(Matthew 24:6-8) “You will be hearing of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.”
The war in the Middle East continues unabated as the armed forces of Israel and the United States continue to pound the Iranian regime’s military infrastructure as well as now targeting their oil facilities.
Currently, several Arab Gulf States are involved in the conflict with Iran, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. These countries have faced direct attacks from Iran and are responding to the escalating military situation in the region.
While the Arab States are to a degree still recommending restraint by the United Sates they cannot just let the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) keep sending missiles in to their kingdoms even if the targets are primarily American military bases.
While most of the Iranian population are very happy at the seeming demise of the wicked Iranian regime there seems to be much more to the whole situation. However, what is really happening in the wider sphere of this situation? What might be the larger picture?
“The Big Picture”
Oil is the name of the game and the nations of the world need oil to survive economically including America. The three main players in this wider international scenario are Russia, China and to a lesser degree North Korea.
Firstly lets for as moment consider Venezuela which is now under the control of the United States government since the defeat and removal of Nicolás Maduro.
Venezuela is important to China and Russia primarily due to its vast oil reserves, which are crucial for energy security and economic interests. Both countries in the past have sought to strengthen their geopolitical influence in Latin America and counter U.S. dominance in the region through strategic partnerships with Venezuela; however the United States has curtailed this relationship having now taken control of the nation.
Venezuela holds the world’s largest known oil reserves, estimated at over 300 billion barrels. China has been importing a significant amount of oil from Venezuela, with plans to increase imports to over 600,000 barrels per day. This relationship was helping China enhance its energy independence amid global competition for resources.
China
Venezuela’s socialist government had been aligned ideologically with China’s state ideology. China supported Venezuela in international forums, presenting itself as an ally against U.S. influence. Venezuela served as a strategic foothold for Russia in Latin America, countering U.S. dominance in the region. Russia had established military cooperation with Venezuela, including arms sales and joint military exercises.
Russia
Russia sought access to Venezuela’s vast oil and gas reserves, which are crucial for its global energy strategy. The partnership includes joint ventures in oil production, particularly in the Orinoco Belt. Russia had positioned itself as a staunch supporter of the Maduro administration, reinforcing its influence in the Western Hemisphere. This relationship allowed Russia to challenge U.S. interests and expand its geopolitical reach. Now with the removal of Nicolás Maduro Russia no longer has access to Venezuelan oil supplies.
North Korea
North Korea primarily imports oil from Russia and China, with Russia becoming a significant supplier, especially in recent years. Due to international sanctions, North Korea has been forced to rely on illicit methods to obtain oil, but it has also received oil shipments from Russia in exchange for weapons. However North Korea is not a world superpower like China and Russia.
The Name of the Game
Before the fall of the Manduro regime Venezuela has developed strong military ties with both Russia and China over the years. This partnership included the procurement of various military technologies and systems, particularly in air defence and missile capabilities which the United States government saw as a threat to the America, a threat to Americas National Security which President Trump acted upon by invading and removing the dictatorial despotic regime governing that country.
Also it guaranteed that the United States would have access and control over the vast oil reserves in Venezuela which would be advantageous for the economy of the United States and also prevent the spread of communism and the expansionist ideology of Russia which is already engaged in its expansionist war with Ukraine.
Likewise, China’s medium-range surface-to-air missile systems were imported by the Venezuelan government. Through these economic ties with Manduro, also a communist, the potential was there for missile sites to be erected facing the United States creating another scenario just like the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1963 which President J.F. Kennedy was ready to act upon. This crisis brought the world to the very brink of WW3.
While there are no missile sites specifically attributed to Russia and China in Venezuela, the country still possess a range of missile systems and military hardware sourced from these nations. The past military cooperation that Venezuela had with Russia and China was part of Venezuela’s broader strategy to bolster its defence capabilities against perceived external threats.
Since the military operation on January 3, 2026, when the United States captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, it has since asserted control over Venezuela’s governance and oil industry. The U.S. now aims to manage Venezuela’s vast oil reserves, which are the largest in the world!
The name of the game for the United States is primarily five-fold. Firstly; to prevent oil supplies for being exported to China and Russia to curtail their expansionist agenda to become super powers to rival the United States. Secondly; President Trump is in reality seeking to stop WW3 from happening. Thirdly; in his ambition to make America Great again economically and to remain the No 1 Super Power he knows that whoever controls the oil supplies will remain the major global super power in the world. Fourthly; President Trump wants to stop the expansionism of Communism. Fifthly; he is concerned about Israel’s survival and for persecuted Christians and Jews in the countries where these despotic antichrist regimes perpetrate their reign of terror.
However, it also needs to be said that President Trump’s “Achilles Heel” for him is dealing with Islamic countries which are spreading and supporting Islam globally. Even though the Iranian regime is targeting Muslim countries in the Gulf States, the ideology of the Muslim brotherhood for a global caliphate is the hidden war Islam is waging, not only against Israel, but also the western democracies traditionally associated with a Judeo- Christian heritage. Of course these western nations are now neo-pagan and God’s judgement is impending for western civilization and apostate Christendom.
Now with the war in Iran President Trump is seeking to control the Strait of Hormuz through which 20% of the world’s oil supplies are exported by Sea. This is why we must pray for him. His ego is being stroked at present by the Islamic world and there is a danger that he is becoming somewhat proud of his achievements which are quite significant. We also know from scripture that God resists the proud but gives His unmerited unearned favour to the humble.
We need to pray for President Trump because if he for some reason is assassinated, God forbid, or removed from power and impeached by false accusations and even trumped up charges from the wicked democrats in Washington, the whole world will be plunged into a nightmare unimaginable!
God still has everything under control
Now having reviewed these current events we have the assurance from God’s Word that He still has everything under His control. The Messiah our Lord Jesus told us that at the end of the age we would see a time of great tribulation unequalled in the past and never to be equalled again in the future, and that for the very survival of humanity itself and for the sake of His elect saints in Israel and within wider Christendom being persecuted, God will cut those days short (Matthew 14:21-22). How far down the track this period of time is we cannot tell, but it is coming.
Let’s briefly look at what the Messiah our Lord Jesus said concerning wars and rumours of wars in our text in Matthew 24:6-7.
Several things to note; Firstly; we will hear of wars and rumours of wars. Secondly; we are not to be alarmed knowing that God still has everything under control and that these things must happen however, the end is not just yet. Thirdly; Nation will rise against nations (ethnic wars within nations) and kingdom against kingdom (International wars such as WW1 & WW2). Fourthly; there would be famines and earthquakes in various places (Luke chapter 21 mentions pestilence), and that these things are “the beginning of the birth pains.”
When you consider pestilence one cannot avoid thinking about pollution through nuclear fallout and radiation, or the horrors of biological warfare. The “labour pains” are increasing in frequency and intensity at a rapid rate indicating that the birth of the Messianic Kingdom is much closer now.
Epilogue
When a pregnant woman goes into labour the contractions (birth pains) start to come and go intermittently. However, when they start to increase in frequency and intensity you know that the birth of the baby is not far away. However, when the birth pains are coming one upon another without let up you know that the birth of the baby is imminent!
So it is with the coming of the Messiah our Lord Jesus to destroy all opposition and to exercise judgement righteousness and justice on earth, and to establish the Messianic Kingdom. Wars, rumours of wars, and ethnic and international wars have always been around since the first century when the Lord Jesus spoke about these matters.
However, as His Second Coming draws near “the birth pains” will increase in frequency and intensity, and when they are coming one upon another which we see starting to happen, we know that the birth of the Messianic Kingdom is at hand, even at the very gates of the city, but the end is still not yet!
God will have the final say!
“Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Calling a bird of prey from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it” (Isaiah 46:8-10). Selah
