Tuesday, 10 November 2026
And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Matthew 24:6
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“You will begin, also, to hear – wars and ‘reports, wars’. You behold! Not you will be panicked. It necessitates, indeed, all to occur, but not yet, it is, the conclusion.” (CG)
In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that many will come in His name, saying, “I am the Christ.” These will deceive many. He next says, “You will begin, also, to hear – wars and ‘reports, wars’.”
A new word is seen, polemos, warfare. It can be taken literally or figuratively. Half of its uses appear in the Book of Revelation. It is derived from pelomi, to bustle. When referring to a war, it can signify a single encounter or a series of engagements. Remember that Jesus is speaking specifically to Jewish believers. These events would befall them; this was true both before the destruction of the temple in AD70 and for the nation today.
Saying “You will begin to hear” is a way of saying that such reports will start, but there will not be an end to them. Their history is one that will be fraught with hearing about these things. Yes, they heard of wars and rumors of wars before the temple’s destruction. Jesus, however, focuses on the end of the age, something that lies yet ahead.
His words are certain and proven true since Israel’s reestablishment as a nation. It has been besieged by wars and reports of wars constantly since then. Even without Jesus’ words, it seems highly unlikely that will change. With Jesus’ words stated, it is guaranteed that it will be the case.
Despite many agreements and treaties, Israel’s future is set to be one fraught with the prospect of war at any given moment. Despite this, Jesus says, “You behold! Not you will be panicked.”
Another new word is seen, throeó, to clamor. HELPS Word Studies says, “properly, unsettled (thrown into confusion, WS, 953); (figuratively) troubled (disturbed), wanting to ‘cry aloud, to scream (passive) because terrified’ WP, 1, 189); thrown into an ‘emotional uproar,’ i.e. very upset (alarmed, startled).”
A word that accurately describes such a state is panic. As all three uses in the New Testament are passive, “be panicked” fits the bill nicely. This is a state that will exist, and so there is nothing that can be done about it. As this is true, there is no reason to go into a panic over what lies ahead. Such an attitude will not solve anything, and it will only lead to a loss of one’s testimony when panic rules over acceptance. The inevitability of this is stated next by Jesus, saying, “It necessitates, indeed, all to occur, but not yet, it is, the conclusion.”
Israel as a nation will face such troubles, but Jesus’ words will continue, showing that it is just a part of the greater unfolding of calm and normalcy all around the world.
Life application: It is true that there have been wars and reports of wars throughout human history. There have been times of calm, but war is something that is ever-lurking in the back of the mind. As soon as someone makes something good through hard work and productivity, there is always someone there to take that from him by force.
This extends to nations. When a nation is calm and prosperous, there will be other nations that want to take what they have not earned. Jesus’ words center on Israel and the Jewish people. They also focus on believers. This must include believers anywhere, but His words focus on the time when Israel is a nation.
As such, He is telling these disciples in advance that there will not be peace when Israel becomes a nation. They should not expect it will be the case. And yet, this is what Israel has constantly looked for. Agreements are signed, peace and prosperity are proclaimed, and then some other force comes in to ruin any such thought.
This is true for various reasons. One is that Israel has taken land that was completely rejected and lying waste, and they have made it thrive again. The surrounding nations sat on their hands for eons, not doing a thing with it. But as soon as the land is productive, they have made claims on it, demanding it be “returned” to them.
Another reason is that the Bible said these things would come about. If a Muslim nation hears that these things fulfill Bible prophecy, then it means that the God of the Bible exists. As there can be only one God, it means that what they believe must be wrong. Well, unless they can wipe Israel out of existence.
A third reason is the idiocy of the doctrine of replacement theology that has been taught for two thousand years. This is why many churches have increasingly come against Israel. Their doctrine is challenged by the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, just as God foretold through His prophets. The Roman Catholic Church, for example, has a history of denying that there is any plan for the Jewish people in God’s future redemptive purposes.
How do you explain supposedly infallible utterances by the church that have proven to be completely wrong? Everything we believe must come back to what is true if we are to be honest about our interactions with God. If what we have believed was untrue, then we should adjust our thinking and our doctrine accordingly.
But people do not want to do this. And so, they come against the very source of the faith. This is why women are in leadership positions in the church. Homosexuals and degenerates fill pulpits. Israel is hated. God is mocked. This all stems from a failure to accept and adhere to God’s word. Let us properly evaluate the situation around us, comparing it with what God’s word says. In doing so, we can then apply its truths to our lives.
God has a plan for Israel. To deny that at this point is dull and ridiculous. He will bring them into the New Covenant. When He does, they will once again be His people.
Lord God, help us not to fight against You by fighting against Your word. Help us to obediently comply with what it says so that we will be walking in a manner pleasing to You. We pray this to Your glory. Amen.