Understanding Ethnic Conflict From a Biblical Perspective -  Jesus Issues a Warning!

Matthew 24:7 "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places;" 

"Jesus warned that the intensity & frequency of ethnic conflict would increase, intensify & erupt in more locations  than ever before, covering the globe spreading to every continent, city, state, town & hamlet. The last days which began with the ascension would be marked with ethnic conflicts, with an alarming frequency, intensity & overwhelming number of locations globally!" Tribal sectarian conflicts on-going in the middle-east, Africa, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe and northern Eurasia to name a few are all to be expected as part of Jesus' warning to us and  shows itself differently on every continent.

Conflicts between ethnic groups, races and religious sects were addressed by Jesus Christ Himself, have existed since past ancient civilizations, the early common era, the middle ages, modern times that include the 1500s european exploration clashing with Native American Indians, 1619 pre-emancipation clashes with blacks and whites. Ethnic conflicts officially arrived on the shores of America.

Racial conflicts are not only in developing countries but are now challenging our 1st world communities. The 'Red Letters' of the New Testament addresses and issues a warning to the disciples in Matthew 24:7 that conflicts between ethnic groups would awaken globally but when that conflict touches our very own communities, in our very own back yards the conflict becomes personal in nature and is of serious concern.

The red letters of the Bible record "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places;" This end time (33 AD through the second coming of Christ that closes the dispensation of grace) warning which immediately referred to the first century destruction of the City of Jerusalem continues globally to all gentile nations and to the diverse ethnic groups represented. Jewish historians Josephus and Philo documented ethnic wars between Jews and Syrians, Jews and Greeks, Jews and Romans where thousands of Jews died in the conflicts. Both record the period surrounding 38 AD was marked with tumults due to racial clashes.

Before the common era and throughout the common era on all continents there have been tribal fighting, ranging from Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, Middle Ages, Religious Wars 1500s -1800s, The Rifle Wars 1800s - 1900s, WWI and  WWII, Cold War Era 1950 - 1983, Post Cold Wars 1988 - 2013, On - Going Wars such as Papua, New Guinea, South Sudan, Kenya, fighting among sects which all stem from fighting among ethnic groups.

Racial hostilities awakened in the United States pre-emancipation, continued through post emancipation and is again awakening on our shores, the shores of the United States. All races have a strong propensity to feel superior as a group, to be homogeneous liking to be among those who are like us and to display behavior that would exclude others of different cultures, beliefs, creeds and color. To understand Matthew 24:7 in the original Koine Greek see the original words used with the meanings such as the Koine Greek word 'ethnos' although translated 'nations' literally means ethnic groups. In this instance 'kai' means 'and' but can be translated to mean 'also, even, indeed, but.'

Matthew 24:7 when read in the original Koine Greek reads 'egerthēsetai - ἐγερθήσεται - will rise up, gar γὰρ indeed, ethnos ἔθνος nation, epi ἐπὶ against, ethnos ἔθνος, nation, kai καὶ and, basileia βασιλεία kingdom, epi ἐπὶ against, basileian βασιλείαν; kingdom, kai καὶ and, esontai ἔσονται there will be, limoi λιμοὶ famines, kai καὶ and, seismoi σεισμοὶ earthquakes, kata κατὰ in [various] topous τόπους - places.

In English a literal translation is "will rise up, indeed, ethnic groups against ethnic groups, and kingdom cities, states or entire countries against kingdom cities, states, or entire countries, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places." Egerthesetai means to awaken, raise its head and this is the nature of racism. Things seem to be improving when all of a sudden like erupting lava a situation or situations cause a racial eruption. Jesus knew the hearts of men and warned that the intensity and frequency of ethnic racial conflict starting after He ascended to God the Father, the beginning of the 'last days' would increase, intensify in frequency and erupt  in more locations than ever before. Instead of racial fighting limited between Jews and Gentiles of the 1st century racial fighting would spread globally to every continent, city, state, town and hamlet.

Matthew 24:6  will begin to come into play as well. "And you will hear of wars & rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet."  We will experience wars within our geographical areas while we see in the news wars occurring else where. Wars everywhere! This turmoil includes individual murders, gang activity, mob hits, assassinations and family disputes.

Christians are the 'salt of the earth and a light upon a hill' the Bible admonishes and this is a call to true Christians to begin to be a light of love and salt that brings love and healing to our area of influence. Matthew 24:7 also used the Koine Greek word 'gar' translated 'indeed' to let us know this behavior will indeed occur so do not be surprised but be prepared to administer strong love that will put out the flames of racial animus.

The word 'Basileia' is also used to identify larger entities in addition to one on one racism but also ethnic conflict between countries, between red states and blue states, liberal states and conservative states, liberal cities and conservative cities, towns and hamlets. As Americans and as Christian Americans, we must remember ethnic conflicts among religious sects where sects exterminate others of the same belief system due to minor ideological differences, traditions and skin color from the United Kingdom to the European Union from India to the near east, middle east and far east from Africa to Australia, this conflict can awaken and re-awaken any where and has awakened again at home here in the United States.

The antidote is to extend genuine selfless love to our fellow man, black to white, white to black , Hispanic to black , black to Hispanic and so on. To truly love unselfishly at the deepest levels is supernatural and requires a life submitted to God where He can love through us especially loving our enemies. Let us make a move to ask God to place His love in our hearts so that we may begin loving others on purpose. I'm all in and hope UR2!

Chinese Version

從聖經的角度來理解種族衝突－耶穌發出警告！ 馬太福音 24:7 民要攻打民，國要攻打國，多處必有饑荒、地震。 「耶穌警告說，種族衝突的強度和頻率將會增加，在比以往任何時候都更多的地方爆發，覆蓋全球，蔓延到每個大陸、城市、州、城鎮和村莊。從揚升開始的最後幾天將是充滿種族衝突，其頻率、強度令人震驚，全球地點數量驚人！ ”中東、非洲、東南亞、東歐和歐亞大陸北部等地正在發生的部落宗派衝突都是耶穌向我們發出的警告的一部分，並且在每個大陸都有不同的表現。 族群、種族和宗教派別之間的衝突是由耶穌基督親自解決的，自過去的古代文明、早期共紀、中世紀、現代以來一直存在，包括1500 年代歐洲探險與美洲原住民印第安人的衝突、1619年解放前與黑人和白人發生衝突。種族衝突正式抵達美國海岸。 種族衝突不僅存在於發展中國家，現在正在挑戰我們的第一世界社區。 《新約全書》的「紅字」在馬太福音24 章7 節中向門徒發出警告，種族群體之間的衝突將在全球範圍內覺醒，但當這種衝突觸及我們自己的社區時，在我們自己的後院，衝突就變成了個人衝突的性質，並受到嚴重關注。 聖經的紅字記載：“民要攻打民，國要攻打國，多處必有飢荒、瘟疫、地震。”這個末日（公元33 年，到基督復臨結束了恩典時代）的警告立即提到了耶路撒冷城在一世紀的毀滅，這一警告在全球範圍內繼續向所有外邦國家和所代表的不同種族群體發出。猶太歷史學家約瑟夫和斐洛記錄了猶太人與敘利亞人、猶太人與希臘人、猶太人與羅馬人之間的種族戰爭，數千名猶太人在衝突中喪生。兩者都記錄了公元 38 年左右的時期，由於種族衝突而充滿騷亂。 在西元之前和整個公元時代，各大洲都存在著部落戰爭，從古希臘、古羅馬、中世紀、1500年代-1800年代的宗教戰爭、1800年代-1900年代的步槍戰爭、第一次世界大戰和第二世界大戰、1950年的冷戰時代- 1983年，冷戰後1988年-2013年，巴布亞、紐幾內亞、南蘇丹、肯亞等持續不斷的戰爭，教派之間的爭鬥都是源自族群間的爭鬥。 種族敵對行動在美國解放前覺醒，並在解放後持續存在，並在我們的海岸、美國的海岸再次覺醒。所有種族都有一種強烈的傾向，即作為一個群體感到優越，喜歡同質化，喜歡與我們一樣，並表現出排斥具有不同文化、信仰、信條和膚色的其他人的行為。要理解原始希臘語的《馬太福音》24:7，請參閱原​​始希臘語單字的含義，例如希臘語單字“ethnos”，儘管翻譯的“nations”字面意思是種族群體。在這種情況下，“kai”的意思是“和”，但可以翻譯為“也、甚至、確實、但是”。 馬太福音 24:7 在希臘文原文中讀到 'egerthēsetai - ἐγερθήσεται - 將崛起，gar γὰρ 確實，​​ethnos ἔθνος 民族，epi ἐπὶ 反對，ethnos ἔθνος 民族，epi ἐπὶ 反對，ethnosι ἔθνἔθ, π​​Hathia) Hhalamal​​kiy Halhalalh εb​​hiya​​h ​​☺ ὶ 反對，巴塞爾βασιλείαν;王國，kai καὶ 和，esontai ἔσονται 將會有，limoi λιμοὶ 飢荒，kai καὶ 和，seismoi σεισμοὶ 地震，kata κατὰ 在[各種]topous ς -οὶ 地震，kata κατὰ 在[各種]頂 用英語直譯就是“事實上，族群會起來反對族群，王國城市、州或整個國家會起來反對王國城市、州或整個國家，各地將會發生飢荒和地震。” Egerthesetai 的意思是覺醒、抬起頭，這就是種族主義的本質。當突然像噴發岩漿一樣導致種族爆發時，事情似乎正在改善。耶穌了解人心，並警告說，從祂升天到父神那裡之後，「末世」開始，種族衝突的強度和頻率將會增加，頻率會加劇，爆發的地點會比以往任何時候都多。種族鬥爭不再是一世紀僅限於猶太人和外邦人之間的種族鬥爭，而是蔓延到全球各個大陸、城市、州、城鎮和小村莊。 馬太福音 24:6 也將開始發揮作用。 “你會聽到戰爭和戰爭的謠言。請注意，不要驚慌，因為這必鬚髮生，但末日還沒有到來。”