1. September 14 - 20, 2008 “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 PM: 'Greater Israel' concept over Russia threatens to seize swathe of Arctic Russia defies West with new arms spending Abbas welcomes Livni's Kadima victory Bush: I had to act to avoid economic disaster September 14 - 20, 2008 Ike wreaks devastation on US

5. PM: 'Greater Israel' concept over These are astounding words from Ehud Olmert and it is a view shared by his party Kadima and many in Israel. What Olmert calls “Greater Israel” is what God calls “the land”. “The land” is described in detail by God in Numbers 34 (which has its eastern border as the Jordan river). Olmert is saying that the Jewish nation must relinquish the West Bank. At the meeting mentioned above they discussed compensation for “settlers” living in the West Bank. A bribe in effect to persuade Jews to move out of the West Bank and move behind the “fence” that Israel has built. Olmert also went on to say that Israel is the strongest nation in the region “no entity can overcome us!” Olmert is wrong on all counts. “The land” is the LORD’s and HE has given it to the Jews. In their godless arrogance HE is the entity that will overcome them. The concept of 'Greater Israel' concept is over, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the weekly cabinet meeting, during which Vice Premier Haim Ramon's evacuation-compensation bill was discussed on Sunday. "'Greater Israel' is finished. There is no such thing as that anymore. Whoever talks in those terms is only deluding himself," said the prime minister. Olmert admitted that he had changed his mind on the subject. "I admit that I didn't always have this opinion. I thought and I also said to [Defence Minister] Ehud Barak that the concessions he offered at Camp David were exaggerated. I believed that the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean was all ours since in every place there which is excavated, there is evidence of Jewish History. But finally, after a lot of suffering and misgivings, I came to the conclusion that we need to share the land... if we don't want to become a bi-national state.” Jerusalem Post, September 14, 2008 EVENT COMMENT Son of man, when the house of Israel dwelt in their own land, they defiled it by their own way and by their doings: their way was before me as the uncleanness of a removed woman. Wherefore I poured my fury upon them.. BIBLE QUOTE (Ezekiel 36:17-18)

6. Russia threatens to seize swathe of Arctic We reported in the WWW, August 2007, that a Russian mini-submarine carrying politicians and scientists plunged to the depths of the Arctic and claimed to plant a Russian flag to mark Moscow's stake in the territory. During this week Russia’s leaders have made a number of statements designed to rile the West despite turmoil on its markets after its war with Georgia. The Bible makes clear that Russia is a latter day “king of the north”. It is called this because it is north of Israel. It is interesting that Russia in these last days is actually claiming the literal north! Britain which is part of the latter day “king of the south” is making a similar claim to Russia – not in the north but in the SOUTH Atlantic! On the 27 th August 2008, Britain formerly presented its case to extend its territorial rights around Ascension Island! President Dmitry Medvedev said that Russia should unilaterally claim part of the Arctic, stepping up the race for the disputed energy-rich region. "We must finalise and adopt a federal law on the southern border of Russia's Arctic zone," Mr Medvedev told a meeting of the Security Council, in remarks carried by Interfax news agency. "This is our responsibility, and simply our direct duty, to our descendents," he said. "We must surely, and for the long-term future, secure Russia's interests in the Arctic." Global warming has stepped up the fight for the disputed Arctic, believed to be laden with vast reserves of oil and gas. Russia has pitted itself against Canada, Denmark, Norway and the United States to fight for a greater part of the region, arguing that most of it is Russian territory since an underwater ridge links Siberia to the North Pole's seabed. Daily Telegraph, September 18, 2008 EVENT COMMENT 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 BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

7. 1. Russia defies West with new arms spending 2. Russia warns of new Iron Curtain The world’s attention has been focussed on the financial crisis this week but again (little reported or perhaps noticed) is the continuing friction between Russia and America. On Tuesday the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Russia was becoming increasingly aggressive abroad. In a strongly-worded speech, Ms Rice said Moscow was on a "one-way path to isolation and irrelevance". The next day came the statements from Russia concerning new arms spending, warnings of a new Iron Curtain and its claim of the Arctic! Russia’s increase in military spending is huge. An extra 25% next year alone. Only America will have a bigger military spend in a few years time. The Bible speaks of Russia being militaristic. In Daniel 11:38 it speaks of the king of the north “honouring the God of forces”. Ezekiel 38:15 speaks of Gog having “a mighty army”. Notice as well that Medvedev speaks of the West PUSHING Russia. “We are in effect being PUSHED down a path”, he said. Again the Bible uses the same language in the verse below. Medvedev is almost quoting Daniel 11:40! 1. Both Mr Medvedev and Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, resorted to the language of the Cold War as they pledged to increase defence spending by 50 per cent over the next three years. 2. President Dmitri Medvedev has accused the West of trying to push Russia behind a new "Iron Curtain". "We are in effect being pushed down a path that is founded not on fully-fledged, civilised partnership with other countries, but on autonomous development, behind thick walls, behind an Iron Curtain," President Medvedev said. Daily Telegraph / BBC online, September 19/20, 2008 EVENT COMMENT 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 BIBLE QUOTE (Daniel 11:40)

8. Abbas welcomes Livni's Kadima victory Palestinian Authority officials on Thursday welcomed the election of Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni as chairwoman of Kadima and said they were looking forward to working with her to advance the peace process. The officials said that PA President Mahmoud Abbas was satisfied with Livni's victory because he believed that she is dedicated to the peace process. They said that as head of the Israeli negotiating team, Livni had much more experience in conducting the talks with the Palestinians than any other senior Israeli government official. "President Abbas is looking forward to working with Livni after she succeeds [Prime Minister] Ehud Olmert," said one official. "We believe that Livni will do her utmost to achieve a breakthrough in the negotiations. Jerusalem Post, September 19, 2008 EVENT COMMENT For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance, and the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion. BIBLE QUOTE (Isaiah 34:8) Ehud Olmert has been forced to stand down as prime minister of Israel because of all the corruption charges being bought against him. This week in Israel, Kadima (the governing party) voted for a new leader. Miss Tzipi Livni. Ehud Olmert will formally resign on Sunday but will remain as interim prime minister until Miss Livni can form a government. She has 42 days to do this. If she fails there will be a general election in Israel. If she succeeds Miss Livni will be the first female prime minister since Golda Meir stepped down back in 1974. So what do we know about her? Well, she has served as Israel’s lead negotiator with the Palestinians. She favours the dividing of Jerusalem. The Palestinians like her because of this and believe she will drive forward the peace process. We enter a period of political uncertainty in Israel. A new year begins in Israel on the 29 th September. This may be “the year of recompenses for the controversy of Zion.”

9. Bush: I had to act to avoid economic disaster The economic landscape changed enormously this week. The financial systems of the world looked into the abyss and panicked. It has come about through greed. Banks and other financial institutions have become so clever even they cannot understand who owes what to whom. This will cost America dearly. Mr Bush’s plan to pick up all the bad debt will cost American tax payers close to 1 trillion dollars! The implications of this unprecedented action are not known but it appears America is being weakened. The whole monetary system is based on ONE thing. CONFIDENCE. As soon as confidence evaporates the systems man has invented collapse almost in hours. Huge organisations worth billions in the morning can be worthless in the afternoon. Our faith is all about confidence. In Hebrews it says “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” The word “substance” means “confidence”. Our confidence is in God. Man’s confidence is in Gold (money). Let us not trust in uncertain riches but in the living God. Sweeping job cuts, devastated pension funds and a further housing crash would have crippled the United States if its government had not bailed out mortgage lenders, President George W Bush declared yesterday. Speaking after Henry Paulson, the US Treasury Secretary, announced a plan to mop up toxic mortgage debts that were “clogging up” the financial system, Mr Bush said: “This is a pivotal moment for America's economy. Problems that originated in the credit markets and first showed up in the area of subprime mortgages have spread throughout our financial system. This has led to an erosion of confidence that has frozen many financial transactions, including loans to consumers and to businesses seeking to expand and create jobs.” Daily Telegraph, September 20, 2008 EVENT COMMENT Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God BIBLE QUOTE (1 Timothy 6:17)

10. Ike wreaks devastation on US America has been hit by a number of hurricanes this season. They have inflicted billions of dollars worth of damage. At the same time we have seen a financial hurricane inflict billions of dollars worth of damage as well. In the Daily Telegraph editorial it said “The financial tsunami that has engulfed Wall Street since the weekend hit these shores yesterday. It swept away the UK’s largest mortgage lender and much of the city’s regulatory machinery”. The Bible warns in many places that just before Jesus returns the world will be experiencing troubles and problems that cannot be solved by mankind. Jesus himself says in the verse below that nations will be in distress, not knowing how to solve the problems they are faced with. He says the sea and waves will roar. He says that men will look at the things happening and have terrible fear. He says that these very people witnessing these things will see him (Jesus) coming back again. When you connect all the prophetical pieces together… Russia, Israel, Iran, USA, Europe, Britain, physical disasters, financial disasters, immorality, godlessness and violence…. we can surely see the day cannot be far off when we will see our Lord Jesus coming again. Only his intervention will solve the problems of the world. Rescue crews in the US navigated debris-strewn streets to reach people still stuck in some of the thousands of homes flooded by Hurricane Ike, while authorities in the fourth- largest US city, imposed a curfew and warned residents that it would be weeks before Houston is fully back up and running. Discovery, September 5, 2008 EVENT COMMENT and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. BIBLE QUOTE (Luke 21:25-27)

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