1. January 10 – 16, 2010 “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 To skip the introductory slides and go straight to this weeks developments click here.

2. 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.clicking here 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:

3. 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? BIBLE QUOTE 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).

4. This Week’s Developments To print any of the event slides that follow, click the picture on the upper right Haiti says 200,000 may be dead, violence breaks out Haiti earthquake – comment (did God do it?) Massive biological attack drill begins Catholic bishops criticize Israel on Palestinians Russia and Turkey consider strategic partnership January 10 – 16, 2010 Eclipse plunges Africa, Asia into darkness

5. Haiti says 200,000 may be dead, violence breaks out As many as 200,000 people died in the earthquake that devastated Haiti and three- quarters of the capital, Port-au-Prince, will need to be rebuilt, authorities in the Caribbean country said on Friday. "We have already collected around 50,000 dead bodies. We anticipate there will be between 100,000 and 200,000 dead in total, although we will never know the exact number," Interior Minister Paul Antoine Bien-Aime told Reuters. Some 40,000 bodies had been buried in mass graves, Secretary of State for Public Safety Aramick Louis said. If the casualty figures turn out to be accurate, the 7.0 magnitude quake that hit impoverished Haiti on Tuesday would be one of the 10 deadliest earthquakes ever recorded. Country profile: Haiti (from the BBC website) Decades of poverty, environmental degradation, violence, instability and dictatorship have left it as the poorest nation in the Americas. A mostly mountainous country with a tropical climate, Haiti's location, history and culture - epitomised by voodoo - once made it a potential tourist hot spot, but instability and violence, especially since the 1980s, have severely dented that prospect. But Haiti is still plagued by violent confrontations between rival gangs and political groups and the UN has described the human rights situation as "catastrophic". Furthermore, the infrastructure has all but collapsed and drug trafficking has corrupted the judicial system and the police. Despite the suspicions of other religions, and despite its reputation for black magic, voodoo is ever more deeply rooted in this Caribbean country of some eight million people. As the Catholic missionary John Hoet admits: 'Haitians may be 95% Catholic, but they are 100% voodoo." Throughout the month of July there are voodoo ceremonies and pilgrimages all over Haiti. Many practice the religion of voodoo alongside Roman Catholic observances. Reuters, January 15, 2010 EVENT

6. Haiti says 200,000 may be dead, violence breaks out Of course we are upset by the destruction that we see in Haiti. But the question is this – was God behind it? Did he make it happen specifically. If he did it is a sign to us of the last days. If he just looked on as a spectator then it is purely a random event. Many religious leaders in the UK have said the following “God in no way was responsible for the earthquake in Haiti.” “God is love and would never do such a thing” However, we look at the words of Jesus describing the world when he returns. “And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences” Luke 21:11 Is Jesus just telling us about events that would happen by chance or is he telling us that God is in control of events and this is how he knows what will happen? We know in the final time of trouble the earth will be shaken like a drunkard and every wall in all the world will fall. Ezekiel 38:20. We know that when this final judgment happens “few men” will be left “the inhabitants of the earth are burned”. Isaiah 24:6. Does God create the final earthquake? Does God shake the world deliberately? The answer must be YES. Is there evidence God has created earthquakes before? YES. So this earthquake is a sign to us that God is in control. That he caused it. That His judgments are coming. In effect Haiti is a tiny picture and a sign of what is to come and ALL the inhabitants of the world should take great heed and repent. See Acts 17:30-31 So if God caused the earthquake he must have deliberately picked Haiti. We see in Haiti (known as the island of the damned) a place of almost total false worship. The island is renowned for its almost 100% indulgence in voodoo mixed in with the religion of Rome. It is renowned for violence and corruption. False religion, violence and corruption were the very things that grieved God enough to destroy the earth with a flood. Do you not think there were young children and babies then? Were there not in Sodom? But God destroyed them all. God’s judgments are true and righteous. Repent! Reuters, January 15, 2010 COMMENT The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left. BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 24:5,6)

7. Massive biological attack drill begins Days after an acid attack in downtown Hong Kong, and in preparation for a non-conventional attack on Israel, the National Emergency Authority will hold the largest-ever exercise to train security forces how to respond to a citywide biological attack. The drill will begin Wednesday with the arrival at hospitals throughout the centre of the country of dozens of people with a variety of symptoms. The hospitals - including Ichilov, Tel Hashomer and Wolfson - will not know who the impersonators are and will have to work to identify them as well as the cause of their symptoms. The scenario is a biological terror attack. The IDF Home Front Command will work to clear the infected area together with the Israel Police and Magen David Adom. Defence officials said Tuesday that Israel needs to be prepared for a biological attack. Jerusalem Post, January 13, 2010 EVENT COMMENT The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. The words of a faithful leader of Israel BIBLE QUOTE (2 Samuel 2:2,3) It is almost as if Israel knows for certain that terror and destruction is coming on them. They prepare for it more than any other nation. Which other nation has a nationwide biological attack drill on a yearly basis?? Israel believe that their weapons, aircraft, missiles, nuclear bombs, gas masks etc will be enough to save them. Their trust and reliance is on these things NOT God. They have returned in unbelief. It will take God (who will use the armies of the world) to bring Israel to their knees. He will then intervene and send his Son – Jesus. At this point in time, when Israel thinks all hope is lost, that they will finally look on Him whom they pierced and mourn. Zechariah 12:10. As we reported last week – Israel’s false sense of confidence (betach) will be their undoing. Let US ensure we put OUR trust and faith in God and not our own defences.

8. Catholic bishops criticize Israel on Palestinians A high-level delegation of Roman Catholic bishops from North America and Europe has criticized Israeli polices in east Jerusalem and called for more contacts between ordinary Israelis and Palestinians. The group said violence, insecurity, home demolitions, the route of Israel's West Bank separation barrier and other policies threaten peace prospects. The group issued a statement at the end of its annual visit to Jerusalem on Thursday. It said Israel's policies also endanger the dwindling Christian presence in the Holy Land. The bishops called for the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel and said a lack of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians undermines the hopes for peace. Israel National News, January 14, 2010 EVENT COMMENT I beheld, and the same horn [Papacy / Pope] made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 7:21:22) There is growing tension between Israel and the Catholic Church. Rome is becoming increasingly assertive over Jerusalem and its status. As reported last week, Israel is building new homes in east Jerusalem. America asked Israel to stop and they have totally refused. This week Catholic bishops wade in to the argument by heavily criticising Israel. Tomorrow (Sunday) the Pope is supposed to visit the main Jewish synagogue in Rome. The Jewish press report that the Pope “struggles to mend frayed ties with the Jewish community angered over moves to make World War II-era pope Pius XII a saint.” Many Jews believe that Pope Pius XII assisted Hitler by legitimizing his regime. With Bible in hand we know that Rome persecutes the saints until the “ancient of days”. We see the harlot religion prepare to make her final stand against Christ and the saints.

9. Russia and Turkey consider strategic partnership Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, who has come to Russia on a two-day visit, will meet with President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Thursday to sign agreements on multifaceted privileged partnership, also described as strategic partnership. The latter implies political cooperation and even regular ministerial meetings. The question of which of the two countries needs oil and gas pipeline friendship more is no longer on the agenda. Everything has become so mixed up in this area that it is very difficult to say where the pipes end and policy begins. Russia will now have two major energy partners, Germany in the north (Nord Stream) and Turkey in the south (South Stream). No wonder Europe becomes jittery every time Turkish president or prime minister goes to Russia, or their Russian counterparts visit Turkey. Europe assumes that Turkey is leaning increasingly toward Russia and fears that this may revive Russia's "imperial ambitions." Rianovosti, January 13, 2010 EVENT COMMENT Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee. Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company… BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 38:6) Russia is getting increasingly closer to Turkey. At the very same time Turkey is moving increasingly further away from Israel. A massive row between Israel and Turkey erupted this week. Israel publicly humiliated the Turkish ambassador because Turkey has being showing a TV series that depict Israeli agents as baby snatchers. Turkey then threatened to withdraw its ambassador and Israel apologised to try to defuse the situation. The Bible says in fact that Turkey IS with Russia when it invades Israel. In Ezekiel 38 Togarmah is in fact modern day Turkey. The countries continue to line up as God said.

10. ‘Blazing ring' eclipse plunges Africa, Asia into darkness A solar eclipse that reduced the sun to a blazing ring surrounding a sombre disk plunged millions of people in Africa and Asia into semi-darkness on Friday. The spectacle, visible in a roughly 185-mile band running 8,060 miles across the globe, set a record for the longest annular eclipse that will remain unbeaten for more than a thousand years. In India, where the eclipse was visible from the southern-most tip, astronomers and curious spectators watched in awe, using sunglasses and even ultra-dark welding masks as day turned into darkness. The maximum duration of "annularity" - the time the moon is in front of the sun -- was 11 minutes, eight seconds at 706 GMT, making it "the longest annular eclipse of the 3rd Millennium," according to Nasa. Only on December 23, 3043 will this record be beaten, Nasa said. Daily Telegraph, January 15, 2010 EVENT COMMENT Thus saith the LORD, which giveth … the ordinances of the moon … for a light by night,..: If those ordinances depart from before me, saith the LORD, then the seed of Israel also shall cease from being a nation before me for ever. BIBLE QUOTE (Jeremiah 31:35,36) There are a number of things of interest here. Firstly - this is the longest solar eclipse of the 3 rd millennium! The moon went dark for the longest period of time in the next 1000 years. Joel 2:10 tells us “the moon shall be dark”. We know that the sun, moon and stars are symbolic but as God puts the heavenly bodies in the sky for “signs” (see Genesis 1:14) this IS a sign. Secondly – we have had confirmation that God continues to consider Israel as his people. We know this because of the eclipse. In the verses below we read that God has given the moon “ordinances”. This means limits or enactments. In other words a track to run on. Nasa can tells us the precise, year, month, day, hour, second when the next longest eclipse will occur! God says if you can do that – Israel remain his people.

11. E-MAIL ANDY Click here (Move the mouse until the cursor appears.) To watch again, click here. WWW will be e-mailed to you each week. Please forward the e-mail addresses of others who may be interested. I will include them in the list of recipients. Comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome. Weekly World Watch The end of this week’s