Is There a Coming War?

Proverbs 10:11 AMP
The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life and his words of wisdom are a source of blessing, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence and evil.

Wars start for several reasons. Most researchers, philosophers, and subject matter experts on human behavior list the motivations along four lines. Political, Ideological, Economic, Psychological. The British Empire vs. China 1839-1842, the Dahomey Wars 1890-92, and Iran vs. Kuwait 1990) are examples of wars that were economically motivated. The Mexico vs. United States 1846 and the Kashmir Conflict in 1947 resulted from territorial disputes. There is another motivation that rarely gets talked about, and that is honor. King David, the king of Israel launched a war against the Ammonites after Hanun humiliated David’s emissaries.

With history being my favorite subject in school, I studied much on wars, primarily those that affected the United States. Looking at several wars that America has been involved in, there were some common causes that led to the putting aside the soft speech and start swinging the big stick. Freedom, liberty, and the desire to be self-determining led our founding fathers to fight the tyranny of England. America’s war for independence served as an inspiration for other nations to follow and was the cause for America to enter other wars as the world’s defender of freedom.

My time in the military had me focusing on the “How” of war. I left the “Why” up to the President and the National Command Authority. Our political leaders faced the overwhelming task of deciding if involvement was necessary, had diplomacy run its course, was there any act of persuasion left undone? Debate, diplomacy, the counsel of many trusted advisors are wise and honorable actions before the decision to send our military members into battle.

Proverbs 20:18 NKJV
Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.

Then there are the deceitful narratives, misquotes, inciteful rhetoric, propaganda, red flags, and the release of intentions, whether factual or false. These can come through foreign enemies and domestic belligerents. They have the intention of discouraging, deceiving, undermining resolve, and blame-shifting. These are dishonorable and the “Little foxes that spoil peace.”

Both honorable and dishonorable are considered languages of war. Past Presidents enjoyed the benefit of opposition and debate. The squawking of the “Hawks” for justice and cooing of “Doves” for capitulation was important in the decision making process. The differing perspectives of godly advisors provided security and accountability. (Proverbs 11:14, 15:22) But our current President is denied this because as he said recently “Congress leaketh.”

Within both parties, politicians at every level of government think nothing of the words they spew out when they are in front of the cameras. Whether because of agendas, pride, entitlement, or plain foolishness, they contribute to the intense and fiery rhetoric that may one day lead to more radical actions. The language of war always precedes aggression moving from cold to hot. Before the bullets leave the barrel of the infantry, words leave the mouths of fools. It is the language of war that I want focus on in this article and consider this thought.

Is there a coming Civil War in America?

While I may be a “Johnny come lately” about this topic, as many others have already authored articles and appeared as talking heads on news entertainment shows. And as usual social media is full of self-proclaimed prophets posting their predictions. As the year 2026 begins, America is looking forward to what the next year brings. Most Americans are hoping for a return to the blessings of freedom, righteousness, justice, and prosperity that the nation whose God is the LORD are promised. (Psalm 33:12) As this next year will mark our 250 th anniversary as a nation, our current President has asked that we pray for our nation. At no time since the first Civil War has America faced such an internal threat to its survival.

Today our nation is in a worse state than the time leading up to the first civil war. We are no longer people driven by righteousness, honor, and love. Because of government representatives trying to incite public outcry to advance an agenda, the propaganda media’s biased support, and outside influences, many in our society are manifesting the characteristics of a self-centered and perverse nation.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 NKJV
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

The belligerents look and sound different today. The motive of defiance to the rule of law by Charles E. Hooker and Louis Wigfall, two fiery secessionists opposed to Lincoln’s policy to end the slavery of Africans in America, are seen today in the threats of nullification by Governors Newsome (Calif.) and Pritzker (Il.). Just as there was free states and slave states in 1861, in 2025 we have some states and cities declaring themselves “Sanctuaries.” There is even the designation of Blue States or Red States. This sounds much like the disunion that sparked the first civil war.

Many Americans are apathetic to the dangerous situation that is developing in our nation. On April 11 th , 1861, people went to sleep expecting to go to their fields and jobs the next morning. Today, we end our days with the hope that tomorrow will be better, that wisdom and justice will prevail. However, when each dawn brings the news of more resistance to authority, more violence, then our hope can weaken.

I pray we are not to the point where a triggering event will bring the start of hostilities.

“The Ball has opened. War is inaugurated…”

Freemont Journal April 13, 1861

The Freemont Journal of Freemont, Ohio, like many other newspapers of that time, shocked its readers and brought many in Ohio to the realization that the events somewhere else would now have a life-changing effect on them.

My prayer is that we never see headlines like this.

“Men fire into each other’s faces, not five feet apart. There are bayonet thrusts, saber strokes, pistol shots … oaths, yells, curses, hurrahs, shouting … men going down on their hands and knees, spinning round like tops, throwing out their arms, gulping up blood, falling, legless, armless, headless. There are ghastly heaps of dead men. Seconds are centuries, minutes, ages …”

Frank Aretas Haskell
American Journalist reporting from Gettysburg.

The days in which we now live bring opportunities for us to be troubled and fearful. The winds of change are blowing across our nation, what it will bring is too early to tell. But I do believe that the principles in 2 Chronicles 7:14 and Matthew 22:39 are a good starting place.