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I'm not catching the military or diplomatic benefit here... On the one hand, we are engaged in joint games with Russia, on our soil.
Russian paratroopers to 'seize' US facility on our soil in elaborate war games
"According to reports, the U.S. and Russian military will be engaging in an anti-terrorism exercise that will involve Russian paratroopers using U.S. weapons to “take and hold” the main facilities of the CIA and Denver International Airport in Colorado and the National Security Agency in Utah. ... Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Alexander Kucherenko publically announced this 24-21 May “anti-terror drill” this Friday past noting that this will be the first time Russian airborne forces have held exercises with the US airborne forces on US territory. Colonel Kucherenko stated, “According to the exercise scenario, soldiers of the two countries will hold a tactical airborne operation, including the reconnaissance of imaginary terrorists’ camp and a raid. After the operation, a helicopter will evacuate the soldiers.” He further added that Russian airborne troops would be training with US special service weapons in these drills in Fort Carson, Colorado."
On the other hand, Russian top officials said they will bomb our NATO troops if plans for a missile defense shield move forward in Eastern Europe...
Russia says it could pre-emptively strike missile shield
"Russia's top military officer has threatened to carry out a pre-emptive strike on U.S.-led NATO missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe if Washington goes ahead with its controversial plan to build a missile shield."
Well, isn't that special. Let's take a look at Russia in recent political history and then in biblical prophecy.
Remember, Russia was the Mother Bear anchor for the old Soviet Union of Socialist Republics, or USSR. "The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" (also known as the USSR or Soviet Union for short) consisted of Russia and surrounding countries that today make up Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. The USSR was founded in 1922, five years after the Russian Revolution overthrew the monarchy of the czar, and was dissolved in late 1991." (source)
The book Petrostate: Putin, Power, and the New Russia summarizes the recent history of that ancient state this way-
"In the aftermath of the financial collapse of August 1998, it looked as if Russia's day as a superpower had come and gone. That it should recover and reassert itself after less than a decade is nothing short of an economic and political miracle. Based on extensive research, including several interviews with Vladimir Putin, this revealing book chronicles Russia's dramatic reemergence on the world stage, illuminating the key reason for its rebirth: the use of its ever-expanding energy wealth to reassert its traditional great power ambitions. ... The book provides an informative overview of oil in Russia, traces Vladimir Putin's determined effort to reign in the upstart oil oligarchs who had risen to power in the post-Soviet era ... Goldman shows how Russia paid off its international debt and has gone on to accumulate the world's third largest holdings of foreign currency reserves--all by becoming the world's largest producer of petroleum and the world's second largest exporter."
It IS an economic and political miracle, one that Christians see has God's fingerprints all over it. Nations rise and fall, they don't usually rise again, and if they do, like the Roman Empire, there's a 2000 year gap between iterations. The Olmec civilization fell. Babylon fell. The United Kingdom Empire fell. The Tang dynasty fell. The Anasazi civilization fell and then vanished. So a decade between Russia's rise to fall to rise again is amazing. Downright miraculous.
Prophetically, Russia plays a major part in upcoming history. Ezekiel 38-39 describes Russia as a strong aggressor with a focus on taking a spoil and plunder. It is one of the main confederates in a dreadful alliance that attacks Israel in the last days. Ezekiel 38 opens with God talking to Gog through Prophet Ezekiel. Gog will get an evil thought to come against Israel like a cloud, her and all her confederates, to take plunder and spoil. They will attack the peaceful and unsuspecting people who dwell in safety in unwalled villages. God allows the attack so that He can show Himself Holy to the world and He protects Israel in so doing.
Look at the geography here. I couldn't even include all of Russia because it is so big the nation labels become unreadable. And Russia's allies the "-stans" are both east of the Caspian sea and west of it. And in between there and Israel are the Arab states. All these territories and nations attack Israel in the last 7 years. Israel is so tiny on the map you can't even see it. God is so amazing to protect her, making her an immovable rock!
"And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth are gathered together against it." (Zechariah 12:3)
Russia it is believed, is the nation mentioned as the one "from the far north", who will "...come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land." (Ezekiel 38:15-16).
It has been speculated that the spoil Russia comes to take is oil. And indeed, Israel has discovered great riches and reserves of natural gas and oil that is easily accessible and quickly converted to usable fuel. One thing that has been historically consistent with Russia is her ambitions. They have always been large, and in this era her ambitions rest on gas and oil. It is one reason the nation is so protective of itself and sees the installation of NATO missiles in Eastern Europe, especially Kaliningrad, which is Russia's close neighborhood as something they do not want to happen.
Yet we are going to do wargames with Russia. It sure is a crazy world, with shifting alliances and sudden moves, threats, wars and rumors of wars. We don't know what will happen tomorrow, but we know what will happen soon, the bible tells of the Isaiah 17 prophecy where Damascus and larger Syria are destroyed, where Israel's near neighbors are decimated, (Psalm 83), where Ezekiel prophesies the destruction of the alliance of Russia, Iran, Turkey/Armenia, Libya, Sudan etc. by God Himself. We know the last book in the bible, Revelation, speaks of battles of the Kings of the South and of the East marching against Israel. All this and much more is prophesied. And being promises of God, they will not fail.
"Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant." (1 Kings 8:56)
And Russia will be right in the center of these, some of His last promises. God is great, His plans never fail. I am amazed how He uses nations and events to bring to pass His will. After a startling fall and seeming defeat on the world stage, Russia is back, the bear is awakening from her short slumber and beginning to growl her intentions across the pages of prophecy.
"And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints." (Psalms 89:5)
Russian paratroopers to 'seize' US facility on our soil in elaborate war games
"According to reports, the U.S. and Russian military will be engaging in an anti-terrorism exercise that will involve Russian paratroopers using U.S. weapons to “take and hold” the main facilities of the CIA and Denver International Airport in Colorado and the National Security Agency in Utah. ... Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Alexander Kucherenko publically announced this 24-21 May “anti-terror drill” this Friday past noting that this will be the first time Russian airborne forces have held exercises with the US airborne forces on US territory. Colonel Kucherenko stated, “According to the exercise scenario, soldiers of the two countries will hold a tactical airborne operation, including the reconnaissance of imaginary terrorists’ camp and a raid. After the operation, a helicopter will evacuate the soldiers.” He further added that Russian airborne troops would be training with US special service weapons in these drills in Fort Carson, Colorado."
Russia says it could pre-emptively strike missile shield
"Russia's top military officer has threatened to carry out a pre-emptive strike on U.S.-led NATO missile defense facilities in Eastern Europe if Washington goes ahead with its controversial plan to build a missile shield."
Well, isn't that special. Let's take a look at Russia in recent political history and then in biblical prophecy.
Remember, Russia was the Mother Bear anchor for the old Soviet Union of Socialist Republics, or USSR. "The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics" (also known as the USSR or Soviet Union for short) consisted of Russia and surrounding countries that today make up Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. The USSR was founded in 1922, five years after the Russian Revolution overthrew the monarchy of the czar, and was dissolved in late 1991." (source)
The book Petrostate: Putin, Power, and the New Russia summarizes the recent history of that ancient state this way-
"In the aftermath of the financial collapse of August 1998, it looked as if Russia's day as a superpower had come and gone. That it should recover and reassert itself after less than a decade is nothing short of an economic and political miracle. Based on extensive research, including several interviews with Vladimir Putin, this revealing book chronicles Russia's dramatic reemergence on the world stage, illuminating the key reason for its rebirth: the use of its ever-expanding energy wealth to reassert its traditional great power ambitions. ... The book provides an informative overview of oil in Russia, traces Vladimir Putin's determined effort to reign in the upstart oil oligarchs who had risen to power in the post-Soviet era ... Goldman shows how Russia paid off its international debt and has gone on to accumulate the world's third largest holdings of foreign currency reserves--all by becoming the world's largest producer of petroleum and the world's second largest exporter."
It IS an economic and political miracle, one that Christians see has God's fingerprints all over it. Nations rise and fall, they don't usually rise again, and if they do, like the Roman Empire, there's a 2000 year gap between iterations. The Olmec civilization fell. Babylon fell. The United Kingdom Empire fell. The Tang dynasty fell. The Anasazi civilization fell and then vanished. So a decade between Russia's rise to fall to rise again is amazing. Downright miraculous.
Prophetically, Russia plays a major part in upcoming history. Ezekiel 38-39 describes Russia as a strong aggressor with a focus on taking a spoil and plunder. It is one of the main confederates in a dreadful alliance that attacks Israel in the last days. Ezekiel 38 opens with God talking to Gog through Prophet Ezekiel. Gog will get an evil thought to come against Israel like a cloud, her and all her confederates, to take plunder and spoil. They will attack the peaceful and unsuspecting people who dwell in safety in unwalled villages. God allows the attack so that He can show Himself Holy to the world and He protects Israel in so doing.
Look at the geography here. I couldn't even include all of Russia because it is so big the nation labels become unreadable. And Russia's allies the "-stans" are both east of the Caspian sea and west of it. And in between there and Israel are the Arab states. All these territories and nations attack Israel in the last 7 years. Israel is so tiny on the map you can't even see it. God is so amazing to protect her, making her an immovable rock!
"And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth are gathered together against it." (Zechariah 12:3)
Russia it is believed, is the nation mentioned as the one "from the far north", who will "...come from your place out of the far north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army. You will come up against My people Israel like a cloud, to cover the land." (Ezekiel 38:15-16).
It has been speculated that the spoil Russia comes to take is oil. And indeed, Israel has discovered great riches and reserves of natural gas and oil that is easily accessible and quickly converted to usable fuel. One thing that has been historically consistent with Russia is her ambitions. They have always been large, and in this era her ambitions rest on gas and oil. It is one reason the nation is so protective of itself and sees the installation of NATO missiles in Eastern Europe, especially Kaliningrad, which is Russia's close neighborhood as something they do not want to happen.
Yet we are going to do wargames with Russia. It sure is a crazy world, with shifting alliances and sudden moves, threats, wars and rumors of wars. We don't know what will happen tomorrow, but we know what will happen soon, the bible tells of the Isaiah 17 prophecy where Damascus and larger Syria are destroyed, where Israel's near neighbors are decimated, (Psalm 83), where Ezekiel prophesies the destruction of the alliance of Russia, Iran, Turkey/Armenia, Libya, Sudan etc. by God Himself. We know the last book in the bible, Revelation, speaks of battles of the Kings of the South and of the East marching against Israel. All this and much more is prophesied. And being promises of God, they will not fail.
"Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant." (1 Kings 8:56)
And Russia will be right in the center of these, some of His last promises. God is great, His plans never fail. I am amazed how He uses nations and events to bring to pass His will. After a startling fall and seeming defeat on the world stage, Russia is back, the bear is awakening from her short slumber and beginning to growl her intentions across the pages of prophecy.
"And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints." (Psalms 89:5)
Hi Elizabeth great blog, and very interesting as to the war games with Russia on American soil...is that a case of keeping one's enemies closer? or is it something more sinister...time will tell. Be prepared and save yourself through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR. AMEN
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
DeleteThank you so much for stopping by! I have no clue as to what the brainiacs at the top military levels are thinking...Russia has never been a friend, and only an uneasy ally in WWII. But we're letting them take cookies from the cookie jar. Makes no sense
Elizabeth, I am so glad you are writing about this. I don't get it. It doesn't make any sense. I feel like we have lost sovereignty. It is so scary.
ReplyDeleteWhen you step back and view things from a more distant perspective, you see how the enemy has worked in the background to create a condition in the name of commerce and science to develop technologies using blended ideas from around the globe through different people groups that effectively reversed what the Lord did at the tower of Babel.
ReplyDeleteThe people of America have been duped from the beginning and it has all been done in the name of progress.
Repent and believe, for the end is just around the corner for the US. I for one have asked the Lord for forgiveness in being to involved with the whore which is America and her "system".
I'm not sure why people think Russia is going after Israel for gas and oil when Russia is, (quote) "the world's largest producer of petroleum and the world's second largest exporter." (unquote from article you quoted above) As you pointed out, Russia is HUGE - 11 time zones, vast amounts of territory that hold incredible wealth in oil, minerals, water, timber, etc. That is just Russia proper, not all of the former communist countries included in the USSR. And speaking of all those former communist countries included in the USSR - I can't think of a single one that wants to go back under the thumb of "Mother Russia", including Belarus, the one closest in political ties now, or Kazakhstan. Russia herself is in inner turmoil. Negative growth rate of the population contributes to her many problems. Putin is a dangerous man, no doubt about that, and I do wonder what his game is. I also find it interesting that thousands of people who live in Israel came from either Russia, Ukraine, Belarus or some of the other former USSR countries. Most are of Jewish descent, but many are not, but I'm sure many still feel a kinship to Russia, Ukraine, etc. I personally know 3 who have immigrated from Ukraine in the past 10 years, and others who visit family there on a regular basis. Russia's ties/relationship with Israel are not just political, but her people live there in large numbers!
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
DeleteA good question. I'm not sure of the answer, I only have hunches. First, Russia would like a Mediterranean port. They can accomplish that - as they seem to be doing- at Syria's port of Tartus. The Russians are working mightily to expand that port now. The Russian naval base there will support a Russian naval presence in the Mediterranean as a base for "guided-missile cruisers and even aircraft carriers". (source http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/russia/2010/russia-100802-rianovosti02.htm)
Secondly, while Russia seems to have vast and bottomless reserves of gas and oil, the gas and oil found at Israel and off its coast are equally as vast. They are also easier to extract and to process. The temptation to grab it is high, for those reasons and also for the reason that in the last days the thought to wipe Israel from the map runs rampant. They Russians could kill two birds with one stone, obliterate Israel and make an "easy" grab for the spoil. We KNOW because of scripture that the Russians come to plunder a great spoil. I agree that the plunder they seek to steal may not be oil. It may be something else. As conditions warrant, we can easily reconsider the interpretation. But at the moment the present interpretation seems logical.
As for the former Baltic states not wanting to go back under the thumb of Mother Russia, I agree, they don't or wouldn't want to. But they may have to. We know that in the Tribulation there are ten kings and the world has been divided up into large geo-political regions. (Dan 7:24; Rev 17:12). This will be due to the fact that the economy has collapsed, and it is the antichrist's solutions that cause ALL the world to cave to the new regime, which is an economic collective of large global regions.
The fact that many in Israel come from Russia and therefore Mother RUssia may havesofter feelings for her people is a logical one- now. But don't forget that after the rapture the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way and that His restraining ministry evaporates. Sin has its day. People won't care one fig for other people, individually or nationally. The rapture will be a game-changer of enormous proportions, so much so that we can't comprehend it. We can only read in the bible that it will be like it was just before the flood, as Jesus said in Matthew 24:37, where He referred to the time of the Tribulation as like the time of Noah when men's thoughts were only evil continually (Genesis 6:5)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Russia
ReplyDeleteInteresting article(s) about Russia and Jews