Wars and Rumors of War!

I’m sure that we are all pretty upset by what has taken place this past week in Israel. Each time I hear the news it’s more terrible and shocking to think of the kind of violence that was inflicted upon families who were just going about their daily routines, young people enjoying a concert—even babies being purposefully slaughtered! It’s unthinkable! And it’s now a terrible situation that impacts the lives of so many on both sides of the border.   

One would think that by this time in the history of the world, these kinds of things would cease to exist. With all the calls for peace and the lessons that we thought were learned after two world wars, we would think our world has learned its lessons. But obviously, such is not the case. We have continued to see the outbreak of wars throughout the decades, with one website stating, “There are 32 ongoing conflicts in the world right now, ranging from drug wars, terrorist insurgencies, ethnic conflicts, and civil wars.” (Wisevoter.com) The Geneva Academy lists 110 armed conflicts that are currently taking place around the world. That’s astounding! It’s no wonder we’ve seen an unprecedented movement of people groups leaving their homelands, seeking safety and refuge in a foreign land. 

As surprising as the continuation of war and conflict is to us, we need to remember it’s exactly what Jesus said was going to happen. When his disciples asked him about the end of time, in part of his answer he said, “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. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:6-7 – NIV)  In other words, as time moves towards its end, war and conflict will not cease, but in fact continue. 

I know Jesus’ words are disturbing—at least they are to me.  But notice, Jesus says, we ought not be alarmed/disturbed/troubled. Rather, he calls us to understand that all of these things point to the fact that one day he is going to return and he will be the One to make all things right. He, the Messiah, will be the One who will bring about the kind of world for which we long, a world of justice and peace. When Jesus returns, there will be no more wars or rumors of war! 

So, what do we do in the meantime? We pray for afflicted peoples and for peace—and especially the peace of Jerusalem. We work, doing our part to love our neighbor as ourselves, both on a local and global scale; doing our part to promote peace. And we continue to live with faith and hope as we look forward to the day of our Savior’s return—looking forward to the day when we will live with him and experience the kind of world for which we long. 

Let’s hold onto the prophet’s words as he looked forward to that day: “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.” (Isaiah 11:6-7) 

Have a great day. And, let’s pray today for the peace of Jerusalem. 

- Pastor Tim Harris