Wars And Rumors of Wars

Hey: we already fit both categories in the title! We have the Russian invasion of Ukraine — a “War.” And then we have the “Rumors” that are beginning to get legs that pit Russia partnered with China against NATO and its allies. I’ve gotta be honest about this: BOTH are pretty deadly. And the details of the Russian invasion and the abandonment of the Rules of War by the Russians are terrifying.

Let’s be honest: in World history, as long as there have been more than just a handful of people, there have always been wars. Of course, disagreements between those people will sometimes escalate into war. War just happens. But there are times in our history that leaders just want to fight and go about their world looking for those with which to war.

We may be living that right now in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin put Ukraine and the rest of us on notice that he was preparing for war with Ukraine several months before the actual invasion began. Nevertheless, that notice was probably the last conventional part of a war that we’ve seen from Putin. Alleged war crimes on the part of the Russian military are in abundance. There has been the slaughtering of a massive number of civilians including men, women, and children. That is barbaric and is even precluded in accepted rules of war. In fact, Russia has been placed on notice by the United Nations they will be investigating Putin’s war crimes.

There’s far more to this than just this invasion by Putin into Ukraine. The rumors of war across the Globe have reached deafening levels. There’s Israel: always a lightning rod for confrontations with other nations. Iran appears to be struggling to become Earth’s biggest bully. Sunday they lobbed a few missiles into neighboring Iraq. Those missiles landed close to a United States consulate and also Israel’s. North Korea is rattling its saber, specifically by restarting its “testing” of ballistic missiles. Communist China has for months been flying fighter jets over nearby Taiwan. China has made it clear it wants to annex Taiwan back into China but Taiwan loudly resists. Many anticipate Chinese President XixingPing to attack Taiwan at any moment.

In fact, I don’t remember a time in my sixty-eight years when there have been more skirmishes and threats of others as are happening today in World history.

Is there something sinister afoot that portends such actual and pending wartime events? Let’s take a look.

“Wars and Rumors of Wars”

I’m going down a path that may be uncomfortable for some. I’m going to go to the Bible. If that bothers you, I understand. But whether or not it bothers us, when a book written centuries ago tells a story that parallels a story that is playing out on the World stage right before our eyes, it’s important to not only consider but to digest and get our arms around it.

For my entire life, I’ve heard multiple sermons from multiple ministers telling the story of the end-time, encouraging all to find a place in their relationship with Jesus to prepare for whatever happens. Several times during the past twenty-five years I’ve looked at World events and compared those events to the Bible prophecies listed above. There are amazing similarities between all of them. So far, though there are similarities, none have played out to be the “Big One.” Could what we’re watching actually be the beginning of the End spoken of in these passages and others? After all, the entire Book of Revelation goes into elaborate detail of how it all finishes.

Eschatology, also known as “end times” theology, is an area of Biblical study that has captivated the masses for more than two thousand years. Over time, various interpretations and theories have emerged surrounding Christ’s return and the end of the world as we know it.  Contemporary books and films include these ideas as believers look to entertainment — and current events — for clues about what’s to come.

But what does the Bible really say about the end times? There are, in fact, many Bible verses about the end times that speak about the future return of Christ and the events and conditions that will one day come to fruition.

And while the Book of Revelation is the most well-known set of Bible verses about the end times for most Christians when studying end times prophecy, it is far from the only place in scripture that describes what will unfold during the “last days.”

Let’s be honest: no person alive today can possibly know everything about what’s going on in these matters. There are too many people, too many governments, too many geographical, governmental, and ideological differences between people, places, and ideals.

But one thing we know for certain: something’s in the air — something I’ve never seen before, even as I’ve looked for it.

Is it the end of the World?

For possible answers to that question, I think we should actually look to some scriptures as references. If you’re interested in learning more about what the Bible says about the end times, here are some additional key passages to take into consideration:

Bible Verses About the End Times

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

“For this, we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

“Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left” (Matthew 24:40-41).

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all [these things] must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

“But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32).

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:52-54).

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1).

“And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call” (Joel 2:28-32).

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

“For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land” (Ezekiel 36:24).

These Bible verses about the end times only scratch the surface when it comes to biblical prophecies. When learning about eschatology, it is important that we always remember that no one knows the day or the hour.

We must also specifically remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:44, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

Conclusion

Reading back through this missive, I can see how it will probably instill fear in some of our readers. I don’t want that to be the end of this conversation. Fear is never part of God’s plan for us. But fear IS real. The secret is to not allow fear to control our thoughts and ultimately our decisions.

How does one deal with fear? I don’t want to oversimplify the answer to that question, but the Bible gives a clear answer: “Perfect love cancels all fear.”

Perfect love comes only from God.

“How do I plug into all this and get answers?”

The only way I know is to get to know God. Some will probably read this and wonder how to get to know God.

Again, I don’t want to oversimplify the explanation for this, but it IS simple. How did you get to know your wife or husband, your friends, people with whom you work? You get to know anyone by spending time communicating with them. In this case, that is God.

How can that happen? We are told over and over He will communicate to us when we open the door of our hearts and minds to invite Him to begin that process:

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone will open that door, I will come in and communicate with them.”

Here’s how I met and developed my personal relationship with God. I learned very early the easiest way to open that door was to pray and literally ask God to come into my life and teach me how to have a personal relationship with Him. I told Him I didn’t understand how a young boy could actually know and talk to God Himself.

I had heard in Sunday School how we could make this relationship with God happen by simply asking Him to enter our hearts and forgive our sins and help us to no longer sin as we have and help us make the right decisions going forward.

I did just that, and it’s changed my life.

Don’t take that the wrong way. Though that moment has changed my life on a daily basis for more than 60 years, I have been far from perfect. I have learned to pray daily and to talk “with” God. It’s shocking that God will do that!

“Does He talk back to you when you initiate a conversation?” He does! For me, it isn’t an actual “talking to me” as we understand it. But there ALWAYS are obvious and specific thoughts, ideas, inclinations, and sometimes even miraculous things that happen to catch my attention regarding the topics of my conversations with God.

I know all this is difficult for some. And it should be. If anyone reading this today would like to get more specific information, please feel free to drop me an email to: Dan@TruthNewsNet.org. Ask me any question you seek an answer to. I’ll gladly get that information to answer your question quickly. And if at any time you wish to speak to me, we can do that. I can also help you with personal assistance in your own hometown by connecting you to someone who can face-to-face answer questions and give you even more resources for your journey.

Don’t relegate all this to your “conspiracy theory” category. I suggest you be honest with yourself and do what we’ve always told you here when we pass along information: Investigate the information we’ve shared with you today. Begin with the scriptures listed above.

Then get connected. If that does nothing else but answer your questions and give you a foundation on which to build the place for your to live spiritually, it will be a monstrous step forward in your life.

And though we don’t like to talk about it, if this allows you to erase all your fears and replace them with the personal relationship with God we talk about above, isn’t that a good thing?

This I can say factually: a relationship with God is the best way to understand what’s happening in your life today and prepare you for what’s ahead in your life tomorrow.

Questions?

Dan@TruthNewsNet.org