Heaven Bound

Israel in the Crosshairs

This story making news tonight, “Putin shoots gray whale with crossbow.”  A big thank you to reader Jay and to Ultraguy at New Wineskins for bringing it to my attention. 

A few months ago, May to be exact, a gray whale was spotted of the coast of Israel; in an extremely rare, if not unprecedented event, which made news for several days. Those of us who are watching Bible prophecy were intrigued by the timing of this event, as it came on the heels of an immense amount of pressure being placed on Israel this past spring by the Obama administration and the so-called Quartet (United Nations, Russia, EU and United States) for creating a Palestinian state and dividing Jerusalem. If you recall, there was a huge uproar over the building going on in East Jerusalem which culminated in Prime Minister Netanyahu being snubbed by both Vice President Biden and President Obama and a dressing down over the phone by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

 For many of us, the sighting of the whale represented a period of warning  – a symbol, reminiscent of Jonah and the whale regarding repentance – a symbol, which could preclude events in the not to distant future regarding Gog, Magog and eventually the time of Jacob’s trouble. For a refresher on my thoughts on this, check out my post of May 12, “the sign of Jonah.”  https://cindybythesea.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/the-sign-of-jonah/

Now, we have another story, just days ahead of the mid-East peace negotiations scheduled to take place in Washington DC on Sept 2, involving not only a gray whale but, one of the leading members of the Quartet, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Man of the Hour

   In this shot, the Prime Minister takes aim at his intended target.  The seas are choppy and the rubber raft unstable –  after firing 3 shots, the Prime Minister successfully nails it on his fourth attempt. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100825/ap_on_re_eu/eu_russia_putin_whales

  Prime Minister Putin in the Russian mind, is a man among men; a tough man of action.  Besides hunting whales, the Prime Minister also made news recently by taking an active role in extinguishing the wild fires that had recently ravaged his country.  This is a man who not only craves adventure, but, strives to create a public image of himself of strength bordering on invincibility; a Russian superman.  Besides hunting whales, the Prime Minister has also been photographed placing a collar on a sedated polar bear, tranquilizing a Siberian tiger, doing the breast stroke in an icy river and riding bareback and bare-chested across the country side.  I looked up the name Putin and was unable to find a meaning for it, but, the name Vladimir, interestingly means, “to rule with peace.”  Putin, is an obvious man of action, but, is he a man of peace (?) 

If May’s whale indicated a time of repentance and warning for Israel, I can’t help but wonder, what might the Putin whale mean?

When we think about Ezekiel 38 and 39, we see a people from the far north descending on Israel like a storm; invading as it were, a land of unwalled villages, an unsuspecting people, a people living in peace. 

 * unwalled in the sense that modern-day villages are no longer enclosed with a wall as they were in ancient times, * unsuspecting, they suspect Iran of course, but, Magog/Russia, I’m not so sure, and * living in peace, well, Israel desires to live in peace, even though their enemies do not –

On seeing this, (the invasion of Israel) the nations with eyebrows raised, ask these questions “have you come to plunder, have you come to take a spoil?”  Obviously, there is an air of incredulity about this.  No surprise Iran (Persia) is involved, they have been threatening Israel for some time now.  But, Russia, – well – not so obvious, after all, they are part of the Quartet – one of the parties supposedly working for peace in the middle East. 

 Consider this, –  when Putin took aim at the whale, his purpose was not to kill the whale, but, to plunder it  – to take something from it, in this case, a skin sample.  And, while that may sound fairly innocuous, the skin is the bodies first layer of defense against infection and once breached can lead to a whole host of problems from the superficial to the serious.

When Magog descends on Israel, they go to take a plunder, leading the way for Persia and the other nations that follow – whose aim it is, not merely to plunder, but, to destroy.

 Therefore, as scripture tells us, Russia is in it for what they can get; but, Iran and the others are in it for what they can do.  Russia by plundering breaks down that first line of defense – opening the way for the kill.

Putin, man of peace, set forth on choppy seas to take a plunder.  The word sea in scripture, if you recall, especially when used in the prophetic sense, often represents the nations in tumult.  It takes him four tries but, he finally succeeds in piercing the skin of the whale. This time though, when Magog takes aim at Israel, God himself will intervene and the bow of Magog will be broken.  For this is what the Lord says:  

“Son of man, prophecy against Gog and say: This is what the sovereign Lord says: I am against you O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.  I will turn you around and drag you along.  I will bring you from the far north and send you against the mountains of Israel;  then I will strike your bow from your left hand and make your arrows drop from your right hand.  On the mountains of Israel, you will fall  …”  Ezekiel 39:1-4

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, they shall prosper who love thee”  Psalm 122:6    Watching and waiting with YOU for the soon return of Jesus!   Cindy