Global War - The times of the end Part 1 - A time of trouble such as never was

 "And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time" Daniel 12 v 1  

A time of trouble such as never was. 

Unprecedented. Unheard of. 

Most likely unimaginable to mortal man. This is how Daniel chapter 12 opens. It provides a clue to the state of the world at the return of Christ. The reference to Michael in the bible is a prophetic reference to Christ himself. 

Daniel 12 rolls on from Daniel 11 which talks about the contest over the land of Israel between the King of the north and the King of the south. We will talk at another time about the identify of the kings of the north and of the south as they change throughout the chapter. These kings represent great powers to the north and south of Israel over the time that Daniel reveals in prophecy, starting from the Greek Kingdoms of the Selucids and Ptolemys who fought over the land after the death of Alexander the Great and the dividing up of his empire amongst his generals.  The key point I want to emphasise here is the reference to the state of the world when the final phases of God's plan with the earth start to work themselves out. Ominously, it does not look good.  

The history of trouble in the world in the 20th century 

The world in the 20th century has undergone two bloody global conflicts. The first world war so affected mankind that it was coined "the war to end all wars". Yet the first world war would be resigned to being a mere prelude to the horrors unleased upon the world in the second world war. The barbarity and brutality of the war shocked many involved. The evils of the Holocaust where six million Jews were massacred laid bare the capacity of man to inflict cruelty on his fellows. Anti-semitism flourished and prejudice and suffering were on full display. The culmination of the second world war was the dropping of the atomic bomb on Japan, unleashing horrific and devastating consequences for the affected populations.   

Since then we have never had another global war. However, in the past 80 years, the world has endured a seemingly non-stop rotation of regional conflicts where the same brutality was on full display. Ethnic cleansing and war crimes have been enthusiastically embraced and committed all too frequently.   Against this backdrop, how are we to think about the description in Daniel of a time of trouble that has never been before?   

Jesus' testimony 

If you are tempted to equivocate on whether this really means what it says, consider Jesus' own description of the end times in Matthew 24 and its companion records in Luke 21 and Mark 13. The disciples had been thinking deeply about the prophecies that he had been giving, particularly his most recent utterances about the destruction of the Herodian temple. And so, after a period, they went to ask him more about what he had said. Let's take up things from Matthew 24 v 3.   

"And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?"   

His response taken together in all three gospel records covers a broad sweep of history from his time then up to when he returns to the earth. He spoke of false Christs who would rise up, the persecution of true Christians and the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the downtreading of the land until the times of the Gentiles were to be fulfilled. And then, in Luke 21 v 25-28, we have these words:  

"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; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh"  

In the biblical account, the sun, moon and stars in prophecy refer to rulers of the people (see Joseph's dreams for one example where the sun moon and starts bowed down to him, signifying the great position he would occupy in Pharoah's court, being second only to Pharaoh). 

The earth and the seas are references to the masses of the nations. Distress of nations on the earth and the sea and the waves roaring (see Isaiah 57 v 20). A turbulent ocean is how the state of the nations is described.  So, rulers in chaos, nations in various states of distress, unrest and upheaval, represented by a turbulent ocean. 

This is how the world is described in macro terms, together with being in a state of perplexity. This word, perplexity, is a Greek word which more accurately should be rendered as anxiety or doubt. It's not so much perplexed in the sense of confusion as perplexity, anxiety and doubt about their tenuous situation.   

https://biblehub.com/greek/640.htm

Men's hearts are said to fail them for fear which, again, using the same references in the Greek, actually refers to a process of literal fainting or stopping of breathing from fear. That's more than just confusion. That's a whole other level. Men are said to faint from the fear of what is unfolding around them, where the earth is churned up and the powers of heaven are said to have been shaken.  

The picture Jesus paints for us here is consistent with the prophecy in Daniel 12. It will not be a pleasant time and I believe it will be global in nature. The world today is so finely tuned and balanced economically and politically that the slightest change throws things into chaos. Covid and the war in Ukraine have unleashed forces that Governments are still trying to grapple with today. 

We have had inflation and foot and material shortages as local problems reverberate around the world as an uneasy peace still holds. How much worse do you think it will be when this peace evaporates and the world is plunged into conflict again?   

A global, unprecedented conflict - centred on Israel 

Some have sought to limit the scope of these prophecies to a local conflict in the land of Israel along the scale of what has come in the land previously. It is true that the conflict itself will start in the land of Israel but it will not stay there. This conflict will be global, exceeding anything before it in breadth and severity.   

I believe that the conflict has already started. The first steps are being taken now which will lead to the world lining up to confront the problem of the Jews and the land of Israel. It is here where things kick off but it is not here where they will stay.   We know the eventual attitude of the nations towards Israel and their preoccupation with the land from the prophecy in Zechariah 12 v 1-5   

"The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. In that day, saith the LORD, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the LORD of hosts their God."  

Jerusalem and Israel today  

Jerusalem is fast becoming that burdensome stone. Already the Muslim world is lining up to condemn Israel for their retaliation against Hamas' aggression. In the months since October 7th, we have seen a tit for tat up to all out war between Israel and Iran and its Iranian proxies in the area, leading to frantic diplomatic efforts on behalf of the US and the Arab world to prevent things spiralling.

After the assassination of Hamas' political leader in Tehran, the Iranians privately said to their Arab neighbours that they will retaliate and do not care whether they start a bloodier conflict. They do not care about the consequences. Hezbollah is of a similar mind. 

Israel, for its part believes it is fighting a war for its very existence. It's not hard to see how these factors escalate into a larger flashpoint.   Ominously for Israel, Russia has now started to enter the fray. It has started to supply the Iranians with military equipment and has offered to mediate in the conflict. 

Iran for its part appears to be cooperating with Russian aims in Ukraine both politically through the UN and militarily. I expect these ties to develop and strengthen as both Iran and Russia play critical roles in the turmoil to come.   

It should be noted, this is not all doom and gloom. The bigger picture here is that whilst the times to come will prove tragic for the mass of the nations, for the true followers of Christ, this represents the end of the kingdoms of men and the return of Christ to the earth to usher in the age long promised. We will talk about this age in part 3 of this series.   

Stay tuned for part 2 of this series where we talk about some of the participants foretold to be part of this global conflict and we set out how the Bible foretells things will unfold.