The Russian Empire Expands

Russian President Vladimir Putin says a military base on the Novosibirsk Islands in the Arctic Ocean will restart operations soon.  The Russians had closed their military base in the Arctic back in 1993.

International law forbids any one nation from claiming the Arctic; however, the natural resources in that area include oil, natural gas, diamonds and gold.

The expansion is interesting considering that Russia is once again reasserting itself in the world as a global power.

A number of countries share their border with the Arctic including Russia, Finland, U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden and Iceland. 

The Russians sent 10 warships to reopen the military base claiming that they are hoping to reopen the Northern sea route; however, experts are advising that this is a very unlikely scenario due to the ice and narrow passage ways.   

A logical explanation for the expansion is the natural resources that are believed to be in the Arctic.  The natural resources may be the cause of Russian advancement in the area. 

The other explanation is that the Arctic position would give it a strategic position to threaten the Northern Hemisphere in the case of war. 

Are Nuclear Weapons in Revelation?

In Revelation 8, the Bible predicts that a third of mankind, trade, food and waters, etc…is destroyed.  As a result, a very significant weapon would have to be used to account for the large scale destruction.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has recently published that 97% of all nuclear weapons are currently held by the United States and Russia.  The total number of nuclear weapons is calculated to be around 10,000.  The report indicates that China’s nuclear arsenal is now larger than Great Britain’s.

They are also reporting that Israel has 80 nuclear warheads and the capability and material to make an “additional 115 to 190 warheads.”  Israel has never officially announced whether they have nuclear weapons maintaining a policy of ambiguity. 

Nuclear weapons are most likely the weapon used in the Trumpet judgments where a third of the waters are poisoned and a third of mankind is killed leading to the formation of the one world government as well as the one world religion.  In Revelation 8 whether it is taken literally or symbolically, the result is the same in that a third of the earth is destroyed.

Gorbachev Christian Upbringing Changed Russia

Russia had been a militant atheistic country since the time of Stalin until the days of Gorbachev.  Religious expression and practice were repressed as well as persecuted.  The militant atheists who made up the government relied on propaganda to attack the foundations of faith and especially the Russian Orthodox Church.  The Russian Orthodox Church had seen their churches fall from 22,000 to 7,000 forcing most of the church to go underground.

In the 1980’s, Gorbachev came to power and introduced a reform that is referred to as Glasnost.  Glasnost brought about the end of the Soviet Union as the press exposed the corruption of communism and the truth about the West.  Glasnost also allowed for freedom of religion which gave the church an opportunity to step into the public again.

Ronald Reagan according to Michael Reagan suspected that Gorbachev was a closet Christian.  Reagan and Gorbachev had developed a relationship of mutual respect over a period of time allowing Reagan to see into the life of the leader of Russia.  During a visit from Gorbachev, Michael Reagan, Ronald Reagan’s son, had the opportunity to discuss the Christian faith with Gorbachev.

Michael Reagan recalled in 2008,

Dad had long suspected Gorbachev of being a "closet Christian." I was intrigued by the possibility that the former Soviet leader might secretly be a man of faith.  So, during our town hall encounters, I questioned Gorbachev about his views on God.

He told me that his late wife's grandparents were killed during the Stalinist purges for having religious icons in their home. He also recalled that his own grandparents kept Christian icons hidden behind pictures of Lenin and Stalin.

Because of Soviet hostility to religion, Mikhail Gorbachev professed to be an atheist in order to rise in the Communist Party. I wondered what kind of tension this created inside Gorbachev—a man raised with a Christian heritage, yet determined to be a good Communist.

At several town hall events, I asked, "Mr. Gorbachev, when my father would meet with you, he would always pray to God for guidance. Who did you look to for guidance during those meetings?"

At that point the conversation was broken due to an interruption; however, the question was later poised to Mr. Gorbachev at a later time and here was his response.

"Michael," he said, "my grandmother was a Christian woman. She would go to church every day. Then, after church, she would come visit me and say, 'Mikhail, I went to church today and I prayed for the atheist. I prayed for you.'"

Gorbachev made a surprised visit to the tomb of St. Francis of Assisi in Rome.  The words of Gorbachev seemed to imply that he was in fact a Christian which he later had to deny; however, at that time this is what he said. 

Gorbachev told reporters that the story of St. Francis had played a pivotal role in his life. "It was through St. Francis that I arrived at the Church," he said, "so it was important that I came to visit his tomb."

The Reign of Christ follows The Day of the Lord

The prophet Isaiah in Chapter 2 and 4 describes the Millennial Kingdom when Christ will reign over the earth from Jerusalem.  Those on the earth will beat their swords in plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Isaiah notes that prior to the reign of Christ, the world will experience something called the Day of the Lord which causes all men on the earth to hide in the rocks from the Glory of His power.  The day of the Lord ends with purging of Zion by judgment and by burning.  Isaiah 4 says, "When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning."

Isaiah 2 – The Future Reign of Christ

The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 Now it shall come to pass in the latter days
That the mountain of the Lord’s house
Shall be established on the top of the mountains,
And shall be exalted above the hills;
And all nations shall flow to it.
3 Many people shall come and say,
“Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
He will teach us His ways,
And we shall walk in His paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
And the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
4 He shall judge between the nations,
And rebuke many people;
They shall beat their swords into plowshares,
And their spears into pruning hooks;
Nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
Neither shall they learn war anymore.

The Day of the Lord

5 O house of Jacob, come and let us walk
In the light of the Lord.

6 For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob,
Because they are filled with eastern ways;
They are soothsayers like the Philistines,
And they are pleased with the children of foreigners.
7 Their land is also full of silver and gold,
And there is no end to their treasures;
Their land is also full of horses,
And there is no end to their chariots.
8 Their land is also full of idols;
They worship the work of their own hands,
That which their own fingers have made.
9 People bow down,
And each man humbles himself;
Therefore do not forgive them.

10 Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty.
11 The lofty looks of man shall be humbled,
The haughtiness of men shall be bowed down,
And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.

12 For the day of the Lord of hosts
Shall come upon everything proud and lofty,
Upon everything lifted up—
And it shall be brought low—
13 Upon all the cedars of Lebanon that are high and lifted up,
And upon all the oaks of Bashan;
14 Upon all the high mountains,
And upon all the hills that are lifted up;
15 Upon every high tower,
And upon every fortified wall;
16 Upon all the ships of Tarshish,
And upon all the beautiful sloops.
17 The loftiness of man shall be bowed down,
And the haughtiness of men shall be brought low;
The Lord alone will be exalted in that day,
18 But the idols He shall utterly abolish.

19 They shall go into the holes of the rocks,
And into the caves of the earth,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

20 In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver
And his idols of gold,
Which they made, each for himself to worship,
To the moles and bats,
21 To go into the clefts of the rocks,
And into the crags of the rugged rocks,
From the terror of the Lord
And the glory of His majesty,
When He arises to shake the earth mightily.

Isaiah 4 - The Renewal of Zion

2 In that day the Branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious;
And the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and appealing
For those of Israel who have escaped.

3 And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy—everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. 4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning, 5 then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. 6 And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain.

Christians are Dying in Syria foreshadowing the Future

Christians are currently being killed in the Middle East at an alarming rate in Iraq, Egypt, Iran, and now Syria.  The deaths of Christians give us a picture of what Revelation 6 will look like as it is fulfilled.   The escalation between the West and the East eventually will result in massive wars, deaths and targeting of those who claim to be of the Christian faith.

Time magazine is reporting that the Syrian rebels are performing executions to the cheers of the crowds while they take the lives of their enemies.  The reporter with Time happened to be in the crowd and was able to take photos of the incident.  The man’s throat was literally cut with a knife by one of the Syrian rebels (the link contains photos that are graphic in nature).

On September 7th of this year, the Syrian rebels entered a city seeking the destruction of their enemies.  A witness to the event describes how they deal with Christians.

“In one house there were three Greek Catholic men: Mikhael Taalab, his cousin Antoun Taalab, Sarkis el Zakhm, Mikhael’s grandson, and the woman A., their relative, who says what happened.”

“The Islamists warned everyone present to convert to Islam,” the report continued. “Sarkis answered clearly, ‘I am a Christian, and if you want to kill me because I am a Christian, do it.’ The young man together with the other two was killed cold bloodedly. The woman was injured and was saved by a miracle, later taken to a hospital in Damascus.”

Revelation 6 gives us a picture of conflict that grows until the entire world is impacted.  During this time, the saints are being killed for their faith.  The carnage becomes so great that the people of the world feel that the end of the world is at hand.    

The believers are being persecuted with many people dying for their faith.  The saints in heaven then ask,

When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Jesus predicted that the beginning of sorrows would begin with nations rising against nations.  Jesus then warned the Jewish believers in Matthew 24 to flee.

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place”(whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

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Is Pope Francis the False Prophet Prophesied in Revelation 13?

The evidence that Pope Francis is either the False Prophet or the forerunner of the False Prophet is building.  The one world government that comes into existence in Revelation 13 is supported by a one world religion. 

The Bible says that the “two horns” being Catholicism and Islam will be brought together after the horrific cataclysmic events that take place in the seal and trumpet judgments.  The one world religion looks like the "lamb" due to its Christian origin; however, it has the voice of the "beast" being secular and demonic in nature.  Catholicism under Francis and Islam both find their origins in the Christian faith being perversions of the gospel.

As evidence of this claim, we can clearly document the secularization that is taking place under Pope Francis.  The Pope is now supporting good works apart from faith as a means of salvation, attempting to bring Islam and Catholicism together under one roof, providing acceptance for those who live the gay lifestyle and he is a strong supporter of secular science having been schooled in the art himself.  On top of all that he has overnight become a major player in world politics with his most recent intervention into the Syrian crisis.

Here is the evidence:

1.  The Pope admits that one can be saved by simply following their conscience.  A works based salvation can take place apart from Jesus Christ.  If one lives according to their conscience, God’s mercy has no end.

Francis said, "You ask me if the God of the Christians forgives those who don't believe and who don't seek the faith," the Pope wrote. "Given — and this is the fundamental thing — that God's mercy has no limits, if He is approached with a sincere and repentant heart, the question for those who do not believe in God is to abide by their own conscience."

2.  CNN is reporting that Pope Francis is attempting to have a dialogue with Christians and Muslims in the hope of bringing unity and avoiding world conflict.

"Regarding the education of Muslim and Christian youth, we have to bring up our young people to think and speak respectfully of other religions and their followers, and to avoid ridiculing or denigrating their convictions and practices," he said.

3.  One of Francis first acts was to “ritually wash the feet of two young Muslims in a juvenile detention center.”

4.  The Sunni Islamic community is opening their arms to having a relationship with Francis.  After Pope Francis was elected, the Saudi King sent a message to Francis congratulating him on his role as the new Pope.  The Saudi King even went so far as to say that Catholics could practice their faith privately and without harassment now in his country.

5.  Pope Francis on Good Friday called all Muslims his “brothers and sisters”  The Washington Times reports, “Francis recalled visit to Lebanon when “we saw the beauty and the strong bond of communion joining Christians together in that land and the friendship of our Muslim brothers and sisters and so many others.”

6.  Francis kissed the “feet of two women, one a Muslim” in a ritual that commemorates Jesus washing of the apostles feet.

7.  “Italy’s most famous Muslim convert to Catholicism, Magdi Allam, announced...he was leaving the church because of its “soft” stance on Islam.”

8.  The Pope is very open to the gay community saying that sexual orientation doesn't matter and that “we are all children of God.”  Francis has even gone on record saying that no one should even judge homosexuality implying that it was not sinful.

9  Pope Francis has clearly signaled that he is open to gay priest even as he deals with the aftermath of male priest who were molesting young boys.

10.  Pope Francis was the head of the science department in the Vatican.  Francis wants to redefine the role of science in the church.  He stated that the difference between the two is a ‘mischaracterization.”  “Monsignor Tomasz Trafny, the Director of the Vatican's Science and Faith Foundation, which was created last year, thinks that the new pope will continue the progress already made in building ties with the scientific community. He says the Vatican today has a very positive relationship with science.”

God's Promise to those Who Overcome

Revelation 2-3 - The Seven Churches:  John writes to Jews who make up the seven churches that are scattered through Asia to encourage them with a vision he received from the Lord.  John is writing to the Jewish believers who were suffering for their faith.  In Revelation 2:9 John says, ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan." (NKJV)

The purpose of writing to these churches was to inspire them to overcome the world.  1 John 5:4 demonstrates that those born of God will overcome the world. 

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 

John promises seven things for those who overcome.

1. The Tree of life
2. The Crown of Life
3. Hidden manna, a white stone and a secret new name
4. Power of nations and the morning star
5. White garments.  His name will be confessed before the Father and the angels
6. Make them a pillar in the temple of God, receive the name of God and the name of the city of God being the New Jerusalem which will come down out of heaven
7. Sit with Christ on the throne.

These seven promises can be restated as follows:

1. Restoration
2. Eternal Life
3. Intimate Fellowship
4. Power
5. Righteousness
6. A citizen of the New Jerusalem which is the beloved city of God
7. Rule with Christ

The Numeric Symbols in Revelation

Revelation is an interesting book for even the casual observer; however, knowing what the numbers mean gives you greater insight into what the author is saying.  When it comes to interpretation, numbers in Revelation are always taken literally; however, they can also have a symbolic meaning. 

For example, when we say that Jesus was in the grave for three days. The number three is literal and not just a number for the completeness.  As another example, when Jesus ascended on the 40th day, Jesus was alive on the earth for a literal 40 days; however, the number 4 being the number for heaven carries symbolic significance.  In addition, having four sets of 10 is also significant.  The same is true when we come to the book of Revelation.  

The book of Revelation has a lot of numbers which are both literal and symbolic.  The number 1000 in Revelation referring to the 1000 year reign of Christ is a literal number; however, it can also have a symbolic significance.  If one tries to separate the literal and the symbolic, you will end up in error in your interpretation.  

A popular figure of speech is often confused with a symbol.  For example, "one day is like a thousand years".  Peter in 2 Peter 3:8 never intended this to be a symbol; rather, it is a figure of speech and should be treated as one.

The numbers in the Bible carry a lot of meaning with the first seven coming directly from the Creation.  The numbers 8-12 speak of the Kingdom.  

Number    System                   Meaning                                   Example

1	1+0	God, Good, Light	Light created on the first day
2	1+1	Witness	Day and Night are a witness to all things.
3	2+1	Completeness	Land and sea completed the earth, Trinity
4	3+1	God's People	Four winds, directions in the heavens being the sun, moon and stars.
5	4+1	Testing	Serpent created on fifth day
6	5+1	Man	Man created on the sixth day
7	6+1	Relationship, Perfect Will	God rested to enjoy the creation
8	7+1	New Beginning	Circumcision was on the eighth day.  The eighth day is a new week.
9	8+1	Final Judgment	Jesus died on the 9th hour
10	9+1	Totality, Law, Government	10 commandments, 10 horns
11	10+1	Hope for Blessing that results from Judgement	11 Disciples, Judas
12	11+1	Rule and Blessing	Stars, Gates, Angels, Tribes, Fruit

Is Syria the beginning of the Tribulation?

Whenever action is about to be taken in the Middle East, we have to look at Revelation 6 which clearly demonstrates how the tribulation begins.

The horse found in Revelation 6 is symbolic of a war that begins as an effort to bring peace.  The attempt quickly evolves out of control.  

Revelation 6: 1-2 states, “Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” ² And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

The rider on the white horse has a weapon and it is the bow.  The bow is used to attack an enemy from a distance.  When we see President Obama wanting to shoot 200 tomahawk missiles into Syria, we are quickly reminded of Revelation 6:1-2.  The next question in this: Will Obama be given the ‘crown,’ meaning the authority, to do this with the intention of bringing peace?  Will his act result in retaliation against the Jews?

The next step in this major conflict is found in verse 3 and 4 where the red horse signifies a bloody conflict when the second seal is unlocked.  The battle that began with the bow turns into a battle with the sword.  The conflict that began from a distance attack evolves into a conflict that has men on the ground using the great sword, meaning significant weapons.

^{Revelation 6:3-4, “}When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.” Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”

The third and fourth seal demonstrate how the war begins to escalate.  The rider is given authority over a “quarter of the earth” attempting to control the expansion of the conflict.  The black and pale horse demonstrates a major food shortage which expands to people dying from hunger during this struggle. 

It is during this struggle that the saints were being killed when the fifth seal is opened.  The saints who died then say, ““How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”  Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”

The sixth seal shows how the war then expands to affect the entire world when the people on the earth realize that God is going to judge the world.  The great earthquake reveals a significant time of change on the earth.  The sun is a picture a great power that dominates the earth which was filled with death.  The moon is the lesser power that is filled with blood shed.  The stars fall to the earth which is a picture of the the rulers who are falling from power.  The mountains and islands are a picture of kingdoms both great and small being affected by the conflict.  The conflict is so horrific that people begin to cry out to the “mountains” which are the kingdoms to protect them from the events that are unfolding attributing it to the great wrath of the Lamb.  The events that unfold on the earth are of Biblical proportion affecting the entire world.

¹² I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. ¹³ And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. ¹⁴ Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.¹⁵ And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, ¹⁶ and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! ¹⁷ For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Is Syria the beginning of a world wide conflict that begins with an effort at peace?  We will have to wait and see.