Margery is there any one/country that means what it says anymore? They all seem to lie until they manage to get what they want!
not that I know of.
They lie, they break covenants (contracts, treaties) and they pretty much act as if might means right. They are proud, haughty, boastful and take advantage of weakness. In the case of Russia that invasion of Crimea and Ukraine is a clear case of moving the ancient boundaries- something God was angered by in the OT. A covenant (The Budapest Memorandum) signed by Ukraine, pressured by America under Bill Clinton, promised safety and protection by America, Russia and Great Britain. If they gave up their nukes, these 3 other countries would guarantee their safety.
God keeps score. EVERY country stores up judgment for the day of wrath and judgment.
Every country is guilty before God.
The only differences that I've noticed is some countries stand with Israel. They break their word too but for now The Restrainer is restraining the judgment from falling- for Israel's sake in the meantime. And the sake of the body of Christ, the church, the Christians who remain here. Salt and light wherever we are found.
Judgment on the world will come later.
Even those nations that stand for Israel now before the Rapture will finally be judged afterwards.
In Ezek 38 when Tarshish, her cubs, and Sheba and Dedan question Russia, they aren't standing up for Israel at all. They are asking the question of Russia and co, "have you come for spoil?" If anything this might mean they are worried about their investments. NOBODY stands for Israel, nobody!
I think that is another little clue that Ezek 38 might happen AFTER the Rapture.
BECAUSE when the Christians leave, the politicians that are left behind won't have any incentives to protect Israel.
There are little clues sprinkled thru the OT about what it's like when the good man is no longer to be found and all the judges and leaders lie, take bribes and act pridefully.
God will bring judgment on the invaders of Israel in Ez 38, but also the far coastlands.
God does this in Ez 38 to make His name known - among the Jews and Gentiles. (another clue that the people who know HIm both Jew and Gentile, who are the church are now caught up.)
My point in this - the nations and their leaders are boastful, prideful, covenant breakers and liars who act as if God wasn't watching.
But God is restraining judgment till the time is right, and the people who know God, and love His Son are caught up.
Then as The Restrainer is caught up with us, the Holy Spirit will still move on the earth, among people to draw them to God, but His activity as The Restrainer is REMOVED
and on earth all hell breaks loose.
To your question I think that this is another indicator how close we are to the Rapture. Very few "good" countries left that even stand with Israel - and those few are also stained with lies, broken promises, etc.
All guilty before God. God brings ALL the nations, every single one that remains in that final year of the Tribulation to Jerusalem to enter into judgment against them, and at that time HE will repay!
We who trust in Christ for Salvation are exempt from that judgment, Christ raptures us up and out because His judgment, His wrath, already fell on Christ at the Cross, in our place. We are covered by His blood, paid in full, finished. We belong to God's kingdom. We are removed before the wrath falls.
Another reason for the Rapture before the Tribulation.
The world that remains, the left behind will face ever increasing wrath- and the final judgment of the nations is at Armageddon when our beloved Lord, the Stone cut without hands smashes every earthly kingdom and nation into dust that blows away!
Prior to the Rapture we are like the captives in Babylon, looking at a series of kings, some worse than others but all of them marked by pride, and power that corrupts.
Their day is coming.
Soon.
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