Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch

1. Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch August 20 - 26 2006 “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

2. What is this world watch all about? I decided each week to look at key events that had happened in that week and look at them with the Bible in hand. I hope to build up a picture of Gods hand working in the affairs of this world bringing about that day when all nations will be gathered to Jerusalem to battle which will be brought to end when the Lord Jesus Christ physically returns from heaven to set up Gods kingdom. The key areas which will crop up time and again will be • Israel – Middle East the growing conflict • Europe – the developing union / political and religious • Russia – continued turning back to anti west ways • The development of King of South – US & UK • Declining moral standards and increasing violence. Please email me with any thoughts, questions or anything I may have missed! On last page there is a red button – if you click it an email will open up pre addressed to me so you can send an email comments etc

3. Weekly Developments These are just a few of the events that have caught my eye in the previous week. It is in no way meant to be exhaustive – just a look at those events I saw as significant from a Bible viewpoint. Headlines These are always headlines printed in the newspaper – the date is always given and which paper. Normally the Daily Telegraph. (DT) Event This is usually the newspapers take on the events that have happened. It will always be a direct quote from the newspaper. Comment This is my take on why it is interesting from a Bible point of view. The idea of this weekly world watch is to give a quick Biblical perspective without going into detail. If more detail is needed please email me. 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.

4. Weekly Developments August 20 - 26 2006 • Europe promises 7,000 troops • Russia blocks sanctions against Iran • Iran wields influence in Iraq • Tehran and Syria fan war tensions • Russia denies Hezbollah arms link • Australia defence build-up TO PRINT ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SLIDES JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE ON EACH SLIDE

5. Europe promises 7000 troops Headline Europe promises 7,000 troops to hold Lebanon line Article Daily Telegraph August 26 Event European governments yesterday promised to send nearly 7,000 troops to Lebanon, with a first wave of up to 4,000 men to arrive within a week. That was enough to provide the "backbone" of a "strong, credible and robust" peacekeeping force, the United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan said. Mr Annan confirmed that he had asked France to lead the force until February 2007. On Thursday President Jacques Chirac promised a contribution of 2,000 men in total. Italy, which has said it will provide up to 3,000 troops, the largest single contribution, would send a general to head a command "cell" based at the UN headquarters in New York, Mr Annan said. Italian troops are likely to head for Lebanon as early as Tuesday. A promise of 1,200 men came from Spain, while Poland, Belgium and Finland were among those pledging hundreds each. Comment Europe is moving towards the northern border of Israel! This week France finally accepted to send troops and lead the UN force to Lebanon. Israel initially viewed the international force in Lebanon as a force that would disarm Hezbollah. The European governments contributing contingents to this force have their own ideas and interests. They have said explicitly they will NOT disarm them. It may even end up as a protector and shield for them! We can surely see how this volatile situation could escalate at any time. Europe could quickly become involved in the war. Bible Quote Revelation 19 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. Beast = Europe him that sat on the horse = Jesus his army = the saints

6. Russia blocks sanctions against Iran Headline Russia blocks sanctions against Iran Article Daily Telegraph August 26 Event Russia ruled out imposing economic sanctions on Iran yesterday, delivering a blow to America's efforts to isolate Teheran's regime in protest over its nuclear programme. Sergei Ivanov, Russia's defence minister, said he knew of "no instances" when sanctions had ever achieved their aims and called for another round of diplomacy to resolve the issue. But America sees Iran's nuclear ambitions as the key challenge to its foreign policy and its patience is wearing thin. America will almost certainly try to impose economic penalties on Iran when the United Nations Security Council considers the country's nuclear programme after Aug 31. This was the deadline in Resolution 1696, passed last month, for Teheran to halt enrichment of uranium. Comment Iran has responded to America’s offer of economic incentives for stopping uranium enrichment. The lengthy reply was designed to split the nations and weaken America’s position by hinting that it would but not on the terms America asked for. This approach appears to be working. Iran is playing for time. The longer it can “string” out this negotiation, the longer it has to work towards a nuclear weapon. It is interesting that Russia will block any sanctions against Iran. On the 31st August the Security Council will discuss the situation with Iran. A showdown between Russia and America seems likely. The Bible says that Russia will act as a guard to Iran. Bible Quote Ezekiel 38 7 Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. “Thou” = Russia “Guard” = protects / a ward “thy company” includes Persia (Iran) see v5

7. Iran wields influence in Iraq Headline Iran wields influence in Iraq Headline Associated Press August 22 Event Iran wields more influence than the United States in Iraq and has established itself as America's chief rival in the Middle East, a British think tank said in a report released Wednesday. London-based Chatham House attributes Iran's influence to diplomacy, charitable efforts and the removal from power of regional rivals Saddam Hussein in Iraq and the Taliban in Afghanistan. "While the U.S. has been playing poker in the region, Iran has been playing chess," Comment A report this week shows that Iran has huge influence now in the Middle East and especially in Iraq. It has infiltrated Iraq and is helping to keep the insurgency (some say a civil war) going. It could be that the many passages in the Bible that talk of the Medes being stirred up against Babylon are in fact being fulfilled before us. We know that Babylon in Revelation is symbolic of Rome. But there could also be in the last days a literal fulfilment of Babylon as in the LAND of Babylon ie modern Iraq. Can it be coincidence that at the time of the end the Medes (Iranians) are being raised up against Babylon (Iraq). If this is correct there is great destruction coming on Iraq. It seems relevant that this area where sin and death entered the world, the kingdom of men began and Abraham was called out of will be utterly destroyed. Bible Quote Jeremiah 51 11 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; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple.

8. Tehran and Syria fan war tensions Headline Tehran and Syria fan war tensions Headline DEBKAfile August 24 Event DEBKAfile reports Tehran and Syria jointly fan war tensions to undermine America’s Security Council positions on Iran’s nuclear program and the Lebanese ceasefire Our Washington and Jerusalem sources report intelligence predictions of an impending revival of the Lebanon war and its spread to the Golan. Tehran and Syria are turning up the heat to obstruct Western moves to curb Iran’s advance on a nuclear weapon and nullify the embargo on arms for Hizballah. A senior Iranian spokesman announced Wednesday night, Aug. 23 that his government was on the brink of a “dramatic” nuclear development. Comment If the report above is true, the Lebanon war could reignite shortly. As pressure intensifies on Iran over its nuclear programme so it might divert attention to Lebanon again. Syria is making an increasing number of hostile statements as well. Syria's president said this week that the deployment of international troops along the Syria-Lebanon border would be a "hostile" act. Israel’s Intelligence Chief said this week that he believes that Syria will try to reclaim the Golan Heights through either diplomatic or military means. He also added that Iran was using Syria as a giant weapons cache for Hezbollah. The war is not over. The whole of the Middle East is in flux. Israel is in political turmoil and the enemies of Israel are circling. They sense they have the upper hand. Israel under pressure may take pre-emptive action against Syria. Bible Quote Isaiah 17 1 ¶ The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. Damascus = Syria v4 tells us that Israel will “wax lean” when Syria is destroyed

9. Russia denies Hezbollah arms link Headline Russia denies Hezbollah arms link Headlines BBC online August 25 Event The Russian Defence Minister, Sergei Ivanov, has denied Israeli claims that Hezbollah has modern Russian weapons. Israel says that Russian anti-tank weapons delivered to the Syrian army have been passed on to Hezbollah. Mr Ivanov said this was complete nonsense, adding that the weapons being used by Hezbollah were not up to date. The minister's comments during a visit to Russia's far east were in response to Israeli allegations that Hezbollah had used Russian state-of-the-art Kornet anti-tank system in the recent fighting in Lebanon. Last week Israeli officials said they had provided Moscow with proof that Hezbollah had been supplied with Russian weapons delivered to the Syrian Army. Comment It is not surprising that Russian weapons are being used against Israel. After all Russia has been arming Israel’s enemies for years. What is surprising is how modern the weapons are that Hezbollah has been using. Israel lost over 100 soldiers in the war over Lebanon mostly due to tanks that were destroyed. Israel was taken aback by the weapons Hezbollah possessed. It had no idea how sophisticated their weapons were. Russia may well deny Israel’s claim but we know Russia will be involved in the final war against Israel – the arming of Israel’s enemies is part of this. Bible Quote Ezekiel 38 2 Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, 3 And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, Gog = Russia

10. Australia defence build-up Headline Aussie defence build-up biggest since '60s Headline UPI August 23 Event Australia's planned military build-up is the biggest for the country since the 1960s and may outstrip funding allocations, according to a leading think tank. Australia plans to buy four C-17 strategic lift aircraft. Australia also plans buys of new tanks, helicopters, refuelling planes, airborne early-warning aircraft, 100 Joint Strike Fighters, amphibious assault ships and destroyers. Defence spending was boosted by 3 percent in this year's defence budget, but the current A$20 billion (U.S. $15.2) allocated may not be enough, The Australian newspaper Wednesday quoted the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Comment Australia is one of the “young lions” of Tarshish (Britain). We see increasing military expansion with many nations in the world at this time. They are all preparing for war as Joel says in the verse below. The Gentiles are indeed beating plowshares into swords. The heathen are being assembled and gathered. Gathered to where? Joel tells us. To Israel. Is this not exactly what we are seeing? Israel is now the very centre of the whole world’s concerns. Nations are sending soldiers to the area. Few in number at the moment but as a few pebbles can start an avalanche so these few troops are just the start of all nations being drawn to Jerusalem to battle. Bible Quote Joel 3 9 ¶ Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. 11 Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.

11. THE END WORLD WATCH WILL BE EMAILED TO YOU EACH WEEK. PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED. PLEASE SEND ME THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS AND I WILL PUT THEM ON THE REGULAR WEEKLY EMAIL ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS OR COMMENTS WELCOME. EMAIL ANDY Click Here Move your cursor around until it appears To watch again click here