to be persecuted as they continued to teach His Word during times of trouble. He told them some of  the things they could expect. They could expect tribulation even to the point of death. They could expect to be hated by everyone because they won’t compromise the Word or deny Christ. They were warned that false teachers would arise teaching lies and turning people against them. They were told to expect lawlessness to such a degree that even love would grow cold. 

 

We live in times like this today. Wars and natural disasters are so common that the next one comes around before the last one has been handled.  Like Jesus said, though, we should not even be concerned with things like this. They are irrelevant to us because they can only destroy our bodies. The worst they can do is kill us. 

Matthew 10: 28

 

Our concern, then, should be on the things that can destroy our souls, not our bodies. He tells them, and us, that the one who endures to the end will be saved. He is talking about enduring temptation and overcoming sin, not winning a war against another nation. 

 

The disciples of Jesus were human just like us. They were curious and wanted to know things that were far beyond their ability to understand. 

Matthew 24: 3

 

This reminds me of a guy I talk to on social media. He think the Bible is incomplete because it doesn’t explain every single thing that he wants to know about science, history, and other subjects. However, it does explain all we need to know. 

II Peter 1: 3

 

The rest we will just have to discover, or never know, because God did not choose to reveal those things to us. In fact, Jesus responded to their question with His concern that they might be misled.

Matthew 24: 4

 

Why was His main concern that they might be deceived? He was concerned because many con artists and fortune tellers come out of the woodworks during wars and disasters and claim that they have all the answers. Just look around today at all the so-called prognosticators claiming that they know how things are going to turn out. These type of people love a crisis. Some in those days even falsely claimed that they were the Messiah. 

Matthew 24: 5

 

I don’t watch them, but I bet if you turn to one of the televangelist channels, you’ll see all kinds of them telling you that the end is coming and they need to prepare for it by sending money to the televangelist for prayer and comfort. There are hucksters everywhere just waiting to misuse God’s Word for their own gain. 

 

So what do we actually know about these uncertain times? We know that there are deceptive people and liars out there speculating about the end of time. However, only God knows the day for the end of time.

Matthew 24: 36

Mark 13: 32 - 33

 

Since Jesus doesn’t even know when the last day will come, what makes these false teachers think that any man knows? Do they think they know more than Jesus? Evidently, they do. Everyone who claims to know some signs of the times signaling the end of time is nothing but a huckster and liar. In fact, since they are in reality making the claim that they know more than Jesus, they are probably committing blasphemy. 

 

So we should not allow ourselves to worry about things happening in the world around us. Things such as wars and natural disasters have been happening since creation and they will happen until judgment. 

 

Our focus should be on obeying God’s Word and keeping our lives as free from sin as we possibly can. We should also be careful when someone comes speaking about the things going on in the world. That’s because if they are not teaching what rightly handled scripture teaches, they are liars. Pay them no mind. 

 

I hope this lesson has helped to ease our minds on the things going on in the world around us today. Study God’s Word and you’ll never be in the dark.