God’s plan for the nations
When it comes to all the nations that have or will ever exist, there are basically two eschatological (End Times) buckets: (1) Israel, a nation divinely brought into existence and chosen by God to deliver the Messiah (the human Word) and the Bible (the written Word) to the world, and (2) Gentile Nations: non-Jews both beloved (the Church) and hated, used by God for His purposes.
When it comes to nation’s leaders, whether it’s Alexander the Great or Vladimir Putin, their actions are ultimately controlled by God, who treats their heart, “like channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it wherever He wishes” (Prov. 21:1). God is, “ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes. It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings” (Dan. 4:32, 2:21).
Because humanity is estranged from God and from one another, the end result is constant turmoil and the rising and falling of nations. The longer humanity attempts to rule the Earth apart from God, the more degenerated that rule becomes.
You can also read: Russian Armageddon Convoy Practices for World War III
This being true, the big picture Scripture paints for the nations is consistent worldwide turmoil, unrest, wars/threats of wars (Matt. 24:6-8) that eventually culminates first in the regathering of the nation of Israel in the End Times (Is. 11:11-2, Is. 66:7-8, Jer. 16:14–15, Ez. 36:22–28, 37:1-10) and then the establishment of a false peace by a one-world government and its appointed leader (Rev. 6:1-2).
After that, the Bible says those on the Earth will experience a world war like no other, followed by the return of Christ and the establishment of His rule on Earth (Rev. 19:11-20, 20:4-6).
And what part does Russia play in all this?
God’s plan for Russia
A telltale sign of a nation ruled by Satan is its hatred for Israel and the people of God.
You probably won’t be surprised to find that Russia is brutal to everyone in general, including its own people. Russians file more complaints with the European Court of Human Rights than the citizens of any of the 46 countries that make up the Council of Europe, 13,645 complaints in 2020 alone (by contrast, the figure for the U.K. was 124).
But its anti-Semitic worldview makes it especially difficult for Jews. In the 1800s, Russian Jews were murdered or forced to immigrate if they d0n’t join the Russian church. Fast forward to the early 1960s and we find a Times magazine article stating, “The major center of persecution of Jews nowadays is the Soviet Union. In a land openly dedicated to atheism, the 3,000,000 Jews of Russia suffer more than any other faith because they are attacked both for their religion and as a despised national minority.”
But Psalm 121:4 says, “Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep,” and so we find a very fitting end to Russia spelled out in Scripture.
The prophetic Word of God states in multiple places how God will pull Russia into its doom, with the most complete description being found in Ezekiel 38-39. In those chapters, Russia is referred to as “Gog and Magog.”
Interestingly, Magog is identified by Josephus as the land of the Scythians, the region north and northeast of the Black Sea and east of the Caspian Sea — now occupied by three countries: Russia,Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. The Great Wall of China was originally called The Wall of Magog by the Arabic countries in reference to it protecting the Chinese from invading Russians.
Russia is also referred to as a people from “the north” multiple times elsewhere in Scripture (e.g., Dan. 11:40-41) so it’s no surprise that when you look at a map and draw a line north from Israel, you go squarely into Ukraine and then Russia. Theologian C. I. Scofield was ridiculed in the early 1900s for saying in his study Bible that there would be a future Russian invasion of Israel, who didn’t exist at the time, but he said, “I don’t understand it, and I can’t explain it, but the Bible says it, and therefore I believe it.”
Scripture is crystal clear in its prediction of Russia’s demise, so while today they may confidently flex their military muscle and claim Ukraine, the reality is they are squarely carrying out God’s will and in the crosshairs of His trap from which they one day won’t escape.
So, knowing God is in control and has told us in advance what will happen, don’t be afraid of the actions of Russia or any nation, and do pray for the people of Ukraine. Never forget our God is sovereign over everything: “He makes the nations great, then destroys them; He enlarges the nations, then leads them away” (Job 12:23); “The LORD of hosts has sworn saying, 'surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand,'” (Is. 14:24).
By Robin Schumacher, software executive and Christian apologist
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The Future of Russia and Ukraine according to the Scripture
Reviewed by E.A Olatoye
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March 14, 2022
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