Another look at Daniel 11:40-45

[rainbowinthesky]

The events portrayed in Daniel 11:40-45 concern the time of the end. There are many discordant voices today within Adventism and outside Adventism offering different interpreations of these verses. We must not be discouraged by this for the Lord has promised that "Amid the confusing cries will be bore a special testimony, a special message of truth appropriate for this time, which message is to be received, belived, and acted upon. It is the truth that is efficacious, not fanciful ideas." E.G. White, Bible Commentary, vol.7,984.

What is taking place in the Middle East today, the wars and the rumors of wars, have all been predicted by Jesus. But these wars and rumors of wars have no direct bearing whatsoever on the events foretold in Daniel 11:40-45, as we shall see.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

Today we understand that in 1798 atheism (the spiritual king of the south) pushed at organized religion (the spiritual king of the north) During the French Revolution there was a serious backlash against established religion. The winds shifted. The Catholic church (king of the north) was no longer wielding the power of the State. Instead atheism (king of the south in France) wielded the power of the State for the destruction of organized religion altogether. The pope was even taken into captivity under Napoleon and he died in captivity. This was the deadly wound. The Catholic Church lost her temporal supremacy.

Since then atheism (in the form of humanism, secularism, science falsely so-called, the god of reason) has been taking the ascendancy, calling for the annihilation of religion (the king of the north).

Atheists today are having a hay day. They can say pretty much whatever they want against the established religion for it is powerless. Champions for the "king of the south" today are men like Bill Maher, George Carlin, Jim Jefferies, just to mention these. They can be found on YouTube and it is pretty amazing the things they are saying about and against religion. Some of it (a lot actually) is true and funny but a lot of it is sheer blasphemy. Right now the "king of the north" is tolerant because of being helpless. (G.C.565)

The only way for the king of the north (religion) to regain its lost supremacy and to subdue the king of the south (atheists), church and state will have to unite and the church will again wield the power of the state to bring all the atheists and dissidents into subjection. Daniel 11:40 predicts that the king of the north will come against atheism (king of the south) like a whirlwind. Dan.11:40.

Once again the beast (king of the north) will rule the world for a short time for the time will come when those who support him will withdraw their support completely and will turn against him again as it happened at the time of the French Revolution except that this time it will be on a much larger scale. The whole world will be involved. Then there will be none to help him. Daniel 11:45; Rev.17:15-16.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

We cannot use the geographical method of interpretation to identify the people symbolized by the countries mentioned between verses 41 and 43 of Daniel 40. The spiritual method is to be used. Here is why. Geographically, in the old testament Egypt was the king of the south and Babylon was the king of the north. But in the "time of the end" the "king of the south" in Daniel 11:40 is no longer the literal country of Egypt but "spiritual Egypt" which is, "Atheistic France." Great Controversy, 269. And the "king of the north" in 1798 was not the literal country of Babylon, as we all know, but Papal Rome.

"Edom" was a descendant of Esau. The Edomites have long vanished from the face of the earth. And "Moab" and "Ammon" were the two sons that Lot's daughters bore to him. The Moabites and Ammonites have also vanished from the face of the earth. These tribes are a type of the people in these last days. They had a physical background with Ancient Israel. Who today have a physical background with Modern Israel? The Catholics and the various so-called protestant churches.

The other nations (Egypt, Lybia, Ethiopia) had no direct connection with physical Israel. These represent the dark corners of the earth. In verse 44 we read that "tidings from the east and out of the north shall trouble the king of the north." This is speaking of events taking place during the loud cry. Since many during the loud cry will escape the king of the north by accepting the loud cry message, the king of the north, will become furious and "with great fury" bring upon those who refuse to bow down to his supremacy the death decree.

We also know that before the death decree is passed many will suffer for their faith and be put to sleep. (Dan.11:43) Satan has planted the tabernacles of his palaces between the seas (the human worshiper) and God (the glorious holy mountain). Daniel 11:45. The multitudes of this earth will then be giving their support to the beast.

"Satan has planted his satanic throne between the human worshiper and the divine Father." Manuscript Releases, vol.7,215.

"In this world he has set up a kingdom of darkness, of which he, the leader in guilt, is prince. He desired to usurp the throne of God. Failing in this, he has worked in darkness, in crookedness, in deception, to usurp his place in the hearts of men. He has set up his throne between God (the glorious holy mountain) and man (the seas) to appropriate the adoration that belongs to God alone." E.G. White, 6 B.C.1119; Rev.17:15.

In the same verse 45 of Daniel 11 we read that the time will come, and that will be at the time of the fifth plague, when "he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." The multitudes of this earth who had been supporting the king of the north will suddenly withdraw their support and will turn against him with the fury of demons and they will bring him down to the pit. This event is also known as the drying up of the River Euphrates which is the sixth plague. Rev.16:12; 17:16; The Great Controversy, 635-636; 655-656.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

"He shall enter also into the glorioius land." Dan.11:41.

The "glorious land" in the Old Testament was the land of Israel.

"The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem." Lamentatons 4:12.

This literally happened. But these words were written more for us than for Ancient Israel.

"The prophets of God spoke less for their own time than for the ages to come, and especially for the generation that would live amid the last scenes of this earth's history." Signs of the Times, vol.3, 445.

This means that today the adversary, the enemy of all righteousness will, in a very subtle manner, shall enter into the "glorious land" where "spiritual Irsrael" is found. Where is the glorious land of spiritual Israel today? Since 1844 it has been within the confines of the Seventh-day Adventist Movement. We know that the enemy entered into the gates of Jerusalem of old and that he planted his throne there between the human worshiper and God.

Thus we read,

"The people whom God had called to be the pillar and ground of the truth had become the representatives of Satan. They were doing the work he desired them to do, taking a course to misrepresent the character of God, and cause the world to look upon Him as a tyrant." Desire of Ages,36.

It is written that "All these things happened for examples, and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages are come." 1 Cor.10:11.

Please take a listen:

"The TRIALS of the children of Israel, and their ATTITUDE just before the FIRST COMING of Christ, have been presented before me again and again to ILLUTSTRATE the POSITION of the people of God in their experience before the SECOND COMING of Christ--how the enemy sought every occasion to take CONTROL THE MINDS of the Jews, and today he is seeking to BLIND THE MINDS of God's servants, that they may not be able to discern the PRECIOUS TRUTH." 1 S.M.406.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

In our evangelistic campaigns, when it comes to prophecy, our emphasis is always on what is happening outside our own borders at the expense of what prophecy might have to say about what is to take place within our own ranks. For example, how many of us realize that the parable of Matt.22 is a prophecy delineating events to take place within Adventism between 1844 and the close of probation and even beyond?

I understand that when Jesus spoke this parable/prophecy He was looking down the ages with His eyes fixed upon our time! He spoke that parable/prophecy more for Modern Israel than for Ancient Israel.

"The Lord has declared that the history of the past shall be rehearsed as we enter upon the closing work." 2 S.M.390.

Wouldn't it be important, even more important, that we take the time to carefully study this prophecy in order to know where we are in the unrolling of the prophetic scroll? I am not saying that the other prophecies are not important for they are. What I am saying is that if we fail to pay attention to the prophecies concerning Modern Israel, is there not the danger that "We shall not recognize the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain?"

Is there not the danger that "It might be falling on hearts all around us but we shall not discern or receive it?" T.M. 507. In other words, that we shall not be able to discern the precious truth? (1 S.M.406)

sky

 

[rainbowinthesky]

Since 1798 Atheism, the king of the south, the god of reason, has been pushing at the the king of the north, organized religion in the name of Christ. Atheists are usually very smart and intelligent with an IQ usually superior to that of the common people. Most of them, like Bill Maher and George Carlin, have become "infidels" because God has been represented to them by false religion as a tyran. This is how it was in the days of Christ.

"The people whom God had called to be the pillar and ground of the truth had become the representatives of Satan. They were doing the work that he desired them to do, taking a course to misrepresent the character of God, and cause the world to look upon Him as a tyran." Desire of Ages, 36.

Are we doing any better today? We read, "Darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people." Isaiah 60:2. These words were penned more for our time than for Isaiah's time. "It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing (have lost) their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted." C.O.L.415.

And what is the reason? "Tradition and misinterpretation have obscured the teaching of the Bible concerning the character of God, the nature of His government, and the principles of His dealing with sin." Great Controversy. 492.

In these last days "They--the people of God--can honor Him only as they have a right conception of His character, government, and purposes, and act in accordance with them." Great Controversy, 593.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

Let us take a look at some things that we, as the people professed people of God, must understand in order to be kept from misinterpreting or misrepresenting the character of God that He may not be looked upon by the world as a tyran?

First "We are not to regard God as waiting to punish the sinner for his sin." 1 S.M.235. Second, we are to understand that "God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression, but that He leaves the rejectors of His mercy to themselves to reap that which they have sown." Great Controversy, 36.

Once we have grasped these two great concepts we are prepared for the following: "There can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess the spirit of Satan than the DISPOSITION to hurt and destroy those who do not appreciate our work, or who act contrary to our ideas." Desire of Ages, 487.

From that it is easy to see that if we are to represent the character of God aright we must not have any disposition to hurt or to destroy those who do not appreciate our work or act contrary to our ideas.

Once we accept the above we are better prepared to interpret the language of the Bible when it makes statements like "God hardened Pharaoh's heart," or "God slew Saul," or "God sends them strong delusions," or "God sent the flood," or "God sent fire from Heaven," just to mention these.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

We read that "God hardened Pharaoh's heart." Ex.7:13. How did God harden Pharaoh's heart? By sending him light to correct his errors and to lead him into safe paths. It was by the rejection of this light sent to him through His servant Moses that Pharaoh's heart was hardened.

So in reality "It is not God that blinds the eyes of men or hardens their hearts. He sends them light to correct their errors, and to lead them into safe paths; it is by the rejection of this light that the eyes are blinded and the heart hardened. Often the process is gradual, and almost imperceptible. Light comes to the soul through God's Word, through His servants, or by the direct Agency of His Spirit; but when one ray of light is disregarded, there is a partial benumbing of the spiritual perceptions, and the second revealing is less clearly discerned. So the darkness increases, until it is night in the soul." Desire of Ages, 322, last parg.

This clearly shows that when in the Bible we read that God hardened a man's heart or something like "God sends them strong delusions that they may believe a lie," (2 Thess.2:11) we must be careful not to misinterpret that language for "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

We read that "God slew Saul and turned the kingdom over to David." 1 Chronicles 10:14.

Did God slay him in the sense that He was forced to withdraw His protection from him? Yes. In verse 1 we read that Saul fell down slain in Mount Gilboa. He was wounded by the archers. Rather than being abused by the Philistines, He asked his armor bearer to draw his sword and to thrust him through with it but he refused for he was very much afraid."So Saul took a sword and fell upon it." Verse 4.

Saul killed himself. It was a suicide. Yet the Word says, "God slew him." Verse 14.

Notice these words from the book The Great Controversy:

"The Spirit of God, persistently resisted, is at last withdrawn from the sinner, and then there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul, and no protection from the malice and malignity of Satan." p.36.

This is exactly what happened to Saul.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

And this is what happened to Jerusalem in A.D.70 when the city was destroyed by the Roman armies. The language of the Bible is consistent. In Matt.22:7 we read that God was "angry" and that He sent forth His armies to destroy those murderers (Jews) and to burn up their city. Now notice how the inspired commentator interprets these words of Matt.22:7:

"The long-suffering of God toward Jerusalem only confirmed the Jews in their stubborn impenitence. In their hatred and cruelty toward the disciples of Jesus they rejected the last offer of mercy. Then God withdrew His protection from them and removed His restraining power from Satan and his angels and the nation was left to the control of the leader she had chosen... The Jews had forged their own fetters; they had filled for themselves the cup of vengeance. In the utter destruction that befell them as a nation, and in all the woes that followed them in their dispersion, they were but reaping the harvest which their own hands had sown. (Hosea 13:9; 14:1) Their sufferings are often represented as a punishment visited upon them by the direct decree of God. It is THUS that the deceiver seeks to CONCEAL his own work. By stubborn rejection of divine love and mercy, the Jews had caused the protection of God to be withdrawn from them, and Satan was permitted to rule them according to his will. The horrible cruelties enacted in the destruction of Jerusalem are a demonstration of Satan's vindictive power over those who yield to his control." Great Controversy, 28,36-37.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

We have now sufficient evidence to show that we must be very careful when it comes to reading and interpreting the language of the Bible in regard to the dealings of God with sin and sinners. Here is a gem of a statement from the pen of inspiration which magnifies what we have read so far:

"I was shown that Satan would entangle and then destroy, if he could, the souls he had tempted. God will bear long, but there is a limit to His mercy, a line which marks His mercy and His justice. I was shown that the judgments of God would NOT come directly out from the Lord upon them, but in this way--they place themselves beyond His protection. He warns, corrects, reproves, and points out the only path of safety; then, if those who have been the objects of His specical care follow their own course, independent of the Spirit of God, after repeated warnings, if they chose their own way, then He does not commission His angels to prevent Satan's decided attacks upon them." E.G. White, Manuscript Releases, vol.14, 3.1.

This is always true for God's ways are ever the same. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. It will be the same principle at work when human probation shall close. Revelation 15:1 says that when that time comes "the wrath of God will be complete."

This can only mean that God's restraining power will be fully removed and the entire world will be left with no power to control the evil passions of the soul and with no protection from the malice and malignity of Satan. Consistently the same language is used here in Revelation 16. The angels of God are represented as pouring out the vials of God's wrath upon the world. Now notice the words of the inspired commentator:

"When Jesus leaves the sanctuary... the restraint which has been upon the wicked is removed, and Satan has entire control of the finally impenitent. God's long-suffering has ended... Unsheltered by divine grace, they have no protection from the wicked one. Satan will plunge the inhabitants of the earth into one great, final trouble. As the angels of God cease to hold in check the winds of human passion, all the elements of strife will be let loose. The whole world will be involved in ruin more terrible than that which came upon Jerusalem of old." The Great Controversy, 614.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

So, at that time, men will have reached a point of insolence and disobedience which will show that their cup of iniquity is full. Notice these words:

"Soon God will show that He is indeed the living God. He will say to the angels, 'No longer combat Satan in his efforts to destroy. Let him work out his malignity upon the children of disobedience; for the cup of iniquity is full. They have advanced from one degree of wickedness to another, adding daily to their lawlessness. I will no longer interfere to prevent the destroyer from doing his work." E.G. White, Review & Herald, vol.4, 335; P.P.98; 8 T 50.

This is how the angels of God "destroy" at God's command. They receive the command to no longer combat Satan in his efforts to destroy. This the Bible calls "the wrath of God." It applies to individuals, cities, nations, and finally the whole world.

"The Spirit of God, persistently resisted is at last withdrawn from the sinner (cities, nations, whole world when human probation shall close) and there is left no power to control the evil passions of the soul and no protection from the malice and malignity of Satan." G.C.36.

 

[rainbowinthesky]

That this is how the language of the Bible in regard to God's judgments is to be understood, please allow me to share a couple more striking examples.

All of us are familiar with David's grievous sin toward both Uriah and Bathsheba followed by the rebellion of his son Absalom against him. We read, "David's history enables us to see also the great ends which God has in view in His dealings with sin; it enables us to trace, even through darkest judgments, the working out of His purposes of mercy and beneficience. He caused David to pass under the rod, but He did not destroy him; the furnace is to purify, but not to consume." P.P.738.

Now let us see how it all played out. We read, "Though David repented of his sin and was forgiven and accepted of the Lord, he reaped the baleful harvest of the seed he had sown. The judgments upon him and upon his house testify to God's abhorrance of the sin." Idem, 723.

Notice the language of the Bible again concerning this judgment of God against David: "Thus was fulfilled the word of God to David by the prophet. 'Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house.'"

This language is immediately explained by the pen of inspiration saying,

"Not that God prompted these acts of wickedness, but because of David's sin He did not exercise His power to prevent them... The Lord permitted events to take their natural course, and did not restrain Absalom." P.P.739,728.

In other words, "God's restraining power is in a measure removed from the agencies of evil, so that a train of circumstances will arise which will punish sin with sin." Idem, 728.

Notice how it says that God's restraining power is "in a measure" removed from the agencies of evil and sin is punished with sin. This, again, shows that "God does not stand toward the sinner as an executioner of the sentence against transgression." G.C.36.

When God's restraining power shall be fully removed from the earth,

"Evil shall slay the wicked." Psalm 34:11.

This will be the subject of the next post.

Thank you for your attention.

sky