Vladimir Putin mobilizes troops, while pro-Russian supporters demonstrate in east Ukraine; but PCG is still not right about the ‘prince of Rosh’

Vladimir Putin (www.kremlin.ru)

In Ukraine, many in the west are trying to move towards the European Union, while many in the east are trying to move towards the Eurasian Union. Vladmir Putin, who considers that Ukraine is a Russian regional matter, put troops on alert:

February 26, 2014

Pro-Russia demonstrators and those supporting Ukraine’s new pro-Western interim leaders confronted each other in the southern city of Simferopol on Wednesday…

The Crimean peninsula is mainly made up of Russian speakers who support Moscow, though it also includes a minority Tatar group that tends to take an anti-Russia stance.

There are concerns that Ukraine, a nation of 46 million people, could face an East-West divide after weeks of widespread protests prompted the ouster of Russia-friendly president Viktor Yanukovych…

Russia flexes muscle

President Vladimir Putin ordered an urgent drill to test the combat readiness of the armed forces across western Russia on Wednesday, news agencies reported, flexing Moscow’s military muscle amid tension with the West over Ukraine.

“In accordance with an order from the president of the Russian Federation, forces of the Western Military District were put on alert at 1400 (1000 GMT) today,” Interfax quoted Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.

Putin has ordered several such surprise drills in various parts of Russia since he returned to the presidency in 2012, saying the military must be kept on its toes, but the geopolitical overtones could hardly have been clearer this time.

The western district borders Ukraine, which lies between NATO nations and Russia.

Putin has made no public comment on Ukraine since Yanukovych was driven from power over the weekend…

It is also unclear how Russia will react to the ouster of its ally. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-britain-no-zero-sum-game-for-ukraine/1859367.html

The situation in Ukraine is tense and since Russia already has a military presence in Ukraine, do not expect it to give it up for nothing. Vladimir Putin has never wanted Ukraine to join the European Union, and the current crisis exists primarily because of that.

Vladimir Putin has visions of an enlarged Russian confederation consisting of as many members of the old Soviet Union as possible, with like involvement with other countries such as China, Mongolia, India, and others. He is a decisive and calculating leader who has intimidated and even murdered opponents. He has aggressively worked to undermine U.S. and Western efforts internationally. He also wants to topple the USA dollar as the world’s reserve currency. Vladimir Putin is a supporter of the Russian Orthodox Church and is supported by it–and it has a significant presence in Ukraine.

That being said, the various reports from the improperly named Philadelphia Church of God (PCG) about Vladimir Putin being the “prince of Rosh” in Ezekiel 38 are wrong. Here is one related to him and the recent Olympics by PCG’s Brad McDonald:

Imagine if we added up the number of hours every individual on Earth has spent watching the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi…Despite this enormous investment of time, 99.9 percent of viewers have yet to experience the most powerful and inspiring lesson of the Sochi Olympics. This lesson revolves around Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, and a prophecy in Ezekiel 38.

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi are sensational, divinely timed proof of exactly who this end-time “prince of Rosh” is!

One final important observation needs to be made about this prophecy in Ezekiel 38. Study the prophecy and you’ll easily see that two personalities are actually discussed here. In addition to the “prince of Rosh,” there’s also the “son of man.” This is God’s messenger. Notice, God not only reveals the end-time identity of the “prince of Rosh” to this individual, He also commands this messenger to “set thy face against Gog” and “prophesy against him.” In other words, God uses this man to warn the world about the “prince of Rosh.”

This would be hard to believe, were it not written in black and white in God’s inspired Word. This prophecy in Ezekiel 38, written 2,500 years ago, says explicitly that just prior to Christ’s return, a powerful leader who behaves as if he is royalty will emerge to take control of Russia. Not only that, this prophecy says that God will send an end-time messenger who will reveal the identity of the “prince of Rosh,” then deliver a dramatic warning from God. Is it coincidence that the 2014 Winter Olympics, hosted by Russia, have put the spotlight on Vladimir Putin? And is it coincidence that Russia’s prince is the center of global attention at precisely the same time Gerald Flurry identified Putin as the prophesied “prince of Rosh”?

I do not believe that the Sochi Olympics were divinely timed to identify Vladimir Putin as the “prince of Rosh.” Earlier I also reported about this improper “prince of Rosh” assessment by PCG’s Gerald Flurry (see PCG’s Gerald Flurry points to Russia’s Putin as the ‘Prince of Rosh’ of Ezekiel 38:2). Gerald Flurry is not a true prophet of God.

However, the Bible does tell of something that will develop in the future that is a type of Eurasian Union. The late Herbert W. Armstrong even used that term (though in his latter years he did not teach that the “prince of Rosh” would be identified prior to the return of Jesus Christ) in his article about the USA and Russia decades ago.

Vladimir Putin will use military action, and not just the threat of it, if he feels this will further his agenda without excessive international cost.

The new interim government in Kiev needs to tread lightly if the new leaders want to be in charge of the entire nation of Ukraine. Russia may end up with some of Ukraine, and perhaps even all of it (see also Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future).

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Teachings Unique to the Philadelphia Church of God Simply calling oneself ‘Philadelphia’ does not make one so (see Revelation 3:7-9), nor does Gerald Flurry calling himself “that prophet” make it so. This article provides many quotes from this group which tries to look faithful.
How To Determine If Someone is a True Prophet of God There are many false prophets. How can Christians determine who is a true prophet? There is also a sermon-length video titled How to determine if someone is a true prophet of God. Here is a related link in Spanish/español: ¿Cómo determinar si alguien es un verdadero profeta de Dios?