C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL FOR NOVEMBER 7, 2021 LESSON EIGHT/DIVISION II : TOPIC – THE LORD’S WARNING ABOUT WAR (Matthew 24:1-8)

Thank God we are not left in the dark as to the coming of war, as well as its rumours. Their existence and prevalence in some quarters shouldn’t catch us unawares as children of God and students of the Bible. Our Lord says it, and it must come to past. Nevertheless, He has given us the way out, so that we can be relaxed in Him, regardless of the magnitude of whatever happens in the name of war and its rumours in life. Hallelujah!

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 (v. 6).

i. Jesus’ Second Coming is the great hope believers have in God, and for which they count all things in this world as nothing (Phil. 3:7-11).

ii. vv. 3_5: Christ’s disciples wanted Him to tell them the sign of His Coming and of the end of this age, to keep their hope alive — the reason for their faith in Him (1 Cor. 15:19-33). Do we still keep the hope of Christ’s coming alive?

iii. v.6: And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Among several signs that Jesus gave His prying disciples was the prevalence of war and rumours of war.

iv. For all these things must come to pass suggests that the prevalence of war and warring in the world was non-negotiable. It must continually happen, both internally and externally, until the coming of God’s kingdom, through, and in our Lord Jesus.

v. v. 7: For nation will rise up against nation why the world won’t escape conflicts and wars. External aggression and internal conflicts are unavoidable, because man will continue to struggle for power, influence, wealth and positions, as long as, the devil is here.

vi. vv. 6c-8: Even after the world had experienced first and second world war, the end is yet to come. Could it be that we are still expecting more wars? Of course, the Bible talks about Gog and Magog and Armageddon (Rev. 19:17-21; 20:7-10). Even presently, virtually all nations on earth are battling with the destructive activities of fundamentalists. God knows about them all. No wonder they seem endless. What about spiritual wars?

And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you” (v. 4).

i. v. 3: Signs are for warning, to alert, and get somebody prepared for eventual happenings. How often are we applying those warning signals of the end-time, as Christians? Hope we haven’t become complacent or carefree?

ii. v. 3: Thanks to those disciples who were very confident to ask Jesus of signs. But for them, we would have been going about with the world like the blind who cannot figure out the way.

iii. vv. 4-5: Decent, falsehood and counterfeit characterise this age. The devil is the father of lies (Jn. 8:44). Why won’t his people be agent of deceits? These signs are meant to prepare the believers against being caught unawares.

iv. v. 6b: In all of these, See that you are not troubled. Jesus repeatedly cautions us against being troubled, or anxious, even when passing through the seemingly most terrible situations (Jn. 14:1; 16:33; cf. Rom. 8:18, 28ff; 1 Cor. 10:13). With Him, there is no cause for alarm, anywhere, anytime.

v. v. 6c: The world won’t escape the turbulent and trying times, but the end is not yet. We should be aware of them, but feel secure in Christ. The prediction of war is not to threaten us but to awaken the sleeper in preparation for Christ’s return (Rom. 13:11).

vi. Warring situation can come in any form. There is no continent on the planet earth that didn’t feel the sting of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Isn’t that a war situation? No matter the situation, believers in Christ Jesus are guaranteed absolute safety, immediately and ultimately, and should know that all these must take place to help them prepare for the big End-time event, i.e. Christ’s unstoppable Second Coming.

1. Prediction of war in this end time is not to sacre Christians, but to prepare them for Christ’s Second Coming.

2. God’s Word predicts wars, and more are still coming. Received God’s grace to stand in and for Him, the intensity notwithstanding.

1. War didn’t originate with God, Satan did. Explain.

2. What are the implications of Jesus’ foretelling about war and warmongers for end-time Christianity?

i. Refer to Division I B

ii. Satan, in the bid to stop the reign of God and install himself in the position of God, started war in heaven and that attempt led to his cast down.

iii. Therefore, the Devil took decision to make war on earth against the believers in Christ. Since then, he has caused chaos, violence, conflict, crises among brethren, family members, churches of God, states and nations of the earth.

iv. Many towns and villages are currently in the hit of communal clashes. The whole world had had world war twice. That is the Devil in action.

v. Believers are not to cooperate with the Devil to fuel his war agenda. They are agents of peace because their Master and God is the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6).

i. Refer to Division II B

ii. War and rumour of war as predicted by Jesus Christ is simply to alert the Christians. It is not to make them fearful and lose faith.

iii. It is sign that the end will surely come against the insinuation that the world will never come to an end, being proposition by the scoffers (2 Pet. 3:1ff).

iv. Seeing the fulfillment of this prediction should make believers better prepared for home. While unbelievers are struggling to live, and are walking in their own blindness, believers should have better understanding of the happenings around them and be able to interpret well the handwriting on the wall.

During a live television programme, an aged man, who witnessed one of the civil wars, was of the opinion that no one who has seen war would pray for war. Those who are crying for war are only doing so because they have not witnessed war and its ravaging effects. The man narrated how he was unable to reach his family for several months during the war. He talked about series of conflagrations, human killings, lootings, lack of food and access to social amenities and total black out. War usually gives access to wicked people to perpetrate their nefarious and heinous practices. The whole world is yet to recover fully from the devastating effects of the first (August 19 14 – November 1945) and second world wars (1914 – 1918). Hiroshima and Nagasaki both in Japan, lost thousands of lives within the space of three days, 6th – 9th of August, 1945. The devastating effects of war beyond any good it may bring. Yet, to the believers, war and its rumour should not give them any heartache or attack, but a confirmation of the promise of the Second Coming of Christ and an alert to be ever ready for the fulfilment of all things.

There is nothing with a beginning without an end. We have come to the end of this lesson, which is the eighth in this power-packed series. We are now better informed on the issue of war and rumour of war that is ravaging the earth. We are no longer at sea on the fact that war did not originate from God but was caused by the devil, and it emanates from his evil desire to contest God’s authority and sovereignty. He was hauled down after his failed attempt to dethrone God and since then, he decided to cause commotion and chaos on this mankind-dominated planet — earth. As if that was not enough, Jesus Christ also predicted the prevalence of war and its rumour as one of the signs of the end of the age and His Second Coming. May the Holy Spirit assist believers to have a right attitude and be prepared for the second coming of Jesus Christ and to know that emergence of war is just one of the signs of His coming. They should not be perturbed at all.

Mon. 1: Christ: Warring In Righteousness (Rev. 19:11-13)

Tue. 2: Christ: A Ready Fighter (Rev. 19:12-16)

Wed. 3: Come To God’s Great Feast (Rev. 19:17-18)

Thur. 4: Christ Conquers The Beast (Rev. 19:19_21)

Fri. 5: Christ Imprisons Satan (Rev. 20:1-3)

Sat. 6: Christ’s Peaceful Millennial Reign (Rev. 20:4-6)