Nevertheless, what sane person wants one of man’s all-out international conflicts to occur? No one. Yet the arms race goes on, definitely pointing men in the direction of such a conflict. Why? Could there be yet an additional source that is egging on the rulers of the earth and their followers to continue to arm themselves? That would seem logical.

A Deeper Reason

The Bible points to that other moving force. We read about it at Revelation 16:14, 16: “Expressions inspired by demons . . . gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty . . . to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Magedon.” Yes, spurred on by the invisible demons “the kings of the earth and their armies” actually are arming themselves to fight against God.​—Rev. 19:11-13, 19.

Worldly-minded men may doubt that the demons are really behind the nations, rallying them to a conflict with God. But who of them will honestly deny that in spite of all the talk about peace, “the kings of the earth and their armies” are indeed mobilizing themselves for something?

It is not that the nations consciously plan on a battle with God and contemplate such possibilities in their ‘war rooms.’ But the nations’ determined efforts to run earth’s affairs in their way, regardless of God’s stated purpose, make a confrontation absolutely necessary. They will be brought to the point where they unitedly use force to try to hold onto their own way of rulership. God will react with counterforce. With what consequences?

Revelation chapter 19 describes how the One (Jesus Christ) who fights victoriously for God defeats the ‘kings and military commanders’ of the earth. God will preserve those persons he deems righteous. The demons, who have given additional drive to the nations’ already natural tendency toward protecting their sovereignty, would delight to see the earth a poisoned, ruined cinder. But God will not let that occur. Rather, the demons themselves will be put out of the way.​—Revelation 12:12; 19:11-20:3.

All the current efforts toward détente, therefore, do not belie the truth of the matter​—that the nations will use the greatest force they can muster to hold onto their rulerships. They might say peace, but war is inevitable. Yet, after the greatest of all wars “the kings of the earth and their armies” will be gone forever. Only then will true peace prevail over the earth.