The Bible is very detailed about certain developments pertaining to these countries and power blocs, just prior to and leading to the return of Jesus Christ. Before specifically addressing and identifying the Ukrainians and Russians in the Bible, let us give you first a general overview of coming prophetic events.
In our booklet, “Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever”, we point out that in the near future, European powers will attack Far Eastern nations, including Russia and Ukraine.
We explain that the FIFTH TRUMPET (Revelation 9:1–12) identifies the final European resurrection of the ancient Roman Empire as coming out of a “bottomless pit” (Revelation 9:1–3; compare Revelation 11:7; 17:8). This will be an end-time European power bloc, referred to as the “beast” or “Babylon” elsewhere. (The term “beast” can refer to the European power bloc, and mainly to ten core European nations or groups of nations, as well as to the human leader of that bloc.)
The European forces will attack Russia, Ukraine, China, Japan, India and other Asian countries, after rumors from those areas will have disturbed the beast, perhaps indicating that these Asian nations are planning an attack on Europe and the Middle East. The European nations will use weapons that will not kill, but only torment their enemies for five months (Revelation 9:5).
The SIXTH TRUMPET (Revelation 9:13–21) describes the retaliation of the Asian nations and foretells the appearance of an invading army of 200 million soldiers (verse 16) from the East (verse 14)—shortly after Europe’s invasion of the Middle East (Daniel 11:41–43, 45)—to kill “a third of mankind” (Revelation 9:15). Apparently, this is the second stage of a total world war between, at that time, mainly the European power bloc and a power bloc of eastern nations (compare Revelation 9:17 with Joel 2: 4). This second stage is also alluded to in Daniel 11:44.
The actions of the Asian nations will be ruthless and merciless. They will use nuclear weapons of mass destruction and kill one-third of mankind. Other passages tell us that ultimately, Europe will be destroyed by these Asian nations, and the beginning of this destruction will undoubtedly commence with this counter attack, but additional attacks will follow. This also shows that these Asian nations were not altogether unprepared for such military action, and that the beast’s concern of an Asian attack will not have been unjustified.
At the time of the sixth plague of the SEVENTH TRUMPET (Revelation 16:12), we are again introduced to the Asian nations and kings from the East. We are told that they are now preparing to strike a final blow in an effort to win the war. They will be crossing the dried-up river Euphrates to move their armies and equipment to a place called “Armageddon,” to assemble there with the apparent desire to advance toward Jerusalem to defeat the beast and to wipe out his European armies that have conquered the Middle East.
It appears that before or while moving toward the place called Armageddon in the Middle East, at least parts of the armies of the kings of the East will sweep through Europe and create devastating havoc there.
Do these Asian nations and kings of the East include the Russian and Ukrainian peoples? The Bible identifies the major powers which will be responsible for the destruction of Europe as the modern Medes. Who were the Medes, and do they exist today?
In ancient times, the Medes lived in present-day Iran. Originally, under Assyrian rule, they revolted against and expelled the Assyrians and imposed their rule over the Persians. They then attacked Nineveh and overthrew the Assyrian Empire. Under Cyrus the Great, the Medes and the Persians were considered as one people. The Encyclopedia Britannica (ed.1959) points out that at least some of the Medes were not Iranians or Indo-Europeans, but perhaps connected with the numerous tribes of the Caucasus.
The historian Herodotus wrote in Terpsichore, 9, that the Medes began to settle throughout South Russia and present-day Ukraine. He stated: “They say that they are a colony of Medes.” Pliny wrote in Natural History, book VI, section xi, that the people who colonized the lands along the river Don claim to be “descended from the Medes.”
The Church of God has long held and taught that the modern Medes can be found among the Russian and Ukrainian peoples who will be instrumental in leading the Far Eastern nations to destroy Europe. When describing the destruction of Europe or the modern Babylonian system, Jeremiah 51:27-29 states:
“Set up a banner in the land, Blow the trumpet among the nations! Prepare the nations against her, Call the kingdoms together against her… Appoint a general against her; Cause the horses to come up like the bristling locusts. Prepare against her the nations, With the kings of the Medes, its governors and all its rulers, all the land of his dominion. And the land will tremble and sorrow; For every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, To make the land of Babylon a desolation without inhabitant.”
As Jeremiah 51:27-28 states that the modern Medes (Russians and Ukrainians) will use horses against Babylon like bristling locusts, this indicates that they will use some of their tanks and their air force to destroy modern Babylon. Jeremiah 51:11 adds: “… The LORD has raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes. For His plan is against Babylon to destroy it, Because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for His temple.”
Isaiah 13:17, 19 confirms that after the ten European nations, under the authority of modern Assyria (“the Babylonian system”), have subdued and conquered many nations, they themselves will be defeated in war by the modern Medes:
“Behold, I will stir up the Medes against them… And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.”
Verses 6, 9 and 13 designate the timing as occurring during the “day of the LORD” – a time span still ahead of us, which will begin approximately one year prior to the return of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 21:2, 9 states: “A distressing vision is declared to me; The treacherous dealer deals treacherously, And the plunderer plunders. Go up, O Elam [Persia or modern day Iran]! Besiege, O Media!… Then he answered and said: ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.”
While engaged in their war of destruction against Europe and assembling at Armageddon in the Middle East, the kings from the East [led by the modern-day Medes] will suddenly feel threatened by another “enemy,” and being influenced by Satan and his demonic powers, they will combine their forces with the kings of the whole world (including the beast power) to attempt to defeat that common foe. That “foe” is none other than the returning Jesus Christ, His saints, and His angelic armies who will make an end of Satan’s rule over this earth (Revelation 16:14-16; 19:11-21).
We can see from the foregoing that Russia and Ukraine will collaborate and ultimately combine forces with other Far Eastern nations, such as China, to fight against Europe, just prior to Christ’s return. Current developments seem to indicate that these events are not too far off.
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
