Has World War III Begun?

Many in high places and not so high—including the President of the United States—have referred to the “War On Terror” as World War III. The President said the ideological struggle of the 21^st century is compared to the 20th century's fight against Fascism, Nazism, and Communism. (Some called it World War IV—counting the Cold War as the Third.) Others brush off calling the Islamic conflict with Israel and the Christian West “World War III” as a mere political posturing.

The banner, “War on Terrorism,” some say is misleading because, after all, terrorism is a tactic. Terror is not a nation or a people. Whether the present conflict is World War III or not, the clash is of global proportion. Iran’s president Ahmadinejad asserted that the U.S. is “moving the world toward war.” He added, “Nations are awakened now. They want their rights — equal rights, and fair ones. The time for world empires has ended.” Certainly the time has come: “Let the weak say, I am strong.” Joel 3:10

Christians pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Just how is that going to happen?

Peace on Earth—or War?

Can man help bring this peace on earth? How is God’s will to be done on earth with such a clash of civilizations? Is “Islamophobia” justified since it sees the entire religion of Islam as a problem for the world—condemning its history as well? Five years after 9/11, U.S.-Islamic relations continue to deteriorate at a rapid pace. To examine this relationship, 300 young leaders from around the Muslim world and the U.S. came together to develop a blueprint for long-term engagement between the U.S. and the Muslim world. The summit took place in Washington, D.C., from September 8 - 10. Participants looked at how U.S.-Islamic world relations can be improved in the years to come. Will this peace prospect work?

On the other hand, the Pope’s controversial comments about Islam (Sept. 12) ignited an immediate firestorm of criticism in the Muslim world. Even so world leaders—political and religious—are divided on the issue of Islam. Some have been openly frank about what they see while others cautious to be politically correct, seem to be perpetuating myths about a noble, peaceful, dynamic religion and culture. The question is raised by Islam watchers, Will believing these myths about Islam and its goals be dangerous to the health of all other cultures and religions? Islam’s goal, after all, is world dominion.

Pope Benedict XVI quoted the Byzantine Emperor, Manuel II Paleologos, “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” Benedict's comments were called by some a deliberate attempt to “revive the mentality of the Crusades.”

Were the Crusades Christian?

Revisiting the cause and purpose of the Crusades is essential. The Crusades were actually in response to four centuries of Muslim invasion of Christian lands in what had been over half of Christendom—including devastation of holy places. The “last straw” was when the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem was destroyed in A.D. 1009. Christians themselves were subjected to forced conversions—or— crucifixions, massacres, demands for the “infidel tax” and denial of the right to teach their religion to their own children. (WorldNetDaily.com). The first pope to commission a Crusade (with the promised reward of indulgences) to warriors who would “take up the cross” was Pope Urban II in 1095. During the next two centuries, there was a total of (according to some) eight relatively unsuccessful Crusades. Nevertheless, the Crusades are seen as a stop gap which weakened Islam when it was most dangerous to Europe.

Among the most tragic episodes in the Crusades was the burning of Jerusalem’s Jews after being herded into a synagogue and the Children’s Crusade of 1212-13. Thousands (one report says 30,000) of children (ages 10-18), mostly from France and Germany, left for the Holy Lands to recapture Jerusalem. A number of lesser nobles and clergy joined them on their ill-fated journey. Most of the children never reached the Holy Land. Many died crossing the Alps. Others were captured and sold as slaves. Few of these crusaders ever returned home. But during these Crusades, Christians also fought Christians and killed others on the way to the Holy Land—sacking Constantinople twice and causing the division between the Eastern and Western Churches. Although the claim could be made that the Crusades were a noble effort—poor planning, dreadful execution, betrayals, misguided alliances, greed, and so forth, all contributed to marking them with a stigma. The historical record of the Crusades is ugly at best.

The Warfare of Christian Soldiers

Where did Christians ever get the idea that they should bear arms, go to war to regain “Christian lands”? Until the coming of Emperor Constantine, Christians were universally known to be pacifist. Before a century had passed (St.) Augustine of Hippo laid out the justification for the “just war” for Christians in his work, The City of God (c.400).

But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword” (Matthew 26:52). Why were Christians trying to set up Christ’s Kingdom when Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight…” (John 18:36) By contrast, the Koran actually teaches, “Choose martyrs… annihilate the infidels” (Sura 3:140, 141) “Strike off their heads; strike off the very tips of their fingers” (Sura 8:12, 13). (Koran, N.J. Dawood)

Apostle Paul elaborates to Christians, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds…” (2 Corinthians 10:4) What are these “strongholds”? Next verse. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10:5) The Christian’s crusade is against his own flesh! “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city” (Proverbs 16:32).

Christians have not been commissioned to set up God’s Kingdom on earth, but to wait for Christ to return. Before any Christian would be given authority by Christ to reign, he would first have to be humbled. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father” (Revelation 2:26-27). Only then God will set up His Kingdom with Christ over the nations.

The Wrath of Man shall Praise God

One wonders that were it not for the Crusades, Western Europe and Christianity—as we know it—would not have survived (Robert Spencer, The Politically Incorrect View of Islam). Evidently, God overruled that Islam was held back so that the true Christians within Christendom could be protected and able to grow as Christians. (Jesus’ parable of the Wheat and Tares clearly shows his intention to allow the Wheat to grow safely amid the Tares until the time of Harvest - Matthew 13). Although true Christians were often persecuted as “heretics,” God was able to providentially restrain forces that would be counterproductive. “Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain” (Psalm 76:10).

As precedent in Biblical history, God sometimes used godless forces—intent on aggression—for the execution of His own judgments. He used Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon calling him “My servant” for punishing Israel as well as the nations “round about” (the Philistines, Edom, Moab, Ammon, etc.) (Jeremiah 25:8, 20-22). Of course, then God said that after a time “I will punish the king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 25:12). So no doubt, God, allowed and overruled the Crusades for His own purposes. He can likewise overrule or use the Christian nations to subdue the false religion of Islam. But the “little flock” of true Christians themselves would not be actually fighting in such a conflict. They have a more important war to wage. “Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

“Make War on the Christians and Jews”

In the meantime, the Middle East remains terribly unstable, seemingly on the verge of explosion at any moment. Although so far there have been no new terrorists attacks against the U.S., terrorist groups have struck or attempted to strike in Israel, Canada, Britain, Jordan, Spain, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, India and Russia.

The Islamists call America the “Big Satan” and Israel “Little Satan.” The Koran Chapter Sura 9:29-30 states clearly, “Make war on the Christians and the Jews…Do battle with them!” “…Slay the idolators wherever you see them. Arrest them; besiege them and lie in ambush everywhere for them. If they shall convert to Islam then let them go their way.” (Koran Sura 9:5) For this you shall be rewarded with eternal paradise in Heaven with Allah, crystal clear streams, (according to tradition 72) virgins, wine without side effects, and the Garden of Eden forever. (Koran Sura 56). The Koran clearly and expressly commands all of the 1.3 billion Muslim people to engage in Holy War, Jihad, to conquer the world for Islam, for Allah. (Everyman, The Koran, Translated from the Arabic by J.M. Rodwell, J.M. Dent, Orion Publishing Group, London, 1994) Even so, Christians are not to be part of any coalition of Christian government working with the churches to suppress the threat of terror—or even anarchy. Authorities will be claiming the ability to make peace, but it will not be possible for them. Then how will “peace on earth” ever happen?

“He Makes Wars to Cease”

It is only the Judeo-Christian God who will establish an eternal paradise on earth—when God’s will is finally “done on earth as it is in heaven.” Although there will not be the sensual gratification as martyrs as promised in the Koran—all men and women will be completely satisfied with the blessings God has promised. All people will be one family. Now the whole world is actually “groaning and waiting” for something better. They don’t know what they are waiting for, but when it comes, they will say, “And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation” (Isaiah 25:9) The Bible promises more than anything dreamed about in the Koran. “He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord GOD will wipe tears away from all faces..” (Isaiah 25:8) What mankind is actually waiting for is the completion of the church, the “sons of God.” “For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. … For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now” (Romans 8:19, 22).

Yes, there will be a “City of God”—but not as Augustine envisioned. It was the one father of the faithful, Abraham, looked for by which “all the families of the earth” would be blessed (Genesis 28:14). “By faith Abraham…looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:8, 10).

Revelation 21:1-4 describes the holy city, the New Jerusalem, which will be for all mankind to enter. Muslims too will have an opportunity to come to this City of Christ’s Kingdom to learn about “the God of Jacob” (Isaiah 2:1-4). Christ’s Kingdom will have representatives in literal Jerusalem to administer the earth for the heavenly “New Jerusalem.” Then there will be no terror. There will be no war. “He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariots with fire. ‘Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’ The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold” (Psalm 46:9-11).

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