Weekly World Watch: U.S. Withdraws from Nuclear Arms Treaty with Russia

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s January 20 – February 2, 2019 “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 January 20 – February 2, 2019 • U.S. to withdraw from nuclear arms treaty with Russia • Syria threatens to ‘strike Tel Aviv airport’ • Hezbollah leader warns Israel over attacks in Syria • Palestinians, Israeli troops clash in West Bank, Gaza • France and Germany seal new deal as Brexit looms • Russia says 'arbitrary' Israeli air strikes on Syria must stop To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. 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: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.  Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: U.S. to withdraw from nuclear arms treaty with Russia Washington Post, February 1, 2019 The Trump administration announced Friday that the United States will pull out of a nuclear arms control treaty with Russia, ending a cornerstone Cold War agreement and raising fears of a new nuclear arms race in Europe and Asia. President Trump said Russia is violating the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, a charge Moscow denies, leaving the United States at a disadvantage because of its own compliance at a time when global threats have changed considerably in the more than 30 years since the pact was signed. "We cannot be the only country in the world unilaterally bound by this treaty, or any other,” Trump said in a statement. “We will move forward with developing our own military response options and will work with NATO and our other allies and partners to deny Russia any military advantage from its unlawful conduct.” EVENT COMMENT Back in 1987 the Cold War appeared over. Gorbachev and Reagan signed an historic first – a treaty that agreed to destroy nuclear weapons on a massive scale. Russia and the US, sworn enemies were shaking hands and agreeing to step back from the brink. Now 40 or so years later those hopes of peace are coming to a sudden end. The US has accused Russia of breaking the treaty and has pulled out of it. This will allow the US to build new arsenals of these terrifying weapons. Russia meanwhile angrily denies the accusations. Russian politicians accused the United States on Friday of undermining global security. The Bible says that the gentiles would prepare for war – the greatest war – Armageddon. They would begin to build weapons as a priority. Eventually they converge in Israel - and only Christ’s return stops total annihilation. BIBLE QUOTE (Joel 3:9-11)

6. “Look, the city of Damascus will disappear! It will become a heap of ruins. The towns of Aroer will be deserted. Flocks will graze in the streets and lie down undisturbed, with no one to chase them away The fortified towns of Ephraim [northern Israel] will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. Syria threatens to ‘strike Tel Aviv airport’ unless UNSC acts against Israel’s impunity RT, January 23, 2018 Damascus has threatened to exercise its legitimate right for self-defense against Israeli aggression and target Tel Aviv airport in a mirror response, unless the Security Council puts an end to IDF intrusions into Syrian airspace. Apparently fed up with years of Israeli impunity in the Syrian skies and regular strikes carried out in the vicinity of Damascus International Airport, Syria has threatened to retaliate in explicit terms. "Isn't time now for the UN Security Council to stop the Israeli repeated aggressions on the Syrian Arab Republic territories?” Syria’s permanent representative to the UN, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari wondered Tuesday. Air strikes against alleged ‘Iranian targets’ in close proximity to Syria’s busiest airport have become a norm for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), whose former chief of staff openly confessed last month to running a large-scale bombing campaign in Syria for years. Besides causing casualties and material damage by their “near-daily” strikes, Israeli combat missions into Syria have also repeatedly endangered flights operating over the conflict-torn country. EVENT Israel has admitted to striking targets in Syria hundreds of times over the last 2 years. Despite Russia’s intervention in the Syrian conflict Israel has continued to hit Iranian and Hezbollah targets with impunity. Recent attacks have also taken out Syrian defences. This has promoted Syria to threaten Israel with a military response if they continue with these attacks. The Bible says that Israel will be drawn into the conflict in Syria. When Damascus comes to a complete end, cities in northern Israel will be attacked. At some point Syria and Israel will have a devastating encounter…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:1-3 NLT)

7. Hezbollah leader warns Israel over attacks in Syria ABC, January 26, 2019 The head of the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon warned Israel late Saturday over its continued attacks in Syria, saying a miscalculation could drag the region into a war. Hassan Nasrallah made the comment during a wide-ranging interview that lasted more than three hours with the Beirut-based Al-Mayadeen TV station. Nasrallah said Iran, Syria and Hezbollah could "at any moment" decide to deal differently with Israel's actions in Syria and hinted that Tel Aviv might be a target. Addressing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he said: "Be cautious. Don't continue what you are doing in Syria. Don't miscalculate and don't drag the region into a war or a major confrontation. "Nasrallah said circumstances in the region have changed as Iran and its allies, including his group, expand their influence in the region. This means any war can be on more than one front, Nasrallah warned. EVENT It’s not just Syria threatening to retaliate on Israel’s strikes. Last Saturday Hezbollah also warned they will attack Israel and that any miscalculation could bring the region into a major confrontation. And it isn't just Syria and Hezbollah warning of conflict. Yesterday Iran chillingly warned Israel that it will be “destroyed” with a death toll so high there will not be sufficient space to bury them. The shocking remarks made by a senior Iranian military leader. Psalm 83 details out for us the initial inner ring war that takes place BEFORE Russia, Iran, Turkey and Sudan invade Israel. There are 9 tribes mentioned (and one nation). The 9 tribes all want to destroy Israel. They all people who encircle Israel and live nearby. The nation mentioned is Assyria – a reference possibly to Syria or Iran. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE “Come,” they say, “let us destroy them as a nation, so that Israel’s name is remembered no more.” With one mind they plot together; they form an alliance against you— the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites, Byblos,Ammon and Amalek, Philistia, with the people of Tyre. Even Assyrians joined them to reinforce Lot’s descendants (Psalm 83:5-8)

8. Palestinians, Israeli troops clash in West Bank, Gaza ABC News, February 1, 2019 EVENT Palestinian protesters and Israeli troops skirmished Friday as hundreds demonstrated against violence by Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and thousands more against a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. In Gaza, mass demonstrations along the perimeter fence with Israel have been a weekly routine over the past 10 months. In the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority holds limited sway, the protest was sparked by the killing of a Palestinian at al-Mughayyir village last Saturday, which the Palestinians blamed on the settlers. Ashraf al-Kidra, spokesman for the Health Ministry, said 32 Palestinians were wounded by gunfire at several sections along the fence Friday. Earlier on Friday, mediators from Egypt and the United Nations, worried that the border violence could evolve into an all-out conflict between Hamas and Israel, met with leaders of the militant group. COMMENT Meanwhile on Israel’s southern border trouble continues as the Palestinians keep up their provocations on a weekly basis. There could be more trouble coming as we approach the Israeli general election in April. Debkafile report that Iran and Hezbollah have decided on a stage-by-stage strategy, scaling up the attacks from the Gaza Strip in the coming weeks up to a climax towards mid-March, three weeks before polling day. On top of this the US today has withdrawn all financial aid for the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza which will almost certainly increase unrest. The US aid amounted to £203m and went into health and education. A Palestinian spokesman said that the suspension of aid will increase instability. Israel is now surrounded by a caldron of simmering hatred and hostility. At some point it will explode… BIBLE QUOTE “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves. (Zechariah 12:2-3 NIV)

9. France and Germany seal new deal as Brexit looms BBC, January 22, 2019 EVENT France and Germany have signed a new treaty on Tuesday aimed at breathing new life into their place at the centre of the European Union. As the UK moves to leave the EU and a rising tide of populism challenges the core liberal values of the bloc, the new treaty commits wholeheartedly to defending it. German Chancellor Angela Merkel highlighted peace and security and backed the emergence of a European army. French President Emmanuel Macron said the challenge was for Europe to become "a shield" against the tumults of the world. There is rich symbolism in the signing in the German city of Aachen, which has changed hands over the centuries and is known in French as Aix-la-Chapelle. On Christmas day in 800AD a Germanic King called Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor. He was crowned king by the Pope Leo III. Charlemagne became the first emperor of Western Europe since the fall of the original Roman Empire over 300 years before. He wanted to unite all western Europe and convert everyone to Catholicism. He is seen by many as the “father of Europe”. His capital city was in Aachen (in modern Germany) and he was born and was buried there. The book of Revelation tracks the Roman Empire throughout its future history. The Roman Empire ended. Then came Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire. This lasted 1000 years and ended in the 1800’s. Then came the Germanic Empire - known as the Second Reich (Empire). This came to an end in WW1. Then came the Third Reich. This came to an end in WW2. Then came the EU. This will soon morph into a new resurrected Holy Roman Empire which will stand against Christ at his return! COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: This is the resurrected Holy Roman Empire – coming soon! (Revelation 17:12-14)

10. Russia says 'arbitrary' Israeli air strikes on Syria must stop Reuters, January 23, 2018 EVENT Russia said on Wednesday that Israel should stop carrying out what Moscow called arbitrary air strikes on Syria, days after the Israeli air force targeted what Israel said were Iranian forces there. “The practice of arbitrary strikes on the territory of a sovereign state, in this case, we are talking about Syria, should be ruled out,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said, in answer to a question from Russian news agency TASS about recent Israeli air strikes on Syria. She said such strikes added to tensions in the region, which she said was not in the long-term interests of any country there, including Israel. "We should never allow Syria, which has suffered years of armed conflict, to be turned into an arena where geopolitical scores are settled,” TASS cited her as saying. Her comments follow Israeli strikes in Syria on Monday. Israel did not immediately respond. COMMENT Russia is also turning up the heat on Israel by warning them not to continue to strike Syria. The original king of the north was Antiochus Epiphanes who was based in Syria. So the original king of the north was Syria. But when Syria comes to an end and Damascus is destroyed the mantle of the king of the north will pass to RUSSIA! We can see how this will happen. Russia is Syria’s master and Russia effectively controls Syria now with its military involvement over the last few years. Russia will one day turn against Israel and mass a huge army and invade God’s land. As I write this WWW a newsflash has just come up saying that Putin has also suspended Russia’s involvement in the nuclear treaty. Putin has just said that Russia will start developing new nuclear missiles. We are fast approaching the end… And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.  And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 12:1-2)

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