World Events Watch: October 7-20, 2018

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s October 7 - 20, 2018 “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 October 7 - 20, 2018 • US to leave nuclear treaty with Russia • UK war-games cyber attack on Moscow • Russia imports Iranian teams for S-300s in Syria • Australia considers Jerusalem embassy move • US won’t break up with Saudi Arabia over murder • This could be fiercest Pacific hurricane season ever To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:  Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.  President Trump to pull US from Russia missile treaty BBC, October 20, 2018 Gorbachev and Reagan signing the treaty in 1987 Trump is pulling out of The US will withdraw from a landmark nuclear weapons treaty with Russia, President Donald Trump has confirmed. Speaking to reporters, Mr Trump said Russia had "violated" the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty. The deal banned ground-launched medium-range missiles, with a range of between 500 and 5,500km (310-3,400 miles).The US would not let Russia "go out and do weapons [while] we're not allowed to", Mr Trump said. "I don't know why President [Barack] Obama didn't negotiate or pull out," the president said after a campaign rally in Nevada. "They've been violating it for many years.” In 2014, President Obama accused Russia of breaching the INF after it allegedly tested a ground-launched cruise missile. He reportedly chose not to withdraw from the treaty under pressure from European leaders, who said such a move could restart an arms race. A Russian foreign ministry source said the US move was motivated by a "dream of a unipolar world" where it is the only global superpower, state news agency RIA Novosti reported. EVENT COMMENT The US says that Russia has developed a new nuclear missile that can be launched very quickly. It would enable Russia to launch a nuclear strike at Nato countries at very short notice. Russia seems increasingly willing to possibly use a tactical nuclear strike instead of using conventional forces. This has caused Trump to announce that the US is pulling out of the nuclear missile treaty which Reagan and Gorbachev signed in 1987. We can see how the old order is unravelling. The Bible says that the gentiles would prepare for war and beat their ploughshares into swords. The 70 years or so of “peace” since the second world war will soon come to an end with Armageddon. BIBLE QUOTE (Joel 3:9-10)

6. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil?  UK war-games cyber attack on Moscow The Times, October 7, 2018 Defence chiefs have war-gamed a massive cyber-strike to black out Moscow if Vladimir Putin launches a military attack on the West, after concluding that the only other way of hitting back would be to use nuclear weapons. Senior security sources have told The Sunday Times they are concerned that Britain has a capability gap that has left commanders with too few weapons to meet Kremlin aggression short of firing a Trident nuclear missile. Planning exercises on the threat posed by Russia have left officials “ashen-faced” at the speed with which confrontation with Moscow could escalate. Whitehall officials have vowed to step up offensive cyber-capability, including the ability to “turn out the lights” in the Kremlin. That would give Britain more options if Putin ordered Russian forces to: Intervene in Libya to gain control of oil reserves and unleash a new migration crisis in Europe or Use irregular forces to launch an attack on British troops or threaten Britain’s new aircraft carrier. EVENT COMMENT Last weekend 5,500 British troops took part in their biggest military exercise for a decade. The war games were to improve readiness for any confrontation with Russian tanks or hybrid forces such as those deployed by Putin in Crimea. Interestingly the £100m exercise involving 200 armoured vehicles, six naval ships and eight Typhoon warplanes took place in the Omani desert. Oman is part of the area of Sheba and Dedan mentioned in Ezekiel 38 as being allied to Tarshish. Tarshish is Britain. The opposing force in Ezekiel 38 is Gog of the land of Magog. This is Russia. Therefore we see Ezekiel explaining 2500 years ago exactly how the nations would line up - today! BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:13)

7. Russia imports Iranian teams for S-300s in Syria Debakfile, October 8, 2018 The US and Israel were alarmed to learn that Moscow had decided to man the S-300 anti-air missiles sent to Syria with Iranian teams, DEBKAfile’s exclusive sources report. US and Israeli intelligence agencies which brought the news to Washington and Jerusalem also reported that the Russians had begun flying the Iranian operatives over to Syria. Moscow announced the supply of S-300 air defense missiles to Syria in the wake of its row with Israel over the Russian Il-20 spy plane crash on Sept. 17. But, on the quiet, Moscow also decided that they would be operated by Iranian teams. One of Moscow’s considerations was that Iranian crews operating the Syrian-based S-300s will be in harm’s instead of Russian teams in the event of US or Israeli aircraft making direct hits on the systems. For Israel this move has both good and bad aspects: On the one hand it will be a relief for Israeli air crews to know that when they go for Syria’s S-300 air defense batteries, they need not fear hurting Russian troops; but, on the other, by managing Syria’s air defenses, Iran further strengthens is military foothold in Syria. EVENT It will be 30 days on Wednesday, Oct. 17 since the last Israeli air strike was conducted against Iranian targets in Syria, and the shooting down by Syria of the Russian IL 20 spy plane. Russian-Israeli relations have cooled dramatically. Since the spy plane was shot down Russia has supplied Syria with much more advanced missile systems and jamming equipment that seriously hampers Israel’s ability to strike Iranian forces in Syria. Debkafile reports this week that Russia has trained Iranian teams to man these missiles. Israel at some point will take action against Iran in Syria. This could then easily explode into a wider conflict that ends in the total destruction of Damascus. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid.  (Isaiah 17:1-2)

8. Australia considers Jerusalem embassy move BBC, October 16, 2018 EVENT Australia will consider recognising Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving its embassy there from Tel Aviv, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says. If acted upon, the move would follow a recent policy shift by the US that has drawn criticism internationally. Mr Morrison said Australia remained committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Political opponents said Mr Morrison's comments were a "deceitful" ploy for votes ahead of a crucial by-election. The status of Jerusalem is one of the most contested issues between Israel and the Palestinians. US President Donald Trump drew international criticism last year when he reversed decades of American foreign policy by recognising the ancient city as Israel's capital. The US embassy was relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May. Mr Morrison said he would consult with his cabinet and other nations before making any decisions. COMMENT Jerusalem is becoming a political pawn for nations. There was speculation that the comments by the Australian prime minister may be more to do with a by election than a real belief this was the right thing to do. We know with Bible in hand that Jerusalem will become the centre of global conflict. What we are seeing with nations using Jerusalem for their own political agenda’s is the start of this becoming a reality. Jerusalem is the apple of God’s eye and whoever touches it (try’s to interfere with it) causes God to react against them. Interestingly the word “apple” should really be translated “pupil” because this is what it is referring to. The Hebrew word has the meaning of something hollowed out – the pupil is a hole at the centre of the iris. If you touch your pupil you flinch and react. Jerusalem is exactly like this from God’s point of “view”. BIBLE QUOTE For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you [Jerusalem]: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye. For, behold, I will shake mine hand upon them, and they shall be a spoil to their servants: and ye shall know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me.  (Zechariah 2:8-9)

9. Deep Saudi relationship complicates U.S. response on Khashoggi CBNC, October 17, 2018 EVENT There’s growing evidence that Saudi dissident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed two weeks ago in Istanbul — and that Saudi royalty ordered the operation that led to his death. The revelations over the past two weeks have threatened America’s decades-long relationship with Saudi Arabia. US lawmakers, including allies of President Donald Trump, have called for a break in the alliance, and for the kingdom to be punished. But Trump and members of his administration continue to back Riyadh, in part, they say, because they don’t want to jeopardize billions of Saudi dollars flowing into the US economy via weapons purchases and investments. Many Americans have found it unsettling to watch as the Trump administration allows Saudi Arabia — especially Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto leader, who likely ordered the hit — to sweep the affair under the rug. Two weeks ago a Saudi journalist who wrote for the Washington Post entered the Saudi consulate in Turkey to sort out his wedding papers as he was about to get married. He was murdered inside that Saudi building. This murder has potentially large political ramifications. Turkey is accusing Saudi Arabia (the actual government) of murder within its own nation. A bit like Britain accusing Russia of murder in Salisbury recently. This causes a major rift between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile Trump has said the kingdom should be punished BUT has appeared to side with Saudi Arabia and given them the benefit of the doubt. The Bible says that Saudi Arabia will be allied to America (young lion) and Turkey will be against Saudi. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE Persia, Cush and Put will be with them, all with shields and helmets, also Gomer with all its troops, and Togarmah from the far north with all its troops—the many nations with you. Togarmah is Turkey (allied to Gog / Russian leader) (Ezekiel 38:5)

10. This could be the fiercest Pacific hurricane season ever Popular Science, October 19, 2018 EVENT While the Atlantic Hurricanes Florence and Michael have rightfully gotten most of our attention this season, climate conditions in the Pacific are churning out one storm after another. We’ve seen a whopping 21 named storms in that region so far this year, but even that sheer number does no justice to the intensity of this hurricane season. This Pacific hurricane season could likely end up being the most intense one that meteorologists have ever recorded. The eastern and central Pacific basins have seen an incredible 20 named storms so far this year. 12 of those named storms became hurricanes, and nine of those storms strengthened into a category four or five at one point during their lifespan. Nine storms with winds reaching category four or five status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale is a record for the most storms we’ve ever seen achieve that strength during one Pacific hurricane season. COMMENT The sheer energy released by these storms places this year in record territory. Meteorologists measure the strength of a hurricane season through Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE). ACE measures the energy produced by a storm by calculating the maximum sustained winds of the storm over its lifespan. The average ACE value for the eastern and central Pacific basins combined is about 121. The ACE generated by this year’s storms through October 16 is 294—more than double what you’d see in an average year and putting it just shy of the most intense year on record. These storms and the churning of the oceans are a sign of how near we are to the time of the end. Jesus said that there would be distress on the earth and perplexity (no way out) and that the sea and waves would roar. We see all this happening now. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. BIBLE QUOTE (Luke 21:25-26 NIV)

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.