Will Russia Invade Ukraine?, Iran and the Ukraine Crisis, More Trouble with “The Heathen Round About”

Will Russia Invade Ukraine?

A Russian invasion of Ukraine appears imminent! Or does it? Russia’s forces currently surround Ukraine on her northern, southern, and eastern borders. While news organizations and governments admit the possibility that Russia has an ulterior motive, an invasion seems to be set in Putin’s mind. We may even know when. DEBKAfile recently published an article: CIA intercepts Russian message to generals to invade Ukraine on Wednesday. According to this message, an invasion was planned for February 16th, 2022 – today, though nothing has happened so far. Russia, however, protests that they have no intention to invade, but that they are merely conducting a drill. Russia claims it is currently withdrawing forces, but NATO and other powers state they have yet to see any proof of this. Also of note is the fact that Russia has moved some of her war ships to the Black Sea: Ominous Russian movements in Black Sea raise alarm.

Will Putin invade or will he not? We believe this could go either way. Putin’s aim is to re-establish the old Soviet Union which Ukraine was part of. It is also interesting to consider that the eastern half of Ukraine appears to be included in the old Scythian territory, a people who the Jewish historian Josephus tells us correlate to those of Gog. If this is true, we expect Putin to order the invasion and be successful in it. This would allow Russia to more completely assume her role of Gog. A successful invasion would also have many ramifications for the Middle East. The Jerusalem Post recently published an article examining the effects of a Russian invasion: Could Ukraine crisis lead to new world order that impacts Israel? One paragraph reads,

“The outcome of the Ukraine crisis could signal to Iran that it can encourage more proxy attacks in the region. A sense of global impunity to invasions and attacks, and a perception the US-led world order has fractured, could help enemies of Israel.”

A successful invasion would seem to speak to the weakened, perhaps even “push over” state of the Tarshish Lions in Ezekiel 38:13. If the US and Britain will not stop Russia from this invasion, Russia may feel like they can do as they please and will therefore pay no mind to the weak Lion-roar of protest when he decides to come against Israel – “Art thou come to take a spoil?”

A Russian invasion of Ukraine would also become another means of the Lord gathering His people back to their homeland. According to World Israel News, there is a Secret plan to rescue up to 200,000 from Ukraine in place, Israel says. The Lord has been bringing back the captivity of Israel since the late 1800’s, and this would certainly be a large stride and in perfect harmony with many prophecies. Ukraine would qualify as one of “the north countries” from which the Lord would regather His people. It is difficult to imagine the small country of Israel housing another 200,000 people, but many more are yet to be gathered! Though all of these events appear completely natural to the naked eye, there will come a day when the entire earth will recognize that it is the Lord that is gathering His people:

Jeremiah 23:7-8 – “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.”

Although we believe it is a somewhat unlikely scenario, we can see how this Ukraine crisis could fizzle down. Russia is concerned about her security as the NATO countries continue to encroach closer and closer to their border. Ukraine is one of the few that has yet to “choose a side.” If Ukraine agrees not to join NATO, this is one avenue that could lead to de-escalation.

Either way, we would like to emphasize an important point. There is a great deal of action in the region that has been cause for excitement in the Household, and rightly so. Many, however, think that the prophecy of Ezekiel 38 is about to be fulfilled. While we believe these things are significant to prophecy, we simply cannot see how Ezekiel 38 is about to be fulfilled. There are a few factors present that appear to resemble some in the chapter, but there are yet countless that are missing. We view this affair as similar to that of Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, the Six Day War in 1967, and the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Amidst all the excitement of the moment, many confidently proclaimed that this is it! Jesus is returning any second now! All of the pieces are there! And yet, the conflict ended, time went on, and many wondered why it didn’t occur. Looking back, however, we can see that all of the pieces were NOT, in fact, in place, but the excitement of the moment blinded us to them.

With Bible in hand, we conclude that the current Ukraine-Russia Crisis is one of those moments. We earnestly want to say that all of the pieces are there. We have tried to see how this could be the beginning of Ezekiel 38, but our careful studies of the chapter along with the other latter-day prophecies clearly demonstrate to us that there are yet many things to be accomplished first. If parts of the prophecy are missing, then the prophecy is yet to be fulfilled, for all of the Lord’s words will come to pass. In times like these, it is important to “keep our heads” so to speak and be careful not to over or under-embellish events as this could lead to a weakened faith – one that was elated at the signs and earnestly expecting the return of Christ, but was let down.

Strictly because of the Scriptural testimony, we confidently believe that the war of Ezekiel 38 is still some way into the future. We feel we have spoken frequently on this subject, so for the sake of conciseness we will leave out some of the previously made arguments to showcase others:

1.     Israel is safe in Ezekiel 38, something that Israel has never been since they became a state (see vss. 8,11,14). Numerous other prophecies show that Israel’s safety is to be the result of a specific war. This is apparent from the following brief testimonies:

Jeremiah 23:6 – “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

Ezekiel 28:26 – “And they shall dwell safely therein, and shall build houses, and plant vineyards; yea, they shall dwell with confidence, when I have executed judgments upon all those that despise them round about them; and they shall know that I am the LORD their God.”

The Lord’s execution of judgment on those “round about” Israel results in the safety described in Ezekiel 38. Therefore, in order for Israel to be safe when Gog comes down, there must first be the prophesied war between Israel and her Arab neighbors “round about.”

2.     Habakkuk 3 is one of the few chapters that shows the early stages of the march of the saints from the scene of judgment to Jerusalem. Though we will quote only a small portion, we encourage the reading of the entire chapter. It portrays Christ and the saints coming to Jerusalem from Teman and Mount Paran, two places currently in the southern extremity of Jordan which correlate directly to Edom. These passages detail the beginning of the end for these heathen “round about” Israel. Consider

Habakkuk 3:12-13 – “Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.” Christ and the saints are said to be going “for the salvation of thy people”, i.e., the Jews. This means that Israel must need saving from something, and the aggressor that is destroyed is in the land of Edom.

There is also the testimony of Isaiah 63. This passage shows Christ in the same area going forth for the same reason mentioned in Habakkuk. It shows the aftermath of that prophecy from the perspective of one in Jerusalem:

Isaiah 63:1-4 – “Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come.”

EDOM, therefore, appears to be the first enemy to be destroyed. If Gog is to come down now, why is it that Edom is mentioned and not Gog or any of his confederates?

3.     Consider verses 11 and 12 of Ezekiel 38 – “And thou (Gog) shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land” (Ezekiel 38:11-12). 

Compare this time with that spoken of in Zechariah 2:4-5 – “Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein: For I, saith the LORD, will be unto her a wall of fire round about, and will be the glory in the midst of her.”

How wonderfully these speak to the same thing! Israel is to be without walls or defenses and greatly increased with cattle and goods. Bars or gates will no longer be found within Israel’s borders, not only because of the magnitude of her goes, but also because the Lord Jesus Christ himself will act as “a wall of fire round about.” Christ, therefore, must be in the land when Gog comes down. This, as we all know, has yet to occur, but we hope and pray happens soon! There are yet others beautiful intricacies of prophecy we wish to expand upon, but these will have to wait for future writings.

Iran and the Ukraine Crisis

US Senator Lindsey Graham has raised alarm over the current crisis, but not how most others are. This article appeared on The Jerusalem Post on February 14, 2022: Russia-Ukraine is important, but Iran is greater danger. We recommend reading it and have copied a portion of the article below for your perusal:

‘Stopping a nuclear Iran is the world’s most pressing issue today, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) said Monday in Jerusalem.

Russia seemingly being on the cusp of invading Ukraine and China’s behavior toward Taiwan are “important, consequential moments in history,” he said in a press briefing. “But the one we’re not talking about enough is even more consequential: that the Iranians break out and acquire nuclear capability... Russia and Ukraine are important, but this is the game-changer of all game-changers.”

“Russia and China are rational actors, even though their behavior is thuggish,” he added. “Iran is a theocracy motivated by religion that compels them to purify their faith and have the world submit. The Nazis wanted a master race, and the Iranians want a master religion. People like that cannot be ignored.”

Iran reaching nuclear breakout would lead to a chain of events, including Sunni Arab states developing their own nuclear weapons, Graham said.

“That’s not a conjecture; that’s a fact,” he said. “All you need to do is ask the Sunni Arabs, and they’ll tell you.”

Graham said he had “no doubt that Israel will do what she has to, and that would be to launch an attack to stop the Iranian theocracy from attaining a nuclear capability.”’

Though Russia’s movements are concerning, it is Iran, he argues, that is most dangerous player in the region and must be dealt with. He believes Israel will strike Iran if no one prevents their nuclear progress. On top of this, Yahoo! News just reported, Russia sends hypersonic-armed fighter jets to Syria for naval drills. The greater the Russian presence in Syria, the more difficult it is for Israel to strike there.

On this note, consider another news item from The Jerusalem Post: Iran unveils new missile named for Jewish oasis overrun by Muslims. Iran boasts that this missile is capable of striking anywhere in Israel.

Given all of these events, we perceive an Israeli strike on the Iranian home front is increasingly one of Israel’s only options left. As of now, we view this is as the potential catalyst for Israel’s war with “the heathen round about” referred to so often in Scripture. As Israel has shown their complete lack of confidence in any nuclear deal, a strike could occur any day. Perhaps the Russia-Ukraine Crisis has caused Israel to table their plans until the outcome of this crisis is more certain, but Israel knows that they cannot delay.

More Trouble with “The Heathen Round About”

Amidst all of this trouble in distant lands, Israel sees an immediate threat within and all around her! The IDF just underwent a brutal week-long military drill in bitter weather conditions to prepare for a war with Hezbollah on the northern front. While trouble brews in the north, Israel is equally worried about her southern border. The following is a short excerpt from another Jerusalem Post article, IDF drills for war with Hezbollah while keeping an eye on Hamas:

“Troops from the IDF’s 890th Paratroopers Battalion held a week-long drill simulating war on the northern front against Hezbollah while keeping a watchful eye on the country’s explosive southern border as tensions rise in Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.”

Take special note of this! “in 16 years since the last war between the two, Hezbollah has morphed into a battle-hardened terrorist army that is waiting for the order to attack.”

They are waiting for an order, and we believe it will likely come from Iran itself.

Hamas, creating an “explosive southern border”, is likewise threatening war with Israel: MK Moves Official Headquarters to the Site of Arab Terror Attacks; Hamas Threatens War.

Not only is this a problem for Israel’s southern border, but it causes problems within Israel. Arabs and Jews are clashing in Jerusalem, adding to the never-ending unrest of the country: WATCH: Jerusalem Arabs march in support of Hamas, clash with Jews | World Israel News.

The Arabs cry, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” The meaning of this is shown by an Islamic Movement official: 'All of the Jews will be evicted from Palestine'. Little do they know that their wishes will be turned upon their own heads. When Christ establishes his Kingdom, these enemies will be thoroughly cleansed from the land. He will soon return and save Israel, “and in that day there shall be no more the Canaanite in the house of the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 14:21).

So many wonderful developments, yet these are not even all of them! We made no mention of the recent unusual earthquake activity in Israel - two earthquakes in ten hours and four in one month - building up to the terrible one to ensue when Christ sets his foot on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah 14:4). Nor have we been able to mention the moral decline of the earth, plummeting deeper and deeper into darkness as prophesied (Isaiah 60:1-3).

Brothers and Sisters, the signs abound. Let us absorb these signs and ruminate on their meaning: Jesus Christ is returning soon! Though time could go on, we whole-heartedly believe that the saints could be gathered at any moment. Let us make ready and prepare ourselves according “while it is called to day” (Hebrews 3:13).