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Describing the last days, Jesus said, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars” (Matthew 24:6).
Some scholars believe that in the last seven to 10 years of earth’s existence, the Bible predicts seven or eight major wars. Plus one final war at the end of the Millennium that will be the end of all wars.
Eight or nine wars.
After these wars – after all the wars of human history – the Apostle John writes at the end of the Book of Revelation:
Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away. Revelation 21:3-4
Of the end-times wars, the book of Revelation mentions five or six of the wars. I can’t decide what number – oops! – hesitancy and questioning from Pastor Grant. Yep, an admittance of my lack of infallibility.
War in Revelation 6 and Revelation 9
One war or two wars?
Revelation 6:7 says, “Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”
Revelation 9:15 reads, “And the four angels who had been prepared for the hour and the day and month and year, were released so that they would kill a third of mankind.”
The majority of the book of Revelation depicts the seven-year tribulation. At the beginning of the tribulation, the Anti-Christ will begin to take over the world, at first by crafty persuasion that soon turns to war.
Some believe Revelation 6 is one war of the end-times takeover and that Revelation 9 is another war. Or are these two wars manifestations of the same war?
One or two wars? One-third of mankind killed and then another one-fourth in either one or two wars. I’m glad that the church is raptured before the Tribulation!
War in the Heavens
Revelation 12:7-10: “And there was a war in heaven, Michael and his angels waging war with the dragon… and the great dragon was thrown down… he was thrown down to earth.”
All war has roots in spiritual wars in heaven. Revelation 12 depicts one last attempt by the devil to take God’s throne.
Unsuccessful, the dragon (Satan) is thrown to earth, which starts the next war mentioned in the book of Revelation.
War against Jews and all followers of Jesus
Revelation 12:13-17, “And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child… the dragon was enraged and made war with the rest of her children.”
This describes the great persecution of the Great Tribulation. I believe that the church is taken up to heaven before the seven-year tribulation.
The question is asked every time a major world disaster occurs, “Are we in the tribulation?” I have read several who study end-times events and they say emphatically, “If you have to ask, you aren’t in the tribulation.”
It will be that bad.
Okay, out of space for this Interruption. I’ve only written about three or four of the five or six wars in the book of Revelation.
There is only one thing that you can do – don’t eat and don’t sleep until the second installment of the Wars of the Book of Revelation arrives in your inbox tomorrow!
Come quickly, Lord Jesus!