One of the most important and interesting prophesies in the Bible is the prophesy in chapter 11, continued in chapter 12, of the book of Daniel.
This prophesy 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 prophesy 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 fulfill 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. Because this chapter is not history, but it is prophesy and therefore it does not begin with Babylon which at that time was history; thus it begins with Medo-Persia and future kingdoms after that.
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 prophesy of chapter 11, in the book of Daniel, begins with the mighty world kingdom Medo-Persia in verse 2. 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 the 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. They took away the daily, the pagan Rome and put in its place the abomination which maketh desolate, the Papacy.
Verses 36-39 bring us the prophesy of the French Revolution in the year 1789. Four years later all religion was banned in the country. In the years 1793-1797 all who professed any religion were killed.
In verse 40 the prophesy returns to the King of the South and the King of the North. The title, King of the 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 Russia 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 partly fulfilled. The Muslims have planted their tabernacles right in Jerusalem. There are seven Muslim temples; one is 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. When the King of the North comes to his end—the nations along the river Euphrates—that time Jesus is still in heaven, according to Daniel chapter 12:1. Same as the other prophesies also, this prophesy ends with the Papacy in Daniel 12:11. The abomination that maketh desolate is being set up. Revelation 16:14, “The Kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”
The river Euphrates has dried up, and the kings of the earth are gathering to the battle of Armageddon, and Jesus has not come yet.
Finally in Revelation 16:19, “And great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.”
During this great Battle of Armageddon, Jesus comes.
“The derisive jests have ceased. Lying lips are hushed in to silence. The clash of arms, the tumult of battle, ‘with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood’ (Isaiah 9:5) is stilled. Naught now is heard but the voice of prayer and the sound of weeping and lamentation.” –The Great Controversy, p. 642
The prophesy 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 Jehosephat: 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.” –The Great Controversy, 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, along with 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, p. 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 had 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 on 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 prophesies 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.
Timo Martin