Will it ever end?

"In my opinion this an extension of a war that is about as ancient as the Bible itself."

When I was a young boy, my parents subscribed to a book club for me called the We were there books. Those books, plus my Tom Swift books, were my most favorite. In the We were there collection, the reader had a chance to be up close and personal with famous people throughout world history. And one of my favorite books was about Richard the Lionhearted. It was all about King Richard and the Third Crusade.

When you read about the Crusades, you can quickly get drawn into the weeds. They were a series of military campaigns in what we know now as the Middle East lasting about 400 years or so (1096 - 1487). What were they about? In my opinion they were an extension of a war that is as ancient as the Bible itself. An extension of the family fued between Ishmael and Isaac. And it continues to this day. Blood that was once only spilled in the Middle Eastern deserts, is now being spilled world wide.

As mankind becomes more mired in the quicksand of counterfeit doctrines, the heinous nature of crimes committed in the name of religion becomes greater than ever before. Nothing appears to be off limits or out of bounds. Christians, teaching and serving at a location established by Mother Theresa, kidnapped and then murdered. Why? Why would anyone do such a thing? Because they were Christians - simple as that. And whether we, or our President wants to admit this, there is a holy war going on. And it has been going on for a long, long time.

I have been asked more than once when I thought this War on Terror will be over. Sadly, my answer is not the one many are looking for. Because my answer is either never or when Christ returns. Christians believe that when Christ returns the great final battle will ensue. And everything evil will be vanquished. Some Muslims believe otherwise. We are in the final battle. The final Caliphate. And at the end the world will be purged of infidels and the rest will all be worshippers of Allah. 

For those who think I am just blowing smoke, consider this. In the past month, there have been over 100 Islamic terror attacks worldwide. These attacks are now way beyond the Middle East and Northern Africa. At the same time, Christians are still being systematically eliminated in many areas of Iraq and Syria. Europe has a huge problem and it is only getting worse. Just ask people in Brussels. It is only a matter of time before the same will be said of the United States.

I may be all wet on this. This history is somewhat outside my wheelhouse. But I do know this. When innocent nuns are kidnapped and brutally killed, something is wrong. When an innocent priest is kidnapped and then crucified on Good Friday, something is wrong. When villages are raided and innocent Christians are segregated from Muslims and then executed, something is wrong. And nobody, not one beating heart, has the answer on how to stop or fix this.

Are we in the end times? At times it sure seems that way. Maybe these mysterious horn noises heard all over the world are truly Gabriel's Trumpet announcing a warning - a warning of the coming of the end. And the list of countries these strange trumpet noises are heard in seems to grow every month. These are brutal times. These are strange times. And these are trying times. These truly are the times that try men's (and women's) souls.