Russia vs. Ukraine War – Is it only getting started?
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, marking the first major escalation since the Russo-Ukrainian War began in 2014 (“2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine”). Vladimir Putin, who supposedly refers to himself as “second only to God,” has been on a quest for power for years.
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin was born in Leningrad on October 7, 1952, and joined the KGB, the Soviet Union’s state security agency, in 1975. However, when the Soviet Union eventually collapsed in 1991, he was devastated. Ever since then, he has been hyperfocused on rebuilding Russia into a world-dominating powerhouse. For years, Putin has been one of the richest people in the world and has leveraged his power to turn Russia back into the country it once was.
When asking whether Russia will succeed in its quest to strengthen its position on the world stage, I personally think it will. I also believe this is only the beginning of its involvement in conflicts in the Eastern world, at the very least.
Why do I think this is only the beginning of a long war for Russia? Well, the answer is quite simple: It could be the prelude to the Battle of Gog and Magog. Although there have been many wars throughout history over this region, the prophecy in Ezekiel 38–39 appears to align with several other world events. The Euphrates River is drying up (Revelation 16:12); we may be heading toward a one-world currency amid inflation and the potential implosion of globalization; nations are rising against nations (Matthew 24:7); global weather patterns appear to be changing; moral depravity is evident in America, at the very least; a future world war could involve nuclear weapons; and so forth. In addition to the outbreak of this war, other signs are converging:
Signs of the Times
Are we really near the end of this world considering people have been saying it for thousands of years? Here are signs of the times and evidence Jesus Christ is coming back soon.
Also, many argue that three things are required for the battle to ensue. As Dr. David Jeremiah points out, they are as follows:
- Israel must be in her land.
- Israel must be prosperous in her land.
- Israel must be at peace in her land.
On May 14, 1948, Israel became a nation-state, and millions of Jews have moved back to Israel, so the first requirement appears to have been fulfilled. Next, the second requirement has arguably been met, as the country is prosperous on a global scale; its economic prosperity is comparable to that of countries such as the United States, Switzerland, and Finland. However, while some argue that Israel is at peace in its land, others argue that this has not yet happened (Jeremiah).
In fact, Mark Hitchcock writes, “…during the first half of the Tribulation, when Israel has let its guard down, a massive Russian-Islamic coalition will attack Israel. The Bible refers to this Pearl Harbor-like invasion as the War of Gog and Magog” (Hitchcock, The End 47).
As a result, some argue that this invasion will occur after the start of the Tribulation, which means that certain believers who are raptured (if you believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture) will not witness it.
The term “Gog and Magog” refers to Gog, who is the prince of Rosh (Russia). Certainly, this person could be Vladimir Putin, or Putin could be setting the stage for a new future leader of Rosh. Magog refers to Central Asia and possibly Afghanistan. Other countries that will participate in the battle include Meshech (Turkey), Tubal (Turkey), Persia (Iran), Ethiopia or Cush (Sudan), Libya or Put (Libya), Gomer (Turkey), Beth-togarmah (Turkey), and many others (Hitchcock, Russia Rising 61).
Of these countries, we are already seeing that Putin has met with Turkey’s leader, Erdoğan, and is also working with Iran, which has supplied Russia with kamikaze drones for use in its war against Ukraine (Trevelyan; Syed). Now, we need to see more countries step in to form a broader coalition against Israel.
If this is indeed the prelude to the Battle of Gog and Magog, we can be confident that the Tribulation is knocking on the door. People have incorrectly predicted that we are about to enter the Tribulation for hundreds (or even thousands) of years. However, given everything else happening in the world in conjunction with the Russia–Ukraine war, we may be the ones chosen by God to witness the events described in the book of Revelation unfold.
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Works Cited
“2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 5 Nov. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2022_Russian_invasion_of_Ukraine.
Hitchcock, Mark. Russia Rising: Tracking the Bear in Bible Prophecy. Tyndale Momentum the Nonfiction Imprint of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017.
Hitchcock, Mark. The End: Everything You’ll Want to Know about the Apocalypse. Tyndale Momentum, the Nonfiction Imprint of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2017.
Jeremiah, David. “Russia’s Role in End-Times Prophecy.” David Jeremiah Blog, 9 Sept. 2022, https://davidjeremiah.blog/what-does-the-bible-say-about-modern-russia/.
Syed, Armani. “Iranian ‘Kamikaze’ Drones: Why Russia Uses Them in Ukraine.” Time, Time, 20 Oct. 2022, https://time.com/6223204/iran-kamikaze-drones-russia-ukraine/.
Trevelyan, Mark. “Putin Courts Erdogan with Plan to Pump More Russian Gas via Turkey.” Edited by Kevin Liffey, Reuters, Thomson Reuters, 13 Oct. 2022, https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-puts-gas-hub-plan-turkeys-erdogan-2022-10-13/.7/