The popular teaching is that wars and rumors of wars are proof that we are living in the last days.
Jesus’ Last Days Prophecy taught us that everything that happened in Matthew 24:4-34 would happen in one generation.
It also taught us that we do not live in the last days because the last days were when the apostles lived.
That is why the apostles said they were living in the last days, not because they were somehow ignorant. (If so, we cannot trust the word of God, because God is lying!). Instead, the Bible teaches us we live at the end of the age.
Jesus’ Prophecy Concerning False Wars and Rumors of War
Jesus prophesied this during the historical period called Pax Romana, (peace in the Roman Empire):
MATTHEW 24:6 AND YOU WILL HEAR OF WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS. SEE THAT YOU ARE NOT TROUBLED; FOR ALL THESE THINGS MUST COME TO PASS, BUT THE END IS NOT YET. FOR NATION WILL RISE AGAINST NATION, AND KINGDOM AGAINST KINGDOM….
Everything would happen within one generation of Jesus’ prophecy.
We are not at liberty to use this scripture today to reference the timing of Jesus’ final return.
is not referring to the end of the age (in the future). Instead, He refers to the last days, which finished in 70CEAD or 100AD depending on whether you use the 40-year generation or 100-year generation, both being equally biblical.
The timing of ‘wars and rumors of wars’ was placed between the two references to one generation:
Firstly, in Matthew 23:
MATTHEW 23:36 ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, ALL THESE THINGS WILL COME UPON THIS GENERATION.
The phrase, ‘this generation’, is then repeated in Matthew 24:
MATTHEW 24:34 ASSUREDLY, I SAY TO YOU, THIS GENERATION WILL BY NO MEANS PASS AWAY TILL ALL THESE THINGS TAKE PLACE.
Non-Biblical Evidence of Wars and Rumours of Wars
Jesus prophesied correctly, but again this is still within one generation, and we are not at liberty to use this for today if we are going to be faithful to the Word of God.
So, let’s see what the leading historian of the time had to say – was Jesus correct
Josephus has 150 pages of the wars over this time.
Here’s a few:
Rumors of War.
Whenever war is imminent, there are always rumors of wars. However, here is an example of a rumor that did not end in war: 37-41AD.
The idea of Emperor Caligula attacking Jerusalem was sufficient for inhabitants of Jerusalem to not till their lands. But it never happened.
Kingdom Against Kingdom.
36AD King Herod II of the Jews versus King of Arabia.
Nation Against Nation.
We will list here different wars that are nation versus nation. Besides these, if we look at the Roman army attacks on the Jews by themselves, we see countries versus a nation.
The Roman Empire conquered many nations, recruiting men of fighting age.
Therefore, many nations made up the Roman army. Remember that a Jewish generation is 40 years and 100 years, so 70AD is 40 years after Jesus’ prophecy, and 130AD is 100 years after Jesus’ prophecy.
The Roman army attacking Jerusalem in 70AD and 130AD was many nations against Israel. Here are some of Josephus’ historical records:
Jewish-Roman Wars.
41AD. After fleeing Babylon because of pestilence to the city of Seleucia in modern day Iraq, the citizens rose against the Jews, killing 5,000 of them.
45AD Jews of Perez versus Philadelphia.
The Romans killed many Jews.
45AD Under Cumanus, a soldier offered indignity within the temple grounds. The Jews violently objected, and the Romans started to attack, killing 30,000 Jews in the resulting stampede.
49AD Jews argued with the Syrians over who would govern Caesarea. The Syrians killed approximately 20,000 Jews as a result.
Following their defeat in Caesarea, the Jews started another war with the Syrians, who again defeated them.
In Damascus, Tyre, and Ascalon, the Romans killed 10,000 Jews in the first hour alone. In Sythopolis, 13,000 Jews were massacred in one night.
66AD At Alexandria, the Jews rose against the Romans. Tiberius sent in the two legions of Roman army plus a further 5000 soldiers. They killed infants, children and adults, leaving 50,000 Jews dead in the streets or burnt alive in their houses.
67AD During the 47 day siege of the Jewish town of Jotapata by Vespasian, his army killed 40,000 Jews and 1000 taken into captivity.
66AD Vespasian attacks Jerusalem, but the Jews defeat him. He then spends two years going throughout all the cities of Judea and Samaria, killing all those who resisted. So many people killed that bodies filled the rivers, warning the downstream towns of their impending massacre.
Destruction of Jerusalem.
70AD Vespasian returns to Rome to become Emperor and leaves Titus to finish off the remaining cities including Jerusalem, home to the rebel leaders and the stronghold of the Jewish resistance to the Romans.
70AD April 23rd. Titus starts his siege on Jerusalem with 20,000 legionnaires and 40,000 further aides and troops from various nations. Because they arrived during Passover there were huge numbers of Jewish populace trapped in the city.
70AD August 9th. The last sacrificial lamb is killed due to running out of sheep.
70AD August 10th Titus offers a sacrificial ox, sheep, and pig to show the ascendancy of the roman gods.
70AD September.
The destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple is complete. 1.1 million Jews are killed and 97,000 captured.
Jewish First Century Holocaust
As Jesus predicted in His prophecy, the following 40 years were the pinnacle of suffering to the Jews. It truly was the Great Tribulation that Jesus said would NEVER be repeated.
MATTHEW 24:21 FOR THEN THERE WILL BE GREAT TRIBULATION, SUCH AS HAS NOT BEEN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD UNTIL THIS TIME, NO, NOR EVER SHALL BE.
Jesus’ prophecy was indeed true -that the Great Tribulation was coming within one generation.
Many will say that there are more wars now than at any time in history.
We need to look at this objectively to see if this is true.
I have not included the loss of total population because of the destruction of Jerusalem in my percentage.
If we dropped the world-wide population as a result, then the percentage would be even higher by the time of the Hadrian revolt.
Has it Become Worse Since Jesus’ Prophecy of Wars and Rumours of Wars?
Remembering that Jesus was talking to the Jews, the last days prophecy is correct when it says nothing surpasses it.
Even the Nazi holocaust did not surpass what happened in the Roman – Jewish wars.
War- Roman Jewish wars
Year-41-67AD Jewish Population Percent Killed 148,000. Jewish Population Worldwide 4,200,000. Percentage killed 3.5%
Destruction of Jerusalem 70AD. Jewish population killed 1,197,000. Worldwide Jewish population 4,200,000 .Percent killed 28.5%
Total 40-year Generation 30-70AD. Jewish population killed 1,345,000. Worldwide Jewish population 4,200,000 .Percent killed 32.0%
Masada and Ein Gedi 73AD. Jewish population killed 1,660. Worldwide Jewish population 4,200,000 .Percent killed 0.04%
Hadrian Revolt 130-133AD.Jewish population killed 580,000 .Worldwide Jewish population 4,200,000 .Percent killed 13.8%
Total 100 year Generation 30-130AD. Jewish population killed 1,926,660 .Worldwide Jewish population 4,200,000 .Percent killed 45.9%
Wars and Rumors of Wars Have Decreased Since 70AD:
Jesus’ prophecy was indeed true-that the great tribulation was coming within one generation.
Many will say that there are more wars now than at any time in history. This is not true.