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Russia’s invasion of the nation of Georgia caused a big stir in the end-time community. Whenever Russian tanks move in the general direction of Israel, you can be sure the ears of prophecy watcher will perk up.
This event is obviously a false alarm, and is not the Gog/Magog invasion spoken of in Ezekiel 38 and 39. I do believe we are one giant step closer to seeing this prophecy being fulfilled.
We learned two things from the Russian invasion: 1) Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is still in charge of the country; and 2) he has a desire to bolster Russia ’s international dominance through military force.
After Georgia opened fire on the Russian-backed separatist region of South Ossetia, Putin was the first to speak to the nation on television. He also was the first to confer with world leaders and visit the Russian troops in the field. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the guy who supposedly replaced Putin, was left to handle the smaller details.
I’m still trying to find a valid justification for Russia ’s blitzkrieg through Georgia. Its military was incredibly prepared for what it called a defensive move. If the goal was to just protect South Ossetia, there is no racial reason for Russia to invade nearly half of Georgia. There obviously is no justification to be found here. Russia's bullying of its southern neighbor is meant to test the West’s resolve.
It’s not just Georgia that has come under threat. A top Russian general said that Poland's agreement to accept a U.S. missile interceptor base exposes the ex-communist nation to attack, possibly by nuclear weapons, the Interfax news agency reported. "Poland, by deploying (the system), is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent," said Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff.
One of the most disturbing factors at work here is the realization that America has limited options in dealing with Russia. With U.S. forces heavily committed to peace-keeping actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, the European theater is left open to threats from Moscow.
This situation is no surprise to me. After Putin rigged last year’s elections, making a sham out of the term "Russian democracy," it seemed obvious that we were headed for trouble with this man. I made the following prediction in my December 3 update:
“In the near future, I expect Bush to greatly regret not being more forceful with Putin. Whenever someone heads down the path towards dictatorship, it always ends badly for that person and for the nation seized. Like the old saying goes, 'Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'
Autocratic leaders don’t like to be static. Once they achieve victory, they are always looking for new conquests. History would warn that Eastern Europe is in danger, but I think this time around, Israel is the one that needs to be watchful.”
I personally find Vladimir Putin to be a very spooky character. You never see this man smiling in any news footage. It is like a dark, demonic cloud of gloom constantly hovers over him. The Russian people and the western liberal media may see this as an indication of assertiveness, but I see it as a manifestation of evil.
It is becoming hard to ignore the possibility that Putin may be the person who leads the Gog attack against Israel. Russia has strong ties to several of Israel’s Arab foes. Of course, we are all waiting for Israel to launch a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The recent chain of events makes it all the more easier to envision Putin’s reaction if the reactor his nation is building for Iran were suddenly destroyed by an Israeli air raid.
"And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel , as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes" (Ezek. 38:15-16).
