Jesus did not answer the question of his troubled disciples immediately, for they had responded to his revelation in a human way, becoming afraid for themselves. He wanted to urge them on spiritual watchfulness that they might not fall in God’s judgment.
The essential dangers of the believers were neither wars, nor pains, nor diseases, nors, nor death, but their mental position 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 the political and warlike developments, but created in them internal awareness that they might be cautious of the deceiving doctrines, which corrupt the true faith, for out of atheistic thoughts, or those that twist the truth comes a life faraway from God with transgressions of the law, and finally comes the judgment.
The enemy of good often employs geniuses with elocution 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 with 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 somewhat good that he can attain his goals by himself. They are attentively or inattentively lying, for they have no acquaintance with the heart of man. We are all wicked from childhood, and are unable to do good of ourselves. All men are going astray and are reprobate in 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 rise holding the 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 greation will come clothed with the garments of godliness. Yet, none of those world reformers is Christ himself, who described his second advent with much 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 faraway, infidel, and neglectful. Christ prevented us from fearing wars, for they are usual. 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 governs most of the political attempts to establish peace, for it is not necessary first to change the exterior conditions, but to change the 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 ghost of death has been overcome by Christ’s resurrection. Our religion is the religion of life. If bullets and bombs killed us, we would be secure, for we are kept and protected forever.
Yet, the tribulation and error are deeper. The spirit of disobedience possesses men. The spiritual disorder, impudence, rebellion, discontentment, hatred, the will to destroy the others, domination, and contempt of everyone do not only posses individuals, but have also dwelt in all nations, also in the big powers that they are drawn, in spite of development and civilization, to turn to destroying the world. The gaps of the earth shake as if they were unwilling to bear men any longer. The fields do not bring sufficient fruits. 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 guides his followers to destroy the good creation of God. He instigates his hosts against the merciful Creator.
However, Christ says: Do not marvel. Error, wars, and disobedience are all usual. 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.