p. 9 | Russia’s Part in the Closing Work by F. I. Richardson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 18, 1907

Russia’s Part in the Closing Work

By F. I. Richardson

The Eastern Question—No. 2

Russia’s Part in the Closing Work

F. I. RICHARDSON

THE rise and growth of the Russian empire is a wonder of modern times. Like America, it has come up for the last days. In many respects its growth is more remarkable than that of the United States; for that country was made by civilized and enterprising men, with everything before them; but Russia was peopled by barbarians without education, laws, or resources, yet to-day Russia stands the largest empire of the world except that of Great Britain. A few generations ago it was nothing; now it reaches from the Atlantic (the Baltic) across to the Pacific, covering about eight and one-half million square miles.

To the student of prophecy the phenomenal growth of Russia has a deep significance. Many centuries before there was any Russia in existence, the Bible foretold that this colossal power would come up and play an important part in the closing work of this world’s history. It is revealed in the thirty-eighth and thirty-ninth chapters of Ezekiel. “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal.” Eze. 38: 1-3, R. V. Used in this connection, Gog is a word as meaning ruler or czar. So this prophecy refers to the ruler of the land of Magog, who is also the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. Turning to the tenth chapter of Genesis, we notice that Magog, Tubal, and Meshech are sons of Japheth, grandsons of Noah. We learn from history that after the dispersion these settled in the territory that to-day is occupied by the Russians. From Magog descended the Scythians, Tartars, and Avars. (Josephus.) Thus the land of Magog is the land of these tribes, or Russia, Tartary, and Siberia. From Rosh came the Roshans, or Russians; from Meshech came the Moschi, or Muscovites, who founded Moscow; and the Russians are known as Muscovites to the present day; the descendants of Tubal built Tobolsk, east of the Ural Mountains. (Rawlinson.)

These developed into tribes, and for nearly if not quite three thousand five hundred years they occupied the territory of Russia as roving bands of barbarians, each having its own leader, with no settled form of government, making occasional raids upon their neighbors for the purpose of plunder, making no advancement in civilization or morals, and with apparently no desire to change their condition, until the fourteenth century, when Ivan I came upon the stage of action. He succeeded in uniting the several tribes, and was virtually the founder of modern Russia. He was the first who assumed the title of Grand Prince of all Russia. Here then is Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; in other words, the czar of Russia.

Under the leadership of Ivan I and his successors some advancement was made, “but as a factor in civilization, Russia did not exist until the reign of Peter the Great. It was in 1689 that this man, her material Moses, became her ruler. With his accession to the throne began her real importance.

‘His character transcended his opportunities. His mind was universal, notwithstanding he was by birth, physique, and temperament a Russian. He was truly a child of nature, above his family, beyond his people, and ahead of his age.

‘He was without education as that term is popularly understood. Of schools, colleges, and universities he knew little; of the world about him he saw and knew much. Through childhood and youth neglected, and in early manhood ignored, his mates were the roistering officers of the imperial militia. His boon companions were a Scotchman and an Italian, characteristic soldiers of fortune and social adventures. Reading little, they had observed much. These adventurers were not only the companions of Peter in his coarse and dissolute sports, but unwittingly became his teachers.

‘From them he learned of the institutions, laws, customs, and manners of Western Europe. Judging his native land by the information thus obtained, this great man was made to realize her deficiencies. Then it was that he found her people were barbarians, her army a

mob, and her navy inconsequential. He began to think—this uncouth and intemperate youth. Thought ended in resolution. He determined that all this should be changed on his coming to the throne, if example and precept could work that change. On ascending the throne, without delay he set about his reforms. Departing his realm, he traveled extensively in Western Europe, studying her arts, sciences, and manufactures.

“In Holland and England he worked as a ship carpenter, and studied architecture, medicine, law, physiology and anatomy. Returning to Russia in 1699, he brought with him generals, military officers of all grades, engineers, shipwrights, architects, gunsmiths, cutlers, medical men, artificers and mechanics of all kinds, naval officers and experienced seamen. . . . Great Britain and Ireland, Holland and the Netherlands, furnished the greater part, but artists were allured from France and Italy, by the tempting offer of the czar, to undertake a residence in the cold climate of the north. The Western world has been wont to date the beginning of the material progress in Russia from the reign of Peter, and not incorrectly.”—“Panorama of the World.”

Is it not rather strange that a coarse, dissolute, uneducated youth of sixteen years should be suddenly transformed into a man with a mind grasping the possibilities of establishing a leading empire of the world? But just that was done by this man. After a prosperous reign of thirty-seven years, in which he succeeded in welding the empire together, and in making some additions to his territory, Peter left a last will and testament in which he enjoined the following policy: “Take every possible means of gaining Constantinople and the Indies, for he who rules there will be the sovereign of the world.”

The time had come for this north country to begin to get ready to act its part in the great drama of this world’s history, and the Lord raised up this man for that purpose. “He removeth kings, and setteth up kings.”

True to the instructions of Peter the Great, the Russians have succeeded in extending their territory nine hundred miles toward Constantinople and fifteen hundred miles toward India. In 1877, in a war with Turkey, Russia pushed her conquests to the very gates of Constantinople, and would certainly have accomplished Peter’s great scheme if other powers had not interfered and turned her back; and just there was fulfilled the prophecy of Eze. 38: 4 and 39: 2: “And I will draw thee back with an hook of six teeth” (margin). At the council that was called at Berlin to settle the difficulty, there were just six powers represented. The representatives of these six powers drew up the treaty whereby Russia was compelled to draw back for that time. The powers present were England, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Turkey.

But we see from the rest of those two verses and from the eighth verse of the thirty-eighth chapter, that Russia shall enter again, in the latter days, into this country from which she was drawn back, or the country “that is brought back from the sword.”

Of the settlement of that war of 1877, the Detroit Evening News of Feb. 20, 1878, said: “According to the latest version of the peace conditions, Turkey—besides her territorial losses, the surrender of a few ironclads, the repairs of the mouth of the Danube, the reimbursement of Russian capital invested in Turkish securities, the indemnity to Russian subjects in Constantinople for war losses, and the maintenance of about one hundred thousand prisoners of war—will have to pay Russia, in round figures, a sum equivalent to . . . six hundred million dollars. With her taxable territory reduced almost to poverty-stricken Asia Minor, and with her finances at present in a condition of absolute chaos, it is difficult to see where she is going to get the money, however ready her present rulers may be to sign the contract.

“The proposition amounts to giving the czar a permanent mortgage on the whole empire, and contains an implied threat that he may foreclose at any time by the seizure of the remainder of European Turkey.” The czar is now demanding payment.

Furthermore, Russia claims Constantinople and the territory of the sultan as hers by right, by virtue of the inheritance of the Princess Sophia. This princess fled from Constantinople before the invading Turks, and was the sole surviving heir to the Byzantine throne. In 1472 she married the Russian Prince Ivan. From the first czar born of this union, down to the present time, every ruler of Russia has looked upon the former possessions of the Princess Sophia as his own.

A correspondent of the Christian Union, writing from Constantinople under date of Oct. 8, 1878, said: “When we consider the difficulties which now beset this feeble, tottering government, the only wonder is that it can stand for a day.” It is only the attitude of other nations that prevents Russia from proceeding at once to recover her dominions. But the time has already come when England talks of withdrawing her support from Turkey; and when she does, the Turk must go. And then will that most solemn and momentous event of this world’s history take place—the standing up of Michael as recorded in Dan. 12: 1, which, as we have shown in a former article, means the closing of probation. The final decree, from which there is no reprieve, will have been passed. He that is wicked will remain so; there will be no more chance to repent and be saved. The door of mercy will have been closed forever, and the wicked will wait the execution of that terrible decree, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

On the other hand, those who are righteous will remain so. There will be no more backsliding. They have been faithful in overcoming; they are sealed to God, and await with listening ears and expectant hearts the first sound of that glorious invitation, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Phoenix, Ariz.