Matthew 24:6 ‘And you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars….’
1 Thessalonians 5:3 ‘For when they shall say, Peace and Safety; then sudden destruction shall come upon them, as travail comes upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.’
Should we interpret ‘wars and rumors of wars’ as a sign of the end times when there have been so infrequent times of peace in the last several hundred years? Although there were over 30 wars, conflicts, civil unrest and uprisings in just the last century, that number has been surpassed already in the first quarter of this century. There is no doubt that the world is becoming increasingly violent, and technological advances as well as recent acquisitions of nuclear weapons by unstable governments have escalated the probability of a major war in the not too distant future. Also, terrorist activities are creating tensions between nations, as some seek to gain political advantage through support of these activities. This is particularly evident in the Middle East, where the majority of Muslim nations are aligned against Israel, God’s chosen people, and are seeking ways to defeat or destroy that nation. Not a year passes without both new conflicts and rumors of potential wars.
In spite of escalating tensions on a worldwide scale, there are still those who hope for and expect that man will eventually find a peaceful solution to the conflicts and terrorism which continues to increase with time. As indicated in Thessalonians, eventually there will be a false peace which will only last for a short time, and this will be followed by war and destruction on a scale never before experienced on earth. While many will say that current events are more of the same, the increasing frequency and intensity signifies that there will be no lasting peace. In Isaiah Jesus Christ is described as the ‘Prince of Peace’, a title which He will prove to be deserved when He returns to rule the world. Not only will Christ bring world peace in the future – He offers peace today to all who will receive Him as Saviour. This is a lasting personal peace which passes all human understanding, and endures regardless of the presence of conflict in the world.
Do you believe world peace can be achieved through human effort?
Have you experienced the ‘peace of Christ’?
Are you looking forward to Christ’s return?