A prophetic picture emerged in my mind some years ago when considering Russia’s rumbling and snorting along the borders of Ukraine and within Crimea.

“And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.” (Dan 7: 5)

Now, I am aware that this refers to the empire combination in prophecy known as Medo-Persia. However, the scripture points starkly to the nature and the power of the beast we know as the bear. It is this I would like to address somewhat in this commentary.

I have a friend living in Montana who told me that the Grizzlies, when out of hibernation, sometimes amble into the sparsely populated neighborhoods looking for something –anything—to eat. She has an apple orchard near her and the thousand pound plus animals come down to shake the trees for the apples. She is concerned for her little dog, and, of course, for herself, during these times when the Grizzlies, and even Black bears, are ravenous, having just emerged from their long winter’s naps. She has a friend that has had her front door knocked off its hinges with one blow by a giant Grizzly paw. Another friend, she says, had to shoot a Grizzly with a high-powered rifle through a window when it tore the window out, frame and all.

The bear is one of the top predators and certainly one of the most dangerous of all of earth’s animals.

The Russian behemoth has been well-assigned its animal lookalike. As of late it is again living up to that kindred spirit it shares with the massive Grizzly. The old Soviet Union certainly was as voracious as its animal lookalike, gobbling up Hungary, and every other nation within its sphere of influence.

We are witnessing at this time the Russian bear coming out of hibernation following its long winter when the cold war ended and it went for a time into a more or less dormant stage, thanks to the strong stance taken by leaders like Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher. They stood with the equivalent of high-powered rifles, ready to deal with the Soviet bear should it raise to devour much national flesh in the geopolitical sense. Reagan and Thatcher –and anyone like them, are long gone. The bear is out of its cave, and it is hungry to reestablish its territory.

Vladimir Putin, of course, represents the head of that bear, in my analogy, with massive jaws, terrible teeth, and a hunger that, I believe, will not be satiated until the bear has its fill. Bible prophecy tells us that Rosh –which we believe to be Russia—will eventually look southward toward the Middle East in order to satisfy its appetite. You don’t put down a thousand-pound bear with a flyswatter. You use a high-powered rifle to defend against such a powerful beast. Until the Trump Administration changed the way things are done, those of the former administration were intent on using a flyswatter on Putin’s overtly obvious ambitions, as he began what I’m convinced will be a continuing attempt to reestablish the Soviet bear’s territory.

Putin has said he believes the West cheated and did great injustice to Russia –to the U.S.S.R—when Reagan and the others forced Gorbachev to cower under the threat of the so-called Star Wars Missile Defense initiative. This KGB Colonel hasn’t forgotten that perceived injustice –just like Adolf Hitler never forgot how, in his thinking, Germany was mistreated in the forced surrender of Germany following World War I.

Putin is continuing to act much like the Fuehrer acted in beginning to annex and threaten to invade surrounding territories. He still has thousands of Russian troops gathered along the Ukrainian borders. There is no doubt in my mind that he will invade full-force someday, if he isn’t granted what he wants without firing a shot.

President Trump and some within congress are proposing increased sanctions to hold the bear’s ambitions in check. Those sanctions, however, won’t affect Putin’s decisions –guaranteed. It might make additional hardships on the Russian people, but, Vlad Putin and his cronies will still have the multiple mansions, the limos, the perks –like in the case of all dictators. And, as long as Putin controls the natural gas of his region and of Europe, he isn’t worried about sanctions.

Israel’s massive natural gas deposits to his south do concern the Russian leader, however. These threaten his hegemony, and, like any tyrant, he will do whatsoever it takes to eliminate the opposition –especially as long as he receives no resistance, militarily.

Mr. Trump, I’m convinced, will oppose the Russian bear’s aggression. however, Bible prophecy foretells a time when the world will send only a diplomatic note of protest in opposition to the bear’s design.

You don’t swat a Grizzly with a flyswatter. Ezekiel chapters 38-39 tell us the result of such weak leadership.