Wars and Rumors of Wars

We live in dark times. The world is in such a state of insanity, sorrow, and rage, that it makes us wonder at the viability of humanity because of its tendency to self-destruct. War in Ukraine, war in Israel, rumored war with China against Taiwan, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, nuclear weapons, arrogant politicians, and mentally incompetent human leaders—it is enough to make your head spin.

There is a common question that Christians ask as observe world events such as we are seeing now.

“Is this it? Is Jesus coming now?”

It is a reasonable question. It is not an assertion that this is the moment, it is a question based upon the promises of Jesus Christ and the biblical certainty of the return of Christ. The doctrine of the return of Jesus Christ is as much a fundamental of the faith as is the doctrine of the deity of Jesus. Believers may argue about the details, but the fact that Jesus is returning is settled biblical truth.

The disciples, like everyone else, wanted to know when this would happen, and Jesus in Matthew 24 had a remarkably candid conversation with them about the nature of the future events that will unfold. 

False labor means near but not yet.

In Matthew 24:4-14 Jesus describes what the church age will look like leading up to “the end.” Some see these verses as characterizing the early parts of the Great Tribulation described in Revelation 4-19 and characterized by Daniel as the 70^th Week of Israel (Daniel 9). I believe that verses 4-14 describe the Church Age and especially the things that will happen leading up to the end of that Age.

To me, the key is understanding Matthew 24:8. The word sorrows in some translations is the word used to describe labor pains. The beginning of birth pains is an ancient expression for a near-universal experience in pregnancy. It is called “false labor” or as medical people now call it, “Braxton Hicks contractions.” These occur throughout pregnancy but are not usually felt until the later third of gestation. Many young couples have made the mad dash to the hospital expecting a new baby to be born only to be sent home to wait longer. False labor really isn’t false labor. It is preliminary labor. It intensifies as the day of birth approaches and is a reminder that it is truly nearing. This is the way that Jesus describes the Church Age in which we live and the characteristics of this age become more intense as the day of birth (The End) will come.

To whom is Jesus speaking?

Is he speaking to the disciples as Jews or as believers? Well, they are both and their perspective and longing include both a Jewish and Christian hope. This changes my perspective on the passage. He is speaking to them as ones who look for and long for the return of the Messiah. The disciples know the messiah to be Jesus, but many of the unconverted Jews long for Him as well, they just have refused to acknowledge that Jesus is the one they seek. So, there is a sense in which Jesus is speaking to both Jews and Christians here.

Wars and rumors of wars will increase.

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

Warfare and rumors of warfare will increase. And so, it has occurred. More people were killed as a consequence of war in the 20^th Century than in all the rest of human history—and it’s not close. Historians speculate that in all of human history, about 150 million people have been killed in war—108 of those 150 million were killed between 1900 and 2000.

Jesus said this would happen, but he also said not to be frightened, because this is not yet The End (Matthew 24:6). 

Persecution will come.

As a teenager, I read Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. It was disturbing and heartbreaking. From the time of the disciples (and including the disciples) believers have paid for their faith and for their declaration of the gospel with their lives. Jesus predicted this too (Matthew 24:9). Persecution is not a thing of the past. It is occurring in the world at an ever-increasing rate. Is this speaking of anti-semitism type persecution or the abuse of Christians? I think the answer is yes. Certainly, it included the disciples and Christians but also extends to anyone who would be associated with the God of Israel—even if it is just by birth or citizenship. Satan hates the Church and he hates Israel.

We never had a promise that this age would be easy. In contrast, our promise from Jesus is that it would be hard, filled with suffering and persecution as we look forward to eternal, incorruptible rewards.

False Christs will proliferate.

For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.

At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. (Matthew 24: 5, 10-12)

False teachers and false gospels will abound. The great American experiment in religious freedom had an unintended consequence. While it gave sincere believers the freedom to worship according to scripture and conscience and share their faith, it also allowed the proliferation of false Christs and religions. Not long after religious freedom was established here such groups as Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Universalism, Divine Science, Christian Science, New Thought, Unitarians, and more sprang up. These new groups along with the corruption of the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and their subsidiaries affirm Jesus’s words.

The gospel will spread throughout the world.

This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:14)

Some have claimed the gospel of the kingdom here is different from the gospel of the New Testament Church. They do that in order to make this worldwide evangelism described here fit within the Great Tribulation. That is unnecessary. The gospel is the gospel. The gospel of the kingdom is the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the fact that Jesus is the Messiah. He is God in the flesh. He was born on earth, lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose victorious over death and the grave. Our forgiveness is granted and secured as we repent of our sin, accept His gift of salvation, and rest upon Him as our only hope for eternity.

This message has been preached throughout the world. The modern missionary movement began with William Carey as he left England for India in 1793. The next 200 years brought an explosion of missionary work that had not been seen since the time when the initial apostles went out and turned the world upside down for Christ.

To not make the connection between the words of Christ and the events of the last 200 years—wars and rumors of wars, persecution, worldwide evangelism—would seem to be an exercise in ignoring the obvious.

Then comes The End.

And then the end will come.  (Matthew 24:14)

I believe The End that is mentioned in Matthew 24:14 and then described in the following verses is the Time of Jacob’s Trouble, the Seventieth Week of Daniel, or more commonly known as the Great Tribulation. All that is described in Revelation chapters 4-14 is part of the same biblical event—The End. It is that final judgement upon the world associated with the return of Jesus Christ bodily from heaven to set up His kingdom.

So where are we now?

We are in the days of false labor or preliminary labor. The End is not here yet. But as every contraction—whether false or real—reminds the young couple that a baby is coming, so the events described by Jesus Christ remind us that He is returning, and maybe very soon.

Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.

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