Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an interview recently that the war in Ukraine between Russia and the West is an “existential battle for the survival of Russia and the Russian people” (ref. 1).
This means, the conflict between Russia and the USA and also the wider West is about to become fiercer!
This was never the sort of war where both sides could back off and negotiate. This was always a winner take all type of thing. It ends only when one side is no more, or effectively disarmed.
First, let me remind that Russia’s Putin is the rider on the white horse with a bow, so this war in Ukraine is the result of the opening of the first seal of Revelation by Jesus Christ himself. Prophetically, Russia is to go forth conquering and to conquer.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals… And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow [nuclear weapons]… and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Revelation 6:1-2
Remember also, there is a time for peace and a time for war (ref. Ecclesiastes 3:8). This is a righteous war.
… in righteousness he [Jesus Christ] doth judge and make war.
Revelation 19:11
This conflict between Russia and NATO, which has gone on for over a year, is now such that Russia must win all of Ukraine, and even go beyond. With modern weapon systems the way they are, including drones and emerging hypersonics, Russia is realising that it must push the boundaries of NATO as far back as possible (ref. 2), if not stop NATO altogether by defeating America once and for all.
Suppose, there were to be a ceasefire and a premature peace in Ukraine. In this case, what remains of Ukraine would be allowed to exist as part of a defacto NATO with NATO arms and security guarantees, the sort of thing that is already happening. Almost immediately, American defensive and offensive missile systems, and also early warning radar, would be put in Ukraine under the pretext of defending Ukraine. But in fact, it would all be there for the strategic advantage of America.
Last year, already, the Ukrainians attacked with drones Russia’s Engels and Dyagilevo air bases, where long-range Tu-95 strategic nuclear bombers are kept (ref. 3).
The situation is further becoming an existential threat to Russia because American bio-weapons are in the mix, the sort that could potentially wipe out the population of an entire nation. According to a report by Redacted, Russia has uncovered documentary evidence of American bio-labs in Ukraine, doing secret biological research including work on some kind of coronavirus since 2015 and also testing America’s other synthetic virus, HIV, on certain Ukrainians (ref. 4).
Genetic and biological information about the Slavic race, the race of a vast number of Russians, might one day give America a frightening bio-weapon like something out of No Time To Die (2021) – the weapon of the character “Lyutsifer”, Russian for Lucifer.
Lucky for the people of Russia, Putin is ex-KGB. He is well aware of America’s CIA, what one movie describes as All The Devil’s Men (2018) – a B-grade movie, but what a title! Putin understands the depths that the CIA will go to so that America can continue to dominate the world.
In the movie Skyfall (2012), which brings to mind Satan’s fall from heaven, and where Bond remarks something about “resurrection”, there is a poem by Alfred Tennyson.
“We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.” – Alfred Tennyson
Though this poem is actually about England, it should equally stir all who are or will be in this battle against the forces of evil.
Now, I want to draw your attention to one particular part of the prophecy of the first seal: the crown that will be given to the rider of the white horse.
The Greek word for “crown” in the prophecy is στεφανος (stephanos), meaning a crown of victory. Picture a wreath of laurels. In ancient times, such a crown was given to winners at the Olympic Games, a symbol of victory and honour.
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
A wreath of laurels was also often worn by victorious military commanders, and even by Roman emperors including Julius Caesar.
This stephanos, or crown of victory, means the first of the four horsemen of the apocalypse must be a Christian. And sure enough, Putin is a Christian. The Russian Orthodox church is a vestige of the church of Byzantine, once a part of the Roman Empire of Constantine the Great, the emperor who converted Rome from Greek polytheism to Christianity.
Now, as a Christian in these last days, Putin is to face tribulation, a time of testing. You might wonder, how could the leader of a nation ever be subject to tribulation?
Well, right now, in the war for Ukraine, it is almost the entire world versus Russia. Granted, some nations are neutral. But still, there is a multitude of nations against one. Apparently, China, the other of the kings of the east, has not yet taken the side of Russia (ref. 5). Even Belarus has not actually entered the fray, despite talk earlier that it would. So, Russia stands alone against the Devil and those that fight for him.
This is reminiscent of Isaiah 63:3, which speaks of Jesus Christ and the winepress of God, in these last days.
I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me… And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm [God the Father talking about the Son of God] brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.
Isaiah 63:3-5
I bring up Jesus Christ and the winepress, because the rider of the first seal is a Christian, a member of the body of Christ. Never forget, every member of the body of Christ is, in a way, equivalent to Christ himself.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Matthew 25:44-45
The point is that Russia, and Putin in particular, must not yield to America but rather have faith that they are on the right track whereas everyone else is wrong. This is the test, the tribulation. In time, the military alliance of the kings of the east will form (ref. Revelation 16:12, Isaiah 13:3-6), and angels of God will even get involved to spoil Babylon’s nuclear weapons (ref. Jeremiah 51:53). All this means, ultimately good will prevail over evil, and Russia will have victory and glory.
And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
Revelation 21:26
I noticed that Russia has recently withdrawn from the New Start treaty (ref. 6), the last remaining nuclear arms treaty between the USA and Russia. This is yet another prophetic step towards Babylon’s day and hour of judgement.
… the LORD of hosts mustereth the host of the battle.
Isaiah 13:4
Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD. Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her [America has deployed bio-WMDs, so retaliate but nuclear].
Jeremiah 50-14-15
In a way, crossing the nuclear threshold, a step that Russia and others must make in these last days, is like crossing the proverbial Rubicon.
In 49 BC, the Roman General Julius Caesar famously crossed the river Rubicon, and changed everything.
Some say, Caesar’s crossing the Rubicon transformed Rome from a republic to an empire. But in fact, the Roman Senate’s treachery against Caesar after his conquest of Gaul, and after Pompey’s accession to the position of sole consul, essentially a dictator for life, gave Caesar no choice but to do what he did. It was Pompey who annexed Syria for Rome, including Judaea and the Galilee. But Rome could not remain divided between Caesar and Pompey, nor was Rome to disintegrate. So Caesar’s crossing the Rubicon was fate, the will of God. More to it, one generation later, during the reign of Caesar’s nephew Octavian, eventually known as Augustus Caesar, the Son of man would be born in the Roman town of Bethlehem. It was a Roman census at a time of quiet that made Joseph and Mary travel to Bethlehem.
But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Micah 5:2
Say what you might of the emperor Julius Caesar, but when he was a military general serving Rome in Gaul, he fought for God the LORD of hosts, even though he did not know God. Gaul, a Phoenician and Druid people in the area of modern day France and parts of ancient Briton, had been an ally of Carthage, a relic of Atlantis, which was an island literally west of Jerusalem: “the West”. Gaul’s utter defeat by Rome paved the way for the Franks, a fierce Christian tribe in the area of France that after Rome would carry on the work of Constantine – “in hoc signo vinces”, meaning “in this sign, conquer”. Think Charles Martel, Charlesmagne, and all that. The Christianness of the Franks lasted until the treachery of the Templars. The mantle was then passed to England, formerly Roman Britannia.
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he [the Son of man] shall divide the spoil with the strong [Constantine’s Rome, at least for the sake of Nicaea and the Bible]
Isaiah 53:12
Anyway, notice in the image I have chosen for this post, General Julius Caesar, the commander of Legio X, famed for the conquest of Gaul, wears a wreath of laurels.
This is the sort of picture that Paul, John of Patmos, and the early Christians would have imagined when they spoke of the metaphor of a crown, a stephanos. All Christians that remain steadfast in Jesus Christ in these last days will receive this crown of life. It is also the word of God that the rider of the white horse with a bow, the one who is to go forth conquering and to conquer once the first seal is opened, will receive this crown of victory.
And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals… And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow [nuclear weapons]; and a crown [stephanos] was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.
Revelation 6:1-2
References:
1. Guy Faulconbridge (26 February 2023), “Putin casts war as a battle for Russia’s survival”, reuters.com
2. Andrew Osborn and Caleb Davis (24 February 2023), “Russia’s Medvedev floats idea of pushing back Poland’s borders”, reuters.com
3. Mary Ilyushina, Jeff Stein and David Stern (6 December 2022), “Ukrainian drones hit two air bases deep inside Russia in brazen attack”, washingtonpost.com
4. “It’s starting to come out”, youtube.com/watch?v=QDU0725r6Oo
5. AP (24 February 2023), “China calls for Russia-Ukraine ceasefire, peace talks in 12-point plan to end war”, 9news.com.au
6. Andrew Roth and Julian Borger (22 February 2023), “Putin says Russia will halt participation in New Start nuclear arms treaty”, theguardian.com