Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. Jeremiah 1:14
In February of 2014, disguised Russian soldiers began their takeover of Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula. A few months later, Russians began a takeover of some of the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine and waged an offensive there for years. Then in February of 2022, the Russians began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine apparently expecting an easy romp to victory that was partly squelched by a stiff Ukrainian resistance. Since then, more than two million soldiers have been killed or injured in the fighting, while more than 16,000 Ukraine civilians have died and another 46,500 have been injured as Russian drones, missiles, and bombs have targeted apartment buildings, railway stations, and many other civilian buildings. Is the evil in our text today speaking of Russia?
No. At least not primarily. Our text is speaking of the coming Babylonian conquest of Judea under Nebuchadnezzar in 597 BC. Much of Jeremiah’s prophecy has to do with warnings about that invasion and conquest that led to the deportation of much of Jewry into Babylon. It was from the north that the invasion came. Just like it will be from the north – this time from Russia – that an invasion is coming against Israel.
That invasion is described in Ezekiel 38. If we study that chapter, we see the nations of the Middle East taking positions today just as Ezekiel described. And Russia, identified as Magog in Ezekiel 38, is a key player in that conflict. And Ukraine today is where the Russian bear is sharpening his claws. Prophecy is taking shape before us.
Are the daily news reports from Ukraine starting to line up with the words of Jeremiah and Ezekiel of long ago? Very possibly! -Jim MacIntosh
Here is the link to the video of this message: https://youtu.be/26ir7byHqzo