Wars & Rumours of Wars
Pastor Leslie Chua
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places: all this is but the beginning of the birth pangs.”
In my first Pastoral Reflection of this year, I gave a prophetic outlook for 2026. Among several predictions, I wrote: “Given that the world is in a state of flux, without mooring and stability, it has become a more dangerous place. From now on, in 2026 and beyond, I predict we will hear of more wars and rumours of wars, signalling how close we are to the end.”
Barely 3 days into the year, the U.S. launched a special forces operation into Caracas to extract Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
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“Given that the world is in a state of flux, without mooring and stability, it has become a more dangerous place. From now on, in 2026 and beyond, I predict we will hear of more wars and rumours of wars, signalling how close we are to the end.”
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The United States framed this brazen operation as a necessary law enforcement action against narco-terrorism. However, the wider world is not duped; instead, it views it through the prism of raw power dynamics. It is a desperate act to maintain its failing global hegemony.
As such, the United States’ action has broad geopolitical implications in a fragmenting global system and amid rising competition between the Big Powers. It will foment more conflicts, both globally and regionally. In other words, we can expect an increase in wars and rumours of war.
Jesus Teaches to Expect Wars & Rumours of War Before the End
The catchy phrase “wars and rumours of wars” is taken from the Bible (Matthew 24:6-8). Jesus used it in the Olivet Discourse to teach about the signs of the end of this present age. It is one of the overt signs that Jesus’ return is near.
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Jesus is not referring to these wars. The wars and rumours of wars He refers to will affect many countries across all the continents, including the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
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Wars and rumours of wars have recurred regularly throughout human history. The Old Testament is replete with numerous accounts of them. Near the beginning and in the middle of the last century, the world experienced 2 devastating wars across Europe, North Asia, and Southeast Asia.
Jesus is not referring to these wars. The wars and rumours of wars He refers to will affect many countries across all the continents, including the Middle East, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Since the Second World War, only the United States of America has had global reach. That is no longer the case. China’s trade routes and economic footprint now span every continent.
China is a rising superpower. The incumbent superpower, the United States, views China as a threat to its global dominance and is beginning to adopt hawkish measures to curb its rise. As such, the rivalry will play out in many countries across the world where China has established a firm foothold.
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My point is that flashpoints and conflicts will rise across the continents globally, not limited to a few places here and there. That is Jesus’ wars and rumours of wars scenario. I believe we will see this prophecy begin to unfold in earnest in 2026 and beyond.
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What happened to the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Trump’s subsequent threats to Mexico, Colombia, and Cuba are a case in point. They are a warning to the other South American countries with close economic ties with China.
My point is that flashpoints and conflicts will rise across the continents globally, not limited to a few places here and there. That is Jesus’ wars and rumours of wars scenario. I believe we will see this prophecy begin to unfold in earnest in 2026 and beyond.
Let us watch and see.
So, are we standing at the threshold of the rapture of the church and the beginning of the 7-year Tribulation?
Not yet.
Wars and rumours of wars may last for some time. Besides, the other signs that Jesus mentioned must also occur concurrently.
What are these other signs? Deception, famines, and earthquakes (Matthew 24:3-8).
Deception has reached an alarming level. Many Christians live in deception without even realising it. For example, they believe lies about the LGBT lifestyle, same-sex marriage, hyper-grace teaching, woke ideology, and climate change. Maybe we can expect even worse deceptions ahead.
As for the signs of famines and earthquakes, they have not yet appeared. These will be widespread famines and frequent, severe earthquakes worldwide. Until then, we are not yet at the point when the Tribulation is about to begin.
The Case for More Wars & Rumours of Wars
Let us now consider the geopolitics of wars and rumours of wars, as anticipated by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse.
The stage has been set for this scenario. We will witness the battles between the Big Powers unfold. They will shake the nations and rattle the entire world. When the superpowers engage, the rest of the world will be dragged into the fray, one way or another.
Renowned political scientist and Harvard Professor Graham Allison wrote the bestselling book Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides' Trap?
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Given the current situation between the United States and China, the outlook is not promising. The United States is clearly caught in Thucydides’ Trap. Its actions reveal deep anxiety about China’s growing economic and military might.
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The book examines the “Thucydides’ Trap,” in which a rising power threatens to displace the incumbent power, often leading to war. It focuses on the US-China relationship.
The book analyses the last 500 years of history and identifies 16 cases in which a rising power challenged the ruling power. Only 4 cases were peaceful; 12 led to war.
Given the current situation between the United States and China, the outlook is not promising. The United States is clearly caught in Thucydides’ Trap. Its actions reveal deep anxiety about China’s growing economic and military might.
US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric against Panama, Greenland, Canada, Iran, and several South American nations, and his latest action against Venezuela, are largely linked to China.
Take Venezuela, for example. Capturing its President, Maduro, has little to do with law enforcement or drugs. It is a calculated strategic manoeuvre to secure America’s backyard before a potential future conflict with China.
The United States is losing ground in South America. China is now the largest trading partner for several South American countries, including Brazil, Peru, and Chile. It also has extensive dealings with Venezuela.
Through the Belt and Road Initiative, China has also acquired critical infrastructure, including the port of Chancay in Peru, which enables South American exports to bypass the United States entirely.
The latest US intervention in Venezuela serves as a warning to the region: moving too far into China’s orbit carries serious consequences.
Venezuela also holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, about 300 billion barrels, and is preparing to price its oil in Renminbi and integrate into China’s payment system. This arrangement works against American interests.
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In summary, the United States’ motives for intervening in Venezuela are to secure energy resources, control the supply chain, and defend the US dollar regime.
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The US dollar is losing its status as a global reserve currency as the world rapidly moves away from using it for trade settlement, including oil purchases from Middle Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia. The drop in demand for the US dollar is raising US borrowing costs and destabilising the American economy.
Washington is desperate to stem the tide. One of the motives for the intervention in Venezuela is to ensure that the vast oil reserves remain locked within the US dollar-based financial system and to cut off China from Venezuelan oil.
In summary, the United States’ motives for intervening in Venezuela are to secure energy resources, control the supply chain, and defend the US dollar regime.
Its aggressive action is aimed squarely at China and is tantamount to economic war.
Recently, it wrested control of the Panama Canal from a China-linked company. Now, President Trump has declared the United States’ intention to buy Greenland, failing which it will resort to military force. The motives remain unchanged – securing natural resources, controlling the supply chain, and defending the US dollar system.
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The US-China tension will spill over into other regions of the world where China has access to natural resources, established supply chains, and control over critical infrastructure, including ports.
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The international rules-based order has fractured. The global defender of democracy and free trade has become a bully, flexing its muscles to kill and steal.
China has been patient, but it will not stand idly by. It will defend itself. Russia will not watch quietly. It has a strategic interest in the Arctic Circle and is closely monitoring developments in Greenland.
The US-China tension will spill over into other regions of the world where China has access to natural resources, established supply chains, and control over critical infrastructure, including ports.
The belligerence of Trump’s America may also embolden Russia, China, and other major countries to act belligerently against smaller countries within their spheres of influence.
Don’t forget about the tensions in the Middle East, Iran, Ukraine, Taiwan, and several other hotspots.
Taken together, we can expect more wars and rumours of war in 2026 and beyond.
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The belligerence of Trump’s America may also embolden Russia, China, and other major countries to act belligerently against smaller countries within their spheres of influence.
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I have done a brief but fairly deep analysis of the dynamics of Big-Power wars to help you understand how the present US-China rivalry could evolve into wars and rumours of wars across the world, as predicted by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse.
God is in Control
Don’t be alarmed, even though more wars and conflicts are expected, because God is in control. Jesus has told us in advance that all these things will happen.
In fact, God is orchestrating all these events to bring this present age to an end. He is preparing the world for a brand-new age in which Jesus will rule the entire world. So, everything is moving forward as God has ordained.
Wars and rumours of wars are among the prophetic signs of the end. While these are bad news, they signal that Jesus’ return is near. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!