Lesson #28

REVELATION AND THE SECOND COMING
LESSON #28
THE RESULTS OF THE GREAT RUSSIAN WAR

• MEMORY VERSE: PSA 9:10

• READ DAN 11:40-45 THE LAST PHASES OF THE RUSSIAN WAR
• A REVIEW OF PHASES #1 – #4
• WHEN RUSSIA, EGYPT AND A SOUTHERN BLOC OF MUSLIM NATIONS ATTACK ISRAEL, (EZE 38-39) THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL COME TO ISRAEL’S AID. (25) HOWEVER, EGYPT WILL ATTEMPT TO DECEIVE RUSSIA IN THIS ATTACK AND INCUR THE WRATH OF BOTH RUSSIA AND THE ANTI-CHRIST. (25b-27)
• THE DECEPTION:
• EGYPT AND RUSSIA WILL PLOT THE DESTRUCTION OF ISRAEL OVER THE CONFERENCE TABLE (27). HOWEVER, THE LEADER OF EGYPT WILL DECEIVE RUSSIA IN THE ATTACK AND ATTEMPT TO TAKE SPOIL FOR THEMSELVES BEFORE THE APPOINTED TIME. (28) RUSSIA WILL TURN ON EGYPT (29) AND ATTEMPT AN INVASION. HOWEVER, ROMAN WAR SHIPS FROM THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL POSITION THEMSELVES IN THE MEDITERRANEAN OFF OF CYRUS (30). THIS WILL DISCOURAGE RUSSIA IN THEIR ATTACK ON EGYPT. INSTEAD THEY WILL HASTILY ATTEMPT THE ORIGINAL ATTACK ON ISRAEL.
• PHASE #[5]
• THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL ATTACK RUSSIA IN ISRAEL AND WILL DEFEAT RUSSIA WITH GOD’S HELP.
• PHASE #[6]
• THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL DEFEAT EGYPT WHILE EGYPT’S ARMY IS STILL IN ISRAEL.
• PHASE #[7]
• NUCLEAR WAR SPREADS TO THE RUSSIAN HOMELAND AND TO OTHER ISLAND NATIONS.

• READ EZE 39:1-22
• THE DEVASTATION OF RUSSIA AND HER ALLIES
• GOD IS AGAINST THE RUSSIAN LEADER BECAUSE HE REPRESENTS THE NATION OF RUSSIA. BECAUSE OF ALL OF HER HISTORY OF PERSECUTION AGAINST GOD, THE JEWS, AND THE CHRISTIANS, RUSSIA WILL LOSE THE WAR SHE INITIATES. (1,7)
• “LEAVE BUT THE SIXTH PART OF THEE” (2)
• THIS PHRASE LITERALLY MEANS = DRIVE YOU FORWARD TO AFFLICT YOU WITH SIX PLAGUES. THESE SIX PLAGUES ARE: PESTILENCE, BLOOD, OVERFLOWING RAIN, GREAT HAILSTONES, FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE. (EZE 38:22) THESE ARE THE SAME ELEMENTS THAT DESTROYED SODOM AND GOMORRAH.
• ONLY 1/6 OF RUSSIA’S ARMY WILL SURVIVE.(EZE 39:2) THIS IS AN 84% CASUALTY RATE. NEVER IN WAR HAS THERE BEEN THIS PERCENTAGE OF CASUALTIES.
• THE RUSSIAN ARMY AND HER ALLIES WILL DIE IN THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL. (2)
• THE RUSSIAN HOMELAND WILL SUFFER DEVASTATION BY FIRE. (6)
• THE BIBLE DOES NOT EXPLAIN HOW THIS HAPPENS.
• PERHAPS IT IS A SUPERNATURAL EVENT OF FIRE THAT SWEEPS THE NATION.
• PERHAPS IT IS A NATURAL EVENT OF FIRE THAT SWEEPS THE NATION.
• PERHAPS IT IS THE RESULT OF BOMBS THAT FALL ON THE NATION OF RUSSIA, SENT BY THE ANTI-CHRIST AND PERMITTED BY GOD.
• RUSSIA WILL NO LONGER BE A DOMINANT FORCE ON THE WORLD SCENE.
• THE EFFECTS OF THE RUSSIAN WAR ON ISRAEL:
• THE PEOPLE LIVING IN ISRAEL WILL TAKE 7 YEARS TO BURN ALL THE RUSSIAN WEAPONS AFTER THE WAR. (9-10)
• MANY RUSSIAN WEAPONS ARE MADE OF “LIGNOSTONE” WHICH IS A HIGHLY COMPRESSED WOOD.
• THE STATEMENT ABOUT 7 YEARS MAY GIVE US SOME INDICATION OF WHEN THE RUSSIAN WAR OCCURS.
• WE KNOW FROM DANIEL’S PROPHECIES THAT THE TRIBULATION PERIOD LASTS 7 YEARS. THEN THERE WILL BE 30 DAYS TO CLEAN UP THE EARTH AFTER THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION, AND 45 DAYS TO SET UP CHRIST’S KINGDOM. (DAN 9:27 DAN 12:11-12)
• WE KNOW FROM SCRIPTURE THAT ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE JEWS TO COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST.
• WE KNOW FROM SCRIPTURE THAT THE JEWS WILL COME TO KNOW JESUS AS THEIR MESSIAH AT THE EVENT OF THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, AT THE END OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD.
• THEREFORE, WE CAN ASSUME THAT THE RUSSIAN WAR IS IN SOME WAY RELATED TO THE TRIBULATION PERIOD OF 7 YEARS…THAT HIS PEOPLE MIGHT KNOW HIM. (7)
• IN FACT, SIX TIMES IN THIS CHAPTER, AND FOUR TIMES IN CHAPTER 38, GOD SAYS THAT THIS IS HIS PURPOSE FOR MIRACULOUSLY RESCUING ISRAEL FROM DESTRUCTION IN THE RUSSIAN WAR.
• WHO WILL KNOW THIS FACT?
• ISRAEL
• ALL OTHER NATIONS
• BECAUSE IT TAKES 7 YEARS TO DESTROY THE WEAPONS, THE RUSSIAN WAR WILL OCCUR JUST BEFORE THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, OR IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION BEGINS.
• THERE IS A QUESTION THAT ALWAYS RAISES ITS HEAD REGARDING BIBLE PROPHECY.
• THE PROPHET TALKS ABOUT WARFARE THAT INVOLVES HORSES, CHARIOTS, SWORDS, SPEARS, BOWS, ARROWS, SHIELDS, ETC. THESE ARE NOT THE WEAPONS OF TODAY’S WARFARE, SO HOW CAN THE PROPHET’S MESSAGE RELATE TO SOME EVENT THAT IS STILL IN THE FUTURE FOR US TODAY?
• A PROPHET USES THE VOCABULARY FOR THE TIME PERIOD IN WHICH HE LIVES. IF HE USED SUCH NON-EXISTENT WORDS LIKE, NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, TANKS, ROCKETS, BOMBS, MISSILES, ETC., THEY WOULD BE MEANINGLESS TO THE PEOPLE OF EZEKIEL’S DAY. THEREFORE, WHEN WE READ A PROPHECY ABOUT WAR THAT WILL OCCUR AT SOME FUTURE DATE, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE WEAPONS MAY HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME, BUT THE ACT OF WAR AND THE EVENT OF A BATTLE IS CLEARLY DESCRIBED.
• THE VALLEY OF HAMON-GOG (11)
• THERE WILL BE A VALLEY IN ISRAEL WHERE THEY BURY ALL THE DEAD FROM THIS BATTLE.
• THE NAME OF THIS GRAVEYARD WILL BE HAMON-GOG, WHICH MEANS = THE MULTITUDES OF GOG (THE RUSSIAN LEADER).
• SOME BELIEVE THAT THE “VALLEY OF TRAVELERS” EAST OF THE DEAD SEA WILL BE THE LOCATION FOR THESE GRAVES.
• EZEKIEL TELLS US THAT IT WILL TAKE 7 MONTHS TO BURY THE DEAD. (12) WHY SO LONG?
• NOTICE THAT IT SAYS IN VERSE 14 THAT SPECIAL PEOPLE WILL BE APPOINTED TO BURY THE DEAD AND THAT PEOPLE WILL MARK BODIES TO BE BURIED.
• NOTICE THAT IT SAYS IN VERSES 12 AND 16 THAT THE LAND WILL NEED TO BE CLEANSED.
• BECAUSE OF THESE VERY STRANGE DETAILS, IT IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THIS WAR WILL INVOLVE SOME KIND OF NUCLEAR, CHEMICAL, OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPON THAT WILL REQUIRE EXPERTS TO DEAL WITH THE CONTAMINATION THAT REMAINS.
• THE CALL TO THE FEAST (17-20)
• NUMEROUS TIMES IN SCRIPTURE THERE IS REFERENCE TO BIRDS BEING CALLED TO EAT THE BODIES OF THE DEAD. IT IS AN ILLUSTRATION THE PROPHETS USED TO INDICATE GOD’S JUDGMENT.
• ISA 34:6 JUDGMENT ON EDOM
• JER 46:10 JUDGMENT ON EGYPT
• ZEP 1:7-8 JUDGMENT ON JUDAH
• REV 19:17-21 JUDGMENT ON NATIONS AT THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.

• READ EZE 39:23-29 EZEKIEL’S BROAD PERSPECTIVE OVER TIME
• EZEKIEL REVERTS BACK TO HIS OWN PERIOD OF TIME IN VERSE 23.
• ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT GOD HAS DONE A GREAT MIRACLE FOR ISRAEL IN THE FUTURE RUSSIAN WAR.
• ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD WILL KNOW THAT GOD DID NOT DELIVER ISRAEL IN THEIR BATTLE AGAINST BABYLON BECAUSE THEY DESERVED GOD’S JUDGMENT BECAUSE OF THEIR IDOLATRY.
• EZEKIEL SAYS THAT GOD WILL BRING CAPTIVITY TO THE JEWS AGAIN. (25)
• THIS FUTURE PROPHECY REFERS TO THE TRIBULATION PERIOD WHEN THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL TURN AGAINST THE JEWS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION. HE WILL PERSECUTE THEM AND CAUSE MANY OF THEM TO BE HELD CAPTIVE IN EGYPT. (DEU 28:68)
• AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, THE JEWS WILL KNOW THAT HE IS THEIR LORD (28). THEN JESUS CHRIST WILL GATHER THEM FROM EVERY NATION AND RETURN THEM TO ISRAEL ONE LAST TIME.
• “NEITHER WILL I HIDE MY FACE ANY MORE FROM THEM” (29)
• THE RUSSIAN WAR IS THE BEGINNING OF GOD’S REVELATION OF HIMSELF TO THE JEWS.
• THE EFFECTS OF THE RUSSIAN WAR ON THE REST OF THE WORLD
• IN EZE 38:19-20, THE PROPHET TELLS US THAT THERE WILL BE A GREAT EARTHQUAKE FELT AROUND THE WORLD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUSSIAN WAR. THAT WILL GET THE ATTENTION OF THE NATIONS. THEN WHEN RUSSIA IS MIRACULOUSLY DEFEATED, ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD WILL KNOW IT IS A MIRACLE FROM GOD.
• DOES THAT MEAN EVERYONE WILL GIVE GOD CREDIT FOR THIS MIRACLE? NO. SOME PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE THE MIRACLE IS FROM GOD, OTHERS WILL RATIONALIZE IT AWAY.
• THE EARTHQUAKE WILL CAUSE GREAT FEAR AND CONFUSION ON THE BATTLEFIELD. REMEMBER THE RUSSIAN ARMY WILL BE MADE UP OF MANY DIFFERENT NATIONS THAT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY TURN ON EACH OTHER IN THE CONFUSION.
• WILL THE EARTHQUAKE BE THE RESULTS OF SOME NUCLEAR BLAST? PERHAPS OR PERHAPS IT IS ONE INITIATED ONLY BY GOD.
• ONE THIRD OF THE WORLD’S LAND AREA WILL BE AFFECTED IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER. (REV 8)
• THERE WILL BE CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS. (LUK 21:26 REV 7:1)
• MEN WILL BE SCARCE AFTER THIS WAR. (ISA 24:6)
• AGRICULTURE DEVASTATION. (JOE 1:19 JOE 2:3)
• A FAMINE GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE. (ZEC 6:26 REV 6:5 REV 8:7-11)
• WATER POLLUTION AND WATER SHORTAGE (REV 8:11 JOE 1:20)
• WORLD-WIDE ECONOMIC DEPRESSION (REV 18:1-24)
• THE EFFECTS OF THE RUSSIAN WAR ON THE SCHEMES OF THE ANTI-CHRIST
• AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, THE ANTI-CHRIST ENSURES THE PEACE OF THE MIDDLE EAST. HE WILL PROMISE TO PROTECT THE JEWS.
• WHEN RUSSIA AND HER ALLIES MOBILIZE FOR WAR, THE ANTI-CHRIST ONLY DEALS WITH EGYPT AND THE SOUTHERN BLOC OF NATIONS IN A SHOW OF GOOD FAITH TO HIS OWN PEACE TREATY.
• WHY WILL HE NOT DEAL WITH RUSSIA?
• PROBABLY BECAUSE HE WILL SEE THAT HE CAN USE THE SITUATION FOR HIS OWN BENEFIT.
• WHEN GOD DEFEATS THE RUSSIAN ARMY, THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL ATTEMPT TO TAKE THE CREDIT.
• REMEMBER THAT THE NAME, ANTI-CHRIST, HAS TWO MEANINGS:
• AGAINST CHRIST.
• IN PLACE OF CHRIST.
• BECAUSE HE WILL PUT HIMSELF IN THE PLACE OF CHRIST, THE JEWS WILL CONTINUE TO TRUST HIM FOR THEIR PROTECTION UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATION.
• GOD WILL ALLOW THIS DECEPTION BY THE ANTI-CHRIST TO DIVIDE PEOPLE INTO TWO GROUPS…THOSE WHO TRULY TRUST GOD AND THOSE WHO DECEIVE THEMSELVES INTO BELIEVING THAT THE ANTI-CHRIST IS GOD.
• THE EFFECTS OF THE RUSSIAN WAR ON EGYPT AND THE SOUTHERN BLOC OF NATIONS:
• THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL POSSESS EGYPT, LIBYA AND ETHIOPIA. (DAN 11:42-44 ISA 19:4)
• THE NILE RIVER WILL BECOME DRY AND CAUSE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE (EZE 29:9 EZE 30:12 ISA 19:5-10)
• EGYPT WILL BECOME DESOLATE FOR 40 YEARS (INTO THE MILLENNIUM) (EZE 29:9-16 EZE 30:23)
• THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL USE EGYPT AS A PENAL COLONY FOR JEWS. (DEU 28:68)
• SUMMARY:
• REMEMBER THAT THE TRUMPET JUDGMENTS OF REV 8 AFFLICT 1/3 PART OF THE EARTH. THE RUSSIAN WAR CONSISTS OF NATIONS WHOSE LAND MASS COVERS 1/3 OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE.

** THOUGH THE UNITED STATES IS NOT SPECIFICALLY MENTIONED IN EZE 38-39, IT ISDIFFICULT TO IMAGINE THAT THE UNITED STATES WOULD NOT BE INVOLVED IN LIGHT OF ITS STANDINGAND INFLUENCE IN THE WORLD.

• IT IS EVIDENT IN EZE 38 AND 39 THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL. HE IS BRINGING GOOD AND EVIL TO THEIR ULTIMATE LEVELS THAT MEN MIGHT MAKE A FINAL CHOICE BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN, BETWEEN CHRIST AND ANTI-CHRIST.
• THE DETAILS OF THE RUSSIAN WAR AND OTHER EVENTS OF THE TRIBULATION ARE NOTHING MORE THAN THE SIDE-LINE FORCES THAT MOVE PEOPLE INTO THEIR CHOSEN PLACES FOR THE FINAL BATTLE, THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON.
• REMEMBER THAT BIBLE PROPHECY HAS A DOUBLE FULFILLMENT. THE PROPHECY OF THE RUSSIAN WAR IS NO EXCEPTION.
• THE RUSSIAN WAR NEAR THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD IS THE FIRST FULFILLMENT.
• THE SECOND FULFILLMENT OCCURS AT THE END OF THE MILLENNIAL REIGN OF JESUS CHRIST ON EARTH. (WE WILL DISCUSS THIS SECOND GOG AND MAGOG WAR LATER IN OUR STUDY.)

HOMEWORK
REVELATION 9:1-21
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF THE STUDY OF THE GREAT RUSSIAN WAR
• HOW CONVINCED ARE YOU THAT GOD HAS CONTROL OF THE NATIONS OF THIS WORLD?

• ON WHAT DO YOU BASE YOUR BELIEF ABOUT GOD’S CONTROL OVER THE POLITICAL MOVEMENTS OF NATIONS?

• PRAY FOR THE SALVATION OF MULTITUDES OF PEOPLE LOCATED IN THE NATIONS INVOLVED IN THE GREAT RUSSIAN WAR.

• PREPARATION FOR REV 9:1-21
• READ REV 9:1-12
• IDENTIFY THE THE STAR.(1) (SEE REV 1:20 ISA 14:12-17 EZE 28:11-19)

• IDENTIFY THE KING. (11)

• WHAT IS THE BOTTOMLESS PIT?

• WHAT IS THE PLAGUE IN VERSE 3?

• READ REV 9:13-21

• MEMORY VERSE: REV 9:6