June 13 - 19, 2010

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s June 13 - 19, 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 June 13 - 19, 2010 • Saudi Arabia gives Israel clear skies to attack Iran • Iran could fire 'hundreds' of missiles at Europe • Israel on the road to energy autonomy • Next war may be over Israel’s gas and oil fields • Medvedev raps EU, US sanctions against Iran • Powerful earthquakes shake Indonesian coast To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right

5. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Sheba = Saudi Arabia Tarshish = UK young lions = USA etc . Saudi Arabia gives Israel clear skies to attack Iranian nuclear sites The Times, June 12, 2010 Saudi Arabia has conducted tests to stand down its air defences to enable Israeli jets to make a bombing raid on Iran’s nuclear facilities, The Times can reveal. In the week that the UN Security Council imposed a new round of sanctions on Tehran, defence sources in the Gulf say that Riyadh has agreed to allow Israel to use a narrow corridor of its airspace in the north of the country to shorten the distance for a bombing run on Iran. To ensure the Israeli bombers pass unmolested, Riyadh has carried out tests to make certain its own jets are not scrambled and missile defence systems not activated. Once the Israelis are through, the kingdom’s air defences will return to full alert. “The Saudis have given their permission for the Israelis to pass over and they will look the other way,” said a US defence source in the area. “They have already done tests to make sure their own jets aren’t scrambled and no one gets shot down. This has all been done with the agreement of the [US] State Department.” EVENT Saudi Arabia is an Arab nation and therefore we might expect them to be anti Israel. In some ways they are but they have a common enemy – IRAN. The kingdom is alarmed at Iran’s behaviour and how it is growing in power. To prevent this they appear willing to allow Israel to use their airspace to potentially attack Iran. America must also agree. As the map shows above America has some key military bases in Saudi Arabia. The Bible says this is the situation we should expect. In Ezekiel 38 we read of Sheba & Dedan with the merchants of Tarshish and the young lions. In modern day language we would read, “Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait etc with Britain, America, Canada etc”. When Russia and many nations invade Israel, Saudi Arabia will NOT be one of them… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:13)

6. Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device is against Babylon, to destroy it Iran could fire 'hundreds' of missiles at Europe Associated Press, June 18, 2010 US intelligence has shown Iran could launch an attack against Europe with "scores or hundreds" of missiles, prompting major changes to US missile defences, Pentagon chief Robert Gates said on Thursday. President Barack Obama in September cited a mounting danger from Iran's arsenal of short and medium-range missiles when he announced an overhaul of US missile defence plans. The new program, called the "phased adaptive approach," uses sea and land-based interceptors to protect NATO allies in the region, instead of mainly larger weapons designed to counter long-range missiles. "One of the elements of the intelligence that contributed to the decision on the phased adaptive array was the realization that if Iran were actually to launch a missile attack on Europe, it wouldn't be just one or two missiles or a handful," Gates told a senate hearing. "It would more likely be a salvo kind of attack, where you would be dealing potentially with scores or even hundreds of missiles." EVENT The stirring up of Iran is a definite part of the latter day prophetical picture. We have known that Persia (Iran) would invade Israel with Russia because this is clearly identified in Ezekiel 38:5. Iran is also known as another name – the MEDES. We find that the Medes lived in north western Iran. It was of course the Medes and the Persians that took over the empire of Babylon. In Isaiah 13 we read of God stirring up the Medes. Originally this was of course in relation to ancient Babylon. In Jeremiah 51 we also read of the Medes being raised up and making bright arrows. Babylon in the Old Testament was a kingdom in modern Iraq. The Medes wanted to destroy Babylon. Iran may destroy Iraq. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 51:11)

7. And thou [Russia] shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely {safely: or, confidently} , all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, To take a spoil Israel on the Road to Energy Autonomy, Russia Scraps Pipeline Israel National News, June 16, 2010 The prospect of an energy independent Israel, thanks to newly-discovered offshore gas fields, has forced Russia to scrap plans to extend a new gas pipeline that would include Israel. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said the “Blue Steam II most likely will not be extended to Israel for purely financial reasons” and that Israel is unlikely to need this [Russian] gas.” He rejected the suggestion that Russia was imposing sanctions against Israel. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that the extension to Israel was cancelled as part of a general boycott of the Jewish State since the flotilla clash on May 31, when nine Turkish terror activists were killed after assaulting Israeli Navy commandos, who stopped the ship from continuing on its route to Hamas-controlled Gaza. Russia and Turkey agreed in March to build the second section of the pipeline, linking the two countries via the Black Sea and extending it to Syria, Lebanon and Israel. EVENT While our attention over the last 2 weeks has been on Gaza another huge gas reserve has been found of the coast of Israel. A gigantic deposit of natural gas called Leviathan, 6.5 times the size of Tel Aviv, was found, roughly 100 nautical miles from where the flotilla fiasco took place and well within Israel's extended territorial waters. Haaretz reported this week “This discovery is nothing short of a geopolitical game changer. To understand its magnitude, consider this: The world's biggest gas discovery in 2009, 238 billion cubic meters, was made by a U.S.-Israel consortium at a site called Tamar, 60 miles off the coast of Haifa. The nearby Leviathan field is estimated to be twice that size.” Within days of the discovery Russia’s prime minister, Putin cancels an extended gas pipeline to Israel. Russia is clearly envious of the spoils Israel has found. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:11,12)

8. 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. Next war may be over Israel’s gas and oil fields Israel National News, June 15, 2010 Hezbollah has laid claim to a huge oil and gas field that Israel discovered off its northeastern Mediterranean Coast -- and which Lebanon already has claimed as well. The terrorist organization warned that it will not allow Israel to take possession of the offshore fields, which could make the Jewish State energy self-sufficient for the first time in history. The As-Safir Lebanese newspaper told its readers that the gas field “was located between Israeli and Cypriot territorial waters and stretches toward the Lebanese coast.” Lebanese newspapers also reported that previous Israeli gas finds “were either taking place in areas stretching to Lebanese territorial waters or other spots far away from the Israeli coast.” Hezbollah's claims were stated by the party’s executive council chief Hashem Safieddine, who was quoted by the Tehran Times as saying it would not allow Israel to “loot” Lebanese gas resources. EVENT The size of these gas finds should not be underestimated. Israel could become self sufficient in energy. It could also become an exporter of gas. One country looking for energy is India. One option for that country is to join the Iran-Pakistan pipeline. But this would leave India beholden to Iran for decades. Alternatively should India decide to construct LNG terminals along its coast, it will be able to import natural gas from Israel as well as other exporters, like Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Ironically, the biggest casualty of such an energy corridor will be none other than Turkey, which now enjoys an unchallenged status as an energy bridge between East and West. Just as the flotilla events have brought the nations against Israel so the gas finds this week will as well. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Joel 3:2)

9. Be thou [Russia] prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard[a protector] unto them. [the other nations previously mentioned like Persia i.e. Iran] Medvedev raps EU, US sanctions against Iran BBConline, June 18, 2010 Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has criticised the unilateral US and EU sanctions on Iran that go beyond those approved by the UN Security Council. He said Russia "did not agree" to any separate sanctions when it backed a joint UN resolution last week. Meanwhile, Pentagon chief Robert Gates said US intelligence showed that Iran could be able to attack Europe with "scores" of missiles by 2020. He added that Russia seemed to have a "schizophrenic" approach to Iran. Moscow viewed Iran as a threat, but still pursued commercial ties with it, he told a US senate hearing in Washington. Western powers suspect Iran is seeking nuclear weapons - which Tehran denies. In an interview that ran on Thursday, the Russian leader criticised the EU and US for acting unilaterally. "We didn't agree to this when we discussed the joint resolution at the UN," Mr Medvedev told the Wall Street Journal. EVENT COMMENT Last week the UN Security Council voted to impose a fourth round of sanctions on Iran for failing to halt its nuclear enrichment programme. They included tighter finance curbs and an expanded arms embargo, but not the crippling sanctions the US had wanted. Russia did vote for these watered down sanctions. However this week America has announced extra sanctions of its own. It added several Iranian banks and insurance companies to the “blocked” list. What we are seeing here is Russia still in effect acting as a protector of Iran’s interests. Russia does not want Iran overly punished and has succeeded in keeping the sanctions very mild. The Bible says clearly that Russia will act as a guard to Iran. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:6,7)

10. I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Powerful earthquakes shake Indonesian coast CNN, June 16, 2010 A power string of six earthquakes shook the northern coast of Papua, Indonesia, Wednesday, killing at least two people and causing widespread damage on Yapen Island, officials said. Four of the earthquakes hit the region within an hour's time, starting just after midday. A fifth and sixth quake hit the region a few hours later. Scores die in China flash floods BBConline, June 19, 2010 At least 69 people have now died in flooding caused by torrential rain in southern China, state media say. About half a million people have been evacuated because of rainstorms over the last week that have damaged tens of thousands of homes. Deadly flash floods hit southern France BBConline, June 16, 2010 At least 19 people have been killed by flash floods in south-eastern France, officials say. Meteorologists say the floods are the worst in the region since 1827. EVENT In the final period of time before Egypt’s demise God poured on that unsuspecting people great “signs and wonders”. Deut 6:22. Plagues, pestilence, storm and so on. Egypt was left ruined and broken. It was at this same time that God rescued his people. We also live at the time of witnessing great “signs and wonders”. Peter makes clear in Acts 2 that before the great and notable day of the Lord comes God will “show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath”. This is of course symbolic but also literal. All symbology has its roots in physical things. As we near the end of time and the culmination of God’s plan we might expect to see increasing signs and wonders. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Acts 2:19-21)

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.