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2. Jesus Warns Against Deceivers (Mark 13:5-8)
MARK 13:5-8
5 Jesus, answering, began to tell them, “Be careful that no one leads you astray. 6 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and will lead many astray. 7 “When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, don’t be troubled. For those must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places. There will be famines and troubles. These things are the beginning of birth pains.
Jesus did not answer his troubled disciples question immediately, for they had responded to his revelation in a human way, becoming afraid for themselves. He wanted to urge them on to spiritual watchfulness, that they might not receive God’s judgment.
The essential dangers to the believers were neither wars, nor pains, nor diseases, nor death, but their own attitude of mind toward the misleading doctrines of our world. The judgment is a result of falling away from the true God. This is why Jesus warned his disciples from the deceivers first, for turning away from God is preceded by a shaking spiritual conflict. He said: “Watch out, and don’t let anyone fool you.” Jesus did not ask his disciples to watch political and warlike developments, but created in them internal awareness, that they might be cautious of deceiving doctrines which corrupt true faith, for out of atheistic thoughts, or those that twist the truth comes a life far removed from God, with transgressions of the law, and finally judgment.
The enemy of good often employs gifted orators to deceive the godly. They use the words of Jesus cunningly, and wear his names as a mask, to bring their atheistic thoughts in an acceptable dress.
Countless leaders, guides, and Mahdis arose and promised people how to reach paradise, if they did this and left that. Today, they use modern methods of psychology and technology to carry out their designs, and tell us that man is somehow good, and he can attain his goals by himself. They are deliberately lying, for they have no knowledge of the heart of man. We are wicked from childhood, and are unable to do good by ourselves. All men are going astray and are reprobate as such, they deserve God’s anger. They are in need of the Reconciler who was crucified for them. There is no righteousness before God without the cross. There is no dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the heart without faith in him who was crucified. He who does not hold fast to the Lord, who was raised from the dead, will perish, because he refuses the only way to God.
In the last days with their growing distresses, men and women will arise, holding forth lies of false prophets and philosophers. They will combine different beliefs in religion, perform strange healings, and work toward making peace among the nations, that they may draw millions to them.
Beware! The false prophets will come clothed with the garments of godliness. Yet, none of these world reformers is Christ himself, who described his second advent with clarity. None of them is He. They will establish men in their hardheartedness and disobedience to God, that they may be separated entirely from their covenant with the Holy One.
Wars are the apparent result of being far away from God, infidel, and neglectful. Christ warned us to expect wars. Also envy, hatred, and disagreements will break out among individuals and families. Man is not good, but bad. Jesus said there must be wars. This decisive statement disproves most political attempts to establish peace, for it is not necessary first to change the exterior conditions, but to change hearts radically. Without conversion, there is no true peace. Without preaching, there is death.
Christ says: “Don’t be troubled when you hear the noise of battles close by and news of battles far away, for the heavenly hosts with you are greater than those against you. God himself is our refuge. Many saints, in fact, experienced this promise. Not a hair will fall from the head of any of us without his knowledge. When Christians die, they live. The fear of death has been overcome by Christ’s resurrection. Our religion is the religion of life. If bullets and bombs kill us, we are secure, for we are kept and protected forever.
Yet tribulation and error abound. The spirit of disobedience possesses men. Spiritual disorder, impudence, rebellion, discontentment, hatred, the will to destroy others, domination, and contempt for others do not only affect individuals, but have also dwelt in nations, also in the great powers, that, in spite of development and civilization, they turn to destroying the world. The ground shakes as if unwilling to bear men any longer. The fields do not bring sufficient harvests. Starvation prevails increasingly. After the petroleum crisis, we will experience the wheat crisis, and then the water crisis, which is coming on us eventually.
The ruler of this world incites his followers to destroy the good creation of God, so that they turn against the merciful Creator.
However, Christ says: Do not marvel. Error, wars, and disobedience are to be expected. They mean the end of the world. Moreover, they are signs of the great day of justice. The coming of Christ will bring the end and the beginning.
PRAYER: O mighty Lord, our hearts tremble, for wars, sufferings, starvation, and death are coming on us. Forgive our fear, and strengthen our trust in you, that we may rely peacefully on your power. You wish to awaken us that we may refuse all deceiving doctrines, in order that your anger may not destroy us. Grant us the spirit of discernment, and immediate obedience, that we may know and do your will joyfully with all the believers in our world. Amen.
QUESTION:
- Why did Jesus say, “There must be wars”?