(Daniel 11:40) “At the time of the end the king of the South will engage him in battle, and the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots and cavalry and a great fleet of ships. He will invade many countries and sweep through them like a flood.”
In yesterday’s online edition of Israel Unwired a headline read; “Middle East Defence Alliance Forms In Wake of Biden’s Change in Iran Policy.” The article went on to say; “With every day that passes it becomes clearer that the Biden administration’s foreign policy is either erratic or being co-opted by the Chinese Communist Party and has many worried. Four countries: Israel, UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia are now in discussions to build an effective Sunni-Israeli defence alliance against the growing Iranian threat. The coming war with Iran is now not a question of if, but rather when. The four countries making up the defence alliance have not only ruled out waiting for Biden to come around, but rather getting ready to stop the spreading Shiite threat themselves. While it was clear that the UAE’s and Bahrain’s peace deals with Israel was heading to an alliance, the Saudis are now on board after watching the Biden administration give the Houthis a free hand in Yemen, effectively leading them to initiate a new set of attacks on Saudi Arabia.” (End of article)
The prophet Daniel prophesied a time when the last King of the North would attack the last King of the South who would meet him in battle. The King of the North will win this battle and sweep through many countries like a flood. Israel will also be invaded. As for the Palestinian Arab enclaves being northern central and Southern Jordan they will be delivered from his hand in that they will support him. Egypt will be invaded and fall to his power. Libya and the Sudan will submit to his caliphate. (Daniel 11: 40-43)
Historically, when Alexander the Great died in 323 BC during the prime of life, his empire was divided among his generals who claimed parts of the vast empire for themselves. One of these generals, Ptolemy, took an area to the south of Israel that included Egypt. Another general, Seleucis, took control of an area to the north of Israel that included Syria. Daniel Chapter 11:1-35 covers hundreds of years, so the kings of the north and south described in Daniel 11:1-35 are not single individuals, but rather the rulers of the Ptolemaic dynasty (headquartered in Egypt) and the Seleucid dynasty (headquartered in Syria). These two dynasties were hostile toward each other, and Israel was literally caught in the middle.
These wars in past history all teach us about the final war to come in the future between the last King of the North with the last King of the South. The King of the North will come out of Syria and he will be the antichrist and the King of the South will come out of Egypt. When looking at Daniel chapter 11:1-35 we see the wars that occurred between these two dynasties historically, however between verses 35 and 36 we have “a time leap” into the future where we see the last King of the North start a fight with the last King of the South. At the centre of this conflict is Israel.
Today we see a Middle-East Defence Alliance of nations forming to take their stand against Iran. Already we see Iranian forces in Syria fighting alongside the Syrian defence forces with the intension of destroying Israel but also seeking to destroy the ‘moderate’ Arab states. Already through the Houthi Rebels in Yemen the Iranians are fighting a proxy war with the Saudis and the Saudis know it. Added to this the Saudis know that the Biden Administration is no longer favourable towards them or Israel for that matter even though Biden himself personally has always been a friend of Israel. The fact that Biden wants to re-establish the Iranian nuclear deal, being pressed to do so by his Democratic colleagues in the White House, clearly shows his seeming disregard for the safety, and security of these ‘moderate’ Arab states and for Israel. Biden has given a free hand to the Houthis rebels in Yemen to attack Saudi Arabia.
When we see this Middle-east Defence Alliance forming we can see the last war between the King of the North with the King of the South being fermented. Biblically we are told that the last king of the North will come out of Syria as Antiochus Epiphanies did historically. Antiochus is a major type of the Antichrist in the Bible as we see depicted elsewhere in the Book of Daniel. The forces of Antiochus swept down into Israel and conquered Egypt. As for the King of the South he will come out of Egypt as Ptolemy did historically.
Whether the last king of the south will be Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi remains to be seen but it is highly likely he will still be in power when the King of the North makes his move. Today you have Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and Oman and these will most likely be the main nations forming this defence alliance and Israel it seems will be part of this military alliance. As for Yemen, Iran is in there already fighting a proxy war against the Saudis. Whether the United States comes to join the Middle-East Defence Alliance remains to be seen. With Biden’s sanctioning the very recent air strike in Syria it would seem the United States has already chosen sides? Now today the King of the North would have to be Turkey that already has armed forces stationed in Syria. Erdogan has been positioning himself as the next Caliph of a revived Turkish Ottoman Empire, an empire that ruled in the Middle East for at least 600 years and had its tentacles reaching into parts of Europe, a vast Islamic empire that swept down into northern Africa.
Now the military forces of the King of the North will vastly outnumber the military forces of the King of the South. The only ‘obstacle’ to Erdogan is Assad but he will go with the total destruction of Damascus (Isaiah 17:1) The nations that would more than likely join hands with Turkey would be Iran, the Sudan, Libya, Ethiopia, Iraq, Afghanistan; Pakistan and the Turkic speaking southern state of the former Soviet Union being, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. One could well see a 200 million strong Islamic invasion force crossing the dried up Euphrates river. (Revelation 9:14-16; 16:12-14) This will be the armies of the Islamic antichrist. They are described as “the kings from the east” (Revelation 16:12) being a coalition of Islamic nations so it cannot be China.
Now what about the nations of America, Russia and China? Well if we go back to the text of Daniel Chapter 11 we see that the King of the North is disturbed by reports from the East and the North and this will cause him to be enraged and ‘up the ante’ on his determination to conquer many nations if he can. (Daniel 11:44) Now east of Turkey you have China and north of Turkey you have Russia. If the King of the North was Russia, as some teach, then who would be north of Russia? It does not make sense. In this coming war between the King of the North with the King of the South both Russia and China will more than likely watch from the sidelines awaiting the outcome of the battle before making any move.
We also know from the Word of God that the armies of the Turkish Antichrist and his military forces will be opposed by other nations that God will raise up to fight the Antichrist. (Ezekiel 28:6-10) It will be Turkey that will lead this invasion as we see depicted in Ezekiel Chapter 38:1-6. Ancient historical maps all show Mesheck, Tubal, Gomer and Beth Togarmah all located within the geographical region known today as Turkey. As for the United States and the European continent they will all be hard-pressed to hold back the Islamic Trojan Horse that has unleashed its havoc, murder and mayhem within the western democracies! America under Biden is heading for disaster and both China and Russia know it even if the Democrats in Washington remain ignorant of the decline and possible demise of America as a world power.
When considering these end-time events and the nations picking sides do we have the recipe for WWIII? This world is finished and the only light at the end of the tunnel is the Second Coming of the Messiah our Lord Jesus to gather His elect, save Israel, destroy all opposition and to inaugurate His Messianic Millennial Kingdom on earth! Of course even in this dark world that is getting darker the light of the Gospel of the Kingdom will shine forth in God’s people brighter than at any other time in history. As Isaiah the prophet writes; “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” (Isaiah 60:1-3)
There is still much to learn about Biblical prophecy yet the tragedy is that in most churches it is no longer ‘fashionable’ to teach about it, especially the Book of Revelation. However, what did the apostle Peter write about prophecy of scripture in relation to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus? He wrote: “For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For when He received honour and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”— and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.” (2 Peter 1:16-21)
Having a basic understanding of Bible prophecy is likened to a light shining in a dark place because without it all is darkness and confusion and there are as many in wider Christendom today who are in the darkness even as the world is in the darkness at the things that are coming upon the world. Indeed it is written; “Where there is no vision the people perish.” And again God says; “My people perish for lack of knowledge.” The day of the Lord is coming when it is least expected and take the world and the apostate Church by surprise, but that day will not overtake those who are eagerly awaiting the Lord Jesus’ return. His Second Coming will catch everyone out except those who are patiently waiting for Him to come back.
As the apostle Paul writes; “While people are saying, “Peace and security,” destruction will come upon them suddenly, like labour pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in the darkness so that this day should overtake you like a thief. For you are all sons of the light and sons of the day; we do not belong to the night or to the darkness.” (1 Thessalonians 5:3-5) The only safe place to be is in the will of God and those who walk in His will are as strong as His will is strong and which cannot be thwarted. As Godly Job exclaimed; “I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2)
Bible prophecy is not something to be sacred about but something that sheds light on the glorious future kingdom to come and gives us as the bond slaves of the Lord Jesus a blessed hope in Him, as it is written; “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14)
The war between the last King of the North with the last King of the South is coming but so is the Lord Jesus coming. When the dust of battle finally settles the Rider on the White Horse, the Commander in Chief our Lord Jesus the Messiah, will be the victor! As for the Antichrist “he will come to his end with no one to help him.” (Daniel 11:45) As it is written in the Book of Genesis concerning our Lord Jesus; “The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, Nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes, And to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” (Genesis 49:10)
