Tags
Beginning of Sorrows, Earthquakes, ethnicity against ethnicity, Famines, increase in natural disasters, Israeli wars, Matthew 24, Nation against Nation, Pestilence, Psalm 46, Rumors of war, Sovereignty of God, wars and rumors of wars
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.10 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
Something to keep in mind while we progress through this list is the final three sentences, which are verses 33-35. “33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see ALL these things, know that it is near [Christ’s return], even at the doors.34 Verily I say unto you, This generation [the generation that sees ALL these things] shall not pass [die], till all these things be fulfilled.35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (emphasis and bracket insertions are mine).
Wars/Rumors of war
So, let’s begin going through this list! “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass…”
Now there have been wars and rumors of wars for centuries. One tribe has always warred with another, one people group stomps on another people group, and certain nations have risen against other nations throughout the history of the world. The fact that there will be wars and rumors of wars is not new, but what is new is that we are not to be troubled about it. The wars must happen. The rumors of wars must come to pass. Like or not, they are a part of God’s plan, and we as believers are not to be alarmed or fearful or disturbed about them.
Though the world seems to have been riddled with war after war, battle after battle, the blood of the slain crying out from the battlefield after battlefield from the deserts of Africa, to the unique lushly forested hills of China, to the incredible coasts of Ireland, to the icy wastelands of northern Russia, even to the vast, open planes of the American West, there is something unique and worthy of viewing. Israel.
For nearly 1500 years, Israel was not a nation. On a map one would not have seen the name Israel, nor Jerusalem as its capital. Then, in 1948 the world declared that Israel was a nation again.
We will talk more on this later.
But, today, the focus is war. For nearly 1500 years, Israel knew no wars. Though they were heavily persecuted and driven from country to country and then slaughtered by the Nazis of WWII, they had not endured literal war as a nation.
But, since becoming a nation in 1948, they immediately were plunged into a War for Independence, followed by seven more full-scale wars in their brief, modern history. So, 8 wars that Israel recognizes as actual wars. But, along with those eight wars are numerous skirmishes, conflicts, raids, border defense, air battles, and self-defense measures. The list below is not exhaustive by any means, but does list the 8 official wars of Israel along with an equal number of other conflicts.
8 Recognized Israeli Wars 8 Other Recognized Israeli Conflicts
War of Independence (1948-49) Egypt/Gaza Raid (1954-55)
Sinai War (1956) Palestinian Israeli Conflict (1960-Present)
Six Days War (1967) Israeli/Syrian Border and Air Battle (1964)
War of Attrition (1968-70) West Bank Raids and other Border/Air Battles (1965-66)
Yom Kippur (1973) Israeli Lebanon Conflict (1978-Present)
First Lebanon War (1982-85) Operation Pillar of Defense (2012)
Second Lebanon War (2006) Operation Chess (2012-Present)
Operation Protective Edge (2014) Rumors of possible war with Iran
But Jesus says that in spite of all these wars, “…the end is not yet.”
Nation vs Nation
“7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places…”
Let’s take a look what nation means. This does not mean a country, but instead is the Greek word for “ethnicity.” Thus, it has to do with the different people groups of the world, the different races: African, Chinese, Japanese, English, German, French, Mexican, Peruvian, etc. These people groups Jesus declares would rise against each other, like miniature civil wars inside nations. Which can even be seen within our own country such as the Mexican Mafia in California rising against African Americans; the Black Panthers against Caucasians; and in Africa there is the rise of different tribes against other tribes such as the Rwandan genocide wherein the group of Hutus exterminated one million Tutsis, 500,000 of which were Christian; the Russians rising against Ukrainians, the Nazis against the Jews, the Arabs against Israelis and so forth. What Jesus is speaking of here is violence driven by undiluted hatred of one people group for another, and their desire to crush them. After all, the love of many will grow icy cold. (“End-Time Prophecy Watch,” https://endtimeshofar.blogspot.com/2011/10/racism-ethnic-cleansing-nation-rise.html)
And indeed are we not seeing this even more recently as exemplified through the riots and destruction of Black Lives Matter around the world and attacks on Chinese in America.
Famines and Pestilence
And if with wars, rumors of wars, and races of people trying to exterminate other people groups were not enough, Jesus goes on to say that “…there shall be famines, and pestilences…”
According to reports in 2017, the “food assistance needs” in that year were “unprecedented.” “Moreover, in January the Famine Early Warning System (FEWSNET)…estimated that 70 million people affected by conflicts or disasters worldwide will need food assistance in 2017. This number has increased by nearly 50 percent in just the past two years.” (“Famines in the 21st Century? It’s Not for Lack of Food,” http://theconversation.com/famines-in-the-21st-century-its-not-for-lack-of-food-73587) (emphasis mine).
According to World Vision, “In Africa, hunger is increasing at an alarming rate…[there has been decreased rainfall since 1981 in areas, while] Other areas suffered widespread destruction from Cyclones Idai and Kenneth in March and April 2019, near the time for harvesting. As a result of these dire events, 41 million people in Southern Africa are food insecure and 9 million people in the region need immediate food assistance. That number is expected to rise to 12 million as farmers and pastoralists struggle to make ends meet during the October 2019 through March 2020 lean season…Food security is deteriorating and expected to worsen in some countries between October 2019 and January 2020.” (“African Hunger, Famine: Facts, FAQs, and how to help,” https://www.worldvision.org/hunger-news-stories/africa-hunger-famine-facts)
According to the International Rescue Committee, “Economic collapse in Venezuela has driven at least 3 million people from the country, largely because they can no longer afford to feed their families. It has also led to a rapid rise in criminality and violence and a collapse of the health system, contributing to the spread of diseases like measles and diphtheria…” and things are predicted to get worse.
“The civil war and associated humanitarian catastrophe are highly likely to persist in 2019, with food insecurity already rising. As airstrikes continue to hit civilian areas and medical facilities, it will be increasingly difficult for humanitarian organizations to deliver aid, help people uprooted from their homes, and address the widespread malnutrition. If dialogue efforts fail and the coalition launches an offensive to seize control of the port city of Hodeidah, which brings in 70 percent of all imports, another 250,000 people could “lose everything—even their lives,” the U.N. warns.”
“At least two decades of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo have led to extreme instability across large parts of the country. 13.1 million people are experiencing crisis or worse levels of food insecurity. Recent displacement figures are contested, but the United Nations counted 4.5 million internally displaced in 2017. Congo is also witnessing the second largest Ebola outbreak in history.” And this is predicted to worsen in 2019. The mention of Ebola leads us to what Jesus referred to as “Pestilence”. (“The Top 10 Crises the World Should be Watching for in 2019,” The International Rescue Committee, https://www.rescue.org/article/top-10-crises-world-should-be-watching-2019)
After all, “Famines are extreme events in which large populations lack adequate access to food, leading to widespread malnutrition and deaths. More of these deaths are caused by infectious disease than starvation because severe malnutrition compromises human immune systems. This makes people much more susceptible to killer diseases…”(“Famines in the 21st Century? It’s Not for Lack of Food,” http://theconversation.com/famines-in-the-21st-century-its-not-for-lack-of-food-73587)
Along with Ebola in the Congo, the country of “Yemen is also home to the worst cholera outbreak in modern history, with over one million affected,” according to the International Rescue Committee. Along with this, there have been in recent years, the rise of superbugs that resist antibiotics, that have often come about because of the overuse of antibiotics. According to a study documented by a BBC medical correspondant, states that superbugs will one day kill more people than does cancer if left unchecked. (“Superbugs to Kill “More Than Cancer” by 2050,” by Fergus Walsh, https://www.bbc.com/news/health-30416844)
And recently things have only gotten much worse around the world, from locust plagues devouring crops in nation after nation (not just Africa), to man-caused destruction of perfectly good food that they suspected “might” have listeria or other bugs, to man-caused killing of perfectly good livestock, to horrific fires, violent storms, hurricanes, tornadoes and the like wiping out crops, to flash-flooding worldwide washing away crops, 2020 into 2021 have been unprecedented years of destruction and mayhem. And the prediction for famine and hunger just keeps getting higher. For more ongoing information on this please select this link, and once at the link please look under the heading Black Horse or Green Horse: https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/the-4-horses/
Earthquakes/tsunamis/tornado activity worldwide
Along with superbugs, famines, wars, and genocide, Jesus goes on to say that there will be “…earthquakes, in divers places…”
Incredibly, the word in Greek translated as “earthquakes”, actually means, “a shaking, a storm, a tempest”. Thus, this word is not just referring to earthquakes but can mean any number of disasters, from tsunamis, to snow/rain/wind storms, to tornado activity and also seismic events. It’s root word has been used to denote people who are quaking with fear or are agitated in their mind (Matthew 27:51; Judges 5:4; 2 Samuel 22:8; Matthew 28:4; Matthew 21:10). The nightly news covers story after story of such events sweeping the earth, and according to various sources, all such activity and events have increased in the last 100 years, and even more so in the last 20. Here is a link that lists event after event after event just recently. https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/there-will-be-signs/ The enormity of what is happening worldwide is staggering to say the least. Yes. This is WORLDWIDE, not just one isolated spot. It is EVERYWHERE. Not only is it happening everywhere, it is happening repetitively, over and over and over again. And not only is it happening everywhere repetitively, it is also intensifying.
Nevertheless, “8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.” And the Greek word for “sorrows” means “birth pains.” And just as any woman who has ever gone into labor will tell you, the labor pains begin suddenly but slowly, gradually getting more frequent. Then, they intensify and and stack one right on top of each other the closer to giving birth she becomes.
Back in the day, there was a famine somewhere far away, there was a terrible earthquake somewhere else, a tornado hit in another state, there was a war in some distant nation where they don’t have indoor plumbing, and nation rising against nation was something from the history books. But now, it’s everywhere, in every nation, and is heard of constantly in the nightly news or in breaking news apps online.
“In 1970, the average of natural disasters that were reported was 78; in 2004, this number jumped to 348. According to AccuWeather, since 1990, natural disasters have affected 217 million people every single year. From 1980 to 2009 there was an 80 percent increase in the growth of climate-related disasters. Between 2001 and 2010, more than $1.2 trillion was lost to the increased rates of natural disasters. This was a dramatic rise, which between 1981 and 1990 had been roughly $528 billion.” (https://borgenproject.org/natural-disasters-increasing/)
According to Kvoa.com, “The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, data suggests that over the past 20 years, the United States overall has seen an increase in natural disasters by 150 percent.“ And according to Watchers.news, “A new United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) report confirms how extreme weather events have come to dominate the disaster landscape at the beginning of 21st century. Floods and storms were the most prevalent disaster events, followed by earthquakes, extreme temperatures, landslides, droughts, wildfires, volcanic activity and dry mass movement…There were 7 348 major natural disaster events from 2000 to 2019, with 1.23 million lives lost and 4.2 billion people affected, resulting in approximately US$2.97 trillion in global economic losses. This is a sharp increase over the previous 20-year period (1980 – 1999) when EM-DAT recorded 4 212 natural disasters worldwide, 1.19 million lives lost, 3.25 billion people affected, and approximately US$1.63 trillion in economic losses.”
Many of the “powers that be” attribute this to climate change and/or global warming. Interestingly enough God speaks of this climate change and warming trend just before Jesus returns. Just read Revelation. Things are going to heat up really bad before the coming of the Lord, and the climate is indeed going to change with frightening intensity. Does man cause this? Well, if sin and the rejection of God can cause it, then yes. Just take a look at Romans 1. Or, is it God-caused? If God is truly sovereign and must approve of whatever happens, then yes. Can both God and man cause it? That all boils down to a mixture of God’s sovereignty and free choice. It all depends on which side of the fence you take up residence. Really though, the book of Revelation makes it very clear that God calls for the outpouring of insane climate change and other judgments based on man’s rejection of Him.
Regardless of what you believe about that, what is undeniably true is that the signs Jesus spoke of are everywhere. But… Can you see them? Are you noticing them? Are you paying attention? And, most importantly, do you know what they mean?
Our Sovereign God
I’ve gone over each of these items, not to scare you, but to inform you with facts that each of these on the list is happening in our lifetime. If each of these individually were happening, it would not mean that the end is near. Two of them or three of them rolled together would not be a sign of Christ’s return. They are, as Jesus said, “the beginning of sorrows.” Even so, for thousands of years the earth and all of creation has been groaning beneath the weight of such travail (Romans 8).
However, they are all happening along with other things listed which we will go over at another time, and that are significant.
As I was reflecting on the overwhelming nature of these passages, Jesus’ command to not be troubled stood out. Do not be troubled. Do not be alarmed. Do not be agitated in your thoughts. Do not be afraid. But, how can we as believers be so calm?
Throughout Scripture God reveals that He is sovereign; He is the Lord of Hosts, the Lord over wars and battles and armies and ethnic groups and kingdoms, over human governments and the spiritual principalities and powers in heavenly places; He is the Lord of nature; indeed, He is in control. Incredibly, there is one psalm that encompasses all of that. That psalm is Psalm 46. We will conclude with the reading of that psalm today.
“(To the chief Musician for the sons of Korah, A Song upon Alamoth.) God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.2 Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;3 Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.4 There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.5 God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early.6 The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: he uttered his voice, the earth melted.7 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth.9 He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.10 Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.”
As things on this earth draw to a close –and they are– let us be ever mindful of the sovereignty of our God. He is in control no matter what. And Jesus is coming soon. So, let’s keep looking up!
Looking up,
Holy Light Ministries
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Here are Important Links documenting all that is happening in the sky and in the earth that will give you perspective regarding the lateness of the hour in which we are living:
https://holylight4u.wordpress.com/worldwide-persecution/
Other teachings on Matthew 24 include the following links:
Sources:
“The Ultimate Sign of Jesus’ Return,” Rick Renner, https://renner.org/the-ultimate-sign-of-jesus-return/
“Where Are We In Time?” Rick Renner, https://renner.org/devotionals/where-are-we-in-time/
Interlinear Bible
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament
*Rick Renner, Signs You’ll See Just Before Jesus Comes, https://store.renner.org/product/121/signs-youll-see-just-before-jesus-comes
(I’ve not yet read this book, but I anticipate that it would be a good resource!)*
“Israel (Arab-Israeli Wars, 1948-Present,” https://www.historyguy.com/arab_israeli_wars.html)
“List of Wars Involving Israel,” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_Israel
“Famines in the 21st Century? It’s Not for Lack of Food,” http://theconversation.com/famines-in-the-21st-century-its-not-for-lack-of-food-73587
“The Top 10 Crises the World Should be Watching for in 2019,” The International Rescue Committee, https://www.rescue.org/article/top-10-crises-world-should-be-watching-2019
“End-Time Prophecy Watch,” https://endtimeshofar.blogspot.com/2011/10/racism-ethnic-cleansing-nation-rise.html
“African Hunger, Famine: Facts, FAQs, and how to help,” https://www.worldvision.org/hunger-news-stories/africa-hunger-famine-facts
“Superbugs to Kill “More Than Cancer” by 2050,” by Fergus Walsh, https://www.bbc.com/news/health-30416844
“Statistics: Sharp increase in natural disasters over the past 20 years,” October 12, 2020, https://watchers.news/2020/10/12/natural-disasters-statistics-2000-2019/
“Natural disasters surge in past 20 years, likely to continue to wreak havoc: U.N.,” October 12, 2020, https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-disasters-un-idUKKBN26X18O
https://kvoa.com/news/2020/01/15/natural-disasters-are-up-450-over-the-last-20-years/
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