Iran's Involvement in Syria: A Global Threat

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s August 20 - 26, 2017 “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 August 20 - 26, 2017 • Iran's involvement in Syria threat to entire world • Deal to supply Russian missile systems to Turkey • German economist predicts EU WILL collapse • 3,700 year old Babylonian tablet rewrites maths • US 7th Fleet crisis in wake of deadly disasters at sea • World's driest place in bloom after surprise rain To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. The fortified towns of northern Israel will also be destroyed, and the royal power of Damascus will end. All that remains of Syria will share the fate of Israel’s departed glory,” declares the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. “In that day Israel’s glory will grow dim; its robust body will waste away. • Iran's Mounting Involvement in Syria Threat to Entire World, Netanyahu Tells Putin Haaretz, August 23, 2017 Iran's mounting involvement in Syria is a threat to Israel, the Middle East and the entire world, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Russian President Vladimir Putin at the start of their meeting on Wednesday. The two met in the resort town of Sochi on the Black Sea, as scheduled. Netanyahu also told Putin that Iran is filling the void left in Syria that the retreating Islamic State is leaving. "We cannot forget the fact that every day, Iran threatens to destroy Israel," the Israeli prime minister said. Iran is also behind terrorism, financing and equipping terror organizations, and de facto, controls Lebanon. Now it is working on achieving control of Iraq and Yemen too, Netanyahu said. Wednesday's meeting is the sixth meeting between Netanyahu and Putin since September 2015. Netanyahu is expected to fly home later in the day. EVENT Netanyahu has now met Putin 6 times in just the last 10 months. And each time the conversation becomes more desperate from the Israeli prime ministers point of view. Iran is building up forces in Syria and aiding Hezbollah. Netanyahu's nightmare is coming true. According to eyewitnesses of the open part of the talks, the Israeli prime minister was emotional and at times even close to panic. But he failed to convince the Russian president to stop Iran’s expansion in the Middle East and especially Syria. Iran is an ally of Russia and so is Syria. Putin wants Syria under his sway and he needs Iran’s involvement to do this. But Netanyahu threatened that Israel would take any action required to stop Iran’s onward march. We can see how soon we might have conflict between Israel and Syria and Hezbollah. This is stage 1 of the final conflict. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:3-4 NLT)

6. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya will join you [Gog / Russian ruler], too, with all their weapons. Gomer and all its armies will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-Togarmah from the distant north, and many others. Togarmah = Turkey • Deal to supply Russian S-400 missile systems to Turkey in final stages RT, August 22, 2017 Turkey and Russia had reached an agreement on the procurement of the S-400 missile defence system from Russia, and the final decision would be made by the executive committee of Turkey’s defence industry, Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım was quoted as saying on Aug. 25. Speaking to reporters on his return flight from Vietnam, Yıldırım also said Turkey was working in cooperation with Russia and Iran in Syria, and there should be no reason for the United States and Turkey to be on opposite sides. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan had said late in July that Russia and Turkey had made progress in the plans to procure the S-400s and that signatures had been signed. A contract to supply S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems to Turkey is in the final stages, but has not yet been signed or entered into force, the head of Russian defence giant Rosoboronexport told Russian media earlier this week. EVENT Turkey is busy doing defence deals with Russia. This is very strange when you stop and think about it. Turkey is part of NATO. NATO’s founding doctrine is that if you strike one nation in NATO you strike them all and therefore every country in NATO is bound to respond. But who is NATO’s No1 enemy and threat? It is of course Russia. But here is Russia arming Turkey with missiles that are supposed to be used against Russian threat! So what is going on? Well, Turkey, which for half a century was a stalwart ally in the Middle East being both secular and democratic, has moved so far away from its NATO allies that it is widely acknowledged to be defiantly supporting the Islamic State in Syria in its war against the West. Turkey has switched positions and now has allied itself to Russia. This is exactly what Ezekiel 38 said would be the case! COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:8 NLT)

7. 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. • German economist predicts EU WILL collapse Express, August 25, 2017 Professor Thorsten Polleit said the EU project had once been a “very wise concept” for fostering peace and cooperation but became far too politicised and is now heading in the “wrong direction” of pursuing ever greater centralisation. In an interview with express.co.uk the eminent German academic and financier urged European leaders to “start decentralising” if they want to save the bloc from oblivion and warned their efforts to prop up the single currency are doomed to fail. Professor Polleit also predicted that Britain will emerge from Brexit in better shape than the EU, because it will be able to liberalise its economy to attract greater investment and pursue genuinely free trade across the globe. In contrast, he painted the EU’s single market as an unnecessarily burdensome beast, saying it was stifling European innovation with red tape and driving up prices by putting up protectionist barriers to the rest of the world. EVENT There are a number of experts and economists predicting that the EU will break up. Those in the danger zone are Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Netherlands plus some smaller nations in eastern Europe. The whole project is fragile and Brexit could well have a destabilising effect as well. So could a break-up occur? The Bible talks about a beast that rises out of the bottomless pit. The beast is the resurrected Holy Roman Empire. Clearly the modern EU is an attempt at this but it still isn't a unified empire. It is still individual nations. The Bible says that 10 kings (leaders) will give their power and strength to the beast for one hour. This is still to happen. This is a total removal of state power to one central EU power. The break-up of the current EU could well lead to this superstate forming. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 17:12-13)

8. In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it …[he took]…Children in whom was no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as had ability in them to stand in the king's palace, • 3,700 year old Babylonian tablet rewrites maths Express, August 24, 2017 3,700-year-old clay tablet has proven that the Babylonians developed trigonometry 1,500 years before the Greeks and were using a sophisticated method of mathematics which could change how we calculate today. The true meaning of the tablet has eluded experts until now but new research by the University of New South Wales, Australia, has shown it is the world’s oldest and most accurate trigonometric table, which was probably used by ancient architects to construct temples, palaces and canals. However unlike today’s trigonometry, Babylonian mathematics used a base 60, or sexagesimal system, rather than the 10 which is used today. Because 60 is far easier to divide by three, experts studying the tablet, found that the calculations are far more accurate. “It is a fascinating mathematical work that demonstrates undoubted genius. The tablet not only contains the world’s oldest trigonometric table; it is also the only completely accurate trigonometric table,” said Dr Mansfield of the School of Mathematics&Statistics EVENT Dr Daniel Mansfield of the School of Mathematics and Statistics in the UNSW Faculty of Science said, “this discovery has great relevance for our modern world. Babylonian mathematics may have been out of fashion for more than 3000 years, but it has possible practical applications in surveying, computer graphics and education. This is a rare example of the ancient world teaching us something new. It opens up new possibilities not just for modern mathematics research, but also for mathematics education. With Plimpton 322 we see a simpler, more accurate trigonometry that has clear advantages over our own.” This is quite amazing. But even more amazing is the Bible record of Babylon where Daniel was taken captive- read the verse below…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 1:1+48)

9. US 7th Fleet crisis in wake of deadly disasters at sea Washington Post, August 23, 2017 EVENT The U.S. Navy on Wednesday relieved the admiral in charge of the service’s 7th Fleet based in Japan due to “loss of confidence” in his ability to command, it said in a statement. The move comes after four embarrassing accidents this year, two of which killed sailors at sea. The incidents include the deadly collision Monday of the destroyer USS John S. McCain with a much heavier oil tanker off Singapore, and a June 17 accident in which the destroyer USS Fitzgerald was ripped open by a larger Philippine container ship. The collisions have shocked the Navy, where good seamanship and avoiding collisions are a fundamental expectation and demand. Adm. John M. Richardson, the chief of naval operations, announced Monday that he is ordering an “operational pause” across the globe. This year has seen a catalogue of US navy warship disasters. The unusual nature of the disasters even has prompted senior Navy leaders to rebut speculation that sabotage or a cyber attack may have caused the collisions. So far this year, the fleet has faced four accidents. On Jan. 31, the guided-missile cruiser Antietam ran aground in Tokyo Bay. On May 9, the guided-missile cruiser Lake Champlain collided with a South Korean fishing vessel. On June 17 the destroyer USS Fitzgerald was ripped open by a larger Philippine container ship – this killed 7 sailors. On August 22 USS John S McCain collided with oil tanker off Singapore killing 10 sailors. Interestingly the Bible talks of judgment coming on the ships of Tarshish because of pride. The US is a descendant of Britain. Perhaps we are seeing a signs of the end of the strength of America…as Trump calls for America to be great again? COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE He will destroy all the ships of Tarshish and every magnificent vessel. Human pride will be humbled, and human arrogance will be brought down. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment. (Isaiah 2:16-17 NLT)

10. World's driest place in bloom after surprise rain BBC, August 23, 2017 EVENT After intense and unexpected rain fell in the north of Chile, parts of the usually arid Atacama desert have turned into a carpet of flowers. The "desert florido" (flowering desert) phenomenon usually occurs about every seven years when rains cause buried seeds to germinate and flower. But this bloom comes just two years after a a particularly colourful flowering in 2015. More than 200 species of plant have been found to grow in the area. The spectacle draws visitors and botanists from Chile and further afield. Tourism officials said they hoped more flowers would bloom in the coming weeks as different species germinate at different times. COMMENT This is an amazing spectacle. The desert in northern Chile looks like a barren wasteland. But about every 7 years when the rains come the desert blooms with flowers. We are told in Isaiah that when Christ’s kingdom is established the desert will blossom as the rose. The world’s driest place transforms roughly every 7 years giving us a glimpse at what will happen in the future. This sight should make us rejoice for we know this is what will happen to all deserts. The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. BIBLE QUOTE (Luke 21:25-27 NIV)

11. Weekly World Watch YouTube Videos

12. Weekly World Watch The end of this week’s WWW will be e-mailed to you each week. If you think others may find the WWW helpful please direct them to the website www.weeklyworldwatch.co.uk They can register on the site PLEASE NOTE: The Weekly World Watch is written and sent by myself – it is my take on events and I accept that on occasions I will miss significant events and also misinterpret them as well. However I will endeavour to be faithful to the scriptures and hope that it will be of benefit to both of us. To watch again please click the green arrow To watch again, click here.