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WHAT BIBLE SAYS ABOUT WARS AND EARTHQUAKES IN THE END-TIMES
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Mark 13:7-8 King James Version (KJV)
7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, are ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in diverse places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
Luke 21:10-11 King James Version (KJV)
10 Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
11 And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
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Of course, it doesn't say that these things happen in "the end times", it actually is quite clear--it's right there in Mark's version of the Olivet Discourse, "for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet."
These are not signs of the end. That's the point here. Wars, rumors of wars, nations rising against nation, earthquakes, disease, natural disasters--these are not signs of the end, these are things that happen. They happen all the time, and have happened throughout the whole of history.
Jesus' entire point here is not to regard these things as signs, and to then flip out and think the end is near.
In fact, when Jesus does talk about the end He's quite clear--there are no signs. He says it will be as in Noah's day, with people getting married, going about their business--it will be life as normal--when suddenly, and without warning the flood came. In that same way, when Jesus comes, people will be going about their business, two will be in a field, two will be in the kitchen making bread, etc. There aren't signs here, it is noticeably sign-less. He says it is like a thief in the night. He says specifically to His followers to always be vigilant because they do not know when He comes. Also saying, "No one knows the day or the hour" and then in the Acts of the Apostles says, "It is not for you to know the times and seasons which the Father has planned".
There is a great big megaphone here saying that we can't predict the future, we can't know when it will happen, that there are no big signs to look out for to show us when the end will come. Instead Jesus speaks of signs and connects them with the destruction of Jerusalem, saying,
"But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, you will know her desolation is near. Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those in the city get out, and let those in the country stay out of the city. For these are the days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. How miserable those days will be for pregnant and nursing mothers. For there will be great distress upon the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive into all nations. And Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled."
That happened already. All of it. It happened almost 2000 years ago when the Roman armies, led by Titus, encompassed the city of Jerusalem and laid siege to the city. Even at the same time the Zealots who had captured the city had already slaughtered many, as Josephus--a witness and contemporary to the events--tells us:
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Certain of these robbers went up to the city, as if they were going to worship God, while they had daggers under their garments; and, by thus mingling themselves among the multitude, they slew Jonathan [the high priest]; and as this murder was never avenged, the robbers went up with the greatest security at the festivals after this time; and having weapons concealed in like manner as before, and mingling themselves among the multitude, they slew certain of their own enemies, and were subservient to other men for money; and slew others not only in remote parts of the city, but in the Temple itself also; for they had the boldness to murder men there, without thinking of the impiety of which they were guilty.
And this seems to me to have been the reason why God, out of his hatred to these men's wickedness, rejected our city; and as for the Temple, he no longer esteemed it sufficiently pure for him to inhabit therein, but brought the Romans upon us, and threw a fire upon the city to purge it; and brought upon us, our wives, and children, slavery - as desirous to make us wiser by our calamities." - Antiquities 20.8.5 164-166
-CryptoLutheran