July 3 - 9, 2016

1. Weekly World Watch Andy Walton’s July 3 - 9, 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 July 3 - 9, 2016 • Israeli forces strike Syrian military targets in Golan • Russians expelled from US in response to attack • Russia will deploy their only aircraft carrier to the Med • Russia puts lid on Christians sharing faith • Iraq: worst bombing since invasion with 250 deaths • Noah's Ark 'replica' unveiled in Kentucky To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right PRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

5. I will make Jerusalem like an intoxicating drink that makes the nearby nations stagger when they send their armies to besiege Jerusalem and Judah. On that day I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock. Part 1 is a war against Israel by their nearby neighbours. Part 2 is a war led by Russia which is all about spoil. Part 3 (after Jesus has returned) is a war by Rome / Europe against Christ / Saints. • Israeli forces strike Syrian military targets in Golan Press TV, July 4, 2016 Israel says it has hit two Syrian army targets in the Golan Heights in response to what it calls stray fire from the Syrian side. An Israeli military spokeswoman said on Monday that the Tel Aviv regime forces launched strikes against two Syrian army positions in the Golan Heights overnight. She provided no further details about the targets that were struck or the weapons Israeli forces used to attack them. The overnight attack came in response to what Israel called stray fire coming from the Syrian side. There's been no immediate comment from the Syrian government about the latest Israeli aggression. In September last year, Israel launched at least three airstrikes against Syrian army positions in the Golan Heights. Last month, Syrian media reported similar attacks south of the city of Homs. EVENT There are rising military tensions this week around the Golan Heights in South Syria. According to some reports there was a direct Israeli hit of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards HQ in South Syria this week. Israel struck the Syrian Ministry of Finance building near Quneitra, which housed Iranian Guards and Hezbollah regional headquarters. An unknown number of Iranian officers were killed as a result. The map above shows how Israel’s enemies are building up their forces next to the border. There are Syrian, Iranian, Hezbollah and ISIS forces. We know that there will be a war between Israel and it’s surrounding neighbours before Russia invades. This war will remove Israel’s “pricking briers” as the Bible puts it. Then in the so-called peace that comes afterwards Russia invades. We await part 1 of 3 wars against Israel…. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Zechariah 12:2-3 NLT)

6. Then at the time of the end, the king of the south [US / UK] will attack the king of the north [Russia]. The king of the north [Russia] will storm out with chariots, charioteers, and a vast navy. He will invade various lands and sweep through them like a flood. • Two Russian officials expelled from US in response to attack on diplomat in Moscow Daily Telegraph, July 8, 2016 The US has expelled two Russian officials over an attack on a US diplomat in Moscow last month by a policeman, the State Department said. The news comes after complaints from Washington about what it deemed was a mounting campaign of harassment and intimidation of American diplomats and their families in the Russian capital. "On June 17, we expelled two Russian officials from the United States to respond to this attack," department spokesman John Kirby said. He said that, on June 6, a Russian policeman attacked the diplomat entering the US embassy compound after he identified himself. "The action was unprovoked and it endangered the safety of our employee. The Russian claim that the policeman was protecting the embassy from an unidentified individual is simply untrue," Mr Kirby told reporters. EVENT This may seem a small story but it is actually a sign of the underlying tensions between America and Russia. Last month, The Washington Post described a series of actions by Russian security and intelligence services, including following diplomats and their family members, appearing at social functions uninvited and paying for negative media stories. Some diplomats said intruders had broken into their homes at night to rearrange furniture, turn on lights and even defecate on a living room carpet, the newspaper reported, citing officials as saying Russian intelligence officers broke into the US defence attache's Moscow house and killed his dog. Moscow in turn accuses the US of harassing its own diplomats and says it takes reciprocal measures only in response - claims which Washington says are untrue. Whatever the truth we know the Bible says the king of the north will come against the king of the south. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

7. and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood. He will also invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall Russia will deploy their only aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean to support Assad Yahoo, July 7, 2016 Russia's state-run TASS news agency recently announced that Russia's sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, will deploy to the Mediterranean from October 2016 to January 2017 to fly sorties against the enemies of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. "The General Staff has prepared a plan for involvement of the deck aircraft in delivering strikes on terrorist groups in the Syrian Arab Republic, where the crews will practice taking off the carrier to deliver strikes on ground targets," the source told TASS. This deployment will mark only the fifth deployment of the Kuznetsov since it's launch in 1985. All previous deployments only lasted a few months were also in the Mediterranean. Additionally, the Kuznetsov only displaces about 55,000 tons and can support about 30 aircraft. It's ski-jump platform and lack of catapults mean that planes launched from the Kuznetsov have a reduced maximum takeoff weight, and can therefore carry less fuel and strike within shorter ranges, meaning the carrier will have to float closer to the shore. EVENT COMMENT The aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is the biggest ship in the Russian navy and the most visible symbol of the Kremlin's military power. This October, she will travel to the Mediterranean and carry out air strikes in Syria, according to a report from the Moscow-based Tass news agency. As one headline put it this week – “This Russian aircraft carrier is up to something”. One military analyst wrote that carrier operations are highly complex with lethal consequences for mistakes. The Bible says that Russia will send many ships into the region at the time of the end. We can see this preparation taking place now. BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:41)

8. He will destroy powerful leaders and devastate the holy people. He will be a master of deception and will become arrogant; he will destroy many without warning. He will even take on the Prince of princes in battle, but he will be broken, though not by human power. • Russia puts lid on Christians sharing faith WND, July 8, 2016 EVENT A new law in Russia that had prompted Christian groups to call for a day of prayer and fasting before its final adoption has been signed into law and now will restrict even the most innocuous conversations about faith, according to reports. “The new law will require any sharing of the Christian faith – even a casual conversation – to have prior authorization from the state,” reported Barnabas Fund, which aids persecuted Christians worldwide. “This includes something as basic as an emailed invitation for a friend to attend church. Even in a private home, worship and prayer will only be allowed if there are no unbelievers present,” the organization said. “Churches will also be held accountable for the activities of their members. So if, for example, a church member mentions their faith in conversation with a work colleague, not only the church member but also the church itself could be punished, with individuals facing fines of up to 50,000 rubles ($770).” Last Sunday Putin signed into law a new anti-terror bill. But this bill isn’t just about stopping terrorism – it goes much further. It has in fact a huge impact on Protestant Christians living in Russia. The new law requires any sharing of the Christian faith to have prior authorisation of the State. This includes something as basic as an emailed invitation for a friend to attend church. Even in a private home, worship and prayer will only be allowed if there are no unbelievers present. Churches will be held accountable for their members. If a church member mentioned his faith to a work colleague the church would be punished and the individual fined $700!! This is Putin’s true colours. What a terrible situation for brothers and sisters living in Russia. Putin is persecuting the saints. One day he will persecute the Jews and invade their land. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 8:24-25 NLT)

9. Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty is mustering an army for war. They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens— the Lord and the weapons of his wrath— to destroy the whole country. This in its fullest sense this is NOT about ancient Persia. Persia was not a far away land and they did not destroy the whole country. These are latter day events being fulfilled now. • Iraq: worst bombing since invasion with 250 deaths BBC, July 6, 2016 EVENT The death toll from Sunday's suicide bombing in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has risen to 250, the Iraqi government says, making it the deadliest such attack since the 2003 US-led invasion. A lorry packed with explosives was detonated in the Karrada district while families were shopping for the holiday marking the end of Ramadan. So-called Islamic State (IS) has said it carried out the suicide attack. An earlier estimate for the attack had put the toll at 165. Iraq remains under an official state of mourning following the bombing. The destruction of the area was all but complete. Bewildered local residents have held candlelight vigils and prayed for peace. The BBC reporter in Baghdad said the following this week in relation to the bombing.. “Saddam Hussein's regime was harsh, and it could be murderous. He led the country into a series of disastrous wars and brought crippling international sanctions down on their heads. But with the benefit of 13 years of hindsight, the world that existed before 9 April 2003 seems to be a calmer, more secure place. They have not had a proper day of peace since the old regime fell. As for democracy, many I have spoken to believe the hopelessly sectarian political system is broken. At least, they say, law and order existed under Saddam.” These words are true. Not one day of peace. Only terrible loss of life and destruction. Democracy has not worked. But there is much worse yet to come for Iraq. Iraq is home of ancient Babylon and covers the same area the Babylonian empire. Isaiah 13 speaks of the events post 2003. It speaks for nations coming from a far land that destroy the country. That is exactly what has happened. To understand the significance of Iraq and what has recently happened CLICK HERE to watch a video. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 13:4-5 NIV)

10. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. Answer this question using this verse. What did God make in 6 days? To watch a video on creation and how it happened CLICK HERE. • Noah's Ark 'replica' unveiled in Kentucky Daily Telegraph, July 8, 2016 EVENT Nathaniel Jeanson is a Harvard-educated biologist. For the past year, he has been involved in a spectacular $100 million project, designed to educate and astonish the world. His project, however, has left many scientists in despair. For Dr Jeanson is one of the advisers of Ark Encounter – billed as “a life-sized Noah’s Ark.” The 510-ft long boat and its surrounding attractions, unveiled in Kentucky on Thursday, has sparked a wave of protests, but he insisted that, far from being an outrage, the theme park was a gift to humanity. “This is not anti-science,” he said, speaking on the eve of the theme park’s opening. “I would say we embrace all science. He and his Creationist colleagues believe that the Bible is a book of historic record. They argue that Genesis tells a factual story explaining that the Earth is only a few thousand years old, that man and dinosaur co-existed, and that Noah built an ark to save animals from a flood. Dr Nathaniel Jeanson has a PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology from Harvard University. He is being pilloried because he believes in the literal creation account in Genesis. i.e God created everything in 6 literal days. The earth then is only about 6000 years old. Scientists say – “this cannot be true! Look at the evidence.” However think about this. Suppose a scientist was asked how old Adam was in the garden of Eden?. The scientist would say about 30. But of course Adam wasn’t aged 30. He was only just created. He was one day old but looked like a man. Same goes for the trees, the rocks, the light from the stars. Everything looked mature and old. But just like Adam it was only days old. The same scoffers also scoff at the truth about Noah. They say it cannot have happened. It did happen. CLICK HERE to watch a video on how it did. COMMENT BIBLE QUOTE (Exodus 20:11 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. Please take a look at this excellent Christadelphian Prophecy website Just click the image To watch again, click here.