July 13 - 19, 2014

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s July 13 - 19, 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 July 13 - 19, 2014 • Israel orders ground offensive to begin against Hamas • Gaza deaths top 300 as UN's Ban head to region • UK / US implicate Russia in Flight MH17 missile attack • Pentagon: 12,000 Russian troops on Ukraine border • Islamic State kills 270 in Syrian gas field 'massacre' • Oil price remains high on global turmoil To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. Now the Philistines fought against Israel: and the men of Israel fled from before the Philistines, and fell down slain in mount Gilboa…. And the battle went sore against Saul, and the archers hit him; and he was sore wounded of the archers. Saul did not put his trust in God and therefore God allowed the Philistines to beat Israel. Israel orders ground offensive to begin against Hamas Daily Telegraph, July 17, 2014 EVENT Gaza reverberated with explosions tonight and tracer rounds streaked across the shore as Israel launched a long-feared ground invasion of the Palestinian territory. After the deaths of 236 Palestinians and one Israeli, Operation Protective Edge escalated into a ground campaign on its tenth day. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, said the mission was to destroy underground tunnels from Gaza into Israel. "Operation Protective Edge will continue until it achieves its objective – to restore quiet and safety to Israelis for a long time to come, while significantly harming the infrastructure of Hamas and other terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip," the Israeli government said in a statement. COMMENT After 10 days of conflict Israel finally decided this week to launch a ground invasion of Gaza. The first time in 5 years. But this is a dangerous step for Israel. Already one solider has been killed. The real difficulty Israel has is that Hamas has buried its core infrastructure deep under the crowded city of Gaza itself. Israel expected Hamas to be deterred and seek a peace agreement as it saw the colossal damage on its buildings. But Hamas couldn’t care less about buildings. A cheque for £25m from Iran and they could rebuild them all in a year. Israel is moving very slowly into Gaza hoping that it will give Hamas time to come to their senses. But Hamas are driven by extreme ideology. They want Israel to be destroyed. Their aim is to get world opinion to turn against Israel by provoking a reaction. The Palestinians occupy the very same land as the ancient Palestinians. The Palestinians were a thorn in the side to ancient Israel. In the readings this week we read about the conflict in ancient times between these two peoples. BIBLE QUOTE (1 Samuel 31:1+3)

6. Don’t you see that your arrogant enemies are rising up? Come,” they say, “let us wipe out Israel as a nation. We will destroy the very memory of its existence.” Yes, this was their unanimous decision. They signed a treaty as allies against you—Edomites and Ishmaelites; Moabites and Hagrites; Gebalites, Ammonites, and Amalekites; and people from Philistia and Tyre Gaza deaths top 300 as UN's Ban head to region Daily Telegraph, July 19, 2014 EVENT Fresh Israeli air strikes killed 10 people in Gaza on Saturday, hiking the death toll above 300 as UN chief Ban Ki-moon headed to the region to bolster truce efforts. The new peace push came as Israel's campaign against the besieged Palestinian territory entered day 12 in the bloodiest conflict for several years, and the Jewish state stood poised to intensify a ground operation inside the Strip. US President Barack Obama has supported Israel's right to defend itself against Gaza rocket fire, but urged it to work harder to avoid innocent deaths in an operation with a high civilian toll, including many women and children. In the face of Israel's land, sea and air offensive, Islamist movement Hamas, which is the main power in Gaza, has remained defiant as Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas travelled to Egypt and Turkey for truce talks. COMMENT Ban Ki-moon the UN chief is heading to the Middle East to desperately try and get a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinians. The trouble with the current situation is that there is no one able to really influence Hamas and no one really willing to push Israel. Egypt in past conflicts has played a key role. But following the revolutions in Egypt over the last few years everything has changed. The Muslim Brotherhood were voted into power following the fall of Hosni Mubarak. The Muslim Brotherhood were affiliated to Hamas. But then there was another revolution and the military removed the Muslim Brotherhood from power. Since then members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been jailed or even sentenced to death. So the current Egyptian government is in effect persecuting the friends of Hamas! So how can Egypt negotiate a ceasefire? Answer is - they can’t. So how will this conflict be brought to a conclusion? There is a possibility it will continue to spiral out of control – sucking in Hezbollah and Syria in the process… BIBLE QUOTE (Psalm 83:3-7)

7. 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. There is a massive provocation going to come from UK/US against Russia • Britain and America implicate Russia in Flight MH17 missile attack Daily Telegraph, July 18, 2014 Britain and America have implicated Russia in the “unspeakable” missile attack on Flight MH17 as diplomatic relations reached their lowest point since the Cold War. Barack Obama, the US president, described the deaths of nearly 300 people as an “outrage” as he issued a stark warning to Vladimir Putin, his Russian counterpart, for supporting the separatists who are thought to have fired the missile. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, said it was an “appalling, shocking, horrific” incident and added that “those responsible must be held to account”. Both leaders called for Mr Putin to allow the crash site to be “properly investigated” amid reports that armed separatists were denying investigators access. On a day of fast-moving developments and growing recriminations between the East and the West: EVENT he COMMENT Things are getting out of control. Russia has supplied powerful weapons to the rebels in eastern Ukraine. It is believed that BUK missile system destroyed the passenger jet killing 300 innocent people this week. The BUK missile launcher is Russian made and looks like a large tank. You certainly couldn’t just buy one of these on the black market. Russia must have supplied it to the rebels. In fact there are pictures of a BUK missile launcher driving around eastern Ukraine over the last few weeks. The shooting down of this plane suddenly changes things. Many nationalities were killed including British and American. Apparently Putin has been refusing to accept calls from David Cameron. America is now considering even greater sanctions. Meanwhile Russia blames the Ukrainian government for these unfolding events. This shocking event undoubtedly will bring to breaking point the relations between Russia and America. The king of the north (Russia) and the king of the south (UK/US) are pushing at each other… BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

8. Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. Again in the readings this week – a prophecy about Russia coming down.. ” Pentagon: 12,000 Russian troops on Ukraine border Washington Free Beacon, July 16, 2014 The Pentagon estimates that up to 12,000 Russian troops are on the country’s border with Ukraine as it continues to deliver heavy weapons to separatist forces within Ukraine, according to Politico Pro. Russia is building up its combat forces once again along its border with Ukraine and is continuing its deliveries of heavy weapons to pro-Russian fighters there, the Pentagon said today. Defence Department spokesman Col. Steve Warren said the Pentagon estimates there are 10,000 to 12,000 combat troops inside Russia’s border, representing a “variety of forces” including infantry and mechanized units. The presence is smaller than the roughly 40,000 troops that were on the border earlier in the crisis, but is a spike from the roughly 1,000 troops that were there only a few weeks ago. EVENT COMMENT On Wednesday night, the United States announced a new round of sanctions on Russia. While previous sanctions had largely been aimed at individuals with links to Russian President Vladimir Putin, these new sanctions took aim at key areas of the Russian economy. Europe has also announced new sanctions on new investments into Russia but is not going as far as America. The White House hauled in all 28 European ambassadors this week to urge a more robust approach, but fears over potential Russian retaliation, particularly from Italy and France, are understood to have prevented any agreement to move on so-called "level-3" sanctions that would hit entire sectors of Russia's economy. With Bible in hand we can see events building up to enable Daniel 11 and Ezekiel 38 to take place. Russia aggressive, anti West, empire building. The West (especially US) weaker and unable to counter a resurgent Russia. BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 6:22-23)

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. Islamic State kills 270 in Syrian gas field 'massacre' Daily Telegraph, July 19, 2014 Jihadists have killed 270 Syrian regime fighters, civilian security guards and employees since seizing a gas field in Homs province, a monitoring group said Friday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described Thursday's takeover of the Shaar field as "the biggest" anti-regime operation by the Islamic State (IS) since it emerged in the Syrian conflict last year. The watchdog, updating an earlier toll of 115, said it had documented "the death of 270 people killed in the fighting or executed" since Thursday. "A large majority of the men killed were executed at gunpoint after being taken prisoner following the takeover of the camp," said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. Gruesome footage apparently recorded by the jihadists at the gas field and distributed via YouTube showed dozens of bodies, some of them mutilated, strewn across a desert landscape. One video shows a jihadist posing with the bodies. EVENT he COMMENT The new Islamic State continues to wreak havoc and cause terror and slaughter. The territory they now cover corresponds accurately with the ancient Assyrians who were based in Nineveh. The Islamic State is based in the region of Nineveh in Iraq. The ancient Assyrians brought to an end the northern kingdom of Israel. It is possible that this new Islamic State will also help bring destruction to northern Israel. We read in Psalm 83 how Assyria helps the people that surround Israel in their aim of destroying Israel. We know that Israel will not be destroyed. But we also know that before the Russian invasion there is an initial war that Israel will win - but will be left in a weakened position. We know this because Isaiah 17 speaks of Ephraim (symbolic of northern Israel) is left without a fortress and Jacob’s (Israel’s) flesh is made thin. Eg no strength. Israel will be in no fit state to take on Russia when Russia descends. BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:3-4)

10. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. God is known in her palaces for a refuge. For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together. They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away. Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail. • Oil price remains high on global turmoil Associated Press, July 18, 2014 Concern that conflicts and rising tensions in the Ukraine and the Middle East could disrupt supplies sent oil prices higher this week. "Developments during the past couple of days have added to a long list of geopolitical hot spots," wrote energy analyst Jim Ritterbusch in a note to clients, which he says "will force the oil complex to maintain significant amount of risk premium.” The Obama Administration announced increased sanctions on Russia Wednesday, including against Russia's largest oil company, over Russia's support of rebels in Ukraine. Then a Malaysian Airlines passenger plane was shot down over Ukraine Thursday, raising concerns that a wider conflict or further sanctions could disrupt supplies from Russia, the world's biggest crude exporter outside of OPEC. And later Thursday Israel launched a ground offensive into Gaza, intensifying turmoil in the Middle East, the world's most important oil-producing region.. EVENT This article by the Associated Press says it all. What an incredible week of events. Over the last few weeks we have gone from Iraq being headline news with ISIS and the new Islamic State. Then to Israel and the sudden conflict with Hamas. Then to Ukraine sanctions from America. Then a shooting down of a passenger jet. Then to threats of more sanctions against Russia. Then back to Israel with a ground invasion. Then to ISIS taking over parts of northern Syria! We are surely seeing the contractions coming ever thicker and faster. There is crisis now in Europe, Iraq, Syria, Israel. Russia is becoming ever more aggressive and America ever more uncertain as to how to respond. It cannot be long now before all these events reach their long awaited conclusion. The final judgement of the world and the return of Jesus Christ to the earth…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Psalm 48:2-6)

11. 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.