August 14 - 20, 2016

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s August 14 - 20, 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 August 14 - 20, 2016 • Russian bombers use Iran base for air strikes • Russian cruise missiles target Syria • US sends jets to protect forces from Syrian regime • U.S. transfers nukes from Turkish airbase to Romania • Russian military forces staging near Ukraine • Russia building underground nuclear command posts To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. And I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth, and all thine army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed with all sorts of armour, even a great company with bucklers and shields, all of them handling swords: Persia [Iran], Ethiopia, and Libya with them; • Russian bombers use Iran base for air strikes BBC, August 16, 2016 Russia's defence ministry says it has used a base in western Iran to carry out air strikes in Syria. Tupolev-22M3 long-range bombers and Sukhoi-34 strike fighters took off from Hamedan on Tuesday, a statement said. Targets were hit in Aleppo, Idlib and Deir al-Zour provinces, it added. Local groups said 27 civilians had died. It is reportedly the first time Russia has struck targets inside Syria from a third country since it began a campaign to prop up Syria's president last year. Iran is Bashar al-Assad's main regional ally and has provided significant military and financial support since an uprising against him erupted in 2011. State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Tuesday called the Iranian deployment "unfortunate," saying the United States was looking into whether the move violated U.N. Security Council resolution 2231, which prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. EVENT For the first time Russia has used an Iranian airbase to launch attacks against Syria. This potentially marks a major expansion of Russia’s military presence in the Middle East. Russia’s armed forces are present in two Middle Eastern countries, whereas they previously possessed nothing in the region aside from a small naval base in Syria. The US has accused Russia of violating a UN resolution on Iran. Russia has Russia bristled at those comments on Wednesday and sarcastically told the US State Dept to “check their own logic.” The Bible says that Russia will be allied with Iran at the time of the end. It also says Iran will join Russia in invading Israel. Surely events this week show how we are moving ever closer to this happening… COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:4-5)

6. Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. This multitude of people is the Gogian invasion. • Russian cruise missiles target Syria Reuters, August 19, 2016 Russian warships in the Mediterranean Sea fired cruise missiles at targets near Aleppo on Friday, a further sign of Moscow's broadening military effort in Syria days after it began to fly bombing missions from an airbase in Iran. Russian air power had helped Syrian President Bashar al-Assad make steady advances against rebels seeking to oust him since Moscow's intervention a year ago, but a recent insurgent advance in Aleppo has checked that momentum. Russia's three cruise missile launches were its first against targets in Syria from the Mediterranean, with previous ones made from its Caspian Sea fleet. On Tuesday Russian bombers began flying missions in Syria from Hamedan air base in Iran. Russia's Defence Ministry said the strikes targeted the Islamist militant group Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, until it broke formal ties with al Qaeda last month before playing a big role in the sudden rebel advances in Aleppo. EVENT It’s amazing how much Russia has done militarily over the last 2 weeks. We said in the WWW just before the Olympics began that quite often Russia uses the distraction of the Olympics to start new military campaigns. It has certainly done so this time. We have the first time they have used a base in Iran to launch attacks. Here we have the first time it has launched cruise missiles from the Med. The previous time was from the Caspian Sea. Instead of things calming down the situation in Syria gets ever more fractious. China announced this week that its military were “willing to strengthen cooperation with its Syrian counterparts.” All these events are racing towards the time when Damascus finally ceases to be a city and Syria completely fails as a functioning nation. Into the vacuum that’s left will pour in Russia/ Iran / Turkey etc. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 17:12-13)

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. US sends jets to protect forces from Syrian regime Associated Press, August 19, 2016 The U.S. has twice scrambled fighter aircraft to protect American special operations forces and allies after Syrian government warplane attacks near the north-eastern Syrian city of Hassakeh, officials said Friday. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis said the U.S. has increased combat air patrols in that area and has warned Syria that America will defend coalition troops. He also said he believes this is the first time the U.S. has scrambled aircraft in response to an incident like this involving Syrian government bombings. Davis said a small number of U.S. commandos were in the area Thursday training and advising Syrian Democratic Forces. The Syrian government strikes, he said, “did not directly impact our forces. They were nearby — close enough that it gives us great pause.” The U.S. initially contacted the Russians, and Moscow denied responsibility for the bombings. EVENT COMMENT Yet another first in Syria this week. America almost came into direct conflict with Syrian jets as the US flew in to defend its special forces operating deep within Syria. President Barack Obama has authorized the deployment of up to 300 U.S. special operations forces to Syria to work with the Syrian Democratic Forces. The U.S. aircraft arrived as the two Syrian jets were leaving. The U.S. jets tried to contact the Syrian aircraft but there was no response, an official said. No weapons were fired but the presence of the coalition aircraft “encouraged the Syrian aircraft to depart the airspace without incident,” he said. We can surely see (with all this bombing) how eventually something is going to go badly wrong. Russian, American, Syrian and sometimes Israeli jets are all bombing different people with different objectives. This could lead to the “push” of Daniel 11:40. BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

8. Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. • U.S. transfers nukes from Turkish airbase to Romania Haaretz, August 18, 2016 EVENT The U.S. has started transferring American nuclear weapons stationed at an airbase in southeastern Turkey to Romania, the independent Euractiv website reported on Thursday. The reported move comes after a U.S.-based think tank said on Monday that the stockpile at Incirlik airbase, which consists of some 50 nuclear bombs, was at risk of being captured by "terrorists or other hostile forces." "It's not easy to move 20 plus nukes," a source told Euractiv, adding that the transfer to the Romanian base of Deveselu has posed technical and political challenges. The report noted that the move has especially enraged Russia. The Romanian Foreign Ministry strongly denied that any U.S. nuclear weapons were transferred to Romania. While critics have long been alarmed about the nuclear stockpile at Incirlik airbase, the aftermath of the failed military coup in Turkey on July 15 has sparked renewed fear. COMMENT Critics have long been alarmed about the nuclear stockpile at Incirlik airbase, however the aftermath of the failed military coup in Turkey on July 15 has sparked renewed fear. Incirlik is located just 110 kilometres (70 miles) from the border with Syria and is a major NATO base and a crucial launching pad for the U.S.-led coalition battling ISIS. In an interview in July, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had appeared to suggest Ankara could open up Incirlik to Russia, a move that could raise concern among Turkey's NATO partners already using the base. The Bible says that Turkey will join forces with Russia when it invades Israel. Turkey is Togarmah in Ezekiel 38. We are not expecting Russia to defeat Turkey. We are expecting Russia to be aligned with Turkey. Therefore we can see that this is a significant moment as America begins to withdraw nuclear weapons from Turkey. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:6)

9. Russian military forces staging near Ukraine Washington Free Beacon, August 17, 2016 EVENT The Pentagon has identified eight staging areas in Russia where large numbers of military forces appear to be preparing for incursions into Ukraine, according to U.S. defence officials. As many as 40,000 Russian troops, including tanks, armoured vehicles, and air force units, are now arrayed along Ukraine’s eastern border with Russia. Additionally, large numbers of Russian military forces will conduct exercises in the coming days that Pentagon officials say could be used as cover for an attack on Ukraine. “Russian units will likely practice reinforcing the [Crimean] peninsula through such activities as amphibious landings and air defence exercises, and this may involve the change out of equipment and long convoys of military vehicles,” one defence official said. The military exercises are an ominous sign. Similar large-scale Russian exercises were conducted near Ukraine a month before Moscow carried out the covert military operation to take over the strategic Black Sea peninsula in March 2014. Navy Capt. Danny Hernandez, a spokesman for the U.S. European Command, said “We are extremely concerned about the increased tensions near the administrative boundary between Crimea and the rest of Ukraine. We urge both sides to avoid provocative steps or rhetoric that could escalate the situation.” Mark Schneider, a former Pentagon official, said the troop movements are worrying signs that Moscow may be preparing for war with Ukraine. “There is lot of press in the last week about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine including massing of troops,” said Schneider, now with the National Institute for Public Policy. Putin flew into annexed Crimea on Friday a day after staging war games there, and said he hoped Ukraine would see "common sense”. Conflict between Russia and Europe could be at hand. COMMENT Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. BIBLE QUOTE (Joel 3:9-10)

10. And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.. This plague could be describing the effects of nuclear war…. • Russia building underground nuclear command posts Fox News, August 15, 2016 EVENT Russia is building large numbers of underground nuclear command bunkers in the latest sign Moscow is moving ahead with a major strategic forces modernization program. U.S. intelligence officials said construction has been underway for several years on “dozens” of underground bunkers in Moscow and around the country. Disclosure of the underground command bunkers comes as Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander of U.S. European Command, warned recently that Russia has adopted a nuclear use doctrine he called “alarming.”“It is clear that Russia is modernizing its strategic forces,” Scaparrotti told a conference sponsored by the U.S. Strategic Command. “Russian doctrine states that tactical nuclear weapons may be used in a conventional response scenario,” Scaparrotti said on July 27. “This is alarming and it underscores why our country’s nuclear forces and NATO’s continues to be a vital component of our deterrence.” COMMENT Russia is engaged in a major buildup of strategic nuclear forces, building new missiles, submarines, and bombers. Mark Schneider, a former Pentagon nuclear policy official, said Russia’s new national security strategy, which was made public in December, discusses increasing civil defences against nuclear attack, an indication Moscow is preparing for nuclear war. “Russia is getting ready for a big war which they assume will go nuclear, with them launching the first attacks,” said Schneider, now with the National Institute for Public Policy, a Virginia-based think tank. It is clear Russia is preparing for nuclear war. The Bible indicates there may be nuclear war. A time of trouble is coming. BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 14:12)

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.