Weekly World Watch: Russian Spy Plane Shot Down by Syrians

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s September 16 - 22, 2018 “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 September 16 – 22, 2018 • Russian spy plane is shot down by Syrians • Russia & Israel at odds over cause of Il-20 crash • Hezbollah boasts of new weaponry in Syria • US air force chiefs want to return to Cold War levels • Russia says US is playing with fire with new sanctions • Russia shuts Eastern Mediterranean to air and sea traffic for “military exercise” To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal:  And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel:  Russian spy plane is shot down by Syrians The Times, September 19, 2018 A Russian spy plane was shot down by Moscow’s Syrian allies yesterday as crowded skies above the war zone threatened to widen the seven-year conflict. Moscow sought to blame Israel for the downing of its Il-20 surveillance plane, with the loss of all 15 on board, and initially threatened retaliation. Four Israeli F-16 fighter jets had been carrying out a bombing run against Syrian targets in the same area, and Moscow accused the pilots of using the Russian plane as a shield, pushing it into the path of a surface-to-air missile fired by Assad forces. Moscow also complained that Israel had given Russian military officials only one minute’s notice that its F-16s were about to attack Latakia, the port controlled by Damascus. The incident was the most deadly case of “friendly fire” involving Russian forces since President Putin ordered his military forces into Syria to prop up the Assad regime. To add to Russia’s anger and embarrassment, the S-200 missile which brought down the plane is Russian and supplied to Assad by Moscow. EVENT Even though it was a Syrian missile that brought down the Russian spy plane, Sergei Shoigu, the Russian defence minister, said Moscow held Israel “wholly responsible” for the loss of the plane and the deaths of its crew. “We reserve the right to further counter measures,” he told Avigdor Lieberman, his Israeli counterpart, in a telephone call. All this shows how fragile the situation is in Syria. With so many different warring parties and so much military equipment it is surprising that there haven’t been more incidents like this. But this episode shows how quickly things could deteriorate. Russia and Israel are trying to work together however Russia is backing all of Israel’s enemies. This delicate balancing act will end in disaster. One day Russia WILL invade Israel. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 39:1-2)

6. Thus saith the Lord GOD; It shall also come to pass, that at the same time shall things come into thy mind, and thou shalt think an evil thought: And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates,  Russia & Israel at odds over cause of Il-20 crash Debkafile, September 21, 2018 Israel on the left facing Russia Russia and Israel agreed to continue their military coordination in Syria, although Israel’s Air Force chief Maj.-Gen Amikam Nurkin and Russian officers differed sharply on the circumstances which caused the Russian Il-20 spy plane to crash last Monday. The absence of a joint Russian-Israel communique summing up a day and-a-night of intense interviews upon the departure of the Israeli delegation on Friday, Sept. 21 indicated that each side adhered to is own version of the event and the crisis between Moscow and Jerusalem is not over. According to a subsequent IDF announcement, the coordination mechanism between Israel and the Russian command in Syria was nonetheless functioning “routinely.” The Israeli military tried to put a positive face on the Moscow talks, describing them as friendly and positive. This was in striking contrast to the hostile Russian media coverage of the tough interviews. EVENT Israel top military brass flew to Moscow to explain their side of the story with regards to the events leading up to the shooting down of the Russian spy plane. There was no joint statement afterwards. The tensions remain. As Debkafile says – “the crisis is not over”. Putin will almost certainly respond – possibly by beefing up Syrian defences and giving them higher quality missiles. This in turn will impact Israel as they will find it harder to take out military targets. The incident this week therefore could have serious ramifications for Israel. The press in Russia has been extremely anti Israel and this could also stir a tougher response from Putin. We know that Putin will at some point think an evil thought and decide to attack Israel. That time is coming… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:10-11)

7. Nasrallah warns Israel as Hezbollah boasts of new weaponry in Syria The Times, September 20, 2018 Hezbollah’s leader boasted that the group had succeeded in acquiring high-precision missiles in Syria that would change the balance of power with Israel despite strikes aimed at preventing their transfer. Hassan Nasrallah said that Israel’s efforts to cut smuggling routes through Syria had failed to stop Hezbollah from gaining advanced weaponry and warned they would be used in a future conflict should Israel threaten its bases in Lebanon. “All your attempts to prevent Hezbollah from possessing accurate missiles are foiled. We have accurate missiles that if used in any future war will change the entire equation,” he said in a speech to supporters marking the Shia holy festival of Ashura. “No matter what you do to cut the route, the matter is over and the resistance possesses precision and non-precision rockets and weapons capabilities. If Israel imposes a war on Lebanon, Israel will face a fate and a reality it has never expected on any day.” Israel has warned that Hezbollah is using the conflict in Syria to bolster its capabilities with the transfer of weapons manufacturing systems to Lebanon. EVENT Hezbollah issued a defiant statement this week to Israel. Israel’s attacks in Syria this week were targeting Hezbollah and Iranian arms and military equipment. Hezbollah’s response to Israel was to say they have new precision missiles that will be used in a future conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to these comments on Thursday. If Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah "confronts us he will get a crushing blow that he cannot even imagine,” he said. Hezbollah is mentioned in the Bible. The headquarters of the terrorist organisation is based in Tyre in Lebanon. In Psalm 83 we read of ”the inhabitants of Tyre” threatening to destroy Israel. This is exactly what we are reading in this headline… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE 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: they are confederate against thee: The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes;  …the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;  (Psalm 83:4-7)

8. US air force chiefs want fleet strength to return to Cold War levels in preparation for conflict with China or Russia The Times, September 18, 2018 EVENT US air force chiefs want to rebuild combat aircraft strength to Cold War levels to be ready for a war with Russia or China. Under their plan, the number of operational squadrons would increase by 24 per cent from 312 to 386, close to the 401 that were in operation at the height of tension with the Soviet Union. Creating the 74 squadrons, including training 40,000 more air force personnel and civilians at a cost of more than $5 billion a year, would be rearmament on a scale not seen since the Reagan era. The argument for more fighters, bombers, surveillance aircraft and refueling tankers, presented this week by Heather Wilson, the air force secretary, reflects the new national defence strategy announced in January. This shifted the main focus of America’s military from counterterrorism to the threat posed by competing powers, specifically Russia and China. Last week Russia launched what it called its largest ever military drills, with hundreds of thousands of troops taking part along with Chinese soldiers in a show of force Nato condemned as a rehearsal for "large-scale conflict.” This week US air force chiefs have called for a huge increase in fighter squadrons. The world is getting itself ready for the final conflict the Bible calls Armageddon. It is hard to imagine what future those who don’t believe in God and his plan must have. It must surely be a world where finally mankind blows the world into oblivion. But of course those with no hope don’t think about the future to that extent but instead say “live today for tomorrow we die.” But with our hope we know Jesus will return and stop the crazy manmade situation of beating ploughshares into swords. Jesus will completely reverse this when he returns. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE 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.  See the reverse in Isaiah 2:4 (Joel 3:9-10)

9. Russia says U.S. is playing with fire by imposing new sanctions on it Reuters, September 21, 2018 EVENT Russia on Friday called a new wave of U.S. sanctions misguided, saying Washington’s habit of using sanctions against Moscow risked undermining global stability and was part of a dangerous game. The Trump administration imposed sanctions on the Chinese military on Thursday for buying fighter jets and missile systems from Russia, in breach of a sweeping U.S. sanctions law punishing Moscow for meddling in the 2016 U.S. election, something Russia denies. The administration also blacklisted an additional 33 people and entities associated with the Russian military and intelligence. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said in a statement it seemed to Moscow that imposing sanctions on Russia had become a national U.S. pastime, noting that the latest wave of restrictions was the 60th sanctions package since 2011. On Thursday the U.S. rolled out a number of sanctions implementing legislation signed last year that targets Moscow’s intelligence operations and defence industry. These new sanctions on Russia are meant as messages to other countries to curtail their purchases of Russian weapons, experts said. China's foreign ministry demanded the U.S. cancel the measure, as Moscow also lambasted the sanctions and warned that the Trump administration was "playing with fire.” The Russian bear is being backed into a corner and it doesn’t like it. Arms exports are the one area that Russia excels in and exports them around the world. The sleeping bear has been aroused but we have yet to see its true ferocity. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the Lord is upon us. It is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of thick clouds and deep blackness. Suddenly, like dawn spreading across the mountains, a great and mighty army appears. Nothing like it has been seen before or will ever be seen again. Fire burns in front of them, and flames follow after them (Joel 2:1-3 NLT)

10. Russia shuts Eastern Mediterranean to air and sea traffic for “military exercise” Debkafile, September 20, 2018 EVENT The Russian Defense Ministry suddenly announced Thursday morning, Sept. 20, the closure of the eastern Mediterranean to air traffic and shipping – from the Syrian and Lebanese coasts to Cyprus -due to a snap “military exercise.” DEBKAfile: By this device, Russia has shut down Israel’s capacity to strike targets in Syria from the sea or from Lebanon. Air raids henceforth can only be launched directly from Israel or through Jordanian air space. Israel’s missile ships are also prevented from reaching waters off the Syrian coast. This stratagem is not only aimed against Israel, in the wake of the Russian Il-20 reconnaissance air crash Monday with 15 people aboard, but the United States as well. Heading towards the Mediterranean is the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier strike group to join the US Sixth fleet. The group carries 6,000 sea and air crew personnel, with 9 squadrons of fighter-bombers on its decks, and consists additionally of guided missile cruisers and destroyers. It is the Trump administration’s first major response to the massing by the Russians of an armada of 25 warships off the Syrian coast since the last week of August. The day after Syria shot down the Russian spy plane, Russia announced ta snap military exercise in the eastern Med. This shut down all air traffic and shipping. Again this is a sign of things to come. Russia is sending a warning signal that it will not be pushed around. America has sent many warships into the Med as well. The scene could be set for the final showdown over Syria. The events in Syria will drag in Israel and surrounding peoples. We don’t know when it will start but when it does it will lead to a chain reaction that culminates in Armageddon. COMMENT Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it.  BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 12:2-3)

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