A number of folks have written me to ask “What the heck is going on in Russia and the Ukraine, and what does this mean to us in terms of Bible prophesy?”

Believe it or not, I wrote about that very subject back in November of 2018.

That was when Russia captured three Ukrainian naval vessels that were getting a tad too close to their borders.

It was similar to the way the “bear” in Daniel chapter 7 ends up with three ribs in its mouth when it’s told to “arise, and devour much flesh,” during the final days of this flesh earth age.

At the time, I described the incident as “a signpost” to the Bible prophesy regarding the Russian “bear,” in Daniel chapter 7.

And I stated that this signpost was telling us to pay more careful attention, from a Bible point-of-view, to what’s going on in Russia, the Ukraine and the Crimea.

Why?

It’s simple:  Because, just like now, things were really beginning to heat-up militarily in that area of the world.

And Daniel chapter 7 tells us things will indeed heat up, militarily, around Russia, shortly before the arrival of the antichrist.

And that means we need to keep a wary eye out, on that side of the world.

So, what’s going on with Russia this time, with all of the fighting in the Ukraine?  Well, it’s the same old thing.

Territorial Integrity

You see, for Russia, it’s always about territorial integrity.

The Russians will defend their borders at all costs.  And it’s been that way going all of the way back to the days of Moses, when the Edomites – the progenitors of the modern-day ethnic Russians – tried to block Israel’s passage into the Promised Land, by refusing to allow them to cross their borders.

So, today, when NATO tries to move its military forces and weapons closer and closer to Russia’s borders, by inserting itself militarily into nations such as the Ukraine (which form a natural buffer zone between Russia and the NATO powers), Russia understandably gets awfully nervous and agitated about it.

After all, that puts NATO – which is just an extension of U.S. military might – right on Russia’s doorstep.  And that’s a little too close for comfort, for the Russians.

Esau vs Jacob: How Border Battles
Lead to Hard Times for Everyone

So, if you understand that the ethnic Russians of today are in large part descendants of Esau, the father of the Edomites of old, you’ll realize that what’s happening today is just as it was back in Moses’ time:

Numbers 20:14-21 tells us that when Moses and the Israelites were heading to the Promised Land, they needed to cross a strip of territory belonging to Edom.

Moses sent ambassadors to the king of Edom, to ask permission to cross their border, peacefully.

But the king of Edom came out with a mighty military force and threatened to destroy the Israelites if they tried to cross his border.

Edom simply did not like God’s Plan to let the Israelites take over Canaan and turn it into their own nation – the Promised Land.

This intransigence on behalf of the Edomites is what derailed the Israelites, forcing them to take a much harsher and more tedious and laborious route over mountainous territory where there wasn’t much food and water.

As it’s written:

Num 21:4  And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

The journey (i.e., “the way”) became much more difficult, because the Edomites wouldn’t allow the Israelites to cross their borders, forcing them to take the far more difficult route around Edom.

And this harsher route into the Promised Land caused the people to become “much discouraged.”

Num 21:5  And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.

A little bit of hardship hits, and the people suddenly become grossly unappreciative, unfaithful and worse yet, hyper-critical of both Moses and God, even to the point they wished they were back in Egypt, in captivity.

So, what did the Lord do, in response to such gross unfaithfulness?

Num 21:6  And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died. 

Hmmm.  God punished those faithless complainers by sending poisonous serpents among them.

What have I been hearing lately, about snake venom being used in those “clot shot” vaccines?  Nah, it can’t be true.  Can it?

The Coming Hard Times

The big issue, at this point, is that the Russian war with Ukraine over its territorial integrity is exacerbating the worldwide “supply chain” problems that existed before the attack.

This is resulting in much harder times for the people of the western Christian nations – higher food prices … gas prices … heating fuel prices … plus, massive job losses … growing inflation … food and supply shortages…and much more.

In other words, thanks to Russia’s war on the Ukraine, the path into the Millennial Kingdom of Christ has now grown quite a bit harder to travel, just as the path into the Promised Land had grown harder for the Israelites.

And once again, this far harsher journey is due largely to Edom’s (i.e., Russia’s) insistence on maintaining its territorial integrity – protecting its borders from its enemies.

As a direct result, the people of the western Christian nations are becoming “much discouraged” because the way into the Promised Land of the end days – Christ’s Millennial Kingdom – is becoming rougher and rougher.

And most Christians just aren’t ready for the kind of tough times that are surely coming.  They don’t have the faithful mindset for it, just as the children of Israel under Moses, didn’t.

So, as you can see, it was all about territorial integrity back in Moses’ day.  And it’s all about territorial integrity in the final days of this flesh earth age.

It was all about Jacob and Esau/Edom, way back then, and it’s still all about Jacob and Esau/Edom, now.

And it will remain that way, to the very end of this flesh age when the great battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 takes place, at Christ’s Second Advent, during which time the Russian/Edomite military power structure will finally (and thoroughly) be defeated, by the Lord Himself.

Back-and-Forth

As you can see, this historical back-and-forth battle between Jacob and Esau over borders and territorial integrity has been going on for a long time.

And it continues to this very day, in much the same way as it did back then.

In modern days, when America (through its military proxy, NATO) gets too close to Russia’s borders, Russia has gone ballistic over it.

And when Russia gets too close to America’s borders, America has gone ballistic over it.

You might remember, for example, back in the 1980’s, when Russia established several large air strips in Nicaragua, and President Reagan began secretly arming and training the Nicaraguan “Contras” to fight against the perceived Russian encroachment in the west.

Reagan felt extremely uncomfortable having Russia build air strips in Nicaragua, from which Russian bombers could take off and ostensibly reach U.S. cities with bombs.  So, he put a stop to it.

You see, territorial integrity works both ways.  It’s not just Russia that insists on it.

Indeed, if you’re a student of history, you also might remember that even our nation’s famous Monroe Doctrine was drafted, in part, because of Russia’s attempts to establish a foothold and territorial border in California and the Pacific Northwest, back in the early 1800’s.

In other words, the Russians encroached on what we considered to be our territorial borders, and tried to take that section of territory away from us.

That’s when the Russian Tsar had Ft. Ross built, in what is now Sonoma County, California, and proclaimed the Pacific Northwest from Alaska to the California fort to belong to Russia.

What’s more, Russia’s Tsar warned that “foreign vessels” (meaning U.S. war ships) would be forbidden from coming within 100 miles of “his” land.

But President James Monroe quickly informed Russia they had no right to establish territories and borders on the American continents (i.e., North, Central and South Americas).

And he then drafted what later came to be known as the Monroe Doctrine, which established the policy that no outside countries would be allowed to establish new colonies for their nations anywhere in North America, Central America or South America, from that point forward, or they’d be violating our territorial integrity.

Indeed, it was the Monroe Doctrine that Ronald Reagan would later depend upon to justify his secret war against the Russians when they established large air strips in Nicaragua, Central America, in the early 1980’s.

So, it’s not just Russia that wants to protect its territorial integrity from its enemies.  So does the U.S.

And that makes America’s whining and belly-aching over the current Russia/Ukraine border debacle all of the more hypocritical.

After all, the Ukraine sits right smack-dab on the border with Russia.  Ukraine is essentially Russia’s front porch.  Whereas Nicaragua is nearly 3,000 miles from the border of the United States.

In the 1980’s, the U.S. wouldn’t allow Russia to come within nearly 3,000 miles of our borders.

Yet we expect Russia to allow U.S.-backed NATO to establish a military presence inside the Ukraine, right on Russia’s front porch.

Ahem.

We’re allowed to protect our territorial integrity, on our side of the world.  But Russia is considered to be acting wickedly and provocatively if they do the same thing on their side of the world.

What Does This Have to Do with the End Days?

So, what does this current battle for territorial integrity in Russia and the Ukraine have to do with Jacob, Esau, the Bible and the end-of-days?

How does it all fit into Bible prophesy?

Just as Israel’s long march toward the Promised Land under Moses was met with massive military resistance from Edom (see my previous Bible commentary, here)…

…so likewise, western Christianity’s long march into the Promised Land of Christ’s Millennial Kingdom will be met with massive military resistance from Edom (i.e., Russia of today).

And that military resistance will result in serious hardship for the peoples of the western Christian nations – hardship which is only just beginning.

So, what do we watch for, Biblically, in relation to Russia?

Well, you might remember the command spoken to the “bear” (symbolic of Russian military might) of the end-times, in Daniel 7:5, just before the arrival of the antichrist or “little horn”:

“Arise, devour much flesh.”

And so it will be in the end of this age.  That old Russian bear will begin to react militarily to any encroachments on its territorial borders.

Indeed, Daniel chapter 7 tells us that just before the advent of the “little horn” – meaning the antichrist – the Russian “bear” will begin to assert itself, militarily, onto the world stage (see Daniel 7:5-8).

And in so doing, it will take out “three ribs” (i.e., ribs represent bordering nations, just as ribs form the border around the one’s chest cavity and heart).

Why will the Russian bear take out three bordering nations?

In my opinion, it will be for the same reason it always is:  Territorial integrity.

They will be acting to protect themselves from what they perceive to be a direct threat to their borders.  Yes, just like they’re doing in the Ukraine at this very minute.

The Sign of the “Parting of the Times”

The Apocrypha tells us that the major sign of the end times will be renewed strife between Esau (Russia) and Jacob (true Israel/western Christianity).

Indeed, according to the Apocrypha, this renewed warfare between Jacob and Esau foretells the “parting of the times,” which is to say, the point at which we begin moving from this flesh age into the Millennium Kingdom of Christ.

(You can read exactly what the Apocrypha says about this “parting of the times” in my previous Bible commentary on this subject.)

Indeed, you might be surprised to learn that the Apocrypha says Esau (Edomite Russia of today) represents, prophetically, the end of this flesh earth age and all of its ungodliness.

And it says Jacob (true Israel/western Christianity) represents, prophetically, the beginning of the next age…the spiritual age…the age of Christ’s Millennium Kingdom.

What’s more, it says between the two, “watch for nothing else.”

In other words, if you want to know when the very end is coming upon this flesh age, watch Russia’s military actions toward Jacob, which is to say, towards western Christianity.

When you see Russia arising and starting to “devour much flesh,” even if it’s in self-protection, you’ll know that the end is quickly coming upon us…

…the advent of the “little horn” (antichrist) is just around the corner…

…and the war described in Ezekiel 38 and 39 will take place shortly afterwards, with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ leading and directing the battle against the Russian confederation of troops that attack our nation as His foot touches down on the Mount of Olives.

If you’d like to see the Biblical and extra-Biblical evidence for all of this, consider reading my previous Bible commentary, Russia Captures Three Ukrainian Ships; Signpost of Daniel 7:5.

I think you’ll be surprised and enlightened at what you learn, there.

Watch the Temple Mount, As Well

In the meantime, be sure to keep up on what’s been happening in Jerusalem, as things have really been heating up there.

In particular, watch for turmoil developing around the Temple Mount, such as described in the recent news article at this link.

As you know, Jerusalem is the barometer of the Middle East, and the end times.

And ultimately, the deadly wound will take place at that Mount.

When things start heating up in Jerusalem, and in Russia, it’s time to be on high alert, with eyes and ears wide open.

As it’s written:

Luk 21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Amen and amen.

Regards in Christ,

Steve Barwick

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