April 30 – May 6, 2017

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s April 30 – May 6, 2017 “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 30 – May 6, 2017 • Trump to visit Israel, Saudi Arabia and Vatican • Russia, Iran, Turkey agree Syrian de-escalation zones • US-led coalition planes banned from Syria safe zones • Trump tells Abbas 'we will get peace deal done' • US / Saudi in talks over arms sales worth billions • French election: Russia blamed of ‘hacking attack’ To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubilee unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. Trump to visit Israel, Saudi Arabia and Vatican The Guardian, May 4, 2017 Donald Trump’s first foreign trip as US president will include Israel, the Vatican and Saudi Arabia, a senior administration official said on Thursday. Speaking in the Rose Garden of the White House on Thursday, Trump confirmed that he will use his first trip abroad since taking office to encompass a sweep of some of the most pressing foreign policy issues of the moment. First, in Saudi Arabia he will meet “leaders from across the Muslim world”, he said, as he tried to shape what he called a new foundation of co-operation “with our Muslim allies to combat extremism, terrorism and violence”. The announcement of a stop in Israel comes after Trump’s meeting on Wednesday with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, and his vows to mediate peace with Israel. Trump also met with Catholic cardinals earlier Thursday ahead of confirming his trip to Rome and the Vatican, where he will meet Pope Francis. EVENT COMMENT How interesting that Donald Trump is to visit the home of the world’s 3 major faiths this month. Mecca in Saudi Arabia is the most sacred place in Islam. Jerusalem is the centre of the Jewish religion. Rome is the centre of Catholicism. Trump will visit all three in May. After that he swings into Europe to meet NATO leaders. The Saudi’s are keen to meet Trump as they want his support against Iran. Israel is keen to meet Trump as they believe he will back them over the Palestinians. The Pope has spoken out against Trump and so their meeting will be interesting! What is even more amazing though is that Jerusalem was unified on Hebrew date 28 Iyyar in 1967. Trump visits Jerusalem on the 27 Iyyar (2017). The 50th anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem therefore is the day after this visit. Many have noted that 50 years is a very significant Jubilee period. BIBLE QUOTE (Leviticus 25:10)

6. 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. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou [Gog – Russian leader] a guard unto them. • Russia, Iran, Turkey agree Syrian de-escalation zones Associated Press, May 4, 2017 Russia, Iran and Turkey agreed to establish "de-escalation zones" in Syria, signing on to a Russian plan under which President Bashar Assad's air force would halt flights over designated areas across the war-torn country. The agreement, which a Russian delegate said would go into effect on Saturday, is the latest attempt to reduce violence in the Arab country. But the full details of the proposal were not made available and prospects for its success appeared bleak. As officials from the three countries — Russia, Iran and Turkey — that back rival sides in the conflict signed the agreement at Syria talks in Kazakhstan on Thursday, some members of the Syrian opposition delegation shouted in protest and walked out of the conference room in Astana, the Kazakh capital. The opposition is protesting Iran's participation at the conference and role as a guarantor of the agreement, accusing it of fuelling the sectarian nature of the conflict that has killed some 400,000 people and displaced half the country's population. EVENT How amazing to see Russia, Iran and Turkey all working together in Syria. This is the very same coalition mentioned in Ezekiel 38! The only nations missing are Libya and Sudan. Russia in Ezekiel 38 is Magog, Meshech and Tubal. Iran is Persia. Turkey is Gomer and Togarmah. The idea of these de-escalation zones is Putin’s. Trump wanted to setup up no fly zones but Putin would not countenance this and has therefore created his own plan. Israel is seriously dismayed at this because Putin’s plan includes the posting of Iranian military officers as co-monitors for these zones, one of which is to be located on the Syrian-Israeli border. Rather than sort the situation in Syria this will make it worse. Israel will soon be drawn into this conflict. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:5-7)

7. Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail. How is the city of praise not left, the city of my joy! Therefore her young men shall fall in her streets, and all the men of war shall be cut off in that day, saith the LORD of hosts. • US-led coalition planes banned from Syria safe zones RT, May 5, 2017 The four safe zones to be established in Syria will be closed for flights by US-led coalition warplanes, said the Russian envoy to the Astana peace talks, where the zones were agreed upon. “As for [the coalition] actions in the de-escalation zones, starting from now those zones are closed for their flights,” Aleksandr Levrentyev told journalists in the Kazakh capital. He added that the flight ban was not part of the memorandum establishing the safe zones, but assured the coalition would not fly over them. “As guarantors we will be tracking all actions in that direction,” he remarked. “Absolutely no flights, especially by the international coalition, are allowed. With or without prior notification. The issue is closed.” He added that the US-led coalition would continue airstrikes near Raqqa, the Syrian stronghold of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), near some towns near the Euphrates River and close to the city of Deir ez-Zor. EVENT On the one hand we have Russia, Iran and Turkey working together. On the other we have the US / UK / Saudi coalition opposing Assad and wanting regime change in Syria. The peace deal doesn’t mention flights by coalition warplanes but following the announcement of the agreement the Russian envoy to the peace talks said that no coalition aircraft would be allowed to fly over these zones. Putin is trying to push the US out of Syria and seriously hamper what it can do there. There some agencies reporting that these safe zones are nothing more than a Russian propaganda ploy and they will amount to nothing. We wait see what happens. We do know that there will be some military push by the US against Putin and his plans. Far from these events leading to a peaceful solution they will lead to conflict and greater turmoil in Syria. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 49:24-26)

8. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. • Donald Trump tells Abbas 'we will get it done' on Israel-Palestinian peace deal The Guardian, May 4, 2017 Donald Trump has committed the United States to helping Israel and the Palestinians reach peace, telling visiting Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas: “We will get it done.” Trump spoke after welcoming Abbas to the White House for a meeting aimed at launching talks that have failed repeatedly to resolve the decades-old conflict. “I’ve always heard that perhaps the toughest deal to make is the deal between the Israelis and the Palestinians,” Trump said. “Let’s see if we can prove them wrong.” He insisted: “We will get it done.” Speaking through a translator, Abbas echoed Trump’s upbeat tone: “We believe that we can be true partners to you to bring about a historic peace under your stewardship.” EVENT Trump met the Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Washington this week. Trump appeared optimistic about his chances of getting a peace deal. "I'm committed to working with Israel and the Palestinians to reach an agreement," Trump said. "But any agreement cannot be imposed by the United States or by any other nation. The Palestinians and Israelis must work together to reach an agreement that allows both peoples to live, worship, and thrive and prosper in peace.” He would serve as "a mediator, an arbitrator or a facilitator" between the two sides. "We will get it done," Trump confidently told Abbas. So will Trump succeed in this? Well the Bible does talk about a time when people say “peace and safety”. There could well be a time therefore when people do say this. It is likely to come when Israel has removed the “pricking briers” that surround her. In other words after the coming conflict detailed in Psalm 83 and Zechariah 12. The first stage of the final conflict. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (1 Thessalonians 5:3)

9. US in talks with Saudi Arabia over arms sales worth tens of billions Reuters, May 5, 2017 EVENT Washington is working to push through contracts for tens of billions of dollars in arms sales to Saudi Arabia, some new, others in the pipeline, ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's trip to the kingdom this month, people familiar with the talks told Reuters this week. Saudi Arabia is Trump's first stop on his maiden international trip, a sign of his intent to reinforce ties with a top regional ally. The United States has been the main supplier for most Saudi military needs, from F-15 fighter jets to command and control systems worth tens of billions of dollars in recent years. Trump has vowed to stimulate the U.S. economy by boosting manufacturing jobs. Washington and Riyadh are eager to improve relations strained under President Barack Obama in part because of his championing of a nuclear deal with Saudi foe Iran. As we have already mentioned Donald Trump is heading to Saudi Arabia in May. In fact Saudi Arabia will be his first foreign visit as president. Israel will be his second stop. So why would he want to go to Saudi Arabia first? Why is this his first port of call? Well the Middle East has become a power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iran is Shia Muslim and Saudi is Sunni. Saudi Arabia has long been an ally of the US. On the other hand Iran has long been associated with Russia. Trump therefore wants to strengthen his hand in the Middle East by strongly supporting Saudi Arabia. A huge arms deal could be announced during his visit. Russia meanwhile continues to strengthen Iran. The Bible says that Saudi Arabia (and the Gulf States) would be allied to Tarshish (UK) and the young lions (US / Canada etc) in the last days. We see this happening before our eyes. All nations are lining up as God said they would. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE 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? (Ezekiel 38:!3)

10. Russia blamed as Macron campaign blasts 'massive hacking attack' ahead of French presidential election Daily Telegraph, May 6, 2017 EVENT The campaign team of French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron said on Friday night it had been the victim of a "massive hacking attack" after a trove of documents was released online. The apparent hack came on the final day of campaigning in the French presidential election, with Mr Macron, the centrist, facing Marine Le Pen, the far-Right candidate in tomorrow's run-off. Immediate suspicion fell on Russia, which has been accused of meddling in the US election to help get Donald Trump elected in November. Campaign officials stated authentic documents had been mixed on social media with fake ones to sow "doubt and misinformation" and that it was a clear attempt to undermine Mr Macron. Some 9 gigabytes of data from the campaign was posted online late on Friday. COMMENT There are some big elections taking place shortly. In France they go to the polls to elect a new president. In Britain they go the polls in June to elect a new Prime Minister. But democracy is under attack like never before. There has always been protocol in the past that other nations to not interfere or meddle in another nations democracy. This mainly held because each nation knew that that they would come under “attack” from outside influence if they were caught doing it. But this week Russia has been accused of trying to influence the French elections. Also this week British Prime Minister Theresa May has accused European Union officials of deliberately leaking misleading accounts of Brexit talks to affect the outcome of the UK election. The gloves are clearly coming off. The rules are changing. Nations are under stress and this is showing. The world is built on democracy and if this fails then war will be their only solution… And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which 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. One of the spirits is that of democracy. BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 16:13-14)

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.