Except I have already proved via another post that your interpretation of Isaiah 2:4 can't be correct since Jesus in Matthew 24 indicates that before He returns, things will be the opposite of what Isaiah 2:4 records. Instead of this prior to Him returning---nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more---He indicates it will be like this instead--- And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars---For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom
I can see why one with lack of spiritual discernment cannot understand what wars did Christ talk about in Matthew 24. He was NOT talking bout physical wars here! He was not talking about physical swords, guns, tanks, or missiles here! God was not talking about geopolitical nations here! Not in vain worse, self-justification and worldly notions of wars, rumors of wars and plots of Earth in the Middle East.
For example, the sign of famine is representin
g the
famine of hearing the word of God, and not being hungry for a hamburger from McDonald's. The sign of stars falling are of
messengers of the churches, not literal suns coming crashing on Earth. The signs of wormwood are the poisoned churches with false doctrine, not malaria in the Amazon river. The sign of serpents and scorpions the minions of Satan - the false prophets and christ, not literal animals on the ground. The plagues and pestilence go back to the plagues in Egypt when they wouldn't let God's people go, etc., etc.
The signs are all around us, and only those with the Spirit of God to discern unfaithfulness from faithfulness will see them. While the rest, like many people here, are looking at national Israel, physical wars and rumors of literal wars, global warming, literal locusts literally coming out of human's mouth, Temple buildings, etc.,
looking in all the wrong places. It is not about Israel or Russia. It is about GOD'S CONGREGATION where the judgment takes place - that is where the signs are pointing to!
Ezekiel 9:6
- "Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house."
1st Peter 4:17
- "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?"
It's a just, righteous and general principle!
It is because the people living at this time see
two opposing conditions. Which condition one sees depends upon if they are truly born from above in Christ, or if they are merely professing Christians. For one, it is seen as Peace and Safety in the church, and to the other it is much reviling, trials and great tribulation in the church. What condition one sees is dependent upon if they can see the 'signs' of the times.
Luke 21:25
- "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;"
Not everyone will see these signs. many will be looking for
physical signs,
physical stars falling, etc. The signs are
Spiritual in nature. People like you tend to say, "it seems to prophecy of literal danger and trauma going on," but the operative word there is '
seems' to be physical danger. There are two things to consider. If these signs were physical, they would be no signs at all,
because we always have and always will have great earthquakes, famines, wars and rumors of wars. These aren't Biblical SIGNS at all, they are normative for the world! There are those Christians who add that this must then be speaking of really massive physical signs so that they're not normative. But if that were the case, then again we have a contradiction, because then everyone would see the signs and it could "NEVER" be business as usual (
as required by these scriptures). No, the only way to understand these signs is the way God intended them to be understood. By comparing scripture with scripture and letting God be the interpreter. Then we see that the only way that some see these signs and others do not (
business as usual) is by understanding the symbolic nature of the scriptures. Understanding which comes only in the mind of Christ. Spiritual signs revealed in symbolic language.
Matthew 24:15
- "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand: )"
He who reads, let him "understand." That's
key to understanding what we are reading!! Here is wisdom, he who hath "Understanding" let him count the number of the beast (revelation 13:18). i.e., when you shall "SEE" the abomination stand in the Holy place, means not everyone will see it. Only those who have the mind of Christ has this wisdom and understanding required to "see" these great signs. The wars, the famine, the stars falling and the waves f the sea roaring.
Ephesians 1:17-18
- "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:
- The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
For example, "wisdom and understanding" to count the number of the beast are
by the revelation of God to His symbolism and the spiritual nature of His gospel message. Not listening to some wacko on YouTube with different imaginations of what the mark of the beast looks like depending on what new technology coming up. Come on!
In truth, this language of Matthew is really just the REGULAR cryptic or parabolic language that God has used throughout scripture (
not just in Revelation, Ezekiel or Daniel). Some Christians like to wax poetic about
literalism, but in truth God has "always" used the
spiritual, allegorical, or symbolic language in His Holy Word. For example, John the Baptist was prophesied to come and straighten out highways. Did he physically straighten out highways from Jersualem to Caperemaium? Of course not. Christ was spoken of AS a Branch and a Rock, Satan AS a Serpent and Dragon, false prophets in the old testament like Isaiah were spoken of AS Wolves, Israel AS a Fig Tree, the two sons of Abraham AS the two covenants, etc., etc. The point is, some people act as if understanding the Spiritual nature of God's word is unbiblical when it is just the opposite! It's orthodox Christian teachings from the very beginning of the woman and the Serpent.
Likewise in Matthew, pestilences are the
spiritual plagues God sends upon the church (Revelation 18:8 )
because of their unfaithfulness. Wars and rumors of wars
illustrate the condition of the church in their departing from the faith. Selah! It is a 'spiritual warfare' in which if we are not prepared unto battle, they will loose both the battle, and their church.
Ephesians 6:11-18
- "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
- For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
- Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
- Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
- And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
- Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
- And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
- Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"
The warfare which the majority of those in the church know NOTHING about, even though they've read it a hundred times and know exactly what it means. They still never make the connection between spiritual warfare in high places 'because' they cannot discern the signs of the times! Period! Listen, Kingdom against Kingdom is those of Christ against those of Satan. Ministers of two diverse kingdoms go to war for the possession of souls! But the people with their eyes on things of this earth, rather than on things above, look for wars in Russia and Ukraine, Israel and the Arabs, India, and Pakistan, or whatever flavor-of-the-month nation is in the news and happens to be in some physical battle. Because they
cannot see the people for the trees!. And that is because they are "Spiritually" blind that they cannot discern that God said the
trees represent men, and blindness represents the inability to discern, as in the story Jesus and the blind man shows, Mark 8:23-25. So when you read about the trees and all green things in Revelation, what do you think God actually talks about? The ones standing in the national forest, or people?
So no, the wars and rumors of war of Matthew 24 has NOTHING to do with your imagination of physical wars somewhere, but the spiritual war within God's congregation between His people and professed Christians. As a result, there is a spiritual famine and spiritual disease going on! Selah.
Both can't be true at the same time---nation shall not lift up sword against nation---nation shall rise against nation---since that is a contradiction. Why is it that some Amils can't seem to grasp what a contradiction means? How can nation shall not lift up sword against nation be the same thing as nation shall rise against nation? It would have to be the same thing otherwise it is a contradiction. And since it is not the same thing it is a contradiction if both are true at the same time. The way to make the contradiction go away is simple. One is involving this age prior to His return, the other is involving another age after He has returned.
Not only you misunderstood what God talked about but you also are working too hard figuring out how to apply certain verses, according to your timeline to fit your doctrine.