World military spending reached a record high of 2.24 trillion dollars (U.S.) in 2022, largely in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. According to a report released in April 2023 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), during 2022:
European military spending “rose by 13 per cent during the year, which was the largest annual increase in total European spending in the post-cold war era.”
“Russia…increased its spending by an estimated 9.2 per cent to move from fifth to third largest spender in the world.”
The United States remained the top military spender, “accounting for 39 per cent of world military spending.”
“The continuous rise in global military expenditure in recent years is a sign that we are living in an increasingly insecure world,” said Dr. Nan Tian, coauthor of the SIPRI report.
The Bible foretold the rising tensions between global superpowers today and reveals the only hope for peace.
Increased military conflict foretold
The Bible calls the time we are living in the “time of the end.”—Daniel 8:19.
The book of Daniel foretold that during that time, there would be competing world powers. These world powers would engage in a “pushing,” or struggle for dominance. That military struggle would involve spending vast “treasures,” or financial resources.—Daniel 11:40, 42, 43.
The Bible states that God will replace human governments. He “will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. And this kingdom will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it alone will stand forever.”—Daniel 2:44.
Jehovaha God will soon do what humans are incapable of doing—bring true and lasting peace. How? His heavenly Kingdom government will eliminate all weapons and end all violence.—Psalm 46:8, 9.
To learn more about what God’s Kingdom will accomplish, read the article “Under God’s Kingdom ‘Peace Will Abound.’”
a Jehovah is the personal name of God.—Psalm 83:18.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he taught about God’s Kingdom more than any other subject. For centuries, his followers have prayed for that Kingdom to come.