Caution! Russia in Bible Prophecy

© 2013 Craig C. White

From my house I can’t see Russia!

By Craig C. White

The new Russian Union is here! Kazakhstan and Belarus have joined Russia in a new Eurasian economic Union. Ukraine was supposed to join but backed out at the last moment. I think this is a big step. Daniel chapter 7 tells us about the Russian bear during the end times. Three ribs may be nations along its western border in the teeth of Russia. Two of those nations may be represented here. This is a new Russian Union! Christians should be alerted that Daniel 7 is moving forward. This is an economic Union. I expect that three nations will one day soon say to Russia, You must create a Political Union including other nations! Devour much flesh! Read this article in the NY Times.

Somehow the Russian place in bible prophecy is compelling. But too often we see bears where there are none. We also overlook the bears that are there. The Russian bear will have its place in end time prophecy, but it probably isn’t what you thought. Hey, I see a bear! Where? Over there!

Eze 38:2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him,

I don’t see Russia in Ezekiel 38 (Gog and Magog). That view came about by transcribing the English word “chief” (or the Hebrew “rosh”) to mean Russia. Rosh means first or primary. Transposing Hebrew words into English phonetic equivalents is not proper interpretive technique, and is not used elsewhere to interpret scripture. Gog is the land of modern day Turkey and Magog is its leader.

I do however see Russia in Daniel 7.

Dan 7:5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.

The nation that is obviously symbolized by a bear is Russia. For the last one hundred years prophecy scholars have identified the bear in the prophecy of Daniel 7 as Russia. The bear has three ribs in its mouth. I think that the three ribs are yet to come. But let me alert you! We are already seeing signs of them! They are in (or among) the teeth like a bit. They exist together at the same time. They speak to the bear all at once. They are possibly Russian political or military leaders. Or the three ribs could also describe three nations along Russia’s western border. Perhaps they don’t like the looks of the political landscape after the takeover of Syria by Islamist forces. I think that the bear is devouring (or eating) territory. I think that the Russian bear is raised up along its southwestern border to bring back under its authority (and ultimately into the fold of the revived World Empire) the following countries: Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan all north of the Caucasus Mountains; also Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova all west of the Ural Mountains. Most people will tell you that the Roman Empire didn’t extend into Russia, but the best scholarship says that it reached as far as the western slopes of the Ural Mountains. In 2008 Russia tested its ability to take back the former Soviet territory of Georgia.

In Daniel chapter 7 the bear represents Russia. As a prelude to the next World Empire Russia will gain territory along its southwestern border. Russia has been active in this process for the last twenty years. My guess is that we will soon see a dramatic culmination of this process. A security alliance called the CSTO was signed into force in May 1992. It includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Russia also has aggressive economic alliances with Belarus and Kazakhstan. Today Russia and Belarus are on the verge of converging. You are probably aware of Russia’s recent efforts to maintain economic ties with Ukraine.

In Russian President Medvedev’s state of the union address in Dec 2011 he proclaimed Russia’s intentions of a Eurasian Economic Union. For more about Russia in Bible Prophecy please read my commentary on Daniel chapter 7 titled “The Leopard is Upon Us!” in my book “The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist”. It is one of my most important bible prophecy commentaries.

Read about the formation of the final gentile World Empire in my book The Fall of Satan and Rise of the Antichrist

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