November , 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) Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s To skip the introductory slides and go straight to this weeks developments click here.
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.clicking here 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? 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. 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 me:
This Week’s Developments To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right Israel offers to stop building in West Bank Palestinians shun Israeli settlement restriction plan Iran rebuked over nuclear 'cover-up' Terror probe as Russia train crash kills at least 39 Archbishop and Pope try to mend fences in Vatican November , 2009 Dubai in deep water - ripples from debt crisis spread
Israel offers to stop building in West Bank Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, bowed to US pressure on Wednesday and announced that no new Jewish homes would be built in the West Bank for the next 10 months. Washington welcomed the offer, with Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, saying it “helps move forward” efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “We believe that through good-faith negotiations the parties can mutually agree on an outcome which ends the conflict and reconciles the Palestinian goal of an independent and viable state based on the 1967 lines, with agreed swaps, and the Israeli goal of a Jewish state with secure and recognised borders,” she said in a statement. Daily Telegraph, November 25, 2009 EVENT COMMENT And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 34:13) Israel’s closest ally, America, continues to put extreme pressure on the Israeli leaders to stop building on their land. This pressure is now bringing some results for the Obama administration. Netanyahu has announced a 10 month suspension in building new homes in the West Bank. The West Bank is definitely part of the land given by God himself to the Jewish people. God said he would regather them to this land – it is not land Obama (or anyone else) owns – it is God’s land and he will judge the nations for their total arrogance in dividing it up. NB The West Bank = the mountains of Israel. It is interesting that Russia also made a statement about this. Whereas the US welcomed the suspension of building there was criticism from Russia. “What is needed is a full stop to settlement activity, including ‘natural growth’, related to all the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. We see how Russia views the disputed land – they believe it is the Palestinians!
Palestinians shun Israeli settlement restriction plan The Palestinian Authority has reacted negatively to Israel's offer to temporarily restrict construction in Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Chief negotiator Sayeb Erekat said any temporary halt that did not include East Jerusalem was unacceptable. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the 10-month restriction was part of a policy he hoped would give a new impetus to peace talks. Mr Erekat said there was nothing new in the offer, adding that Israel would continue building 3,000 housing units in the West Bank it had just started. "This is not a moratorium," he said, quoted by the Associated Press. "Unfortunately, we hoped he would commit to a real settlement freeze so we can resume negotiations and he had a choice between settlements and peace and he chose settlements." Senior Palestinian MP Mustafa Barghouti went further. "What Netanyahu announced today is one of his biggest attempts at deception in his history," he said. Mr Netanyahu stressed that the policy did not apply to Jerusalem, saying: "We do not put any restrictions on building in our sovereign capital." BBConline, November 25, 2009 EVENT COMMENT And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 12:3) The Palestinians rejected the Israel step on the spot because it did not apply to East Jerusalem. As we have known all along with Bible in hand, it will all come down to Jerusalem. Whatever else may be agreed - Jerusalem will not be solved. We are told it will be the final stumbling block that brings about the final conflict. We see in the news reports above how this is the case. It may not be long now before all people on earth ARE gathered together against it.
Iran rebuked over nuclear 'cover-up' The UN nuclear watchdog's governing body has passed a resolution condemning Iran for developing a uranium enrichment site in secret. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also demanded that Iran freeze the project immediately. The resolution, the first against Iran in nearly four years, was passed by a 25-3 margin with six abstentions. Iran called the move "useless" but the US said it showed time was running out for Iran to address key issues. Iran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful energy purposes, but the US says it is seeking nuclear weapons. In September, it emerged that as well as its uranium enrichment facility at Natanz, Iran had a second such facility near the town of Qom. The revelation deepened Western fears about the country's nuclear ambitions. Daily Telegraph, November 18, 2009 EVENT COMMENT For it is a day of trouble, and of treading down, and of perplexity by the Lord GOD of hosts in the valley of vision, breaking down the walls, and of crying to the mountains. And Elam bare the quiver BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 22:5,6) The world is inching towards a showdown with Iran - but how reticent they are! In the UK an inquiry into the Iraq war is showing how mistakes were made with military intelligence concerning Saddam Hussein and his chemical weapons capabilities. The nations (especially US and UK) are extremely wary of another conflict because of this. Iran knows this is the case and has therefore been able to press ahead with its nuclear program unheeded. In Isaiah 22 we read of a day of trouble for Jerusalem. The city is breached, the houses broken down. There will be weeping and mourning. (see verses 9-12). In the middle of this chapter of woe for God’s city one nation is named. ELAM. Elam is in modern Iran. Note how Elam bears the quiver – the arrows – the missiles. Iran may strike Jerusalem.
Terror probe as Russia train crash kills at least 39 A terror investigation is under way into whether a bomb attack caused a train crash in Russia in which at least 39 were killed and scores more were injured. Russia's prosecutor general office has opened a criminal case on terrorism charges after the express train, carrying hundreds of passengers from Moscow to St Petersburg, derailed. The head of the Russian national railway company has said the derailment, late on Friday night, could have been caused by a bomb attack, raising fears that the luxury train, popular with business executives and government officials, was targeted by Chechen or other terrorists. An unnamed security official was quoted as saying that a one-meter diameter crater was found near where the carriages derailed. "Witnesses say they heard a loud bang before the accident. This could be proof of an attack," the source said. Daily Telegraph, November 28, 2009 EVENT COMMENT And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 39:2) This is still breaking news. It does appear to be an act of terrorism. The chief of state- owned railroad firm Russian Railways, Vladimir Yakunin, said investigators believed Friday evening's crash was caused by an act of terrorism. "To put it simply, a terrorist attack" was the main line of inquiry being pursued by experts investigating the derailment, Mr Yakunin said on state television from the scene. Chechnya is part of the Russian Federation but many within Chechnya want to break away from Russia. Hence the terrorist attacks on Russia. It is this area that was the original area of Magog. Magog was around shores and inland for about 100 miles of the Black Sea. Russia may respond to this terror attack. It could bring it once more on a southern path towards Georgia – Turkey – Israel. …
Archbishop and Pope try to mend fences in Vatican Some may question why we concentrate on the false religion of Rome when in fact there are many false religions in the world. The reason is simple. The Bible concentrates on this one religion in particular. It sees Rome (Catholicism) as the root cause, the head, the MOTHER of ALL false Christian religions. In effect all the false beliefs – the trinity, heaven going, the devil etc were developed into Christianity through Rome. The Pope wants to bring all errant Christian religions back under its control. The Church of England which broke away from Rome hundreds of years ago is gradually being encouraged to go back. We come out of her... THE Vatican described the meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury — the first since the Apostolic Constitution was announced — as “cordial” on Saturday. The Pope’s gift to Dr Williams was a pectoral cross, a bishop’s insignia. Dr Williams wore the ring that Pope Paul VI gave to Archbishop Michael Ramsey. After the meeting, the Vatican said that the two leaders had discussed “the need to promote forms of collaboration and shared witness” in the face of the challenges Christianity faced. In an interview immediately after the meeting, broadcast on the BBC’s Sunday, Dr Williams said that the meeting had gone “as well as I could have hoped... “I was able to express the concerns which many Anglicans feel in the way the Apostolic Constitution was handled, in the way that it was made public, but we moved from there to talk about more positive matters of co-operation, and he was extremely enthusiastic about the next stage of official dialogue between our two Churches.” Church Times, November 27, 2009 EVENT COMMENT Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 18:4,5)
Dubai in deep water - ripples from debt crisis spread Fears of a dangerous new phase in the economic crisis swept around the globe yesterday as traders responded to the shock announcement that a debt-laden Dubai state corporation was unable to meet its interest bill. Shares plunged, weak currencies were battered and more than £14 billion was wiped from the value of British banks on fears that they would be left nursing new losses. Nervous traders transferred the focus of their anxieties from the risk of companies failing to the risk of nation states defaulting. Investors owed money by Mexico, Russia and Greece saw the price of insuring themselves against default rocket. The Times, November 27, 2009 EVENT COMMENT as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the taker of usury, so with the giver of usury to him. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the LORD hath spoken this word. BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 24:2,3) The economic crisis is not over. We have only seen some birth pangs so far in relation to the financial collapse that will certainly come. The total meltdown of the monetary systems of the world is certain. We know because God says it will happen. Isaiah 24 speaks of the world being laid waste. It tells us that whether you are debtor or creditor, lender or borrower, employer or employee you will be effected by what is to happen. The world will be utterly spoiled and emptied. Harvard financial historian Niall Ferguson famously told The Globe and Mail of an impending global disaster brought on by the destabilizing forces of the financial crisis. He said recently that the recent increase in stock market values has come from huge cash injections from governments. But these are one off measures. He also mentions Russia. “Russia, stands to gain the most from geopolitical instability. For example a major attack on Iranian nuclear installations would double the price of oil and greatly enrich the denizens of the Kremlin. The probability of such a war is currently being underestimated by many people.“ The labour pains of the world will continue….
ANDY Click here (Move the mouse until the cursor appears.) To watch again, click here. WWW will be ed to you each week. Please forward the addresses of others who may be interested. I will include them in the list of recipients. Comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome. Weekly World Watch The end of this week’s