Will there be a Third World War?

The recent events in the Kerch Strait not only caused a further escalation in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia, but again emphasized the political polarization of the world community.

In referring to intelligence data and satellite imagery depicting a cluster of Russian tanks near the Ukrainian border, President Poroshenko said that Ukraine was under the threat of a full-scale war with Russia. Based on this, martial law was declared in eight regions of Ukraine bordering Russia, and in two regions on the Ukraine’s border with with Transnistria (because a part of the Russian army is located there).

Can local conflicts develop into a military confrontation between nations?

NATO and the EU, along with many leading countries, once again supported Ukraine with regard to its sovereignty and territorial integrity and called for the release of the captured ships and sailors, demanding that Russia ensure the free passage of ships to the Sea of Azov through the Kerch Strait and back.
The President of the United States not only expressed his support for Ukraine, but also strongly condemned Russia’s actions, accusing it of aggression against Ukraine.

Despite all statements from the leaders of powerful nations and rather sharp condemnation of the actions of the Russian government, it continues to hold the seized Ukrainian warships with their crews, persistently arguing their case.

This incident in the area of the Kerch Strait has awakened many to wondering again whether such local conflicts can develop into a military confrontation between nations, as happened in the wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945. «Will there be a third world war?» We are talking about the possibility of a large-scale military conflict, today, which will directly or indirectly affect the whole world.

History of civilizations and world wars

Although the term, «world war,» originated in the first half of the 20^th century and usually refers to the First and Second World Wars in the same century, the history of civilization has long been known for numerous wars and conflicts spanning several continents.  For example, the so-called «Late Bronze Age Collapse» in the 12^th — 13^th centuries BC, the Greco-Persian wars in the fifth century BC, Alexander the Great’s campaigns in the 4^th century BC, the Roman-Persian war in the III century BC, the Iranian-Byzantine wars in 6^th — 7^th  century AD, the Arab-Byzantine wars during the 7^th — 12^th  centuries, the Mongol conquest in the 13^th century, one and a half centuries of the Byzantine-Ottoman wars (1299 to 1461), and the Napoleonic and Crimean wars of the 19th century. All these developments have affected two or more continents. And perhaps there was not a single century in world history in which many people did not die in such wars. It was only in the 20^th century that we had two global wars that were the bloodiest and most unprecedented in terms of scale and number of casualties.

Will the 21^st century be an exception?

Will the 21st century be the exception when there will be no world wars, or will history repeat itself? Since the United States dropped two nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August, 1945, the world has been under the prolonged fear of a potential third world war using nuclear weapons. Everyone understands that nuclear war will be more destructive in nature and probably far more brutal than the First and Second World Wars, combined.

In 1947, Albert Einstein warned that the next global war would destroy all human achievements. He said,»I don’t know what kind of weapons the third world war will be, but the fourth world war will be waged with sticks and stones.» Today, you don’t need to be a genius like Einstein to predict what the consequences to the world will in the event of a third world war. More than 70 years have passed since the terrible war that claimed the lives, according to various estimates, of 70 to more than 85 million people. However, today, after so many decades, the threat of nuclear war is increasing every year.

Regarding the current situation in Ukraine, I am optimistic, because I am among the many believers in Jesus who pray daily for this beautiful country and bless it. I believe, like most of our friends, that God is able to protect and bless Ukraine, despite all the difficulties.

However, events around the world and the rapid moral degradation of society in our day indicate that the 21^st century is unlikely to be the century that will not have a world war. Nor can we neglect the existing biblical prophecies of wars in the last days of modern civilization. As in previous centuries, in this century we can say that a large-scale military conflict is possible, even inevitable, which could directly or indirectly affect the whole world.

Another 30 years will pass, and it will be 100 years since the last world war ended. But given the increasing tension and political polarization in the world, it is becoming more difficult to reach a record lull every day. The very fact that the civilian and military authorities of countries foresee the possibility of a new war and are diligently preparing and planning all responses for the event of its occurrence speaks volumes.

Could the Russian-Ukrainian conflict be the cause of the third world war?

Again, the world’s attention is focused on Ukraine. But we, living here, know that despite the fact that the world media have been silent about it recently, the war that came to our land 5 years ago is far from over.  The recent events in the Kerch Strait are just an outbreak that once again drew the world’s attention to this war.  Can the Russian-Ukrainian conflict be the cause of the third world war? I think it’s possible. But I also believe that a world catastrophe is likely to start in a place that no one has foreseen and come at a time when no one expects it. As it is written, that day “…will come as a thief in the night.  When people say, “Peace and safety,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” 1 Thessalonians  5:2-3.

The Hope of Salvation

Therefore, and not only in these conditions, we ought always to be awake and sober, looking at everything that happens in the light of biblical prophecy. Such an approach will spare us unnecessary panic, give us faith and hope, and will always encourage us to live a righteous life before God. Whatever happens, those who believe in Christ and have devoted their lives to him will always have the hope of salvation.

“…but let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for a helmet, the hope of salvation. For God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 5:8,9