Table of Contents
Rules of Bible study
In our study of the Word, we are to be governed by principles. There are 14 rules for studying the Bible (also called Miller’s Rules), but in this article, we shall mainly focus on two of them.
Rule No. 3: “Nothing revealed in the Scripture can or will be hid from those who ask in faith, not wavering.”
Therefore, we can know the truth. God wants us to know these things and he is preparing a people to stand in the final crisis that is coming upon the earth. He wants to save as many people as would give their lives to Him.
This rule is one of the principles that were given from generation to generation, since the Protestant Reformation, to our time. These principles were gathered by Wm. Miller and we would do well if we use them, because they reveal a system of truth that can prepare us for what is coming upon the earth.
Unfortunately, there was a theory that was brought in after the Reformation, called “higher criticism” that would lead us astray. The Principles of study though, can show us what the truth is.
In 2 Tim. 3 we are told that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17).
Therefore, everything that is written in the Bible is for us and is intended to help us and be of benefit to us.
The King of the North in Daniel 11
Now we are going to examine the King of the North. Let us open our Bibles to Daniel 11. We will make a short summary of the last verses.
From verse 36 to verse 39 the Bible speaks of atheistic France. In the French Revolution, that nation manifested that it did not “regard the God of his fathers”, or the God of the Bible, “nor regard any god” – i.e. no god at all, which meant that it was an atheistic nation.
Now we are going to start reading from verse 40 onward:
“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; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.” Dan. 11:40.
After the chapter speaks about France for a few verses, the King of the North and the King of the South are presented again. This is the time when the Medo-Persian Empire fell and the Grecian Empire gained dominance.
After the death of Alexander the Great, the Grecian Empire was divided into four parts, between his four generals. But in the end, only two of them prevailed and thus the Northern and Southern parts of the empire were formed, signified by the titles of “King of the North” and “King of the South”. The Northern part was the area around Constantinople. The Southern part we understand as Egypt. Let us now analyze the verse and look at the history that fulfilled it. We read:
“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him…”
The King of the South was Egypt. What was the event that caused this clash of Egypt with the King of the North (who, in this part of the chapter, represents the Ottoman Turk)? The fact that Napoleon came down to Egypt, attacked Cairo, and conquered it. The verse says:
“And the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.”
This is exactly what happened. The Ottoman Turk resisted Napoleon and the capture of Egypt by him. The Turk returned his possession of the territory that he once owned.
“He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.” Dan. 11:41-43.
Egypt clashed with the King of the North (The Ottoman Empire) who had entered into the countries and had put them under tribute and held them under his own control.
“But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.” Dan. 11:44.
We also have a historical fulfillment of this verse. In “Daniel and Revelation” by Uriah Smith we read:
“On this verse, Dr. Clarke has a note which is worthy of mention. He says: “This part of the prophecy is allowed to be yet unfulfilled.” His note was printed in 1825. In another portion of his comment, he says: “If the Turkish power be understood, as in the preceding verses, it may mean
that the Persians on the east, and the Russians on the north, will at some time greatly embarrass the Ottoman government.”
Between this conjecture of Dr. Clarke’s, written in 1825, and the Crimean War of 1853-1856, there is certainly a striking coincidence, inasmuch as the very powers he mentions, the Persians on the east and the Russians on the north, were the ones which instigated that conflict. Tidings from these powers troubled him (Turkey). Their attitude and movements incited the sultan to anger and revenge. Russia, being the more aggressive party, was the object of attack.
Turkey declared war on her powerful northern neighbor in 1853. The world looked on in amazement to see a government which had long been called “the Sick Man of the East,” a government whose army was dispirited and demoralized, whose treasuries were empty, whose rulers were vile and imbecile, and whose subjects were rebellious and threatening secession, rush with such impetuosity into the conflict… England and France, it is true, soon came to the help
of Turkey; but she went forth in the manner described, and as is reported, gained important victories before receiving the assistance of these powers.” Uriah Smith. Daniel and Revelation (1897), pp. 309, 310.
We need to remember that if someone is a “sick man”, he is ready to die. The Ottoman Turks were called “the sick man of the East”. At this moment, the others thought that the Ottomans were about to die, but they continued to fight.
Let us go back to the principles of interpretation of prophecy. Rule No. 13 states:
“To know whether we have the true historical event for the fulfillment of a prophecy: If you find every word of the prophecy (after the figures are understood) is literally fulfilled, then you may know that your history is the true event. But if one word lacks fulfillment, then you must look for another event, or wait for its future development. For God takes care that history and prophecy doth agree, so that the true, believing children of God may never be ashamed.”
Verse 44 of Daniel 11 was fulfilled in the Crimean War of 1853-1856. We can get some more context if we read the commentary of Stephen Haskell in “The Story of Daniel the Prophet”:
“At the time of the end (1798), the kings of the north and the south again contended. From the founding of Constantinople by Constantine in 330, the power which held that city had maintained control of the Mediterranean, for Constantinople is recognized by all nations as the key to both Asia and Europe. In the time of the end, history will again center about this city.”
This is why the city needed to be monitored because it had an important role. Russia was heaping its plans for it, that were made as early as the time of Peter the Great. And it surely has not relinquished them. We read:
“As in times past, so again we are obliged to trace far back to find the source of events which now appear in full view. About the time that the papacy was growing into a full-fledged monarchy, recognized among nations of the earth, another power had birth. This new work of Satan came in the form of Mohammedanism, which today holds about one-sixth of the world’s population in its grasp. The new doctrine originated in Arabia, from whence it spread as a smoke from the bottomless pit. Syria fell under its power, but Egypt became the center of its influence. The banks of the Nile have fed every form of idolatry. Mohammedanism is but another form of Egyptian darkness. By the power of the sword the followers of Mohammed strove to enter Europe. The western horn of the Crescent, the Moslem symbol, was extended into Spain in the early part of the eighth century, and for a time all Europe was threatened, but the battle of Tours (732) stopped the progress of the conquerors. In 1453, however, Constantinople was captured, and has since remained in the hands of the Turks, the boldest advocates of the doctrine of Mohammed.
As the founding of Constantinople is a guidepost in history, so the capture of that city in 1453 is another landmark. One of the greatest checks received by the papacy was due to the influx into Italy of Greek scholars, driven from Constantinople by the incoming Mohammedans. The discovery of America was due to the closing of the eastern passage to the rich islands of the Indian Ocean by the Mohammedans in Constantinople and Asia Minor, and so in more ways than is usually thought, God worked to advance truth through those who were ignorant of His truth…
Not only Egypt, but Syria and Turkey in Europe, belong to the Mohammedans, and he has entered the “glorious land,” and a Moslem mosque occupies the site where once stood the temple of Solomon…
Edom, Moab, and Ammon, however, escaped the hand of this conquering power, and these countries receive an annual tribute from the Turks who pass in caravans on their way to Mecca.
The ambition of Napoleon to establish the authority of Europe in Egypt, might have been the beginning of the last struggle between the north and the south. Even in his day Russia and France made friends, but the time had not yet come for the Turk to take his departure from Europe, and England took the part of Egypt against the arms of Napoleon. Napoleon recognized the strength of Constantinople, so also did Russia, and there has been constant jealousy among the nations of Europe lest one should outwit the others, and become the possessor of that stronghold. Every eye is centered on that spot, and has been for years. Turkey is known universally as the “Sick Man of the East,” and the only reason he does not die is because intoxicants are administered, figuratively speaking, first by one nation then by another. The time will come when he will remove from Constantinople, and take up his abode in Palestine; that is, plant his tabernacles between the Mediterranean and Red Seas…
Time and again the world has been brought to realize that the end of all things is near at hand, for all know that when the Turk steps out of Constantinople, there will be a general breaking up of Europe.”
This is how the pioneers thought in those troublesome times at the end of the 19th century.
“They may not name this impending conflict the battle of Armageddon, but God has so named it. In the Crimean War of 1853-1856, the world trembled for Turkey, and, lest the crisis should be precipitated, England and France came to the rescue, and Russia was bidden to stand back. In the Russo-Turkish war of 1877, the powers of Europe united to sustain the life of the sick man.” Haskell, S. N. (1901). The Story of Daniel the Prophet (pp. 245-247).
Therefore, we can say that today we have definitely crossed the fulfillment of Daniel 11:44. The question that we need to answer now is: Are we to wait for the fulfillment of Daniel 11:45? Do we have past history showing that this verse has already been fulfilled? We aim to learn this in our study.
Where we are in prophetic time
What we will try to do is to give convincing evidence – through the use of the right principles for studying the Bible and history – where exactly in prophetic time we are. Because now we are able to look into the past. In their time, the pioneers were only able to try and look into the future. But now we have history that we can compare with prophecy.
By 1856, the pioneers knew that Daniel 11:44 had been fulfilled, and they were waiting for the fulfillment of Daniel 11:45. They were looking at the Russian-Turkish conflict as a possible fulfillment. They viewed it as an opportunity for the ushering in of the final events in the history of this world.
What we want to understand from all of this is that we are now AFTER the fulfillment of Daniel 11:44. What we need to understand now is whether verse 45 has also been fulfilled or not.
The pioneers were solid about those parts of the prophecy of Daniel 11 that had already passed, but they were careful not to make too positive assertions of those parts the fulfillment of which was still lying in the future. They had to be careful because if (for any reason) some prediction would turn out to be wrong, this would cause confusion. We also need to be careful when we make predictions and be alert of how precise we are when making statements about any future events.
A brief history of the Ottoman Empire – the King of the North of Daniel 11:40-45
Now we will briefly examine the history of the Ottoman Empire that was signified by the King of the North from verse 40 to verse 45 of Daniel chapter 11.
The Ottoman Empire which spanned the period from the latter part of the 13th century to the first part of the 20th century, was a vast and long-standing power. It was founded at the end of the 13th century in Anatolia. At first, it was a small nation, among many others but it expanded through military conquests.
Under the rule of sultans like Mehmed II the Conqueror, the Ottomans expanded their territory to the Balkan peninsula. In 1453 they conquered Constantinople and made it their capital. The empire continued expanding in Europe, Asia, and Africa, reaching its height in the 16th and 17th centuries, until it became enormous and fearful. But with the passing of time, it began to decline.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the empire faced challenges from within and from without, including losses of territory, economic stagnation, and internal uprisings. Thus it started to lose its power and influence.
During the First World War, the Ottoman Empire was one of the main powers that were defeated. The crumbling of the empire was hastened by the war, and in 1920 the Treaty of Sèvres deprived it of a large portion of its territories. This led to the formation of modern nation-states in the Middle East and the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923, which marked the end of the Ottoman Empire. Thus was put the end of the King of the North – the last power described in Daniel 11.
The aftermath of WW1 – the establishment of the Middle-Eastern nation-states
For these nation-states, we are told in Jeremiah 24. If we read Jer. 25:26 and onward, we will see that the passage clearly talks about the Coming of Christ. What is described in Jer. 25:26 is to happen before the Coming. The verse says:
“And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.” Jer. 25:26.
The kings of the North – this is exactly what happened in history. Jeremiah 25:26 was fulfilled in the fall of the Ottoman Empire and its division into what we understand today as the Middle East. And now, the question is: Has the King of the North come to his end?
The Ottoman Turk indeed came to his end. History testifies about this end, and the Treaty of Sèvres has much in common with understanding this. It was signed on August 20, 1920, after WW1, between the victorious Allied forces and the representatives of the defeated Ottoman Empire. The treaty forced the empire to recant all of its rights to the Arab parts of Asia and Northern Africa. As it was not accepted by the new nationalistic regime of the Turks, it was later replaced by the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
Mustafa Kemal was not content with the severe loss of territories and this led to a military conflict. In 1919-1923 there was the Turkish war. Then some areas were added back and the resultant territory is the country that we now know as modern Turkey. The culmination was reached at the Treaty of Lausanne which gave independence to the extended Turkish state that covered the territory of the Anatolian peninsula, up to South-East Europe.
This is why the Treaty of Lausanne was a “good deal” for the Turks and they fought for their right to possess this territory. At the end of WW1, everything was divided among different Christian powers. This however was not liked by the Arabs that were living there. They were opposed to this treaty.
The King of the North came to his end
We now look at the end of the Ottoman Empire and the establishment of a completely different and new power that is not a part of the prophecy of Daniel 11. The end of the Ottoman Empire marked the fulfillment of the last prophecy of Daniel chapter 11. The next thing that Daniel saw was Michael standing up (Daniel 12:1), which marks the end of probation, and the time of trouble such as never was.
One thing that we need to take note of is that the Ottoman Empire no longer exists and thus there is no King of the North anymore.
The Turkish war of independence
Now we need to answer the question: Why was the Turkish War of Independence started?
It was the Treaty of Sèvres that led to this war. Its aim was to manifest resistance to foreign occupation and guarantee the protection of the stability of the Turkish territories after WW1. Those territories were occupied by the Britains, French, Greek, and Italian forces.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was a key figure in the Ottoman army. He came to prominence as a leader who was gathering forces to fight against to conditions of the Treaty of Sèvres, He led the Turkish nationalistic movement against foreign occupation, with the aim of defending Turkish independence.
Attaturk believed in a modern and secular Turkish state. It was to be a republic, ruled by a people who possessed the right to choose their leader. And unlike its predecessor, this country was to allow religious liberty. This new state would not be subject to the dictates of a caliphate.
It was the resistance of Atatürk and his comrades that led to the Treaty of Lausanne. In the end, the Turkish War of Independence led to the establishment of the Republic of Turkey and the acknowledgment of its sovereignty. Modern Turkey does not have anything in common with the old Ottoman Empire.
After the end of WW1, France took control of Syria and Lebanon. Italy occupied parts of Anatolia. The Greek forces occupied other parts of Anatolia. This occupation led to tensions and conflicts with the local population and several nationalistic movements and leaders like Atatürk that aimed at keeping their independence and resisted foreign control.
The new map of the Middle East after WW1
The occupation fueled the nationalistic sentiments, the establishment of independent states, and the rewriting of the boundaries in the region.
Here we are talking about the utter end of the Ottoman Empire. We are talking about the end of Daniel 11:45. History has gone beyond this verse and is reaching that state of affairs that would exist just before the Coming of Christ. We are told of this in the Scriptures. One of these predictions is Jer. 25:25 – the kings of the North. It is them of whom we are talking here – the rewriting of the boundaries in the region of the Middle East and the establishment of independent countries.
And so, which are the Middle-Eastern nations that were formed in place of the old-time Ottoman Empire? Let us see who these “kings of the North” are.
After WW1, when the Ottoman Empire was defeated, there were several Middle-Eastern countries that came up. Some of them are:
* Turkey – Modern Turkey came into existence as a result of the Turkish War of Independence that was led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Its boundaries were set by the Treaty of Lausanne of 1923.
So Turkey is just one of the kings of the North. Here are some other ones:
* Syria – It fell under French control as a requirement by the League of Nations. Syria gained its independence in 1946.
* Iraq – After WW1 it fell under British control. Iraq gained its independence in 1932.
* Lebanon – Like Syria, it also fell under French control but it gained its independence in 1943.
* Jordan – After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire, the region fell under British control. It gained its independence in 1946.
* Palestine/Israel – This region fell under British control. Its final partitioning marked significant reconfigurations in the region, with the Israeli state being formed in 1948.
After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire and the reassignment of the territories, these countries emerged as independent units (either by the establishment of control by the European countries, or through the signing of treaties).
This is the answer to the Eastern question. We are living today in this answer.