Russia has become quite the powerhouse in the last couple of years, dominating in the Syrian war effort to protect Assad, control Iran, and improvise new relationships with Israel. The country itself has had some very impacting changes as of late.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has cracked down on sharing the gospel with unbelievers without first seeking state approval.
“The new law will require any sharing of the Christian faith – even a casual conversation – to have prior authorization from the state,” reported Barnabas Fund, which aids persecuted Christians worldwide.
“This includes something as basic as an emailed invitation for a friend to attend church. Even in a private home, worship and prayer will only be allowed if there are no unbelievers present,” the organization said. “Churches will also be held accountable for the activities of their members. So if, for example, a church member mentions their faith in conversation with a work colleague, not only the church member but also the church itself could be punished, with individuals facing fines of up to 50,000 rubles ($770).”
Russia Today reported the crackdown was triggered by the bombing of an A-231 jetliner in Egypt last October and the terrorist attacks in Paris.
Barnabas Fund said Protestant Christians in Russia “fear that the new law will be chiefly enforced as a weapon against them and not used against the Orthodox Church, which Mr. Putin has favored in the past.”
Can we soon expect the same here in the U.S.?
Putin has complete control of the country and quite possibly through the end of this age.
The RS-28 Sarmat missile, dubbed Satan 2, will replace the SS-18
It is capable of flying at a speed of seven kilometres (4.3 miles) per second
Sarmat has a range of 10,000 kilometres (6,213 miles)
The weapons are perceived as part of an increasingly aggressive Russia
If a Sarmat missile were fired at London it would wipe out most of Britain, as well as northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands
Meanwhile, President Obama plans to remove the U.S. Nuclear Supremacy “with a personal commitment to pursuing diplomacy and arms control,” deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told the Arms Control Association on June 6. “I can promise you today that President Obama is continuing to review a number of ways he can advance the Prague agenda over the course of the next seven months. Put simply, our work is not finished on these issues.” Obama plans major nuclear policy changes in his final months
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu decided at their June 7 meeting in Moscow to deepen the military ties between the Russian and Israeli armed forces, debkafilereports exclusively from is military and intelligence sources. It was a historic decision that spells the end of the IDF’s unique relationship with the US military.The head of the IDF’s military intelligence branch, Maj. Gen. Hertzi Halevi, and Mossad chief Yossi Cohen also participated in the meeting. Our sources report that Putin and Netanyahu decided that a joint exercise by the Israeli and Russian naval and air forces will be held this summer as part of the first stage of expanded ties. It will mark the first time in modern Middle East military history that Russian military planes take off from an Arab country, Syria’s Hmeymim airbase, and Russian warships sail out of their bases in Tartus and Latakia, for joint maneuvers with the Israeli air force and navy. debkafile’s military sources add that, ahead of the exercise, the joint mechanism that coordinates Russian and Israeli air flights in Syrian airspace will be expanded. According to those sources, the bilateral decision for the joint war game was tied to an agreement to allow Russian gas companies to compete for contracts to develop Israel’s Leviathan and Tamar offshore gas fields. Netanyahu said June 7 in Moscow, “Our doors are open now to all companies from all countries that have substantial experience in developing gas fields, including Russia of course.” Putin had tried repeatedly to win a foothold for Russian companies, especially energy giant Gazprom, in the development of Israel’s offshore gas fields and export industry. The Russian leader tried to convince Netanyahu by saying that the presence of the Russian navy and air force in the area would guarantee that no Arab or Muslim military force, such as those of Iran, Syria and Hizballah, would attack the gas fields.
Perhaps the most pressing question on everyone’s mind, is Putin Gog? The bible says “Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal” Ez. 38:2,3.
Twice the Word indicates that Gog/Magog is chief prince of Meshech and Tubal ensuing a different political structure between them. The key to understanding this prophecy is to study the line of Japheth, a son of Noah. “The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras.”Gen 10:2
To say as modern commentaries do, that Magog, Tubal, and Mesheh are modern countries does not fit as they are the names of ethnic groups, not countries and there is no connection in history to link Meshech to Moscow and Tubal to Tobolsk as many writers have. The ancient names for Mowscow and Tobolsk were Slavi and Wends. Russia did not even exist at the time of this prophecy.
Previously it was asked if Putin was Gog/Magog. Since it has been shown that Gog is chief of Meshech and Tubal, indicating different political groups and Meshech and Tubal are ethnic groups, probably not. It would not make sense to say Putin is chief prince of two of his own cities. Most likely, Gog/Magog is a future UN leader that launches the huge coalition army under Western leadership from the land of Turkey “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”Eze 38:15
Turkey is due north of Israel and it is public knowledge that President Obama is seeking to replace UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon when his term expires in January of 2017.
Russia will most likely participate in this prophecy, but not as the leader. Perhaps Putin is one of three kings at some point the Antichrist has to defeat.
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things.Dan 7:8
And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. Dan 7:24
Much can be said about the recent vote in England to leave the 28 nation EU. It seems contrary to what the bible says of a one world government for the final 7 years, however if one reads between the lines, it is obvious this is the beginning of a power struggle where the final world leaders will emerge leading ultimately to the 10 horns/kings of Daniels vision and finally to the little horn/Anti-Christ whom destroys 3 of those kings.
After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns. Dan 7:7
I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another little horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots: and, behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of man, and a mouth speaking great things. Dan 7:8
With a starting point of just 10 kings and 3 defeated early on, one can see how many world leaders are yet to be removed. Perhaps this breaking news is pointing to the removal of many of the 28 nation EU leaders.
European SUPERSTATE to be unveiled: EU nations ‘to be morphed into one’ post-Brexit
The foreign ministers of France and Germany are due to reveal a blueprint to effectively do away with individual member states in what is being described as an “ultimatum”.
Under the radical proposals EU countries will lose the right to have their own army, criminal law, taxation system or central bank, with all those powersbeing transferred to Brussels.
A women rides the Beast: a statue outside one of the EU headquarters in Brussels.
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:Rev 17:4
And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. Rev 17:5
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. 12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. 13 These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. Rev. 17:9-13
Meanwhile, two world powerhouse countries have come closer together in cooperation.
China, Russia eye closer friendship amid tensions with West
The Temple Institute has announced a bold new initiative to identify, select and register kohanim-priests who would be eligible to participate in the process of preparing the Red Heifer, which is used in the ritual of purifying Jews from the tuma-impurity of the dead.
This unprecedented move represents the second stage of the Institute’s project to restore the concept of biblical purity into the world, something that will have immense repercussions on Jewish observance as we know it. Even before the Temple is rebuilt, the reinstatement of halakhically approved kohanim is a pre-requisite for preparation of the Red Heifer which will enable the people of Israel to perform numerous Torah-based commandments…….
Egyptian President Abdel Fatteh El-Sisi has sent a secret missive to President Barack Obama asking for urgent US military intervention in support of Egypt’s war on the Islamist State in Sinai, before the jihadis pose a real threat to Cairo………..
…….., given his record as former defense minister and a much-decorated general in the Egyptian army, an appeal to a foreign power for military assistance is out of character and would normally be found unacceptable in his own milieu. It must therefore be seen as a sign of extreme distress over Cairo’s failure to vanquish – or even contain ISIS, which now poses a strategic threat to Egypt proper…………..
Have you noticed how fast time is fleeting by these days? No longer is it just a perception that happens once one obtains middle age due to increased responsibility and activities, but rather now, even teenagers and young adults are sensing that time has sped up. Is it still just a perception or could it be biblical? What would cause time to speed up?
God is eternal and the creator of time stating the end from the beginning. “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:Isa 46:10. “Come ye near unto me, hear ye this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, there am I:Isa 48:16.
God is in complete control of time and can change it as He wills. All of time is in the present sense to Him as he views time on a vertical scale of past, present, and future and can intersect time any place He chooses.
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2Pe 3:8
For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night. Psa 90:4
Joshua in the battle against the Amorites asked the Lord to hold the sun in place for a time until the battle was finished. That miracle altered the current time.
Then spake Joshua to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon. And the sun stood still, and the moon stayed, until the people had avenged themselves upon their enemies. Is not this written in the book of Jasher?So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and hasted not to go down about a whole day.
After the Sin of Adam, all of creation suffered for it, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now”Rom 8:22. The entire universe is suffering a slow death. If all motion of the universe is slowing down at a uniform rate, then time is speeding up for if the faster an object travels, the slower the time, then the opposite must also be true. This concept is explained by Time dilation and Einstein’s theory of relativity, a topic outside the scope of this paper.
Jesus says the days of persecution during the last half of the Tribulation will be shortened.
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.Mat. 24:21-22.
Daniel tells us the number of those days will be 1290. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days“Dan 12:11. “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days“Dan 12:12.
Clearly the 1290 days will be reduced by what Jesus says in Matthew 24 in that the number of persecution days will be shortened but the number of days to the Second Coming will remain the same. Is it possible this passage has a dual meaning in that those days will also literally be shorter in time? Are we seeing a precursor to that now?
God created the stars, sun, and moon for reasons including time. These celestial bodies will be effected in the Tribulation. “And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:” Gen 1:14.
The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. Rev 11:14.
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. Rev 12:12
In the end, time will be now more. “And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:” Rev 10:6.
Do you know Jesus as your personal savior? Are you one that has just “added” Jesus to your life rather than truly submit to Him? Are you one that is “working” for your salvation?
For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:12-13.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu to start the withdrawal of forces from Syria starting Tuesday. Russia will however keep a military presence at the port of Tartus and at the Khmeimim airbase to observe ceasefire agreements.
A deep rift with Tehran over the continuation of the Syrian war and an irreconcilable spat with Syrian ruler Bashar Assad over his future prompted Russian President Vladimir’s shock order Monday, March 14, for the “main part” of Russian military forces to quit Syria the next morning. This is reported by debkafile’s military and intelligence sources. Moscow would retain a military presence at the naval port of Tartous and the Hmeymim airbase outside Latakia.
The Russian president did not fix a timeline for the military withdrawal – only its start. Neither did he promise to discontinue all military operations in Syria.
He did say only that “The task put before the defense ministry and Russian armed forces has on the whole been fulfilled” and he spoke of a “fundamental turnaround in the fight against international terrorism.”
To some extent, Russia has kept a volatile country from going completely ballistic. Once the majority of the Russian military is gone, will the country resume its’ tailspin? Will Iran or Hezbollah be the instigator?
We know the destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17) is yet to occur, and we know it is caused by the children of Israel.
In that day shall his strong cities be as a forsaken bough, and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the children of Israel:and there shall be desolation. Is. 17:9
One would think Israel would not create this type of destruction as long as a country as powerful as Russia were present, but now they leave….what’s next? Will this prophecy occur in the near future or will it commence in the seven year Tribulation? Will it be before or after Gog and Magog? Time will tell, but this author leans towards a pre-Gog & Magog occurrence.
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Tit 2:13
With about 10 months left in office, President Barack Obama is considering unprecedented moves to implement a two-state solution, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
Senior US officials revealed that the President is looking to initiate a final negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority using United Nations Security Council resolutions, a step that would obligate not only Israel and the Palestinian Authority, but effectively determine the direction of US policy for the president’s successor as well.
Netanyahu’s extraordinary decision to spurn the presidential invite came a year after Obama refused to meet with Netanyahu in Washington, citing the proximity to Israeli elections, in what was widely regarded as a sign of the strain in ties between the two leaders;
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. Gen. 12:3
Do you remember this man? Democracy in Turkey is quickly dying.
Turkey has recently seized two newspaper media companies including the largest Zaman.
An İstanbul court appointed trustees to take over the management of the Feza Media Group, which includes Turkey’s biggest-selling newspaper, the Zaman daily, as well as the Today’s Zaman daily and the Cihan news agency, dealing a fresh blow to the already battered media freedom in Turkey.
Despite criticism from European officials over its crackdown on opposition media, the Turkish government has reportedly taken control of another news agency. It comes days after the seizure of the popular opposition newspaper Zaman.
Turkey’s “strongman” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is going the extra mile in his trajectory of authoritarianism by challenging a Constitutional Court ruling.
Although stressing that he fully supports freedom of expression, Erdogan said no one can attack the country under the guise of liberty. “This is spying, [and] intelligence organizations in every country have almost infinite legal power — and so they can’t be interfered with so easily by any ordinary prosecutor,” he added. “Now, after our departure, there will be a lot of turbulence behind us over my statement,” he said, signaling that he was aware of the possible dramatic ramifications of his statement.
Amid President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent West African tour, from Feb. 28 to March 4 and including visits to Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria and Guinea, news reports surfaced of Turkey establishing a military presence on the strategic Horn of Africa, in Somalia. This development will make Turkey the fifth foreign country to have a military presence in Africa, joining Britain, France, Japan and the United States.
According to the reports, carried extensively by the pro-government media under such headlines as “New TurkeySpreads to Four Continents,”
Russia will most likely participate in this prophecy, but not as the leader. Perhaps Putin is one of three kings at some point the Antichrist has to defeat.
Looking for that Blessed Hope! 