Written By J.C.
All graphics are made by Justin Graphics. justin@thecalltojordan.com
I recently read the book All Quiet on the Western Front by Enrich Maria Remarque. Afterward, I was challenged to express my feelings about war. The book is fiction, based on real-life themes that track a young German soldier during World War I. I feel motivated to share my feelings about war because we live in a day when many wars are being fought around the world! The wars being fought in our day have serious ramifications for people wherever they live.
In this post, I simply list my major emotions regarding war. Labeling our emotions is a healthy practice. The logical part of the brain connects with the emotional part when we label our emotions. Identifying specific emotions allows us to make sense of them and helps to manage them productively under times of stress. It’s also helpful to recognize WHY we feel an emotion. When we can communicate about our deeper emotions and the “whys” behind them, it removes the feeling of chaos and empowers us to problem-solve.
I chose four emotions and balanced two negative with two positive emotions. In times of war, our negative emotions tend to be much stronger than our positive emotions. Because it is important to be hopeful, I decided to express my positive emotions as well. The four do not encompass all my feelings about war, but they are the ones focused on here. Some will relate to what I share. Obviously, everyone has their own emotions about war.
ANGER
I feel angry about war because in many cases government officials and others in power choose war, not the people. Most often, the majority of people would choose to live in peace and not fight their fellow man. However, decisions are often made for citizens by the influential and powerful. That makes me angry.
I feel angry about war because there are so many lies associated with it. To push a war agenda, there MUST be propaganda spread to the population to justify the reasons behind war and to make it sound necessary. Otherwise, there would be no war. Indoctrination results in a lot of people who are willing to fight or people who tolerate the circumstances of war.
I feel angry about war because the main reasons given for war do not justify it. The two main root reasons behind war are POWER and MONEY. These things should not warrant so much death, casualties, catastrophes, and loss. There are righteous reasons to revolt and to kill, but the reasons for starting a war are usually evil and untrustworthy. Evil intentions bring forth evil actions.
I feel angry about war because it ruins people’s lives and leaves permanent emotional scars. In chapter 5 of All Quiet on the Western Front, the main character Paul Baumer discusses with his comrades how the war has ruined their ambitions in life.
“All I do know is that this business about professions and studies and salaries and so on—it makes me sick, it is and always was disgusting.”
“…Albert expresses it: ‘The war has ruined us for everything.’ ”
“He is right. We are not youth any longer. We don’t want to take the world by storm. We are fleeing. We fly from ourselves. From our life. We were eighteen and had begun to love life and the world; and we had to shoot it to pieces. The first bomb, the first explosion, burst in our hearts.”
I feel angry about war because of all the innocent blood that is shed, all of the gruesome ways people die, and the massive lethal rate in such little time! The losses of these precious lives FAR outweigh what is gained in most wars, yet man keeps on killing. The bloodshed invokes the anger of the Creator too, and He will justly avenge it, for the prophetic Scriptures say—
Psalm 72:14 He redeems their life from oppression and from violence, and their blood is precious in His eyes.
FEAR
I feel fearful about war because I sometimes worry that the people I am close to will suffer. What if someone in my family is killed or taken as a captive in war? What if our family has to suffer from starvation, disease, or displacement from home? These are by-products of war, and others suffer these EVERY DAY.
I feel fearful about today’s wars because I believe we are in WORLD WAR! World war involves most of the principal nations of the world; it is the most devastating kind of war. I believe that this particular world war will be the MOST destructive in all of history! YHWH will use it to bring down every nation! That indeed makes me fearful of YHWH and His plans, and it makes me fearful for all the lives war has and will claim.
Psalm 9:19-20 Arise, O יהוה, Do not let man prevail; let the nations be judged before Your face. Put them in fear, O יהוה, let the nations know they are but men. Selah.
I feel fearful about war when I watch the news and hear one horrific story after another about the ways people caught amid war have suffered, are suffering, and will continue to suffer. I know not all rumors of war are true; however, I fear for people and the situation they are in because I do not take pleasure in anyone suffering evil that they do not deserve.
In chapter 6 of All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul Baumer’s character shared a moment driven by extreme fear in the heat of combat against the French soldiers.
“We have become wild beasts. We do not fight, we defend ourselves against annihilation. It is not against men that we fling our bombs, what do we know of men in this moment when Death is hunting us down—”
“…This wave that multiplies our strength with fear and madness and greed of life, seeking and fighting for nothing but our deliverance. If your own father came over with them you would not hesitate to fling a bomb at him.”
Not all fear is negative. For example, the ‘fight or flight’ response is triggered by fear. It will motivate someone to save their life! In the book, Paul and his comrade were able to retreat even with bullet wounds. Below is a quote from chapter 10.
“Already he is no longer able to move his leg, and we both wonder how we managed to get this far. Fear alone made it possible; we should have run even if our feet had been shot off;—we would have run on the stumps.”
Below is a well-known verse from 1 John with some powerful statements regarding fear.
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear holds punishment, and he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
I find this verse to be both sobering and comforting. The apostle John said that anyone who has any fear has not yet been perfected in love. This is sobering because all of us have fear. Indeed, people can momentarily experience a state of Elohim’s love which has the power to overcome their fears. However, no one should claim that they are completely fearless. Naturally, humans have fears.
I propose that this verse will come to fruition in the future. As promised in Scripture, one day the righteous will leave their mortal bodies (or resurrect from the dead) and inherit immortality. This is when we will be ‘made perfect’ in all aspects including love. No fear will be able to dwell with us because an overwhelming love from YHWH’s Spirit will fill us. This state of love will overcome and permanently defeat every fear that haunts us now. This promise is very awesome and comforting.
CURIOSITY
I feel curious about war because I have a desire to learn more. Wartime is the right time to ask questions and to diligently seek truthful answers. Why are countries fighting each other? What is happening in the world and how does it affect me? What will happen as a result of these wars? My curiosity about war is what drives me to gain more knowledge about my questions. Curiosity is what leads me to read/watch news online about current world events.
I feel curious about war because I am an American. America involves itself in almost all these wars. My spiritual understanding of the USA being End Days Babylon, the foreknowledge that the nations of the world will turn on and destroy her, and having come out of Babylon myself, gives me a better perspective on America’s fate. I am curious to watch how America-at-war will play out.
I feel curious about war because there are DEEPER REASONS behind war than what we are told. I want to seek out and understand these matters. Satan has an agenda to kill a lot of people and establish a New World Order to steal the power and glory that belong to YHWH. I believe Satan’s agenda is the reason behind the war activity occurring in the world now. I also know that YHWH has HIS greater purposes for wars―to bring down the pride of rulers and nations, to overthrow the New World Order, and to establish the reign of His Son Yahushua!
The following are some quotes from https://gostrengths.com/what-is-curiosity/.
“Curiosity keeps us fresh and relevant. There’s a popular quote by an unknown author that says, ‘The day you stop learning is the day you die.’ ”
“Curiosity helps us in our decision-making. The more knowledge we procure from our curious endeavors, the more informational resources we have to tap into when we need to critically think about a problem or make an important decision.”
“Curiosity can be useful in navigating arguments or confrontations.”
ANTICIPATION
Two feelings synonymous with anticipation are hope and expectation. We see the terms hope and expectation in Scripture. As believers in Messiah, it is our job to be hopeful/expectant for the good things to come, even amid distressful times. Hebrews 11:1 sums up a foundational aspect of our faith.
Hebrews 11: 1 Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. (NLT)
Anticipation can be both a negative and positive emotion. For example, often fear is associated with anticipation because a person may anticipate something bad is going to happen. For my purposes, I am painting anticipation as one of my POSITIVE emotions about war.
I feel anticipation about war because I am waiting to see how YHWH will fulfill prophecy either during or after wars in the End Days. Below is a list of several events that I am anticipating from studying the Scriptures. The events are very encouraging and significant for followers of Yahushua to contemplate.
I recommend looking up these Scripture references for further clarification of the context. In most of these references, the futuristic event is in the context of war. Through this website, our family has written extensively on some of these subjects. For those interested, I will suggest one of our relevant teachings. A few events I will elaborate on here.
Events I Am Anticipating
- The release of the captives of war (Isa. 61:1, Jer. 30:7-9, Eze. 34:27-28, Psa. 68:6, & Psa. 107:2,10,16)
Wartime entails people being taken captive. The Scriptures above highlight that YHWH is going to release His captives in the End Days. This may refer to people being spiritually set free, but it includes more than that. Prisoners of war will be physically set free! Chains will break off of the hands of captives and fortified prisons will open for an escape. YHWH will remove the enslaving bonds by which His people are oppressed and redeem them from the land of the enemy. The release of the captives sets the stage for the next event: the Ingathering, a great return of YHWH’s people.
- The Greater Exodus/The Ingathering at the Fall of Babylon (Jer. 50:4-5)
https://thecalltojordan.com/teachings/the-fall-of-babylon/
The above teaching addresses the timing of the Ingathering as it correlates to the Fall of End Days Babylon. The article below covers where, when, and how questions related to the Greater Exodus.
https://thecalltojordan.com/teachings/the-greater-exodus-one-gathering-place-or-many/
- Yahushua’s Return after many wars (Matt. 24:6-7)
Currently, it is hard to keep up with the reports of wars happening around the world. We are seeing unprecedented acts of war. According to the Scriptures, these things have to take place leading up to Yahushua’s Return. There have always been wars throughout history, but the escalation of war today testifies that we are very near to His Coming.
- Yahushua’s arrival in Botsrah to receive His people after the wars in Judea (Mic. 2:12-13 & Isa. 63:1-8)
We have written thoroughly on the subject of Yahushua gathering His people into His sheepfold in the End Days. The Hebrew word Botsrah means sheepfold. As the prophets, apostles, and even Yahushua himself foretold, YHWH’s people will be gathered into one flock in the End Days.
In our new book The Call to Jordan: An Invitation for Messiah’s Bride, we devote two chapters to help people understand the significant role of a place called Botsrah where YHWH will save a remnant of His people during the Tribulation. This book is an excellent read for those who hope to be a part of the gathering that will greet Yahushua.
https://thecalltojordan.com/invitation-for-messiahs-bride-book/
- The imprisonment of Satan and a stop of the Tribulation events caused by him (Rev. 12:12 & 20:2-3)
During the Tribulation, Satan will be allowed to wreak havoc on the Earth. By the end of it, Satan will be bound and his agenda to do evil will be stopped for Messiah’s Kingdom.
- The beginning of Messiah’s Kingdom (Joel 3:9-21, Zech. 14: 1-9, Rev. 11: 1-15, & Rev. 12:10)
The following teaching is about the Three Woes that will come upon the Earth during the Tribulation.
https://thecalltojordan.com/teachings/the-three-woes/
- The Resurrection of the Dead, many of whom died in war (Isa. 26:16-21, Dan. 12:1-2, 1 Cor. 15:50-55, 1 Thess. 4:13-18, & Rev. 20:4-5)
Daniel chapter 12 gives us hope that a resurrection will take place after the Tribulation. Isaiah 26 refers to a resurrection in the days of distress. I place my hope in the resurrection at the start of Yahushua’s Reign on Earth. Many people will be resurrected to reign with Him. Scriptural evidence points to some taking on immortality at this time!
I feel anticipation about war because I place my hope in the Scriptures. Elohim’s Word gives many amazing things to anticipate towards the end of these wars, and we are NEAR! My feeling of anticipation about war outweighs all my negative feelings about war. Anticipation for the future is so important because without it one would be hopeless in today’s turmoil. I praise YHWH for giving me and my family anticipation! It will help us endure until the end.
Romans 11:13 This is all the more urgent, for you to know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (NLT)
