Wikipedia File Photo of Russian Tu-95 escorted by a Royal Air Force Typhoon. Photo byU.K. Ministry of Defence (Defence Images) via Wikimedia Commons
While Americans were celebrating Independence Day
on the 4th of July, 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin phoned
U.S. President Obama to wish him a happy July 4th. While the two men were on the phone, Russian Tupolev bombers (which are capable of carrying nuclear bombs) were flying training
missions off the coasts of Alaska and California, and U.S. Fighter jets were
scrambled to intercept. (Tweet that!)
U.S. airspace was not breached. This is not
the first time but actually happens regularly. Here are two articles detailing
the July 4, 2015, incident:
What does Russian bombers near the United
States' coast have to do with Bible prophecy? (Tweet that!) Here's two
points about how this could possibly work into Bible prophecy:
The United States cannot specifically
be identified in End Times prophecy in the Bible. This could mean either the
U.S. no longer exists, or is at least irrelevant (not a major world power)
during the End Times. Russia has been a major adversary of the U.S. since World
War II. (Tweet that!)
Many
Bible experts connect Russia with the nation or power to "the far north" of
Israel called Gog in the Bible which attacks Israel. (See Ezekiel 38 – 39.) An attack
on Israel by Russia would be much more conceivable and more likely if the
United States was not a world power...or no longer an ally of Israel. (Tweet that!)
Here's just a portion of that passage:
"Therefore, son of man, prophesy and say to Gog: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: In that day, when my people Israel are living in safety, will you not take notice of it? You will come from your place in the far north, you and many nations with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army. You will advance against my people Israel like a cloud that covers the land. In days to come, Gog, I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me when I am proved holy through you before their eyes.'" (Ezekiel 38:14-16)
Interesting fact about this blog: The majority
of readers are from the United States, however readers from all over the world
access this blog. After the U.S., one of the largest readerships is
consistently from Russia.
Brown: Russia. Green: Ukraine. Black: Crimean Peninsula ImageUploader12345 Creative Commons Found on Wikipedia
In the previous two posts we looked in depth into what is
happening in Russia and Ukraine and how it might relate to Bible prophecy. In
Part 2, the previous post, I promised to give information on other names listed
in Ezekiel 38:1-9, specifically verses 5-6 and what those countries are called
today. (Tweet that!)
5 Persia,
Cush, and Put are with them, all of them with shield and helmet;6 Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-togarmah
from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with
you.
At this point in my study, this is my understanding of who
these nations are today. (Tweet that!) I also understand, however, that not
everyone may agree.
Perisa - Iran
Cush - Ethiopia
Put - Libya
Gomer - Ukraine
Beth Togarmah – eastern Turkey
Also in Parts 1 and 2 earlier this week, we saw video interviews about what is happening in Ukraine from a Biblical perspective. I hope you have enjoyed these. Here is one more, Part 3 of the interview of Avi Lipkin by Gary
Stearman of Prophecy in the News, which aired March 6, 2014. This one runs about 13 minutes.
Gary Stearman ofProphecy in
the Newsinterviews Avi
Lipkin about Russia and Ukraine.
Brown: Russia. Green: Ukraine. Black: Crimean Peninsula ImageUploader12345 Creative Commons Found on Wikipedia
On Tuesday, in Part 1, we briefly reviewed the
beginnings of this conflict occurring with Russia in Ukraine.
You might remember on April 17, 2014, news reached the US of a
leaflet handed to Jews leaving their synagogue in the Ukrainian city of Donetsk
telling them they had to register with the government and list their property.
An eerie echo of Nazi regimes from the past, the leaflet was immediately
condemned by national leaders. While the leaflet claimed a connection to Denis Pushilin, a man who was identified as the chairman of "Donetsk's temporary government," he claimed
he had nothing to do with it.
While we watch what is going on in Ukraine, many Bible
prophecy geeks think of the prophecy that is yet to be fulfilled which tells us
Israel will be attacked by nations to her north. Bible prophecy geeks like me
also believe this prophecy will be fulfilled as part of the "End Times," or the
times leading up to the last seven years of the Tribulation.
This prophecy is found in Ezekiel 38. (Tweet that!) Here is part of that prophecy. God is speaking (through His prophet Ezekiel):
The word of the Lord came to me:2 "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshek and Tubal; prophesy against him3 and say: 'This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshek and Tubal.4 I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army—your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.5 Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets,6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you.
7 "'Get ready; be prepared, you and all the hordes gathered about you, and take command of them.8 After many days you will be called to arms. In future years you will invade a land that has recovered from war, whose people were gathered from many nations to the mountains of Israel, which had long been desolate. They had been brought out from the nations, and now all of them live in safety.9 You and all your troops and the many nations with you will go up, advancing like a storm; you will be like a cloud covering the land.'" (Ezekiel 38:1-9)
My favorite Bible that I own is The NIV Study Bible from 1985. The notes in this Bible have taught
me so much, I just love them. So I often share what I learn from them.
I found helpful information in the notes section of The NIV Study Bible, which says,
"Gog" is "apparently a leader or king whose name appears only here and in Rev. 20:8…
Possibly the name is purposely vague, standing for a mysterious, as yet
undisclosed, enemy of God's people."*
The phrase "of the land of Magog" takes us back to the times
of Noah. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Before the great flood
that covered the earth, eight people entered the ark: Noah and his wife, and
their three sons and their wives (Genesis 7:13). (By the way, this was depicted
much differently in the recent movie Noah, so don't be confused by that. In the
true story, each of Noah's three sons had wives and they all entered the ark.) (Tweet that!)
Because everyone else in the world died in the flood, all
the nations of today's world descended from these three sons of Noah
(Genesis 9:18-19).
Noah's son Japheth
had seven sons. They are listed in Genesis 10:2. Compare these names to the
names in the Ezekiel 38 passage above:
The sons of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. (Genesis 10:2)
Here is more information on "Gog" and "Magog" from the The NIV Study Bible. (Tweet that!) Please note the reference to the "future coalition" which means the prophecy of what is to happen in our future:
…since the Hebrew prefix ma- can mean "place of," Magog may here simply mean "land of Gog." Israel
had long experienced the hostility of the Hamites and other Semitic peoples;
the future coalition here envisioned will include—and in fact be led by—peoples
descended from Japheth.*
Regarding "chief prince," the The NIV Study Bible note gives this information:
Military commander-in-chief. The NIV text note gives the
possible translation "prince of Rosh," and if it is correct, Rosh is probably
the name of an unknown people or place. Identification with Russia is unlikely,
and in any case cannot be proven.*
I've heard many times that "Rosh" may indeed be Russia. The
previous note says that is "unlikely," but gives no reason for that statement.
Regarding "Meshech and Tubal," the The NIV Study Bible note says this:
These sons of Japheth…are probably located in eastern Asia
Minor… They are peoples and territories to the north of Israel… As in the days
of the Assyrians and Babylonians, the major attack will come from the north.*
So if you have ever heard that Bible prophecy predicts
Israel will be attacked from the north in the End Times, this is where that
prophecy comes from. (Tweet that!)
For my next post I'm preparing information about the other
names listed in Ezekiel 38:5-6 shown above and what those nations are called
today.
In the last post we watched an interview of Avi Lipkin by
Gary Stearman. There is much more to that interview. Here is part 2, which
aired March 5, 2014. It runs about 13 minutes.
Gary Stearman ofProphecy in
the Newsinterviews Avi
Lipkin about Russia and Ukraine.
Brown: Russia. Green: Ukraine. Black: Crimean Peninsula ImageUploader12345 Creative Commons Found on Wikipedia
I'm sure you, like me, are watching the situation involving Russia and Ukraine and you're wondering what really is going on and if it has something to do with Bible prophecy. (Tweet that!)
Many of us see the conflict, but don't have any background information or understanding to know what it all means. I can't say I have any more understanding than the average American or Christians elsewhere. But I have tried to find information that might give us insight into what's happening in light of Bible prophecy. This week I'll share what I've found. I hope you'll find it as interesting and helpful as I have.
Briefly remembering what has happened, the conflict started in late February just after the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
According to the Wikipedia article, "2014 Crimean crisis," the conflict started "in the aftermath of the Ukrainian Revolution, which resulted in President Viktor Yanukovych's deposition by the Ukrainian parliament after his flight from the capital....
"Beginning on February 26, pro-Russian forces began to gradually take control of the Crimean peninsula. Many of them were widely believed to be Russian military personnel without insignia..."
I found the following video interview very interesting and insightful. Here, Gary Stearman, of Prophecy in the News, talks with Avi Lipkin, who has studied this area of the world most his life and shares wonderful information to teach us. This Part 1 video runs under 12 minutes. (Tweet that!)
In the next post, I'm preparing information about a prophecy in the Bible that has yet to be fulfilled which says Israel will be attacked by nations to its north. So please stop back by on Thursday.
Gary Stearman of Prophecy in the News interviews Avi Lipkin about Russia and Ukraine.
