Putin made these goals clear in 2008 by invading Georgia. He is doing everything he can to prevent Georgia, Ukraine and all other former Soviet countries from developing closer ties with Europe.Mr. Putin also recently pushed the U.S. out of his backyard by pressuring Kyrgyzstan to kick America out of Manas air base. This is America’s only military base left in Central Asia. It is the main supply base for U.S. operations in Afghanistan. Putin offered Kyrgyzstan a big arms deal if it would not renew America’s lease in Manas, which ends in July, and he got his wish. He also convinced the Obama administration to back down over a missile defense shield America had planned to build in Europe.
Russia’s deep involvement in the Middle East has allowed the brutal Syrian regime to retain power. It has also been instrumental in allowing Iran to continue pursuing nuclear weapons. .....................................................................
This world has a lot of authoritarian rulers. But Vladimir Putin is one we need to keep a particularly close eye on. His track record, his nationality and his ideology indicate that he could—and I strongly believe he will—fulfill a linchpin Bible prophecy that was recorded millennia ago. The time frame of his rule makes it almost certain.
A Prophesied ‘Prince’
Back around a.d. 90, the Apostle John recorded an amazing prophecy: “And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them” (Revelation 9:16). That means an army of 200 million men! That is more people than were alive in the world when that prophecy was recorded. This is an end-time prophecy that we are certain to see fulfilled very soon.
The Bible gives some important details about this largest army ever assembled on Earth. It tells us which nations will contribute soldiers to it. It shows it will include the combined forces from several Asian nations. It refers to this Asian confederacy as the “kings of the east” (Revelation 16:12). It also reveals that it will have one lead country—and one individual at the head.
A prophecy in Ezekiel 38 gives us some of these important details. “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him” (Ezekiel 38:1-2). These verses begin in the latter days (verses 8, 16) before the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord and Christ’s Second Coming.......................................................................................................................
Rosh was the ancient name of Russia, once called Rus. So who is this “prince” of Russia, Moscow and Tobolsk? The use of all three names states that this is an individual ruler of all the peoples of Russia, from the west to the east. Ezekiel’s command to “prophesy against him” further indicates a specific individual.
When you study these scriptures alongside current events revealing modern Moscow’s imperialist direction, you see that Vladimir Putin could well become the leader of that gigantic army of the East. I strongly believe Vladimir Putin is going to lead the 200 million-man army. Just look at the power he already has.
Can you think of any other Russian politician who could become so powerful and have the will to lead Russia into the crisis of crises? I see nobody else on the horizon who could do that. And only a tiny few years remain for the prince of Rosh to appear!
Such a man doesn’t appear overnight. It takes years for even a strong-willed leader to gain such control.
Vladimir Putin already has the power—and the will to use it. I believe there is not enough time for a competitor to arise and challenge him.‘God’s Army’
Details about this army are revealed in passages such as Revelation 9:13-21, Revelation 16, Daniel 11, Jeremiah 50 and Joel 2. In verse 11 of Joel 2, this 200 million-man Asian force is actually called God’s army. God is the one who will raise up this war machine! Why?
God is going to use this colossal Asian force to confront the military of united German-led Europe, which will also be on the scene at this time. It will obliterate Europe, but not the main European armies. These armies will meet to fight at Armageddon, but Christ will bring them to Jerusalem to fight Him and be defeated. This is God’s punishment on the Europeans for their sins—especially for their brutal treatment of His people Israel (e.g. Revelation 18:5-6; Jeremiah 50:29-31).
Current events show this army taking shape already.
You can see it in Putin’s growing authoritarianism, and also in his outreach to other Asian powers. Russia has supplied China with many military armaments over the last decade or so; it also helped the Chinese go nuclear. For many years the Russians have been allied with China, at least to some degree.
But there will also be other powers involved. Ezekiel’s prophecy says the Russia-led army will include “Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya …
Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people” (Ezekiel 38:5-6). Gomer refers to Japan, which wields some of the world’s most advanced weaponry and technology. Ethiopia and Libya should be translated “Cush” and “Phut.”
Though some of Cush and Phut migrated to African nations, the rest settled in parts of India. The context of this passage shows that it refers to modern-day Indians (and perhaps Pakistanis) rather than Africans.
This is significant because India has a population of 1.2 billion people—plus an advanced nuclear arsenal! When you put India and Japan together with Russia and China, it is easy to see how an army of 200 million soldiers could be formed. With other Asian nations joining in, you quickly reach combined populations of 2.5 to 4 billion people! Under extreme circumstances like those described in these end-time prophecies, it is not hard to imagine one in 10 or 20 people going to war.
We need to deeply think about the fact that God calls this Asian force His army. It shows who is really orchestrating all of these cataclysmic events, and who is really behind the overall picture. Is it Vladimir Putin? No, it is the Almighty God! .............................................................................................................................
America is sleeping through the Ukraine crisis. But Europe is deeply alarmed by what happened to this country that is right in its own neighborhood!The changes this crisis provokes in Germany and Europe will shake the nations!
The Ukraine debacle has taken us a giant step closer to World War iii! ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………to the wise follow your bible to know the time sequences were in
