Putin’s Power Play

by Terry James 

The prophet Ezekiel’s foretelling continues to take shape in 2007, with three of the national components mentioned in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 interacting in intriguing fashion.

Russian President Vladimir Putin appears the conductor in orchestrating these fascinating goings-on. He is hinting that he will run again for the office he holds in 2012, after sitting out a term as required by Russian law. He is, at the same time, asserting his position within the international community’s elite G-8 power group.

His suggestion that he intends to be at the forefront of shaping a new world economic order raises the suspicion that he might have plans for doing other than stepping from power in Russia for those four years. The following report tells us more about the rearrangements being contemplated.

“Russian president Vladimir Putin called on Sunday for a radical overhaul of the world’s financial and trade institutions to reflect the growing economic power of emerging market countries – including Russia…Mr. Putin’s hosting of the forum capped a week in which he dominated the international stage. He warned last Monday that Russia might target nuclear missiles at Europe if the US built a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic, then offered a compromise at the G8 summit involving switching part of the US system to Azerbaijan. His speech on financial institutions suggested that, along with an aggressive recent campaign against US “unilateralism” in foreign policy, he was also seeking to challenge western dominance of the world economic order…” (Neil Buckley and Catherine Belton, "Putin calls for new financial world order," The Financial Times Limited 2007, St. Petersburg, 6/10/07).

The Russian leader is poised in a unique position, considering that many other prophetic indicators now seem to point to the brewing tribulation storm. Putin has one fist of power on Iran, the area of ancient Persia, and the other on Turkey. He is yanking on both, while glaring at the U.S. involvement with Iraq, openly declaring America’s involvement to be unilateral militancy.

The two nations of prophetic significance, which the Russian president is attempting to hold onto with his power grab, are Turkey (the area of ancient Togarmah) and Iran (the area of ancient Persia). The following excerpt gives us a brief look at a possible development regarding movement toward the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecy fulfillment.

“MILLIYET- Russian President Vladimir Putin’s suggestion that the US might locate its planned missile defense system in Turkey ‘against the threat of Iran’ should be considered a provocation…Although Washington says this missile shield is meant to counter the threat from Iran, Moscow wants to turn the issue into a new Cold War. It’s here that its provocation against Turkey comes in, because in making this surprising suggestion Putin referred to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, and so he aims to control Washington through Turkey and spoil Turkish-US relations. In doing this, of course Putin knows that Turkish-US relations are very bad right now, anti-American sentiments have reached a peak in Turkey, there is no consensus between Ankara and Washington concerning the Iran issue and even Turkey’s military wing is talking about getting involved in strategic relations with Moscow. If Putin’s suggestion is carried through, clearly Turkish-American ties will suffer further damage due to public criticism, and Iran won’t tolerate [a U.S. missile defense shield system in Turkey]…” (Semih Idiz, "Putin’s Provocation," turkishpress.com).

America’s continuing presence in the region of ancient Babylon is another part of the endtime jigsaw that makes the mix almost mesmerizing for the student of Bible prophecy. But, it is the words from the prophet that so captures our attention while we watch the things Ezekiel foretold about Gog, the chief prince of Rosh. Of particular interest are the nations that will storm with him over the mountains of Israel.

“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” (Ezek. 38:4-6).

There seems to be a catalyst lurking out there somewhere in the murky mist of the future--one that will bring all of these developing eschatological pieces together for the Gog-Magog assault into the Middle East. Perhaps that catalyst will be the rapture.

SOURCE: Rapture Ready