Europe's Denial: Putin's Threat of War

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s May 29 – June 4, 2016 “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) PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE 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). Please note that these are personal thoughts and the aim is purely to stimulate Bible study. 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 May 29 – June 4, 2016 • Europe is in denial about Putin’s threat of war • Poland to recruit 35,000 to combat threat from Russia • France hosts meeting on Israeli peace process • Paris flooding approaches worst in 60 years • UK voters shift towards 'Out' as EU referendum nears • The lost story of how one Christian sect’s Biblical beliefs kept 250 Jewish children alive To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: and I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: • Europe is in denial about Putin’s threat of war Newsweek, June 2, 2016 European leaders will gather later this month to discuss whether to extend sanctions against Russia over the Kremlin’s hybrid war in Ukraine. The current sanctions regime will likely remain in place, but the mere fact the subject is up for debate is evidence of Europe’s alarming refusal to acknowledge the new security reality facing the continent. Many inside the EU seem unwilling to admit the 25-year honeymoon period of European peace and prosperity since 1991 is over. They cling to the idea of a return to the old “business as usual” status quo, and appear to believe Russian aggression is only an issue for Moscow’s immediate neighbours. This policy of obstinate denial is not only morally bankrupt—it also encourages the Kremlin to escalate a hybrid war campaign designed to reverse the results of the Cold War and break up the European Union itself. Not everyone realized it at the time, but it is now obvious the Russian invasion of Crimea in February 2014 marked the end of the post-Cold War era. EVENT Russia’s hybrid war against Europe continues. Putin is actually working to destabilise Europe in retaliation for what he sees as European expansion into Russia’s sphere of influence. Ukraine remains the main theatre of operations, but it is only one of many active fronts. The Kremlin is currently waging hybrid war across the whole of Europe, weaponising everything from the Syrian refugee crisis to Russia’s own multimillion strong immigrant diaspora. Russia is financing far right EU political parties. Russian jets continue to buzz NATO airspace. As the article above says – 2014 marked the of the post Cold War era. God said Russia would be turned back – turned back to anti west, totalitarian, authoritarian ways. This has happened. Putin is preparing for war… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:3-4)

6. Say to the nations far and wide: “Get ready for war! Call out your best warriors. Let all your fighting men advance for the attack. Hammer your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Train even your weaklings to be warriors. • Poland to recruit 35,000 strong paramilitary force to combat threat from Russia Daily Telegraph, June 3, 2016 Poland will shortly start enrolling the first volunteers in a 35,000-member paramilitary force aimed at parrying a perceived threat from Russia, Defence Minister Antoni Macierewicz said. "Enrolment of the first members of the territorial defence force will start in September," Mr Macierewicz said at a conference of paramilitary organisations in the northern town of Ostroda. The force's command structure and senior appointments were decided in April, the minister said, according to a report by PAP news agency. Comprising civilians who have had military training, the force is intended to deter Russia from seizing Polish territory by infiltration, as it is perceived to have done in eastern Ukraine. "The territorial defence force is our response to the threat associated with hybrid warfare," said Grzegorz Kwasniak, in charge with setting up the force, referring to the stealth tactic. EVENT Poland is nervous. They fear Russia and its intentions. Their concern is that what has happened in Ukraine could be repeated in Poland. Hence Poland is recruiting a new 35,000 strong paramilitary force. For the first time, Poland’s paramilitary units will take part in major military exercise conducted by the US Army Europe on Polish territory from June 7 to 17. According to the US Army Europe’s official website, the drills are also designed to “support assurance and deterrence measures by demonstrating allied defence capabilities to deploy, mass and sustain combat power.” The exercise will involve more than 25,000 soldiers from 24 nations. Russia is planning its own set of measures aimed at counterbalancing NATO’s increased presence and activities near its borders. We see the nations preparing for war as the Bible foretold… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Joel 3:9-10 NLT)

7. I will make Jerusalem like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nations stagger when they send their armies to besiege Jerusalem and Judah. On that day I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves. France Hosts International Meeting on Israeli- Palestinian Peace Process BBC, June 3, 2016 Hopes of a "two-state solution" in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are in "serious danger", French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault has warned. "We must act, urgently," he said at a French-led conference in Paris aimed at reviving the stalled peace process. Officials from the Middle East Quartet, the UN, Arab League and more than 20 states attended the discussions. The Palestinians described the talks as "a very significant step", while Israel criticised the meeting. Neither side was represented at the Paris gathering. Mr Ayrault said urgent actions were needed "to preserve the two-state solution, revive it before it is too late”. Major powers were aiming to work out this month a number of security guarantees and economic incentives to encourage Israel and the Palestinians to resurrect the peace talks by the end of 2016, he added. French President, Francois Hollande, also warned that the threats posed by regional wars in the Middle East made a settlement between Israel and the Palestinians very urgent. EVENT COMMENT There have been numerous rounds of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians since the early 1990s, with the most recent collapsing in acrimony in April 2014. Until recently it was America that was the main instigator of the talks. It often brought both sides together. But when nothing was achieved America ran out of ideas. Europe then got into the driving seat of trying to broker a peace agreement. France led the way. France is pushing hard to get a two state solution. The Palestinians prefer France and Europe leading the talks as they are seen as more pro Palestinian. The US was seen as more pro Israel. We know that a time is fast approaching when the nations will try to divide Jerusalem and the land. It will cause the war spoken of in Zechariah 12… BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 12:2-3 NLT)

8. And I saw three evil spirits {Liberty, Equality, Fraternity} that looked like frogs {French} leap from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty.. • Paris underwater as Seine River flooding approaches worst in 60 years Accuweather, June 4, 2016 EVENT Torrential rain has inundated France, including Paris, where flooding has caused deaths, thousands of evacuations and closures of museums. Water levels rose high enough to escape the banks of the river and took to the streets of the French capital. At least two deaths, according to BBC, have been attributed to the flooding in central and eastern France, in addition to numerous deaths caused by flooding across Germany and Belgium. Parts of France where the worst flooding has occurred were declared a national disaster by French President Francois Hollande on Thursday, according to The Local. Some of the most important historical sites are vulnerable to the increased water level. One of these is the Louvre, which is located on the northern bank of the Seine. The Louvre is recognized and highlighted as the world's largest museum and is a symbol and historical monument of France and the world. Interesting that at the exact time France was trying to push Israel into giving up its land - Paris was hit by storms that flooded major parts of the city. France declared a state of emergency due to torrential floods that are causing damage in Europe. The world's most visited museum, the Louvre in Paris, was closed on Friday (3 June) in order for it to move priceless artworks from display. For more than 600 years, the Louvre had been a symbol of the wealth, power and decadence of the French monarchy. The confiscation and reconstituting of what had been a royal palace into a national museum was seen as a grand cultural gesture embodying the values of the French Revolution. Liberty, Equality etc. It became a symbol therefore of what France stands for. We know that these false humanistic ideas that began in France have affected all nations of the world. These wicked godless teachings will bring the world to Armageddon… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 16:13-14)

9. But she {latter day Tyre / London} will be no different than she was before. She will again be a prostitute to all kingdoms around the world. But in the end her profits will be given to the Lord. Her wealth will not be hoarded ….Look! The Lord is about to destroy the earth and make it a vast wasteland…..buyers and sellers, lenders and borrowers, bankers and debtors—none will be spared. The earth will be completely emptied and looted. • UK voters shift towards 'Out' as EU referendum nears Reuters, June 1, 2016 EVENT British voters have moved towards voting to leave the European Union in next month's referendum according to two surveys by polling firm ICM, surprising investors and sending sterling sharply lower. The "Out" campaign stood three points ahead of "In" in each of the two surveys for the Guardian newspaper, one of which was conducted online and the other by telephone. They were conducted over three days to Sunday after official figures showed on Thursday that British net migration hit the second highest level on record last year. Last week, leaders of the Out camp turned their focus back on migration. Britons will vote on June 23 on whether to remain in the 28-member EU, a choice with far-reaching consequences for politics, the economy, defence and diplomacy in Britain and far beyond. On the map Britain is a small country. But it is the world’s 5th largest economy. It is also the world’s No1 financial centre. More financial trades are done in London than in any other city in the world. There is increasing concern that a Brexit (Britain exiting Europe) could spark financial crisis around the world. The OECD warned this week that there could be worldwide financial turmoil if Britain left Europe. It could lead to Europe as we know it breaking up. This in turn would lead to uncertainty and stock market falls etc. All this might explain Isaiah 23 and Isaiah 24. Isaiah 23 is all about how ancient Tyre passed over to Tarshish (Britain). Tyre was the capital city of Phoenicia. Therefore if Tyre (capital city) passed over to Britain latter day Tyre must be London. Therefore the final 4 verses of Isaiah 23 are speaking of London. London commits fornication with the kings of the world etc. She becomes rich etc. But we are then told she loses all her profits. The next chapter speaks of the financial collapse of the entire world…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 23:17-18 Isaiah 24:1-3 NLT)

10. For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth. Salvation is of the Jews because we gentiles are grafted onto the olive tree of Israel through baptism. We cloth ourselves in Jesus who is a JEW. We then become related to Abraham and heirs of the promises God made to him…See Galatians 3:28-29. • The lost story of how one Christian sect’s Biblical beliefs kept 250 Jewish children alive Breaking Israel News, June 2, 2016 EVENT In a new book, a member of an obscure Christian sect has set out to document a chapter in the Holocaust that brought Jews and Christians together, not in belief or even friendship, but as one family living under the same roof. Following Kristallnacht in November 1938, Britain, the only willing host country, began the Kindertransport, taking in over 10,000 Jewish children from Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Germany. Conscientious objectors and shunners of politics, the Christadelphians, an obscure Christian sect, were unlikely hosts, but in the face of the growing evil that threatened the Jews, they decided to take action. Their participation in the Kindertransport saved 250 Jewish children from almost certain death. COMMENT This is a fascinating new book by Christadelphian, Jason Hensley. What is remarkable is that fact that Breaking Israel News reported on this book this week in a very positive way. To read the full article CLICK HERE. The book is called “Part of the Family.” I haven’t read it all yet but so far it is brilliant. You can order the book on Amazon. Just CLICK HERE. What is clearly demonstrated is the Christadelphian’s unique understanding and belief in God’s plan for the Jews. That they are His chosen people. Salvation is of the Jews. And when during the Holocaust Christadelphians saw the plight of the Jews many gave in both financial and practical ways to try to help the children who were escaping Europe. Our hope is in Israel. Israel (God’s kingdom) was His answer to Babel (Man’s kingdom). Israel means “God prevails”. God’s kingdom will prevail over man’s kingdom. BIBLE QUOTE (Deuteronomy 14:2)

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12. Weekly World Watch The end of this week’s WWW will be e-mailed to you each week. If you think others may find the WWW helpful please direct them to the website www.weeklyworldwatch.co.uk They can register on the site PLEASE NOTE: The Weekly World Watch is written and sent by myself – it is my take on events and I accept that on occasions I will miss significant events and also misinterpret them as well. However I will endeavour to be faithful to the scriptures and hope that it will be of benefit to both of us. Please take a look at this excellent Christadelphian Prophecy website Just click the image To watch again, click here.