Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Wars and Rumors of War

Historian Will Durant wrote, “War is one of the constants of history, and has not diminished with civilization and democracy. In the last 3,421 years of recorded history only 268 have seen no war.”[1] The Greek philosopher Plato added, “Only the dead have seen the end of war.” Mankind has come a long way from hurling stones and spears to laser-guided smart bombs and Mach-speed fighter jets. A recent article in Popular Science magazine outlined some of the startling futuristic weapons being developed right now by the Pentagon:

·         HELLADS, is short for “High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System.” Essentially, these are lasers which will be mounted on fighter jets. The lasers would be powerful enough to shoot down rockets, missiles, and artillery shells before they hit an aircraft.[2]

·         Physics tells us the faster something is moving, the more destruction it causes. One of the downsides of gunpowder is that it can only move projectiles so fast. In 2008 the U.S. Navy tested a new kind of weapon called a railgun which uses a magnetic field powered by electricity to accelerate a projectile up to seven times the speed of sound.[3]

·         Another device on the table is the MAARS Bot, short for “Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System.” This is basically a robot soldier on tank treads. One bot can be equipped with four grenade launchers, and a machine gun that packs 400 rounds of ammunition.[4]   

Albert Einstein once said, “I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones.” What he meant was as military technology progresses it won’t be long until mankind bombs himself back into the Stone Age. 

Dr. David Jeremiah adds, “Fifty percent of all research scientists today are involved in arms development. Despite all the arms limitations and treaties, there is at least one military weapon and four thousand pounds of explosives for every man woman and child on earth.  Most of us are simply hoping somebody doesn’t get careless.  But the Bible says that as we move towards the end times war will become an industry unto itself.”[5]

Jesus points out that in the last days no one will be exempt from the fallout of war. In his panorama of prophecy, known as the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24, Mark 13, Luke 21), Jesus remarked that in the end times, “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Mark 13:7-8).

As we draw closer to the return of Christ, there will be hot wars and cold wars.  Revelation 6 teaches that when Jesus breaks open the second seal on the title deed of the Earth that issues forth the second of four riders who has the power to make war. Rev. 6:4 “When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.”

The red color of this horse is symbolic of the bloodshed and killing with the sword.  This rider will usher in an unparalleled time of global conflict. The battlefields of Normandy, Vietnam and Iraq have yet to see the destruction that will breakout during the tribulation. All these conflicts are merely dress rehearsals for the battlefields of tomorrow’s tribulation.

Displayed above the doors of the United Nations are the words of Isaiah 2:4: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.” We are a people who want peace. But we need to know this: neither the United Nations nor politicians nor people who visualize it will bring about the long-awaited peace on Earth that humankind so desperately longs for. The peace that we long for will only happen when the Creator Himself returns, repossesses what is rightfully His, and hangs a sign over this war-weary planet that says, “Under New Management.”



[1] Will Druant, The Lessons of History (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1968), 81.
[2] Clay Dillow, “The Pentagon Plans To Test More Airborne Laser Weapons As Soon As Next Year,” Popular Science, 30 January 2013 < http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-01/pentagon-plans-test-more-airborne-laser-weapons-soon-2014?dom=PSC&loc=recent&lnk=1&con=read-full-story>
[3] Kelsey D. Atherton, “The Navy Wants To Fire Its Ridiculously Strong Railgun From The Ocean,” Popular Science, 8 April 2014 < http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/navy-wants-fire-its-ridiculously-strong-railgun-ocean>
[4] Kelsey D. Atherton, “Robots May Replace One-Fourth Of U.S. Combat Soldiers By 2030, Says General,” Popular Science, 22 April 2014 <http://www.popsci.com/article/technology/robots-may-replace-one-fourth-us-combat-soldiers-2030-says-general>
[5]  David Jeremiah, Sings of the Second Coming (San Diego: Turning Point, 2005), 22. 

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