Russia has been held back, but will break forth

Over the past year, the world has focused its attention on the crisis in the Middle East, specifically Iran. The crisis in Ukraine and Russia has somewhat slipped into the background. It seems to have become a war of attrition. Many Western commentators have suggested that Russia is finished and unable to complete its goals in Ukraine. Much speculation has focused on Russia’s future, including a possible coup and regime change.

Russia’s Destiny

While public opinion swings one way, then the other, our concern is what the Bible says about the situation. The Bible clearly identifies Russia as the lead aggressor in the confederacy termed “the King of the North in Daniel” and the “Prince of Rosh” the ancient name of Russia in Ezekiel:

“Son of man, set thy face unto Gog, of the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy concerning him,” (Ezekiel 38:2)

This prince of Rosh is to assemble a confederacy that will flood into the land of Israel:

“And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the prince of Rosh, 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.” (Ezekiel 38:3–6)

Their eventual goal is the mountains of Israel:

“After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. (Ezekiel 38:8–9)

Russia is to be a guard over the nations listed as we read in verse 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.” (Ezekiel 38:7)

The word “guard” has a dual meaning: “one who is a prison guard over someone in a place of confinement,” but also “one who watches over and protects.”  This is significant when we look at the geographical area described in Ezekiel. The area of Magog is the tract of land that sits between the River Don and the River Danube, as Josephus relates:

“Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians.” (The Works of Josephus, Whiston, p36).

Herodotus defines the boundaries of Scythia as being between the River Ister, or the Danube (IV.49), and the River Tanais, or the Don (IV.57).  The mouth of the Danube enters the Black Sea through Romania. The river flows west through Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, and into Germany.  The River Don begins in the Sea of Azov (which flows into the Black Sea) and travels about 1870 km through Russia to about 180 km south of Moscow. The tributaries of the River Don reach into Ukraine, such as the Donets, which gives its name to the Donbas, or Don basin. Tributaries of the Donets River reach into the Kharkiv Oblast. This is the area where much of the ground conflict is currently taking place in Ukraine.   

Gomer and his bands are also identified by ancient historians, such as Josephus, who states:

Gomer founded those whom the Greeks now call Galatians [Gauls], but were then called Gomerites.” (The Works of Josephus, Whiston, p36).

The ancient peoples of Galatia began in what is now Türkiye, but migrated westward to Germany and France (Gaul).  Edward Wells (1708) informs us in his geography:

“… the colonies, which coming from the nation of Gomer, in process of time spread themselves further and further, and settled themselves in several parts of Europe… spreading themselves still by new colonies further westward, came along the Danube, and settled themselves in the country, which from them has been called Germany…. Out of Germany the descendants of Gomer spread themselves into Gaul or France.”

The Prince of Russia is to be a “guard” over the geographical area stretching from the Danube to the Don River, and also including the Gomeric tribes who migrated across Europe, ending up in France and Germany. Simply put, the European arena is to fall under Russia’s dominion.

John Thomas, writing in 1848, recognized this fact, stating:

“It is therefore, the mission of the Autocrat [of Russia] to form the feet and set up the image before the world in all its excellent brightens, and terribleness of form; that all men subject to the Kingdom of Babylon may worship the work of its creator’s power.

He would go on to write a booklet called “Anatolia” (in 1868), which carried the subtitle “Russia Triumphant and Europe Chained!” in which he stated:

Their [Europe’s] leaders are wrong in supposing that “the age of conquest is past for ever,” and that they will succeed in establishing the freedom and independence of Europe.

There has never been such an age of conquest as that which will soon open upon the world; and as to the establishment of European freedom and independence, the war to be initiated is the setting in of an overwhelming inundation that will submerge them under one of the most terrible and scorching despotisms that ever wrung the heart of nations. 

This commentary colours the current push for peace we see today, and the delusion of a free Europe living in peace and security.

So how do we get from Russia’s war of attrition to its invasion of the Middle East?  This is a puzzle as we watch events unfold, with battling opinions in the news media as to the outcome. Again, our interest is in what the Bible has to say. While there is much discussion about the quality of Russia’s military leadership, the state of Russian military equipment, and its standing on the world stage, we must remember who is in charge — and it is not man. The scripture is clear:

“This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Daniel 4:17)

The outcome is inevitable, though it sometimes takes time to develop:

“And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, That he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, But at the end it shall speak, and not lie: Though it tarry, wait for it; Because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Habakkuk 2:2–3)

Events unfold in God’s timing, not ours, but we must wait for the inevitability of His word and do what He sends it to do.

Sometimes, God’s hand seems hidden, and his voice silent in the events going on, but we are reminded of the words of Isaiah:

“The LORD shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy like a man of war: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.” (Isaiah 42:13–14)

God may have been quiet, still, and restrained for a long time, but the time will come when His word accomplishes what he has said.

Russia being “held back”

With Russia’s current position in Ukraine, the seeming “war of attrition” we reflect on similar situations in the past. The scriptures clearly spelled out the overthrow of Pagan Rome in Revelation 6 during the 6^th seal judgment. There would be a great earthquake that would throw the Pagan systems from the political heavens:

“And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.” (Revelation 6:12–14)

This is also depicted in Revelation 12 with the rise of the man-child and the ejection of the Pagan Roman dragon from the heavens:

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” (Revelation 12:7–9)

The manchild is Constantine who would be the force used to eject Pagan Rome from the political heavens of the Roman Empire. This transition was also spoken of by Paul in Thessalonians, where a future man of sin (KJV) or lawless one (ESV) is predicted to come:

“And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way. And then the lawless one (the man of sin) will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming. The coming of the lawless one (the man of sin)  is by the activity of Satan (the adversary) with all power and false signs and wonders,” (2 Thessalonians 2:6–9)

The man of sin (lawless one) was being “restrained” until the time of his revelation. The word restrained means “held back, retained, hindered” until Constantine would come along and take the pagan system out of the way, clearing the path for false Christianity to arise.

We see a similar pattern with Russia in Ukraine today.  Russia’s future trajectory is certain, having been predicted in the scriptures of truth. Its progress is being hindered right now, and it is bogged down in Ukraine. This has created the power and influence vacuum in the Middle East that has prevented it from coming to Iran’s defence, or the defence of the proxies such as Hamas, Hezbollah or the Houthis. Iran has been decimated by Israel and America, as have its proxies, paving the way for “peace and safety” and the resulting prosperity — which is also what the scriptures predict:

“After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them.” (Ezekiel 38:8)

“And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil, and to take a prey; to turn thine hand upon the desolate places that are now inhabited, and upon the people that are gathered out of the nations, which have gotten cattle and goods, that dwell in the midst of the land.” (Ezekiel 38:11–12)

So while Russia might be “bogged down” in Ukraine, it does not mean the purpose of God has been thwarted, or that we need to look for another interpretation. It is just a matter of time before the restraints are removed and Russia bursts forth across Europe.

Ezekiel speaks of Russia’s arrest before its eventual invasion:

“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:” (Ezekiel 38:4)

There is a “turning back” before the invasion. This phrase “turn back” indicates it has been going in a different direction for a while. The course has to be realigned by angelic influence to complete the task. This certainly was the case in the 1990’s when we saw the collapse of the Soviet Union, but may also have a similar application today as we see Russia stalled in fulfilling its divinely appointed role.

Peace Talks

On September 6^th, US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met with Russia’s Vladimir Putin to discuss the possibility of peace in Ukraine amid the recent escalation in aerial bombardment.  

According to NPR:

Putin and Zelenskyy had agreed to pause strikes on each other's capitals while the talks take place. Still, the two traded fire overnight into Sunday, officials said.

However, the talks have yet to bear fruit, according to NPR:

Saturday's meeting in Moscow lasted more than three hours behind closed doors and ended without announcements of any breakthroughs. Putin's foreign policy adviser, Yuri Ushakov, described them afterward as constructive, frank, and useful but didn't discuss specific outcomes.

Regardless of the short-term potential “success” of talks like these, the scriptures plot the eventual outcome.

The Fear of Europe

Evidence of the fear of the nations of Europe is seen in their preparations against Russia. There are news sources speak of Russia’s pending victory in Ukraine, and we hear reports of fear Russia’s European neighbours along its borders. The German magazine DW ran a headline “German army helps Poland protect itself against Russia.” The article stated,

“Poland started to construct a defensive barrier along its border with Russia and Belarus in 2024. The East Shield defense system will eventually be around 800 kilometers long, and is intended to protect this country on NATO's eastern flank against attack from the east.

Poland started to construct a defensive barrier along its border with Russia and Belarus in 2024. The East Shield defense system will eventually be around 800 kilometers long, and is intended to protect this country on NATO's eastern flank against attack from the east.

Fox News reported earlier in August:

Polish Deputy Defense Minister Cezary Tomczyk said his country is actively preparing for the possibility of conflict, telling Super Express in an interview published Aug. 17: "We are preparing for war, hoping that it never happens."

A European diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, backed Tomczyk and said Poland sees a pattern of escalating Russian pressure on multiple fronts. "We are hurrying to be prepared for war since Russia is giving us and our neighbors constant signals that they want us back as their vassals, their colonial backyard," the diplomat told Fox News Digital.

"Altogether, it shows quite clearly that if Russia or Belarus saw any chance to attack Poland to destroy an obstacle to restoring the Soviet or Tsarist Russian empire in Eastern Europe, they would do it without hesitation," the diplomat said.

So rather than being consigned to a third-world banana republic, we know the eventual outcome. Russia will be victorious throughout Europe. The scriptures demand it.

The EuroNews ran an article this past week speaking of Russia’s mobilization of further troops, under the title “Russia plans to mobilise 600,000 troops this year and next, Ukraine says.” The article stated:

Russia is preparing to mobilise 600,000 additional soldiers over 2026 and 2027, Ukraine's Main Intelligence Directorate and Foreign Intelligence Service said, as mounting losses at the front and a collapse in voluntary recruitment push Moscow toward a second formal wave of conscription.

The article cites Ukrainian sources and claims the issue is the losses, but we see increased aggressive activity by Russia in Ukraine.  In response, European nations are gearing up, increasing their military forces and, in some cases, bringing in conscription.  If they did not believe there was an issue, this would not be happening.

The publication Counterfire published an article in February of this year, stating:

Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden have all introduced compulsory conscription in the last decade, most in the last few years. Croatia will be joining their ranks in 2026 with mandatory military service for all men aged between eighteen and thirty.

Elsewhere, governments have looked to voluntary schemes to boost recruitment. In December last year, the Belgium government wrote to all seventeen-year olds inviting them to volunteer for the army and earn €2,000 per month. A similar scheme was introduced in the Netherlands in 2023.

Poland has plans to introduce universal military training for every adult male and expand its voluntary forces. Bulgaria has a voluntary scheme for citizens up to the age of forty and Romania has plans to adopt a similar scheme this year.

France is introducing voluntary ‘national service’ for eighteen to nineteen-year olds this year. The young recruits will be paid €800 per month to participate in a ten-month military-training programme.

 

Germany is also moving towards a voluntary scheme, with an option to make it compulsory if national security demands it, or if there are not enough reservist volunteers. From July 2027, it will be mandatory for all German men aged eighteen to complete a survey on their suitability for service and undergo a medical examination. The initiative will enable the military to call on those needed as and when required. In December, German youth took to the streets to protest the plans and schools went on strike in ninety German cities: 63% of 18-29 year olds oppose the scheme.

All these moves by the nations of Europe remind us of the words of the prophet Joel:

“Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.” (Joel 3:9–10)

So as the world prepares for the inevitable, we must prepare ourselves also:

“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.” (Luke 12:35–36)

For the Bible in the News this has been Jonathan Bowen joining you.