[Darris McNeely] With the war raging in Europe after Russia's invasion of Ukraine,
we get a lot of requests here on Beyond Today wanting to know what is happening,
how does this fit into Bible prophecy or in the time of the end. And specifically,
a lot of questions that people have asked us about
where do we find Russia in prophecy? Does the Bible talk about Russia's role in end-time events?
And the answer to that is there are indications and, certainly,
regions of the world with reference in the end-time prophecies that do
include that area of Russia and other Eurasian nations. In the book of Daniel
11, there is an amazing prophecy, the longest in the Bible, but when it comes down to verse 40,
it begins to specifically talk about what will transpire in the time of the end.
It says that, "At the time of the end, the king of the South shall attack him,
and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind with chariots, horsemen,
and many ships. And he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through." So we have two
characters mentioned here, the king of the North and the king of the South.
The king of the South makes a push or what is understood to be an attack
and what is called the king of the North. The king of the North in Bible prophecy and in history is
the area of Europe. The final movement and the final timing of the Roman empire and revivals
that have taken place down into modern history of what began in Babylon and settled into Rome
and an empire collapse, and then has had various revivals. That's the king of the North.
The king of the South is another power down in the Middle East of
Muslim and Arab nations that come together at the time of the end, according to certain prophecies,
into a combine called the king of the South. And this yellow part of the map is talking
and giving us an indication of where that would be. That king of the South makes a push
at the king of the North. And then it says the king of the North will counterattack and
come into the area of the king of the South into what is called here the glorious land.
It says in verse 41, "He'll enter the glorious land, many countries will be overthrown,
but these shall escape: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon," which are areas
to the east of the Jordan River, modern nations of Jordan and others that would be in there.
And so this power comes into the glorious land. We've often wondered
how will that happen if that is to be coming out of the area of Europe
with the recent decades of Europe not quite having the force and the ability to do that.
Well, things are changing right now in that region as a result of Russia's
invasion of Ukraine. The other nations of Europe now have been shocked. In a sense, they've been
awakened to the reality of the dangers of not being able to deal with such a force.
Germany is beginning to re-arm, spending more money on its armaments. And this is going to
have an impact in creating a power in that part of the world that can fit what we read about here in
Daniel 11:40, the power that is pushed again, and then this time comes into the area of Jerusalem.
Forces that'll be in play at that time deal with larger spiritual, religious forces that will be
in play, creating a time of deception and other events that Bible prophecies talk about.
But this power, this king of the North, comes in.
And there's an interesting section here in Daniel 11:44, "After it sets itself," it says,
"news from the east and the north shall trouble him. And he will go out with great fury to
destroy and annihilate and plant the tents of his palace between the seas." News out of
the east and the north, from Jerusalem, east and north, takes you into the area of Russia.
And it doesn't just stop there, but it can include China and other countries of what we would call
Eurasia. Those tidings create unrest, create the movement of armies and forces. In other
prophecies, in the book of Revelation, in Chapter 9 and Chapter 16 of the book of Revelation
where armies will come together at the point that is referenced at the Euphrates River.
Those are events in the future. But what has happened in Europe right now with Russia's
invasion of Ukraine has set in motion some other events that can lead to even bigger, more specific
events that we read about here in prophecy, Daniel 11, and also in the book of Revelation.
That's what we should understand. And that is what is important for us to realize. Yes, Russia is
mentioned in understanding where these points on the compass are directing us to understand
nations and the movement of armies in those days to the end. We're not at that point yet,
but these events are pointing in that direction because sometimes in history and in prophecy,
small, seemingly, insignificant events can trigger and lead to bigger events.
And that I think is what we were looking at right now and should help us to understand, not fear,
not worry, but at least to understand how prophecy is
real and how it is moving to the events that are going to lead to second coming of Jesus Christ,
waking us up, making us aware of how we should live, what we should be as
righteous disciples of Jesus Christ, studying our Bible, understanding, so that we can face
what is happening now and in the future with a calm, confident courage.
That's "BT Daily." Join us next time.