February 1 – 7, 2009

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s February 1 – 7, 2009 “If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.” (Ezekiel 33:6, New International Version) To skip the introductory slides and go straight to this weeks developments click here.

2. What is a Weekly World Watch? The idea is simple. It is to look at current events and compare them to events spoken of in the Bible. . I hope to build up a picture of God’s hand working in the affairs of this world. God is bringing about a day when all nations will be gathered to Jerusalem to battle. At that time God will send His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, back to this earth. Jesus will then establish God’s kingdom on earth. This kingdom will last for ever. This is our hope and the reason we watch. The following six themes will appear repeatedly in WWW: • Israel: The continuing conflict in the Middle East and focus on Jerusalem. • Europe: Its developing union, both political and religious. • Russia: Its return to anti-Western ways as Bible prophecy’s “king of the north.” • The UK and the US: Bible prophecy’s “king of the south.” • Moral standards in decline and violence on the increase. • Increasing natural disasters: including earthquake, famine etc WWW presentations in PowerPoint can be ordered as audio/visual CDs by clicking here. Move your mouse to place the cursor on the blue link and click.

3. BIBLE QUOTE What is in a Weekly World Watch? Each WWW looks at a few key developments that have happened during the past week. It is in no way meant to be exhaustive – just a look at those events I saw as significant from a Biblical point of view. Every WWW event slide has the following format. To reveal each block of text just left click your mouse or press the space bar. You control when it appears. News Photo This is straight from a news report that caught my eye because it looked significant from a Biblical perspective, usually that of prophecy. HEADLINE The source of the headline and the date are included. This is the reporter’s description of the event. It is always a direct quotation from the news report and reflects the understanding of the reporter and editors. EVENT This is my comment on why the event is interesting to a Bible student. The intention of the WWW is to offer brief Biblical perspectives without going into detail. If more detail is desired, please e-mail me: (andy@weeklyworldwatch.co.uk). COMMENT This is normally one verse which backs up why the event that has occurred is interesting from a Biblical perspective. Please read in its context. Unless stated otherwise, all quotes are from the King James Version.(Book, chapter, and verse)

4. This Week’s Developments February 1 – 7, 2009 • Iran launches first satellite • Russian Navy aircraft training over Mediterranean • US troops ordered out of Kyrgyzstan • Israel election could derail peace drive • Alarms on two Israeli borders • Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right

5. Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes Iran launches first satellite Daily Telegraph, February 3, 2009 The launch of the Omid satellite, meaning Hope, was timed to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Islamic revolution and United Nations talks aimed at stopping Iran's nuclear programme. "Dear Iranians, your children have put the first indigenous satellite into orbit," said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a broadcast on state television. "With this launch the Islamic Republic of Iran has officially achieved a presence in space.“ The launch has highlighted international concerns that Iran will use domestically developed space technology to develop intercontinental nuclear missiles. EVENT COMMENT The launch of Iran’s first satellite is more than it appears at first sight. Almost all military analysts say that this launch actually demonstrated a breakthrough in missile technology for Iran. It proves it has managed to develop long-range, three stage , solid fuel ballistic rockets capable of carrying nuclear warheads. In October, 1957, the then-Soviet Union launched its first satellite, Sputnik. Overnight, the West was forced to face the reality that if Moscow could put a satellite in orbit, it could also put a nuclear warhead on target. "The proven capability to launch the satellite, to launch it into orbit, shows something about the missile technology of Iran and it is worrying," said Israel Space Agency chairman and parliament member Isaac Ben-Israel. In Isaiah 13 we read of the Medes being stirred up following a war on Babylon (modern Iraq). In Jeremiah 51 we read of the Medes making “bright the arrows”. The word “bright” means polished, shining and tested. Here we have modern day Medes (Iranians) testing polished and shining missiles. God has stirred them up. They will act. BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 51:11)

6. And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships Russian Navy aircraft training over Mediterranean Itar-Tass, January 28, 2009 Carrier-based aircraft of the Russian Northern Fleet carried out 18 missions from the heavy aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov over the past 24 hours -- 14 flights by Su-33 planes and four by deck landing helicopters. The pilots and sailors carried out the set tasks successfully, the fleet headquarters told Itar-Tass. The Admiral Kuznetsov continues its trip. The aircraft carrier is in the central part of the Mediterranean Sea this Friday. EVENT Russian media recently reported that Russia was planning to set up naval facilities in Yemen, Syria and Libya, among other countries, in the next few years. The deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces said on Friday this week that it was too soon to name any countries where its Navy would like to deploy "basing points," but confirmed that the General Staff had backed the Navy command's proposal to develop naval infrastructure outside Russia. And so we see Russia looking further south. If it can build up its navy it can project its will far further abroad. Britain though a small country is able to do this with a fair sized navy. Russia recently approved, a rearmament program until 2015 which puts, (for the first time in Soviet and Russian history), the development of the navy on an equal footing with strategic nuclear forces. Out of $192 billion allocated for military rearmament, 25% will go into building new ships. "We are already building practically as many ships as we did in Soviet times," First Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Ivanov said during a visit to Severodvinsk. The Bible specifically mentions MANY SHIPS in relation of the king of the north’s invasion of Israel. How accurate the Bible is…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

7. And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace [prosperity / wealth] shall destroy many US troops ordered out of Kyrgyzstan Daily Telegraph, February 4, 2009 Kurmanbek Bakiyev, the president of Kyrgyzstan, announced he was ordering the eviction of troops from the Manas Air Base near the capital city Bishkek shortly after receiving a multi-billion dollar bailout from the Russian government. Frantic Pentagon officials initially attempted to deny there were plans afoot to force the United States out of its last Central Asian outpost before issuing a plea to the Kyrgyz government to change its mind. The loss of Manas deals a blow to hopes for an improvement of relations between the Kremlin and the Obama administration. EVENT Kyrgyzstan became independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. While Kyrgyzstan does possess oil and gas resources, it imports the vast bulk of what it needs. The economic situation is dire, particularly in the south where unemployment is very high and poverty rife, and the country's politics have turned volatile in recent years. This is why the Russian bailout is so important to the Kyrgyzstan government. Russia is using its wealth to push America out of the countries that used to be part of the USSR. We may ask how it is that America has an airbase and military in Kyrgyzstan in the first place! Well following the 11 September attacks on the US, Kyrgyzstan agreed to allow US forces to use Bishkek's Manas airport as a base. In September 2003 agreement was reached with Moscow allowing Russian rapid reaction forces to deploy at the Kant airbase in the campaign against terrorism. The Russians are stationed just 30 km (19 miles) from their US counterparts. In Daniel 8 we read of a latter day Antiochus Epiphanes. He equates to the king of the north / Gog etc. He destroys using peace. The word peace actually means wealth! COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 8:25)

8. And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, O ye house of Israel, saith the Lord GOD. Israel election could derail peace drive Reuters January 29, 2009 The Likud will win an unexpectedly close race but the right-wing bloc will easily defeat the Left, according to a consensus of polls taken ahead of Friday, the last date polls can be published before Tuesday's election. A Jerusalem Post/Smith Research poll found that the Right would win some 65 seats, led by the Likud's 26 and Israel Beiteinu's 17-18. The Left would win some 55 seats, led by Kadima's 23 and Labor's 14. The man who may seize the headlines after the result is announced, however, thinks very differently. Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu Party, could be the sensation of this election. The latest polls suggest that he will come a close third behind Likud and Kadima and seize the balance of power. If so, he will be able to choose who becomes prime minister – and demand a high price for his support. Mr Lieberman's followers think the whole peace process has been a colossal mistake. Instead of a broad centrist government, led by the newly pragmatic Bibi, or Miss Livni and her "dove of peace", Israel may end up with a hard-right government, in hock to Mr Lieberman. If so, Mr Obama may regret his emphasis on the search for peace. Israel's national decision next Tuesday could hardly be more important. EVENT Let us ensure we are watching Israel this week. Israel has a general election on Tuesday 10th February. Let us not forget that this election has been caused because of corruption. Ehud Olmert was forced to step down because of numerous corruption scandals and police enquires. It seems likely that Bibi Netanyahu will win the election. He will have to form a coalition with other right wing parties. If this happens war is far more likely as the right do not want to talk peace with the Palestinians. Let us watch. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 20:44)

9. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: Alarms on two Israeli borders Debkafile, February 6, 2009 Israel's armed forces are on a high war alert on two fronts – its southern border with the Gaza Strip and its northern borders with Lebanon and Syria. Iran is deeply involved in both. Tuesday, Feb. 3, defence minister Ehud Barak inspected the Israeli Defence Forces' northern command the day after a similar visit to the south to make sure the units deployed on the Gaza border stood ready for the breakdown of Hamas-Egyptian negotiations in Cairo for a long-term truce. Wednesday, those negotiations broke down, raising the war tension to a new pitch. A flare-up on either front would be Israel's third in as many years and the second this year as it prepares for a general election next Tuesday. Tehran's hand is visible in them all. EVENT War tensions are high in Israel. Iran is trying to rearm Hamas by sending ships to Gaza. Israel is intercepting these ships. On Israel’s northern border Iran has been busy arming Hezbollah with rockets and longer range missiles. They have some 45,000 Israeli analysts say! Some reports say that Hezbollah has deployed terrorist teams in six countries for attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets in revenge for the death of its military chief Imad Mughniyeh who it accuses Israel of killing a year ago. This intelligence prompted the counter-terror bureau in Jerusalem to publish Sunday, Feb. 1, an exceptionally high alert for travelling Israelis to beware of assaults and abductions. Security is also high in Israel and at embassies and Jewish institutions worldwide. Hezbollah also believes it can disrupt Israel's general election on Feb. 10 by assassinating a senior official. The vultures are circling Israel waiting for their chance to attack. We know it will come. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Psalm 83:3-4)

10. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind Charles Darwin and the Tree of Life BBC TV, February 1, 2009 Read of the true Tree of Life in Genesis 2 and Revelation 22 David Attenborough asks three key questions: how and why did Darwin come up with his theory of evolution? Why do we think he was right? And why is it more important now than ever before? David starts his journey in Darwin's home at Down House in Kent, where Darwin worried and puzzled over the origins of life. David goes back to his roots in Leicestershire, where he hunted for fossils as a child, and where another schoolboy unearthed a significant find in the 1950s. And he revisits Cambridge University, where both he and Darwin studied, and where many years later the DNA double helix was discovered, providing the foundations for genetics. At the end of his journey in the Natural History Museum in London, David concludes that Darwin's great insight revolutionised the way in which we see the world. We now understand why there are so many different species, and why they are distributed in the way they are. But above all, Darwin has shown us that we are not set apart from the natural world, and do not have dominion over it. We are subject to its laws and processes, as are all other animals on earth to which, indeed, we are related. EVENT We are being inundated with evolutionist propaganda here in the UK. Feb 12th is the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and Nov 24th is the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book The Origin of the Species. The BBC TV program above showed how Darwin “proved” that man is not set apart from the natural world. How we do not have dominion over it. These directly contradict Bible truth. God says that only MAN was made in his image. We may be made of the same building blocks but the difference is that man - and only man – can come to know God. Sadly evolution is making a monkey out of many people. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Romans 1:28)

11. Weekly World Watch The end of this week’s WWW will be e-mailed to you each week. Please forward the e-mail addresses of others who may be interested. I will include them in the list of recipients. Comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome. E-MAIL ANDY Click here (Move the mouse until the cursor appears.) To watch again, click here.