December 7 - 13, 2014 “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.

December 7 - 13, 2014

“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)

Weekly World Watch

Andy Walton’s

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What is a Weekly World Watch?

• 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.

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.

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.

• Increasing natural disasters: including earthquake, famine etc

The following six themes will appear repeatedly in WWW:

HEADLINE

EVENT

COMMENT

News Photo

The source of the headline and the date are included.

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.

What is in a Weekly World Watch?

BIBLEQUOTE

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)

This is straight from a news report that caught my eye because it looked significant from a Biblical perspective, usually that of prophecy.

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.

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.

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: ([email protected]). Please note that these are personal thoughts and the aim is purely to stimulate Bible study.

This Week’s Developments

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• Israeli jets 'strike near Damascus' - Syrian army

• Russia demands 'explanations' from Israel

• Russia Baltic military actions 'unprecedented' - Poland

• Ukraine: US votes for military aid, Russia outraged

• Israel slams Irish decision recognizing Palestine

December 7 - 13, 2014

• Oil plunges again, reaches recession-level depths

The Syrian military has accused Israel of carrying out two air strikes on Syria, near the capital Damascus. Israeli planes bombed the area near Damascus international airport and the town of Dimas, the Syrian army said in a statement carried on state television.No casualties were reported. There has been no confirmation of the air strikes from Israel. Israel has conducted several air strikes on Syria since 2011. "This afternoon, the Israeli enemy targeted two safe areas in Damascus province, namely the Dimas area and the Damascus International Airport," the military statement said. It described the air strikes as "direct aggression" carried out to help the Syrian government's opponents.Some installations had been damaged, it added, without elaborating on what had been hit.

BBC, December 7, 2014

EVENT

COMMENT

“Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins. The towns of Aroer will be deserted. Flocks will graze in the streets and lie down undisturbed, with no one to chase them away. The fortified towns of Ephraim will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,”

BIBLEQUOTE

Israel has attacked Syria once again. But why now? Well some reports say that Israel’s air strikes near Damascus wiped out newly-arrived Russian hardware including missiles that were dispatched post haste to help Syria and Hezbollah frustrate a US plan for a no-fly zone over northern Syria. The advanced weapons were sent over after Russian President Vladimir Putin learned that the Obama administration and the Turkish government were close to a final draft on a joint effort to activate a no-fly zone that would bar Syrian air force traffic over northern Syria. The Syrian regime in the past has not commented on Israeli airstrikes but this time spokesmen in Damascus warned that their government’s response would be clandestine and cause Israel "unimaginable harm.” We know from Isaiah 17 that there is conflict between Israel and Damascus at the time of the end. The Bible says that when Damascus is finally destroyed Ephraim (Northern Israel) will be greatly weakened. Events this week move us closer to this…

Israeli jets 'strike near Damascus' - Syrian army

(Isaiah 17:1-3 NLT)

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Russia demands 'explanations' from Israel

The Russian Foreign Ministry demanded "explanations" from Israel, following reports that the Israeli Air Force allegedly bombed several targets on Syrian territory, including some in the vicinity of the Damascus international airport. Moscow sent an official letter of complaint to the UN Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon, citing "Israeli aggression" and calling not to permit such actions in the future. According to a statement published on the Russian Foreign Ministry's website, "Moscow is gravely concerned about this dangerous turn of events, the circumstances of which require explanations. In any case, there is no doubt that the use of force in international affairs is unacceptable and deserves to be condemned.” Israel said Monday it will not allow "sophisticated weapons" to fall into the hands of its enemies.

I24News, December 8, 2014

EVENT

COMMENT

thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me…

BIBLEQUOTE

(Ezekiel 38:15-16)

Debkafile reported as follows “Israel’s air strikes near Damascus international air port and the Syrian-Lebanese border Sunday, Dec. 7, are depicted by Middle East military and intelligence sources as Israel’s first overt military clash with Russia in the course of the more than three-year Syrian war. Those sources assert that the strikes demolished components of Russian SA-25 or other types of top-line anti air missile systems that Moscow had destined for Syria and the Lebanese Hezbollah terrorist group. Russian transport planes are said to have shipped these consignments in the last few days to the military section of Damascus international airport. It was pointed out that the Israeli air strikes occurred less than 24 hours after Deputy Russian Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, the Kremlin’s point man for the Syrian war, met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah Saturday in Beirut.” The Bible says Gog will eventually invade Israel.

We can see the true colours of Gog in events this week. He will invade Israel…

Russia Baltic military actions 'unprecedented' - Poland

Poland says the level of Russian naval and air force activity in the Baltic Sea region has been "unprecedented" this week. Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said most of the activity was in international waters and airspace and Sweden was the country most affected. Nato partners of the Baltic states, including the UK, have military jets on an air policing mission in the region, monitoring the Russian planes. Fighting in Ukraine has raised tension. Mr Siemoniak said Russia was "not preparing to attack" but it was testing Nato defences, which "does not serve to build good relationships and trust".The three small ex-Soviet states in the Baltic - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - joined Nato in 2004. The spike in activity follows a study by European Leadership Network, which detailed 40 incidents over recent months, including 11 that it said were of a "more aggressive or unusually provocative nature, bringing a higher level risk of escalation".

BBC, December 11, 2014

EVENT

COMMENT

Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.

Another week and more provocation by Russia on eastern Europe. This week the word ”unprecedented” was used in relation to the amount of Russian military activity.Several incidents have been reported this week. On Tuesday the Norwegian military said one of its warplanes had a "near miss" with a Russian fighter which had ventured too close, north of Norway. The UK Ministry of Defence called in Nato spy planes this week to help in the hunt for a Russian submarine spotted off the west coast Scotland.Two Canadian fighter jets intercepted Russian long-range bombers conducting a reconnaissance mission off Canada's northwestern coast Monday. So how much longer can this go on? Eventually all this tension will spill over into war. We are watching the king of the north preparing itself for massive conflict…

BIBLEQUOTE

(Zephaniah 3:8)

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Ukraine cheers US vote for military aid, Russia outraged

Ukraine welcomed a US bill that would allow Washington to provide lethal military assistance to the embattled country, but Russia expressed outrage at the "openly confrontational" legislation. The bill -- passed late on Thursday and due to get final approval in Congress on Friday before being sent to US President Barack Obama -- opens the way for up to $350 million (280 million euros') worth of US military hardware to be sent to Ukraine, which has been fighting an eight-month war against Kremlin-backed separatists in its east. It also threatens fresh sanctions against Russia, whose economy is crumbling under previous rounds of Western sanctions and a collapse in oil prices. The threat of sanctions prompted a quick response from Russia with Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov saying Saturday Moscow would "not be able to leave this without a response."

AFP, December 13, 2014

EVENT

COMMENT

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; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown:

BIBLEQUOTE

(Daniel 11:40)

America is moving behind the scenes to make Russia pay even more for its annexation of Crimea and its on-going operations in eastern Ukraine. It is going to increase sanctions on Russia but more importantly it looks like it may also provide military support to Kiev. This will “push” Russia too far. Russia's foreign ministry said this week that this new US legislation put a "powerful bomb" under US-Russia bilateral ties. Reports say that it is not certain if Obama would sign the legislation into law – but if he does Russia will undoubtedly respond. The Bible says that the king of the south (America / UK) will PUSH at the king of the north (Russia). The word push means militarily provoke or attack. If Obama does sign this then it would indeed be a massive military provocation and even seen as a direct attack. We know the push is coming and when it does Russia comes down into Israel…

Israel slams Irish decision recognizing Palestine

Israel has slammed the decision of the Irish parliament to adopt a non-binding resolution supporting an independent Palestinian state. Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon expressed disappointment Thursday at the decision, accusing the Irish parliament of giving voice to "statements of hatred and anti-Semitism directed at Israel in a way which we have not heard before.”Some Irish lawmakers accused Israel of genocide during the parliamentary debate on Palestinian recognition. Foreign Minister Charlie Flanagan said Wednesday that Ireland is considering early recognition of Palestinian statehood as a possible tactic for kick-starting Middle East peace talks. Lawmakers in Britain, France and Spain already have passed similar motions calling on their governments to follow Sweden, which on Oct. 30 ignited debate by recognizing Palestinian statehood.

AP, December 11, 2014

EVENT

COMMENT

For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle.

BIBLEQUOTE

(Zechariah 14:2-3)

Ireland's parliament is the fourth European assembly to call for the recognition of Palestinian statehood since October. France, Britain and Spain also endorsed similar motions, reflecting growing frustration with the deadlocked Middle East peace process.Sweden has gone even further, officially recognising Palestine as a state in a move that prompted Israel to recall its ambassador. The actual words of the non binding motion in Ireland this week called on the Irish government to "officially recognise the State of Palestine, on the basis of the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital.” Jerusalem is God’s city. It is Israel’s capital. It is the future united capital of the entire world. And yet the world wants to divide it. God says that anyone who tries to move Jerusalem will be cut to pieces. Jerusalem will become the centre of WW3…

Oil plunges again, reaches recession-level depths

Another forecast of weak global demand, another nosedive for oil. A 6-month rout in the price of oil accelerated this week, culminating in a 4 percent drop Friday — its third such drop in 5 days — to its lowest level since May of 2009, when the U.S. was still in recession. Friday's trigger was a lowered expectation for oil consumption from the International Energy Agency. The benchmark U.S. oil price closed down $2.14 to close at $57.81 a barrel in New York. It is now 46 percent below its late-June high for the year of $107.26."The adverse impact of the oil price rout on oil-exporting economies looks likely to offset, if not exceed, the stimulus it could provide for oil-importing countries against a backdrop of weak economic growth and low inflation," the IEA said.It highlighted the impact on Russia, which has been particularly hard hit by the market sell-off.

AP, December 12, 2014

EVENT

COMMENT

Thus says the Lord God: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal! I will turn you around and drive you forward, and bring you up from the remotest parts of the north, and lead you against the mountains of Israel. I will strike your bow from your left hand, and will make your arrows drop out of your right hand. You shall fall on the mountains of Israel,

BIBLEQUOTE

(Ezekiel 39:1-3 RSV)

Russia is in increasing trouble as oil continues its slide downwards. At this price level Russia will be driven into recession next year. Russia needs oil to be over $100 a barrel to balance its books. Russia’s economy is highly dependent on energy exports to pay the bills. But what could drive prices back up? Well Russia cannot really affect the supply and demand situation. There is too much supply at the moment through Opec keeping production high and also America shale oil now booming. Both these things keep prices low. But there is one other aspect that can push prices back up – WAR.In 2012 when Iran and America came close to conflict oil prices bounded to $100. World unrest in 2011 with the revolutions also caused oil to peak at $113. What Putin needs therefore is instability and war. A desperate man will do desperate things….

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Weekly World Watch

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