Re-tweeted from Emmaus. Section headers, images, and minor edits by Christian Comment.
“Nation will rise against Nation and Kingdom against Kingdom …”
Rumours of Wars
Among the many signs Jesus spoke of when questioned by His disciples about the end of the age, He said that nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom – Matthew 24:7
There is a valid point in saying that such things have been happening for centuries, but as always, context is important. Jesus was speaking specifically about the end of the age, so conflict is something we will see with increasing frequency and intensity as the end approaches – culminating in Armageddon. Please note: Armageddon is not the Ezekiel 38 war. The ultimate fulfillment of the Gog-Magog war, written of by Ezekiel, comes at the end of the millennium reign when Satan is released for a short time. You can read this for yourselves in Revelation 20:7-10.
The original Greek word for nation as in nation against nation, is ethnos / ?????, from which we get the English words ethnic/ethnicity. In today’s language, at least in English, “nation” is normally understood to mean “country” or “state”. Ethnos, however, does not necessarily speak of a nation in this sense per se, but rather, as a people united in common beliefs, customs, culture and religious values. Ethnos derives from ethno, the root of the English word ethics and ethos – implying a way of thinking. It’s a word that can describe a people, a race (contextually the non-Israelite world) united by culture, beliefs and common ways of thinking. This is important to understand.
Ethnos
Such a people-group may form what we today understand as a State or country, but the original meaning remains a people united by common beliefs, customs and values. When the Lord spoke of nation against nation, ethnos against ethnos, he was alluding to conflict between different people groups with different ways of thinking. Such ethnic groups can be transnational, such as Christians, Jews and Muslims. The word can also be applied to political beliefs. Communists for example are an ethnos. The far-right is an ethnos. LGBT is an ethnos. The pro-Palestinian lobby is as ethnos; pro-Israel lobby is as ethnos. It has many applications but the point the Lord is making is, different groups will rise up against one another in what we will see as ever increasing internal conflict within our societies.
Kingdoms, on the other hand, (basileia /????????) are different. A kingdom is a kingdom as we understand led by a monarchy, but it can also be a State or Nation. Prophetically speaking, kings represents leaders, such as described in Revelation with the two horns of the beast in chapter 13. Greece invented democracy, out of which has birthed many modern democratic political states, not necessarily led by kings but by appointed leaders. The UK for example, is a state with a monarchy and a democratically elected government. Contextually, in this passage of scripture, Kingdoms are seen as different to nations which is why Jesus differentiates between them.
Ruler of this age
The original context in the bible; kingdom against kingdom, alludes to proper kingdoms with a king, including of course Jesus as king over His people. The kingdom of God is a basileia – a word which can describe both physical and spiritual kingdoms. God is the ruler in heaven whilst currently, Satan is the ruler of this age on earth – another example of two basileias in conflict.
- In their case the god of this worldhas blinded the minds of the unbelievers – 2 Cor 4:4
- God has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his believed son– Colossians 1:13
- I will no longer talk much with you for the ruler of this world is coming– John 14:30
The biggest and most obvious inter-ethnos conflict today involves Islam against the Christian and Jew. However much the situation is politicised, and excuses made, the indisputable fact is, Islam is killing Christians on an unprecedented scale globally second only to its hatred of the Jew.
And you shall be hated by all nations because of My name’s sake, but the one who perseveres until the end will be saved. – Matthew 10:22/Mark 13:13/Luke 21:17
Squeezed
A month ago, we wrote about the Greek word thlipsis, translated as tribulation in Western bibles, a word which actually implies being squeezed out, being constrained and put under pressure to conform. Are not Christians feeling this now, forced to accept the impact of the beliefs, customs, practices and values of other ethnic groups? Let us be honest: the values and beliefs of these two groups (ethne pl) are diametrically opposed. Yet one is rising up and imposing its footprint on the other at an alarming rate, in accordance with prophecy – another end time sign.
Due to the situation in Israel, Hamas (which means violence in Hebrew!) issued a global call for jihad to kill Jews wherever they were found. This is a perfect example of ethnos -v- ethnos, nation -v- nation, Muslim -v- Jew.
The word jihad has different insinuations depending upon the context in which the word is used. Its basic meaning is to struggle. Individuals can have internal jihads, personal struggles within their own lives much as anyone can. But when the word is shouted in the public square its meaning is very different, calling for uprising, a greater struggle, the greater jihad, against its enemy in order to suppress and dominate. The West is an enemy of Islam. Never forget that in Islamic mentality the world is seen in a very simple way: the land of Islam (dar al-islam) or the land of war (dar al-harb). The use of extreme violence, as we have witnessed recently (October 07 attacks in Israel), is also an Islamic doctrine designed to intimidate and frighten, in order to achieve the ultimate goal of getting people to submit.
In Islam their god is the greatest, the shout of allahu- akbar does not translate is god is great, but god is the greatest. Thus, their cries on the streets of the western Christian nations to the god of Islam, is that he is greater than the true God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of Israel. Can you see the problem?
Meanwhile the West has been indoctrinated for decades with ‘Islam is the religion of peace’. Can you see the problem? Peace only exists in Islamic culture when the entire culture is in submission to Islam, which is what the word Islam means = submission.
Weapons of war?
However grim things might look on earth, it is the spirit realm where we are told to fight and to use the ‘weapons of war’ God has given us, which differ entirely to this physical world. We will explore this subject in a future letter as spiritual warfare is urgently needed; you need to know what you have in your arsenal and how to use them.
Jesus taught us very clearly, by His own example, not to engage in physical conflict. “Pray for your enemies and those that persecute you” or to “turn the other cheek”. This can be hard, but we ignore His advice at our own peril for the battle belongs to the Lord! We are told by Apostle Paul for example the weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds’ –2 Corinthians 10:4. Why? Because our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm’ – Ephesians 6:12.
He who lives by the sword will die by the sword – Matthew 26:52.
Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord and like a hammer that smashes rock – Jeremiah 23:29
‘By the word of truth, the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left’ – 2 Corinthians 6:7
The power of life and death are in the tongue – Proverbs 18:21
Be prepared ….
God’s people are not to do as the pagans do. We are not to engage in political activism or fighting, for we are God’s ethnos, God’s holy people set apart for Him, thus if we fight we can only do it according to His way not ours, which He clearly proscribes in His word.
When our Lord and Saviour stood before Pilate he did not engage in argument or debate. When he stood before the council of elders and Caiaphas, he did not engage in argument or debate. We should follow His lead!
His instruction was, and remains, to pray for our enemies, hard as this may be. And to love them that we might ‘pour hot coals’ on their heads. However, we are not to compromise our heavenly inheritance by adopting their ways, through appeasement, or through denouncing God’s eternal way. So be prepared to suffer and be persecuted for standing your ground, for this is the cross and the refining fire we must expect – a fire that refines and purifies us, preparing us for adornment in white clothes of righteousness ahead of the great royal banquet!
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The Day of the Lord – is near ……
From Jose. A powerful three minute video reminding us we live on God’s timeline, and He has set out the terms for the future: https://youtu.be/u4kX_KG27gI
Feel free to view, and forward on, as you see fit. (Jose’s serialized testimony is elsewhere in this edition)
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