And there before me was a second beast, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. It was told, "Get up and eat your fill of flesh." Dan 7:5

The bear has a mighty influence. It is given the right to go and consume other nations. In biblical times a bear was even more feared than a lion. Although slower, it is much stronger and very unpredictable.

This bear could be the Russian empire, that dominated the second half of the twentieth century. The ribs in its mouth would be the third of Europe that it conquered. (I wrote this reference to Russia  in 1986, but now I am not certain.)

Georgia

Recent events in Georgia mark a shift in direction. When Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia foolishly decided to invade the independent enclave of South Ossetia, his forces were walloped by the Russian army. The Russians not only seized control of South Ossetia and the other independent enclave of Abkhazia, but Russian troops were soon stationed throughout much of northern Georgia. Western political leaders engaged in their usual grandstanding, but they were powerless to change things on the ground.

The three ribs being crushed by the bear’s teeth probably represent three nations being seized by the Russian bear. Georgia probably the first, with two more to follow, but the three ribs could also be Abkhazia, Georgia and South Ossetia, as these territories are aligned like three ribs in a row.

The bear was told to “Get up and eat”, so we can expect more to follow. I am not sure which they are. One possibility is the Eastern Ukraine, which has many Russian speaking citizens. The other possibility is Crimea, which is important for control of the Black Sea.

NATO is currently intent on stirring up the nations on Russian’s western flank. In response to the Georgian saga, the union of states has announced plans for missile bases in Poland. NATO pressure leaves Russia vulnerable to attack across the great plains on its western flank, so it is not surprising that the bear is fighting back. NATO should be careful, because God has given the bear permission to “get up and eat its fill of flesh”.

God is allowing this to happen as judgement on the Western nations that have forgotten him and focussed on feeding the flesh. He has allowed Russian control over a significant share of the world’s oil supplies to shake the western economy. This will lead to the third seal of Revelation. The solution is not belligerence towards Russia, but repentance towards God.

The first beast paves the way for the second. For a long time Russia’s power was in decline. Its strength has emerged toward the west and will grow in the future, because America is bogged down in the Middle East. Unrest in Pakistan is threatening the supply lines of United States troops in Afghanistan. Negotiations are underway for fuel to be suppled from within the Russian sphere of inflence.

The western powers will engage in endless pontificating and posturing but they are powerless to assist Georgia and any other ribs that get cruched, because they need Russian support in Afghanistan and against Iran.

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The bear could be also be a picture of the slow growing United States empire.  The ribs could be the Middle Eastern nations it has conquered.  The first was Afghanistan.  The second was Iraq.  The third would be the nation it invades next, possible Saudi Arabia.

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The word bear also has an economic meaning. A "bear market" is a collapsing market. The bear in the vision may be a picture of an economic collapse. It may come quite slowly, but it will be strong and unpredictable.