The Editor's Column

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 9
 
Russia, through a devious course, has brought many countries under her control. Today she stands menacingly facing the west, not on her own frontier, but far to the west of it. One by one the Baltic states fell under her power; Poland, Eastern Germany, Czecho-Slovakia, and most of the Balkan countries have also been engulfed. Her appetite is insatiable and her word worthless. The question now is, “What’s next in Russian expansion?” The parts of Europe that have not been overrun by her may well shudder at the increasing threat to their safety. It has been estimated that she could race through the rest of continental Europe within 48 hours. Yet, with all these signs pointing in one direction, it does not appear that she will advance much farther to the west. Most of that portion of Western Europe that is left is destined, according to Scripture, for the revived Roman Empire. Russia’s sphere lies to the east and north. One of her allies (or satellites) mentioned in Ezekiel 38— “the house of Togarmah” —is spoken of as “from the uttermost north” (JND). Everything points to her being contained in Eastern Europe, and to the north.
While there are minorities in this and other countries that favor the Russian communistic ideology there is a growing disposition to resist Russian expansion. She can only go as far as God will allow, and He may use the crystalizing opposition of other countries to tie her down where she is in Europe.
There does not seem to be any indication from prophecy that Russia and the western powers will actually come into conflict. (We might, however, add one word of caution to this statement: prophecy deals with the closing events of this age and we should not be too dogmatic as to what may take place in the intervening time.)
There is another fact which indicates that Russia will not sweep all Europe, in that, where she goes religion must inevitably be restrained if not eliminated. Russia is basically atheistic; the Roman Empire will at first be largely dominated by the Roman church; hence it must be preserved in Western Europe.