Andy Waltons Weekly World Watch July 13 19

Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch July 13 - 19 2008 “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

What is this world watch all about? I decided each week to look at key events that had happened in that week and look at them with the Bible in hand. I hope to build up a picture of Gods hand working in the affairs of this world bringing about that day when all nations will be gathered to Jerusalem to battle which will be brought to end when the Lord Jesus Christ physically returns from heaven to set up Gods kingdom. The key areas which will crop up time and again will be 1. Israel – Middle East the growing conflict 2. Europe – the developing union / political and religious 3. Russia – continued turning back to anti west ways 4. The development of King of South – US & UK 5. Declining moral standards and increasing violence. A number of Bible Presentations have been produced and can be ordered by Clicking here. The presentations are audio / visual powerpoint CD’s. Move your mouse around to get the arrow and click the green link.

Weekly Developments These are just a few of the events that have caught my eye in the previous week. It is in no way meant to be exhaustive – just a look at those events I saw as significant from a Bible viewpoint. Headlines These are always headlines printed in the newspaper – the date is always given and which paper. Normally the Daily Telegraph. (DT) Event This is usually the newspapers take on the events that have happened. It will always be a direct quote from the newspaper. Comment This is my take on why it is interesting from a Bible point of view. The idea of this weekly world watch is to give a quick Biblical perspective without going into detail. If more detail is needed please email me. 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

Weekly Developments July 13 - 19 2008 • • • Sarkozy launches Mediterranean union Joy and grief greet prisoner swap Germany's success as Mid-East broker Missile ambushes for Israel aircraft and ships Israel has 'amber light' for Iran strike US faces global funding crisis TO PRINT ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SLIDES JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE ON EACH SLIDE

Headline. Sarkozy launches Mediterranean union Headline The Guardian July 14 2008 Event President Nicolas Sarkozy yesterday sought to shift Europe's strategic focus towards the Middle East, north Africa and the Balkans, hosting 42 heads of state and government at a summit in Paris to launch a new Mediterranean Union. Initially concentrated on infrastructure and energy projects such as making north Africa a hub for solar power, Sarkozy's grand initiative is acutely political, claiming a pole position for France in European foreign policy-making after years of drift and seeking to redirect policy from the east of Europe to the south. A fortnight into his six-month EU presidency, Sarkozy hosted an unprecedented gathering of leaders from Europe and all sides of the Mediterranean amid the splendour of Paris's Grand Palais. He delivered a message of peace to a suspicious audience of leaders more noted for their backstabbing rivalries and conflicts. "The goal of the summit is to learn how to love each other in the Mediterranean, instead of continuing to hate and wage war, " said Sarkozy. "We will build peace in the Mediterranean together. " Comment One focus of the summit was on making peace between Israel and its neighbours. What is remarkable here is Europe’s switch in focus – from eastern European countries to those in the south around the Mediterranean. Mr Sarkozy said "We will build peace in the Mediterranean together, like yesterday we built peace in Europe. The world is watching. " In Ezekiel 38 we read of Gomer being one of the nations that invade Israel with Russia. The Gomerites were a people based in Central and Western Europe otherwise known as the Celts or Gauls. Gaul is modern France! Here we have France (Gomer) under the leadership of President Sarkozy suddenly gathering many nations together to discuss peace with Israel. It will lead to war. Bible Quote Ezekiel 38 5 Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: 6 Gomer, and all his bands These nations attack Israel with Russia

Headline Joy and grief greet prisoner swap Headline BBConline July 17 2008 Event It was a day of great emotion on both sides of the Lebanese. Israeli border. In Israel it was a day of grief and anger but in Lebanon triumph and defiance have dominated. That sense of victory was particularly strong at the Hezbollah rally in the southern suburbs of Beirut. Tens of thousands of people were packed into a square carrying the yellow and green flags of Hezbollah, as well as the Lebanese national flag. The loyalty of the Hezbollah faithful was rewarded by a rare public appearance of the leader of the movement, Hassan Nasrallah, who was there to greet the five militants who were released by Israel earlier in the day. "The age of defeats is gone, and the age of victories has come, " said Sheikh Nasrallah. "This people, this nation gave a great and clear image today to its friends and enemies that it cannot be defeated. " Comment Tears, grief and anger in Israel. Joy, celebration and victory parades in Lebanon. The scenes could not have been more different. Israel wanted the bodies of 2 dead Israeli soldiers which Hezbollah had killed in 2006. It was these deaths that sparked the Lebanon war in 2006. In return for these 2 decomposed bodies Israel released 5 Hezbollah militants from jail and returned over 200 bodies. This prisoner release means that there are NO Hezbollah militants left in any Israeli jail. 400 of them were released in a prisoner swap in 2004. So does this bode well for peace? NO. Incredibly it actually strengths Hezbollah and in fact brings conflict between Israel and Hezbollah closer. The Bible speaks of the final war in Joel 3. We read that the weak will say I am strong. This is very much like what Hezbollah leader said. “The age of defeats is gone, the age of victories is come”. The weak say “I AM STRONG”. Israel continues to make godless decisions that bring the day of judgement closer. Bible Quote Joel 3 10 Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

Headline Germany's success as Mid-East broker Headline BBConline July 16 2008 Event Germany has once again drawn on its successful diplomacy and secret network of contacts in the Middle East, to help broker a prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hezbollah. Gerhard Conrad, who holds a senior post in Germany's foreign intelligence agency, BND, has been overseeing the deal, officially on behalf of the UN. The country's secret service agents - reportedly including Mr Conrad - have played a key role in the two major prisoner exchange deals in 1996 and 2004. In the Middle East, personal relations are key to negotiations, and the BND has longstanding contacts with key players, among them Israeli Mossad agents as well as Iranian secret service agents. Germans enjoy a reputation in the region as an "honest broker". Comment We saw on the first slide how France is pushing for more Middle East involvement and commented that in fact the talk of peace will lead to war. Here we have Germany (behind the scenes) bringing about so called “successful diplomacy” and helping to broker the prisoner swap mentioned on the previous slide. The “successful diplomacy” has left Israel in grief and anger and has strengthened the resolve of Israel enemies. Israel should not be trusting the “honest broker” of Germany we know is part of the beast system spoken of in Revelation 17. It is this beast system (Europe) that fundamentally is against God’s people – natural or spiritual. Ultimately when Christ return it is this very system that will make war against Christ and his saints. Bible Quote Lamentations 1 2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies. Israel IS being dealt with treacherously

Missile ambushes for Israel aircraft and ships Headline Debkafile July 17 2008 Event Hizbollah has marked the conclusion of the prisoner exchange with Israel by launching new tactics consisting of anti-air missile ambushes against Israeli Air Force flights over Lebanon and anti-ship missiles against Israel naval craft cruising off its shores. The next day, the Lebanese army said Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace in the south, Beirut, Jounieh and Dahr al-Baidar on Wednesday and early Thursday. Israeli warships were deployed in Lebanese territorial waters from Naqoura to Tyre. It was clear Wednesday, July 16, that Hizbollah was now calling the shots in Beirut when the president and government were forced to honour the spectacular heroes’ welcome the Shiite group organized for the five imprisoned terrorists released by Israel. Our military sources add that anti-air missiles and radar equipment have been installed on the Mt. Sannine peak in central Lebanon in the last few days, as DEBKAfile first revealed (in a report picked up by the world media). Comment It is also reported in Debkafile this week that with the help of Iranian and Syrian military experts, Hizbollah has ranged the length of the Lebanese coast a dense line of 1, 000 Iranian C-802 anti-ship missiles. With new anti-air missiles and radar equipment that have just been installed on the Mt. Sannine peak in central Lebanon, Hizbollah is preparing to shoot down encroaching Israel flights. Israel has deployed warships into Lebanese waters and sent in its warplanes into Lebanese airspace. Psalm 83 speaks of certain peoples wanting the total destruction of Israel. One such people are those living in Tyre is a city in Lebanon. It also happens to the stronghold of Hizbollah! This Psalm is being fulfilled before our very eyes… Bible Quote Psalm 83 4 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. 7. . the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Headline Israel has 'amber light' for Iran strike Headline Sunday Times July 13 2008 Event President George W Bush has told the Israeli government that he may be prepared to approve a future military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations with Tehran break down, according to a senior Pentagon official. Despite the opposition of his own generals and widespread scepticism that America is ready to risk the military, political and economic consequences of an airborne strike on Iran, the president has given an “amber light” to an Israeli plan to attack Iran’s main nuclear sites with long-range bombing sorties, the official told The Sunday Times. “Amber means get on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack and tell us when you’re ready, ” the official said. But the Israelis have also been told that they can expect no help from American forces and will not be able to use US military bases in Iraq for logistical support. Comment The motto of the United Nations is to end war. Above the door as you walk into the UN building in New York are the words “and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks”. This is a quote from Isaiah 2 : 4 which speaks of the time when Christ has returned and his kingdom established. The verse goes on to say that “nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. ” Interesting that the ultimate aim of the world is actually the ultimate aim of God. But will mankind achieve this or will it take God’s intervention by sending his son? We know mankind will NEVER achieve peace. In fact mankind does the opposite. He “beats his plowshares into swords and his puninghooks into spears”. Joel 3: 10. Note the Whitehouse advice to Israel. “GET ON WITH YOUR PREPARATIONS AND STANDBY FOR IMMEDIATE ATTACK. ” Gentile advises Jew to prepare for war. Bible Quote Joel 3 9 ¶ Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; PREPARE WAR….

Headline US faces global funding crisis Headline daily Telegraph July 18 2008 Event Draining away: The US may struggle to plug its capital gap The US Treasury is running out of time beforeign patience snaps, writes Ambrose Evans-Pritchard. Merrill Lynch has warned that the United States could face a foreign "financing crisis" within months as the full consequences of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage debacle spread through the world. America depends on Asian, Russian and Middle Eastern investors to fund much of its $700 bn (£ 350 bn) current account deficit, leaving it far more vulnerable to a collapse of confidence than Japan in the early 1990 s after the Nikkei bubble burst. Britain and other Anglo-Saxon deficit states could face a similar retreat by foreign investors. Roughly $1. 5 trillion of Fannie and Freddie AAA-rated debt - as well as other US "government-sponsored enterprises" - is now in foreign hands. The great unknown is whether foreign patience will snap as losses mount and the dollar slides. The lion's share is held by the central banks of China, Russia and petro-powers. These countries could all too easily precipitate a run on the dollar in the current climate and bring the United States to its knees, should they decide that it is in their strategic interest to do so. Comment What perhaps is news here is the fact that the central banks of China and RUSSIA could EASILY precipitate a run on the dollar and “bring the United States to its knees” if they want to. Obviously this would impact their own economies but if pushed they could do it. Perhaps this is one reason why America (as a young lion of Britain) mentioned in Ezekiel 38 almost stands on the sidelines as Russia invades Israel. We note the verse below that speaks of the great teeth of the “young lions” being broken. Bible Quote Psalm 58 6 ¶ Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. See Ezekiel 38: 13. Young lion = America

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