Weekly World Watch: May 13-19, 2018

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s May 13 - 19, 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 May 13 - 19, 2018 • US opens new embassy in Jerusalem • ‘Turkey will not allow Jerusalem to be stolen by Israel’ • Hezbollah says ‘new phase’ in war with Israel • Recognition of Israeli sovereignty over Golan Heights? • Putin says Russian frigates in Med on standby • Russian bridge to Crimea: A metaphor for the Putin era To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. I will make Jerusalem like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nations stagger when they send their armies to besiege Jerusalem and Judah. On that day I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. All the nations will gather against it to try to move it, but they will only hurt themselves..  US opens new embassy in Jerusalem CNN, May 14, 2018 The US officially relocated its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Monday, formally upending decades of American foreign policy in a move that was met with clashes and protests along the Israeli-Gaza border. At least 58 Palestinians were killed and more than 2,700 injured in Gaza as deadly protests took place ahead of, during and after the ceremony in Jerusalem, making it the deadliest day there since the 2014 Gaza war. On Monday, which marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel, US and Israeli leaders hailed the embassy move as a sign of the enduring relationship between the two countries and of US trustworthiness. American officials said it could create an honest foundation for an eventual peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. President Donald Trump did not attend the ceremony in Jerusalem's Arnona neighborhood, but in a video message broadcast at the event he congratulated Israel, saying the opening had been "a long time coming." EVENT COMMENT There can be no doubt that events this week will lead to all nations being gathered together against Jerusalem. The Bible says that the world will be focused on Jerusalem at the time of the end. It says that for surrounding peoples Jerusalem will be like an intoxicating drink – it will drive them crazy. For the rest of the world they will try to move Jerusalem – change its status – but everyone will fail. As the US moved its embassy to Jerusalem it became the first nation on earth since Israel was created in 1948 to officially recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. After exactly 70 years the status quo over the most sensitive city on earth has suddenly changed. Will this lead to the peace Trump believes will follow? Answer NO. It is the prelude to the greatest conflict…. BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 12:2-3)

6. 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, Ethiopia, and Libya with them; all of them with shield and helmet:  Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah [Turkey]of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee.  ‘Turkey will not allow Jerusalem to be stolen by Israel’ Jerusalem Post, May 19, 2018 Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday that the United Nations had "collapsed" in the face of events in Gaza where Israeli forces killed 60 Palestinian protesters on Monday as the United States relocated its Israel embassy to Jerusalem. Turkey has been among the most vocal critics of the Israeli use of deadly force against protesters at the Gaza border and of the U.S. decision to open its new embassy in Jerusalem. It called for an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul on Friday. "Even if the whole world shuts their eyes, we will not allow Israeli cruelty. We will continue to be with our Palestinian siblings not only with our hearts, but with all our resources," he said. "We will never allow Jerusalem to be stolen by Israel.” These events have sparked a diplomatic row between Turkey and Israel, with both countries expelling each other's senior diplomats on Tuesday. EVENT Turkey is leading the charge against Israel and Jerusalem. The Turkish President described Monday's bloodshed in Gaza as genocide earlier this week. He said Turkey had launched initiatives to get the issue onto the U.N. General Assembly's agenda. He also said "We will never allow Jerusalem to be stolen by Israel.” He spoke of a “very dangerous door” being opened. On Tuesday Turkey and Israel expelled each other's envoys. We can see the tension building over Jerusalem. Israel has growing confidence knowing Trump is on their side. This allows Israel to speak and act more harshly than perhaps it would have done without such unequivocal support. This leads to more anger and tension. We know Turkey invades Israel with Russia at the end. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:4-6)

7. Hezbollah says ‘new phase’ in war with Israel Washington Post, May 14, 2018 The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah said Monday a barrage of rockets from Syria against Israeli forces in the occupied Goal Heights last week opens up “a new phase” in the conflict, warning that Israel proper could be the next target for retaliation. Hassan Nasrallah said that Israel has been informed through an international body that retaliation inside Israel will take place if it crosses “a red line” in Syria, without providing specifics. Israel on Thursday unleashed a heavy bombardment against what it said were Iranian military installations in Syria on Thursday. It said it was retaliation for an Iranian rocket barrage on its positions in the Golan. It was the most serious military confrontation between the two bitter enemies to date. In a televised speech to a rally in Beirut, Nasrallah did not say who carried out the rocket fire into the Golan. He called it retaliation for “Israel’s continued aggression against Syria.” In past weeks, Israel is believed to have carried out a number of strikes against military bases in Syria, killing Iranian and Syrian troops. EVENT COMMENT Hezbollah is buoyed by its electoral victories in Lebanon last week. They want the total destruction of Israel and they have the backing of the regional super power - Iran. There will come a point when Hezbollah is instructed by Iran to enter the conflict with Israel. The United States and other Gulf Arab nations imposed additional sanctions on Lebanon's Hezbollah leadership on Wednesday, targeting its top two officials, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Naim Qassem. It looks like all the positions are crystallising in the region. The Bible says that the Arab Gulf States (Sheba and Dedan) would be allied to Britain and America (Tarshish and young lions). We see this happening now. 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?  BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:13)

8. Congress to Consider Recognition of Israeli Sovereignty Over Golan Heights Washington Beacon, May 17, 2018 EVENT Congress is set to consider a new measure to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the contested Golan Heights region that separates Israel from Syria, a key piece of territory that has become all the more important since the civil war in Syria brought scores of jihadist fighters, including those backed by Iran, into the region. Rep. Ron DeSantis (R., Fla.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, introduced on Thursday a resolution that could lead to an historic recognition by the United States that the contested area fully belongs to Israel, according to a copy of the amendment obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. Israel annexed the Golan Heights in 1981 following the Six Day War in the late 60s with Arab nations in the region. The United States has declined for decades to take a position on the status of this territory, but following President Donald Trump's decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, DeSantis and others see an opportunity for the United States to recognize another territorial reality—that the Golan Heights will not be given back to Syria, particularly in light of the strife gripping the country. COMMENT In the 1967 Six Day War, Israel took control of the Golan Heights. This area of land was once part of Syria. It is strategically very important because if Syria controlled this area they would be able to rain down rockets on nearby Israeli settlements. But again the status quo has remained in place since 1967 with Israel annexing the Golan Heights but other nations not officially recognising it as being part of Israel’s territory. From this report it looks like the US might be about to make another move supporting Israel. And again this move could help spark the initial inner ring war spoken of in the Bible. BIBLE QUOTE And unto the children of Gershon, of the families of the Levites, out of the other half tribe of Manasseh they gave Golan in Bashan with her suburbs, to be a city of refuge for the slayer; and Beeshterah with her suburbs; two cities.  Golan was a city in Bashan – Golan Heights = Bashan Golan was a city of refuge and part of Israel J(oshua 21:27)

9. Putin says Russian frigates in Mediterranean on standby over Syria threat Reuters, May 16, 2018 EVENT Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russian military vessels with Kalibr cruise missiles would be on permanent standby in the Mediterranean to counter what he said was the terrorist threat in Syria. The deployment shows how Russia has increased its military presence in the Middle East since it launched an intervention in Syria in 2015, turning the tide of the civil war in favor of its close ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Russia has in the past fired Kalibr cruise missiles from frigates and submarines stationed in the Mediterranean Sea at militant targets to support Syrian army offensives. Putin on Wednesday said only warships armed with Kalibr missiles would be on permanent standby, and not submarines. Announcing the deployment while addressing the Russian high military command at a meeting in the Black Sea city of Sochi, Putin said it was “due to the remaining terrorist threat in Syria.” COMMENT Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in the southern Russian city of Sochi on Thursday. According to an official Kremlin statement, Putin told Assad that in light of the Syrian army's recent "victories and success," foreign armed forces will be withdrawn from Syria. Foreign troops currently in Syria include Russian, Iranian, Turkish and American forces, as well as Lebanon's Hezbollah and other pro-Assad militias. It is unclear to which of these forces Putin was referring. It is unlikely any will leave. And Russia especially will not give up the hold it has on this area. The Russian ships are staying. We read in the Bible about the ships that the king of the north / Russia uses when it invades Israel. 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.  He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown:.  . BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40-41)

10. Russian bridge to Crimea: A metaphor for the Putin era CNN, May 15, 2018 EVENT Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday will mark the opening of the Kerch Strait bridge, a construction project that has become a metaphor for his 18-year rule. The 19-kilometer bridge, now the longest in Europe, links Russia's Krasnodar region with the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia from Ukraine in 2014. And its opening, in Russia's official narrative, marks the physical "reunification" of Crimea with the Russian mainland. But it's also a symbol of Russia's international isolation. Russian special forces seized Crimea in a lightning operation in February 2014. The Kremlin at first denied that the troops -- masked men in camouflage without unit insignia -- were Russian military, but later acknowledged that the so-called "little green men" were indeed Russian units. The West responded swiftly with crippling economic sanctions. COMMENT On Tuesday Putin drove an orange Kamaz truck across the bridge as he opened the road to car traffic. “In different historical epochs, even under the tsar priests, people dreamed of building this bridge,” Putin told workers at the ceremony. “Then they returned to this [idea] in the 1930s, the 40s, the 50s. And finally, thanks to your work and your talent, the miracle has happened.” Why spend billions on this bridge? The answer of course is because when Putin annexed Crimea (once part of Ukraine) he promised to link the Russian mainland to the peninsula he had captured. Once more Putin is victorious. The Bible says that Gog, the king of the north will succeed in all that he does. At the moment he is victorious. But the Bible says that Gog will come to an end at God’s hand. After his invasion of Israel we read that “he will come to his end and none shall help him”. Putin / Gog and his grand plans will ultimately fail. He will become very strong, but not by his own power. He will cause a shocking amount of destruction and succeed in everything he does. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. BIBLE QUOTE (IsDaniel 8”24-25 NLT)

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.