April 13 - 19, 2014

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s April 13 - 19, 2014 “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 April 13 - 19, 2014 • Putin hovering on the brink of a massive invasion • Putin threatens to cut gas to Ukraine, EU countries • Donetsk leaflet: Jews must register or face deportation • Israel police disperse riot at Jerusalem Holy Site • Israel to miss out on Blood Moon phenomenon • Israeli families gather for ritual Passover meal To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. 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; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. Putin hovering on the brink of a massive invasion Eurasia Daily Monitor, April 17, 2014 EVENT Putin and other Russian officials have been blaming the West for instigating the Ukrainian crisis and, as Putin put it, “Pushing us too far, so we were forced to push back.” In his televised phone-in, Putin insisted the threat of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) expansion engulfing Ukraine, the possibility of Western (NATO) military bases and offensive armaments “appearing in Crimea,” as well as “NATO ships in Sevastopol” forced Moscow’s hand in deciding to take over Crimea. According to Putin, not only Crimea, but the entirety of eastern and southern Ukraine, from Kharkiv in the northeast to Odessa on the border with Romania and Moldova, comprise “Novorossia” or “New Russia”. Putin implied Novorossia does not belong to Ukraine and must return to the Russian homeland. Putin once again repeated that Ukrainians and Russians “are one nation temporarily divided into two states. Shortly after the deal to try to end the crisis was agreed in Geneva on Thursday, Putin went live on his annual televised phone-in. Far from sounding like things were being resolved he spoke of territories outside Russia as being part of something called Novorossia (New Russia). He also explained what he sees as Russia’s in terms of Ukraine – the eastern and southern part of Ukraine. He also explained exactly why Russia was doing this – ie invading another country. It is because we were PUSHED too far by NATO he said. And so far from being close to a deal to calm things down we will surely see further escalation. It is remarkable Putin says he wants eastern and southern Ukraine as this is the very area that formed part of ancient Magog. It is also remarkable that he says the reason for the invasion is because Russia was PUSHED. This is the exact Bible language of Daniel 11:40 where the king of the north is PUSHED COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

6. For they.. go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Putin threatens to cut gas to Ukraine, EU countries Daily Telegraph, April 11, 2014 EVENT Mr Putin threatened the "extreme measure" last week of cutting off Russian gas for Ukraine unless the country pays in advance for all of its supplies. In a stark letter to 18 world leaders, Mr Putin acknowledged that, in such a "critical situation", gas deliveries to the European Union would also be jeopardised. The EU buys a third of its gas from Russia, about half of which arrives through pipelines running across Ukraine. But Mr Putin accused the EU of causing the current crisis, leaving Russia with "no alternative" but to toughen its approach. As Ukraine's economy foundered under a new government and threats from Russia last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced a rescue program of £8-10bn to stabilise the country's crumpled finances and help restore growth. The IMF board will review the Ukraine financing plan, which requires tough reforms and austerity measures on the part of the government, at the end of April or beginning of March. Would Putin shut off the gas to get his own way? Answer YES. He has done it before and this time the stakes are so much higher. On Thursday European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso wrote to Putin urging Russia to provide an early warning of any possible delivery disruptions. Russia’s biggest gas client in Europe is Germany. As one mainstream UK newspaper said this week “Vladimir Putin is striking at the heart of the West. If we choose to resist Putin, we will risk a terrifying military escalation. It may be no exaggeration to say this could bring us to the brink of nuclear war. Historians may look back and say this was the start of World War III.” We know that ultimately the final conflict will be centred on Jerusalem. But all these events in Ukraine are destabilising the world order to enable Armageddon to happen… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 16:14-16)

7. “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: At that time evil thoughts will come to your mind, and you will devise a wicked scheme. You will say, ‘Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence! These are the thoughts of Gog (Putin) the anti-Semite Donetsk leaflet: Jews must register or face deportation Daily Telegraph, April 18, 2014 The Chief Rabbi of Donetsk spoke with controlled outrage, holding up a piece of paper bearing an elaborate stamp with two crossed hammers. ”The last time in history that someone wrote a text like that was in 1939 in the Nazi time,” said Pinchas Vishedski. On the second night of Passover, three masked men arrived outside Beyt Menahem Mendal Synagogue, carrying bundles of these notices. The leaflet ordered all “citizens of Jewish nationality” to “register” with the Donetsk regional administration, now controlled by pro-Russian revolutionaries. They were told to bring a $50 fee to a “room 514” in the main government building, which was seized by separatists a fortnight ago. The Jews were also instructed to take a “passport for us to make a note about your religion” and “documents about your family composition”. The leaflet said they should furnish proof of ownership of all “property and vehicles". Any Jews who failed to comply would be deprived of their citizenship and expelled from the “borders of the Republic”, said the flyer. All their property would also be confiscated. EVENT he Donetsk is a city in eastern Ukraine being claimed by ethnic Russians. Putin all along has said the Ukrainian nationalist movement is riddled with neo-Nazi anti-Semites. But the truth is that it is the pro Russians who are anti-Semites. We know that Putin is chief anti-Semite. We know this because Gog (Russia ruler) makes a plan (an evil thought) to invade Israel and take a spoil from the Jews. Is this not the act of an anti-Semite? If the ruler of the Russians is anti-Semite is it any wonder his loyal henchmen are too? This conflict is rapidly evolving.. From Crimea’s self determination. Then bringing ethnic Russians back into the Russian fold. It is now possibly moving towards “racial purity”. All this is alarming but we know what must come to pass – we are at the time of the end COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:10-11 NLT)

8. Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. People saying = people talking about peace. NOT actual peace. Israel police disperse riot at Jerusalem Holy Site USA Today, April 16, 2014 Israeli police stormed a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem on Wednesday, firing tear gas to disperse a protest by Palestinian Muslim worshippers, officials said. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the crowd hurled stones and firecrackers from atop the compound known to Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism. Rosenfeld said police then entered the site and dispersed the group with tear gas and other non-lethal means. The site is ground zero in the territorial and religious conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Its gold-topped Dome of the Rock enshrines the rock where Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The status of the site remains perhaps the most sensitive and explosive issue in U.S.-brokered peace talks. Tensions have already been rising due to a breakdown in peace talks and the deadly shooting this week of an Israeli policeman in the West Bank. EVENT he COMMENT Tension is building in Israel. The peace talks are due to end on the 29th April. The Palestinians claim east Jerusalem, including the Old City, as the capital of their future state. The status of the site remains perhaps the most sensitive and explosive issue in U.S.-brokered peace talks. After nearly nine months of fruitless negotiations, U.S. mediators have been trying to win an agreement to extend the talks beyond the current deadline. We know that all nations will be gathered together to Jerusalem to battle. So how do current events in Ukraine and the “peace talks” link together to bring about Armageddon centred on Jerusalem. The Ukraine situation could well lead to financial sanctions against Russia that really do hurt its economy. Europe is saying they are looking for more stable energy suppliers. Russia under financial pressure is forced to look elsewhere. Russia’s eyes turn to Israel – a spoil. Peace talks lead to destruction… BIBLE QUOTE (1 Thess 5:1-3)

9. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come: And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Israel to miss out on Blood Moon phenomenon Israel Today, April 13, 2014 The scheduled appearance of four total lunar eclipses on major Jewish holidays between this Monday night (the start of Passover 2014) and September 27, 2015 (the start of Sukkot) has the attention of much of the Christian world. But the eclipses are going to go almost totally unseen in Israel. Total lunar eclipses - what are often referred to as “blood moons” - are not uncommon, 13 of them having occurred since 2000. Somewhat less common are tetrads - four consecutive total lunar eclipses with no intervening partial eclipses - which has occurred 62 times since the year 0 AD. Seven times in the past 2000 years, a tetrad has coincided perfectly with Passover and Sukkot. One of those tetrads began just prior to the outbreak of the Six Day War in 1967. Two others (in 1493 and 1949) began more than a year after the expulsion of the Jews from Spain and the State of Israel’s declaration of independence, respectively. EVENT On Monday night there was the first of 4 blood moons. A sequence of 4 lunar eclipses. Lunar eclipses are fairly common. A series of 4 total lunar eclipses is not common. A series of 4 consecutive lunar eclipses is called a Tetrad. What is even less common is when the 4 consecutive lunar eclipses fall on Jewish feast days. Eg Passover or Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). This set of 4 is only the 8th set since the time of Christ. The last time a Tetrad occurred was in 1967. The first blood moon occurred just months before the outbreak of the 6 Day War. The time before was in 1949 – again during the war that broke out after Israel was declared a nation in 1948. The time before that was in 1493. In 1492 the Jews were expelled from Spain. We know God uses the sun and moon for signs. We also know that blood moons are a sign at the time of the end…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Acts 2:19-21)

10. Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the Passover must be killed. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat…. and they made ready the passover….And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: NB there are TWO cups mentioned at this supper. Cups 2 and 3. We are told to remember Christ by taking the THIRD cup. Why? Listen to the talk to find out… Israeli families gather for ritual Passover meal ABC News, April 14, 2014 Families across Israel gathered after sundown Monday for ritual meals signalling the start of Passover, with holiday observances overshadowed by a fatal shooting in the West Bank. The weeklong holiday commemorates the liberation of the ancient Israelites from centuries of slavery in Egypt, as described in the Old Testament. In Judaism, it is dubbed the festival of freedom. This year, Passover comes amid uncertainty over the future of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, with the sides facing an end-of-April deadline to reach a preliminary deal or agree to an extension of negotiations. Ahead of the holiday, Israel sealed off the West Bank, barring Palestinians from entering Israel, an annual Passover precaution against possible attacks. EVENT It is amazing that 3500 years after the original Passover (the time the Israelites left Egypt) the Jews still remember the event every year. The Passover was when all Egypt’s firstborn were killed (by God) and the Hebrews who put blood around their doors were saved. The destroying angel “passed over”. The blood around the door came from the sacrificed lamb – it became known as the Passover lamb. Through the blood of the lamb they were saved. We read in the New Testament that Jesus became our Passover lamb.(1 Cor 5:7). We may think (as Christians) that we are not involved in the Passover feast any longer. We couldn’tbe more wrong. Every Sunday when we meet we are still in the Passover meal that Jesus took part in with his disciples. The bread and wine of the last supper was the Passover meal. Every Sunday we take the bread and wine. The wine we take is in fact the 3rd cup of the Seder (Passover order of service) instituted by the Jews. Jesus was following the Seder at the last supper. The final 4th cup will not be taken until Christ returns. To listen to a talk on this CLICK HERE COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Luke 22:11-15)

11. 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.