Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin authorised military action in Ukraine, with the objectives of protecting the areas of Donetsk and Luhansk from further aggression from the enemy, and ultimately demilitarising the whole of Ukraine (ref. 1).
Ukraine has become a significant danger to Russia. Remember, Ukraine was peaceful and secure before Maidan 2014, before the United States’ CIA decided to topple the elected president Viktor Yanukovych using snipers who shot at both protesters and police alike. That action destabilised Ukraine, and ultimately empowered druggies and Neo-Nazis.
In response to Russia’s move, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has mobilised reserves and vowed to resist.
Two days ago, on the numerically special day of 22 02 2022, Russia formally recognised both the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent republics (ref. 2). This means, this unfolding war constitutes a war of nations and kingdoms, as prophesied in the Bible – a kingdom being an independent realm within a nation.
And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginning of sorrows.
Mark 13:7-8
That same day, 22 February 2022, one of Europe’s tallest volcanoes Mount Etna roared, sending a pillar of smoke (ref. Joel 2:30) twelve kilometres into the sky (ref. 3).
This war of nations and kingdoms has been months in the making. There have been rumours that war might break out between Russia and Ukraine and NATO for a while now. There have been several rounds of talks between the various parties, even talks that involve the USA and the EU. None have succeeded. This is because this war was meant to happen. As the Bible reads, “such things must needs be”!
Now in 2022, already there have been several wars of nations and kingdoms. The war against Tigray in Ethiopia is one. The war against Artsakh or Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan was another.
This one, however, is so momentous that it must be the opening of the first seal of the apocalypse, the very beginning of the end!
Revelation 6 speaks of four seals, all of which are opened by the Lamb, Jesus Christ. When the fourth seal is opened, the time of the great tribulation will begin, the final forty-two months before the day of the LORD.
This being the first seal, Russia must be the prophesied white horse, the one whose rider has a bow.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Revelation 6:1-2
In recent times, many Christians, especially evangelical Americans, have associated the first seal of Revelation with the Antichrist. They offer no explanation why the rider of the white horse represents the Antichrist. They simply assume he is so.
In times past, Christian theologians such as Irenaeus connected the white horse in Revelation 6 to that of Christ’s in Revelation 19.
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
Revelation 19:11
I concur with this view. However, this is not to say that the rider carrying the bow is the person of Jesus Christ. Rather, the rider is merely one part or one member of the body of Christ, as all Christians are.
Notice, Revelation 6:2 reads, a “crown” was given unto him. This crown is not one of royalty or authority, but a crown of victory, “stephanos” in the original Greek. This crown it and of itself means, the rider on the white horse is a Christian.
Not only that, this person is someone with a mighty bow. In these last days, a “bow” that fires arrows represents the ability to fire nuclear missiles (ref. Jeremiah 50:14). Right now, it is not for nothing that Russia is the strongest nuclear power in the world. Russia is like this because God is the LORD of hosts (ref. Job 39:26-30) – ie. God is the one who determines the outcome of war.
This idea that Russia is the white horse is something that has only now occurred to me. Before this, I had not given much thought to the first four seals of Revelation.
President Joe Biden has declared that the USA has “no intention of fighting Russia” (ref. 4), despite all the bluster of the last three months. Instead, the USA will merely sanction Russia, and posture.
Consequently, Russia will surely conquer territory, and achieve every one of its objectives. As the Bible reads, the rider of the white horse will go forth conquering, and to conquer.
Today, Putin warned all other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to consequences never before seen (ref. 1). This comes after Russia brought forward its tests of various hypersonic and ballistic nuclear missiles (ref. 5).
Of course, the situation will change when the second seal of Revelation 6 is opened. At that time, peace will be taken from the earth, and so presumably all of the superpowers will be at war.
There is news also that oil prices have jumped because of what is unfolding (ref. 6). When the cost of transport rises, inevitably, the price of goods that have to be transported from wholesalers to retailers will rise. This rise can induce inflation. More inflation in the USA will after some point turn into hyperinflation. Hyperinflation happens to be the third seal of Revelation 6.
And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Revelation 6:5-6
The fourth seal, which reveals the rider of the horse that is pale, or green, “chloros” in the original Greek, is the Antichrist or the beast, that is to say, the Assyrian, the leader of ISIS. Anyone that sides with the beast in these last days will be condemned by God. This is why the name of the rider of the pale horse is Death, and Hell followed with him.
And I looked, and behold, a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.
Revelation 6:8
Once again, I must say, all of this is something that I have only just now realised.
Returning to the first seal of Revelation 6 and Russia, I should like to point out that there is a line in the national anthem of the Russian Federation that goes: “Unique in the world, you are one of a kind, our native land protected by God!” (ref. 7).
This line suggests that even though the coming world war between good and evil will eventually go nuclear, regarding the superpowers, there will be no mutually assured destruction. Prophetically, Russia will surely live on, as will the other of the kings of the east. This is because God will send forth his angels to spoil the nuclear weapons of Babylon.
Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.
Jeremiah 51:53
So, in the end, Babylon will lose, and she will die. Since this is a conflict between God and Satan, all who fight on the correct side will enjoy victory and glory.
And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Revelation 21:26
References:
1. ABC (24 February 2022), “Russian President Vladimir Putin launches invasion of Ukraine, explosions reported in Kyiv”, abc.net.au
2. Matthew Orr (22 February 2022), “Russia Recognizes the Luhansk and Donetsk Ukrainian Separatist Republics”, worldview.stratfor.com
3. AP (22 February 2022), “Mount Etna roars again, sends up towering volcanic ash cloud”, 9news.com.au
4. Reuters (24 February 2022), “We have no intention of fighting Russia, Biden says as he announces Russia sanctions”, in-cyprus.philenews.com
5. “Russia tests hypersonic and ballistic missiles in major nuclear drills”, youtube.com/watch?v=RE7rRHqZj94
6. Weizhen Tan (21 February 2022), “Oil prices surge as Russia-Ukraine crisis escalates”, cnbc.com
7. “Anthem of Russia, Crimea 2015”, youtube.com/watch?v=h9RwYPsVpfM