​WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF WAR?
                                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                                                    By W. G. Guy

          Initially it appears that war and such conflicts are man centered, and man caused.  This is because such conflicts pit man against man; tribe against tribe; ethnos (race) against ethnos (race); nation against nation; and empire against empire.  However, the truth is that such wars and conflicts are actually inspired, and even directed by Satan.  Jesus explained this as he addressed a group of accusers identifying the source of their lies and accusations.
 
John 8:44 – Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

          Why is Satan the source? Wars are about death, destruction and misery.  Consider who it is whose purpose is to kill and destroy mankind; none other than Satan.

John 10:10a – The thief (Satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy:

            Jesus identifies Satan as both the destroyer and the murderer, and basically the source of all of mankind’s afflictions and misery.  Why does Satan hate mankind that he wants to destroy us?  This is because mankind was made in the mage and likeness of God.  Every time Satan looks at a man he is reminded that God’s favor and purpose was placed on man and not on him; which he so coveted.

Isaiah 14:12-14 – How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!  how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north;  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most high.

          Satan also uses various temptations in an effort to get man to sin, thus separating man from God’s favor through transgressions: another means of attempting to destroy mankind.  Satan’s technique is identified in the Bible.

James 1:14-15 –  but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 

          What does the devil use as temptations?  He uses the same three things that caused him to lose his position in heaven.  The lust of the flesh (I will), the lust of the eye (I want), and the pride of life (position of recognition).  Each of these items has to do with the big “I”.

1 John 2:15-16 –  Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 

          Satan’s own lusts caused his own downfall; thus he realized how powerful they are and was successful in using all three temptations on Eve in the Garden, (Genesis 3:6).  Then he tried the same temptation on Jesus in the wilderness, (Luke 41-13).  Consider what it is that Satan uses to foment wars to kill and destroy mankind – LUST.  Lust to take what another person or nation possesses.

James 4:1-2 – From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members?  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 

          There is sort of an exception to the devil being the direct cause of war, and that exception is when he is the indirect cause of war.  This occurs when the devil promotes wicked, corrupt and sinful practices in and among God’s people.  Then God allows godless pagans to invade and conquer Israel to bring them to their knees and repentance; a form of corrective chastisement. 

          A similar warfare occurred when Israel moved into the Promised Land and had to drive out the godless pagans that had previously took over the land that God promised to Abraham.  This was Satan’s attempt to block God’s people from occupying the Promised Land.  (Note: the land promised to Abraham was from the Nile River to the Euphrates River, of which only a small fraction is occupied by his descendants today.)    

          Every time a nation goes to war with another nation, or group of people, Satan and his minions rejoice with glee because they get to see the fruits of their labor take place before their eyes: the death and destruction of mankind!  Thus we need to understand that Satan is the real enemy of our souls, and works to withstand what God has ordained.  However, over the course of time God’s plan will be carried out completely.

Psalm 46:9 – He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

          When Jesus returns and locks up Satan, removing him and all of his evil from the earth, there will be no more wars and destruction,

Isaiah 2:2-4 – And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountains of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow into it.  And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk I his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.  And he shall judge among the nations, ad shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords (weapons of warfare) into plowshares (agricultural tools), and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

          Jesus will bring true and lasting peace: and even death and hell are cast into the Lake of Fire to be taken away forever.

Revelation 20:14-15 – And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 21: 3-4 – And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.  And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

​          Conclusion: the Satan’s purpose for war is to kill and destroy mankind; Jesus is coming again to stop that entire process.  Thus it is a choice that we must all make to choose which form of life we will walk in: with Jesus unto abundant life everlasting, or with the sin and corruption of the enemy of mankind unto utter destruction.  Until then we will see an increase in wars and destructions right up until Jesus comes: in fact it is the war in Israel, at Armageddon, that brings Jesus back again!