A Holiday from Prophecy

The big news right now is centered on whether Russia will invade Ukraine. Anywhere between 75,000 and 100,000 Russian troops are massed on the Ukrainian border, while the world holds its breath to see what will happen. For most of us in the United States of America, Ukraine may seem far away and mostly irrelevant. No one wants to spill the blood of American soldiers in Ukraine. After last year’s disastrous abandonment of Afghanistan, it is understood America will not send troops, nor is it likely will any European nation.

Why does this international crisis matter? Why should a student of the Bible be concerned with a geopolitical event?

The general thought among many is such an event has nothing to do with the Bible and one’s spiritual life. But that would be wrong. What is happening now on the border of Ukraine could change the face of Europe. It could further change the rapidly evolving world we know into something different, with consequences that could affect millions of people.

Ukraine and its capital, Kiev, has been at the center of much of Russian history. Kiev is the theological birthplace of the Russian Orthodox faith. Ukraine has always been a distinct group of people with its own language. In modern times it has been a part of the greater Imperial Russian Empire and the old Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union dissolved and Ukraine became an autonomous nation it shocked Russia, including Vladimir Putin, setting in motion a series of events meant to reconnect this vital border-buffer state. Should Russia invade it could upset a delicate European balance in place since the end of World War II in 1945.

In the early 1990s when the Cold War ended, the U.S. entered what was called a “holiday from history.” It was thought major world conflicts would finally end. A period of benign global order would emerge. That dream ended on 9/11. Today, two years after COVID-19 unleashed a global pandemic, China seeks to replace America as the global leader in every conceivable category. America is going through internal upheaval that threatens its historic role among nations. If Europe’s map be redrawn with an invasion of Ukraine it could set in motion major prophetic events.

The corollary to a “holiday from history” is a “holiday from prophecy.” You may not think Bible prophecy is a topic you can easily understand or even see its relevance to today’s world scene. But nothing could be more wrong. Bible prophecy is the only tool to properly understand what is happening in our current geopolitical and religious scene. With a sound foundation of prophetic teaching, you can have confidence and hope that God controls history and major world events.

We cannot take a “holiday from prophecy.” World events do not. God does not.

We have several study guides on Bible prophecy. If you are new to the topic or unsure about it, our helpful guide, You Can Understand Bible Prophecy, would be an excellent place to begin your study. Take a look at this opening section titled: “Why Prophecy?”.

Until next time,