May 1 - 7, 2016

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s May 1 - 7, 2016 “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 May 1 - 7, 2016 • Israel bombs Gaza in worst violence since war of 2014 • US accuses Russia of nuclear sabre-rattling • Syria conflict 'out of control' warns Kerry • Turkey's Erdogan takes tough EU line after PM quits • The fire in Canada looks a lot like climate change • Even 'small crisis' enough to tear EU apart To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. And there shall be no more a pricking brier unto the house of Israel, nor any grieving thorn of all that are round about them, that despised them; and they shall know that I am the Lord God. The same word translated as “round about” is the same word used in Zechariah 12:2 and 6. It literally means nearby neighbours. Hamas is a nearby prickly neighbour! • Israel bombs Gaza in worst violence since war of 2014 Daily Telegraph, May 6, 2016 Israeli warplanes struck targets inside Gaza and Hamas fired mortars at Israeli troops on Friday in the most intense exchange of fire between the two sides since the 2014 war. While both Israel and Hamas insisted they were not seeking a fresh conflict, the escalation raised fears of yet another bloody round of fighting in Gaza. The shooting began on Wednesday morning when Hamas fighters dropped mortars near Israeli military vehicles operating inside the Gaza strip. An Israeli tank fired back. Since then Hamas has fired 12 mortars while Israel has carried out four waves of airstrikes and fired barrages of tank shells, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). More than 2,100 Palestinians were killed in the last war alongside 66 Israeli troops and six civilians. EVENT We may be close to conflict between Israel and Hamas. This week has seen a sudden escalation of violence between the two sides. So what is going on? Lt Col Peter Lerner, an IDF spokesman, suggested the change in behaviour was because of Israel’s recent success in finding and destroying Hamas tunnels from Gaza into Israel. The IDF has located two tunnels in the last month and Lt Col Lerner said Hamas “may have changed their strategy because they feel they may lose these assets”. Another report said that in the coming days, the Hamas military wing may lash out in a desperate attempt to land a major blow against Israel. It is expected to be significantly weakened by the IDF operations in the near future. We know that the Gaza Strip is equivalent to the ancient area occupied by the Philistines. A war is coming between Israel and her immediate enemies – Israel will remove the pricking briers. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 28:24)

6. 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. Ahead of them the land lies as beautiful as the Garden of Eden. Behind them is nothing but desolation; • US accuses Russia of nuclear sabre-rattling, amid Nato tensions BBC, May 3, 2016 US Defence Secretary Ash Carter has accusedRussia of "nuclear sabre-rattling" and of being intent on eroding international order. He said he regretted strained relations with Moscow but said the US had to "prioritise deterrence" on Nato's eastern flank. US-Russian ties have been strained by the Ukraine crisis and recent military encounters in the Baltic Sea. Russia has accused Nato of threatening its national security. Speaking during a ceremony at the US European Command Headquarters in Germany, Mr Carter said Russia was "going backwards in time”. But Mr Carter said: "We do not seek a cold, let alone a hot war with Russia.” "We do not seek to make Russia an enemy. But make no mistake, we will defend our allies, the rules-based international order, and the positive future it affords us." EVENT Putin has mentioned using nuclear weapons on a number of occasions over previous months. It is frightening that a world leader controlling so many of these terrifying weapons speaks glibly about using them. One such statement was when Russia explicitly warned Denmark that its warships could become the target of nuclear strikes if it joins Nato's ballistic missile defence system and similar threats have been made to Norway and Poland. Russia is significantly modernising its nuclear arsenal. It has also deployed Iskander-M nuclear capable missiles to its Kaliningrad enclave next to Poland. It’s not just talk about about a cold war now there is growing talk of the possibility of a “hot war” – a real war between Russia and the West. We know that a great war is coming. All these events point to World War IIII happening soon. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Joel 2:2-3 NLT)

7. The towns of Hamath and Arpad are struck with fear, for they have heard the news of their destruction. Their hearts are troubled like a wild sea in a raging storm. Syria conflict 'out of control' warns Kerry amid push to save truce BBC, May 2, 2016 US Secretary of State John Kerry has said the Syrian conflict is "in many ways out of control", as he made a fresh push to salvage a fragile truce. After talks with UN and Arab diplomats in Geneva, he said progress had been made on a plan to reduce violence in the second city of Aleppo. However, he said more work was needed and there was no guarantee of success. A cessation of hostilities has reduced fighting in Syria's five-year civil war but has unravelled in recent days. About 250 people have reportedly been killed in Aleppo in the past nine days. On Monday, fresh government air strikes and artillery attacks on rebel-held districts and suburbs of Aleppo left at least three dead, according to activists. Mr Kerry, speaking alongside UN special envoy Staffan de Mistura after a morning of talks in Geneva, said the conflict was "in many ways out of control and deeply disturbing". EVENT COMMENT Aleppo has become the centre of a tense stand off between the rebels backed by America and Saudi Arabia and the Assad government forces backed by Russia and Iran. Two huge powers stand behind both armies. Aleppo, in north-west Syria, was the country's industrial and financial centre before the five-year civil war started. It is a prize that both sides desperately want. A two day truce that started Wednesday has been extended to Monday. But no one really believes this will end peacefully. The map above shows how divided Aleppo is and how the Assad government (in green) has almost surrounded it. The Bible speaks of Aleppo by its ancient name Arpad. It tells us that the people living in that city will be a great fear because they have heard news of their destruction. If this truce breaks down it could be all out conflict to conquer this city… BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 49:23 NLT)

8. Persia, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet: Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. • Turkey's Erdogan takes tough EU line after PM quits BBC, May 6, 2016 EVENT Turkey's president has told the EU it will not change its anti-terror laws in return for visa-free travel. "We'll go our way, you go yours," Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. The EU says Turkey needs to narrow its definition of terrorism to qualify for visa-free travel - which is part of a larger deal between the sides aimed at easing Europe's migration crisis. Mr Erdogan was speaking a day after PM Ahmet Davutoglu, who largely negotiated the EU deal, said he was stepping down. Mr Davutoglu had also reportedly opposed Mr Erdogan's plan to give more power to the presidency. Mr Erdogan said the proposed constitutional changes were a national need, not a personal requirement. The wide-ranging EU-Turkey deal involves the return of migrants, mainly Syrians, from Greece to Turkey, along with increased aid and other measures. President Tayyip Erdogan told the European Union on Friday that Turkey would not make changes to its terrorism laws required under a deal to curb migration, and declared: "we're going our way, you go yours". His fiery speech will be a blow to any hope in European capitals that it might be business as usual with Turkey after Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who negotiated the migration deal with Europe and had largely delivered on Turkey's commitments so far, announced he was standing down. Basically what is happening is this… The EU wants Turkey to stop migrants reaching Europe. In return member states will give Turks visa free travel into the EU. But Turkey’s president is not happy with this deal. The migrants are too big an issue for him. The migration crisis (mainly caused by Syria) is causing nations to fall out and tensions are building. Turkey we know will be part of the Gogian invasion. Turkey is Togarmah of Ezekiel 38 and therefore invades Israel with Russia. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:5-6)

9. And I will cause wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below— blood and fire and clouds of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and glorious day of the Lord arrives. • The fire in Canada looks a lot like climate change CNN, May 7, 2016 EVENT The fire raging in Fort McMurray, Canada sounds like something from the apocalypse. "It was like driving through hell," Michel Chamberland told CNN of his escape from the area. "Those flames, they were bright, they were big ... It's unreal. It's almost like a dream or something.” The fire, which has burned at least 325 square miles, forcing the evacuation of some 88,000 people, is so hot and so intense that's it's formed its own weather. The thundercloud produced by the blaze actually is creating its own lightning, and consequently spreading the fire's rage, setting more trees alight. True, there have been fires in Canada's boreal forest for ages. But scientists and researchers say this fire looks a whole lot like climate change. And that should be alarming for all of us. "This is an example of what we expect -- and consistent with what we expect for climate change," said Mike Flannigan, a professor of wildland fire at the University of Alberta who's been studying climate change and wildfire for decades. "This fire is unprecedented," he said, referring to its local impact. Officials in Canada say the huge wildfire which has devastated the oil town of Fort McMurray in Alberta could double in size over the next 24 hours. The fire currently covers an area larger than New York City and is being fanned by winds and feeding on dry vegetation. More than 80,000 people were evacuated from the city earlier this week. More than 1,000 fire fighters and 150 helicopters, 295 pieces of heavy equipment and 27 aircraft tankers have been deployed, according to the Canadian government. The Bible says in Acts 2 that we would see fire and clouds of smoke “in the last days” We are in the last days now and we are indeed seeing fearful sign and wonders. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Acts 2:19-20 NLT)

10. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. When Europe breaks up 10 nations will emerge as a new power bloc – reminiscent of the Holy Roman Empire. • Even 'small crisis' enough to tear EU apart, Moody's warns Daily Telegraph, May 4, 2016 EVENT Fresh turmoil in the European Union risks triggering the disintegration of the entire bloc, according to Moody's. In a stark warning, the rating agency said the "painful adjustment" faced by some countries in the eurozone meant the collapse of the single currency area and wider EU was believed by some to be a question of "when" not "if". Moody's said that even a "small crisis" threatened to set off an uncontrollable chain of events that would "threaten the sustainability" of the EU and its institutions. It said endless austerity demands in return for bail-outs had fuelled deep resentment across the region, especially in countries weighed down by sky-high unemployment. "Significant vulnerabilities" facing the bloc such as a British exit from the EU also remained, which would fuel support for "anti-establishment and anti-EU parties elsewhere", it warned in a report. COMMENT Moody’s credit agency warned this week that even a small crisis could tear Europe apart. And there are two possible candidates that might cause this to happen. The first is Greece. The Greek financial crisis is flaring up again.. The bailout agreed last year has stalled. For the next slice of cash to be given to Greece, it must pass its so-called 'first review'. Its creditors must be satisfied Greece’s economy and public finances are on the right track. But two of its creditors, the IMF and the EC, disagree over Greece’s progress. This could lead to a crisis. The second thing that might happen is Britain votes to leave Europe on 23rd June. It is currently neck and neck in the polls. If Britain did leave this would definitely cause a crisis. Europe as we know it will break up. BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 17:12-13)

11. Weekly World Watch YouTube Videos

12. Weekly World Watch The end of this week’s WWW will be e-mailed to you each week. If you think others may find the WWW helpful please direct them to the website www.weeklyworldwatch.co.uk They can register on the site PLEASE NOTE: The Weekly World Watch is written and sent by myself – it is my take on events and I accept that on occasions I will miss significant events and also misinterpret them as well. However I will endeavour to be faithful to the scriptures and hope that it will be of benefit to both of us. Please take a look at this excellent Christadelphian Prophecy website Just click the image To watch again, click here.