US Sec’y of State Hillary Clinton and Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych at Munich conference in 2012
Photo by Frank Plitt, used under CCA-SA
(CNN) – Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday sharply denounced Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “stunning, willful” actions in Crimea, characterizing the move as an “invasion” and saying “all options are on the table” as far as a U.S. response.
“You just don’t in the 21st century behave in 19th-century fashion, by invading another country on completely trumped up pretext,” Kerry said, appearing on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
~ CNN, Political Thinker blog, “Kerry rebukes Russia’s ‘incredible act of aggression’ in move into Ukraine
Bible prophecy contains tomorrow’s “news headlines in advance”, Herbert W Armstrong used to say. Where does this situation with Russia fit into Bible prophecy? Why all of this trouble with American foreign policy these days?
No doubt, Ukraine has been in the news lately. Even more than Syria, Iran and the hoped-for peace deal in Israel, Ukraine has dominated the news. One thing that everyone seems more or less agreed upon is that the US has only a few options in dealing with Russia, should we desire to do so. Our foreign policy has boxed us into a corner with the “reset with Russia” and other severe blunders.
The claim has come out that “Ukraine’s Yanukovych asked for troops, Russia tells UN“, according to the BBC News.
Currently, it seems that Russia is mostly interested in its military assets in Crimea. Crimea, for the most part, feels itself more strongly allied to Russia than Europe. The current fear is that Russia may not stop there.
CNN Opinion piece “Putin’s move could be costly to U.S., Middle East” by Aaron David Miller outlines what he believes are the possible outcomes of all this, and for the most part it isn’t rosy for the US
A Putin win — maintaining significant Russian influence in Ukraine that clearly undermines Ukraine’s sovereignty — will leave Russia stronger and more dependable as a partner and ally in the eyes of al-Assad and, probably, Iran.
Barring “the highly unlikely contingency that Putin is so weakened from a botched policy in Ukraine or an uncharacteristically bold response from the United States and the West that he is permanently damaged and diminished, or removed from power“, it is a win for Putin. That translates into a win for the thugs allied with him.
As far as America’s image goes? Again, I think Miller hits this squarely on the head:
Russia is not a small power. But it is standing up to America and the West. And for the true smaller powers, how “big” reacts when faced with a challenge from “small” can be instructive. And the Syrians, Iranians and North Koreans will pay attention to the West’s resolve. It can’t be a good thing if Russia acts in Ukraine without cost and consequence.
Israel isn’t a friend of Russia nor an adversary of the U.S. But the Israelis have already seen what U.S. words mean when it comes to their own determination to continue settlement policy, and to U.S. threats to use military force in Syria, or even against Iran. And they have concluded that words mean very little.
The Saudis have reached many of the same conclusions about the Obama administration’s willingness to say what it means — and more important, act upon what it says.
I want to remind you, this is from CNN, which is not exactly a conservative stronghold by any stretch of the imagination.
What the Bible Predicts
Our credibility has taken a severe toll recently, by our own doing, and now we are seeing the results of our catastrophic foreign policy. Not only will Rogue nations like Iran and North Korea take note, but so will China, who still has designs on Taiwan and other places.
The Bible shows us that there will be three major power centers in the time leading up to Christ’s return. The United States will not be one of them! The United States will continue to grow in decadence, arrogance and disbelief in the real God of the Bible, and she will suffer the consequences of her national sins. Subjugation, humiliation, military defeat and devastation, and enslavement are the inevitable results of war throughout history, and this time will be no different.
The Bible talks about the “kings of the east” in the Book of Revelation. There will be strongholds in Asia, but their exact configuration is not given. We do know, however, that “kings” is plural and therefore they will not unite to the extent they give up their sovereignty.
What of US allies? It is apparent that NATO does not mean much any longer, and now America’s strength and backing of its word mean even less. Our foreign policy consists of empty rhetoric, which will ultimately translate into Europe taking it upon themselves to look after their own and turn upon the United States for being the fickle ally that it is.
Unlike Asia, most of Europe will unite under one banner. Ten rulers will emerge to create a vast supranational state, and they will give over their sovereignty to this power. The other nations will either be forced to submit or be conquered. It will be fierce like a beast, and it is even called a beast in the pages of the Book of Revelation.
From this power will come the person known as the “King of the North” in Daniel. He will conquer three of the kings and take control of the Beast power, and eventually he will plummet the entire world into world war.
Eventually, the people in the Middle East will recognize that the Beast power centered in Europe is dangerous. They too will have a ruler, although it is not clear if it is in reaction to events in Europe or simultaneously developed. Once this ruler, known as the “King of the South” realizes that the King of the North is not to be trusted, he will somehow “push” at or threaten the King of the North, which will cause World War III.
Russia in Prophecy
All nations will descend into war at the time of the end of mankind’s rule, and Jesus Christ comes back to stop the madness! However, the world is not instantaneously cleansed of carnal human nature. Russia will once again try to control events, even at the beginning of the Millennium, and it will even be part of a force that will try to attack Israel at the end of the Millennium!
Life Hope & Truth has an article on “Russia in the Bible” that is an appropriate read for the times in which we are living.