Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch

1. April 20 - 26 2008 Andy Walton’sWeekly World Watch “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

2. What is this world watch all about? I decided each week to look at key events that had happened in that week and look at them with the Bible in hand. I hope to build up a picture of Gods hand working in the affairs of this world bringing about that day when all nations will be gathered to Jerusalem to battle which will be brought to end when the Lord Jesus Christ physically returns from heaven to set up Gods kingdom. The key areas which will crop up time and again will be • Israel – Middle East the growing conflict • Europe – the developing union / political and religious • Russia – continued turning back to anti west ways • The development of King of South – US & UK • Declining moral standards and increasing violence. A number of Bible Presentations have been produced and can be ordered by . The presentations are audio / visual powerpoint CD’s. Move your mouse around to get the arrow and click the green link. Clicking here

3. Weekly Developments These are just a few of the events that have caught my eye in the previous week. It is in no way meant to be exhaustive – just a look at those events I saw as significant from a Bible viewpoint. Headlines These are always headlines printed in the newspaper – the date is always given and which paper. Normally the Daily Telegraph. (DT) Event This is usually the newspapers take on the events that have happened. It will always be a direct quote from the newspaper. Comment This is my take on why it is interesting from a Bible point of view. The idea of this weekly world watch is to give a quick Biblical perspective without going into detail. If more detail is needed please email me. Bible Quote 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.

4. Weekly Developments April 20 - 26 2008 • Bush and Abbas in push for peace • Russia embraces its church • Putin strengthens bid to return to power • Lebanon: A Flurry of Arab Diplomacy • Assad may now go for revenge • Talk of potential war on Iran TO PRINT ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SLIDES JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE ON EACH SLIDE

5. Bush and Abbas in push for peace Headline Bush and Abbas in push for peace Headline BBConline April 24 2008 Event US President George W Bush has met Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas as he tries to boost efforts for peace in the Middle East. Mr Abbas is seeking renewed US support in faltering peace talks and more international pressure on Israel. After meeting Mr Abbas, Mr Bush said he remained confident about achieving the "definition" of a Palestinian state by the end of the year. The Palestinian leader said the road to peace was "paved with obstacles". Mr Bush wants to achieve a peace settlement before he leaves office in January, a goal that was set a conference in Annapolis five months ago. Comment There was some talk this week of Hamas agreeing a truce with Israel. However Hamas’s political leader Khaled Meshaal speaking in Syria, where he lives in exile, said the Palestinian state must have "Jerusalem as its capital, with genuine sovereignty, without settlements". Mr Abbas who met President Putin last week met President Bush this week. Mr Bush said he was committed to "a viable state, a state that doesn't look like Swiss cheese, a state that provides hope". The reference to Swiss cheese is the fact that on the West Bank there are many settlements that Israel wants to keep. If they do keep them then they would be pockets of Jewish land in amongst the new Palestinian state. Hence a map would look like Swiss cheese. In effect President Bush is saying that Israel must withdraw from the whole of the West Bank not some of it. In Joel 3 we read of the nations who have “parted” God’s land. The word parted means “apportioned” or “divided”. Bible Quote Joel 3 2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

6. Russia embraces its church Headline Russia embraces its church, distancing western faiths Headline International Herald Tribune April 24 2008 Event There was a time after the fall of Communism when small Protestant congregations blossomed here in southwestern Russia, when a church was almost as easy to set up as a general store. Today, this industrial region has become emblematic of the suppression of religious freedom under President Vladimir Putin. Just as the government has tightened control over political life, so, too, has it intruded in matters of faith. The Kremlin's surrogates in many areas have turned the Russian Orthodox Church into a de facto official religion, warding off other Christian denominations that seem to offer the most significant competition for worshipers. They have all but banned proselytizing by Protestants and discouraged Protestant worship through a variety of harassing measures, according to dozens of interviews with government officials and religious leaders across Russia. This close alliance between the government and the Russian Orthodox Church has become a defining characteristic of Putin's tenure, a mutually reinforcing choreography that is usually described here as working "in symphony." Comment The head of the Orthodox Church in Russia is a former KGB agent. Putin is a former KGB agent. The church and state are working together in an unholy alliance. Daniel 8 speaks of a man who will stand against Christ. A latter day Antiochus Ephanese (the ancient king of the north). This latter day king of the north will be Russian. The verse below speaks if this latter day man. Note that he magnifies himself and by peace destroys many. Putin makes frequent appearances with the church's leader, Patriarch Aleksei II, on the Kremlin-controlled national television networks. We see how he has magnified himself and under the guises of peace will destroy many. Bible Quote Daniel 8 25 and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. The Prince of princes is Jesus Christ who defeats this wicked ruler.

7. Putin strengthens bid to return to power Headline Putin strengthens bid to return to power Headline The Times April 16 2008 Event Vladimir Putin completed his grand plan to retain power in Russia by assuming formal control of the country’s largest political party yesterday. He became chairman of United Russia and confirmed that he would serve as Prime Minister when he steps down as President. The decisions drain authority from the President-elect, Dmitri Medvedev, by placing Mr Putin in charge of the Government and Duma, the parliament. For the first time in Russia’s post-Soviet history, the Prime Minister will also head the largest party in the Duma, limiting Mr Medvedev’s room for manoeuvre when he becomes President on May 7. The President can dismiss the Prime Minister at any time but the Duma must endorse a successor and United Russia controls 315 of its 450 seats. Mr Putin is effectively guarding against the possibility, however remote, that his chosen heir may turn against him. Comment By taking formal control of United Russia Mr Putin ensures that the authority of Mr Medvedev in the Kremlin is balanced by his own powerbase in the Duma and White House, the seat of Russia’s Government. Many analysts will view the decision as further evidence that Mr Medvedev will be little more than a figurehead, while real power remains in the hands of Mr Putin. “Basically, Medvedev will not be able to rule without Putin’s agreement,” Aleksei Pushkov, a professor of international relations, said. And so we can now see that Putin will in effect remain in power post May 7th. Again we look in Daniel 8 and in verse 25 (below) we read of this man who prospers by deceiving others and considers himself superior. Putin could be this man. Bible Quote Daniel 8 25 He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. NIV In the AV the word “deceit” is translated as “craft”.

8. Headline Lebanon: A Flurry of Arab Diplomacy Headline Debkafile April 21 2008 Event There has been a marked increase in diplomatic traffic among Lebanon’s neighbours in recent days. Middle Eastern leaders are trying to achieve a breakthrough that will solve Lebanon’s long-standing political crisis, in hopes of staving off a rumoured Israeli invasion. Lebanon’s parliament is expected to make its 18th attempt at electing a president April 22. The country has been without a president for the past 145 days as political proxy battles have continued to play out among the major regional stakeholders. Though Stratfor does not have much confidence in Lebanon’s ability to elect a president this time around, a recent uptick in diplomatic traffic in the region has revealed a pressing need for the Arab neighbourhood to seal up the Lebanese political crisis in hopes of staving off a larger military confrontation with Israel. Comment There is an increasing sense of urgency in Middle East diplomacy at the moment. Lebanon has no government and hasn’t had one for months. While there is no government, Hezbollah who operate out of Lebanon, continue to rearm and prepare for war against Israel. Israel does not want to sit there and wait for Hezbollah to attack at a time of its choosing. Rather, they want to remain in control of events. This is why there are increasing rumours of an Israeli pre-emptive strike on Hezbollah. Lebanon is mentioned in the Bible in relation to the time of the end. There are a number of chapters that talk of Lebanon being “hewn down” of “languishing” of a “fire devouring its cedars”. The verse below speaks of the “day of the Lord” coming upon the “cedars of Lebanon”.We watch the area knowing these things will happen Bible Quote Isaiah 2 12 For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: 13 And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan Lebanon: A Flurry of Arab Diplomacy

9. Headline Assad may now go for revenge Headline Debkafile April 25 2008 Event US and Israel intelligence experts upgrade the chances of president Bashar Assad retaliating for the Israeli attack, which irreparably damaged the secret nuclear North Korea built for him in eastern Syria - now that the episode is out in the open. DEBKAfile quotes those experts as recalling Saddam Hussein’s burning ambition to hit Israel’s nuclear site at Dimona after Israeli jets smashed Iraq’s French built nuclear reactor in 1981. Assad will find it hard to avoid avenging his humiliation Thursday, April 24, when America’s top intelligence officials briefing congressional committees laid bare detail after detail of Syria’s nuclear program. They all agreed that it was incumbent on the United States to take further steps against Iran as well as Syria to avert any more developments which endanger the world. Comment The United States has accused North Korea of helping Syria build a nuclear reactor that "was not intended for peaceful purposes". Syria must "come clean" about its secret nuclear programme, the White House said in a statement after CIA officials briefed members of Congress. This site was bombed by Israel last September. Syrian officials have said the site that was bombed by Israel in September last year was an unused military facility under construction. Debkafile report that the American statement on Syria’s nuclear intentions and the fact the Israel did bomb it last year really increases pressure on Syria. It increases the chance that Syria will retaliate. We know that at some point Syria will be “wax feeble”. Fear will seize her and “anguish and sorrows” will take her. Perhaps Israel causes this to happen. It may come before the invasion of Gog. We watch and wait. Bible Quote Isaiah 49 24 Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail. Assad may now go for revenge

10. Headline Talk of potential war on Iran from top US soldier Headline Debkafile April 26 2008 Event Addressing a news conference in Washington, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday, April 25, the Pentagon is planning for “potential military courses of action” against Iran. He spoke of the Tehran government’s “increasingly lethal and malign influence” in Iraq. A conflict with Iran would be “extremely stressing” he said, but not impossible and “it would be a mistake to think that we are out of combat capability.” The admiral stressed the reserve capabilities of the Navy and Air Force. Adm. Mullen’s statement came four days after US defence secretary Robert Gates said he favoured keeping the military option against Iran on the table “given the destabilizing policies of the regime and the risks inherent in a future Iranian nuclear threat – either directly or through proliferation.” Comment As well as increasing the pressure on Syria this week, America also appears to be increasing the pressure on Iran. Statements have now increased speculation that the Bush administration may well strike Iran after all. Whether America does strike Iran or not we cannot say. We do know that whatever happens Iran WILL survive militarily to form part of the large group of nations that finally attack Israel. This must mean that even if America does attack it does not totally disable Iran’s military capability. On Friday the USS Harry S. Truman Strike Group took up position in Persian Gulf waters. It consists of 12 warships led by the giant LSD-41 class USS Whidby Island landing craft, submarines and eight assault squadrons. We are certainly watching the Gentile nations preparing for war. Bible Quote Joel 3 9 ¶ Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Talk of potential war on Iran

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