Andy Waltons Weekly World Watch July 11 17

Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch July 11 - 17, 2010 “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.

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 Power. Point can be ordered as audio/visual CDs by clicking here. Move your mouse to place the cursor on the blue link and click.

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. HEADLINE This is straight from a news report that caught my eye because it looked significant from a Biblical perspective, usually that of prophecy. The source of the headline and the date are included. News Photo EVENT 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. COMMENT 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). BIBLE QUOTE 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)

This Week’s Developments July 11 - 17, 2010 • Jerusalem Post comment: A war on who's terms? • Israel bulldozes Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem • UK Jews 'back Israel two-state solution' • World's hottest year on record expected • Argentina legalises gay marriage • D. C. rattled by area's largest recorded temblor To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right

Jerusalem Post comment: A war on who's terms? Jerusalem Post, July 13, 2010 EVENT We are entering troubling times. The conviction that war is upon us grows with each passing day. What remains to be determined is who will dictate the terms of that war – Iran or Israel. Iran has good reason to go to war today. Iran IS seeking to divert international attention away from its internal troubles and limit the possibility of a strike against its nuclear installations by inciting war with Israel. For its part, the IDF is seeking to deter such an attack. Wednesday's briefing, in which the IDF made clear that it knows where Hezbollah has hidden its missiles, was aimed at deterring war. Unfortunately, the IDF's warnings will likely have no effect on Hezbollah. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu just returned from yet another visit with US President Barack Obama. Although the background music was cheerful, from statements by both men it is clear that Obama is not a credible ally. He does not understand or accept the strategic logic behind the US alliance with Israel and will not support Israel in future armed conflicts. COMMENT We are indeed “entering troubling times”. Or in Bible language “a time of trouble such as never was”. Dan 12: 1. This summary from Jerusalem gives Israel’s view of the world. War is near. The question is WHO is going to start it? Iran or Israel. The United Arab Emirates ambassador to the US said these words on Tuesday… “A military attack on Iran by whomever would be a disaster, but Iran with a nuclear weapon would be a bigger disaster. ” In effect he was supporting an Israeli strike on Iran as the lesser of two evils. If Israel did attack, Iran would then unleash its missiles in retaliation. With around 90, 000 US troops still stationed in Iraq, Iran might decide to target them. Hezbollah would join the war and Syria would almost certainly be held responsible by Israel. BIBLE QUOTE This is what the LORD Almighty says: "See, I will break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might. I will bring against Elam the four winds from the four quarters of the heavens(Jeremiah 49: 35) Many unfulfilled prophecy’s could be quickly fulfilled in the above scenario. Damascus being destroyed, Israel weakened, Iran bringing ‘Sodom’ like destruction on Iraq using its missiles.

Israel bulldozes Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem Daily Telegraph, July 13, 2010 EVENT Israel courted international anger on Tuesday when it abruptly resumed its controversial policy of sending bulldozers into East Jerusalem to demolish Palestinian homes. After nine-months of restraint at the prompting of the United States, Israeli wrecking teams unexpectedly advanced into the city's Arab suburbs and razed six Palestinianowned buildings. The return of the bulldozers, seen by Palestinians as one of the most hated symbols of Israeli occupation, threatened to undermine President Barack Obama's finelybalanced efforts to resume full peace talks. The fate of East Jerusalem, which Palestinians regard as their future capital, generates more emotion than perhaps any single issue in the long-running conflict and any attempts to change the delicate demographic balance in the city often provokes uproar. Jerusalem's Jewish city council insisted that none of the buildings it destroyed were actually houses inhabited by Palestinians. year Israel’s prime minister, Netanyahu, offered a 9 month temporary freeze on COMMENT Last construction in the West Bank. It was a time period in which both sides might talk peace. The 9 months is up and as if to show this is the case the bulldozers entered East Jerusalem and began once more demolishing Palestinian homes. Israel Radio reported on Friday that “Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is averse to resuming direct Middle East talks in the near future. ” U. S. envoy George Mitchell was in the region this week desperately trying to bring the two sides together. But time is running out. If Israel restarts its Jerusalem building projects again (which looks likely) then the tensions will rapidly escalate and God’s city will become the centre of the problem… BIBLE QUOTE For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled (Zechariah 2: 8 -9) you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. Jerusalem is the “apple of God’s eye” and God will destroy those who touch her….

UK Jews 'back Israel two-state solution' BBConline, July 15, 2010 EVENT 10 spies reported back to the people. “We be not able to go up against the people” Num 13: 31 A majority of British Jews believe Israel should swap territory for peace, and negotiate with Hamas, a survey suggests. Some 72% agreed Israel's action in Gaza in 2008 and 2009 was "a legitimate act of self-defence". But 77% favoured a "two-state solution", creating a Palestinian state, as the "only way" to make peace. The study of 4, 000 people was carried by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research. Just over half, 52%, said they would support Israeli government negotiations with Hamas. The study found British Jews strongly identified with and supported Israel, with nine out of 10 having visited it. BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Pigott said although Israel clearly remained a cornerstone of Jewish identity in Britain, the survey suggested a substantial majority of Jews believed that they should be free to criticise Israel. COMMENT It is remarkable that so many Jews seem to think that withdrawing from the land that God has given them will bring them peace. It shows an utter contempt for God and his hand in bringing them back to the land (as promised) and establishing them there. A few years ago a survey was done in Israel which showed 60% of Israelis (living in Israel) supported further unilateral withdrawal from the land in a similar way to how they pulled out of Gaza in 2005. These percentages are mentioned in the Bible. Zec 13: 8. We are told that 66% of those living in Israel will be killed in the coming war. Perhaps those who do not believe they can live in the land will be “removed” from the land – as with the Israelites who did not believe they could take in land when the 10 spies reported back in the days of Moses. BIBLE QUOTE wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? . . . And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? …. Your carcases SHALL fall in this wilderness; (Numbers 14: 3, 26, 29)

World's hottest year on record expected Daily Telegraph, July 16, 2010 EVENT The world is on course to record the hottest year on record, threatening droughts worldwide, forecasters have said. For the first six months of the year, 2010 has been warmer than the first half of 1998, the previous record holder, by 0. 03 degree Fahrenheit, said Jay Lawrimore, chief of climate analysis at the federal National Climatic Data Centre. A period of a El Nino weather pattern is being blamed for the hot temperatures globally. "We had an El Nino episode in the early part of the year that's now faded but that has contributed to the warmth not only in equatorial Pacific but also contributed to anomalously warm global temperatures as well, " Mr Lawrimore said. Abnormally warm temperatures have been registered in large parts of Canada, Africa, tropical oceans and parts of the Middle East. Northern Thailand is struggling through the worst drought in 20 years, while Israel is in the middle of the longest and most severe drought since 1920 s. In Britain, this year has been the driest since 1929. COMMENT Drought is effecting large parts of Europe. Russia's worst droughts in a century have destroyed almost 25 million acres of crops in central and European areas, authorities said this week. A state of emergency has been declared in 18 Russian provinces, where fire has engulfed more than 64, 000 acres of forest. A heat wave across much of Europe is also causing crops to wither, forest fires to ignite and roads to melt. As the world becomes ever more godless the heat and drought increase. There is a direct correlation between these things. When Jesus returns we are told he will be like “rain on mown grasses”. Like a “shower to water the earth”. The “righteous will flourish. ” BIBLE QUOTE He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth. (Psalm 72: 7, 7) In his days shall the righteous flourish; This Psalm speaks of the time when Jesus is ruling over the whole earth. All famine will come to an end as v 16 says There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains;

Argentina legalises gay marriage Daily Telegraph, July 15, 2010 EVENT President Cristina Fernandez is a strong supporter of the new law Argentina has become the first Latin American country to legalise same-sex marriage. The move grants homosexual couples all the legal rights, responsibilities and protections that marriage gives heterosexual couples. President Cristina Fernandez is a strong supporter and the new law is expected to bring a wave of marriages. The approval came despite a concerted campaign by the Roman Catholic Church and evangelical groups, which drew 60, 000 people to march on Congress and urged parents in churches and schools to work against passage. Nine homosexual couples have already married in Argentina after persuading judges that Argentina's constitutional mandate of equality supports their marriage rights, but some of these marriages were later declared invalid. The debate stretched on for nearly 16 hours. "Marriage between a man and a woman has existed for centuries, and is essential for the perpetuation of the species, " insisted Senator Juan Perez Alsina, who is usually a loyal supporter of the president but gave a passionate speech against legalising same-sex marriage. coming week tens of thousands of people are expected to take part in a landmark COMMENT This European gay rights rally in Poland's capital Warsaw. It is the first time the annual Euro. Pride parade is being held in Central and Eastern Europe. We see around the whole world homosexuality being promoted as an acceptable way of life. These are the days of “Sodom and Gomorrah”. The wicked teaching comes from the human rights doctrine of “equality”. It says ‘We must all be equal. Inequality exists if marriage is restricted to a man and a woman. Therefore a man can marry a man. ” BIBLE QUOTE And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. (Revelation 16: 13) These unclean spirits are mad and crazy (unclean spirits) teachings (out of the mouth). These crazy doctrines effect world leaders AND the whole world. They bring God’s judgements….

D. C. rattled by area's largest recorded temblor Associated Press, June 30, 2010 EVENT The largest earthquake ever recorded near the capital rattled Washington, D. C. , early Friday, waking many residents but causing no reported damage. The quake hit at 5: 04 a. m. ET with a magnitude of 3. 6, according to the U. S. Geological Survey. It was centred near Rockville, Md. , the USGS said. NBC News reported that the quake was felt in the D. C. -area, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Amy Vaughn, a spokeswoman for USGS, told NBC station WRC that the quake was the largest recorded within 50 kilometres (31 miles) of Washington since a database was created in 1974. The previous record within that time period was a 2. 6 magnitude temblor in 1990. On the U. S. Geological Survey's website, more than 11, 000 people by mid-morning reported feeling the quake, some from as far away as Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The agency said earthquakes east of the Rocky Mountains can be felt over an area as much as 10 times larger than a similar earthquake on the West Coast. COMMENT When the earth shakes the people tremble and are afraid. In other words a shaking of the ground causes a shaking of the people. It is God that shakes the earth. We also read of God shaking the heavens. We might wonder how God shakes the sky! In fact the heavens can be symbolic of political power. A shaking of the heavens is symbolic of God bringing distress and even destruction on the political powers in the earth. The greatest current political power on earth is based in Washington DC. God has literally shaken the ground where this power is based. It may not be long before the political throne based there is also shaken and finally removed when Christ returns. BIBLE QUOTE Lord, thy judgements now are waking, Let not thy compassion sleep; But while earthly thrones are shaking sure and firm thy purpose keep; O Lord, hear us, be Thou near us when the storm shall o’er us sweep. (Christadelphian Hymn Book No. 402 verse 1 Also see Joel 2: 10)

The end of this week’s Weekly World Watch 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. Click here (Move the mouse until the cursor appears. ) E-MAIL ANDY To watch again, click here.