Weekly World Watch: Putin Meets Netanyahu to Discuss Syria

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s March 5 - 11, 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 March 5 - 11, 2017 • Putin hosts Netanyahu for talks set to focus on Syria • Hezbollah missiles aimed at Israel's nuclear reactor • US general says Russia has deployed banned missile • US troop increase risks tangling in Syria's war • Putin hails Russia-Turkey ties as he hosts Syria talks • World facing greatest humanitarian crisis since 1945 To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. He will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does. He will destroy those who are mighty, the holy people. He will cause deceit to prosper, and he will consider himself superior. When they feel secure, he will destroy many… • Putin hosts Netanyahu for talks set to focus on Syria Associated Press, March 9, 2017 A complex diplomatic dance Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday for talks focusing on the situation in Syria and Israeli concerns about the role of Iran and its proxies there. Greeting Netanyahu at the start of their Kremlin negotiations, Putin emphasized a high level of trust between them. Netanyahu praised Russia's role in fighting the Islamic State group and other radical militants in Syria. At the same time, he raised strong concern about the presence of Iranian and Hezbollah forces in Syria. Russia has sided with Iran and Hezbollah in helping support Syrian President Bashar Assad, but at the same time it has maintained warm ties with Israel. The two nations have coordinated their actions to prevent any possible incidents between their militaries in Syria. In a statement released by his office at end the end of the talks, Netanyahu was quoted as saying that he "made it clear" to Putin that Israel is opposed to any agreement on Syria that would leave "Iran and its proxies with a military presence in Syria." EVENT Perhaps we are surprised to see the Russian and Israeli leaders meeting and appearing so friendly when we know what is coming – a Russian invasion of Israel. But what we are really seeing here is not friendship and trust but as one newspaper put it this week – “a complex diplomatic dance”. Russia has changed everything in the Middle East by intervening in Syria. Israel can no longer operate at will in Syria’s airspace due to Russian combat patrols and sophisticated radars. But more than this, Russia has allowed Iran and Hezbollah into Syria – Israel’s sworn enemies. This meeting is about Israel’s concerns over developments in Syria and what comes next COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 8:24-25 NLT)

6. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent:…Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre; Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Inhabitants of Tyre = Hezbollah • Hezbollah missiles aimed at Israel's nuclear reactor Free Beacon, March 9, 2017 The Iranian-backed terror group Hezbollah currently has advanced missiles capable of hitting Israel's nuclear reactor, according to Hassan Nasrallah, the terror group's leader, who boasted in a recent interview that the terror group is prepared to strike the reactor and cause nuclear havoc across the Middle East. Nasrallah, speaking to an Iranian interviewer, disclosed that the Islamic Republic has smuggled a variety of new missiles to Hezbollah operatives and that the group is prepared to strike the Israeli nuclear reactor, which is located near the southeastern city of Dimona. "We are ready to carry it out and we have the courage to do so," Nasrallah is quoted as saying in the interview, which was translated into English by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Centre, or ITIC, an Israel-based security organization. Israeli experts who compiled the report warned that Hezbollah has upgraded its weapons capabilities with the help of Iran and stands ready to inflict heavy damage on Israeli civilians. EVENT COMMENT And this is why Israel is so concerned. Hezbollah has grown very strong during the Syrian conflict. Weapons have flowed into Syria during the 5 years of war and Hezbollah has benefited from this – upgrading its weapons capability enormously. This has led the leader of Hezbollah to openly brag of being able to hit Israel’s nuclear reactor. Some reports suggest that Israel may be planning a pre-emptive strike on Hezbollah which is why the leader of Hezbollah is making these threats. Other reports suggest that this came up at the meeting Netanyahu had with Putin this week. Hezbollah are based in Lebanon and mainly in the city of Tyre. The Bible says that the “inhabitants of Tyre” will be involved in a war against Israel… BIBLE QUOTE (Psalm 83:4,8-8)

7. Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him. For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command. The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes. But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. • US general says Russia has deployed banned missile Defence News, March 9, 2017 A senior U.S. general on Wednesday accused Russia of deploying a land-based cruise missile in violation of "the spirit and intent" of a nuclear arms treaty and charged that Moscow's intention is to threaten U.S. facilities in Europe and the NATO alliance. "We believe that the Russians have deliberately deployed it in order to pose a threat to NATO and to facilities within the NATO area of responsibility," Gen. Paul Selva, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a House Armed Services Committee hearing. The Obama administration had accused Moscow of violating the INF treaty, but Selva's statement was the first public confirmation of recent news reports that the Russians have deployed the nuclear-capable cruise missile. Asked how the U.S. might respond now that the cruise missiles are deployed for potential use, Selva said the military is preparing a set of options to be considered this year by the Trump administration. EVENT COMMENT Even before Trump's election, the Pentagon was weighing implications of a shift in Russian nuclear doctrine. Russia appears to have lowered the threshold for the combat use of nuclear weapons. Their new doctrine talks about "escalate, to de-escalate," meaning possibly using a small number of nuclear weapons to persuade an opponent not to escalate the conflict and possibly lead to all-out nuclear war. The US general quoted above said “"We have to account ... for what that means.” Despite Trump wanting to reset relations with Russia we know this cannot happen. The Bible is clear that there is a king of the north v king of the south situation existing at the time of the end. This is why at every turn Trump is being frustrated in his plans to befriend Russia. God frustrates man’s plans and His will always prevails. BIBLE QUOTE (Psalm 33:8-11 NLT)

8. Damascus has become feeble, and all her people turn to flee. Fear, anguish, and pain have gripped her as they grip a woman in labour. That famous city, a city of joy, will be forsaken! Her young men will fall in the streets and die. Her soldiers will all be killed,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. US troop increase risks tangling in Syria's war Guardian, March 9, 2017 US forces have rolled into northern Syria to keep the peace between two allies that have fought each other for a week, further complicating Washington’s battle against Islamic State and underscoring a messy regional struggle for influence across what remains of the ravaged north. Armoured trucks conspicuously flying large US flags arrived on Tuesday in a cluster of villages west of the town of Manbij, where the Euphrates river has demarcated Kurdish-backed forces to the east, whom Washington supports, and Arab-backed forces directed by Turkey, farther west. Despite Turkey and the US being allies in the war against Isis, neither side has settled on the makeup of the proxy force that will eventually retake Raqqa, the extremist group’s last major bastion in Syria. In the meantime, the armies of four nations – Turkey, Russia, Syria and now the US – are staking claims to dictate terms. EVENT Syria is still the place where we might well see the “push” occur between the king of the south and the king of the north. This week America sent more troops to Syria and for the first time the American flag is flying openly above the armoured vehicles. Under the Obama administration the troops were there but behind the scenes – training and helping the rebels. Now under Trump, America is suddenly visible in Syria. Russian troops and American troops could soon come face to face on the battle field. There is surely a greater risk than ever of something going wrong in Syria. In fact on Tuesday Russian warplanes bombed US backed fighters in several villages in northern Syria. Russia thought they were ISIS! A chain of events is coming that will see the total removal of Damascus as a city and the total failing of Syria as a nation. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 49:24-26 NLT)

9. Putin hails Russia-Turkey ties as he hosts Syria talks ABC News, February 10, 2017 EVENT President Vladimir Putin hailed the close ties between the Russian and Turkey militaries on Friday as he hosted Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan for talks about Syria. Russia and Turkey co-brokered a cease-fire in December that helped reduce the scale of fighting between Syrian President Bashar Assad and the opposition. They also co-sponsored two rounds of talks this year between Assad's government and its foes. A third round is set for next week. Russia and Turkey also coordinated their operations against the Islamic State group in Syria. A Russian air raid last month accidentally killed three Turkish soldiers, but the incident didn't derail the military coordination. After concluding his meeting with Erdogan at the Kremlin, Putin hailed "efficient and close contact" between their militaries and intelligence agencies around Syria. He said it was mostly "Russia and Turkey that have made a major contribution not only to securing a cease-fire between Syrian government forces and the armed opposition, but also to launching direct, concrete talks" between them. COMMENT Putin has had a busy week. He met with Netanyahu on Tuesday and then met with the Turkish president on Friday. Everyone wants to talk to Putin! Of course he is now the man to influence in the region. It is amazing to see how close these two nations are now. It was not long ago that Turkey shot down a Russian warplane and many predicted a war. But the war did not come. And as we pointed out in the WWW at the time the Bible says that Russia and Turkey are to be on the same side when Russia invades Israel. Turkey will join with Russia to invade Israel. The military coordination between these two nations shows how this could now happen. BIBLE QUOTE Gomer and all its armies will also join you, along with the armies of Beth-Togarmah from the distant north, and many others. Ancient Gomer and Togarmah cover the area of modern day Turkey. Turkey therefore joins Gog in invading Israel. (Ezekiel 38:6 NLT)

10. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality, as it is written: “The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.” • World facing greatest humanitarian crisis since 1945 BBC, March 11, 2017 EVENT The world is facing its largest humanitarian crisis since 1945, the United Nations says, issuing a plea for help to avoid "a catastrophe”. UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien said that more than 20 million people faced the threat of starvation and famine in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan and Nigeria. Unicef has already warned 1.4m children could starve to death this year. Mr O'Brien said $4.4bn (£3.6bn) was needed by July to avert disaster. "We stand at a critical point in history," Mr O'Brien told the Security Council on Friday. "Already at the beginning of the year we are facing the largest humanitarian crisis since the creation of the United Nations.” "Now, more than 20 million people across four countries face starvation and famine. Without collective and coordinated global efforts, people will simply starve to death. Many more will suffer and die from disease. It is so distressing to see children starving to death in Yemen and elsewhere in Africa. The 14.1 million people facing food scarcity in Yemen is everything to do with the war that is being fought there. The supply chains have been broken down and food can no longer get through. The world produces more than enough food for everyone on earth but war, greed and selfishness stops that happening. 80% of the world’s resources are consumed by 20% of the world’s population. Only the return of Jesus will sort out this inequality. Only Jesus can restore this world. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (2 Corinthians 8:12-13 NIV)

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