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Answer
In part of His response to the disciples’ question, “Tell us . . . what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” «And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? », (Matthew 24:3), Jesus responded, “And you will hear of 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. », (Matthew 24:6). Because of Jesus’ words in this passage, whenever there is an explosion of conflict, especially in the vicinity of Israel, many people begin to wonder if the new war is a sign of the end times. If only people would read the rest of Matthew 24:6—“. . . See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet” (emphasis added).
Understanding Jesus’ statement about “wars and rumors of wars” to mean that warfare is a sign of the end times is the exact opposite of what He intended. Jesus was instructing us to not allow wars or rumors of wars to alarm or concern us, because “the end is not yet.” Similarly, Jesus spoke of false Christs «For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. », (Matthew 24:5), famines, and earthquakes «For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. », (Matthew 24:7), warning that “all these are the beginning.
Of the birth pains” «All these are the beginning of sorrows. », (Matthew 24:8).
Sadly, all the things Jesus pointed to as not necessarily signs of the end times are precisely what most people consider signs of the end times. This is not to say that wars and rumors of wars are completely unrelated to the end times. When the Bible refers to the end times, it depicts intense warfare. However, Jesus’ point seems to be that there has always been war, and until He establishes peace in the Millennial Kingdom, there will always be war. Therefore, wars and rumors of war are not reliable indicators of the end times.
Whether it is a civil war in Africa, strife between Israel and its neighbors, or the war on terror, no current conflict is necessarily a sign that the end times are imminent. Regardless of the wars and rumors of war happening around us, our mission remains the same. Interestingly, the mission is what Jesus states as a dependable indicator of the end times, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” «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. », (Matthew 24:14, emphasis added).
