September 6 - 12 , 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: (andy@weeklyworldwatch.co.uk). 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

• Russian military build-up in Syria ‘unprecedented’

• U.S. warns Russia over military support for Assad

• Iranian troops join Russians in Syria fighting

• Putin orders snap military drill of major division

• Sandstorm plaguing Israel is worst in country’s history

September 6 - 12, 2015

• UN approves Palestinian proposal to raise flag

U.S. officials are expressing growing concern about Russia's military build-up in Assad-controlled Syria, calling it "unprecedented" -- with one telling Fox News it compares in scope to Vladimir Putin's incursion into Crimea. "It's beginning to look like Crimyria," the official told Fox News. Two U.S. officials who have reviewed the latest intelligence told Fox News that satellite imagery reveals more flights of massive Russian An-124 "condor" military cargo planes landing in Syria. They are offloading troops, including just under 50 Russian marines, and armoured vehicles. U.S. officials said the Russian activity in Syria is unlike any they've seen since the start of the Syrian civil war four years ago. "This is definitely a build-up straight out of Russia's military doctrine," said one official.

Fox News, September 10, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days,

BIBLEQUOTE

It’s beginning to look like Crimyria! In other words Russia is putting troops into Syria and denying it is doing so - just as Putin did with Crimea. At least three Russian military transport planes have landed in Syria in recent days, US officials said Tuesday.Reuters reported this week that Russian troops have begun participating in combat operations on behalf of the Assad government. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said coordination was needed between Russia's military and the Pentagon to avoid "unintended incidents" around Syria. Russia was conducting pre-planned naval drills in the eastern Mediterranean, he said. Daniel 11 tracks the entire history of the king of the north v king of the south. The ancient king of the north were the Seleucids based in what we now call Syria. The latter day king of the north we find out in Ezekiel 38 is Gog of the land of Magog – Russia. The new king of the north is now militarily assisting the ancient king of the north…

Russian military build-up in Syria ‘unprecedented’

(Ezekiel 38:15-16)

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U.S. warns Russia over military support for Assad

Secretary of State John Kerry told his Russian counterpart on Saturday that the United States was deeply concerned by reports that the Kremlin may be planning to vastly expand its military support for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, warning that such a move might even lead to a “confrontation” with the American-led coalition, the State Department said. Mr. Kerry called Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, “to discuss Syria, including U.S. concerns about reports suggesting an imminent enhanced Russian military build-up there,” the State Department said in an unusually blunt statement. “The secretary made clear that if such reports were accurate, these actions could further escalate the conflict, lead to greater loss of innocent life, increase refugee flows and risk confrontation with the anti-ISIL Coalition operating in Syria,” the State Department added, using an acronym for the Islamic State.

New York Times, September 5, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. The cities of Aroer are forsaken: they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid. The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim, and the kingdom from Damascus, and the remnant of Syria

BIBLEQUOTE

(Isaiah 17:1-3)

On Monday Reuters reported that the United States had asked Greece to deny Russia the use of its airspace for supply flights to Syria. The Greek foreign ministry said the request was being examined. Also this week Bulgaria refused Russian aircraft permission to cross its airspace amid fears that Russia is boosting its military support to Syria. Bulgaria's foreign ministry said it suspected the aircraft were not carrying aid, as Russia claimed. On Tuesday Russia lashed out at Bulgaria saying the move has cast doubts on the nation's independence! All this is creating massive tension between Russia and America. In effect America is trying everything it can to block Russia sending military equipment and soldiers into Syria. We know at some point Damascus ceases to be a city. We know Syria itself is not part of the Gogian invasion of Israel. It

must mean Syria comes to an end as we know it. Events are moving towards that…

Iranian troops join Russians in Syria fighting

Qasem Soleimani, commander of Iran's elite Quds Force, has sent hundreds of ground soldiers into Syria in the past few days apparently in cooperation with Russia's President Vladimir Putin, said a senior Israeli security official Thursday. Russia has also recently deployed military assets into Syria and according to the Israeli source, has teamed up with Iran in an unprecedented attempt to protect the embattled regime of Bashar Assad from falling to rebel groups including the Islamic State. The Israeli source said that Iran's increased military involvement in Syria was "due to Assad's crisis and under Russian-Iranian cooperation as a result of a meeting between Soleimani with Russian President Vladimir Putin," said the Israeli source. The only Iranian force that has operated in Syria so far has been the Basij militia, a paramilitary organization with a relatively small number of fighters. The security official said that Israel has little to worry about Russia's military activity in Syria saying that it is "not directed at Israel. “

Israel National News, September 10, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

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; all of them with shield and helmet:

Iran has granted permission for Russian planes to fly over its territory en route to Syria, Russian news agencies said Wednesday. Russia needed this after Bulgaria refused overflights amid signs of a Russian military build-up in Syria. And so Iran and Russia are working closely together to bypass not only Bulgaria and Greece but more importantly – America. The Bible says that Russia and Iran will invade Israel together. It also says that Russia will protect Iran and guard them.The Syrian crisis has gone on for 4 years and has not abated. We may be reaching a climax of this conflict – one that might well spark Armageddon…

BIBLEQUOTE

(Ezekiel 38:4-5)

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Putin orders snap military drill of major division

Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered a snap military drill of Russian forces headquartered in the country's Central Military District according to a statement by the Russian minister of defence, Sergey Shoygu. "In accordance with the decree relating to troops in the [central] district, part of the air force of other military districts as well as Airborne troops and military transport aircraft have gone on full battle readiness from 09:30 Moscow-time," Shoygu told military officials on Monday. The drill is set to cover practical and theoretical aspects of military preparation and will particularly focus on communication between military command and the air force and airborne troops. "We have to evaluate the capability of the Airborne Forces for long-distance deployments and their readiness for landing on unfamiliar zones" Shoygu added. The drill will last until September 12 and besides the Ministry of Defence, it will test other Russian state services' ability to respond to a war-type scenario including the Ministry of Health and the administrations of four nearby federal regions.

Newsweek, September 7, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel,

BIBLEQUOTE

Russia is preparing for war! This week a snap drill was announced. Incredibly it involved 95,000 personnel, over 7,000 weapons and pieces of military hardware and about 170 aircraft! Russia has dramatically increased the size and frequency of its armed drills since relations between Moscow and the West began to deteriorate over the Ukraine crisis. In May the Russian military called a snap drill of its air force above the Central Military District with 12,000 troops involved.The Bible says the Russia would begin to prepare for war. We are told this clearly in Ezekiel 38. Surely the preparation for war has begun. Russia must prepare if it is to descend like a cloud to cover the land as prophesied….

(Ezekiel 38:7-8)

Sandstorm plaguing Israel is worst in country’s history

The dense sandstorm that has blanketed Israel with a thick yellowish brown dust in recent days is the worst that the Jewish state has ever endured, the Environmental Protection Ministry said Friday. According to the ministry, the current storm, which began Tuesday, and the one experienced in February of this year have seen the highest concentration of dust particles in the air since the creation of the state in 1948, Channel 10 reported. The storm is expected to continue throughout the weekend and begin dissipating Sunday. A sharp rise in temperature on Wednesday added to the already difficult weather conditions, and forecasters on Thursday predicted that the dust, heatwave and high humidity would only taper off Saturday evening.

The Times of Israel, September 11, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

Thou shalt ascend and come like a storm, thou shalt be like a cloud to cover the land, thou, and all thy bands, and many people with thee.BIBLE

QUOTE(Ezekiel 38:9)

On Tuesday, air pollution in Jerusalem was 173 times higher than average; in the Negev, 51 times higher than average; and in the Galilee, 32 times higher than average.This is how one person reported what it was like….Yesterday, in Eretz Yisrael, we all woke up to a strange orange cast to the light in our rooms. I couldn’t believe my eyes, when I pulled back the curtain and looked outside. A sandstorm had drifted in and settled over us. I hoped it wouldn’t last more than 24 hours, but it was still here this morning. The air doesn’t move and it’s dry and hot like an oven and stings a bit on exposed skin. I went into Jerusalem today for my last-minute holiday shopping and my heart just sank at the listless look of all the trees standing still and erect and covered in a grey coat of dirt. All this comes at the very end of the Jewish Year. On Sunday evening a new year begins in Israel. Rosh Hashanah. But a storm is coming...

UN approves Palestinian proposal to raise flag

The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution Thursday allowing the Palestinians and the Holy See to raise their flags at U.N. headquarters — a symbolic step pursued by the Palestinians in their quest for an independent state.Israel strongly objected to the proposal and joined seven other countries, including the United States, in voting "no"; 119 nations voted "yes" and 45 abstained. The resolution allows non-member observer states to raise their flags alongside those of the 193 U.N. member states. The Palestinians and the Vatican are the only two observers, but the Holy See has backed away from the effort, saying it will not raise its flag before Pope Francis visits the U.N. later this month. With Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations stalled and little prospect of a two-state solution emerging, the Palestinians have successfully pursued symbolic recognition as a state at the United Nations.

Associated Press, September 11, 2015

EVENT

COMMENT

I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

BIBLEQUOTE

(Joel 3:2)

As the Jewish year ends the world has decided to recognise Palestine as a nation by flying their flag outside the United Nations building.A flag of course is symbolic but it means so much. Many people have died for their flag and what it represents. As this new Jewish year begins we watch and wait to see if this is THE year. The year when our Lord Jesus returns. So much is on a knife edge in the Middle East. Syria is in turmoil. Iran has acted treacherously by pretending to make peace. Egypt has discovered gas and oil. Russia is starting to prepare to descend into the Middle East. The world’s economy is on the brink with debt levels higher than they were in 2007. The final blood moon appears shortly and the 70 th Jubilee has possibly begun….

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They can register on the sitePLEASE 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.

Weekly World Watch

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