Special Note to FOJ Readers (part III)

Special Note to FOJ Readers (part III) “Who is Vladimir Putin?”

Vladimir Putin is in the news a lot these days. Many Bible believing Christians are suddenly wondering just who Vladimir Putin is, and what role might he play in Bible prophecy; especially so since he is the present leader of Russia.

Most speculation revolves around whether or not he might be the actual player that the OT prophet Ezekiel speaks of as Gog, the chief prince of the land of Magog, Meshech or Rosh. 

Others are even theorizing the idea that Vladimir Putin might even be the Antichrist! 

These are all very poignant concerns! Ezekiel’s prophecy is of paramount importance in the Last Days, and therefore any actions relative to the names listed in the discourse in chapters 38 & 39 require deep analytical research. 

Vladimir Putin’s Rise to Power

Mr. Putin is the leader of the Russian Federation. Since his invasion of Ukraine recently, he has become a subject of intense interest concerning Russia’s role in end times Bible prophecy.

Vladimir Putin is 69 years old and was born on October 7,1952 in St. Petersburg, Russia, then known as Leningrad. His father was an atheist and his mother was a follower of the Russian Orthodox religion. His paternal grandfather was a staunch Communist who served in the employ of Joseph Stalin. 

Putin, spent his teenage years galavanting as a street thug in the gangs of St. Petersburg. He was notoriously brutish, despite his small stature and caught the eye of the Soviet KGB. 

From these humble beginnings, Putin began his meteoric rise through the ranks of KGB spying operations, ending up as a chief in East Berlin of Soviet espionage. 

While in the KGB, Putin was prepped for future assignments by attending law school in his native St. Petersburg, graduating in 1975, at the age of 43.

By, 1990, Putin was a member of Boris Yeltsin’s inner circle of anti-democracy or anti-Gorbachev proponents. Finally, Yeltsin’s declining health, opened an opportunity for Putin to be selected by Yeltsin as his successor in 1999. 

As they say, the rest is history. Putin has basically become another Russian Dictator ever since. He has rigged elections, eliminated opponents, stolen companies and greatly enriched himself to where he is reputed to be the richest man in the world.

Putin’s Paranoia

1- As a philosophical Russian Communist, Putin is paranoid about the intent of the West regarding the former Soviet sphere of power. He is fearful that the West, with its multi-nation alliance under NATO is seeking to encroach more and more into Eastern Europe, thereby undermining the domain of Putin’s concept of Greater Russia. 

2- Seeing himself as the Savior of Russia, Putin fears the prospect of Russia being reduced to an impotent power player on the world stage.

3- Putin is highly sensitive to the emerging New World Order that is being orchestrated, designed and implemented by powerful non-governmental agencies in the West. (WEF, G-7, Club of Rome and many others)

4- Putin also harbors suspicions about a Shadow government operating within the United States, that he views as being obsessed with stealing the resources of the south Russian Caucasus region. (Oil, gas, etc.)

5- Putin is adamantly opposed to the prospect of former Soviet occupied states being independent from Russia, and becoming amalgamated into the European Economic Union. 

Putin’s Gambit

In his vision to rebuild Russia once again into an Euro-Asian Empire, Putin is intent on formatting former Soviet client states into an alliance that is virally anti-West. These states include Syria and Iran. Putin’s hopes are to annex many other areas into his sphere of influence; such as Ukraine. 

Russia and Iran, as well as China share a common interest in limiting the political influence of the United States and Europe in Central Asia. This common interest brought into existence the structure of economic and military cooperation known as the Shanghai Cooperation Council and the formation of the  Euro-Asian Economic Union. (EEC) These alliances between Russia, China and Iran form a competitive counter of the Western styled NATO and European Union. 

Iran is the only country in Western Asia that has been invited to join with Russia’s CSTO. (Collective Security Treaty Organization) As a result of this collective alliance, Russia and Iran have been teamed together in a policy to displace Western influence in Asia and the Middle East. 

Syria is Central to the Russia-Iran Axis

With the so-called “Arab Spring” uprising in 2010, Russia and Iran have cooperated in stabilizing Bashar Assad in Syria. 

 

The “Arab Spring” was a Western devised operation to supposedly promote Democracy in the Middle East, especially in Libya, Egypt and Syria. In 2011 the Syrian civil war began with the United States and Europe lending support to various Syrian rebels. 

The Syrian Civil War became a nightmarish struggle between East and West with the dynamics of Islamic Revolution underlying the volatile geopolitical mix.

Simply stated, Russia’s Syrian strategic importance resonates beyond the Middle East as a test case for Russia’s desired “post-West” world. 

This Russia-China competitive “post-West” world features Russia’s elevated status at the expense of US power. Nowhere is this vision more apparent for Russia than in the Middle East and Syria where Moscow plots to exploit the perception of a US withdrawal from the region to project its own influence.

Then, Afghanistan happened! When the US suddenly withdrew from Afghanistan, Putin saw a golden opportunity to wage a second war on Ukraine! His first war garnered him control of Crimea and much of the Black Sea corridor down to Syria. 

For Iran, Russia’s partner in anti-West plots, Syria is also a strategically key ally. It’s Iran’s main conduit to the Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon, the proxy through which Iran can threaten Israel with an arsenal of short-range missiles.

* These two factors foreshadow the events that Gog, of the land of Magog will someday perpetrate against, not just Israel; but also the Empire of the Antichrist! 

An obscure prophecy about the Antichrist in the book of Daniel reveals that the future Antichrist will become distressed about news of mighty powers coming against him from the North and the East! These two powerful groups of nations will be led by Russia and China

Daniel 11:44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.

Answering Questions about Putin

First, the most pressing anxiety about Putin!

1- Is Vladimir Putin the Antichrist? 

Answer: NO! Vladimir Putin is not, nor will he become the Antichrist! Mr. Putin is no doubt a very evil man, but he is a mere puppet in the “unseen war” within the ongoing battle between the angelic warriors of Satan and Almighty God! 

2- Might Vladimir Putin be the powerful Gog, the “Prince of Rosh” or Mescheh mentioned by the prophet Ezekiel in his prophecy about Magog?

Answer: Gog is definitely tied to the land of Magog in some mysterious way. But the answer to this direct question is a bit more complex and is still open to conjecture! Only time will tell the tale on this question.

But there are two credible theories about the identity of Gog, as to whether he is a political ruler of Russia; or if by the classification as a “Chief Prince” of Meschech, he might be a forceful “principality” of the fallen Angel ilk; who is manipulating the rulers of Magog and others in the North, associated with Russia. 

Gog is possibly a powerful Prince within the unseen supernatural war against the Prince of God; Jesus Christ himself! Again in Daniel chapter twelve, we are accorded a view of another powerful Prince; a Prince that will stand against the “principalities” of Satan as he defends Israel during the Tribulation:

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

However we may view Vladimir Putin, these things are certain: 

1- He is an evil minded man that Satan can easily manipulate to threaten Israel. 

2- He is demonically controlled and possess a venomous hatred for freedom and Western democratic ideals. 

3- He is systematically preparing Russia for exactly what the prophecies of Ezekiel long ago (2600 years) forecast for Russia, Iran, Syria and even the Antichrist. 

4- The future Antichrist will not come from Russia, Iran, China, or any other associated or allied nations. 

* Synopsis: The future Antichrist will, in my humble opinion, more than likely emerge from either the West or the near Middle East! 

But the most important thing about the times in which we live today, is not who Gog is or, what Vladimir Putin represents; or whom the Antichrist will ultimately be. 

The most important thing today is knowing Jesus Christ as one’s own personal Savior! Jesus is Coming! As if we needed any more evidence of that fact, the present ongoing circumstances in “All of the nations” of our world, foreshadow the fact that the history of mankind is coming to a climax!

This old world has a pending date with God; and it is nearing! Be ye therefore ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh! (Matthew 24:44)

Focus on Jerusalem

March 20, 2022

by: Darrell G. Young