June 12 - 18, 2011

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s June 12 - 18, 2011 “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. O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant;…. Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac;…. Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, Israeli Foreign Minister warns against Palestinian state UPI, June 17, 2011 Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said Friday Israel would renounce the 1993 Oslo Accords if the Palestinians pursue U.N. statehood recognition in September. "The unilateral move at the U.N. is the end of the Oslo Accords and would be a violation of all agreements that we have signed until now," Lieberman said during a meeting in Jerusalem with European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, Haaretz reported. "Israel would not be obligated to the agreements that it has signed with the Palestinians over the past 18 years." The Oslo agreement created the Palestinian Authority, which is tasked with administering Gaza and parts of the West Bank. Lieberman said there is no chance negotiations with the Palestinians will move forward because of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' position. EVENT Israel appears to be willing to some extent to give up land in the West Bank but will not countenance a divided Jerusalem. The Palestinians want the whole of the West Bank and half of Jerusalem. How can this be reconciled? The reality is that it cannot. The dividing of God’s land will lead to war. Let us never forget just how important the actual land is both in God’s sight and his purpose. We are told in the verse below that God has promised to give the land of Canaan to Israel and the children of Jacob as an inheritance. It was a promise God made previously to Abraham when Lot had departed and he was finally separated from his family. God said (as Abraham stood on the “West Bank”) look north, south, east and west – I will give you the land you see - to you and your descendants. It is true that God has cast his people out of the land when they turned against him. But God has brought them back and they cannot give it away… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (1 Chronicles 16:113-17)

5. Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal…: I will bring thee forth, and all thine army,… Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; ….Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: Turkey to vote for Palestine recognition in UN Israel National News, June 16, 2011 Turkish President Abdullah Gül Turkey will vote for a UN resolution to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state, Turkish President Abdullah Gül said Thursday. “We hope that an independent Palestine (is) established based on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as the capital,” Gül was quoted by the Japanese newspaper Nikkei. “We are among the strongest supporters of Palestine,” he also said. Seeking admission to the U.N. as a member would pose a challenge, considering the need for the endorsement of the Security Council and two-thirds of the General Assembly. Gaining support for a recognition resolution would be a more realistic choice for the Palestinians, giving them leverage in peace talks with Israel. Gul said there is "no doubt" that Turkey would vote for the resolution. Diplomatic relations between his country and Israel have soured in recent years over the Palestinian issue. Turkish support for the resolution could further strain efforts to improve bilateral ties. EVENT It is very true (as the report says) that relations between Israel and Turkey have soured in recent years. In fact one could say there has been a complete reversal and collapse in relations. The President of Turkey has publicly announced this week that his country would vote for the Palestinian State in September. The Bible does talk about Turkey and makes clear that it will be involved in the invasion of Israel. So where does the Bible mention Turkey? Well it uses the ancient name of Togarmah. The Jewish historian Josephus tells us the Togarmah was the father of the Phrygians. Phrygia is in central Turkey. Some say Togarmah is Armenia. Ancient Armenia covered much of eastern Turkey. Turkey will be involved with the war on Israel COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:2-6)

6. Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down. There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; Hezbollah rise in Lebanon gives Syria, Iran sway Associated Press, June 13, 2011 Hezbollah and its allies rose to a position of unprecedented dominance in Lebanon's government Monday, giving its patrons Syria and Iran greater sway in the Middle East. Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced a new Cabinet dominated by the militant group and its allies after the country has operated for five months without a functioning government. The move caps Hezbollah's steady rise over decades from resistance group against Israel to Lebanon's most powerful military and political force. Opponents of Hezbollah — which the U.S. considers a terrorist organization — say having it in control of Lebanon's government could lead to international isolation. The group's most ardent supporters are Iran and Syria, which dominated Lebanon for 29 years. The new government opens the door for renewed Syrian influence in Lebanon at a time the Syrian leadership is struggling at home. It's a remarkable turnaround from 2005, when fallout from the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri led to massive anti-Syrian protests in Lebanon. The protests, dubbed the "Cedar Revolution," drove tens of thousands of Syrian troops out of Lebanon and ended decades of Syrian domination over its smaller neighbour. EVENT This was a little reported but very significant event this week. The new Lebanon Cabinet formed this week is dominated by Hezbollah, the terrorist organisation that wants to destroy Israel. This is a major setback for America who have spent $720 million in military aid since 2006. They have tried in vain to move the country into a Western sphere and end Iranian and Syrian influence. Hezbollah are backed by Iran and Syria and it shows Iran’s growing influence in the region at a time when America’s is falling. Lebanon is the door through which the northern army will enter Israel…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 11:1-3)

7. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another;… Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. UN group backs gay rights for the first time ever Associated Press, June 17, 2011 The United Nations endorsed the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender people for the first time ever Friday, passing a resolution hailed as historic by the U.S. and other backers and decried by some African and Muslim countries. The declaration was cautiously worded, expressing "grave concern" about abuses because of sexual orientation and commissioning a global report on discrimination against gays. But activists called it an important shift on an issue that has divided the global body for decades, and they credited the Obama administration's push for gay rights at home and abroad. "This represents a historic moment to highlight the human rights abuses and violations that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people face around the world based solely on who they are and whom they love," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in a statement. EVENT The trouble is with the lies and false teachings in the world is that they are subtle and couched in terms that sound so reasonable. Regardless of what anyone might think of homosexuality who could disagree with the sentiment that people should not be abused whoever they are? But of course the UN uses an emotive word like abuse when really they mean discriminate. They mean “human rights abuses”. What they really are voting for are “gay rights”. In other words if a religion says it is wrong to practice homosexuality then this could be seen as a human rights abuse. It is their right to do this. We of course with Bible in hand DO say it is sinful to practice homosexuality. It is abhorrent to God. He destroyed Sodom because of it. Not long ago it was illegal – now it is promoted. It is a sign we live in the last days. It is a sign judgement is near…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Romans 1:26,27,32)

8. Longest total lunar eclipse in 11 years Daily Telegraph, June 16, 2011 Volcano ash turns Asian eclipse blood red Millions of people in parts of Europe, eastern Africa, Asia and Australasia watched as the lunar surface was completely covered by the Earth's shadow. Meteorologists say the total eclipse lasted for 100 minutes, the longest in 11 years. The last one to exceed this duration occurred in 2000, and the next such eclipse will not take place until 2141. The red moon shone clearly in Moscow's evening sky, overlooking the Kremlin, while South Africans were able to enjoy the astronomical event thanks to the clear skies. Egyptians also gathered in Tahrir Square, where the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak took place, to watch the eclipse. The next total eclipse of the moon will take place on December 10, 2011 and will, cloud cover permitting, be will be visible in Australia, parts of Asia, Eastern Europe and the northwest of North America. EVENTS This was a particularly dark eclipse because the lunar disk passed through the densest central part of our planet's shadow. The "totality", which is when the lunar face is completely covered, lasted 100 minutes, which scientists said was the longest since July 2000. It will be over 100 years before we see one like this again. God says in Genesis 1 that the sun, moon and stars are given for SIGNS. The moon is mentioned many times in relation to the last days. We are told that the moon will turn to blood before the great and terrible day of the LORD shall come. The headline in the Telegraph was “Lunar eclipse: stargazers treated to spectacular 'blood red' moon”. Some are suggesting that the increased ash / dust in the sky from recent volcano’s made the moon turn blood red instead of a rusty orange colour. COMMENT 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. Interesting that “smoke” and blood red moon are both mentioned together BIBLE QUOTE (Acts 2:19-21)

9. 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.