Bible in the News | Russia - Turned Back & Brought Forth.

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	Russia - Turned Back & Brought Forth. Russia's turning back makes a way for the trapped Jews to be given up.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007	www.bibleinthenews.com Audio & Print versions

The song we just heard: "Am Yisrael Chai" - the people of Israel live, and "Od Avinu Chai" -Still our Father lives, is a famous song written by the Singing Rabbi, Shlomo Carlebach in the sixties on behalf of Soviet Jewry who was trapped in the former communist empire. The song became a kind-of anthem for the Jews of the Soviet. It was about 17 years ago that the Soviet Union collapsed and the door was opened for Jews to return to their ancient homeland. In total over a million Jews returned from the former Soviet Union to the land of Israel.

The great Russian communist empire of the Soviet Union had a great set-back. A set back that allowed one million Jews to return to their homeland fullfilling Bible prophecies, such as Isaiah 43:5,6: "Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth". Russia was turned back and instructed by the Almighty to give up His sons and daughters -- the people of Israel.

The word of the Yahweh through the prophet Ezekiel in chapter 38, tells how Russia will be turned back, brought forth and must prepare for herself. "And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince" (Translated Rosh in the R.V. and others.) "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 uses some ancient names such as Magog, Rosh (in the R.V.), Meshech and Tubal. We won't go through all these names, however lets take a look at a couple of them. Of Magog Smith's Bible Dictionary says: "Magog. Second son of Japheth (Gen. 10:2), and founder of a race (Rev. 20:8), the great Scythian tribe, now called Russia. Ezekiel places the nation in the north (38:2), near Togarmah, and the maritime regions of Europe." Magog or Scythia includes the regions of Germany, Poland, and Ukraine. The ancient historians Josephus and Herodotus support this definition from Smiths, Herodotus wrote that Scythia lay north of the Black Sea and between the rivers Don in Russia and the Danube in Europe. Chief or Rosh - as it is translated by a proper name in the R.V., -- which, by the way is supported by the Septuagint or Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, translated before the time of Christ -- the Greek transliteration of this name used in the Septuagint is identified as Russia by Encyclopedia Britannica, Gibbon's Decline and Fall and also by Gesenius.

Russia has been turned back from her former glory. However, today she is being "brought forth" and is preparing for herself as several news reports today have shown. Todays Guardian newspaper in the UK had this headline: "Russia steps up military expansion". The first part of the article reads: "Vladimir Putin announced ambitious plans to revive Russia's military power and restore its role as the world's leading producer of military aircraft yesterday.
"Speaking at the opening of the largest airshow in Russia's post-Soviet history, the president said he was determined to make aircraft manufacture a national priority after decades of lagging behind the west.
"The remarks follow his decision last week to resume long-range missions by strategic bomber aircraft capable of hitting the US with nuclear weapons. Patrols over the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic began last week for the first time since 1992.
"Presidential aides hinted yesterday that Russia could shortly resume the production of Tu-160 and Tu-95 strategic nuclear bombers, now that the aircraft are again flying "combat missions". The bombers would be used as a "means of strategic deterrence", a presidential aide, Alexander Burutin, told Interfax.
"Mr Putin said Russia would also resume the large-scale manufacture of civilian planes. "Russia has a very important goal which is to retain leadership in the production of military equipment," he said.
"The new emphasis on Russia's revived military prowess comes against a backdrop of deteriorating relations with the west. Mr Putin has denounced the US's missile defence plans in Europe, scrapped an agreement with Nato on conventional armed forces, and grabbed a large, if symbolic, chunk of the Arctic."

Meanwhile the Telegraph in the UK ran the headline: "British jets scramble to track Russian bombers". The Telegraph reports:
"Eurofighter Typhoon jets scrambled for the first time to intercept Russian nuclear bombers approaching British air space, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday.
"As relations between Russia and Britain deteriorate, the number of incidents in which Russia's submarines have been found close to British shores or in contact with Royal Navy warships has also risen.
"The Tu-95 Bear nuclear bombers were detected over the Atlantic on Friday, the RAF said yesterday.
"Tornado F3 fighters and two Typhoons were scrambled from RAF Leuchars in Scotland.
"The incident comes as part of continued Russian sabre-rattling by President Vladimir Putin. In two incidents this summer Russian Tu-95 nuclear bombers were spotted heading towards British air space off Scotland and over the US-held territory of Guam.
"There is a suggestion that Russia could be testing the West's air detection systems and response times..."
The article later makes a comment that reminds us of the role of Britain as the later day Tarshish whose ships will be broken with an east wind (Psalm 48:7):
"With more than 90 per cent of Britain's trade travelling by sea the country's economy would be extremely vulnerable to the submarines, which are hard to detect.
"Lt-Cdr Robin Burns, an analyst from the laboratory, said: "Just one torpedo will do an awful amount of damage to our shipping and economy.""

In Canada the National Post also featured Russia on its front page, with the headline: "Russia warns Czechs against missile shield." The National Post remarked on the timing of these Russian announcements, saying: "In a warning remarkable for its timing, Russia's military chief of staff used yesterday's anniversary of the 1968 Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia to caution the Czech Republic against hosting a component of the proposed U.S. missile shield on its territory."

We are living in incredible times. As man turns his back more and more on God and His word, the sure word of prophecy proves more openly the authenticity of God's word for those who will hearken. The terrible and terrifying image that Nebuchadnezzer saw in his dream is begginging to take shape, as it will stand on it feet in the latter days. We pray for the little stone to soon smash the power of these antisemitic nations.

This has been David Billington with this weeks Bible in the News at www.bibleinthenews.com.

Printed: Wednesday, August 22, 2007

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