RUSSIA appears in Scripture several times and will play a large role in end time events. Russians are the decendants of Magog, the second son of Japheth who was the eldest son of Noah. Josephus, the ancient Jewish historian, recorded that the descendants of Magog were located north of the Black Sea were known as Scythians. They were a warlike, nomadic tribes people who migrated west from central Asia.
The Scythians were considered “barbarians” and were particularly vicious and cruel. They conducted human sacrfice and scalpted their victims to make bowls out of which they drank. There were Scythians who were converted to Christ in the time of the early Church (Col.3:11). Even Scythians could be changed by the grace of Christ.
Many Russians today are descendants of the Scythians and their behaviour is consistent with some of the traits of the Scythians. Both exhibit cruelty and depravity.
Two of the leading causes of death among Russian men is the consumption of Vodka and another is murders. Those who turn to Christ of course become “new creatures in Christ”. God is able to save even the vilest of sinners who seek the Lord and many have lived changed lives through the power of the Gospel of Christ.
However when Stalin reigned over Russia 20,000,000 perished after they were sent to Siberia where temperatures fall to -500C. Any person who disagreed with the Russian Communists could be banished to Siberia as slave labour working 12-14 hours a day. Some were not even given blankets and froze to death.
In the Stalin era, Christians were sent to Siberia for having a Bible in their home. Doormats in the schools had the face of Jesus printed on them so that the children could wipe their feet on Jesus’ face!
One Russian lady known personally to me, shared how her father was placed in a cell only large enough to stand with a block of ice dripping on his head. He went to prison with curly hair and when he returned home was bald. For 3 months he was afraid to speak even with his family! More than 40 members of the family fled across Siberia to Mongolia where this lady, then 18 years old, worked in a coal mine until the river froze and they could cross over into China. Only 4 members of the family reached China after the Russians came into the city of Habin, Manchuria and shot the rest of the family!.
Russia is divided into two parts: European Russia lies west of the Ural Mountains that run North-South from the Caspian Sea to the Arctic Ocean. Siberia is on the East of the Ural Mountains. Siberia stretches all the way to the Pacific Ocean.
The population of Russia is about 140 million and has decreased by about 5 million over the last few years; 25% live in Siberia while 75% live west of the Urals. Russia’s population according to a census in 1897 was 125.6 million and has shown minimal growth over the last 127 years.
The greatest cause of death among Russian males is alcohol. Men are heavy drinkers of Vodka and the average life span of Russian men is in the 60s. When the Russia/Ukraine war began almost 1,000,000 men fled the country. These were largely technicians and their departure left a large hole in the workforce.
Russia has the largest land mass of all countries and much of Russia is uninhabited. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991 many were released and fled the country and today there are uninhabited cities in Siberia.
RUSSIA UNDER THE TZARS BEFORE COMMUNISM
Before the Communists took over Russia in 1917 the Tzars ruled the land from 1547 to 1917 and Jews were persecuted.
Between 1880 and 1917 the Jews were isolated in “the Pale of Settlements” that were areas where Jews were confined. Pogroms began in 1881 when the Jews were blamed for the assassination of Tzar Alexander II. Hundreds of Pograms were authorized by the Russian Government. A Pogram might last for several days when an open season was declared for the public to destroy Jewish property and kill Jews. False accusations were made against Jews and they were blamed for the economic woes of the time.
Pogroms continued into the Communist era after the Revolution in 1917. It was these persecutions that gave rise to the Zionist Movement that advocated a national home for the Jews. The First Zionist Congress in Basle, Switzerland in 1897 was the beginning of the fulfilment of Ezekiel’s prophecy of the Valley of Dry Bones (Ezek.37:1- 14). Jewish leaders came together to discuss establishing a national home for persecuted Jews so that they could defend themselves.
In 1990-91 after the Berlin Wall came down, 400,000 Jews fled from Russia and 85% settled in Israel.
RUSSIA IN THE LAST DAYS
Bible prophecy makes two mentions of the land of Magog in the last days. The first Russian invasion of Israel will occur in the first half of the Tribulation (Ezek.38-38) soon after the Rapture of the Church and will be used of God to bring Israel to repentance and faith in Christ.
The other invasion of Israel will occur at the end of the 1,000-year millennial kingdom of Christ (Rev.20:8-10). On both occasions, Russia (Magog) will be judged by God with Divine judgments falling on the land of Russia. The two invasions of Israel by Magog are 1,000 years apart but both have a similar conclusion.
In the first instance God will “send a fire on Magog” and West of the Urals is burned (Ezek.39:6) after they invade Israel in the first half of the Tribulation. The remnant of Gog’s army that escapes will go to Siberia, “far off” (from Israel) ...”into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea,” (Pacific Ocean) …”and his hinder part toward the utmost sea (North Sea)” (Joel 2:20).
In the second invasion Satan will gather an army from the nations to surround Jerusalem and fire will “come down from God out of heaven and devour them” (Rev.20:9).
Thus we can expect Russia to play an active part in world politics as we draw closer to the Rapture of the Church. For years now Russia has had her military in Syria and has established relations with Iran, Turkey, Libya and Sudan. She has suffered some reverses more recently in Syria and the Trump Administration may bring a measure of peace in the Middle East but the Bible clearly foretells the final outcome and the Rapture of the Christians could be at any time!
BY John Ecob
