October 30 – November 5, 2016

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s October 30 – November 5, 2016 “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 October 30 – November 5, 2016 • Clinton and Trump offer diverse ME scenarios • If it is Hillary Clinton, then… • If it is Donald Trump, then… • Putin unveils statue of namesake who 'united Russia' • Aleppo braces for Russian assault as deadline passes • Basilica of St. Benedict 'destroyed' in central Italy's latest 6.6-magnitude quake To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men The word basest in the Aramaic can mean lowest or lowliest. Current leaders are the lowest, when Christ return he will be the lowliest. • Clinton and Trump offer diverse ME scenarios Debkafile, November 1, 2016 Whoever is elected US president on Nov. 8, he or she will land in the middle of a foreign policy shambles and face a pressing need to rebuild America’s fences in most parts of the world, including the war-ridden, messy Middle East. The Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival Donald Trump, whose approaches are so different in every respect, will both find it impossible to isolate America from the Middle East. EVENT It seems remarkable that out of 320,000,000 people in America the best two candidates for US president are either Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump! Both candidates are accused of corruption. Hilary with her missing emails and Trump with his shady business practices. The loathing between them is enormous and this permeates through to their followers. But actually most Americans hate both candidates. So it becomes a vote for who you don’t hate the most - not a vote on who you like the most. This election therefore demonstrates the fundamental flaw with democracy. Democracy is predicated on the assumption that people get the answer right. But you can never get the answer right if you vote for a human. This is why God never once advocates the use of democracy (majority voting) in the Bible. In fact more often than not it is the minority that are correct in the Bible events. But what we do know is that God is in control here. It is God that puts in place the rulers of this world and some are the basest of people. We surely have examples here of the basest of people – but one of them is coming to power when the Middle East is on the brink of conflict. Who will it be? COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 4:17)

6. “Then at the time of the end, the king of the south will attack the king of the north. The king of the north will storm out with chariots, charioteers, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood. We still have not seen the king of the south attack (or push) the king of the north. Whoever wins... they might well be the person to do this. • If it is Hillary Clinton, then… Debkafile, November 1, 2016 DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence experts postulate divergent developments in response to the alternative results of the Nov. 8 presidential election, depending on the winner. If it is Hillary Clinton, then – * Russia will deepen its expansion in the region, including in Syria and Iraq. The Russian naval units speeding to the Mediterranean at this moment are part of Moscow’s ramped up deployment in readiness for Clinton’s entry to the White House. * The high tensions expected to prevail between the Kremlin and the Clinton White House may well ignite a limited military conflagration between US and Russian forces in the Middle East. * Clinton will no doubt try to repair the damage to US relations with Israel that piled up during Obama’s term of office. EVENT We thought it might be interesting to look at both Clinton and Trump through the perspective of Bible prophecy. The article above explains what experts think may happen as a result of Clinton winning. These outcomes are very similar to ones predicted by the BBC analysts this week as well. There is a deep distrust between Putin and Clinton. Clinton has run a very anti-Russian campaign. Clinton has talked about being far more active in Syria – hence the analysts thinking there could be limited conflagration between US and Russian forces if she wins. Interestingly they also believe she will try to shore up relations with Israel. Many of these things fit into what the scriptures foretell as happening at the time of the end. We know the king of the south (US) is a foe of the king of the north (Russia). COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40 NLT)

7. and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. We know we are racing towards a time of trouble such as never was. One of these possible candidates may well be president when it starts… If it is Donald Trump, then… Debkafile, November 1, 2016 • If it is Donald Trump, then – • He will go for a US-Russian summit with Vladimir Putin to lay out a new world power order for the distribution of spheres of influence in different world regions, including the Middle East. He may make the summit trilateral by inviting Xi Jinping of China. • The Republican candidate has said repeatedly that he would be glad to leave the war on ISIS in the Middle East to Putin and Tehran. • This policy however will put the Trump administration at odds with the Arab world, the Gulf emirates and Israel • During Trump’s first year as president, the traditional US-Saudi partnership for political, military and economic policies may start crumbling EVENT COMMENT Trump has repeatedly praised Putin as a strong leader and one he can do business with. In fact some of his senior team have business links into Russia. Trump likes Putin’s approach – he talks straight, he acts decisively, he doesn’t care what others think. That is also very much like Donald Trump. The picture painted in the scenario if Trump wins is very different. This is about working with Russia to carve up the world into a place where both superpowers (and China) can live together more peaceably. He is also willing to let Russia do whatever it wants in the Middle East. He would therefore distance himself from current Gulf allies in the region. This is more difficult to see with Bible in hand. The Bible says that the “young lions” (America) and Sheba and Dedan (Gulf states) are allies at the time of the end. But Trump is a maverick and his election could potentially destabilise the world…. BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 12:1)

8. And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: Meshech = area around Moscow Tubal = area around Tubolsk. By unveiling this statue is Putin finally identifying himself with Gog the chief prince of Moscow? • Vladimir Putin unveils statue of medieval namesake who 'united Russian lands' Daily Telegraph, November 4, 2016 EVENT Vladimir Putin has unveiled a giant statue of a tenth century namesake seen as the spiritual founder of both Russia and Ukraine, in a move that is likely to further inflame tensions between the two neighbours. Prince Vladimir the Great ruled Kievan Rus, the forerunner state from which modern Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia emerged, between 980 and 1015. He is revered in all three countries as a founder of eastern Slavic Orthodox civilization. But the new statue in Moscow, which features Prince Vladimir carrying a cross to symbolize his conversion of the nation to Christianity in 988, is controversial both because of its impact on the Moscow skyline and the contemporary confrontation between Russia and Ukraine. Unveiling the 17.5 metre (56 foot) bronze next to the Kremlin walls at a ceremony on Friday, Mr Putin said the prince had been the spiritual founder of the Russian state. COMMENT When Putin unveiled this statue on Thursday he said these words.. “Prince Vladimir went down in history as a unifier and defender of Russian lands, and a far-sighted politician who created the foundations of a strong, unified, centralised state, which eventually united different peoples, languages, cultures and religions into one big family.” Do you think Putin is trying to tell us something? Here is the spiritual founder of Russia called PRINCE VLADIMIR. He created a unified, centralised state. And guess what… Vladimir Putin has been saying for years that this is exactly what he is trying to do. In other words Putin is saying – look back this the original Vladimir and compare the founder of Russia to me. I am the new prince Vladimir on exactly the same mission. This is pretty incredible because the Bible says to Gog (ruler of Russia) – I am a against thee O Gog, chief PRINCE of Meshech and Tubal. Putin is a latter day Prince. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:3)

9. Aleppo braces for Russian assault as deadline passes Daily Telegraph, November 4, 2016 “sorrow on the sea” – Russian ships arrive EVENT The people of east Aleppo are bracing for a full-scale Russian aerial assault after Moscow’s deadline for rebels and civilians to surrender expired on Friday. The Kremlin gave residents of east Aleppo a “last chance” to come out of the besieged enclave by 7pm but as the sun set over the battered city there was no sign of people taking up the offer. Those inside said they now expected Russia and the Syrian regime to resume a heavy bombardment of east Aleppo, where around 275,000 civilians and 8,000 fighters are surrounded by government forces and running out of food and medicine. “The Russian warplanes are going to make it hell for us again,” said Abdulkafi al-Hamdo, an English teacher, told The Telegraph. “They will say they offered to let us leave and because we didn’t it means we are all terrorists and deserve to be killed.” We have watched Aleppo for a long time in the WWW. After identifying the city as Arpad in Jeremiah 49 (which also speaks of the destruction of Damascus) the city took on new significance. We first connected Aleppo to Arpad on 23rd Feb 2012. We wrote this back then… “In Syria’s second largest city Aleppo, students were killed as they protested. Until recently this city had been spared the violence. Remarkably both Homs and Aleppo are mentioned in the Bible by their ancient names of Hamath and Arpad. They are mentioned as being ashamed and fainthearted because of the sorrow of the sea. Damascus at this time is burnt to the ground…” Aleppo was in one piece back in 2012. Now it is a war zone and the epicentre of the conflict. With the Russian ships arriving yesterday we may be about to see the final onslaught. The Bible says this is connected to the final destruction of Damascus. We watch to see. COMMENT Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet. Damascus is waxed feeble, and turneth herself to flee, and fear hath seized on her: anguish and sorrows have taken her, as a woman in travail. Notice the evil tidings heard in Aleppo are connected with “sorrow on the sea”. The Russia ships that have arrived on the sea will bring this sorrow. BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 49:23-24)

10. Why are you so amazed?” the angel asked. “I will tell you the mystery of this woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns on which she sits. The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit[a] and go to eternal destruction Beast = Europe Woman = False religion of Rome • Basilica of St. Benedict 'destroyed' in central Italy's latest 6.6-magnitude quake Daily News, October 30, 2016 EVENT The centuries-old Basilica of St. Benedict in Norcia — already damaged in a spate of strong quakes in central Italy — was "destroyed" early Sunday in the latest and greatest of tremors, its monks said. The monastery was among dozens of building in towns scattered throughout the mountainous region to collapse during the 6.6-magnitude quake that struck around 7:40 a.m., according to reports. Nuns in Norcia prayed as grieved monks of Norcia assessed the historic church “flattened” by the quake. The historic monastery was constructed on the site of St. Benedict’s birth in Norcia. The beer-brewing monks had been rebuilding sections of the basilica that took a structural beating during the deadly 6.2-magnitude Aug. 24 earthquake that killed nearly 300 people in remote mountainous villages during the initial upheaval and dozens of aftershocks. Another tremor shook the community on Oct. 27 and caused a 13th-century Celtic cross attached to the basilica's delicate facade to come “crashing down.” The third earthquake completely destroyed it. Benedict was a monk born in Norcia in Italy in 480AD. He founded 12 communities for monks and wrote down rules for how to live as monk. In 1964 Pope Paul declared that St Benedict to be Patron Saint of Europe. According to the Pope he was “herald of the Christian religion and founder of monastic life in the west.” The monastery of Benedict (built where he was born in Norcia) now lies in ruins. The first earthquake on August 24th damaged it. Another earthquake on Oct 27th caused the cross to come crashing down. The third earthquake Oct 30th destroyed it. He may be the Patron Saint of Europe – but this is also the future for Europe and her false religion…destruction… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Revelation 17:7-8 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.