The Coming War Will Unleash Hell on Earth*

General William Sherman, who led Union troops during the Civil War, issued the famous quote, "...War is Hell". Experienced soldiers often make up many of those who are the most reluctant to see a war begin, because they have seen first hand the horrors that it brings. We are seeing a war currently in the Middle East, and innocent blood is being spilt on both sides. We have also seen and heard the reports about those who have no respect for human life boasting of the beheading of children and other civilians. They took joy in it. Scripture tells us how war and other tragedies come upon one's land. The prophet Hosea wrote the Word of the LORD: "...there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish...My people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge, because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing how thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame." (Hosea 4:1-7). Afterwards, Hosea wrote that the children of Israel would return to the land, and seek the LORD. "and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days." (Hos. 3:4-5). Hosea prophesied this concerning the latter days, and those days are now, and we can see the signs of it all around us. The reference to "David their king" is speaking about the Messiah, who is a descendant of David, since at the time of Hosea writing this, King David was dead. We know that the Messiah is Jesus, the Son of David, and the Son of God. Forgetting the knowledge of the LORD leads His people into troubles: "Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing...get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding." (Prov. 4:5-7). Scripture has the wisdom, knowledge of understanding concerning the roots of war, even from the very beginning. Adam's two sons, Cain and Abel, were two different types of men. Cain was a tiller of the ground, and Abel was a keeper of sheep. Both men brought offerings to the LORD: Cain of the fruit of the ground, and Abel brought the firstlings of his flock: "And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth (hara - burning with anger, incensed), and his countenance fell." (Gen. 4:2-5). The LORD asked Cain why he was so angry, and warned him that sin desired to rule over him: "...Cain rose up against Abel his brother and slew him." (v. 7-8). The LORD confronted an unrepentant Cain, asking, "Where is Abel thy brother?", to which Cain answered, "I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?" (v. 9). The LORD informed Cain that the voice of his brother's blood was crying out to Him from the ground (v. 10). The first murder was brother against brother, involving jealousy over the offering to the LORD. In another teaching of wisdom regarding war, two brothers would again be involved. God made an everlasting covenant with Abraham to bless his seed (Gen. 17:4-8), and Abraham had eight sons all together, including six with his second wife, Keturah. Although Abraham had an eldest son, Ishmael, with his wife's maid, whom the LORD promised to bless exceedingly (v. 20) it would be Isaac, the son that would be born to his wife Sarah, with whom the LORD would make an everlasting covenant: "...and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him." (v. 19). As we saw previously, one brother, Ishmael, resented the younger brother, Isaac, and mocked him (v. 9). Sarah demanded that Ishmael and his mother be sent away, which the LORD confirmed to Abraham that he should do, with an assurance to Abraham that He would bless Ishmael. However, the LORD added: "...in Isaac shall thy seed be called." (v. 10-12). Sibling rivalry again, and that rivalry continues today. There was yet another account of a murderous sibling rivalry between Esau, and his younger twin brother, Jacob. Not only were Esau and Jacob siblings, but each would represent a different nation (see Gen. 25:23). Esau cared nothing for his birthright as firstborn, that he would inherit from his father, Isaac, and readily sold it away to his brother Jacob for some food to satisfy his hunger after a day in the field (v. 29-34). Esau later desired the firstborn blessing from his father, the same blessing that he had previously despised, but his father, Isaac, had been fooled and had given it to Jacob. Esau vowed to kill his brother, and Jacob had to run from his brother (Gen. 27:41-43). Jacob had the favor of God. Ezekiel described the scenario for a world war that would involve an attack against Israel. First he prophesied that the LORD would bring His people back to the covenant land, even though it would appear to be impossible. He showed Ezekiel a valley of dried bones, and told him to prophesy over them. Ezekiel then saw the bones revived to life, and become a great army. Then the LORD gave Ezekiel these prophetic words: "Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel...And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then ye shall know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD." (v. 12-14). Israel was miraculously resurrected as a nation in 1948. This should be recognized as a sign of who the LORD is, as the LORD said, and it is also a sign of the things that were to follow. The LORD said that He would bring them back to Israel from all of the heathen nations in which they were located, and they would become one nation, with one king, and that king would be David (meaning the Messiah, who is Jesus), and they "shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant...and they shall dwell therein...for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them...an everlasting covenant...and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle also shall be with them...And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them." (v. 21-28). There is a promise here to build the sanctuary of the LORD in the midst of Israel, and it will be built. The prophet Daniel also mentioned that there would be an abomination of desolation committed in this third temple in the latter days to desecrate it, as Daniel described the actions of an antichrist figure (Dan. 11:31). All evil will target Israel and Jerusalem. There are nations today that have said that they want to drive Israel off of the land, but the LORD has set an everlasting covenant with them, that Israel/Jacob would inhabit the land forever, and no one will be able to overturn it. As Israel is restored as a nation, Ezekiel prophesied of an attack directly against Israel, and a war that will involve several nations such as Russia (Magog, Meshech, Tubal), Iran (Persia), Ethiopia, Libya, and other nations that will come from the north. The LORD said that this attack will take place in "the latter years". These nations will have evil thoughts come into their minds regarding the land of Israel, desiring to take a spoil (v. 8-12). These nations are already lining up against Israel, and the prophetic Word of God has already been set in place against them. However, of His people Israel, the LORD promises: "Neither will I hide my face any more from them: for I have poured out my (aleph-tav/Alpha and Omega:the name of Jesus the Messiah) spirit upon the house of Israel, saith the LORD God." (Ezek. 39:29). The LORD will pour out His Spirit! Daniel described the coming warfare as a time of great trouble "such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time. And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." (Dan. 12:1). This is the Book of Life, written of in Revelation as the Lamb's Book of Life - the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world. Even in this terrible trouble, God's people will shine: "Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." (v. 10). Here we see the value of understanding (get understanding!). The wicked will not have it, and will be destroyed because of the lack, but God's people are to understand. Are you wise and have understanding? Daniel also wrote of the timing of days and months during this period to what amounted to 42 months, or 3 1/2 years, which is half way through the seven year peace treaty which Daniel prophesied would be broken. Revelation also refers to this same 42 months as a time of the Gentiles treading over the holy city (Rev. 11:1-2, 12:6-8). The figure of The Beast will speak blasphemies, and continue in power for 42 months also (Rev. 13:5). I believe that there will be a seven year peace treaty, as Daniel prophesied, which will be broken after 3 1/2 years, when the antichrist will declare himself to be God in the temple, and Hell will be unleashed. Not only do we see these nations rising up against Israel now, but there is a rise in anti-Semitism in general, even in the Church. Wake up, Church! Get understanding! Jesus is coming back sooner than we think. **Based upon Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson, Jr.'s 11/5/23 message to the church. To see the entire message, you can go to Dr. Stevenson's Facebook page. To contact: Everlasting Covenant, PO Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705.