Welcome to the Bible in the News. As we continue to monitor the growing tensions in the Middle East our eyes are directed towards the words of  Ezekiel 38:7:

Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.

Be Thou Prepared

 As discussed previously in Bible in the News, Russia has been increasing its military spending and is busy re-arming itself while the US has begun cuts to its military spending. The Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch reported on January 7:

“Obama and the Pentagon are hoping to starve off sharp cuts for defense spending. Last year, a congressional joint select committee on deficit reduction failed to find some $1.2 trillion in budget cuts, triggering across-the-board cuts that include reducing the military budget by $600 billion over 10 years, starting in 2013.”

Meanwhile, the Defense Management Journal reported on the increase in Russia’s military spending in December of last year:

“Between now and 2020, around $650bn of spending, including the purchase of eight nuclear submarines, 600 jets and 1,000 helicopters, has been planned. Defence spending increases will also allow for the purchase of around 100 warships and four helicopter carriers – including two Mistral carriers from France. In 2012 alone, the country is set to take delivery of dozens of new fighters, bombers, transport aircraft and helicopters.

This change in direction for both countries is in keeping with the picture painted by Ezekiel where Russia and its company, (termed Rosh the prince of Gog and Magog long with its confederacy), form the aggressors and the US and its trading partners, (the Merchants of Tarshish and all the young lions thereof), unite in passive protest. The situation in the Middle East is moving in this direction.

This preparation is not limited to the Middle East. France (referred to as Gomer and its tribes in Ezekiel 38) is also making military links with the old Russian bear. RIA Novosti reported this week,

Paris is seeking further military and technical cooperation with Russia after the latter has purchased France’s Mistral-class helicopter carriers. France is prepared to offer Russia brand–new weapons except ballistic missiles, radio-electronic warfare, NATO codes and automated combat control systems, Arnaud Kalika, a participant in the military section of the Valdai International Discussion Club, told reporters.

The expert confirmed that talks between Moscow and Paris on building the third and fourth Mistral warships are underway. He believes that a contract in this respect will be signed in 2012. France will deliver first two carriers in 2014 and 2015 as its DCNS naval defense company already received Russia’s prepayment of 1.2 billion dollars in late 2011 and is shortly launching the construction….

The stake of Russia’s Joint Stock Ship Building company will rise to 70-80% in constructing carriers number three and four compared to initial 30-40%.

Military expert Igor Korotchenko focused on this fact and noted that France is Russia’s major military and technical partner.

Recently Moscow and Paris have boosted military and tech cooperation. France attracts Russia by new military technology and its further reproduction in Russia. For example, we use French techniques when producing night vision devices for T-90 tanks. They are also exported abroad."

Be Thou a Guard unto Them

The other element of Ezekiel 38:7 is the “guarding” that Rosh is outlined to perform. With this in mind, consider the announcement of the visit of Russian warships to the port of Tartus in Syria. Reuters reported:

 The destroyer Admiral Chabanenko and the frigate Yaroslav Mudry are scheduled to put in at Russia's naval maintenance and supply facility in the Syrian port of Tartus, Itar-Tass cited an unnamed representative of the navy's general staff as saying.

The official said the vessels, part of a group of Russian ships currently in the Mediterranean, were expected to spend several days at the Tartus facility, one of the Russian navy's few outposts abroad.

The reason for such a show of force? The article continued:

Amid global pressure on Assad, analysts say Russia's stance is rooted in resentment over Libya, reluctance to lose one of its few footholds in the Middle East and a desire to project a firm image in relations with the West in an election season.

So Russia is not going to allow Syria to become the next Libya, and is prepared to block any outside military intervention in these turbulent waters. Not only this, but the article continued to point out the connection between Syria and Russian arm sales:

Syria has been a major recipient of Russian weapons, accounting for 7 percent of Russia's total of $10 billion in arms deliveries abroad in 2010, according to the Moscow think- tank CAST.

Russia has been involved in “preparing” itself and its company. The word “prepare” carries the meaning to “secure,” to “stand upright,” to “establish” or to be a “restorer”. We have been witnessing Russia restoring its role on the world stage, and re-arming itself on the revenues of its oil wealth. We now see it preparing its company, securing both Syria and Iran from Western hegemony. It is “being a guard” to Syria, “hedging them about” with its war ships to prevent an intervention similar to the NATO backed Libyan campaign. It is preparing them with arms sales and no doubt we will see it involved in the rebuilding of Libya in the very near future.

So we continue to watch with interest as the Navy and military power of Russia is “restored” and prepared in order for it to fulfill its role as the aggressor of Ezekiel 38 and the “King of the North” of Daniel 11:40 who

“will come against him him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall entere into the countries and shall overflow and pass over”

This has been Jonathan Bowen joining you.