Weekly World Watch: July 5-11, 2009 - Current Events Compared to Bible Prophecy

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s July 5 - 11, 2009 “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) 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). 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 July 5 - 11, 2009 • Obama meets with Pope at Vatican • Pope proposes new financial order • Saudis give nod to Israeli raid on Iran • Barack Obama criticises Kremlin during Moscow visit • Earthquake and riots in China • British scientists create human sperm To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right

5. I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Obama meets with Pope at Vatican Voice of America, July 10, 2009 U.S. President Barack Obama and Pope Benedict have met at the Vatican for wide-ranging talks on international issues as well as human rights. A Vatican statement released after the meeting listed the defence and promotion of human life and the right to freedom of conscience as leading issues. It said their discussions also included immigration, the Middle East peace process, and the global economic crisis and its implications for food security and development aid, especially for Africa and Latin America. Mr. Obama stopped at the Vatican following the summit in Italy of leaders of the world's eight richest countries. At the start of the meeting, the pope was overheard asking Mr. Obama about the G8 summit, which the president called very productive. EVENT The kings of the earth commit fornication with the harlot of Rome. This is what the Bible says in Revelation 17. Fornication is a strong word. Strong’s says it means “to prostitute one’s body to the lust of another”. The Pope is the head of the harlot religion of Rome. Rome is the prostitute. Obama (in this instance) is the one committing fornication. So what does this mean? Obama lusts after the Pope’s influence. The one billion Catholics worldwide and also the influence he has over other world leaders and other religious leaders. So why is Rome out of all religions singled out as the “mother of harlots”. Well it is from Rome that ALL false CHRISTIAN religious systems spawned. Rome sees herself as the head of all Christian religions – they are her daughters. Rome wields enormous political influence with the kings of the earth. Note how he spoke to Obama about Israel and the Palestinians. Rome is influencing the process…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 17:1,2)

6. And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of thefalse prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth to gather them to the battle.. Pope proposes new financial order Daily Telegraph, July 8, 2009 The Pope condemned the "corruption and illegality" of politicians and businesses across the world as he called for a new order based on the common good. In a detailed critique of modern social, economic and environmental problems, delivered on the eve of a summit of the G8 leaders in Italy, Pope Benedict XVI warned that globalisation risked triggering a worldwide crisis. He criticised the UN and said a new organisation "with real teeth" is needed to prevent another financial crisis, bring about peace and reduce the gap between rich and poor. The pontiff also warned ordinary consumers that their everyday choices have moral consequences, and called for greater appreciation of the potential dangers of new developments in technology and medicine. He concluded that progress will only benefit the world if it is based on a "Christian humanism" that takes into account more than profit or self-interest. EVENT This really is an amazing statement from the Pope. He says that progress will only benefit the world if it is based on “Christian humanism”! What on earth is Christian humanism? “Humanism rejects deference to supernatural beliefs in human affairs.” says one dictionary. Ie God does not operate in the affairs of the world. The Pope does not believe God does. He thinks that God has put him in charge to direct the affairs of men. Humanism also believes that it is MAN that can solve his own problems. God is not required. This is precisely what is being talked about in Revelation 16. The unclean spirits like frogs refers to humanist teachings. The false prophet = the Pope. These godless teachings have gone out to the kings / world - to gather them to Armageddon. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 16:13)

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? Saudis give nod to Israeli raid on Iran The Times, July 5, 2009 The head of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran’s nuclear sites. Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad’s director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility. The Israeli press has already carried unconfirmed reports that high-ranking officials, including Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister, held meetings with Saudi colleagues. The reports were denied by Saudi officials. “The Saudis have tacitly agreed to the Israeli air force flying through their airspace on a mission which is supposed to be in the common interests of both Israel and Saudi Arabia,” a diplomatic source said last week. Although the countries have no formal diplomatic relations, an Israeli defence source confirmed that Mossad maintained “working relations” with the Saudis. EVENT Saudi Arabia is an Arab state. We may therefore think that they will be against Israel at the time of the end. With Bible in hand though we find that this is not the case. Saudi Arabia is NOT one of the nations that attacks Israel – in fact it is one of the nations “onside” with Israel and America. We read about Saudi Arabia in Ezekiel 38 where it mentions Sheba and Dedan. Sheba and Dedan cover very similar territory to modern Saudi Arabia. Sheba and Dedan are mentioned with Tarshish (Britain) and the young lions (USA, Australia etc). From a practical point of view Saudi sees Iran as a massive threat to the region and therefore will allow Israel to fly though its airspace to attack Iran. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:13)

8. And both these kings’ hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed Barack Obama criticises Kremlin during Moscow visit Daily Telegraph, July 7, 2009 President Barack Obama courted the anger of his Russian hosts by defending Georgia's right to join Nato and criticising the Kremlin for seeking to dominate its neighbours. He mounted a robust defence of Georgian and Urkainian sovereignty when he delivered the third major foreign policy speech of his presidency at a university graduation ceremony in Moscow. But on the second day of a visit to the city he also sought to reach out to the Russian people. He insisted that a missile defence shield the US is considering building in Europe is not a threat to Russia. Georgia, which Russia invaded last summer, was a recurrent theme of Mr Obama's trip amid growing concerns that the Kremlin could be planning a second military campaign to oust Mikheil Saaksahvili, the country's pro-western president. EVENT COMMENT Obama has had a busy week! Italy at the G8 summit, meeting the Pope and also meeting Mr Putin in Russia. In fact in Bible terms he has met the beast, the dragon and the false prophet in one week! The beast = Western Europe, the dragon = Eastern Europe (Russia), the false prophet = the Pope. Obama himself is the most powerful of the “kings of the earth”. In Moscow, Obama and Medvedev promised to reduce their nuclear weapons. They spoke of leaving behind the rivalry and suspicions of the past. They are all false promises though. As you can see from the article above the fear of each other remains. The promise of a safer world is also a false promise. They have only promised to reduce from 1700 to 1675 deployed nuclear warheads!! BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:27)

9. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. Earthquake and riots in China Daily News, July 6 & 9, 2009 An earthquake rocked southwest China on Thursday evening, injuring at least 336 people and collapsing 10,000 homes, state media said. The magnitude-6.0 temblor centred in Yunnan province’s Yao’an county damaged some 30,000 homes, the Xinhua News Agency said. It said the quake was followed by eight aftershocks. China’s Uighur problem boiled over on Sunday in a wave of violence that left at least 156 people dead and more than 800 people hurt in Xinjiang province’s capital of Urumqui. State TV showed gruesome images of protesters attacking ethnic Chinese, kicking men and women on the ground and leaving them dazed and bloodied. Uighurs have accused the Chinese security forces of overreacting to peaceful demonstrations. EVENT China has been in the news for two different reasons this week. An earthquake and rioting. In the Bible these two aspects are linked. Jesus speaks in Matthew 24 verse 7 of nations rising against nation and kingdom against kingdom. In the same verse we read of earthquakes in divers places. In China we have had rioting this week that has left 184 dead. It has occurred in an autonomous region called Xinjiang. Xinjiang is a nation within a nation. The people are rising up against each other. In the same country in the same week we have an earthquake. Also in the news this week is pestilence – swine flu. The numbers in the UK are reaching epidemic levels and the US has well has over 1,000,000 confirmed cases. The world in which we live is as Jesus said it would be. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Matthew 24:7)

10. Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. British scientists create human sperm Daily Telegraph, July 8, 2009 British scientists have created human sperm using stem cells in a medical first that could revolutionise fertility treatment, they claim. Researchers at the pioneering Northeast England Stem Cell Institute say they have made the breakthrough using stem cells from an embryo. They claim that with some minor changes the sperm could theoretically fertilise an egg to create a child. Within 10 years, the scientists say the technique could also be used to allow infertile couples to have children that are genetically their own. It could even be possible to create sperm from female stem cells, they say, which would ultimately mean a woman having a baby without a man. EVENT Man is becoming too clever. He is tinkering with the building blocks of life that God himself created. The pot is actually trying to become a potter! Isaiah 29:16 speaks of this exact situation. “You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"?” Man IS turning the world upside down. In Genesis we are told that fruit and herbs and grass etc has seed within itself. The same is true of man. We have seed within ourselves. We are able to reproduce. The seed is given by God and it was to enable the population of the whole world with plants, animals and people. But seed is more important than just population. There is some control by God over the seed. Some are fertilised some are not. God we are told is the potter. It is his prerogative to make some pots to honour and some to dishonour. It is NOT for the pot to decide. God will certainly intervene to stop this happening. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Romans 9:21 & Isaiah 64:8)

11. Weekly World Watch The end of this week’s WWW will be e-mailed to you each week. Please forward the e-mail addresses of others who may be interested. I will include them in the list of recipients. Comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome. E-MAIL ANDY Click here (Move the mouse until the cursor appears.) To watch again, click here.