“The land of Egypt shall not escape” (ch. 11:42).
FOR an intelligent understanding of the closing verses of our chapter, it is essential that we should clearly distinguish between “the king” of verse 36 and the king of the north of verse 40.
In this chapter the description of “the king” or Antichrist terminates as abruptly as it commences, and from verse 40 he is lost sight of completely. In the New Testament we are clearly shown how and under what circumstances he meets his end (see 2 Thessalonians 2:8, and compare Isaiah 11:4; Revelation 19:20). The king of Daniel 11:36, the man of sin of 2 Thessalonians 2:4, and the false prophet of Revelation 19, are all one and the same individual under different titles and in different connections.
At the time of the end, a time to which all things appear to be rapidly tending, the Antichrist will be reigning in Jerusalem as the false king of the apostate Jewish people. He will have as his ally in Western Europe the revived Roman Empire, called in Revelation “the Beast.” The Beast, as we saw from Daniel 9:27, will in the end make a covenant with the mass of the Jews, through the instrumentality of Antichrist. It is this that is alluded to in Isaiah 28. The proud and scornful rulers of the people in Jerusalem are there described as saying, “We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement,” their object being to protect themselves against a most powerful adversary that Jehovah will use as the rod of His indignation. “Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim shall be trodden under feet” (Isa. 28:2, 3). In order to protect themselves from this impending danger, the Jewish people make their agreement with the Beast, and boastfully exclaim, “When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come into us,” &c. (Isa. 28:15); but all is in vain, for the stone laid in Zion, as a sure foundation of peace and security for the tried and faithful remnant, will fall in overwhelming power upon the apostate nation, and their covenant with death shall be disannulled, and their agreement with hell shall not stand; the overflowing scourge shall pass through, and they shall be trodden down by it. Isaiah is here announcing by inspiration the very invasion of Palestine by the last king of the north, that Daniel two hundred years after was inspired to foretell with other and greater detail.
If the idolatrous king in Palestine has an ally in the Beast, he will also have two powerful adversaries in the kings of the north and the south. “At the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him.” Jerusalem will be at that time—and oh! how near the time may be—the focus for mighty events. Not much is said here about the king of the south. In this same chapter the king of the south is unmistakably identified with Egypt, though it would be going too far to confine his sphere of authority to that region which now goes by the name of Egypt. Indeed, we gather as much from verse 43, where we are told that Libya and Ethiopia as well as Egypt come under the conquering sway of the king of the north. Libya, we know, extended right across Northern Africa, in fact, it seems to be a term almost synonymous with Africa, or at any rate of as much of that continent as was known at that time. We are all aware of the events that have recently transpired in South Africa, and of the aspirations of politicians to make of that vast country one united empire. Might not the whole, “from the Cape to Cairo,” be included in the scriptural designation of the king of the south? If the territory of the king of the north extends far beyond the immediate borders of Palestine on the north, why may not a similar extension take place in the case of the king of the south? For ourselves we may say that the thought has been gaining strength, that the king of the south will be a much more important factor in the future development of the affairs of this earth than many are aware of. Nothing is of any real importance to God except what directly concerns the glory of His beloved Son and His people, whether earthly or heavenly, in connection with Him. Africa may be the all-absorbing topic of the present moment in the eyes of men, but we may be assured of this, that all the feverish activity of nations is only preparing the way for the carrying out of God’s plans in reference, not to Egypt, Africa, Europe, or Russia, but to Palestine and Jerusalem. This is not the fitting occasion to dwell further upon this most interesting subject, but we commend it to the attention of the Christian reader, and later on hope to discuss it more fully.
Not only will the king of the south push his armed hosts against the king in Jerusalem, but “the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships.” Here, then, we have a vast military and naval power sweeping down from the north upon the land of Palestine. “He shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over;” that is, the countries adjoining Palestine fall into his hands. “He shall enter also into the glorious land,” that is, the land of Palestine, glorious not so much in the eyes of men, for this Babylon was (Isa. 13:19), but glorious in His eyes, who long years ago had brought up His people from their land of bondage into a land which He “had espied for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands” (Ezek. 20:6).
While everything seems to give way before the victorious progress of this mighty king, the Spirit of God enumerates three of the countries in close proximity to Palestine who will “escape out of his hand”; these are, “Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.” An indirect evidence of the inspiration of Scripture, and that of the most striking nature, is here afforded, as well as one of the numerous instances with which the Bible is full, which show how all Scripture hangs together. Many hands were used of God in producing the volume which Christians receive as the Word of God, and these living in countries far removed from one another, and at times separated by long distance one from the other, even centuries, as in this case, and yet each part is in perfect consistence with all the others. Isaiah had mentioned these same three countries, and had prophesied that at the time when Israel should be restored to their own land, the very time here under review, they, that is Israel, should “lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them” (Isa. 11:14). Ezekiel also was inspired to write of these three countries about the same time as Daniel (Ezek. 25), and he likewise announces their judgment at the hands, not of the king of the north, but of Israel. “I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel,” &c. (Ezek. 25:14).
But more than this, Ezekiel declares the reason of this exception. “Son of man, set thy face against the Ammonites, and prophesy against them; and say unto the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God; Because thou saidst, Aha, against My sanctuary when it was profaned; and against the land of Israel, when it was desolate; and against the house of Judah, when they went into captivity,” &c. It might be, and it was, perfectly true that the desolations of that land, and the captivity of that beloved people, were inflicted by the chastening hand of Jehovah Himself, but they were His people for all that, and God will not permit the fleshly heart of unbelief to rejoice over the afflictions of His people. “Because thou hast clapped thine hands, and stamped with the feet, and rejoiced in heart with all thy despite against the land of Israel; behold, therefore, I will stretch out Mine hand upon thee, and I will deliver thee for a spoil to the heathen... and thou shalt know that I am the Lord” (Ezek. 25:6, 7). These are solemn words, and we do well to ponder them deeply in our souls, for there is ever a tendency for the flesh to find pleasure in the troubles that may befall those against whom, for some reason or other, we may be at variance. This spirit is not pleasing to the Lord.
Moreover, God does not pass over the violence of man against His people (see Obadiah), and in the end will execute the judgment which lingers long.
Grace affords a means of escape to each individual who repents, and turns to God in faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, but the judgment upon Edom nationally is one of the most solemn instances in Scripture of the doom that awaits unrepentant sinners. In the day in which it will be said that “upon Mount Zion shall be deliverance,” then, too, there “shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau (Edom); for the Lord hath spoken it” (Obad. 17-19).
With the exception of these three nations, which for reasons we have been considering are reserved for punishment at the hands of Israel when back in Palestine, nothing seems to be able to withstand the impetuous onslaught of the king of the north. “He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape” (Dan. 11:42). This latter clause seems to imply that the king of the south will be no mean antagonist from a military point of view, while from verse 43 it is plain that there will be a most marvelous development of commercial prosperity in his territory. We have all heard of the goldfields and diamond mines of Africa, and of the rich fertility of great tracts of land in that vast continent; and there are not wanting many who foresee a brilliant future for that great country. Scripture has long since foretold it in this marvelous forecast of the future.
Man’s heart is set upon the acquisition of wealth, and the gold and silver that perishes with the using; but all these earthly riches fail to satisfy those who possess them, and stir up the cupidity of others who long to obtain them for themselves. So will it be with the king of the north, who, according to this striking prophecy, will for a time succeed. “He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt” (vs. 43).
Happy are they whose portion is not of this world, and who have provided themselves “bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth” (Luke 12:33). Where the treasure is the heart will be also.