Was the Cold War a "rumor of a war"? So I was trying to sync my iPod to the doomsday clock when I realized that I don't know what is meant by:


  You will hear of wars and reports of wars; see that you are not alarmed, for these things must happen, but it will not yet be the end. (Matthew 24:6 (NABRE))


I do recall that being said as "rumors of war," but that must be in another Bible translation.

So, even if it's not the end, it's still important.  My conception of rumors of war is all wrapped up in George Orwell, but since he didn't write for quite a few years after Matthew perhaps it's not the right notion. 

So here's my two parter, which is really a four parter.


What to Jesus and His disciples, what constituted a "Report of war"?  Was it the result of deliberate misinformation campaigns by the Romans?
Was the Cold War a "Rumor of a war"? In reading the signs of the times, was the confluence of wars (i.e. Vietnam) and rumors of war (i.e. Cold War) anything to get worked up about, as a harbinger bringing about the end times?
I don't think that we can say for sure.  I think that this particular verse could apply to just about any time in history.  Rumors of wars could mean any fear of a coming war, including the cold war.  

In fact most of the things foretold in Matthew 24 have happened since His time - false messiahs, nation rising against nation, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, Christians being persecuted, killed, and hated for their faith, and so on.

The general consensus among pastors that I have spoken to (and sites that you can find by Googling this verse) is that these signs will increase as we get nearer to the end times. 

The fact that there is not a definitive answer to this question, and that it could apply to any time in history is perfectly within Biblical teaching, since Jesus Himself said that no man would know when the coming of these times are.