Beast of Revelation.pdf - Friends of the Sabbath Australia

Chapter 6
that temple dedicated to God!
How will major nations of the East—like Russia, India,
China and Japan—view all this? In Ezekiel 27, we see some of
them initially participating in the commerce system: Meshech,
Tubal and Togarmah (vv. 13–14) are widely accepted references
to the people of Moscow, Tobolsk (in central Russia) and Siberia
respectively. But these nations—at most, very superficial converts
to this Western system and inherently suspicious of the
German-led Europeans—will have deepened suspicions as a
result of European actions in the Middle East. Rumors of this discontent
from the Far Eastern capitals “and the north” (Moscow is
almost due north of Israel) will ultimately cause the Europeans to
launch a preemptive strike to cow the East into submission (Dan.
11:44). For a while the war machinery of the Beast, who came
out of the abyss or “bottomless pit” (Rev. 9:1–12; cf. 17:8)—figuratively
the realm of Satan (cf. 9:11)—will prevail. But then the
tables will be turned, resulting in the utter destruction of much of
Europe, including Rome itself, by the Eastern alliance with its
vast military force of 200 million troops (vv. 13–18; 18:10, 17).
Again, Russia must certainly be part of this eastern alliance
since we see “Rosh [i.e. Russia], Meshech, and Tubal” in Ezekiel
38—following Christ’s return—still allied with eastern nations like
Persia (Iran) and the black and brown descendants of Cush and Phut
in India (mistakenly translated “Ethiopia” and “Libya”—the western
branches of these families). Therefore, Russia is clearly not
destroyed along with modern Babylon. Also Isaiah 13:17–18 indicates
that the modern Medes (probably Ukrainians, based on statements
by the ancient historians Herodotus and Pliny) will help overthrow
modern Babylon—just as their ancestors did in ancient times!
The European dictator will move his capital to the Holy Land
(Dan. 11:45). Then armies from the East will march toward Israel,
intent on finishing the job of wiping out the new Babylon. The
Euphrates River will be dried up “so that the way of the kings from
the east might be prepared” (Rev. 16:12). This is significant.
Remember that the Euphrates was “dried up” in ancient times so the
Medo-Persian forces of Cyrus could invade the original Babylon.
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