Questions keep rolling into my mailbox. Over the last few weeks, the most asked Does this Russia/Ukraine thing have anything to do with Bible Prophecy?

The short answer is — indirectly, yes.

For the long answer, one needs to turn to Ezekiel chapters 38-39. Because names of nations change over the years, there is a need to compare Biblical maps with current-day maps to see who the players are.

Those invading Israel in the prophecy of Ezekiel are:

Modern name (Biblical name):

Russia (Magog).

Iran (Persia).

Meshech (Currently the southern part of Russia that reaches Turkey and Iran).

Tubal (The area of land east and north of Iran. Currently, five nations with “stan” at the end of their names. These nations include Afghanistan. The United States giving the country back to terrorists is probably a step in fulfilling this prophecy).

Ukraine (Gomer).

Turkey (Togarmah).

Ethiopia and Libya still have their Biblical names. Ethiopia and Libya still have their Biblical names.

From the wording of the passage, we can see that several things must happen before all the pieces of this invasion fall into place.

Russia is the clear leader, the one calling the shots, in the coming attack. Ukraine must either be allied with Russia or under Russian control to engage in an invasion with her. Therefore, any soon coming overthrow of Ukraine by Russia would satisfy that piece of the puzzle.

Another event that probably occurs before Ezekiel’s prophecy is the prophecy of Psalm 83.

If you notice in Ezekiel’s prophecy, there is no mention of Israel’s neighbors, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Ezekiel’s attackers must march through these nations. The Psalm 83 prophecy has Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan invading Israel and being destroyed “as the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire.”

Looking at the history of hatred Israel’s neighbors have for her, it would be inconceivable to imagine Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan would not join the armies of Ezekiel. Therefore, the battle of Psalm 83 must occur first, with Israel winning and expanding her borders or a demilitarized zone imposed.

When the Russian alliance invades Israel, Israel is at rest. Ezekiel 38:11, “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.”

Since the day of her recreation, Israel has never been at rest. War and the threat of war is everyday life in Israel. Even when not at war, rockets fly into the nation, unrest is in the streets; it

is a constant daily struggle. No one feels at ease. The situation in the Middle East must change drastically in Israel’s favor for the prophecy of Ezekiel to come to pass.

I believe this peace that Israel experiences at the time of the Ezekiel attack is because of the victory of Psalm 83. I will not get into the long story of Psalm 83, but the signing of the treaty that starts the Tribulation Period is a direct result of Psalm 83.

Israel hands their protection over to a man instead of God by signing the treaty. Because their closest enemies are gone, and their security is assured, the nation finally feels at rest.

Once this happens, all the pieces of the Ezekiel invasion are in place.

Why would Russia lead this invasion? After Israel’s victory of Psalm 83, the Muslim nations of the area have a more incredible determination to see the destruction of Israel. The Bible says Russia wants “to take a spoil” (Ezekiel 38:12). Current speculation is that this “spoil” would be Israel’s natural gas and oil. This speculation is backed up by Genesis 49:1,25, “…in the last days…blessings of the deep that lieth under.”

Ezekiel 38:13 explains that the West will try to talk Russia and her allies from not invading. But talk is all they do, and conversation rarely stops an army set on destruction. The current situation with Ukraine may soon be a perfect example.

I believe the battle of Ezekiel 38-39 coincides with the sixth seal of Revelation (compare Ezekiel 38:20 with Revelation 6:15-17).

The result of the battle? Only sixteen percent of the invading forces survive (Ezekiel 39:2).

In the prophet’s words, Ezekiel 39:4-7, “Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beast of the field to be devoured. Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD. And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the LORD. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel.”

Will the coming invasion of Ukraine by Russia cause WWIII? Probably not.

The Biblical alliances are forming. One last thing – Gaza and the West Bank fight against Israel in the prophecy of Psalm 83, so the Palestinians are involved as well. Once Russia takes over Ukraine, watch the relationship between the Palestinians and Israel’s neighbors. The final few puzzle pieces are about to be placed.

Preacher Johnson is Pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Parke County Indiana. Website: www.preachers-point.com; Email: [email protected]; Mail: 25 W 1200 N; Kingman IN 47952. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Timothy-Preacher-Johnson-101171088326638. All Scripture KJV

Snow is polarizing. People either hate it, or they love it. “I hate driving in the stuff!” “I can’t wait to get outside and build a snowman!” You get my drift (pun intended).

Here in my neck of the woods, it snowed from last Wednesday afternoon till about midnight Thursday night. People started emerging from their homes on Friday. Julie and I waited until Saturday.

Friday, while I was looking out the window, I wondered what the Bible says about snow?

Getting past the handful of verses describing skin with leprosy “as white as snow,” it gets interesting.

Job 37:6 tells us that God sends the snow. “For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength.”

This verse brings me to a pet peeve of mine. The use of the term “mother nature.” Sorry people, but mother nature does not exist. God is in charge of the weather, the climate, and all things related to the beauty and devastation of nature. When we complain about the weather, we complain about God’s actions.

Back to the snow – Isaiah 55:10 explains how the snow helps the farmer and brings us bread to eat. “For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater.”

The wisdom of Solomon explains that the absence of snow in the summertime is an example of the lack of honor a fool receives (Proverbs 26:1).

The following example of snow in the Bible reminds me of when I was in the Army. Two of us were riding in a jeep, and the windshield wipers stopped working. It was not raining, but there had been recent snow, and the roads were wet. Gook would fly onto the windshield from passing vehicles, and every so often, we would pull over grab some clean snow from the side of the road to wash the windshield. Snow is an excellent cleanser. Job 9:30, “If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands sever so clean.”

The next verse we will look at is 2 Samuel 23:20, which speaks of Benaiah, who “slew a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow.” The verse does not mention blood, but can you imagine all that red blood in the white snow?

Benaiah’s slaughter of the lion brings us to a transition. The Bible uses snow as an example of the cleansing made by blood.

Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

God can take our sins and make them as white as snow. I mentioned the cleansing by blood earlier, so how is this possible?

Revelation 1:5. “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”

We are all sinners; therefore, we are guilty.

The Bible explains that forgiveness of sins and salvation is tied tightly to the blood. Hebrews 9:22, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Leviticus 17:11 “… it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.”

Tie it all together – our sins can be washed whiter than snow – the purging of sin and atonement is by the blood – it is Jesus’s blood that washes our sins away.

Sin cleansing only through the blood of Christ is why Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth,and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Ever tell a lie? Ever had a bad thought? Ever hate someone? The list goes on; we have all transgressed God’s law. God knows we cannot keep the law. That is why the law provided a way of salvation through the blood of the sinless sacrifice – Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.

Once we place our faith in the blood of Christ for the washing away of our sins and the salvation of our souls, the Holy Spirit moves into our heart, and salvation is ours.

We cannot do enough good to get right with God. Romans 3:28, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

Place your faith in Jesus Christ, not on your good works or religion.

Just as the snow melts, we will all pass away (Job 24:19). When you die, will you pass from this life justified, cleansed, washed by the blood of the Lamb? The choice is yours.

Preacher Johnson is Pastor of Countryside Baptist Church in Parke County Indiana. Website: www.preachers-point.com; Email: [email protected]; Mail: 25 W 1200 N; Kingman IN 47952. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Timothy-Preacher-Johnson-101171088326638. All Scripture KJV.