End-Times Signs Now: Wars and Rumors of Wars in 2026
January 30, 2026, 7:17 UTC
Introduction
End Times Signs
The end-times prophetic outlook in 2026 aligns clearly with the words of Jesus spoken in the Olivet Discourse accounts of Matthew 24, Luke 21, and Mark 13.
The King James Bible tells us that the preliminary signs of the second coming of Christ would include the rise of “wars and rumours of wars” in the end times. These wars and potential wars were included in a list of signs that would mark a global period of turbulence prior to the Great Tribulation called the “beginning of sorrows.”
Jesus prophesied that a clear pattern of wars and rumors of wars would arise in the lead-up to His coming, but that it would not signal His immediate return. He said that nations and kingdoms would rise against one another as a part of an ongoing process.
Several other key signs would also emerge, including the rise of false prophets, famines, pestilences (diseases/pandemics), earthquakes, societal breakdown, and geopolitical instability. These signs and others would define the beginning-of-sorrows period—all of which are being fulfilled in various measures up to now.
In 2026, we are witnessing a continued pattern of active wars, conflicts, and threats of potential wars. We will now explore key wars and rumors of wars against the backdrop of Bible prophecy and the perpetual conflict that has shaped the first quarter of this century.
Historical Backdrop
Perpetual War
The twentieth century was defined by major interstate wars and civil wars that have on many levels shaped our modern history and the future world we live in.
Major notable wars of this period include:
- World War I (1914–1918)
- World War II (1939–1945)
- Chinese Civil War (1945–1949)
- Korean War (1950–1975)
- Vietnam War (1955-1975)
- Soviet–Afghan War (1979-1989)
- Cold War (1947–1991)
Myriads of smaller regional conflicts, colonial wars, popular uprisings, insurgencies, genocides, and revolutions also marked this period.
Key examples of these conflicts include:
- Young Turk Revolution (1908)
- Xinhai Revolution (1911)
- Mexican Revolution (1910–1920)
- Egyptian Revolution (1919)
- Irish War of Independence (1919–1921)
- Rif War (1921–1926)
- Second Italo-Ethiopian War (1935–1936)
- Spanish Civil War (1936–1939)
- Malayan Emergency (1948–1960)
- First Indochina War (1946–1954)
- Indonesian National Revolution (1945–1949)
- Indo-Pakistani Wars (1947, 1965, 1971)
- Arab-Israeli Wars (1948, 1967, 1973)
- Mau Mau Uprising (1952–1960)
- Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962)
- Hungarian Revolution (1956)
- Cuban Revolution (1953–1959)
- Portuguese Colonial War (1961–1974)
- The Troubles (1968–1998)
- Iranian Revolution (1978–1979)
- Iranian-Iraqi War (1980–1988)
- Casamance Conflict (1982-2014)
- Romanian Revolution (1989)
- Yugoslav Wars (1991–2001)
- Rwandan Civil War/Genocide (1990–1994)
- First Congo War (1996–1997)
History proves that we are currently living against the backdrop of an intense period of perpetual war and conflict as foretold in Bible prophecy. These conflicts and others of the period have claimed up to 250 million lives from best estimates, making the twentieth century the most bloody and brutal century of recorded history.
Recent Conflicts
The twenty-first century has continued this pattern with major wars and various conflicts erupting steadily from its commencement.
Examples of more recent major conflicts include:
- Second Congo War (1998–2003)
- War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- U.S.-led War on Terror (2001–present)
- Iraq War (2003-2011)
- Darfur Conflict/Genocide (2003–present)
- Boko Haram Insurgency (2009–present)
- Egyptian Crisis (2011–2014)
- ISIS Insurgency (2013–2017)
- Syrian Civil War (2011–2024)
- Central African Republic Civil War (2012–present)
- Yemeni Civil War (2014–present)
- Libyan Civil Wars (2011; 2014–2020)
- Crimea Annexation (2014)
- Tigray–Ethiopia War (2020–2022)
These conflicts illustrate a steady perpetuity of war from the beginning of the century leading into today. As noted, many of them are still active now in various phases with no serious cessation in sight.
The War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, the ISIS Insurgency, the Syrian Civil War, and the Crimean Annexation are worthy of special mention as world-impacting conflicts that have defined our present-day context.
End-Times Wars
Multiple Active Conflicts
In 2026, many parts of the world are in a state of active conflict, ranging from full-scale interstate wars and civil wars to insurgencies and protracted conflicts. These conflicts are normally the product of grievances involving religious, national, or ethnic identity and overlap with disputes over resource control and political power.
With the world becoming increasingly interconnected, the flow-on effects of wars, conflicts, and rumored wars can now be felt globally. These widening conflicts add to the fulfillment of related aspects of Bible prophecy such as the formation and combination of the one-world government, one-world economy, and one-world religion.
Through perpetual conflict, the nations are being driven together rapidly, creating the conditions leading to the rise of the Antichrist, who will rule all nations for 42 months during the second half of the 7-year Great Tribulation.
Active Interstate Wars
Ukraine and Russia
The war between Ukraine and Russia is rooted in the 2014 Crimea conflict, where Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula using military means—still seen as an illegal annexation under international law. From 2022, the conflict has intensified into a prolonged and brutal war, although viewed by Russia as an extended “special military operation” rooted in the 2014 conflict rather than a full-scale conventional war.
Internationally, the conflict is classified as a full-scale war, reflected in several UN resolutions and the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Russian President Putin on war crimes charges. This bloody war has resulted in 1.5–1.7 million casualties in total so far, counting those killed and wounded on both sides.
The UK, EU, and U.S. have supported Ukraine throughout the conflict with military assistance packages that include weapons, vehicles, and funding for sustained defensive engagement against Russia. The UK has vowed €3 billion annually for the war effort through 2030, and the EU’s recent €90 billion pledge will bolster Ukraine through 2027.
U.S.-led peace negotiations from the end of 2025 have seen intermittent progress, but no concrete concessions have been made by either side. Events like the alleged December 28–29 drone attack on President Putin’s Valdai residence and continued fighting deter further progress. With no clear signs of cessation, this war continues into 2026.
Thailand and Cambodia
Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia date back to the colonial era in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries but have escalated dramatically into the latest border war in 2025. Major escalation began on July 24 with Cambodia allegedly firing rockets into Thailand. The Thai response included heavy shelling and airstrikes on Cambodian positions, with 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during the continued fighting.
A ceasefire brokered by U.S. President Trump and Malaysia took effect at midnight on July 28, with a truce formalized on October 26. The truce became fragile soon after, with Thailand announcing its suspension on November 11 following landmine explosions that maimed Thai soldiers, leading to gunfire exchanges the next day.
The ceasefire fully collapsed on December 7, resulting in weeks of intense violent clashes. Renewed shelling, rocket fire, airstrikes, and drone attacks ensued, with fighting spread across 817 km of the Thai–Cambodian border. Civilian sites were hit, including schools, hospitals, and religious sites, with over 100 killed and 500,000 displaced.
December 27 saw a new ceasefire agreement signed directly by the two countries with several concessions and a 72-hour monitoring period. The 18 Cambodian soldiers captured in July were subsequently released, and as of early January 2026, the ceasefire holds, though tensions still persist and a total resolution has not yet been reached.
Active Civil Wars
Yemeni Civil War
The Yemeni Civil War erupted in late 2014 between the Iran-backed Shia Islam group Ansar Allah, known as the Houthis, and the internationally recognized Yemeni government of President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. The war was triggered when the Houthis seized the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, initiating a series of events that ushered in a full-scale civil-turned-proxy war in a matter of months.
The Houthis had been intermittently fighting the Yemeni government since 2004 based on a combination of grievances, including political and economic marginalization, allegations of government corruption, and the perceived spread of Sunni Islamic ideology, leading to the takeover of Sanaa by the Houthis in 2014.
Considered a coup by the government and its allies, the Houthis’ actions directly triggered the war’s escalation. In March 2015, a Saudi-led coalition (backed by the US, UK, UAE, and others) launched airstrikes and a blockade to restore the government, turning the internal conflict into an ongoing full-scale civil war with regional proxy dimensions.
In 2026, the war continues at low intensity after a 2022 truce was introduced that has effectively held in the north, where the Houthis maintain firm control after years of heavy fighting. UAE-backed separatists in the south caused tensions with Saudi Arabia in late December by seizing oil-rich towns on the border, prompting Saudi counteroffensives that regained the seized territories. No formal end to the conflict is in sight.
Sudan Civil War
The Sudan Civil War began on April 15, 2023, rooted in a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war between these two groups followed the 2021 coup by the SAF, supported by the RSF, that ousted longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir and ushered in military rule.
The SAF is Sudan’s official army with Islamic ideological roots and ties to jihadist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood. The RSF has positioned itself as a secular, anti-Islamist political group vying for democratic rule. Both groups are composed mainly of Arabic Muslims of riverine–central Arab tribes (SAF) and peripheral–Darfuri Arab tribes (RSF).
Power was consolidated by SAF and RSF leaders following the coup, but disputes arose over integration of the RSF into the SAF, control of wealth and resources (including gold and oil infrastructure), and the push by both sides for ethnic dominance. The 2023 flashpoint arrived when the RSF deployed troops into central Sudan and launched coordinated attacks on SAF bases, airports, and the presidential palace in Khartoum.
The Sudan Civil War has been labeled the worst and largest humanitarian crisis in recent history. An estimated 12 million people have been displaced into neighboring countries, and up to 25 million are currently at risk of acute hunger and famine. Approximately one-half of the total population is in need of external aid. With no end in sight, this tragic civil war persists into 2026 with violence occurring almost daily.
Myanmar Civil War
The Myanmar Civil War began on February 1, 2021, stemming from a coup led by the military junta Tatmadaw (State Administration Council) that ended the decade-long rule of the National League for Democracy (NLD) government by detaining the elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD officials.
The coup was triggered by the 2020 landslide election won by the NLD that was disputed by the junta through accusations of widespread voter fraud (claims rejected by domestic observers, international monitors, and Myanmar’s own election commission). This led to widespread non-violent public protests that were forcefully suppressed by the junta.
By mid-2021, an armed civilian opposition group called the People’s Defence Force (PDF) had formed under the shadow National Unity Government, aligning with long-standing ethnic armed organizations that had been fighting the government for decades. The ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) represent several armed minority groups seeking autonomy, including the Kachin, Karen, Rakhine, Ta’ang, Kokang, Shan, Chin, and Karenni.
Asymmetric guerrilla warfare, territorial contests in ethnic border regions, and junta reliance on air superiority in the midst of a scattered war zone without conventional front lines characterize the warfare. In 2026, the war continues steadily with the junta gaining momentum through intensified airstrikes while the resistance maintains control over significant rural and border territory.
Active Insurgencies
Sahel Jihadist Insurgencies
The Sahel insurgencies refer to a series of Islamic jihadist insurgencies beginning in 2012 across parts of the Sahel region of Africa, primarily in the countries of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, with spillover into Benin, Togo, Nigeria, and coastal West Africa.
Key insurgent groups include Al-Qaeda’s official Sahel branch (JNIM), and ISIS affiliate IS-Sahel or Islamic State Greater Sahara (ISGS). Common jihadist motivations drive the insurgencies, such as overthrowing democratic states to establish Islamic Sharia governance, territory consolidation and expansion, and resource control.
Years of terrorism led to full coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger by 2023. France and the EU intervened from 2013 but failed to root out the insurgents after a decade, leading to their full withdrawal by 2023. Russia now acts as the chief post-coup security partner of each country in exchange for resources and strategic influence.
In 2026, the insurgencies are fully active and escalating, spreading southward with ongoing raids in Togo and JNIM operations wreaking havoc in northwest Nigeria. The unrelenting terrorism and violence continue, threatening broader regional instability with no political resolution or effective counterinsurgency in sight.
West African Insurgencies
Ongoing insurgencies in West Africa center in northeastern Nigeria, with spillover into Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. The key jihadist groups involved are rivals Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), with ISWAP originating as a splinter faction of Boko Haram that emerged from a 2016 split over leadership of the group.
The initial insurgency began in Nigeria in 2009 with Boko Haram’s uprising against the Nigerian government, aiming to establish an Islamic state under strict Sharia law. The group launched violent terrorist attacks against security forces, schools, and civilians, including kidnappings, in opposition to Western education and secular governance.
ISWAP emerged from the 2016 split as the ISIS-recognized faction, focusing on territorial control, taxation, and military targets rather than Boko Haram’s indiscriminate civilian attacks. The two groups remain rivals, with ongoing clashes weakening both but allowing resurgence against Nigerian forces.
In 2026, a dire situation on the ground has left up to 3 million displaced in the region. ISWAP has launched recent drone attacks and conducted convoy ambushes, killing hundreds, while Boko Haram continues sporadic bombings and abductions. The violence persists with no foreseen end as the Nigerian military struggles to counter the threat.
Central African Insurgencies
In 2026, several active insurgencies continue in Central Africa, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR), with spillover into neighboring countries including Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi.
The Eastern DRC conflicts involve over 100 armed groups in a protracted insurgency rooted in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide and the Second Congo War (1998–2003). Key groups active today include the Tutsi-led, Rwanda-backed M23, the ISIS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), and various ethnic militias.
The CAR insurgency is considered the third phase of the ongoing but now degraded civil war that began in 2012. From 2016 the conflict transitioned to a protracted insurgency with rebels now organized as the Coalition of Patriots for Change (CPC) fighting the Russian-backed government.
Also notable is the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency beginning in Uganda in the 1980s, led by the infamous Joseph Kony, known for using child soldiers and wanted for war crimes by the ICC since 2005. Though largely diminished by past multinational operations, violence persists through small LRA cells operating along the CAR–DRC border.
Pakistani Taliban Insurgency
The Pakistani Taliban insurgency is an enduring conflict between Pakistani Pashtun tribal jihadists and Pakistan’s government, rooted in jihadist spillover created by the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The full insurgency against the Pakistani state began in 2007 via Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), or the Pakistani Taliban.
The TTP are ethnic Pakistani Pashtun Muslims that belong to the mountainous tribal areas of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province (formerly FATA) along the Durand Line border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Their jihad aims to overthrow the Pakistani state and establish an Islamic emirate ruled under their own strict form of Sharia law.
This has led to a history of brutal attacks by the TTP in Pakistan and retaliatory strikes from Pakistani forces in return. The attacks are primarily directed at military, police, and intelligence agency targets, along with civilians seen as collaborators. Suicide bombings, ambushes, the use of IEDs, and targeted assassinations characterize typical TTP attacks.
In 2026, the conflict continues, with a resurgence in violence following the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021. The withdrawal enabled the TTP to regroup in Taliban-approved safe havens after being largely contained by Pakistani forces from the mid-2010s. Today, Pakistan faces sustained violence, with 699 documented attacks in 2025—a 34% rise from 521 in 2024—amid a complex insurgency with no foreseen end.
Protracted Conflicts
Israel and Iran
The Iran–Israel conflict endures in 2026, marked by intense flare-ups in what has become a longstanding protracted war. The conflict began following the 1979 Iranian Revolution and is rooted in an irreconcilable ideological conflict with a brutal historical legacy.
The Islamic regime of Iran subscribes to a deep anti-Zionist ideology based on fundamental Islamic teaching that Israel characterizes as an existential threat based on antisemitism and Islamic totalitarianism. Iran has openly vowed to exterminate Israel over the years through inflammatory rhetoric and repeated affirmations.
This has resulted in two opposing forces locked in an ideological and kinetic war consisting of intermittent military clashes and Iran’s use of proxy terrorist groups in the region, including Hezbollah (Lebanon), Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Gaza), Hamas (Gaza), and the Houthis (Yemen). For Israel, the risk of nuclear attack is also real, with Iran’s nuclear program perceived as a cover for the pursuit of nuclear weapons.
In 2026, the conflict between Israel and Iran remains in a protracted state, with notable flare-ups in 2025 including the 12-Day War from June 13–24, during which Iran’s nuclear infrastructure was severely degraded. It appears that conventional war is inevitable in this zero-sum conflict unless the Islamic regime is toppled or Israel ceases to exist.
India and Pakistan
The protracted conflict between India and Pakistan stems from the partition of British India in 1947, which created the two independent and religiously segregated nations of India (Hindu-majority) and Pakistan (Muslim-majority) out of the once-unified territory.
A serious identitarian rift then developed, leading to sporadic violent clashes and a series of full-scale wars, including the three Indo-Pakistani wars of 1947–1948, 1965, and 1971, and the 1999 Kargil conflict. The first three wars ultimately led both India and Pakistan to develop nuclear weapons as a deterrent.
At the same time, jihadist terror attacks by Pakistani Muslim groups have plagued India over the years, including the devastating 2008 Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead and over 300 injured after jihadists from the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) carried out a coordinated rampage spanning multiple sites throughout Mumbai.
In 2026, tensions remain high following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack by the Kashmir-based LeT proxy group The Resistance Front (TRF), which killed 26 tourists and triggered India’s Operation Sindoor in retaliation. A May 2025 truce holds despite sporadic violations, but the potential for new flare-ups is high. With no end in sight, the added nuclear risk remains a highly dangerous factor in this volatile, protracted conflict.
Afghanistan and Pakistan
The conflict between Afghanistan and Pakistan is rooted in a historic territorial dispute over the Durand Line—the 2,670-km demarcated border line between what was then British India and Afghanistan, established in 1893 by British colonial officials and Afghanistan’s Emir Abdur Rahman Khan, also known as the Iron Emir.
Afghanistan has never formally recognized the Durand Line and views it as an artificial division that splits ethnic Pashtun communities and tribal lands. This tension escalated when Pakistan became independent in 1947 after the partition of British India, with Afghanistan voting against Pakistan’s admission to the UN.
The two neighbors have been locked into a protracted conflict ever since, characterized by periodic military clashes and both sides accusing each other of using insurgent groups for strategic purposes. Cross-border military actions, border closures, and state-enabled insurgent attacks on both sides define this conflict, with notable escalations in the 1980s during the Soviet–Afghan War and in the 1990s with the rise of the Taliban.
In 2026, the conflict remains tense following escalation in October 2025, beginning with Pakistani airstrikes against insurgent positions inside Afghanistan that drew retaliation from Taliban forces, resulting in heavy border clashes. The conflict persists as Pakistan is reeling from steady attacks by Afghan-enabled insurgents while the Taliban grows bolder each day, leveraging the botched withdrawal of the U.S. military in 2021.
Rumors of Wars
China-Related
In 2026, the risk of war or military conflict erupting involving China is elevated. With the communist regime’s recent acceleration in political, economic, military, and technological growth, the Red Dragon has now become a credible threat to the existing economic and geopolitical order of the West that can no longer be ignored.
China has locked itself into a group of potential conflicts with several regional adversaries and world powers over territorial disputes, great-power competition, and military posturing. These adversaries include Taiwan, Japan, several nations in the South China Sea and Indo–Pacific region, the United States, and Europe.
The China–Taiwan dispute remains the most dangerous flashpoint for regional conflict, with added risk of escalation through potential U.S. intervention. Next is Japan, with tensions elevated in 2025 due to Chinese military provocation in the region against Taiwan. Territorial disputes and antisocial tactics by China in the South China Sea also risk escalation with neighbors like the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Australia’s alignment with the U.S. ties it to a potential Indo–Pacific conflict with China due to U.S.–China direct power competition. Europe also sees China as a growing security threat due to the potential for direct conflict with Russia stemming from the war in Ukraine. At this juncture, the risk of conflict breaking out between China and its adversaries remains heightened and stands as a substantial rumor of war.
The United States
The U.S. faces several major risks of war or conflict in 2026 stemming from several ongoing tensions with its historical adversaries, particularly China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Other potential flashpoints include a renewed Israel–Gaza conflict or new escalation in Venezuela or Colombia following the capture of Nicolás Maduro in early January.
China remains the key risk for the U.S., with the conflict over the Taiwan Strait as the primary driver. Direct power competition between the U.S. and China in the economic, military, and technology sectors is also an underlying factor fueling tensions. The nuclear threat is also real, with China estimated to increase its active nuclear warhead count to 1,000 by 2030 and toward 1,500 by 2035, seeking to rival the U.S. deterrent.
A confrontation between the U.S. and Russia through NATO involvement in the Ukraine war is the next potential risk. Escalation scenarios where NATO members are drawn into conflict with Russia could trigger an Article 5 treaty response, drawing the U.S. into direct engagement with Russian forces. The nuclear threat risk is critical in this scenario, with both nations possessing advanced nuclear weapons and delivery systems.
Iran remains a serious risk following the U.S. strikes on its nuclear facilities in mid-2025 and increasing regional instability in 2026 that could warrant U.S. intervention. North Korea has also appeared in 2026 threat assessments due to rapid modernization of its nuclear deterrent in 2025 and overall deterioration of its diplomatic prospects. For the U.S., the situation remains tense in a future outlook shaped by rumors of war.
Europe and Russia
The risk of war breaking out between Russia and Europe in the foreseeable future is elevated, considering the trend of escalation amid the Ukraine war and increasing geopolitical instability in the West. In 2026, Europe continues to support Ukraine in its war with Russia and is bolstering its own defenses, with the EU pushing for €800 billion in defense spending by 2030 via its ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 framework.
Russia continues its steady mission creep into Ukraine while increasing its overall offensive capabilities and bolstering its nuclear deterrent through modernization of its hypersonic missile technology and sea-based delivery systems. Russia is positioned for prolonged conflict, having transitioned into a full wartime economy that has enabled its defense industrial base to expand rapidly since the beginning of the war in 2022.
The flashpoint could occur momentarily if Russian attacks against Ukraine spill over into NATO alliance territories. Russian hybrid attacks against Europe could push NATO to respond with direct action if classed as armed aggression. Ukraine could also escalate the war if its deep strikes inside Russia increase or become more egregious, potentially drawing NATO into direct engagement if Russian over-retaliation strikes NATO territory.
Recent changes to U.S. foreign policy have shifted the defense burden-sharing dynamic toward Europe, leading it down a warpath of necessity, while increasing friction in the Arctic between the U.S., Europe, Russia, and China has created strategic competition for Arctic territory, exacerbating escalation risks. Western analysts assess that Russia could be ready to launch a full-scale war with NATO in 3–5 years if trends hold, making this rumor of war a potential reality in a worst-case scenario.
World War III
Rumors of World War III erupting are nothing new, but what is new is the increasing deterioration of the post–World War II international order and the pattern of escalation in recent times. The likelihood of a world war breaking out sooner rather than later hinges mainly on the outcomes of the key active and rumored conflicts detailed above. At the same time, new threats, false flags, black swan events, or sudden escalation of existing conflicts may occur, causing unexpected acceleration of the timeline.
The war in Ukraine remains the most likely flashpoint for World War III. With Europe working frantically to reactivate its war machine and pitched to lead the Ukraine support effort after the U.S. decision to limit its involvement, the chances of direct military engagement between Europe and Russia in escalation scenarios have increased. In a worst-case scenario, an Article 5 invocation would draw in NATO allies and then China, North Korea, and Iran if threatened directly or for strategic gain against the West.
Next in line is the dispute over the Taiwan Strait that could trigger a broader conflict between China and the U.S., with allies on both sides forced to engage through spillover or mutual direct threats. The U.S. and Japan would likely be drawn in from the outset, coming to Taiwan’s aid, and in a dire scenario, immediate spillover could draw regional allies from both sides, including North Korea, South Korea, the Philippines, Russia, and Australia.
The only real mitigation mechanism for world war at this time is nuclear weapons. Major nuclear-armed powers like the U.S., Russia, and China understand that World War III would risk mutually assured destruction through nuclear strikes if existential threats were to arise through direct armed conflict. At the same time, nuclear weapons in the hands of rogue states like North Korea and Iran (if it were to succeed in producing them in the future) exacerbate risks in scenarios where desperation overrides diplomacy.
Projection and Trajectory
Decline and Convergence
In 2026, the world’s major powers are aggressively strengthening their militaries, applying 2025–2026 budget plans in an upward trend of military expenditure and growth through to 2030. This global shift in defensive security posture suggests that governments are preparing for potential conflict amid growing societal and geopolitical fragmentation.
The decline of U.S. unipolar dominance, the emerging multipolar order, and the current technological arms race are set to exacerbate existing conflicts through economic and social flow-on effects unless mitigated early. The resulting great-power competition between the U.S., China, Europe, and Russia will create friction when key disruptive breakthroughs occur, increasing threat levels.
New wars could erupt as the breakdown of the post–World War II conflict prevention system continues. Recovery and development prospects look grim at present for states dealing with lingering insurgencies, the aftermath of civil wars, and heavily entrenched internal fragility. Sudden escalations of protracted conflicts could also erupt into regional chaos, further affecting global stability through displacement and refugee crises.
As the convergence of multiple Bible prophecy elements continues, governmental unity will persist under the Beast System’s framework within the context of resistance and fragmentation, while the one-world religion of Mystery Babylon successfully consolidates religious unity. These events are leading to the arrival of the Antichrist and False Prophet who will use the developing economic control system to implement the Mark of the Beast during the second half of the 7-year Great Tribulation.
Conclusion
End-Times Awareness
The signs preceding the coming of Christ are being fulfilled rapidly, making the end-times command of Jesus to watch and pray more important than ever for Spirit-filled Christians. Wars and rumors of wars are two key signs confirming that we are in the beginning of sorrows period preceding the 7-year Great Tribulation and rise of the Beast System. This makes our need to watch and pray most critical to avoid falling into spiritual blindness.
During this period we are to consistently watch for the end-times signs described in Bible prophecy, especially for those prophesied by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse accounts in the Gospels. Praying accordingly alongside the practice of watching strengthens spiritual awareness and increases prophetic revelation, preparing us for the major impacting events that will materialize leading up to the Lord’s coming.
Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.
Preach the Everlasting Gospel
We are also called to continue working for the Lord in preaching the Gospel to all nations with urgency by the power of the Holy Spirit, as seen in the above phrase where the Son of Man “gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work.” We have been authorized to execute this commission in the end times and must do so while watching and praying. This is affirmed by Jesus earlier in His Olivet Discourse as He prophesied that the Gospel will be preached among all nations prior to His return (Mark 13:10; Matthew 24:14 KJV).
Let us now become supernaturally alert to the end-times signs taking place around us and prepare ourselves through holy living in anticipation of the Lord’s return. Pray for spiritual power and strength to clearly recognize the signs, endure all end-times events that will arise, and execute the Lord’s commission to preach the Gospel to all nations amid the stark but prophetic reality of wars and rumors of wars.
Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
