It’s clear to see, with just a cursory glance at today’s headlines, that Russia is once again trying to flex her muscles. When the Soviet Union fell some twenty years ago, many people wrote off Russia as a player on the world stage. Yet, rather quietly over the last several years, Russia has begun to re-emerge.
In just the last year, we have seen Vladimir Putin consolidate his power and strengthen his position as the leader of Russia. He was elected president of Russia in the year 2000. After serving in that role for eight years (the most allowed by term-limits), he stepped down and hand-picked his successor. The new president in turn appointed Putin the Prime Minister of Russia. In the last few months, Russia has changed her constitution to allow the president to serve six-year terms instead of four. Many observers believe this opens the door for another twelve years of a Putin regime.
Putin has sought to re-establish Russia’s dominance of the area and her presence on the world stage. Despite recent economic downturns, Russia enjoys an economy buoyed by her gas and energy industries. As a matter of fact, it was these things that played a major role in Russia’s recent excursions into the nation of Georgia. Today, we see Russia in a standoff with the Ukraine, once again over energy.
Couple all of this with Russia’s ever increasing closeness to the rogue nation of Iran, and it doesn’t begin to be too difficult to see the foundations being laid for a dangerous alliance. It is an alliance that the Bible tells us will ultimately invade the nation of Israel. The Bible says:
“1This is another message that came to me from the Lord: 2“Son of man, turn and face Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. 3Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: Gog, I am your enemy! 4I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army—your horses and charioteers in full armor and a great horde armed with shields and swords. 5Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you, too, with all their weapons. 6Gomer and all its armies will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-togarmah from the distant north, and many others. 7“Get ready; be prepared! Keep all the armies around you mobilized, and take command of them. 8A long time from now you will be called into action. In the distant future you will swoop down on the land of Israel, which will be enjoying peace after recovering from war and after its people have returned from many lands to the mountains of Israel. 9You and all your allies—a vast and awesome army—will roll down on them like a storm and cover the land like a cloud.” (Ezekiel 38:1-9, NLT)
Posted by Darrell Deer 
Husband, Father, Pastor, and Christ-follower. Thankful for the life, family, and ministry that God has given to me.
