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, NKJV.
Merciful God, please lead out in our study for today. Please teach us Your will and Your way. In the precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
You may have noticed that throughout our studies of the signs that speak of Christ’s return, we are establishing the difference between the time of the end and the end of time. Today, our text makes the difference even more striking by the statement, “but the end is not yet.”
I found what I considered a meaningful abstract that tied the Lisbon earthquake to what was happening in the political arena at the time. It makes the timing of that earthquake even more significant than I had first thought:
“This article examines the impact of the Lisbon earthquake on the international political sphere. The shock waves of the event reflected the basic ideological traits of the eighteenth century. For the first time in the western world, the press helped to create the illusion of proximity and unity among the peoples of different European nations. Furthermore, the 1755 earthquake launched the modern debate on how to think and act in a world where such catastrophes are likely to occur. On the eve of the Seven Years’ War, the destruction of the capital of the Portuguese empire also triggered diplomatic and political reactions. Pombal’s attempt to turn Portugal into a prosperous and politically strong country contributed towards minimising the disruptions to social and economic routines. Against the backdrop of the 1755 earthquake, and using the European war as an immediate cause, the Marquis of Pombal, minister of King Joseph I, laid the foundations for a press policy commensurate with the scale of the catastrophe” (Ana Cristina Araújo, University of Coimbra).
The French and Indian War (1754-1763) was a war between France and Great Britain. It was fought on U.S. territory. It later evolved into the “world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years War” (Wikipedia).
Between the eighteenth to the twentieth centuries the amount of wars that have been fought, make it hard to believe that creation has been able to survive the amount of blood that has been spilled upon its soil, and the irreparable damage done to our echo system! Following is a list of some of these wars. Be advised that different historians establish slightly different time lines for these wars based on underlying factors.
American Civil War – 1775-1782.
French Revolutionary War – 1789-1802.
Chile War of Independence – 1810 – 1821/1826.
First Anglo-Afghan War – 1839-1842.
Spanish American War – 1898-1899.
World War I – 1914-1918.
World War II – 1937-1945.
Korean War – 1950-1953.
Viet Nam War -1959-1975.
Rwanda-Burundi War – 1959-1995.
At the present time there are two wars raging; one in Afghanistan and one in Iraq. Where will the next war be fought? Is it any small wonder that the apostle penned these words, “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that,but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” Romans 8: 22)? The Good News is, that one of these days, all of these kingdoms “will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ! And He shall reign forever and ever” (George F. Handel).