Russian Federation
“Russia — The Bear of the North: A Devouring Power Moving
in the Prophetic Purposes of God (Daniel 7:5)”
Prophetic Outline
Russia and the Gog Prophecy
The Word of Ezekiel 38 -(ESV).
1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,
2 Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him,
3 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal:
4 and I will turn you about, and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you forth, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armor, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords;
5 Persia, Cush, and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet;
6 Gomer, and all his hordes; the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north, and all his hordes; even many peoples with you.
7 Be you prepared, yes, prepare yourself, you, and all your companies who are assembled to you, and be you a guard to them.
8 After many days you shall be visited: in the latter years you shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the peoples, and they shall dwell securely, all of them.
9 You shall ascend, you shall come like a storm, you shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you, and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.
10 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: It shall happen in that day, that things shall come into your mind, and you shall devise an evil device:
11 and you shall say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates;
12 to take the spoil and to take the prey; to turn your hand against the waste places that are [now] inhabited, and against the people who are gathered out of the nations, who have gotten cattle and goods, who dwell in the middle of the earth.
Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions of it, shall tell you, Are you come to take the spoil? have you assembled your company to take the prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take great spoil?
14 Therefore, son of man, prophesy, and tell Gog, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In that day when my people Israel dwells securely, shall you not know it?
15 You shall come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you, and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army;
16 and you shall come up against my people Israel, as a cloud to cover the land: it shall happen in the latter days, that I will bring you against my land, that the nations may know me, when I shall be sanctified in you, Gog, before their eyes.
17 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Are you he of whom I spoke in old time by my servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for [many] years that I would bring you against them?
18 It shall happen in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, that my wrath shall come up into my nostrils.
19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;
20 so that the fish of the sea, and the birds of the sky, and the animals of the field, and all creeping things who creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the surface of the earth, shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.
21 I will call for a sword against him to all my mountains, says the Lord Yahweh: every man's sword shall be against his brother.
22 With pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him, and on his hordes, and on the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and sulfur.
23 I will magnify myself, and sanctify myself, and I will make myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.
“Prophecy & History Expanded”
1. Is Russia mentioned in the Bible?
Russia is not named directly, since it emerged as a modern nation long after the biblical period. However, many scholars identify Russia with the biblical “Rosh” (רֹאשׁ – Rōsh) in Ezekiel 38:2–3:
“Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince [Hebrew: nasi rosh] of Meshech and Tubal…”
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Rosh may refer to a people group north of Israel. Some interpreters link Meshech with Moscow and Tubal with Tobolsk, though this is debated.
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Magog (מָגוֹג – Magōg) is a descendant of Japheth (Genesis 10:2), often associated with Scythians in the territory of southern Russia.
Thus, while the modern name “Russia” is not in Scripture, the northern power in Ezekiel is often associated with it.
2. Does Russia have a prophetic role?
Yes, prominently in Ezekiel 38–39.
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Russia (as Gog of Magog, the northern leader) gathers a coalition of nations — Persia (Iran), Cush (Sudan), Put (Libya), Gomer, Togarmah (Turkey) — to invade Israel.
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The Hebrew word ṣāp̄ôn (צָפוֹן – north) in Ezekiel 38:15 emphasizes “the far north,” which geographically points directly to Russia.
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God Himself says He will bring Gog down to Israel to demonstrate His glory:
“I will bring you against My land, so that the nations may know Me” (Ezekiel 38:16).
Russia’s prophetic role is therefore as a divinely drawn aggressor against Israel in the last days.
3. What is the historical role of Russia?
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Early tribes – Slavic peoples consolidated power around Kiev and Novgorod (9th–10th centuries).
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Orthodoxy – Prince Vladimir converted to Christianity (988 AD), aligning Russia with Eastern Orthodoxy.
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Tsardom – From Ivan IV (the Terrible, 1547) to Peter the Great (1682–1725), Russia expanded into an empire.
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Soviet Union (1917–1991) – Marxist atheism turned Russia into a global superpower opposing the West and suppressing religion, including Christianity.
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Modern Russia – After 1991, Russia re-emerged under strong authoritarian leadership, asserting influence in the Middle East (alliances with Iran, Syria).
Historically, Russia has always played the role of a northern empire with global ambition, often hostile to biblical faith and Israel.
4. Is Russia in the New Testament?
Not by name. However, the NT does mention “the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), which later Christianity saw as including the far northern lands.
The spread of the Gospel into Byzantium and then Slavic lands in the early centuries eventually reached Russia, fulfilling Jesus’ commission indirectly.
Some interpreters also connect Gog and Magog in Revelation 20:7–8 with the nations at the end of the Millennium — possibly echoing Ezekiel’s northern invader typology.
5. What is the current reality of Russia?
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Population: ~144 million (2025 est.).
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Capital: Moscow.
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Language: Russian.
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Religion: Officially Orthodox Christian (Russian Orthodox Church), but with strong nationalist–political identity; atheism remains influential.
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Economy: Large natural resources (oil, gas, minerals); weakened by sanctions and economic isolation.
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Politics: Highly centralized power under Vladimir Putin; pursuing global influence, often opposing Western and Israeli interests.
6. What is the prophetic destiny of Russia?
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Ezekiel 38–39 portrays Russia (Gog/Magog leader) as leading a final assault against Israel.
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God promises supernatural intervention: earthquakes, hail, fire, and divine judgment (Ezekiel 38:18–22).
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The result:
“So I will show My greatness and My holiness and make Myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD” (Ezekiel 38:23).
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In the long term, even Russia is not beyond redemption — for Revelation envisions nations from the whole earth bringing their glory into the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:24).
Thus, Russia’s prophetic destiny is one of judgment as an aggressor, but ultimately under the sovereignty of God.
7. What lessons can we learn from Russia’s history and prophecy?
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Empires rise and fall under God’s hand (Daniel 2:21). Russia’s power is not autonomous.
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Geography and prophecy align – “the far north” points directly to Russia, reminding us prophecy is geographically concrete.
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Ideology can blind nations – Communism tried to erase God but collapsed; yet nationalism can also be idolatry.
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God uses enemies for His glory – Russia’s aggression will be overruled for God’s self-revelation.
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The Church must watch and pray – Many Russians belong to the underground and Orthodox church; revival can still emerge even in hostile systems.