Why Are These Things Happening? Am I the Only One Who Thinks the World Has Gone Mad?

As I write this, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine rages on, with looming fears that it could escalate into a global war. Casualty reports indicate that hundreds of thousands of Russian soldiers have been killed or injured, with similarly devastating losses on the Ukrainian side, including civilians. Meanwhile, the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine claims tens of thousands of lives, with daily atrocities. A quick glance at Wikipedia reveals five major conflicts, each with over 10,000 deaths in a year, alongside numerous “smaller” wars, where 1,000 or more lives have been lost recently.

Has God Lost Control? Why Doesn’t He Stop All This?

At the heart of most wars, even those labeled as religious, lies a lack of love or a desire for what others possess. God’s commandment is clear: “Do not covet.”

“You must not covet your neighbor’s house, wife, servant, ox, donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17, NLT).

Jesus’ teachings also emphasize love as a central tenet of faith. His first commandment was to love God, and His second was to love others. War, especially on a national or global scale, is about as far from love as you can get.

Jesus said: “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40, NLT).

When we look around at a world torn apart by conflict, it’s clear that many people are ignoring these fundamental teachings. How can we expect God to step in and fix everything when we continually disregard His guidance? The suffering we see isn’t caused by God—it’s the result of humanity choosing to go its own way.

Did God See This Coming? Was He Caught Off Guard?

Far from being surprised, God knew this would happen. Jesus and many prophets warned us of times like these, because God understands human nature all too well. However, He also has a plan—a plan for a new heaven and a new earth. This world, as we know it, will eventually pass away, just as some scientists now predict. The Bible speaks about this future:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared…” (Revelation 21:1, NLT).

When Will This Happen?

The new heaven and new earth will come into place after Jesus Christ returns. This event will set off a series of changes leading to that promised renewal. However, God hasn’t given us a specific timeline for when this will occur, although many Christians believe that time is drawing near.

Jesus said, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must happen, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, as well as famines. But all this is only the beginning of the birth pains” (Mark 13:5-8, NLT).

Is This a New Idea?

The truth is, the world has been in a spiritual battle between good and evil since the beginning of time. This conflict started when Adam and Eve were tempted to disobey God in the Garden of Eden. It has continued throughout human history and will persist until the final days when evil will be defeated once and for all.

“Turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and pursue it” (1 Peter 3:11, NLT).

God doesn’t desire war or suffering, but as long as humanity insists on going its own way, these tragedies will continue.

The first Psalm offers comfort to those who choose to reject evil and follow God’s path. It assures us that God watches over those who commit to serving Him:

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction” (Psalms 1:1-6, NIV).