June 8 - 14, 2014

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s June 8 - 14, 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 June 8 - 14, 2014 • Iraq at risk of civil war as al-Qaeda leads uprising • Iraq’s civil war threatens global energy supply for years • Russia sent tanks to separatists in Ukraine, U.S. says • Russians launch surprise war games next to NATO • Vatican hosts historic prayer summit for peace • Recession 'led to 10,000 suicides' To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. Everyone in Babylon [Iraq] will run about like a hunted gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd. They will try to find their own people and flee to their own land. Anyone who is captured will be cut down….. Their little children will be dashed to death before their eyes. Their homes will be sacked, and their wives will be raped. We see this happening…. Iraq at risk of civil war as al-Qaeda leads uprising Daily Telegraph, June 11, 2014 EVENT Iraq is facing a return to its darkest days of civil war after al-Qaeda-linked militants seized a vast swathe of the country’s northern region in a lightning advance which took them to within striking distance of Baghdad. A day after snatching control of the northern city of Mosul, fighters were on Wednesday night within 60 miles of the Iraqi capital, encountering little resistance from government troops. En route they seized major towns, oil refineries and military bases and embarked on an orgy of kidnappings and executions, forcing an exodus of more than half a million people across the north. The extraordinary developments reignited the political debate about the decision to invade Iraq in 2003 alongside America, a conflict which cost the lives of 179 British Service personnel and cost at least £9 billion. There are unconfirmed reports of Shia militias beginning to mobilise in the capital, a sign that the conflict could soon spread. In a ten chapter section in Isaiah we are told of 10 national nightmares that the world is unable to resolve. They all have ancient historical fulfilments BUT they all have a final latter day fulfilment. In fact these 10 tribulations bring about Armageddon. The section begins in Isaiah 13 and climaxes in chapter 24. Each nation detailed is called a burden – or a tribulation. The first nation dealt with is Babylon. In modern terms this is Iraq. This is not spiritual / religious Babylon dealt with in Revelation. All the nations in this section are actual physical nations. The national nightmare of Iraq became a worldwide issue in 2003 when the allies invaded. Since then 140,000 civilians have been killed. Although Iraq has been officially at peace the reality has been far different. And now exploding onto our screens is the potential breakup of Iraq. Iraq has not been resolved. Isaiah 13 says Iraq will become like when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 13:14-16 NLT)

6. The burden of the desert of the sea . As whirlwinds in the south pass through; so it cometh from the desert, from a terrible land. A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam [South West Iran] : besiege, O Media [Central Iran] ; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease Iraq’s civil war threatens global energy supply for years Daily Telegraph, June 12, 2014 EVENT Spectacular advances by Jihadi forces across northern Iraq have raised the spectre of a Sunni-Shia conflagration in the heart of the Middle East, triggering a surge in oil prices and throwing into doubt the structure of global energy supply for the next decade. Brent crude jumped above $113 a barrel as the self-described Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) raced down the Tigris Valley towards Baghdad with sophisticated weaponry, seizing on its momentum after the historic capture of Mosul. Oil prices are approaching levels last seen during the Arab Spring. “Iraq is turning into a nightmare. There are real risks that this movement will spread to other countries. Our economies are too weak to pay for oil at $120, and they can’t stand $140 if it spikes that high,” said Chris Skrebowski, a veteran oil analyst. The Arab Muslim world is divided into Shia and Sunni. The division came about in the 7th century and it revolved around an argument about Mohammed. Iran is ruled by Shia’s. Syria is ruled by Shia’s. Saudi Arabia and Jordan are ruled by Sunnis. The issue is that each nation is made up of both Sunni and Shia. In Syria forinstance the majority are Sunni but they are ruled by Shias. The Jihadi forces that are taking over towns and cities in Iraq are Sunni. The government in Iraq is Shia. So all this has the potential to escalate into a Sunni / Shia conflict. This would bring Iran and Saudi Arabia against each other. Iran is ready to assist the Iraqi government in its battle against extremist Sunni Islamists, President Rouhani has said this week. We actually read of conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Isaiah 21. It says that Elam and Media (South West and central Iran) attack and lay a siege. But against who? The Bible says against the “desert of the sea” The sea = Persian Gulf. The desert opposite Elam is Saudi Arabia! COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 21:1-2)

7. Son of man, turn and face Gog of the land of Magog, the prince who rules over the nations of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him. Give him this message from the Sovereign Lord: Gog, I am your enemy! I will turn you around and put hooks in your jaws to lead you out with your whole army Russia sent tanks to separatists in Ukraine, U.S. says New York Times, June 13, 2014 The State Department said Friday that Russia had sent tanks and other heavy weapons to separatists in Ukraine, supporting accusations Thursday by the Ukrainian government. A convoy of three T-64 tanks, several BM-21 multiple rocket launchers and other military vehicles crossed the border near the Ukrainian town of Snizhne, State Department officials said. The Ukrainian Army reported Friday that it had destroyed two of the tanks and several other vehicles in the convoy. “This is unacceptable,” said Marie Harf, the deputy State Department spokeswoman. “A failure by Russia to de-escalate this situation will lead to additional costs.” Overnight Friday, separatists using antiaircraft and heavy machine guns fired on a military transport plane as it was landing in Luhansk, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said. It did not give details of casualties, but offered condolences to family members of the victims. News reports said the plane was carrying as many as 49 military personnel. EVENT The situation between Russia and Ukraine gets worse each week. America and Ukraine have accused Russia of sending tanks (for the first time) into Ukraine. Ukraine's new President Petro Poroshenko has vowed to retaliate after pro-Russia separatists shot down a military plane in the east, killing 49 people. It is thought to be the biggest loss of life suffered by government forces in a single incident since the Ukrainian government in Kiev began an operation to try to defeat the insurgency in the east. The new president will be under enormous pressure to retaliate against such a large loss of life. Putin will never concede eastern Ukraine to Europe. Eastern Ukraine is part of ancient Magog – we are told that Gog (of the land of Magog) will invade Israel. Putin is securing the final part of the land of Magog before the invasion takes place…. he COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:2-4 NLT)

8. The kings of the earth joined forces and advanced against Jerusalem. But when they saw it, they were stunned; they were terrified and ran away. They were gripped with terror and writhed in pain like a woman in labour. You destroyed them like the mighty ships of Tarshish shattered by a powerful east wind. Russians launch surprise war games next to NATO Washington Times, June 11, 2014 NATO military officials were caught off guard by surprise guests as military exercises began in the Baltics last week — Russians. As U.S.-led exercises with Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were under way, the Russian military began conducting its own training manoeuvres. The Russian exercises included marines, paratroopers, and long-range bombers. Russia Today posted a video of the exercises on YouTube Wednesday. The NATO exercises, which included B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, were then operating in a crowded region rife with Russian Su-34 Fullback attack planes, A-50 AWACS aircraft, the short-range surface-to-air missile system SA-9-N Tor, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other military hardware, the defence website The Aviationist reported Wednesday. EVENT COMMENT America has sent three B52 bombers to the UK this week. It is the first time the B-52s have returned to their European "home" for more than a decade. The last time they were in Europe was in 2003 - the year America launched "shock and awe" on Iraq. The B52 is seen as an offensive weapon of last resort. It is capable of firing nuclear missiles and cruise missiles. This is all about America flexing its military muscle in the light of Russia’s actions in Ukraine. Russia is responding, as we read in the article above, by literally lining up against Nato in their war game exercises! And so we see the continuing build-up of tension between the king of the north (Russia) and the king of the south (America and Britain). How long before all these powder kegs explode into full blown conflict? It may not be too long in coming… The whole world is like a woman in labour – the painful contractions are coming thick and fast… BIBLE QUOTE (Psalm 48:4-7)

9. So I will pour out my wrath against the wall and against those who covered it with whitewash. I will say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who whitewashed it, those prophets of Israel who prophesied to Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for her when there was no peace, declares the Sovereign Lord.”’ Vatican hosts historic prayer summit for peace CBN, June 10, 2014 Pope Francis welcomed Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the Vatican on Sunday in an attempt to broker peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Hosting an evening of prayers for peace in Israel, Peres and Abbas joined the pope over a sunset invocation of Jewish, Christian and Muslim prayers. Francis told both leaders that he hoped the prayer summit would mark “a new journey” toward peace. The Vatican also invited the spiritual leader of the Orthodox Christian church to present a united Christian front in supporting peace in Israel. The pope urged Israel and the Palestinians to open up dialogue and usher in a new era of coexistence. He invoked the memory of children killed by war and conflict between the two sides to instill patience and strength to bring about peace. EVENT he COMMENT There were three men here praying for peace. None of them have the peace in mind that God has for His land and His city Jerusalem. Each of them (for their own personal agenda’s) want Israel and Jerusalem to be divided. That is the peace they are praying for. The Palestinian leader wants Israel divided because he wants his own state. He does not recognise Israel as a Jewish state. The Israeli leader believes that peace with the Palestinians can only be achieved by giving them what they want. Eg half of the land of Israel and half of Jerusalem. The Pope has a slightly different agenda. He too wants Israel and Jerusalem divided but not because he likes the Palestinians. It is because the Vatican has a doctrine that God has cast off Israel. Rome is the new Jerusalem. And for nearly 2000 years it looked to the world as if this were true. The re-establishment of Israel and the uniting of Jerusalem ruined their theory…. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 13:15-16 NIV)

10. No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Recession 'led to 10,000 suicides' BBC News, June 12, 2014 The economic crisis in Europe and North America led to more than 10,000 extra suicides, according to figures from UK researchers. A study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, showed "suicides have risen markedly”. The research group said some deaths may have been avoidable as some countries showed no increase in suicide rate. Campaign groups said the findings showed how important good mental health services were. The study by the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine analysed data from 24 EU countries, the US and Canada. It said suicides had been declining in Europe until 2007. By 2009 there was a 6.5% increase, a level that was sustained until 2011. It was the equivalent of 7,950 more suicides than would have been expected if previous trends continued, the research group said. There were 4750 additional people taking their life in America. EVENT To end your life because your money has failed must mean one thing… you had put your trust, your hope and your faith in your money. Why else would someone end their life if they lost their wealth? Surely life is more than what we own, what we have, what we eat or what we wear? Jesus had nothing – not even one coin to show his disciples. We can imagine the weeping and wailing when the financial systems of the world finally do collapse forever. We are told in Isaiah 24 (the culmination of the ten tribulations) that both the borrower, the lender, the buyer and the seller will all be affected when God devastates the earth. The earth will be completely emptied. Only a few men will be left following this worldwide judgement. Even the most wealthy and powerful people on the earth will waste away. But we who have not put our trust in mammon (wealth) will shout and sing for joy - for Jesus will have returned and will restore the broken world…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Matthew 6:24-25 NLT)

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.