Wars

Russia

PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE:

Russia is a country that is rich in Christian history. It is one of the primary countries where the Orthodox Christian Church flourished until the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917 and creation of the Soviet Union (USSR) which was an atheistic Communistic Dictatorship. For several decades after World War II the Soviet Union was a formidable world power with great nuclear stockpiles. A "Cold War" existed between the USSR and the United States, representing two philosophies of government: Communism versus Democracy. Nuclear war was avoided by the concept of "Mutual Assured Destruction" (MAD), which meant that neither super-power would dare attack the other since both would surely be annihilated in the exchange. The USSR was disbanded in 1991 with the so-called "Fall of the Iron Curtain."

There has been progress toward a stable democracy in Russia since 1991 with free elections and greater freedom of religion. However, the politics of Vladimir Putin have undermined confidence in their democracy. It is possible that the country will revert to old dictatorial practices.

Prophecy scholars have wondered for more than a century if Russia would be the End Times leader of the war of Gog and Magog, prophesied in Ezekiel 38 and 39. We relate this to the war of the Second Seal in Revelation 6:3-4, a major conflict near the beginning of the Tribulation Period. Some respected scholars apply it to The Battle of Armageddon later in the Book of Revelation.

The Aggressors of the War of Gog and Magog - Ezekiel 38:1-4
According to Ezekiel, an alliance of enemies will attack Israel in the end-times. The leader will be Gog of the land of Magog (most likely Russia), who is the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. He is assisted by Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia and Somalia), Put (Libya), Gomer, Beth Togarmah and other nations (possibly Turkey and/or other Islamic nations like those once part of the Soviet Union). Most of these names are listed in the genealogies of Genesis 10.

God will bring a quick end to this future war. He may use literal fire and brimstone, as in the days of Sodom, or he might pit nation against nation, the way he often did in the Old Testament, to precipitate a nuclear exchange.

And with pestilence and with blood I shall enter into judgment with him; and I shall rain on him, and on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, a torrential rain, with hailstones, fire, and brimstone. - Ezekiel 38:22 (NIV)

There has been a surprising resurgence of faith in Russia, but the will of the people may not be able to deflect the governments's direction when this war is fought.

Key Scriptures
Current Events
Links

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Key Scriptures

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NIV & Other VersionsIncludes Commentary
Missions/ Great Commission
Matthew 28:18-20 Further Study
Wars and Rumors of Wars
Matthew 24:6 Further Study
Mark 13:7 Further Study
Gog and Magog
Ezekiel 38 Further Study
Ezekiel 39 Further Study
Revelation 6:3-4 Further Study
Revelation 20:7-9 Further Study

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Current Events and Links

Prophetic Significance of Russia

See also:
War of Gog and Magog
The New Cold War
Iran
Syria

Notice: Sources often remove their news links after a period of time. Some of them move older stories to a subscription-only section. Even if the story is no longer on line, our summary will still be available on this page.



See more recent articles: After January 1, 2019


Kremlin warns of possible flare-up of hostilities in Ukraine

Nov. 27, 2018
The Kremlin warned Tuesday that Ukraine’s declaration of martial law over Russia’s seizure of three Ukrainian ships might trigger a flare-up in hostilities in eastern Ukraine.
Source: AP News

Prophetic Significance of Russia


Trump, Putin sit down for historic summit at Finland's presidential palace

July 16, 2018 -
President Trump met behind closed doors for more than two hours Monday with Vladimir Putin, as the two leaders tackled weighty issues amid political pressure back home for Trump to get tough with the Russian president.
Source: Fox

Trump, Putin speak at joint press conference in Helsinki -- live blog - Fox



Russia said to test missile that can down F-35 fighter jet

May 26, 2018 -
The S-500 missile, which Russia said will be able to down F-35 fighter jets — the most advanced in America’s (and Israel’s) fleets, as well as ballistic missiles — was able to hit a target 480 kilometers (299 miles) away.
Source: Times of Israel

After Israeli PM Netanyahu met Putin, Russia says it won't sell advanced missile defenses to Syria

May 11, 2019 - Iraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Russian President Vladimir Putin this week.
Russia is not in talks with the Syrian government about supplying advanced S-300 ground-to-air missiles and does not think they are needed, ... in an apparent U-turn by Moscow.
Source: Business Insider



UN council rejects Russia resolution on Syria
Apr. 14, 2018 -

The U.N. Security Council has rejected a Russian resolution calling for condemnation of the “aggression” by the United States and its allies against Syria. Only three countries — Russia, China and Bolivia — voted in favor of the resolution.
Source: PBS

Rev. Franklin Graham on call for prayer for peace in Syria - Fox Video

'Star Wars Architect' reveals means to destroy Russia's new superweapons

Apr. 7, 2018 - Angelo Codevilla was of the architects of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) from the 1980's. The famous defense system is now mothballed, but he believes that some of the elements of the program could be used now to defend against Russia's new hypersonic missiles.
Codevilla believes that only two space-based systems are capable of countering sophisticated Russian and Chinese intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM). These include orbital optical sensors detecting ground launches and space-based lasers to destroy missiles.
Source: Space Daily

Russia to expel 60 US diplomats, close US consulate in St. Petersburg

Mar. 29, 2018 -
Russia announced Thursday it will expel 60 U.S. diplomats and close the U.S. consulate in St. Petersburg in retaliation for U.S. measures taken in response to the poisoning of an ex-Russian spy and his daughter in Britain.
Source: Fox

Russia Plans To Respond To Its Diplomats Being Expelled Across U.S. And Europe

Mar. 27, 2018 -
Russian diplomats are being expelled across the U.S. and Europe after Russia allegedly poisoned a former Russian double agent living in the U.K. NPR looks at Russia's response to the expulsions.
Source: NPR

Cold War: How do Russia tensions compare to Soviet era? - BBC

Russia to 'respond harshly' to US expulsion of diplomats - Guardian UK

Turkey will not act against Russia, says deputy PM - Hurriyet Daily News

Vladimir Putin's power: From mean streets to Kremlin

Mar. 17, 2018 -
It's hardly a surprise that he's expected to easily win election to a fourth term Sunday. The man and the office are indistinguishable.
Source: Fox

Rosenberg: Russia a threat in real life as well as in novel

Jan. 11, 2018 - Popular novelist Joel Rosenberg is releasing his latest novel, The Kremlin Conspiracy, about the real-life threat of Russian expansion. He points to events in Syria last month, where U.S. forces repelled an attack from "pro-regime" forces.
It was reported that more than 300 Russian mercenaries died in that clash. Some have speculated that the attack was the result of a Vladimir Putin-approved operation to test American defenses.
Source: One News Now

'It's not a war. It's a massacre': scores killed in Syrian enclave

Feb. 20, 2018 - The Syrian regime has escalated bombing attacks in Ghouta, the rebel-controlled suburb of Damascus, killing more than 100 people and wounding hundreds more.
Seven hospitals have also been bombed since Monday morning in eastern Ghouta, which was once the breadbasket of Damascus but has been under siege for years by the government of Bashar al-Assad and subjected to devastating chemical attacks.

According to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, after seven years of efforts by regional and global powers, the humanitarian crisis is getting worse, and Russia and Iran continue to back Assad's effort to gain a n outright military victory instead of a negotiated political settlement.

Source: The Guardian

Israeli Strikes in Syria Risk Forcing Russia to Adopt pro-Iranian Stance

Feb. 16, 2018 - This analysis of the recent clashes between Israel, Syria and Iran suggests that Iran is playing down their involvement because it could harm their position with the U.S. about the future of the Iranian nuclear agreement.
Iran is part of a troika, including Russia and Turkey, that has unsuccessfully sought a diplomatic solution to the war. Iran doesn’t want to open another military front with Israel, which could lead Israel to start a war against Hezbollah.
Source: Haaretz

Russia Can Keep the Peace Between Israel and Iran - But following the hostilities over the weekend, does Putin want to? - The Atlantic

Russian official: If Iran attacks Israel, we’ll stand with you - Times of Israel

Why is Russia helping Turkey in Afrin?

Jan. 29, 2018 - The recent [Jan. 20th] Turkish attack against the Kurdish-controlled enclave of Afrin must have had Russia's explicit approval because the Turkish Air Force had to enter Syria's airspace, and Syria could not have granted it without consulting Russia.
Moscow's approval of the operation ... became even more clear on the day the hostilities began, when the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the withdrawal of Russian troops from Afrin.

Russia's cooperation in the attack coincides with the beginning of Vladimir Putin presidential election campaign, and he wants to show that he is a "peacemaker" by helping end the military conflict in Syria.

Source: Al Jazeera

Tillerson: Russia 'ultimately bears responsibility' for chemical attacks in Syria

Jan. 24, 2017 - The regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has apparently launched another chlorine gas attack against rebels in Syria. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called the event a "crime against humanity."
"Whoever conducted the attacks, Russia ultimately bears responsibility for the victims in east Ghouta and countless other Syrians targeted with chemical weapons since Russia became involved in Syria," Tillerson said in Paris.
Source: ABC

U.N.: Haley criticizes Russia, calling it 'complicit in the Assad regime's atrocities' - Fox
See earlier stories: Before Jan. 1, 2017

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Links about Russia


PEOPLE
Russia - Google

DEMOGRAPHICS
CIA World Factbook - Russia

MINISTRIES
Russian Ministries Worldwide - Association For Spiritual Renewal (In Russian)
The Russian and CIS Christian Printed Resource Directory
Mission Aviation Fellowship
TBN-Europe- Some Russian programming - Tuning Details

LINKS - PROPHECY
The War of Gog and Magog - Prophecy Central
Is the Russian Invasion of Georgia an End-times Development? - Commentary by Ron Graff
The Magog Invasion - Chuck Missler
Magog Revisited - Chuck Missler








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Last Updated: 7/16/18
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