War begins in each individual, the Apostle James reveals:

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:1-2).

The fallen nature, which came when sin was introduced to humanity, started a war that rages to this day and is intensifying by the minute, according to the hourly news reports that constantly bombard us.

Threats of war ebb and flow and reach, at times, the very brink of exploding into full-blown nuclear devastation. But that hasn’t happened to this point.

Those of my age remember the Cuban missile crisis of 1962 in which the US and Soviet Union faced off. I certainly remember that, as a 20-year-old, there was genuine fear, even by those of us so young at the time.

Sounder thinking prevailed, and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and US President John F. Kennedy pulled back from that fatal moment when the Doomsday Clock must have been one second from midnight.

Or did they?

Did these leaders of the enslaved and of the free world save the planet to fight instead in a thousand conventional conflicts into the future?

Or did physical salvation of everyone on the planet come from another source?

To answer His disciples’ question—“What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the world (age)?”—Jesus said:

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

I can’t remember when fear of world war has been more prevalent than in this present hour. The fear is being expressed not so much by average people of the world but within the highest echelons of world diplomacy. The following somewhat puts this all into perspective.

According to media reporting on documents leaked from the German Ministry of Defense, European leaders are preparing for a “hybrid” Russian attack in Eastern Europe. The first stage, dubbed “Alliance Defense 2025,” would start this February with Russia mobilizing an additional 200,000 soldiers. Fox News reported on Tuesday that classified German documents outlined how the militaries of several European countries are planning to prepare for an offensive by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The story was first reported in the BILD newspaper based on information obtained from the German Ministry of Defense. The “Alliance Defense 2024” could start in February as Russia deploys about 200,000 soldiers in response to Western financial support for Ukraine drying up, according to the report…

Newsweek reported on Tuesday that Margarita Simony, editor-in-chief of the Russian-state-owned broadcaster RT, predicted that World War III would “definitely” break out in the Middle East.

“And now the third world war,” Simonyan posted to Twitter on Monday evening. “Whether a world war will break out now or a little later depends on whether Washington believes that it will be useful to it now, before the elections, or vice versa. Judging by the choral silence of the American media, they are still thinking.” (Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz, “Media Warns of WWIII Starting in Mid-East after Presidential Elections,” World News, 1/19/24, https://www.israel365news.com)

Certainly, it cannot be denied that armies are positioned around the world—particularly in the Middle East—for whatever reasons. They are there, and war-like tempers are in a rage.

Iran continues to develop its nuclear weapons program while threatening both Israel and America. It uses proxies to attack ships in the Red Sea and other places. Hezbollah makes noises of joining in the assaults on Israel. Lebanon threatens to join the fray for what is perceived as Israeli intrusions, even though attacks emanate from Lebanese territories. Turkey’s dictator talks in terms of war rhetoric as he observably moves Turkey into the coalition formed against the increasingly hated Jewish state.

In Asia, China is positioned to assault Taiwan, using provocative tactics to intimidate that state, which China considers its own.

Vladimir Putin is stepping up military action against Ukraine while angered over Western—particularly US—funding of the Ukrainian military.

There is no weapon ever invented—including nuclear weapons—that hasn’t ultimately been used in war. The thermonuclear weapons developed since the atomic bombs used to end World War II are exponentially greater in power than those two bombs that killed more than one hundred thousand people.

So, is World War III—a thermonuclear holocaust—about to destroy us all?

Again, we look at Jesus’ words:

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

Further, we are assured by Jesus Himself that the world will not end in thermonuclear cataclysm.

“And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).

So, as Jesus Himself said, “Let not your heart be troubled”—that is, if you are a child of God. Despite the rumors of war raging from every quarter, there will be no all-out nuclear World War III this side of the Rapture. And even following the Rapture, God will prevent Satan’s attempts to destroy humankind.

You don’t want to be here when Satan’s efforts to do just that will be at their horrendous worst during the Tribulation. Here is how to become a child of God and go instead to be within the safe harbor the Lord Jesus Christ provides for all who accept God’s salvation offer.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).