Andy Walton’s Weekly World Watch

“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

July 27 – August 9 2008

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 God’s 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 be1. Israel – Middle East the growing conflict2. Europe – the developing union / political and religious3. Russia – continued turning back to anti west ways4. The development of King of South – US & UK5. Declining moral standards and increasing violence.

A number of Bible Presentations have been produced and can be ordered by . The presentations are audio / visual powerpoint CD’s. Move your mouse around to get the arrow and click the green link.

Clicking here

Weekly DevelopmentsThese 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.

HeadlinesThese are always headlines printed in the newspaper – the date is always

given and which paper.

EventThis is usually the newspapers take on the events that have happened. It

will always be a direct quote from the newspaper.

CommentThis 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 QuoteThis is normally one verse which backs up why the event that has

occurred is interesting from a Biblical perspective. Please read in its context.

Weekly Developments

• Putin’s tirade of threats and abuse• Abkhazia in independence appeal• NATO Hands Russia a Small Victory• Nato warns Russia over Georgia• Russia says air force flew over GeorgiaThese first 5 slides are taken from previous WWW’s this year to show how & why we

have reached a war situation between Russia and Georgia. The last 2 slides look at the rapidly unfolding events that began yesterday.

• Russian forces battle Georgians • Israel backs Georgia

July 27 – August 9 2008

TO PRINT ANY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING SLIDES JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE ON EACH SLIDE

Putin’s tirade of threats and abuseHeadline Vladimir Putin's nuclear threat to the WestHeadline Daily Telegraph February 15 2008 PREVIOUS SLIDEEventVladimir Putin has delivered perhaps his most menacing tirade against the

West yet, repeating threats to train nuclear missiles on Europe and warning of unspecified retaliation if Kosovo declared independence.

Addressing his last press conference as Russian president, Mr Putin mounted a defiant display that demonstrated more emphatically than ever the widening gulf between Moscow and its former Cold War rivals.

In a vintage performance, the former KGB spy laced almost five hours of invective with crude insults, threats and admonitions often expressed in the argot of the Russian street.

Reserving his greatest ire for the United States, which he accused of harbouring a colonial mentality towards Russia, Mr Putin again said that Europe would pay the consequences for a Washington-backed plan to erect a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Our generals, our security council, consider these moves a threat to our national security," he said. "We asked our partners to stop but no one listened to us. So if they continue we will have to react appropriately by retargeting our missiles." Mr Putin also made similar threats against Ukraine if it joined Nato.

The Russian leader - often accused of returning his country to a state of autocracy - portrayed his nuclear threat as an act of democratic generosity, saying he was acting in the interests of Europeans who opposed American military expansionism.

Few western countries escaped the vitriol. Europe was scolded for its "silly", "immoral" and "illegal" backing of Kosovo's imminent unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia.

Although he did not elaborate, Mr Putin gave warning of retaliation once Kosovo broke away - a threat likely to chill Western leaders. "We have a ready-made plan and we know what we are going to do," he said.

Putin’s tirade of threats and abuseCommentThis speech by Putin this week really is worth taking note of.For 5 hours he ranted and raged against the West – especially America.He is obviously mad about the fact America is going to install a missile shield in

Europe. He is mad about the imminent declaration of independence by Kosovo. America is supporting Kosovo in this.

No one is listening to Russia, he says. We are going to react appropriately, he says. The article talks of all the themes we have been tracking over many years.It speaks of Russia being “turned back”. “The Russian leader - often accused of

returning his country to a state of autocracy”.It speaks of Russia’s increasing hatred of America. “Reserving his greatest ire for the

United States, which he accused of harbouring a colonial mentality towards Russia.”

And with ominously chilling words it speaks of Putin having a plan. "We have a ready-made plan and we know what we are going to do," he said.

The Bible speaks of all these things.It speaks of a Russian leader “Gog” being “turned back”. Ezekiel 38:2It speaks in Daniel 11 of the king of the south (America) PUSHING at the king of the

north. When the final push comes Russia descends on Israel. With the king of the south “pushing” and God in Ezekiel 38:4 “pulling” Russia will descend on Israel.

It speaks of Gog (the Russian leader) having a PLAN! The verse quoted below says that Gog has an “evil thought”. The word “thought” can also mean “plan”!

Putin said this week he has a “plan”. What it is, no world leader knows. But we do!His ultimate plan is to invade Israel. To dominate the Middle East. Russia has been

provoked. In his dying days of office Putin maybe the man to put this plan into practice. We can only wait and see.

What we can be absolutely certain of is this. Putin’s words are almost identical to the themes expressed in Ezekiel 38. If it is not this man – it will be a man very like him.

Bible Quote Ezekiel 38 8 in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, 10 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:

PREVIOUS SLIDE

Headline Abkhazia in independence appealHeadline BBConline March 7 2008 PREVIOUS SLIDEEventThe breakaway Abkhazia region in Georgia has called on the UN

and other international bodies to recognise it as independent. The appeal was made by the separatist Abkhaz parliament on Friday, a day after Russia

said it was lifting trade restrictions on the territory. Georgia condemned Russia's move, warning that it encouraged separatism.

Tens of thousands of ethnic Georgians were driven from their homes in Abkhazia during a war in the 1990s. In its appeal, Abkhazia said it had "established itself as an independent, democratic, law-governed state". In addition to the UN, the appeal went to the European Union, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Russian parliament.

On Wednesday, Georgia's other breakaway region, South Ossetia, asked the UN and other international bodies to recognise its independence.

CommentRussia made a number of threats when Kosovo was about to declare independence. It said

that other nations would then also declare independence. We now see Russia encouraging the region of Abkhazia to breakaway from Georgia. Georgia's foreign ministry accused Russia on Friday of an attempt to infringe Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It said Russia was "abandoning its duty not to supply weapons of all kinds and military equipment to the Abkhaz side".

And so Russia has begun to stir up trouble in this significant area. It is through this land that Russia will descend. America has a major interest in security and stability in Georgia, having invested heavily in an oil pipeline from Azerbaijan via Georgia to Turkey. The Georgian armed forces have been receiving US training and support.

One way of getting back at America is to destabilise the country. Bible Quote Daniel 11 40 and the king of the north shall come against him like a

whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships;

Abkhazia in independence appeal

Headline NATO Hands Russia a Small VictoryHeadline Stratfor April 6 2008 PREVIOUS SLIDEEventAt its summit in Bucharest, NATO decided not to move Ukraine and Georgia into the

Membership Action Plan, telling the two states that at sometime in the future they would get their invitations to membership, but just not now. Instead, NATO focused its membership drive on the Balkans, offering invitations to Albania and Croatia.

While Russia may claim victory in keeping NATO out of Ukraine and Georgia for now, the support for missile defence and the whole-scale move into the Balkans was a clear demonstration of NATO’s challenge to Russia’s claims to influence and power. Russia could not stop the missile defence plan, and its warnings on Kosovo independence have gone unheeded (and unfulfilled).

CommentThere is a lot here which is significant. Firstly NATO decided NOT to move into Georgia.

NATO is a military alliance that says if one nation in NATO is attacked then it is treated as an attack on all nations in NATO. Georgia is the territory through which Russia will descend when it attacks Israel. It is also part of the ancient territory of Magog. If Georgia had joined NATO then at the point Russia invades Georgia, the rest of Europe would have had to defend Georgia against Russia. This would then have bought Europe and Russia at war against each other. This is not what the scriptures foretell. Therefore Georgia remains outside NATO.

The other interesting element is summed up in the cartoon above. America is pumping up the balloon (NATO) and it is pushing against the Ural mountains of Russia. The bear (Russia) is aiming a catapult at the balloon, obviously intending to burst it.

The Bible speaks of Russia being PUSHED at by the king of the south (America, UK etc).It is a push from the king of the south that persuades Russia in its anger to invade Israel.Bible Quote Daniel 11 40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push

at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships.

NATO Hands Russia a Small Victory

Headline Nato warns Russia as Georgia tension risesHeadline The Daily Telegraph May 1 2008 PREVIOUS SLIDE

EventNato warned Russia on Wednesday that it was "escalating tension" and threatening a

Western ally by increasing the number of troops in two breakaway regions of Georgia.

Tensions in the region rose last week after a Russian MiG-29 shot down a Georgian spy plane over Abkhazia. Russia denied involvement.

"Any attempt by the Georgian side to resolve the conflicts with force against Russian peacekeepers and also against Russian citizens will be met with an adequate and tough answer," the Russian defence ministry said.

CommentWhen Kosovo declared itself to be an independent nation in February, Russia made

several warnings that this act would have “consequences”. One of the consequences it mentioned was that other territories that wanted independence would then want to declare they were also new nations.

Georgia has two such territories that want to break away. Abkhazia and South Ossetia. (See map above). Since the independence of Kosovo, Russia has begun to stoke up the tensions with Georgia by encouraging and arming these regions.

Russia said on Thursday an extra contingent of its troops had begun arriving in Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia, a move Tbilisi said was an illegal act of military aggression. Russia announced this week it was deploying hundreds of additional peacekeeping troops to the tiny sliver of land of the Black Sea to counter what it said were Georgian plans for an attack on Moscow-backed separatists in the region.

The whole area of Georgia is significant as it is the territory through which Russia will descend on its way to Israel. We could be watching the opening moves of the final conflict. The verse below speaks of an a northern nation being stirred up…

Bible Quote Jeremiah 6 22 This is what the LORD says: "Look, an army is coming from the land of the north; a great nation is being stirred up from the ends of the earth.”

Nato warns Russia over Georgia

Headline Russia Says Its Air Force Flew Over Georgia RegionHeadline Reuters July 10 2008 PREVIOUS SLIDEEventRussia said on Thursday that its air force had flown over Georgia's

breakaway South Ossetia this week because it believed Tbilisi was preparing to attack the region.

"The need arose to take urgent and active measures to prevent bloodshed and keep the situation within peaceful bounds," Russia's foreign ministry said in a statement.

"In order to clarify the situation, aircraft of the Russian air force carried out a brief flight over the territory of South Ossetia," the ministry said. "As subsequent events showed, this step allowed (us) to cool hot heads in Tbilisi and prevent events developing along military lines, the likelihood of which was more than real."

The statement is Russia's first admission for at least a decade that its airforce has flown over Georgian territory. Georgia has alleged in the past that Russia trespassed in its airspace but Moscow has always denied it.

CommentGeorgia is a small nation that is currently pro Western. After the collapse of the Soviet

Union, Georgia declared its independence in 1991. It was then embroiled in a civil war and subsequent severe economic hardships. The bloodless Rose Revolution of 2003 installed a new, pro-Western reformist government that aspired to join NATO and attempted to bring the secessionist territories (Abkhazia and South Ossetia lost in the civil war and de facto independent ever since) back under Georgia's control. These efforts resulted in severe deterioration of relations with Russia, fuelled also by Russia's open assistance and support to the two secessionists areas. Russian military bases (dating back to Soviet era) in Georgia were evacuated.

For Russia to invade Israel it must come through Georgia and then down through Turkey. These flights into Georgia show the direction Russia wants to go – SOUTH.

Bible Quote Daniel 140 the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind

Russia says air force flew over Georgia

Georgia is in orange

Russian forces battle GeorgiansHeadline Georgia: Russia enters into 'war' in South OssetiaHeadline Daily Telegraph August 8 2008 EventColumns of Russian tanks plunged the two neighbours into war as they filed into South

Ossetia, marking the Kremlin's first military assault on foreign soil since the Soviet Union's Afghanistan intervention, which ended in 1989.

Russian tanks rolled towards the capital of South Ossetia and fighters bombed Georgian air bases after Georgia launched attacks on rebels in the breakaway region. South Ossetia won de-facto independence in a war which ended in 1992 but has been a source of tension ever since, along with Abkhazia, another separatist region.

CommentEvents are escalating in South Ossetia at an extraordinary pace. Almost overnight full

blown war has developed. Over 1300 are already reported dead.This war will not have caught us unawares though and the significance of it has already

been made clear. Back on March 7th we reported in the WWW that - when Kosovo was about to declare independence Russia said that other nations would then also declare independence. Russia immediately began stirring trouble in areas of Georgia that wanted independence. One of which was South Ossetia.

We reported on February 15th these words - Mr Putin gave warning of retaliation once Kosovo broke away - a threat likely to chill Western leaders. "We have a ready-made plan and we know what we are going to do," he said.

In Daniel 11 the king of the south (America) PUSHES at the king of the north. When the final push comes Russia descends on Israel. With the king of the south “pushing” and God in Ezekiel 38:4 “pulling” Russia will descend on Israel. The final PUSH (provocation) might well have been Kosovo’s independence. Russia now has obviously put its plan in place and begun a war with Georgia to help South Ossetia get independence. It is a war that might lead to MUCH more.

Bible Quote Daniel 11 40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind

Headline Israel backs Georgia in Caspian Oil Pipeline

Battle with RussiaHeadline Debkafile August 8 2008

EventGeorgian tanks and infantry, aided by Israeli military advisers, captured the capital of

breakaway South Ossetia, Tskhinvali, early Friday, August 8, bringing the Georgian-Russian conflict over the province to a military climax.

Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin threatened a “military response.” Jerusalem owns a strong interest in Caspian oil and gas pipelines reach the Turkish

terminal port of Ceyhan, rather than the Russian network. Intense negotiations are afoot between Israel Turkey, Georgia, Turkmenistan and Azarbaijan for pipelines to reach Turkey and thence to Israel’s oil terminal at Ashkelon and on to its Red Sea port of Eilat. From there, supertankers can carry the gas and oil to the Far East through the Indian Ocean.

Aware of Moscow’s sensitivity on the oil question, Israel offered Russia a stake in the project but was rejected.

Last year, the Georgian president commissioned from private Israeli security firms several hundred military advisers, estimated at up to 1,000, to train the Georgian armed forces in commando, air, sea, armoured and artillery combat tactics. They also offer instruction on military intelligence and security for the central regime. Tbilisi also purchased weapons, intelligence and electronic warfare systems from Israel.

These advisers were undoubtedly deeply involved in the Georgian army’s preparations to conquer the South Ossetian capital Friday.

In recent weeks, Moscow has repeatedly demanded that Jerusalem halt its military assistance to Georgia, finally threatening a crisis in bilateral relations. Israel responded by saying that the only assistance rendered Tbilisi was “defensive.”

This has not gone down well in the Kremlin. Therefore, as the military crisis intensifies in South Ossetia, Moscow may be expected to punish Israel for its intervention.

Israel backs Georgia

CommentThis is a remarkable article in Debkafile that perhaps shows us for the very

first time how Israel, Georgia, Russia and oil are all linked together. It helps explain why in fact Russia eventually will invade Israel and also how oil is really at the very centre of the issue.

Israel needs oil and it appears has been negotiating with Georgia and Turkey to bring an oil pipeline down into Ashkelon. (Israel).

Russia was involved in the discussions at a very late stage and they rejected the proposals. Russia is extremely sensitive to any oil deals done on its southern border in Georgia. It wants to control as much oil flow as possible.

At the same time these oil discussions take place Georgia asks Israel for military assistance. Why? Because Georgia could see Russia stirring trouble on its borders following Kosovan independence.

So Israel (wanting the oil pipeline) sends up to 1000 military advisers to help train Georgian troops.

So suddenly we have Israel backing Georgia with military assistance and Russia attacking Georgia / South Ossetia. We can see therefore why the article concludes “Therefore, as the military crisis intensifies in South Ossetia, Moscow may be expected to punish Israel for its intervention.”

Russia is going to descend on Israel like a whirlwind. It will be very sudden. The main route to Israel is straight through Georgia, then through Turkey. As the Russian tanks pass into South Ossetia we may be looking at the first cracks in a dam that will burst with great force.

Let us at this time look up. All the pieces are in place. The return of our Lord Jesus may not be far away. The time of the judgement of the world draws near.

Bible Quote Ezekiel 38 18 And it shall come to pass at the same time when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, saith the Lord GOD, that my fury shall come up in my face. 19 For in my jealousy and in the fire of my wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel 20 So that the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the field, and all creeping things that creep upon the earth, and all the men that are upon the face of the earth, shall shake at my presence

Israel backs Georgia

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