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Putin: 'Master of All Germany'
As Russia gains control of Europe's energy, Britain fears for her independence.
October 25, 2006 - Audio, 10.00 MIN
(Links at bottom of page to download free viewers.)
This is 'The Bible in the News' brought to you again this week by Paul Billington here in Ontario Canada--and like many others in the northern hemisphere, we watch the gradual approach of winter, knowing that keeping warm over the next few months will cost us--we will have to pay the price for the energy we require. And for those living in Europe, that price could be very high. Not that it is just this year--but the winter of 2007-8 as well, followed by that of 2008--9 and so on. The time may well come when the price of keeping warm--the price of energy--could be freedom. As we pointed out on this programme last week, Russia's Vladimir Putin is expanding his control, not only over the former empire of the Soviet Union, but over Western Europe as well--and this he is doing through Germany.
A newspaper report in the UK "Daily Express" (October 20) has underlined this again. Under the headline: POWERHOUSE PUTIN SWOOPS TO CONQUER, the article said (and I quote it to you):
"Almost 62 years ago, the master of Russia also became master of a third of Germany. The instrument that enabled that to happen was the Red Army. Now the new master of Russia, Vladimir Putin is moving closer to becoming the master of all Germany and there is not a red-starred tank on the horizon.
"Did Putin invade? Not quite. He signed a natural gas deal with a tearfully grateful Germany, hiking his supply to the Fritzes from an annual 40 billion cubic metres to 95 billion. Russia's conquest of its neighbours is already well under way but it is oil and gas that are the new main battle tanks. Ukraine dare not displease the tiny, cold-eyed czar. It tried some months ago, the gas was cut off and within 24 hours Ukrainian resistance collapsed. Georgia is the same.
"As the vast oil and gas resources of Siberia's Far East come on stream, Putin does not need Khrushchev's 50,000 tanks or Brezhnev's nuclear bombers. Countries foolish enough to set up single-source deals for energy supply might as well hand their supplier a loaded pistol pointed at their foreheads. It matters not whether the supplier is Russia or Uzbekistan, Turkmen or Tajik.
"A few weeks ago, I used this page to fly a storm cone about dependency for energy creation on ruthless foreign sources.
"The Russo-German deal proves my point. Britain must resist the easy blandishments and the offers of juicy trade-off deals. Total energy dependency can only lead to total servitude. Fifteen years from now, only the self-reliant will be truly free men. And I want this country, outside the EU, to be exactly that."
Well now, this situation matches up with the expectations of those who have understood the prophecies of the Bible over many years. In fact, the title page of a book written in 1854 is before me, and it has the ominous words "Russia Triumphant and Europe Chained!!!" as part of the title. You can see this title page reproduced on our print version this week.
But of course, all this comes from Bible prophecies which were given some five centuries or more before the time of Christ. We are looking at predictions that were given about 2,500 years ago, concerning a situation that would develop in "the latter days" (see Ezekiel 38, verses 8 and 16; also Daniel 2:28).
Ezekiel's prophecy reads as follows:
 "Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them" (Ezekiel 38:2-7).
Commenting upon this prophecy in 1862, another writer, Robert Roberts, wrote the following in a book with the fascinating title "Christendom Astray:"
"...the contemporary supremacy of Russia is foretold... She is to vanquish many countries, and hold a protectorate over them, as indicated by the words, "Be thou a guard unto them." Those countries include all the nations of the Continent. "Gomer and all his bands, the house of Togarmah of the north quarters," will be found, on reference to ancient geography, to embrace nearly every country in Europe; and, in addition to these, there are "Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them," showing that at the time, Russia will have attained to something like universal dominion."
One of the lands mentioned in Ezekiel 38:2 is "the land of Magog." From information left on record by ancient historians Josephus and Herodotus, we know that this land refers to ancient Scythia, and it included what is now Germany, Poland, Russia. It included Moscow.
A figure is to rise to power in this territory whom the Scriptures name "Gog." He is identified as being "Gog of the Land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal" (and it is so rendered in other versions such as the Revised Version and others).
This name, or title of "Gog" actually means: High, Exalted. The Companion Bible says that the name implies "All that is powerful, gigantic, and proud." So this teaches us to look for a powerful leader of Russia who is also "Master of all Germany." It is with considerable interest therefore that we watch the emerging power of the Russian leadership today. This is, surely, the Bible in the News!
This power, says Ezekiel, is to become the leader over many countries. They will be "assembled" unto him, says verse 7, which may imply a degree of voluntary co-operation. But as the prophecy tells us, Gog will lead his hosts against the mountains of Israel and against the people that dwell there.
The strained atmosphere between the European Union's Foreign Policy chief, Solana, on his Middle East visit and meeting with Israel's Avigdor Lieberman--together with an incident that brought Israel and Germany close to a clash on Wednesday, just serves to underline the developing antagonism. He will think an evil thought, says verse 10, coming upon the mountains of Israel for spoil and plunder--but it will be to meet his doom there.
"And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel" (Ezekiel 38:18-19).
There will follow a tremendous overthrow of the Russo-European invader. Iran (Persia) will be involved in this, and all the proud boastings will come to nought, as the Messiah of Israel in the person of Jesus Christ comes as Redeemer, and deliverer of Israel.
We also may find deliverance and redemption at his hands if we associate ourselves with his Name now. During a time of unbelief and wickedness we must be prepared to stand apart and be counted. We must honour the Name of Christ through a behaviour that reflects our faith.
Watching the Bible in the News strengthens us to this end, for we see that these things are true. So join us again next week when once more, God willing, we will bring you another edition.
Bible in the News provides a weekly analysis of world politics and events
in the light of Bible prophecy — the Bible in the News!
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