But it is NOT a physical war as you thought Jesus was talking about. You people got the part about the "war" all confused because you are expecting a literal event in the Middle East. You also do not understand the famines, pestilences, and earthquakes either! Let read what verse seven is saying:
Mat 24:7
(7) For
nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be
famines, and
pestilences, and
earthquakes, in divers places.
Verse seven illustrates a time when it is brother against brother, kingdom against kingdom and nation against nation. It is a symbolic illustration of spiritual warfare where those ruled by one king are adversarial to those ruled by another king. Selah!
Matthew 10:34
- "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."
Christ was not talking about a literal nation, physical warfare, but
spiritual war where the people who are not of God would be at odds against the people who are of God. The Lord is talking about the spiritual war between two kingdoms within His New Testament Congregation. And whosoever would not take up the sword which is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12), is not worthy of God. For example, it's not talking about a literal war fought with guns and missile. And this is not talking about a literal peace or peace between earthly nations.
Listen... the believers are represented as the chosen, the spiritual Israel, the spiritual Jews, the holy nation, the people of the kingdom of Christ. And the unbelievers are represented spiritually as the reprobates, the the nation of gentiles, the kingdom of Satan. This is one Holy nation and kingdom against the unholy nation and the Kingdom of Satan. This is the war spoken of in the preceding verse, not war between literal nations or people. It is SPIRITUAL war and rumors of wars between spiritual people, nations and kingdoms.
Exodus 19:5
- "Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:
- And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel."
1st Peter 2:9
- "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:"
We, God's Elect, are that royal kingship (
kingdom of Priests), and that holy nation. One kingdom and nation that is adversarial against another.
Now, the famine is symbolic language to signify a famine (
lack of) hearing the word of God. Not literal/physical earthly famines.
Amos 8:11-12
- "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:
- And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it."
Pestilence is symbolic of
spiritual sickness or disease that as a plague comes upon spiritual Egypt come from God. Egypt, that nation that held the children of God in bondage. But we see in Revelation where God is pouring out these spiritual plagues upon the earth. He's not making the world physically sick or diseased, but in Loosening Satan he allows the unfaithful of the church to becomes spiritually sick!! Remember, Christ came as the Physician (Matthew 9:12; Mark 2:17) illustrating to heal
sin, our spiritual sickness.
Revelation 15:8
- "And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled."]
Revelation 16:9
- "And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory."
Revelation 18:4
- "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
Revelation 18:8
- "Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her."
Earthquakes symbolize the
shaking of the Lord upon the earth, His judgments upon the world.
Isaiah 24:19-21
- "The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.
- The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.
- And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall punish the host of the high ones that are on high, and the kings of the earth upon the earth."
Haggai 2:21-22
- "Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth;
- And I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother."
Verse seven is an illustration of the shaking in the judgment of the Lord upon the Kingdoms, especially His unfaithful congregation. The shaking also represents that the kingdom has lost its represenative for Kingdom of God. The Famine and Plagues, these are symbolisms of the end time events which precede the second Advent of Christ.
Not some physical events in the Middle East as you are looking for! Spiritual discerned!
