July 12 - 18, 2015 “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.

July 12 - 18, 2015

“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)

Weekly World Watch

Andy Walton’s

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What is a Weekly World Watch?

• 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.

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.

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.

• Increasing natural disasters: including earthquake, famine etc

The following six themes will appear repeatedly in WWW:

HEADLINE

EVENT

COMMENT

News Photo

The source of the headline and the date are included.

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.

What is in a Weekly World Watch?

BIBLEQUOTE

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)

This is straight from a news report that caught my eye because it looked significant from a Biblical perspective, usually that of prophecy.

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.

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.

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: ([email protected]). Please note that these are personal thoughts and the aim is purely to stimulate Bible study.

This Week’s Developments

To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper rightPRESS SPACE BAR TO CONTINUE

• Greek deal poisons Europe as backlash mounts

• Nuclear deal to boost global security and peace

• Israel and Saudi present united front over Iran deal

• Ayatollah criticises 'arrogance' of the United States

• Russia conducts military exercises near Baltic States

July 12 - 18, 2015

• EU condemns Russia over 'creeping annexation' of Georgia

Greek premier Alexis Tsipras faced a furious backlash from own Syriza party on Monday night after yielding to draconian demands from Europe’s creditor powers, and agreeing to let foreign supervisors to take control of his country.The bitter climb-down clears the way towards an €86bn rescue package and the renewal of emergency liquidity for the Greek banking system, once Greece’s parliament has voted for pension cuts, tax rises and a raft of other measures by Wednesday. This is the first of a series of deadlines as the country is kept on a tight leash.The terms imposed after marathon talks through the night on Sunday are far harsher than those rejected by Greek voters in a landslide referendum a week ago, and risks shattering democratic consent in Greece. It has left Europe bitterly divided along North-South lines of cleavage, severely testing the political cohesion of monetary union.

Daily Telegraph, July 13, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken.

BIBLEQUOTE

Far from uniting Europe the Greek deal has shown its deep divisions. Germany and France were divided on how to tackle this issue. Those division still remain. Greece has about 4 weeks to yet another deadline – this time to negotiate yet another loan to keep them afloat. The International Monetary Fund (the world’s lender of last resort) has fiercely criticised the bailout deal offered to Greece by the Eurozone. It said Greece's public debt was now "highly unsustainable" and urged debt relief on a scale "well beyond what has been under consideration to date". The IMF has made public that it does not believe this deal will work and wants no part of it. None of this bodes well for future bailouts. Greece remains in intensive care and the doctors are arguing about the best treatment. We know that Europe is divided between iron (strength of Rome) and clay (democracy and human rights). The divisions continue even now…

Greek deal poisons Europe as backlash mounts

(Daniel 2:41-42)

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Nuclear deal to boost global security and peace

Joint Statement by EU and Iran: Today is an historic day. It is a great honour for us to announce that we have reached an agreement on the Iranian nuclear issue. With courage, political will, mutual respect and leadership, we delivered on what the world was hoping for: a shared commitment to peace and to join hands in order to make our world safer. This is an historic day also because we are creating the conditions for building trust and opening a new chapter in our relationship. This achievement is the result of a collective effort. No one ever thought it would be easy. Historic decisions never are. But despite all twists and turns of the talks, and the number of extensions, hope and determination enabled us to overcome all the difficult moments. We have always been aware we had a responsibility to our generation and the future ones.

PressTV, July 11, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape!

BIBLEQUOTE

(1 Thessalonians 5:2-3 RSV)

The statement continued…the “full implementation of this Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action will positively contribute to regional and international peace and security.”

A senior Iranian official said “The world can now find a new partner in restoring peace and security of our region.” Iran’s deputy foreign minister said “this agreement will help promote peace and security in the world, including in our region.” President

Obama said “this deal makes our country and the world safer and more secure”.But the fact is we know with Bible in hand that it doesn’t. Iran will not change. They will join Russia in invading Israel. There is another point as well. The Bible talks of a time when people will be saying “peace and security”. When they do sudden destruction will come on them. Could this be the cry of peace and security? We know that when Jesus comes it will be unexpected. People will be buying and selling, eating and drinking. It

will be a normal day. It will be when people are talking about peace and security…

Israel and Saudi present united front over Iran deal

The nuclear deal with Iran caused fury in Israel and consternation around the region at the likely increase in influence and resources of a newly enriched Iran. Most telling was the loudest expression of support. "I am happy that the Islamic Republic of Iran has achieved a great victory by reaching an agreement," President Bashar al-Assad of Syria said in a message to his Iranian opposite number, Hassan Rouhani."In the name of the Syrian people, I congratulate you and the people of Iran on this historic achievement.” Israel and the Sunni Arab world have set aside old grievances to stand together against the West’s engagement with Iran. Saudi officials have previously voiced fears that increasing rapprochement between Washington and Tehran could eventually lead to Iran supplanting Saudi Arabia as America's main ally in the Persian Gulf.

Daily Telegraph,, July 14, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

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? Sheba and Dedan = Saudi Arabia. Part of the opposing force to the Russia/ Iranian invasion. America is weak as it can only ask what Russia is doing!

Israel and Saudi Arabia both see Iran as a huge threat. This deal in effect releases billions of dollars that have been locked away due to sanctions. The fear is that Iran could use this enormous war chest of money to further fund its proxy armies in Syria, Lebanon and Gaza. Israel sees the nuclear deal as actually making it more likely that Iran will one day get the bomb. Saudi Arabia sees its close relationship with America being severely undermined as the US has befriended its greatest enemy. The fact the the Assad regime is so delighted by this deal should ring warning bells to the world.What this deal does is bring Israel and Saudi Arabia closer together. It emboldens Iran and its allies - all of whom are enemies of Israel. Finally it weakens American authority in the region. The 3 elements are all detailed out in the scriptures.

BIBLEQUOTE

(Ezekiel 38:13)

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Ayatollah Ali Khamenei criticises 'arrogance' of the United States following nuclear deal

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, has launched an attack on the United States and its Middle East policies, saying Washington sought Iran's "surrender”. Four days after the signing of a nuclear deal in Geneva – an agreement ten years in the making – Khamenei delivered a fiery speech at a Tehran mosque, punctuated by chants of "Death to America" and "Death to Israel". He said he wanted politicians to examine the agreement to ensure national interests were preserved, as Iran would not allow the disruption of its revolutionary principles or defensive abilities.An arch conservative with the last word on high matters of state, Khamenei repeatedly used the phrase "whether this text is approved or not", implying the accord has yet to win definitive backing from Iran's factionalised political establishment. "Whether the deal is approved or disapproved, we will never stop supporting our friends in the region and the people of Palestine, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon," he said.

Daily Telegraph, July 18, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

See, I am stirring up the Medes [Iranians] against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. Their bows [missiles] will slaughter the young men; they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb; their eyes will not pity children.

BIBLEQUOTE

And so as if to prove that this nuclear deal actually changes nothing in Iran’s mind and that its ideology remains exactly the same we have this report in the news today.The Supreme Leader of Iran says that they will never stop supporting Palestinians, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. These people all have one thing in common. They all want Israel to come to an end. Iran supports terrorist groups in all these areas. The Ayatollah in effect is saying that support for terror groups continues unabated. The Bible is clear the Iran is not motivated by money but by ideology. We also read that God will stir them up and they will use their missiles against other nations. At this time when the world is talking about peace and security we should be even more alert than ever. We may be on the brink of destruction coming. Let’s be awake and not asleep.

(Isaiah 13:17-18)

Russia conducts military exercises near Baltic States

Thousands of Russian paratroopers will participate in military training exercises Thursday in the Pskov Oblast in northwest Russia, a Russian Airborne Force spokesman said. The manoeuvres will unfold just miles away from the Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, all NATO members that have expressed growing concern with Russia’s military activity in the region in recent months.“The main phase of tactical exercises with personnel and combat hardware landing and live firing will be held on July 16-17 near Pskov. Over two days, about 2,000 airborne troops and more than 30 pieces of combat hardware will practice air-dropping from Ilyushin Il-76 planes,” Russian Airborne Force spokesman Yevgeny Meshkov told Russian-owned news agency TASS. The air-drop training will simulate a joint attack between paratroopers and Russian combat vehicles on an enemy’s rear flank. The soldiers will also practice at shooting ranges, Meshkov said.

International Business Times, July 16, 2015

EVENT

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. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: .

BIBLEQUOTE

(Joel 3:9-11)

It’s not just Russia conducting more war games. NATO showed its teeth to Russia this week with an elaborate Baltic training exercise. The mock landing at Ustka, Poland, on Wednesday was the climax of a two-week Nato exercise called Baltops. Forty-nine naval vessels from 17 countries and 5,900 personnel were involved in this major show of strength. This was a dangerous game. One of Russia’s most important naval bases, Kaliningrad, is just over 100 miles to the east, and the Kremlin may view such exercises as a provocation at a time of heightened tension over the Ukraine crisis. In recent days, Russian planes have been buzzing low over Nato ships. The Bible says the gentile nations would awake and prepare for war – WW3 is fast approaching…

EU condemns Russia over 'creeping annexation' of Georgia

The European Union warned of growing tensions on Thursday amid reports that Russia had seized control of part of an international oil pipeline by unilaterally redrawing Georgia's border with a Russian-backed breakaway republic. Georgia says that Russian troops based in South Ossetia moved markers reading “state border” several hundred meters further into Georgian territory on Tuesday, leaving a portion of the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline under Russian control. Georgia has said the move was part of a campaign of “creeping annexation” that has also seen Russia erect new fences on other parts of the de-facto frontier. An EU foreign policy spokesman said the move "had led to tension in the area, with potentially negative effects on the local population, their livelihood and freedom of movement”.

Daily Telegraph, July 16, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

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.

BIBLEQUOTE

(Jeremiah 6:22-23)

Back in 2008 Russia and Georgia fought a five-day war over South Ossetia, a breakaway republic that seceded from Georgia following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The war ended with a total Russian victory, and Georgia has had no control South Ossetia or Abkhazia. These are break-away republics under de-facto Russian protection, since that conflict. The area of Georgia is highly significant. If Russia is going to invade Israel will tanks and soldiers it needs to come down through Georgia. The fact Russia is starting to push south again in this area is very important. It shows that Putin is not content with only pushing into Eastern Europe but also intends to push south as well. They have seen their “success” in capturing territory from Europe- they are emboldened to take more.

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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.

Weekly World Watch

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