March 24 – April 13, 2019

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s March 24 – April 13, 2019 “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 March 24 – April 13, 2019 • US decision on Golan Heights is highway to war • Benjamin Netanyahu wins Israel’s election. What next? • Russia may face blowback from Sudan misadventure • Libya crisis: Fighting near Tripoli leaves 21 dead • Russia Is Dumping U.S. Dollars to Hoard Gold • Brexit: What happens now? To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.  There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.  US decision on Golan Heights is highway to war RT, March 26, 2019 The US decision to recognize the Golan Heights as Israel's territory was taken bypassing the UN Security Council and ignoring the UN dialogue on the issue, said Vyacheslav Volodin, the speaker of Russia’s Lower House. “All members of the international community should voice their stand on the matter,” he said during the meeting with Lebanese President Michel Aoun. Such a development could lead to a situation where “everyone is fighting each other,” he stressed. “The rule of force would dominate. This is a highway to war.” On Monday, US President Donald Trump signed a declaration recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, seized by Israel from Syria during the Six-Day War of 1967 and formally annexed by the Jewish state in 1981. In response to the US decision the UN reminded that the UN Security Council in a December 1981 resolution called Israel's annexation of the Golan Heights “null and void and without international legal effect" and this position hasn’t changed. Russia, Turkey, and the Arab League have also condemned the move. EVENT The Golan Heights overlooks Israel to its west, Lebanon to its north, Syria to its east, and Jordan to its south. During the 1967 Six Day War, Syrian forces on the Golan Heights shelled Israeli farms, and Israeli forces captured the territory from them. The recognition that the Golan Heights are Israel’s by president Trump has potential to create more tension in the region. Russia is not happy at all about Trump’s pronouncement. The speaker of Russia’s lower house called it a “highway to war”. The Biblical name for the Golan Heights is Bashan. Bashan howls in Zechariah 11 - the chapter before the conflict over Jerusalem. Trouble is coming to Bashan (Golan)…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 11:1-3)

6. 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:  Benjamin Netanyahu wins Israel’s election. What next? Vox, April 10, 2018 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has managed to hold on to power, winning what will be a record fifth term in office despite a bruising reelection fight. The preliminary results from Israel’s Tuesday election have Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party getting 35 seats out of a total 120 seats in the Knesset (Israel’s parliament). While Likud didn’t win an outright majority of seats, that’s typical in Israeli elections. Netanyahu made a stunning last-minute campaign promise over the weekend to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank if reelected — extending full Israeli sovereignty over settlements widely considered illegal under international law. If he follows through, it would be the most radical rejection of a negotiated two-state solution by any Israeli prime minister in modern history. It would also generate a massive crisis for Israel and the broader Middle East. EVENT COMMENT Since the collapse of the peace process in the early 2000s and the rise of the Hamas government in Gaza after Israel’s withdrawal from the territory, the Israeli public has drifted further and further toward scepticism about peace and the outside world. The new government in Israel will be more right wing than before and buoyed by president Trump’s backing there is little chance peace will be made with the Palestinians. Netanyahu promised to annex parts of the West Bank if re-elected. We expect Israel to control the West Bank when Gog invades because it is through the West Bank that the “mountains of Israel” run like a spine through the land. These events in Golan, West Bank and Jerusalem recognition will ultimately lead to Psalm 83 and Zech 12 fulfilment. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 39:1-2)

7. Russia may face blowback from Sudan misadventure Washington Times, April 11, 2019 An unexpected development in Africa has another one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s pet projects looking increasingly untenable. A military coup in oil-rich Sudan this week has ousted corrupt, long-serving President Omar al-Bashir. Sudan’s defense chief announced a two-year period of direct military rule, closed the airports and suspended the constitution. The anti-Bashir opposition, although elated at the downfall of the tyrant, is demanding a transitional civilian government be quickly put in place. The situation is critical for the Kremlin, as Sudan was a place where Moscow thought it could leverage its protection services, prop up an unpopular government — and exploit the mineral fields for the enrichment of Russian oligarchs and the Russian state. Consummate entrepreneur Yevgeny Prigozhin, otherwise known as “Putin’s Chef,” had been already deploying his mercenaries of the infamous Wagner Group to the east African country, with its warm water ports on the Red Sea, in order to cement an offer from Moscow that Mr. al-Bashir couldn’t refuse. A sweet deal was in the works: Russia got minerals, wealth and a new naval base in the Middle East, and Mr. al-Bashir got to stay in power. EVENT Putin is heavily invested in Sudan and he will not be happy with this coup as he has befriended the tyrant leader of Sudan Omar al-Bashir. Russia’s alignment to Sudan is foretold in Ezekiel 38. The AV translates a place called Cush in the Hebrew as Ethiopia. Cush isn’t really Ethiopia. Cush at the time of Ezekiel corresponds almost exactly to Sudan. Or to be even more accurate North Sudan. Sudan split into two nations in 2011. From 1070 BC to AD350 the area we now know as North Sudan was called the Kingdom of Kush. North Sudan is mainly Islamic. South Sudan is mainly Christian. So who is Putin working with militarily… the answer is North Sudan – ancient Kush! COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE Persia, Cush[c] and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, 6 also Gomer with all its troops, and Beth Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you. [c] Cush is ancient Kush the area we now know as Sudan or North Sudan. The very nation where the coup has taken place this week – Putin may act to protect his interests. (Ezekiel 38:5 NIV)

8. Libya crisis: Fighting near Tripoli leaves 21 dead BBC, April 8, 2019 EVENT Libya's UN-backed government says 21 people have been killed and 27 wounded in fighting near the capital, Tripoli. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called for an immediate halt to the fighting and called for talks. Forces under Gen Khalifa Haftar have advanced from the east with the aim of taking Tripoli. Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj has accused him of attempting a coup and says his forces will not be allowed to continue. Among the dead was a Red Crescent doctor killed on Saturday. Gen Haftar's forces said they had lost 14 fighters. Earlier the UN appealed for a two-hour truce so casualties and civilians could be evacuated, but fighting continued. And in a statement, Secretary of State Pompeo said the US was "deeply concerned about fighting near Tripoli" and stressed the need for talks. COMMENT There is trouble in Sudan with a coup and at the same time there is a growing crisis in Libya. As mentioned on the previous slide Ezekiel 38 says that Russia is allied to Sudan – but it also says Russia is allied to Libya. The general who is leading an attack on the UN government in Libya has Kremlin backing according to many reports. Independent Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer says that Libya is a diplomatic "conundrum" for Moscow. "Russia will be treading very cautiously in the conflict," he says. It "will not declare its allegiance openly, however, it's obvious that Moscow is supporting Haftar" behind closed doors. It cannot be a coincidence that trouble is happening in both countries allied to Russia in northern Africa. These events could lead to Russia becoming stronger in both nations. We wait to see…. And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords:  Persia [Iran], Ethiopia [Sudan], and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:  BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:4-5)

9. Russia Is Dumping U.S. Dollars to Hoard Gold Bloomberg, March 29, 2019 EVENT Vladimir Putin’s quest to break Russia’s reliance on the U.S. dollar has set off a literal gold rush. Within the span of a decade, the country quadrupled its bullion reserves, and 2018 marked the most ambitious year yet. And the pace is keeping up so far this year. Data from the central bank show that holdings rose by 1 million ounces in February, the most since November. The data shows that Russia is making rapid progress in its effort to diversify away from American assets. Analysts, who have coined the term de-dollarization, speculate about the global economic impacts if more countries adopt a similar philosophy and what it could mean for the dollar’s desirability compared with other assets, such as gold or the Chinese yuan. Experts are starting to question whether Russia can afford to keep up its intense pace of buying. Some say the country will import more gold to guard against geopolitical shocks and the threat of tougher U.S. sanctions as relations between the two powers continue to deteriorate.  The article in Bloomberg continued to say “The world is approaching a new era of instability, with the prospect of a global crisis seeming more and more tangible, and many expressing certainty that the looming upheaval will primarily affect the US economy and the dollar.”  Nations tend to buy gold when they fear worldwide instability. Gold reserves can help in time of war as they can help with economic chaos. But it isn’t only Russia preparing for instability by buying gold – Turkey and China are also increasing their holdings substantially. Turkey is allied to Russia (when it invades) and both nations want to reduce their reliance on the US dollar. The Bible says that Russia will prepare for war before it invades. The buying of gold is part of this …. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them.  After many days thou shalt be visited: 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, (Ezekiel 38:7-8)

10. Brexit: What happens now? BBC, April 11, 2018 EVENT The EU and UK have agreed a further delay to Brexit until 31 October. So how will the deadlock be broken? The UK could leave earlier if a withdrawal agreement has been ratified by MPs. The country must now take part in European elections on 23 May - if it did not the UK would have to leave the EU on 1 June without a deal. The UK was originally due to leave on 29 March. The first extension shifted that date to 12 April. But now the UK now has just over six months to decide what it wants to do. Government ministers are continuing talks with Labour leaders to try to find a compromise deal. If they can agree, MPs will be given a chance to vote on the deal. If not, a range of alternative options will be put to them instead. In either case, the prime minister says the negotiated withdrawal agreement would remain unchanged. That's the legally binding part of the Brexit deal that covers exit terms - including money, the transition period, citizen's rights and the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. British politics is paralysed over Brexit. No solution has yet been found for the UK to leave the EU. Christadelphians have said (with Bible in hand) for over 150 years that Britain would not be part of the European beast system that arises at the time of the end. So despite the deadlock we expect this to happen at some point. Brexit is causing division and rift not only in Britain but also in the EU itself as nations have different views on how to deal with the Brexit delay. Jesus we know returns during the time of the iron and clay feet of Nebuchadnezzar's image. We are told that the kingdom that exists is a DIVIDED kingdom. The iron = Roman Empire. The clay = people. It is people (referendums) that are weakening the EU Roman Empire project. COMMENT And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay.  And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.  BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 2:41-42)

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. To watch again please click the green arrow To watch again, click here.