September 21 - 27, 2014

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s September 21 - 27, 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 September 21 - 27, 2014 • Russia prepares to repel United States on all fronts • Russia will add 80 new warships to Black Sea Fleet • US, Arab allies hit IS strongholds in Syria, Iraq • Britain joins fight against Islamic State Group • Israel downs Syrian fighter jet over Golan Heights • Iran nuclear talks: Rouhani warns time running out To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. thou shalt come into the land …against the mountains of Israel, .. Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee. Russia prepares to repel United States on all fronts Eurasia Daily Monitor, September 26, 2014 EVENT To prepare to meet the external US-led threat, the Russian military is currently carrying out the unprecedentedly massive military exercise Vostok 2014, involving 155,000 men as well as thousands of tanks, jets, naval ships and other heavy equipment. Thousands of reservists were called up. According to Russia’s defence minister, Army-General Sergei Shoigu, Vostok 2014 is the biggest war exercises in the country’s history, larger in size than any war games during the Cold War. Arguably, Vostok 2014 was exclusively a preparation for war with the US. Apparently, the ceasefire in Donbas is seen in the Kremlin as a temporary armistice­essentially one between Moscow and Washington, which are both fighting a war by proxy within Ukraine, as during the Cold War in Vietnam or Afghanistan. This ceasefire is shaky and may collapse, possibly followed by further escalation and the conflict spreading, involving the entire globe. Despite the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, Russia continues to prepare for full scale conflict. Not only in Ukraine but all out war with America. The war games conducted this week are on an enormous scale. Even at the height of the Cold War nothing was seen like this. And these military exercises took place this week. As the report says we could could possibly see conflict spreading and “involving the entire globe.” The Bible talks about Russia preparing. In Ezekiel 38 v 7 it says “be thou prepared and prepare for thyself and all thy company assembled unto thee”. So who is God addressing? see v2. God is addressing Gog. Gog is ruler of Magog, Meshech and Tubal. Russian territory. It is Russian leader Putin who is preparing. But preparing for what? The chapter tells us that he is preparing for war and invasion of Israel…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:7-9)

6. 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. • Russia will add 80 new warships to Black Sea Fleet Reuters, September 23, 2014 Russia will increase its Black Sea fleet with more than 80 new warships by 2020 and will complete a second naval base for the fleet near the city of Novorossiysk by 2016, its commander said on Tuesday. In comments made to President Vladimir Putin as he visited the port city, Vice Admiral Alexander Vitko said a second Black Sea base was needed in addition to the main base on the Crimea peninsula annexed from Ukraine because of NATO expansion. "Eighty ships and other vessels are expected to arrive (in Novorossiysk) before 2020. The Black Sea Fleet will have 206 ships and vessels by 2020," Vitko told Putin. During NATO exercises in western Ukraine earlier this month, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu promised to boost the number of troops in Crimea. Russia plans to spend 21 trillion rubles ($545 billion) by the end of the decade on refurbishing Russia's armed forces. Some of those funds will be used to improve the defense infrastructure of Crimea. EVENT he COMMENT The Bible also talks about Russia invading with “many ships”. We read in Daniel 11v40 of the king of the north (another title of Russia) coming against the king of the south like a whirlwind, with chariots (tanks) and “many ships”. Russia already has a massive fleet. The Guardian newspaper reported a few weeks ago… “Since taking 51 vessels from Ukraine without resistance, Russia now has more warships than America. The U.S. Navy has 283 active vessels, and Russia had 280 warships until last week, when it began taking over Ukrainian vessels stationed in Crimea.” All the events in Ukraine are leading to a preparation for greater conflict. Russia under Putin is trying to restore a Russian empire – restore Russian influence. It will go to any lengths to do this. God foretold all this thousands of years ago…. BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

7. 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? Sheba and Dedan are the same Arab nations in Obama’s roll call. America is a young lion. US, Arab allies hit IS strongholds in Syria, Iraq Associated Press, September 23, 2014 Combined U.S.-Arab airstrikes hit Islamic State military strongholds in Syria and Iraq, and a simultaneous U.S. strike targeted an al-Qaida cell said to be plotting direct assaults on American and other Western interests, the U.S. military said Tuesday. President Barack Obama declared that Arab support for the airstrikes "makes it clear to the world this is not America's fight alone. We're going to do what's necessary to take the fight to this terrorist group, for the security of the country and the regime and for the entire world.” Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, the top American military official, said the U.S. and its Arab allies achieved their aim of showing the extremists that their attacks will not go unanswered. Obama said the U.S. was "proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder" with Arab partners, and he called the roll: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Qatar. EVENT COMMENT Despite his best endeavours Obama has been dragged back into a war in Iraq (and Syria). The Islamic State or ISIS has shocked the world. Six months ago no one had heard of ISIS - now there is a war against them. The shocking brutality of ISIS has galvanised America into action. But what an amazing situation has occurred. As we read the “roll call” of nations who have attacked Syria this week we see the EXACT nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38. These nations correspond to Sheba, Dedan (ancient names for the Arab nations listed) and the young lions (America). These nations are also referred to as “the king of the south” in Daniel 11:40. What we have here is the modern king of the south attacking the ancient king of the north (Syria). This is a prelude to the modern king of the north (Russia) invading the middle east. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:13)

8. 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. Britain joins fight against Islamic State Group Daily Telegraph, September 26, 2014 Britain is poised to join the war against Isil after Parliament overwhelmingly backed air strikes targeting the terrorists in Iraq. David Cameron said there was a “strong case” for extending the air strikes into Syria. He warned that the war against the “psychopathic” Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil) was likely to last for “years”. During an emergency session of Parliament on Friday, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour MPs largely united as they voted 524 to 43 in favor of joining military action in Iraq. The air strikes were supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury, who said the West must offer a “vision of hope” to counter Isil’s “endless darkness”. Last night, six RAF Tornados based in Cyprus were poised to strike targets in Iraq within hours. The military intervention marks the third war in Iraq involving British personnel in the past 25 years. EVENT he COMMENT To complete the roll call here comes Britain. The “old lion” enters the fray with America (young lion) and the Arab nations based SOUTH of Israel. The emergency vote this week in the UK to go to war with ISIS was specifically to attack targets in Iraq only. But David Cameron made clear that Syria is next on the list. Many commentators expect another vote at some point which will bring Britain’s firepower against ISIS targets in Syria. Syria is extremely interesting from a Bible prophecy point of view. We know that Damascus must cease to be a city at some point. We know that Syria itself is the original king of the north. We know that Syria is not mentioned in Ezekiel 38. Therefore something happens to Syria BEFORE Russia invades. The events with ISIS could lead to a wider conflict with Syria in the future. We don’t know exactly how this will come about but there is no doubt what is happening now is highly significant… BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:1-2)

9. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria: they shall be as the glory of the children of Israel, saith the LORD of hosts. And in that day it shall come to pass, that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean. Ephraim = northern Israel • Israel downs Syrian fighter jet over Golan Heights BBC News, September 23, 2014 A Syrian fighter jet which apparently strayed into Israeli-controlled airspace over the occupied Golan Heights has been shot down by Israel. The plane, identified by Israeli sources as a Russian-built Sukhoi, plunged to the ground in flames but the pilot reportedly managed to eject. Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said Israel would respond to threats whether or not "they stemmed from a mistake”. A Syrian activist group said the jet had been bombing an area inside Syria. It is the first time since the 1980s that the Israeli military is known to have shot down a Syrian plane although Syria's civil war has threatened to spill over the border, and Israel has carried out air strikes inside Syria in response to cross-border attacks. Syria said the downing of the plane was an act of aggression, Reuters news agency reported. EVENT This incident reflects how the Golan — captured by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war — is increasingly being drawn into the tensions in war-torn Syria amid the growing reach of Islamist militants who now control more than 90 percent of the Syria-Israel frontier. Ram Shmueli, a brigadier general in the Israeli reserves and a former head of Israel’s air force intelligence, said Israel is facing threats all along its northern borders. “We are very much on alert to all types of drones, jets and airplanes, even civilian airliners like those used during 9/11,” said Shmueli, a fighter pilot for more than 35 years. “Although we are not part of this war, we have to keep the borders safe.” There is conflict coming between Syria and Israel. Isaiah 17 says that when Damascus is destroyed Israel is greatly weakened. That war is coming… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:3-4)

10. 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: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. • Iran nuclear talks: Rouhani warns time running out BBC News, September 27, 2014 A treacherous dealer Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned that time is running out for negotiating a permanent agreement on his country's nuclear programme. He said that talks this week between Iran and six world powers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York had made very slow progress. A deadline for a permanent deal has been set for 24 November. However, Mr Rouhani said he believed that relations between Iran and the US did not have to remain hostile forever. The US, EU and other powers suspect Iran of secretly seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a claim it denies. Talks are focusing on the lifting of Western sanctions on Iran in exchange for a scaling-back of Iran's uranium enrichment programme. An interim deal struck in Geneva late last year froze or capped key elements of Iran's nuclear programme in return for limited relief from sanctions. EVENT Time is definitely running out. The talks with Iran over its nuclear program will not go on forever. The question is - will Iran finally come in from the cold and stop its quest for nuclear weapons? The Bible answer is NO. Iran is mentioned specifically as a nation that invades Israel with Russia. It is part of the northern confederacy. Iran is also mentioned repeatedly in a series of prophecies in Isaiah. The 10 tribulations that come on the world before the day of the Lord comes. These 10 tribulations are mentioned from Isaiah 13 through to Isaiah 23. In Isaiah 21 we have a “treacherous dealer who deals treacherously” Who is this treacherous man? It is a man from Iran! We know this because we are told that Elam and Media are the hostile foe. Elam is south west Iran and Media is central Iran. Iran is acting treacherously. They have no intention of giving up on their No1 conquest – the destruction of Israel…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 21:1-2)

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.