Russia doubles its presence in Syria.

On November 21, 2015November 22, 2015 By AdminIn RussiaLeave a comment

This week, Putin said this about ISIS:

“We will search for them everywhere, wherever they are hiding. We will find them in any spot on the planet, and we will punish them”

A few weeks ago, we reflected on Deuteronomy 28 where God said to Israel that if they neglected his ways, that God would punish them by sending a nation against them, a nation with a fierce countenance. Russia is exhibiting a fierce countenance and while it doesn’t yet have its eye on Israel, it is being dragged down into the Middle East.

We also had a brief look at three distinct and well documented characteristics about Putin which are very similar to what we might expect Gog to show. One of these characteristics – his tendency to quickly resort to overpowering violence – manifested in a key event which catapulted Putin into the seat of Presidential power; the decisive crushing of the Chechen military.

Chechnya is made up of a strong Islamic population so in many respects Putin comes to the Syrian war table with much experience handling Islamic ‘terrorists’.

Incidentally, while 16,000 militants were killed in the Chechen war, up to 80,000 civilians died demonstrating that Putin has little care for collateral and this is perhaps the deciding factor that will turn the fortunes that ISIS have experienced up till now.

So far in Syria, Putin’s military has exhibited nothing short of a ‘fierce’ intensity. For example, when comparing Russian and US bombing in Syria, the numbers speak for themselves:

Syria comparison: US vs Russia

	United States	Russia
Time in Syria	14 Months	48 Days
Sorties (Bombing flights)	2642	2450

This week alone, the Russians have

Doubled the number of war-planes based in Syria to 69 (Not including their long range strategic bombers)
Launched 101 air and sea based cruise missiles
Launched a further 1400 tons of air bombs for a different purpose

Terrorist groups like ISIS are suffering significant losses – over 600 militants were killed by one cruise missile strike made against one of facilities near Deir ez-Zor.

As the Russian military begins to throw its weight against the Islamic State, we consider the question: Are ISIS the ‘Hooks in the Jaws’ Spoken of by Ezekiel?

The following videos were taken and published this week by the Russian Ministry of Defence:

Pilots and technicians of Hmeymim airbase have sent by ‘priority airmail’ their message to terrorists: “This is for Paris”

Massive strike with cruise missiles Kalibr-NK was made from the water zone of the Caspian Sea against terrorist objects in Raqqah, Idlib and Aleppo provinces.

Combat sorties of the Long-range aviation of the Russian Air Force against terrorists in Syria:

Su-30SM fighters met and escorted Tu-160s, which launched cruise missiles over the Mediterranean:

Are ISIS the ‘Hooks in the Jaws’ spoken of by Ezekiel?

On November 3, 2015December 4, 2015 By AdminIn RussiaLeave a comment

Ezekiel 38 is a latter day prophecy that speaks of a time when a confederacy of nations led by Russia, will invade Israel.

Many other prophets speak of this time including Isaiah, Micah & Daniel, however only Ezekiel seems to touch on the reason why God brings Russia down into the Middle East.

‘Hooks in jaws’ – a motivation distinct from ‘taking a spoil’?

Ezekiel 38 seems to recount two different motivations which kick off two different events.

In verse 4-7, the hooks in jaws drive the “bringing forth” and creation of this confederacy.
In verse 8-21, the taking of a spoil motivates the confederacy to “come against” Israel.

That the ‘hooks in the jaws’ are distinct from the ‘taking of a spoil’ and the ‘bringing forth’ distinct from the ‘coming against’ seems to be further confirmed when considering that the idea of taking a spoil enters the mind of the confederacy, only ‘many days’ after the confederacy itself is created. It is not a confederacy that formed on the basis of taking a spoil, but rather formed as a result of the hooks in the jaws.

Even on a fundamental level, the two motivations seem unrelated: the analogy of ‘hooks in jaws’ speaks of forced, painful, unwilling movement, whereas the motivation of ‘taking a spoil’, speaks of willing and intended robbery.

… I will 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.

So if the hooks in the jaws are distinct from the taking of spoil, what might these hooks be?

What motivation would God use to forcibly and painfully, bring Russia South to build and guard a confederacy?

Why did God choose to use such a violent analogy?

To understand why God chose to use this phrase we need to find out where it came from, and many sources show that the placing of ‘hooks in jaws’ was a brutal tradition conceived by the ancient neo-Assyrian empire.

The Assyrian’s typically put hooks in the jaws of defeated enemies, either for the purposes of humiliation or to deport them to other lands. This practices is often described in their annuls, and graphically depicted in their wall relief’s.

~ The IVP Bible Background Commentary

Why does God choose to use an ancient Assyrian practice to explain how he will drag Russia south to build a confederacy?

Would it be reasonable to suggest that an Assyrian like power could provoke Russia to move South, and establish and guard a confederacy of nations? If so, does such a power exist today?

The answer is yes, many consider ISIS to be the resurrected Assyrian power – ISIS has, and continues to provoke Russia.

Here is an article that deals briefly with some of the similarities:

If you don’t have time to read the article, here are some notable similarities:

Both powers are known for executing absolute and excessive barbarity, and subsequently advertising it to their enemies. For example, enemies of the ancient Assyrian regime were beheaded in public, and the walls of their cities were lined with impaled men, women and children in order to send a message to their enemies. In the 21st century, ISIS use social media and other technologies to project their gruesome decapitations to the world.
The capital of the ancient Assyrian empire was located in Nineveh. Today, The Islamic States biggest city – Mosul – surrounds the ruins of Nineveh, and is the hometown of ISIS.
The Assyrian’s wiped out virtual all culture prior to them as do ISIS today.
Women were forced into slavery by the ancient Assyrian’s as they are today, under ISIS

Below, two territories are seen below. Firstly the Ancient Assyrian (Dark Green) and secondly the territory held by ISIS. Both regions of control are very similar. The heartland of both empires existed between the Euphrates and Tigris but also extended beyond that at different points in time.

Ancient Neo-Assyrian Empire – 824 BC – Dark Green

ISIS area of Control – 2015

So there are many indicators which show that ISIS bears many of the hallmarks of the ancient neo-Assyrian empire.

So when God uses an Assyrian practice to describe how he will drag Russia down South, is God saying that ISIS will provoke Russia and bring her down?

Perhaps this question has already been answered. In September, we saw Russia move South into Syria, to fight none other than… ISIS.

Persia (Iran) joined them, a month later, sending in 2000 troops.

Last week, a Russian airliner crashed in the Egyptian Sinai where Egypt is at war with Islamic militants. ISIS claimed responsibility for the death of 224 people on board – most of whom were Russian. The cause of the crash is yet to be determined by investigators, however it seems that a trend is emerging. ISIS is beginning to become, not just an inconvenience, but a security problem for Russia, and Putin wont have it.

It is also interesting to note that ISIS has declared its intention to take control over Turkey, Egypt, Libya, and Sudan – all nations which become amalgamated within this Russian confederacy. It wont be an Israeli spoil which continues to bring this confederacy together, but rather, the hooks in their jaws, and this could be happening now through ISIS.

Russia is already moving south, building its confederacy, and guarding those of its confederacy. Its reason for doing so, according to Putin, is to fight ISIS.

Even if it is true that ISIS represent the hooks in the jaws (something worth watching over the next few years if Christ hasn’t returned God Willing), Ezekiel shows that ultimately, the objective of this confederacy will become consumed in the destruction and spoiling of Israel.

Note: This article does not suggest that ISIS are the latter day invader of Israel.

Your Weekly Update – Oct 22, 2015

On October 22, 2015October 22, 2015 By AdminIn Weekly UpdatesLeave a comment

1) Israeli Palestinian conflict intensifies.

Much to Israels displeasure, the United Nations offered to put international troops in Jerusalem to curb the crisis.

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it” Zech 12.

2) Persia/Iran strikes one of the biggest military deals with Russia yet.

“It is also instructive that Iran has agreed to purchase $21 billion of aircraft and satellite equipment from Russia, one of the largest military transactions in Russian history and a transaction made possible through the lifting of sanctions.”

” 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, (Iran)… with them; all of them with shield and helmet.” Ezek 38

3) Strongest El Nino in decades is coming.

The last time there was an El Nino of similar magnitude to the current one, the record-setting event of 1997-1998, floods, fires, droughts and other calamities killed at least 30,000 people and caused $100 billion in damage, Trenberth estimates.

Another powerful El Nino, in 1918-19, sank India into a brutal drought and probably contributed to the global flu pandemic, according to a study by the Climate Program Office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

However this coming El Nino, is tipped to be the biggest on record. The following quote in Luke is referring to the distress of nations, political heavens. What will cause this distress? Very likely that distress could come about through natural disasters.

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring” Luke 21:25

4) With Syria in progress, Putin now turns to Afghanistan.

“In a disturbing echo of its Syria intervention, Russia is stepping up its military and security involvement in Afghanistan following Nato’s withdrawal and subsequent, dramatic advances by the Taliban and Islamic State.

Afghanistan (along with Syria) is one of the parts of the Seleucid Empire which Russian will inhabit before it invades Israel – Daniel 11. Read more here.

Other Recent Updates:

The Russian Bear sinks claws into the Middle East

The Russian Bear sinks claws into the Middle East

On October 21, 2015October 21, 2015 By AdminIn RussiaLeave a comment

An astonishing series of events have occurred in the last few weeks which are seeing the demise of the US power and subsequent rise of the Russian power in the Middle East.

Last time we posted on this topic, the US had withdrawn their only remaining aircraft carrier out of the Persian gulf. It had also been revealed that Obama’s rebel program had been an embarrassing failure with only 4 rebels remaining for what was supposed to be $500 million dollar strong program to arm US backed rebels.

Since then, the US administration has only continued to fumble in the face of an assertive Russian presence.

1) Iraq is mulling a ‘goodbye to US’ and ‘hello to Russia’

“The parliament fractions are calling on the Iraqi government to request Russian airstrikes and use it to attack the ISIL military bases and oil centers,’ Rubaie, who is now a senior legislator at the Iraqi parliament, told FNA on Tuesday… ‘The US air force doesn’t cooperate with Iraq’s federal government and security and armed forces and refrains from providing any intelligence on ISIL’s concentration and field camps,’ he added.”

2) Russian plans an unprecedented escalation of the war

So far Russia has been bombing in Syria more than 5 times the intensity of the US. Soon Russia’s contribution will be stepped up to an incredibly intense 300 sorties per day, while the US has been bombing on average two times per day. In the words of the Australian… a truly “remarkable escalation”.

3) Canada to withdraw all involvement from US led coalition against ISIS.

With the election of a new Prime Minister, Canadian foreign policy will change to reflect a budget which will support higher domestic infrastructure spending and a complete withdrawal from the US coalition against ISIS.

4) The US war against ISIS has availed ‘nothing in 14 months’

“The Islamic State has exactly the same fighting capabilities now as they did 14 months ago. If the size of an adversarial force you intend to “ultimately destroy” remains static, despite 7,323 airstrikes, then it could be as much an indication of their success as it is yours.”

5) Russian officials admit the plan is ‘broader’ than Syria

Russian officials are beginning to admit that Russia’s intention in the Middle East is far broader than Syria.

The Kremlin’s real goal is to help Syrian President Bashar al-Assad retake as much as possible of the territory his forces have lost to opponents, including U.S.-backed rebels, Russian officials told Bloomberg News. Moscow’s deployment of several dozen planes, as well as ships in the Black and Caspian Seas, could last a year or more, one official said.

6) 60 minutes interviewer Steve Kroft unnerves Obama over the failure of the Syrian war.

Recent Articles:

Russias Holy War in Syria – the Revival of the Holy Roman Empire

On October 12, 2015October 21, 2015 By AdminIn RussiaLeave a comment

Seven months ago in March, the Vatican’s diplomatic representative to the United Nations did something unusual.

Prior to March, the Vatican’s official stance on the Syrian conflict was to oppose military strikes in Syria and to that end, Pope Francis wrote to Putin during the G20 summit in 2013 and asked him to urge world leaders to peruse ‘talks’.

But as 2013 progressed into 2015, it became all too clear that the conflict had struck a knife into the heart of something near and dear to the Vatican – christianity in ISIS held territories.

Every day, the christian population in these territories suffer brutal persecution easily comparable with that of the Jewish persecution under the Nazi regime through branding, enslavement, rape, torture, beheading, hanging, etc.

It was this persecution that caused the Vatican to rethink its policy in Syria and for the first time call upon the United Nations to use military force against ISIS.

However, since the Vatican urged the United Nations to intervene militarily, the effort by the United States led coalition to defeat ISIS has been largely anemic.

For example, in September, Gen. Lloyd Austin, head of US Central Command, made an embarrassing admission to the Senate Armed Services Committee. He said almost all of the Syrian rebels trained by the American military as part of the $500 million dollar program to fight ISIS had either been killed, captured or had fled from ISIS militants.

“Of the Rebels that are left in the fight… we’re talking… four or five!!” the General awkwardly told the committee.

Half a billion dollars had produced – but 4 – US backed rebels at that particular point in time.

To compound the US’s lacklustre effort, the last remaining US aircraft carrier in the region left the Persian gulf last week.

The Vatican’s call for an effective military force against ISIS seemed to fall on deaf ears.

In many respects the Papacy has been in this situation before. Its a situation where the Vatican supports the use of military force in an effort to preserve itself and by extension, Roman Catholicism.

A notable example occurred prior to AD 800 when the existence of the Pope was threatened by war. The emperor of Constantinople could no longer afford him protection against the Longbeards and so the Pope formed an alliance with the French emperor in A.D. 800 who gave him ‘temporal’ control over three states making him not just a religious ruler but a civil and military ruler over his own states.

However in 1870 the Pope lost this temporal power, and 145 years later in 2015, the Pope now presides over a religious administration that lacks any significant military and civil power.

Without a military backbone, the Vatican has been effective at ‘seducing and influencing’ the nations, however, as the Time Magazine notes, this ‘influence’ is beginning to show its limits:

Ultimately many of the world problems are not responsive to the kind of “soft power” Francis is deploying.

~ Time Magazine

And so the Vatican’s policy on dealing with ISIS changed from ‘talks’ to ‘military intervention’. From ‘soft power’ to ‘hard power’ as Time puts it. However no military entity to date has effectively responded to the Vatican’s call… until last month.

It was last month that Putin poured military assets into Syria and asserted himself as a power to be reckoned with.

Immediately, US warplanes were ordered to divert away from Russian bombers who are bombing on average more than 5 times the intensity than US bombers and last week, Russia started using cruise missiles to bomb enemy strongholds with no advanced notice to US air-traffic.

As Stratfor notes, Russia isn’t hindered by the same rules of engagement that limit U.S. operations – Russia shoots first and asks questions later.

But lets do away with commenting on Russia’s aggressive operational presence because the Papacy sees something else in Russia that is of even greater value.

The MOST alluring aspect of Russia’s operation in Syria in the eyes of the Papacy is that Russia sees its own role in the Middle East as the Holy protector of Christianity.

Russia’s ties to the Middle East are rooted in its self-assigned role as the defender of Orthodox Christianity, which it claimed to inherit from the Byzantine Caesars after the fall of Constantinople in 1453

~ New York Times

In 2012, a Russian Orthodox cleric asked Putin to make ‘the protection of Christians one of the foreign policy directions in future’.

“This is how it will be, have no doubt,” – was Putins answer

Putin as a defender of Christianity is not a new concept on Russian soil, but it is a concept that is only just beginning to play out in practice in the Middle East.

What does it all mean?

Writing in 1868 in a book entitled “Exposition of Daniel”, Dr. John Thomas makes the following observation of such a conflict which might bring together the latter day Holy Roman Empire:

But the time is not far off, when the Latin Bishop (The Roman Catholic Pope) may have to seek again to the Constantiopolitan Autocracy (Russian) for protection.

~ Exposition of Daniel

With Russia exploiting its long held imperialist ambitions in the Middle East as part of a holy war to save Christians, it cannot be far off before it looks elsewhere (Turkey) to comprehensively realize those ambitions.

When that does happen, the Vatican will finally have a willing military partner in Russia who will be established as the Gogian autocracy of Constantinople – the Eastern leg of the latter day Roman empire.

Bible Prophecy & Current Events

Tag: putin