The King of the North

One of the most important and interesting prophecies in the Bible is the prophecy in chapter 11, continued in chapter 12, of the book of Daniel.

This prophecy was shown to the prophet Daniel more than 2500 years ago and covers world history beginning from that time and continuing beyond our present day into the future. This prophecy helps us to see the things of the present time in the light of eternity. Its focal point is the church of God. The great nations have a role to play in the events of the world and at the same time they fulfil the plan of God in the world’s affairs where His church is existing among these nations. Sometimes the church of God is recognized and appreciated, other times it is hated and persecuted.

The great world nations have risen and fallen, yet the church of God remains. The gates of hell have not been able to prevail against it.
The prophecy of chapter 11, in the book of Daniel, begins with the mighty world kingdom Medo Persia in verse two. Verses 3 and 4 refer to the kingdom of Greece and its ruler Alexander the Great.

Verses 5-13 bring out the King of the South and the King of the North; their agreements and their wars. These kings were Egypt as the King of the South and Syria as the King of the North. Between these two kings existed Judea, Jerusalem and the people of God. They got trampled underfoot as the armies passed through their land.

In verses 14-30 the Romans enter into the picture. The Jewish people were under their rulership. It was Roman power that crucified Jesus and persecuted the early Christians.
In year 161 B.C. the Romans made an agreement with the Jews and had much control over them. In year 63 B.C. Judea was conquered by the Romans and became part of their kingdom. In year 70 A.D. the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and killed over 1 million Jews.

In verses 31-35 the papacy is prophesied along with the 1260 years of persecution of the Christians when over 50 million martyrs lost their lives.
Verses 36-39 bring us the prophecy of the French revolution in year 1789. Four years later all religion was banned in the country. In the years 1793-1797 all who professed any religion was killed.
In verse 40 the prophecy returns to the King of the South and the King of North. The title, King of North was not used when speaking of the Roman power or the Papacy either, when referring to the French. The territory, north of Palestine was now the kingdom of Turkey. As the world entered into the time of the end in 1798, another war broke out between Egypt and Turkey.

Other nations were helping them. France with Egypt and England with Turkey. Many ships there mentioned came from England, and some from Russia, to help the Turks.
Verse 41 shows that they passed through Palestine and some other countries. Some of the Arab countries escaped the war. They were out of the way when the armies passed through.

Verse 42 was fulfilled when the Turkish army conquered Egypt in the year 1801.
Verse 44 said that tidings of the east and north troubled the King of the North. Persia in the east and Russian in the north troubled the Ottoman Empire. In 1853 the Crimean War started, and continued the next three years. Later during the war England and France came to help Turkey and they gained victories over the enemy, Russia.

Verse 45 is also already partly fulfilled. The Muslims have planted their tabernacles right in Jerusalem. There are seven Muslem temples; one right on the spot where the temple of Solomon used to be. The most important temple is the mosque of Omar.
The second part of the verse is still in the future. The countries along the river Euphrates will dry up during the sixth plague, making the way for the kings of the East to come to the Battle of Armageddon. During this great Battle of Armageddon, Jesus comes.

“The derisive jests have ceased. Lying lips are hushed into silence. The clash of arms, the tumult of battle, ‘with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood.'(Isa. 9:5) is stilled. Nought now is heard but the voice of prayer and the sound of weeping and lamentation.” G.C. 642

The prophecy of Joel is also fulfilled at that time. “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 plowshears into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O Lord. Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehosophat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.” Joel 3:9-12

Where are God’s people at that time? “The people of God – some in prison cells, some hidden in solitary retreats in the forests and the mountains – still plead for divine protection, while in every quarter companies of armed men, urged on by hosts of evil angels, are preparing for the work of death.” G.C. p. 635.

Dear brothers and sisters, can we not see clearly that the end is right upon us. The Sunday Law will be enacted very soon. Catholic and Protestant churches are urging the governments to enforce Sunday keeping. When the King of the North has been defeated and the way prepared for the kings of the East to come, the churches with the governments will bring the time of Jacob’s trouble upon the people of God.

When will the great Mystic Babylon be revealed and receive the anger of the people? After Jesus has come and the people of God are delivered. Then we read in The Great Controversy page 655: “The people see that they have been deluded. They accuse one another of having led them to destruction; but all unite in heaping their bitterest condemnation upon the ministers. Unfaithful pastors have prophesied smooth things; they have led their hearers to make void the law of God and to persecute those who would keep it holy. Now, in their despair, these teachers confess before the world their work of deception. The multitudes are filled with fury. ‘We are lost!’ they cry, ‘and you are the cause of our ruin’; and they turn upon the false shepherds. The very ones that once admired them most will pronounce the most dreadful curses upon them. The very hands that once crowned them with laurels will be raised for their destruction. The swords which were to slay God’s people are now employed to destroy their enemies. Everywhere there is strife and bloodshed.”

Let us study the prophecies of Daniel and Revelation with new interest, and make sure that the covering of the Lord will protect us during the Sunday Law and the Time of Trouble. This is my wish and prayer.
AMEN