Wars and rumors of war: hope in a broken world
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.” (Matthew 24:6–8, ESV)
We learn history not as a list of dates and facts but as a narrative with moral implications and interpretations that influence how we see the present and anticipate the future. When I was in middle school in the 1980s and high school in the 1990s, the first world war seemed to be ancient history, World War II was close enough that it did not seem like ancient history but far enough away that its lessons appeared settled, the Vietnam War was still a healing wound, and the Cold War remained a present concern. I knew people who had installed bomb shelters in their backyards. Many public buildings had signs indicating they were designated as a fallout shelter. There was a general concern that nuclear war was a real possibility.
I remember school discussions of the First World War and how it was supposed to be the war to end war. It did not. I remember school discussions of how after the First World War, there was a period of significant industrialization and medical and technological advancements that many thought would usher in a new area of human prosperity and tranquility. It did not. It is easy to see previous generations' hubris and recognize their foolishness. No war can create lasting peace. There is no advancement of technology, no matter the laudable intentions of its creator, that will not also be used for nefarious means. No medical advancement comes without ethical dilemmas and malicious applications. In contrast to the clarity we recognize past hubris, it is difficult to see our own in the present.
By the late 1990s, the world was clear-eyed that peace would not come through technology. The threat of nuclear annihilation had sobered any Pollyanna idea that technology would usher in a better world, but there was new hope in economics. The Berlin Wall had fallen, the USSR was no more, and the whole world seemed ready to embrace all that a consumer-driven economy could provide. A New York Times article was written in 1996 that proffered this hope by advancing the idea that no two countries with McDonald's have ever fought a war against each other. It was called the golden arches theory of conflict prevention. The theory seemed to be true. In January 1990, McDonald's opened their first location in Moscow, and less than a year later, the USSR dissolved. It seemed that the world was growing closer and less threatening through economic connections and interdependencies.
Since the fall of the USSR, the world's confidence in peace through economics only grew. Europe spent less and less on their own national defense. The United States grew ever more dependent on foreign manufacturing and the fantastic efficiencies of on-demand inventory and shipping. The disruptions to the supply chain caused by the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of inter-global dependence, but these were seen as temporary inconveniences, not existential threats. Then came the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. It is as if the world has been shaken awake to unpleasant realities from a pleasant dream. Many have wondered if this is the beginning of a third world war. The thought of a third world war is genuinely terrifying. The Second World War was ended with the incredible destruction of atomic bombs. A third world war may be fought with weapons that will make the devastation caused in Hiroshima and Nagasaki seem small by comparison.
War brings great human suffering. Daily, the news is filled with the miseries of the Ukrainians as their country is under attack and its civilians are targeted. The world has watched in horror, clear that Russia's invasion is unlawful and their actions criminal, but unsure how best to respond. The paralyzing fear seems to be that a wrong move could cause the war between Russia and Ukraine to escalate and metastasize into a conflict that draws the whole world into active war. These fears are not irrational. In response to the evil of invaders and the suffering of the invaded, the world has turned to economics to punish and hopefully dissuade Russia. Time will tell how effective these efforts are and the resolve of those who have enacted them.
The scripture that has been on my mind the most as I have thought through these issues is Matthew 24:6-8. Jesus tells us that we are not to be alarmed when we hear of wars and rumors of war because war is a regular part of living in a fallen world. I do not think that Jesus means that we should not care about such things. He is saying that war and conflict between nations are part of living in a fallen world. So how should we think about the events of our day? How should we think about the possibility of a third world war? Here are four suggestions.
1. Do not put trust in the powers of this world.
Man's arrogance believes that we can overcome what God has declared through our effort. We assure ourselves that we can eradicate the effects of natural disasters through technology. Through medical advancements, we believe that the frailty of our bodies and the deterioration that comes with age can be overcome. Through diplomacy, military might, and economic relations, we convince ourselves that world conflict can be avoided, dictators can be contained, and war can be eradicated. The pandemic humbled our confidence in medicine. The war in Ukraine has dashed our dreams of eliminating war. Government, medicine, and technology can be used to alleviate human suffering, and by God's grace, when they do, we rejoice. Yet, these are only temporary fixes. These are treatments of the symptoms of brokenness, not the cure. These things cannot overcome the brokenness of this world.
2. Do not lose sight of the curse of sin.
There will always be wars and rumors of war until Jesus returns because we live in a fallen world under the curse of sin. As many have abandoned a biblical worldview, they also abandoned an understanding of evil and sin. Without understanding evil and sin, it is impossible to understand the murderous decisions of dictators and tyrants. The problems that plague our world are not just social, economic, or governmental. The problems that plague our world are the result of the curse of sin. The police officers that patrol our cities are necessary to hold back anarchy. The military that defends our national borders is essential to deter invaders. So are the rules and restrictions we place on every position of authority. It is not that we distrust the specific person who holds a particular position. Instead, we recognize that evil is real, and sin is a constant threat; thus, power and authority must be limited to limit the damage of sin. Understanding the reality of evil and sin helps you understand the brokenness of this world and how to respond to limit and mitigate the suffering it causes.
3. Put your trust in the power of God.
The hope of the gospel rests in the power of God. When Paul writes in Romans chapter 10 of salvation coming to those who confess Jesus as Lord and believe that God raised Him from the dead, he says of those who believe that they "will not be put to shame." There is a natural feeling of shame when you trust something or someone that turns out to be unworthy of your trust. The great hope of the gospel is that all who trust in the Lord will not be disappointed, will not be put to shame, and will know the full promise of salvation. As wars rage, governments rise and fall, and economies grow and shrink, put your trust and hope in God, who is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Put your trust in the one who is and will perfectly bring about His will and plan. Put your trust in the power of God.
4. Put your hope in the promise of salvation.
It is right and good to work and do all you can to make this life better, minister to those who suffer, and alleviate suffering where you can. But, as you do, be careful not to lose sight of the real hope. Real hope is not found in political solutions or efforts. Real hope is not found in wealth or economics. Real hope is not found in governments or diplomacy. Real hope is in the salvation that comes only through Jesus. In salvation, our bodies will be healed, the curse of sin will be removed, and the power of sin will be no more.
Not long after Russia invaded Ukraine, one of my kids asked me if I thought this was the beginning of World War III. My answer was simply that I did not know. My guess is that in the days following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, few would have been able to see how his death would be the spark to start a worldwide war. Likewise, the current events in Ukraine are very troubling, but no one knows where these events will lead. I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I do know who holds tomorrow.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
