Weekly World Watch - May 14-20: Trump in Saudi Arabia, Temple Mount Jubilee, Syria Strike

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s May 14 - 20, 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 May 14 - 20, 2017 • Trump in Saudi Arabia: Expect key deals to be signed • Jubilee call to Temple Mount echoes Six-Day War cry • U.S. aircraft conduct strike on Syrian army convoy • Pentagon signs new defence deal with UAE • Macron calls for 'historic reconstruction' of Europe • Secular Brits now outnumber Christians To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. Sheba [Saudi Arabia], 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? Trump in Saudi Arabia: Expect key deals to be signed BBC, May 20, 2017 Multi-billion dollar deals between the US and Saudi Arabia will be signed on Saturday as US President Donald Trump's first foreign trip begins in Riyadh. Mr Trump and his wife Melania were greeted in the Saudi capital by King Salman on Saturday morning local time. The eight-day trip will also take in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Brussels, the Vatican, and Sicily. Saturday's deals on arms and with energy giant Aramco are expected to be worth at least $150bn (£115bn). The visit comes as Mr Trump faces uproar at home following his sacking of FBI director James Comey. On Sunday, Mr Trump will attend the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh and speak about his "hopes of a peaceful vision of Islam". Aides say the president hopes his speech will resonate worldwide and express "a common vision of peace, progress and prosperity". EVENT Since Ronald Reagan US presidents have made Mexico or Canada their first overseas visit. But not Donald Trump. The very first foreign trip he makes is to Saudi Arabia! But then he flies to Israel to see both Jew and Palestinian. Then he flies to Rome to see the Pope. All 3 major faiths in one week. Trump believes he can make peace between the faiths. He believes he is the best deal maker on the planet. However as we have seen his undiplomatic language and bravado can cause anger which could lead to conflict. Saudi Arabia is of course allied to America in Ezekiel 38. This makes this first visit so interesting. While there Trump will almost certainly sign a huge arms deal and other trade deals. Ezekiel 38 says that Sheba and Dedan (Saudi Arabia / Gulf States) and Tarshish (Britain) and the young lions (US / Canada etc) will be a group of nations that oppose Russia and Iran. Surely we see this coming together here with this visit. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:13)

6. And they [the Jews] shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: [this happened in AD70] and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles [from AD70 to 1967] , until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. [24th May 1967] • Jubilee Call To Temple Mount Echoes Six-Day War Victory Cry Israel National News, May 17, 2017 A call by Knesset members and major rabbis is expected to bring record crowds to the Temple Mount on Jerusalem’s Jubilee next week. The United Temple Movements called the gathering as a joyous echo of the original declaration made by Israeli soldiers 50 years ago when they announced in victory, “The Temple Mount is in our hands.” This year, Israel marks the the 50th anniversary, or jubilee, of the unification of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War, an event of untold significance. On that day, Israeli forces took back the Old City, Western Wall and Temple Mount from the occupation of the Jordanian army. Jerusalem Day, this year accompanied by hundreds of celebratory events and commemorations, will begin on the evening of May 23. EVENT On the Jewish Calendar next Wednesday (May 24th 2017) it is the exact anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem which happened during the 6 Day war in 1967. This makes this coming Wednesday the 50th anniversary of the day Jerusalem was united under Jewish control. But when was the last time the Jews controlled all of Jerusalem? The answer to that is all the way back in AD70! So for 1897 years Jerusalem was controlled by Gentiles (non Jews). All of this is totally incredible when you stop and think about it. Almost 2000 years later the Jews are back in their land with their own nation with Jerusalem once more as their capital. And what should totally strengthen our faith is Jesus said this would happen. In Luke 21 Jesus said the Jews “shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled.” Therefore 50 years ago the time of the Gentiles was fulfilled. This week sees 50 years exactly since that time….a jubilllee period. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Luke 21:24)

7. 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. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, • US jets bomb Assad tank convoy advancing on coalition base in Syria Daily Telegraph, May 18, 2017 US-led coalition aircraft bombed forces allied to the Syrian government on Thursday, after they advanced too close to a base where Western special forces are training rebel fighters. American jets were understood to have struck a convoy of 27 tanks as they moved to within 15 miles of a coalition garrison in al-Tanf, a border crossing point to Iraq in southern Syria, marking the most direct clash between coalition forces and fighters with Bashar al-Assad's regime. Syrian, Iranian and allied Lebanese Hizbollah forces have in recent days moved surface-to-air missiles closer to the eastern frontline with the moderate Free Syrian Army (FSA) units, in an apparent warning to the US-led coalition, which flies sorties against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) in the area EVENT US warplanes struck Syrian pro-regime forces in a mission apparently aimed at protecting British and American soldiers in the country's southeast region. The airstrikes killed Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militia. It occurred close to the border with Iraq. US defence secretary Jim Mattis said that the destruction of the convoy, which included a number of tanks, did not mark an escalation in the American role in Syria. "We are not increasing our role in the Syrian civil war," he said. "But we will defend our troops.” Russia was warned the attack was coming but was not able to convince the convoy to turn around. Therefore the US struck killing about 50 people. What this tells us is that the situation in Syria (despite the new safe zones) is not resolved and the war continues. As we have long been saying – the situation in Syria will one day reach a cataclysmic outcome with Damascus completely destroyed. Events continue to towards this conclusion. It is just a matter of time! COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:2-3)

8. 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. • Pentagon signs new defence deal with UAE Associated Press, May 10, 2017 Dedan The US and the United Arab Emirates have signed a new agreement that would dictate “the magnitude and conditions” of the US military in the UAE, allowing the United States to send more troops and equipment to the region. On Monday, Defence Secretary Jim Mattis met with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the UAE to discuss the defence partnership between the two allies. The accord, which was signed May 8, was disclosed by the Pentagon on Tuesday. The agreement will replace a previous agreement reached in 1994 after the first Gulf War. "The agreement marks a new chapter in our partnership and reflects the breadth and depth of our ongoing cooperation, which is underpinned by the mutual respect we share for the professionalism and efficacy of our armed forces,” Mattis said in a statement. EVENT COMMENT This new accord gives the US military “the ability to more seamlessly respond to a range of scenarios in and around the UAE, if necessary,” Department of Defence spokesman Christopher Sherwood said this week. The meeting with Mattis followed Prince Mohammed’s first meeting with President Donald Trump, where the two leaders discussed “the threat to regional stability posed by Iran,” according to the White House. Prince Mohammed emphasized “the critical US role in strengthening regional stability,” according to a statement from the UAE embassy. Dedan in the Bible refers to the area we now call “the Gulf States”. The UAE is right in the middle of the ancient area of Dedan. See map above. As mentioned on the previous slide the UK / US are allied to this area in Ezekiel 38. They are also the king of the south in Daniel 11 verse 40. They are based south of Israel… BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

9. Macron calls for 'historic reconstruction' of Europe BBC, May 15, 2017 EVENT France's new president, Emmanuel Macron, has called for a "historic reconstruction" of Europe, saying it is "the only reaction" to fight populism. Speaking in Berlin on the first full day of his presidency, he was joined by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. She said the pair had a "joint conviction" that they needed to "deepen the European Union”. Both said they would work together more closely on defence, eurozone reform and reducing bureaucracy. Mrs Merkel said the EU depended on France being strong, and that she and Mr Macron had a "joint conviction that we are not only going to deal with the British exit from the European Union, but we also need to deepen the EU”. She also made her most positive comments yet about eurozone reforms mooted by Mr Macron, saying it may be possible to change EU treaties as would be required to enact them. "From the German point of view, it's possible to change the treaty if it makes sense," she said. "I would be ready to do this, but first we will work on what we want to reform." Emmanuel Macron has taken power as President of France. Aged just 39 , Mr Macron becomes the youngest French leader since Napoleon. He promised to "relaunch" Europe at his inauguration on Sunday, indicating he wants a joint budget, parliament and finance minister for the eurozone before heading to Berlin for his first foreign trip. So what do we make of this new leader in France? Well it is interesting with Bible in hand that he is calling for “historic reconstruction of Europe”. He wants changes in treaties. Merkel said they both want to “deepen the EU”. The Bible says that a new Holy Roman Empire will emerge. 10 nations will come together to form a united block. The current EU isn't quite this final beast pictured in Revelation 17. But it will arise! COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:8)

10. Secular Brits now outnumber Christians , but Islam & Hinduism growing RT, May 17, 2017 EVENT Britain has reached new heights of secularization, with almost half of Britons now identifying as non-religious, a new study reveals. According to ‘The “No Religion” Population of Britain’ report by Stephen Bullivant, professor of theology and the sociology of religion at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, non-religious people, known as ‘nones’, account for 48.6 percent of Britain’s population. Although there has been an overall trend towards secularization in Britain, the figures also show record numbers of people from non-Christian faiths, such as Islam and Hinduism. The number of British people identifying as Christian dropped from 55 percent to 43 percent between 1983 and 2015. By contrast, non-Christian believers such as Muslims and Hindus quadrupled. COMMENT The collapse of people saying they are Christian in Britain is so very sad. This isn't asking if people go to church (that percentage is tiny) - this is just asking if the person sees themselves as being a Christian. According to a UK Census, between 2001 and 2011 the number of Christians born in Britain fell by 5.3 million - about 10,000 a week. With a continued rate of decline at this level, the number of UK-born Christians would reduce to zero by 2067. The British Social Attitudes Survey (BSAS) indicates that Anglicanism is declining faster than any other major denomination. With the current rate of decline, it would be set to disappear from Britain by 2033. Britain is the isle afar off that heard the word of the Lord but it has now rejected it. There is judgement coming on Tarshish. The rulers no longer follow God and his rules but follow the god of money and wealth. Let us ensure we don’t follow this example. Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. Britain is an “isle afar off” who did “hear the word of the LORD”. Britain was instrumental in bringing about the State of Israel. BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 7:18-19 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.