Post 62 - Wars and Rumors of Wars

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. (Matthew 24:6 ESV)

The Olivet Discourse

On Tuesday afternoon of the Passion Week, a few days before his crucifixion, as Jesus was leaving the temple with his disciples, they (the disciples) began marveling at the beauty of the temple buildings.

So they must have been shocked when Jesus told them that "there will not be left here one stone upon another."

In silence, they continue walking east, through the Kidron Valley and up the Mount of Olives. As they sat overlooking the grand temple site, some of the disciples approached Jesus and asked these two questions regarding the destruction of the temple: "When will these things be?" and "What will be the sign?" (Mat 24:3, Mark 13:3, Luke 21:7). Curiously, in Matthew's account, his disciples also ask Jesus two additional questions: "What will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Mat 24:3).

In response to the disciples' questions with regard to signs to watch for, Jesus answers, in part, "you will hear of wars and rumors of wars."

Current Events

Christians have always been focused--and rightfully so--on events in the Middle East. Recently, there has been a lot of speculation by Christian leaders surrounding the attack by Hamas on Israel. The internet if rife with predictions that this current attack on Israel is a sign of the end of the age, the beginning of end-times.

I always find it interesting that Christians are anxious to interpret current events as fulfillment of scriptural prophecies. Such interpretations have been going on for centuries, usually with disappointing results.

While I understand the desire to see God at work in the world, and the desire to validate the truth and viability of our Bibles, so often, in our zeal to interpret current events as fulfilled prophecy, we get ahead of God's plan. When the actual future doesn't support the prophesy, it does more harm than good to our Christian witness in the world, and when the prophecies fail to materialize, it has the potential of shaking the faith of the weak. We don't want to get ahead of God.

Prayer for Israel

While we should be justly appalled at the atrocities in the brutal, inhumane attacks by the Hamas terrorists on innocent victims in Israel, and while we should certainly pray for them as they endure, once again, another evil force against their people and against their nation, there is another, perhaps more dire need for prayer for them.

Officially, Israel is about 74% Jewish, 18% Muslim, 2% Christian, 6% other. But these figures are deceiving. In reality, much of the Jewish population in Israel is non-practicing--that is, Jewish by culture/ethnicity only with no real religious leaning.

A recent poll indicated that religion is "unimportant" to many Jews. About 20% of the them do not believe in any deity. Another 15% claim to have no religious practice at all. This means that nearly half of the Jews in the nation do not worship the God of the Bible; the God who loved them and called them his own; the God who brought them out of slavery; the God who restored them to their promised land; the God who gave them a Savior.

They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen (Romans 9:4-5 ESV).

The fact that the nation of Israel does not recognize Jesus as the Messiah should be a priority for the prayers of the Christian community at this time. Current events should serve to put the awakening of the Jewish people (and all other unbelievers) at the forefront of our prayers and of our ministry focus. We should follow the apostle Paul's lead.

Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved (Romans 10:1 ESV).

The faithfulness of God (yes, the God in whom they don't believe) is still good news for the Jews. There is no expiration date on God's promise that "if they do not continue in their unbelief, [they] will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again" (Romans 11:23 ESV).

Final Thought

Since Jesus' prophecy about "wars and rumors of wars" nearly 2000 years ago, many wars have come and gone. In the same passage of scripture, Jesus also prophesied that there would be earthquakes, famines and pestilences. But note that he told his disciples NOT to be alarmed, "for the end is not yet." In other words, these things are evidence that it is NOT the end. These events actually portend the opposite - the end is not yet.

Even during a crisis, we can rest assured that God is in control. As Christians we should certainly keep a watchful eye for the signs, but let's not get ahead of God. Let's watch and marvel at what God will do as he "works all things according to the counsel of his will."

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they be secure who love you!

Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!"

For my brothers and companions' sake I will say, "Peace be within you!"

For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

(Psalm 122:6-9 ESV)

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