In continuing to think on the current Iranian regime that is a threat to Israel and its neighbor nations, the matter of restraint by God the Holy Spirit is all important.
In other commentaries, we’ve looked at that restraint and how President Trump has, for some unknown reason, not yet finished eliminating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG). I believe this strange turn of events—Trump’s unequivocal declaration that he would destroy Iran’s war-making capability and yet his ongoing negotiations despite the IRCG continuing to fire on ships—is due to Holy Spirit restraint.
This usually-in-command president now seemingly giving in to Iran’s deceiving negotiators has no secular rationale. My conclusion, based upon study of Bible prophecy and carefully watching what’s going on in the Iranian matters, is that God Himself is restraining the destruction of this regime. I believe the Lord might be holding back Mr. Trump from doing what he promised—complete obliteration of Iran’s war-making ability—for Bible prophecy about the Gog-Magog destruction (Ezekiel 38 and 39) to be fulfilled. The fulfillment of that prophecy will include the almost total destruction of the Gog-Magog force attacking Israel.
That said, I’m wondering if we aren’t also seeing at this time heavenly restraint of another Gog-Magog participant.
I refer to the coalition member of the Gog-Magog force called Rosh. This ancient name is thought by most who have studied this prophecy as referring to current-day Russia. The restraint I believe we might be seeing is directed at Vladimir Putin, president of Russia.
Until its quagmire entered upon invading the former Soviet state Ukraine, Putin’s country was looked at as undefeatable. It reportedly has the largest arsenal of nuclear weaponry in the world–even greater in numbers than the US.
It was thought that such an invasion by the powerful Russian military of a weakened Ukraine (due to having given up its own nuclear stockpile following the dissolution of the USSR) would take only weeks to accomplish its victory. Far from such an achievement by Russia, it’s been fighting Ukraine for years and has lost hundreds of thousands of troops. The prospects of Russia ever achieving military victory through current tactics seem unlikely.
The war continues—and becomes less winnable by Russia by the day. Ukraine is really taking it to its invaders, according to news coming from that conflict.
Ukraine’s missiles have struck deeply into the heart of Russia—a thing, if it happened, Vladimir Putin vowed to answer with an attack on America. But there have been no such attacks forthcoming. The restraint is supernatural is what to conclude. One such report is as follows:
On Wednesday a “massive” Ukrainian drone and missile strike was unleashed on Russia’s port city of Novorossiysk, which badly damaged grain export terminals at what also constitutes the last major Russian naval base on the Black Sea…
Zelensky acknowledged the rocket and underwater drone attack in what he hailed as a “unique operation” to strike the Russian naval base at Novorossiysk.
It seems Zelensky is distinguishing this instance as a hit on a purely ‘military target’ given he did not mention the grain export terminal aspect to the destruction.
“The occupying fleet and all the infrastructure that supports it will not be safe as long as Russian aggression continues,” Zelensky said.
Many Russian assets previously docked at the longtime Russian fleet’s home base of Sevastopol were forced to vacate during earlier phases of the war, given the frequent prior targeting of the historic Crimean naval hub. Some ships have even been relocated as far away as the Caspian Sea in order to protect them…
Reuters has said shutdowns resulted: “Two of Russia’s biggest grain terminals at the southern port of Novorossiysk have suspended operations as a result of overnight Ukrainian drone strikes, four industry sources told Reuters on Wednesday…
Novorossiysk is also home to vital oil export infrastructure. Kyiv has essentially declared open season on Russian oil exports, arguing that proceeds fuel Russia’s military machine. (“Ukraine Defies Vance Warning with Massive Strike on Russia’s Key Black Sea Port, Shuttering Grain Terminals,” Reuters, ZeroHedge, August 13, 2026)
The restraint, I believe, might be manifest in that the strongman, former KGB agent of the USSR, hasn’t unleashed the deadly power he possesses. Why has Vladimir Putin not used tactical nukes delivered by the super-fast missiles he’s always bragging about?
It is reported that the people of Russia are extremely angered by the horrific losses suffered involving their young in the unending grinder of war against the formerly thought toothless Ukraine.
It has become more than obvious that Putin will have to do more—much more—to bring victory in this war he started.
Some will say he doesn’t want to be the first of post-World War II to uncork the nuclear genie bottle, last uncorked at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But Putin is cut from the same mold as Stalin and Khrushchev. These were willing to go to any lengths to keep the likes of their state, Ukraine, under Soviet bondage.
Rosh—Russia—is destined, according to the prophet Ezekiel, to lead the coalition toward God’s chosen nation in the Gog-Magog attack.
It’s likely that God is, like in the matter of restraining Trump’s dealing with Iran, restraining thoughts of total conquest because the leader of that coalition, the one who will be possessed by the Gog satanic spirit, hasn’t yet gotten the “evil thought” that will instigate that assault. Unleashing the nukes might upset the timing and trajectory of that prophetic fulfillment.
“Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought” (Ezekiel 38:9-10).
The Lord’s restraint of Rosh—and on so many prophetic matters in our time—cannot or should not be missed by those who are watching on the wall of spiritually discerned observation in these closing days of this Age of Grace.
This all means that Jesus Christ is about to step onto the clouds of Glory and make the SHOUT, “Come up here!” (Revelation 4:1). All who are born again will join Him and all believers for the journey into that heavenly realm.
Again, here is how to be part of that journey with Jesus:
“That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).