Posted on 02/07/2007 7:40:00 PM PST by Blogger
The Muslim Bear? - by Mark Hitchcock - faith.prayerdiary.com
Ezekiel's prophecy and Russia's changing demographics
The prophet Ezekiel predicted almost 2,600 years ago that Rosh (modern Russia) would lead an end time invasion of Israel. The allies of Russia in this invasion are ancient places that today are Central Asia (Magog), Iran (Persia), Libya (Put), Turkey (Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Togarmah), and Sudan (Cush)—all of which are Islamic nations. In previous articles we have speculated about what could possibly draw Russia into such an alliance against Israel. Several reasons have been suggested: 1) Russia's desire for regional supremacy, 2) Russia's need to maintain a counter-balance of power against the West, or 3) Russia's reassertion of its might after its humiliation in the early 1990s when the might Soviet Empire disintegrated. All of these are plausible, reasonable explanations for Russia's involvement in this future attack on Israel.
However, a recent article sheds some fascinating new light on this subject. Mark Steyn at SteynOnline recently presented some startling statistics about the rapidly changing demographics in Russia. Here's what he said.
There are ten million people in Moscow. Do you know how many of them are Muslim? Two and a half million. Or about a quarter of the population. The ethnic Russians are older; the Muslims are younger. The ethnic Russians are already in net population decline; the Muslim population in the country has increased by 40% in the last 15 years. Seven out of ten Russian pregnancies (according to some surveys) are aborted; in some Muslim communities, the fertility rate is ten babies per woman. Russian men have record rates of heart disease, liver disease, drug addiction and Aids; Muslims are the only guys in the country who aren't face down in the vodka. Faced with these trends, most experts extrapolate: thus, it's generally accepted that by mid-century the Russian Federation will be majority Muslim. But you don't really need to extrapolate when the future's already checking in at reception. The Toronto Star (which is Canada's biggest-selling newspaper and impeccably liberal) recently noted that by 2015 Muslims will make up a majority of Russia's army. . . . What will happen in Russia? A remorseless evolution into a majority Muslim state? Bosnian-style civil war? The secession of a dozen or so of Russia's 89 federal regions? A Muslim military coup? Or a panicky attempt to arrest decline by selling off your few remaining assets, including national resources to the Chinese and nukes to anyone who wants them? None of us knows, but we should know enough to know we don't know. The Russia of 15 years ago is already ancient history. . . . By 2050, Russia will be the umpteenth Muslim nuclear power, but the first with a permanent seat on the UNSC. (Mark Steyn "The Bear Goes Walkabout," marksteyn.com. 2/2/07).
Imagine that. The great Muslim bear poised to the north of Israel. Assuming the accuracy of these facts, or even anything close, one can see another explanation for Russia's participation in the Islamic invasion of Israel in the end times. Russia will lead this Islamic invading force, because Russia itself will be dominated by Muslims. This is something that no one could have envisioned even a decade or two ago. Yet, it appears to be happening right before our eyes.
No one knows when the battle of Gog and Magog in Ezekiel 38-39 will occur, but if it's several years in the future, this dramatic demographic shift in Russia could very well play a key part in setting the stage for this major event of the end times.
"The prophet Ezekiel predicted almost 2,600 years ago that Rosh (modern Russia) would lead an end time invasion of Israel."
Interesting. What's the evidence for that? Just curious.
Ping-Pong ............ FRegards
The Scripture being referred to is Ezekiel 38-39. The word Rosh is in the text (though it could mean Chief prince just as well). And, there are several things which point to Russia being Magog. There was a statement in Josephus which was "Magog founded those that from him were named Magogites, but who are by the Greeks called Scythians." The Scythians settled in the area of Southern Russia and into Eastern Europe. I think that the great wall was also known as the Wall of Al Magog at one point and I remember reading somewhere that the Georgians had a nickname for the Russians as Magogites or something to that effect (that one is by memory so don't quote me). Grant Jeffrey lays out some of the evidence though here http://www.grantjeffrey.com/article/rusisrl.htm
In all history, Persia/Iran and Israel have never fought Press to Read Ezekiel
Very interesting!
Have you read, The Last Days; The Ezekiel Option; The Copper Scroll; and the Epicenter: Why current rumblings in the middle east will change your future, all by Joel C. Rosenberg? He comes close to the same conclusion. My wife, who abhors christian fiction, except all of the Jan Karon books, won't let me alone because of the books. She slips one in my briefcase and calls to see if I went to lunch or obeyed her and read the books.
They are fascinating and my 94 year old retired Pastor father is completely taken by them, of course, he's also responsible for my eccentric pre trib belief and Red Sox fanaticism.
I have not read them. But something tells me I need to be reading them. :)
Rosenberg is a Christian Jew who was a confidant of Benjamin Netanyahu. He worked as a researcher at the Heritage Foundation.
"The great Muslim bear poised to the north of Israel."
And to the West of the US.
Russia's Muslim allies are already pouring across our borders under the guise of immigrants. As much as we fought naziism in WWII we now embrace Islamofascism.
Gorbachev said that the Russian democracy was only for show. He said to the politburo in 1989 that it was to lure us to sleep. He probably didn't realize that once we were asleep that Russia would no longer be Russian.
You have an excellent pre-trib belief. Thank your father for me.
...and Red Sox fanaticism.
Oh well, you can't win them all (pun intended).
And even today there are those that claim that we defeated communism. All one has to do is to listen to Rush, Hannity and other talk-show hosts. What a laugh - we have become arrogant, complacent and think that we can replace unity with diversity. Good luck.
http://www.biblestudytools.net/OnlineStudyBible/bible.cgi?new=1&word=Revelation+20§ion=0&version=kjv&language=en
Rev. Chapter 20:
(verse) 7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle...
Perhaps you will find this helpful.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1781695/posts
The Bear Goes Walkabout
by Mark Steyn
I think that there are elements of the Ezekiel battle which distinguish it from the Revelation battle. Two Gog and Magog battles.
Thank you Dajjal. You know what amazes me, all this is going on in the world and the most we hear out of Putie Pute in the press is how he has offed some folks. The entire complexion of Europe is changing and the world is asleep.
Be grateful they take a few moments away from discussing important news like astronaut love triangles or ex-Playboy models to tell you that much!
LOL!
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