December 12 - 18, 2010

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s December 12 - 18, 2010 “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 December 12 - 18, 2010 • Bolivia recognizes independent Palestinian state • Europe threatens to recognise Palestinian state • Arabs reject Middle East peace talks without US plan • Russian President Medvedev to visit Israel in January • Russian forces on alert over Korea tension-report • Iran preparing for Iraq attack? To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right

5. thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land. See Ezekiel 39:23 These words will come true again when many in Israel are driven into captivity in the coming conflict. Note that the word “line” in the verse above actually means “sorrow”. Bolivia recognizes independent Palestinian state RIA Novosti, December 18 , 2010 Bolivia has recognized a sovereign Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with Israel, following neighbouring Brazil and Argentina's suit. Bolivian President Evo Morales made the announcement during a conference with regional leaders in Brazil on Friday, the Palestinian Authority's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the decision and praised bilateral relations between Bolivia and the Palestinian Authority. Abbas called on Latin American leaders to recognize an independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders during his recent trip around the region. Brazil and Argentina announced their recognition of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in early December. Uruguay has also promised Palestinians to recognize their state next year. The Palestinian Authority called on the international community to recognize an independent Palestine as direct talks between Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the latest attempt to revive the stalled peace process, came to a standstill. EVENT This is the third week running that another nation has recognized a Palestinian state. It is interesting these are all Catholic South American countries so far. The nations are dividing God’s land. When God’s land is divided sorrow and judgement come. As Jesus says in Luke 11:17 – if a nation is divided against itself it is brought to desolation. If Israel is physically divided the same will apply. It will bring desolation. When Amaziah the wicked priest in Israel would not follow God’s prophets, God told him that the land would be divided and they would go into captivity. This will happen to modern Israel – many will be taken into captivity when the land is divided. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Amos 7:17)

6. Europe threatens to recognise Palestinian state Daily Telegraph, December 13, 2010 Europe's foreign ministers have threatened to recognise an independent Palestinian state to punish Israeli refusal to halt "illegal" Jewish settlements. A text, seen by The Daily Telegraph, warned of EU "readiness, when appropriate, to recognize a Palestinian state" increasing the international pressure on Israel following the effective collapse of direct Middle East peace talks last week. Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, on Monday called "on the EU to take a step towards recognition of the state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders". "We hope that the EU will take this step to maintain the requirements for the success of the peace process, which was thwarted by Israel," said Saeb Erakat, the chief Palestinian negotiator. There has been a week of intense EU diplomacy after an initiative by the so-called "quint" of Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the US, to push Israel into negotiations. "There is growing frustration with Israel after its refusal to commit to a new settlements freeze and patience is running out," said a diplomat. EVENT There is frustration with Israel. There is a growing desire to punish Israel. There is a willingness to move unilaterally against Israel. The whole world’s attention is shifting to Israel. It feels like time is up and everyone’s patience has run out. It is a time for action. The Lord God speaks of this time. Ezekiel 22:4 says (in relation to the people living in Jerusalem), “You have brought your days to a close, and the end of your years has come. Therefore I will make you an object of scorn to the nations and a laughing-stock to all the countries.” He goes on to say in verse 24 “You are a land that has had no rain or showers in the day of wrath.” This has also happened in recent months. How much longer before the final verses of the chapter are fulfilled? See verse below. COMMENT And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord GOD. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 22:30-31)

7. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Arabs reject Middle East peace talks without US plan BBConline, December 16, 2010 Arab foreign ministers have rejected further Palestinian-Israeli peace talks without a "serious offer" from the US on ending the Middle East conflict. They announced their decision following a briefing from Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas at a meeting in Cairo. Direct talks collapsed this month over Israel's refusal to stop building settlements in the occupied West Bank. The Arab League ministers said they would seek a UN Security Council resolution against settlement building. "Resuming the negotiations will be conditioned on receiving a serious offer that guarantees an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict," the ministers said in a statement read by Arab League chief Amr Moussa. The ministers also decided "to bring up the issue of Israeli settlements again to the Security Council", wanting the UN body to adopt a resolution "that confirms... the illegal nature of this activity and that would oblige Israel to stop it". They called on the US, which has vetoed resolutions against Israel in the past, not to obstruct such a move. Settlements are considered illegal under international law. EVENT COMMENT Peace seems a long way off. The talks have broken down. There seems little idea from anyone as to how to revive them. We have nations taking unilateral decisions in relation to Israel and the Palestinians. We have others threatening to make them. We also have Arab nations in effect saying there is no point having anymore talks unless America can do something with Israel. So what happens next? Are we heading towards war or a climb-down from Israel and temporary peace? The Bible makes clear that sudden destruction will come when people are talking about “peace and security”. The nations certainly have been. It is possible the destruction could come next. We watch and wait… BIBLE QUOTE (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

8. Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord which thou lettest down? Canst thou put an hook into his nose? or bore his jaw through with a thorn? Interesting that Gog is pulled down with a hook in his jaws. Ezekiel 38:4 Interesting that Russia is depicted as a dragon in Revelation. Interesting that Russia is being attracted to this Leviathan Russian President Medvedev to visit Israel in January Is this Parasaurolophus skeleton the Biblical Leviathan?Click here to read more about the Leviathan. Debkafile, December 15, 2010 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's first visit to Israel in mid- January, part of a Middle East tour, is intended to signify a major switch in Kremlin Middle East policy to warmer relations with Israel and correspondingly less intense ties with Iran, Syria and the radical Palestinian Hamas. This will be the second visit by a Russian president to Jerusalem. Vladimir Putin's was the first when he was president in 2005. The Russians have got two bids in play for a slice of the as-yet untapped Mediterranean gas. While offering to partner Lebanon in exploring the oil and gas potential opposite its shores earlier this month, debkafile's sources report that the Russian energy giant Gazprom sent secret envoys to Tel Aviv at the same time. They came to discuss investment opportunities with the Israeli firms holding the concessions for the Tamar, Dalit and Leviathan Mediterranean gas fields. Russian energy experts calculate that Israel's offshore gas reserves, currently estimated at about 25 trillion cubic feet, are in fact much bigger and maintain they could be better explored with Russian professional assistance. Leviathan is seen as the most promising of the three strikes. EVENT With the collapse of the peace talks Russia sees new opportunity to move into the area. We have been tracking in recent weeks (in the WWW) how Russia is very interested indeed in the huge gas and oil finds off the coast of Israel. It appears from this Debkafile report that the Russian president will visit Israel in January. What is bringing Medvedev? The prospect of great riches – the oil and gas. It is a like a hook pulling him down. The largest gas field is called “Leviathan”. A leviathan was some sort of extinct dragon creature. Russia is depicted as a dragon in Revelation. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Read Job 41)

9. 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. The word “push” = a military provocation Russian forces on alert over Korea tension-report Reuters, December 14, 2010 Russia has put its forces on alert in the country's far east because of increased tension on the Korean Peninsula, the Interfax news agency quoted the top military commander as saying Tuesday. "Without a doubt, we have taken measures to increase the combat-readiness of our forces," military General Staff chief Nikolai Makarov said, Interfax reported. He said the military was "continuing to monitor" the situation. Makarov spoke a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told his visiting North Korean counterpart that Moscow was "seriously concerned about the growth of military and political tension on the peninsula," according to the ministry. Russia shares a short border with North Korea and has expressed concern over its nuclear and missile tests. Monday, Lavrov told North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui-chun that Pyongyang's deadly shelling of a South Korean island last month deserved condemnation but also suggested joint South Korean-U.S. military exercises had added to tension. EVENT North Korea is a tinderbox about to ignite according to BBC news reports. North Korea has threatened severe retaliatory strikes against South Korea if it goes ahead with a live-fire artillery drill this weekend on the same island that was shelled by Pyongyang's forces last month. Russia has put its army in the east of the country on high alert. So what has this to do with Bible prophecy? Well, North Korea and South Korea are part of the King of the North v King of the South conflict. NORTH Korea is backed by Russia. SOUTH Korea is backed by America. Today, Russia has summoned US envoys to express deep concern about upcoming live-fire military exercises. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

10. Iran preparing for Iraq attack? Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2010 Iran's army has finished a large military exercise by ground forces near the Iraqi border, the official Iranian state news agency IRNA reported Monday. But unlike previous war games in which Iran boasted of weapons advances, the latest manoeuvres were largely held under wraps. The report by the IRNA news agency was the first public word that the manoeuvres had been held, and even IRNA's confirmation came only indirectly. The report was about the death of two military officers in a road accident as they came back from "large" exercises by ground forces. Iran announced two months ago that it would hold war games in December in the southwestern provinces of Khuzestan and Ilam, both next to Iraq. But there had been no announcement that the manoeuvres had begun. It was not clear why the manoeuvres were held in secret. EVENT Is Iran preparing to attack Iraq? That is the question posed in the headline. With Bible in hand could we answer this question? The answer is YES. Firstly we know that Iran will invade Israel. The only way through to Israel is through Iraq. We can therefore presume Iran will have to launch some attacks on Iraq to do so. Secondly there are clear latter day prophecies that speak of Babylon (modern Iraq) and the Medes (modern Iran) having a cataclysmic war. Isaiah 13 speaks of this battle. It speaks of the land being desolated (v9). Babylon destroyed like Sodom. (v 19). The fact is that the ancient Medes never desolated the land and it was never destroyed like Sodom. So perhaps modern Iran will desolate the land of Iraq and destroy it like God destroyed Sodom. With great fire. When it comes it forms part of God’s judgements on the world. See the verses 11 – 13 in Isaiah 13. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. These verses speak of the FINAL judgements of the WORLD. (Isaiah 13:11)

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.