Here is Jesus, in Matthew 24:6-7, teaching his disciples about the end times. But also encouraging them to ‘see that ye be not troubled’.
“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. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (KJV)
Much of what our Lord was prophesying here had to do with the coming destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple, which would happen within 40 years or so of this prophesy and his imminent death and resurrection.
However there is no reason not to consider that he was also making a double prophecy, which is fairly common in the Bible, extending the meaning here to also warn of the time immediately preceding the Final Judgement, which is still future as of this blog post.
Let’s remember though, that people and nations in all times and places have experienced wars, famine, earthquakes, and pestilence. This prophecy is referring to a specific people in a specific place and time(s)- the people are those disciples living in the place, Jerusalem and Judea, at the time preceding the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD and also in some future time right before The End.
Even so, as watchdogs living in this time and place we should always keep our ears tuned ‘rumors of wars’ and be aware of the seasons of God’s plans and purposes.
So here is a brief recap of some of the international war news happening right now.
Ukraine-Russia War
Russian drones targeted Kharkiv, but Ukrainian air defenses intercepted a Shahed drone during the attack. Additionally, Ukrainian forces claimed to have killed 21 North Korean soldiers supporting Russian troops in a standoff in Russia’s Kursk region: Sky News
Gaza Conflict
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza for the first time since the early weeks of the war with Hamas. The ceasefire remains fragile as both sides trade blame over deal violations: AP News
Democratic Republic of Congo
Rebels have moved into the key city of Goma, leading to thousands fleeing the fighting as the situation continues to escalate: AP News
Sudan’s Darfur Region
About 70 people were killed in an attack on a hospital in Sudan’s Darfur region, according to the WHO chief. The ongoing conflict in Darfur continues to cause significant humanitarian crises: Associated Press