August 3 - 9, 2014

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s August 3 - 9, 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 August 3 - 9, 2014 • Israel, Hamas resume fire after 3-day Gaza truce • Russia introduces ban on food imports from EU & US • Nato warns of Russian preparations to invade Ukraine • US carries out airstrike against ISIS in Iraq • Lights go out as UK remembers WWI • WHO declares Ebola epidemic a global emergency 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 out before thee…..They [Israel] will burn up all the neighboring nations right and left This chapter is about the first stage – Israel’s immediate neighbours war against Israel. Psalm 83 details those nations… Israel, Hamas resume fire after 3-day Gaza truce Associated Press, August 8, 2014 EVENT Gaza militants resumed rocket attacks on Israel on Friday, refusing to extend a three-day truce after Egyptian-brokered talks between Israel and Hamas on a new border deal for blockaded Gaza hit a deadlock. Israel responded with a series of airstrikes that killed at least five Palestinians, including three children, Palestinian officials said. Two Israelis were wounded by rocket fire, police said. The renewed violence threw the Cairo talks on a broader deal into doubt. Hamas officials said they are ready to continue talks, but Israel's government spokesman said Israel will not negotiate under fire. Egypt's Foreign Ministry expressed "extreme regret" over the failure to extend the truce, urged restraint by both sides and called for a new cease-fire to resume negotiations. The ministry said progress had been made in the talks, but did not explain. There was just 72 hours of quiet this week during the cease-fire. But Hamas is pushing for some major changes before it gives in to a permanent solution. Hamas wants Israel to open Gaza's borders, following a seven-year closure also enforced by Egypt, but Israel says it will only do so if the Islamic militants disarm or are prevented from re-arming. Hamas has insisted it will never give up its weapons. So we have stalemate. More rockets, more missiles, more death. Where will it end? Well the Bible makes clear there is a war between Israel and some of the people that live round about it. These people mentioned in Psalm 83 include Philistines (Palestinians), people living in Tyre (Hezbollah), people living in tents in Edom (Palestinian refugees living in Jordan), Assyria (the new Islamic State), the Amalekites (people anti Israel living in Israel itself) and so on. The first war against Jerusalem is detailed in Zechariah 12. The second stage is detailed in Zechariah 14. To read more about this please CLICK HERE… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 12:2+6 NLT)

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, Persia = Iran Thee = Gog / Putin Prepare = Get ready for war Russia introduces ban on food imports from EU & US Daily Telegraph, August 7, 2014 EVENT Russia has banned meat, fish, dairy and fruit and vegetable imports from Western countries in the most drastic retaliatory measures taken by the Kremlin to date. The measures, which are a response to sectoral sanctions designed to punish Russia for stoking the on-going civil war in Ukraine, affect all countries to impose sanctions on Russia and could impact up to ten per cent of Russia's food imports. Announcing the ban at a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning, Dmitry Medvedev, the prime minister, said the ban would not apply to children’s food or products bought abroad by private individuals. “Russia imposes a total ban on the import of beef, pork, fruit and vegetables, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, and dairy products from the countries of the European Union, the United States, Australia, Canada, and the kingdom of Norway,” said Mr Medvedev. COMMENT Far from backing down Putin is fighting back. The sanctions Russia has placed this week on Europe have a greater impact than the sanctions that Europe have placed on Russia. But the move has sparked fears of rising food prices as demand for domestic produce rises before new suppliers can be brought in to fill the gap in the market. But Putin doesn’t seem to care. Russia imports £25bn worth of food so it is a big gap to fill. On top of all this Putin has agreed a $20bn (£11.8bn) trade deal this week with Iran that will see Russia sidestep Western sanctions on its energy sector. And so Western sanctions are just driving Russia and Iran closer together. Meanwhile Obama is the leader of a war weary nation and is weak because of that. Europe is both too divided and too dependent on Russia to really push back at Putin. Which all leaves Putin in the driving seat. He will one day change direction and head south to Israel… BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel38:5-7)

7. Son of man, set thy face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: • Nato warns of Russian preparations to invade Ukraine Daily Telegraph, August 6, 2014 Russia is preparing to send troops into eastern Ukraine under the pretext of mounting a humanitarian mission to save separatist rebels, Nato and American officials have warned. The Kremlin has doubled the number of troops on its border with Ukraine to 20,000 and is conducting a week of military exercises. She said Nato was concerned Moscow could use “the pretext of a humanitarian or peace-keeping mission as an excuse to send troops into eastern Ukraine”. Chuck Hagel, the US defence secretary, said the threat of a Russian intervention in Ukraine was now “a reality” after a meeting with his senior US commanders in Stuttgart. “When you see the build-up of Russian troops and the sophistication of those troops, the training of those troops, the heavy military equipment that’s being put along that border, of course it’s a reality, it’s a threat, it’s a possibility – absolutely,” he said. EVENT COMMENT There are reports today that Russian military vehicles have entered Ukraine. The UK and US governments have made a statement warning Russia not to send troops into Ukraine under the pretence of humanitarian assistance. As Time magazine put it this week “Putin the 21st century czar has mastered the dark art of stirring up problems that only he can solve, so that Western leaders find themselves scolding him one minute while pleading with him the next. And yet Putin will evidently keep going as long as each new crisis makes him stronger. Other world leaders try to avoid crises; Putin feasts on them.” The Bible makes absolutely clear that at the time of the end there would exist a Russian leader who would be in the mould of an ancient leader of the Magogites (Scythians) called Gog. The Scythian Empire covered southern Russia and eastern Ukraine. The Scythians were ruthless people headed up by a ruthless man…. he BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:2-3)

8. Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war. They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the Lord and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole country. This chapter has latter day fulfilment. It is about the burden of IRAQ (Babylon) US carries out airstrike against ISIS in Iraq Daily Telegraph, August 8, 2014 President Barack Obama said on Thursday he had authorised "targeted" US airstrikes against Islamic State fighters in northern Iraq and military airdrops of humanitarian supplies to besieged religious minorities there to prevent a "potential act of genocide." Speaking after meetings with his national security team, Mr Obama - in his most significant response to the Iraq crisis - said he approved limited use of American air power to protect American personnel if Islamic State militants advance toward the Kurdish capital Arbil where they are based. The airstrikes would be the first carried out by the US military in Iraq since the withdrawal of its forces at the end of 2011, but Mr Obama insisted he would not commit any ground forces and had no intention of letting the United States get dragged back into a war there. EVENT COMMENT Obama promised to pull troops out of Iraq and to bring to an end America’s military involvement in that country. But the plans of men often come unstuck. America is being dragged back into the abyss which is Iraq. The toppling of Saddam which cost America 4,486 troop deaths has not brought peace. In fact the new Islamic State formerly known as ISIS is far more brutal and more violent that Saddam’s regime was. But there is very little America can do – the US won’t commit ground troops so it is left dropping food parcels to those being murdered and missiles on ISIS convoys. Iraq is spoken about in great detail in Isaiah 13. It speaks of the 2003 war. It speaks of the destruction the followed. It speaks of Iran then being stirred up. It speaks of future cataclysmic destruction coming on Iraq. It even speaks of Saddam and his death! To watch a video about the significance of Babel, Babylon and Baghdad CLICK HERE BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 13:4-5)

9. Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, Lights go out as UK remembers WWI Daily Telegraph, August 4, 2014 Lights across Britain will be switched off for an hour on Monday in a tribute to the dead of World War One inspired by the prophetic observation of then-Foreign Minister Lord Grey on the eve of war 100 years ago. "The lamps are going out all over Europe," Lord Grey said in 1914. "We shall not see them lit again in our lifetime.” Landmarks like Trafalgar Square will go dark from 10pm as people across the country switched off all but a single light in their homes for an hour. The "war to end all wars" spread carnage across Europe, especially northern France and Belgium, killing 17 million soldiers and civilians in 1914-18. One million of the dead were soldiers from Britain and its then empire. Mr Cameron and Prince William, second-in-line to the throne, attended 100th anniversary ceremonies in Scotland and Belgium on Monday. Speaking at an event in Liege, William paid tribute to those who died as he noted that the current fighting in Ukraine showed instability continued to stalk Europe. EVENT Is not interesting that 100 years exactly have gone by since the start of the first world war – but here we are on the brink of the third? Is there significance to 100 years? Numbers are highly significant in the Bible. The number 10 and multiples of 10 eg 10 x 10 (100) or 10 x 10 x 10 (1000) are symbolic of fullness without it reaching its totality. The woman has 10 silver coins and searched until she found the lost coin. There were 100 sheep but one got lost and had to be found. The reign of Christ is 1000 years. All these numbers are to do with fullness or completeness of something. It is possible that the world is reaching its fullness. We know that man’s time is nearly up. We know that God will intervene by sending his Son. We also know that however awful the first world war was it is nothing compared to what is coming. The final judgement for everyone… he COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ephesians 1:9-10)

10. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. • WHO declares Ebola epidemic a global emergency Daily Telegraph, August 1, 2014 Nigeria became the latest country to declare a national emergency over the deadly Ebola virus on Friday, as the World Health Organisation called the epidemic that has claimed nearly 1,000 lives a global health crisis. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the immediate release of 1.9 billion naira ($11.7 million, 8.7 million euros) to fund the fight against the disease as Africa's most populous nation confirmed two more Ebola cases, bringing the total number of infections to nine -- including two deaths. The WHO appealed for international aid to help afflicted countries after a rare meeting of the UN health body's emergency committee, which urged screening of all people flying out of affected countries in west Africa. It stopped short of calling for global travel restrictions, urging airlines to take strict precautions but to continue flying to the west African countries hit by the outbreak. EVENT The Ebola virus continues to spread and so does the fear. The problem now is one of food - the prices are soaring as the markets have been closed and all public gatherings are banned. On Wednesday everyone in Sierra Leone had to stay in their houses. Everyone is very afraid.  In Liberia bodies are being dumped in the streets so that relatives are not identified and taken into isolation. Through ignorance they don’t understand that they are just making matters much worse, as the chances are that they are also infected after coming into contact with an infected corpse. Our brothers and sisters that live in these areas desperately need our prayers. We are surely living at the very time of the end as we see terrible plagues like this. Creation is groaning… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Romans 8:22-23)

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. Please take a look at this excellent Christadelphian Prophecy website Just click the image To watch again, click here.