Palestine: Prophetic Center of the Earth.
The events now transpiring around us in the political world cannot fail to awaken an interest in every thoughtful mind. We are living in critical times, and the eyes of nations are necessarily turned to the East.
We cannot too strongly impress upon the reader that Palestine is the prophetic center of the earth. Prophecy has to do with the earth, and the destiny of all the nations of the earth is in connection with the nation of Israel; for "when the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For the Lord's portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance." (Deut. 32:8, 98When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. 9For the Lord's portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. (Deuteronomy 32:8‑9)).
Scattered to the winds, and dispersed amongst all the countries of the world, as the Jews have been and are—down-trodden, despised, oppressed, and persecuted as they have been, and, to a great extent, still are—nevertheless they exist today a standing and living witness to the truth of God's Word, who is pledged to fulfill the promises made unto the (Jewish) fathers.
Those promises are yet to be fulfilled, for "it is impossible for God to lie," and if "blindness in part is happened to Israel," it is only "until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in," and then "all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." (Rom. 11:25, 2625For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: (Romans 11:25‑26).)
The affairs of the Jews, then, and matters concerning the land of Palestine, are the key to the Eastern problem, and the destinies of nations can alone be learned in connection with that land and people. The Jewish people—and by this term we include the ten tribes now lost, but soon to be gathered again—are the earthly people of God, and none can meddle or injuriously treat them except at their own peril. Heavy judgments at the hand of God, "the God of Israel," will be poured upon those nations that more immediately concern themselves in their affairs, according to the words of the prophet, which are yet to be fulfilled: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces," etc. (Zech. 12:2-92Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it. 4In that day, saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with astonishment, and his rider with madness: and I will open mine eyes upon the house of Judah, and will smite every horse of the people with blindness. 5And the governors of Judah shall say in their heart, The inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be my strength in the Lord of hosts their God. 6In that day will I make the governors of Judah like an hearth of fire among the wood, and like a torch of fire in a sheaf; and they shall devour all the people round about, on the right hand and on the left: and Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place, even in Jerusalem. 7The Lord also shall save the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem do not magnify themselves against Judah. 8In that day shall the Lord defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them. 9And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:2‑9).)
Russia and Palestine.
In a very special way, we believe, will Russia's destiny be bound up with the future history of Palestine and the Jews. It is clear, from Scripture, that in the last days of this world's struggle, immediately preceding the millennial reign of Christ, a great northeastern power will be in existence, and that this power will be the last to be dealt with on the mountains of Judea after that Israel is dwelling safely in the land of Palestine. (See Ezek. chaps. 38 and 39.)
In the following pages we purpose examining the various prophetic scriptures that speak of this power, convinced that we are bordering on the times when these things, long since foretold, are about to be accomplished.
Thy the Jews Are Scattered.
Our readers are no doubt familiar with the history of the Jewish people as presented to us in the Books of Kings and Chronicles —a history of departure from Jehovah their God, and declension from the beginning to the end. In the palmy days of Solomon's reign the throne of the Lord had been at Jerusalem (1 Chron. 29:2323Then Solomon sat on the throne of the Lord as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him. (1 Chronicles 29:23)), and though, after that, the Lord bore with much patience the idolatry and iniquities of Israel and Judah, the time at length arrived when their rebellion and apostasy from Jehovah reached a climax, and in the days of Zedekiah (B. C. 610) large numbers were carried captive into Babylon. "Zedekiah ... did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord... Moreover, all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which He had hallowed in Jerusalem.... They mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and misused His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword.... He gave them all into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God... all these he brought to Babylon. And they burnt the house of God," etc. (2 Chron. 36:11-2211Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord. 13And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God: but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel. 14Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people, transgressed very much after all the abominations of the heathen; and polluted the house of the Lord which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. 15And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: 16But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, till there was no remedy. 17Therefore he brought upon them the king of the Chaldees, who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion upon young man or maiden, old man, or him that stooped for age: he gave them all into his hand. 18And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king, and of his princes; all these he brought to Babylon. 19And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof. 20And them that had escaped from the sword carried he away to Babylon; where they were servants to him and his sons until the reign of the kingdom of Persia: 21To fulfil the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her sabbaths: for as long as she lay desolate she kept sabbath, to fulfil threescore and ten years. 22Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, (2 Chronicles 36:11‑22).) From this point the throne of the Lord was removed from Jerusalem, and power was committed to the hands of the Gentiles.
The Times of the Gentiles.
The times of the Gentiles (Luke 21:2424And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. (Luke 21:24)) commenced at the Babylonish captivity, in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, when God wrote upon His people the solemn word, Loammi—"not my people" (Hos. 1:99Then said God, Call his name Lo-ammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God. (Hosea 1:9)); and that sentence will remain upon them until the time of their glorious restoration to their own land, under their own Messiah, still rejected, but ere long to be recognized by them as the One "whom they have pierced." (Zech. 12:1010And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10).)
It will greatly assist the reader to remember that it is these "times of the Gentiles" that are described in the Book of Daniel, starting with Nebuchadnezzar and terminating with the coming of the Son of Man in glory, when the last of the Gentile powers, risen up in blasphemous rebellion against God, shall have its dominion taken away, to give place to the everlasting kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. The great image of Dan. 2 presents to us the course of these Gentile empires as one whole, rather than in their separate or successional form.
We shall not here enter into any detailed exposition of this interesting passage. We merely refer to it now to point out that it represents to us as one whole the four great Gentile empires that were to exist upon the earth—that terrible "man of the earth" which is destined no more to oppress. (Psa. 10:1818To judge the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may no more oppress. (Psalm 10:18)). The four parts of the image represent the four great Gentile kingdoms—Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian and Roman. But there is also a fifth kingdom, represented by the "little stone." We must not imagine that this little stone falling upon the toes of the image and breaking the whole image to pieces is a description of the kingdom of grace. Far from this; it is the coming of Christ in judgment who will smite the image and establish in its stead His own kingdom of righteousness upon the earth, when He will "reign from sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth." A glorious prospect indeed, but one which can be realized only when the terrible judgments of the Lord have removed "out of His kingdom all things that offend," etc. (Matt. 13:4141The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41).)
In Dan. 7 the same Empires are described, but in their separate and successional form—one replacing the other. While this is so, and though each succeeds the former as an empire, we are not to suppose that any of the nations that compose these different empires cease to exist. A verse in this very chapter (Dan 7:1212As concerning the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time. (Daniel 7:12)) shows that during the time that the fourth Beast (i. e., the Roman Empire) flourishes, the lives of the others are prolonged; and from other parts of the prophetic word we learn that they are yet to be dealt with in the judgments that will fall upon the livings nations, in the final crisis of this world's history.
Revival of the Roman Empire.
We have elsewhere shown that the Roman Empire is yet to revive. Whatever men may think or say to the contrary, the Word of God upon this point is clear. "The Beast that was, and is not, and shall be" (Rev. 17:88The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. (Revelation 17:8)), is none other than the fourth Beast of Dan. 7, or, in other words, the Roman Empire, which WAS in the days of our Lord, which IS NOT today, but which SHALL ASCEND out of the bottomless pit prior to the coming of the Lord in judgment, when it shall "go into perdition"—awful doom! This Roman Empire will be the great Western confederacy of the European nations. In its last form it will consist of ten kingdoms, which, contrary to all precedent, will agree together and unite under one common head, the little horn" of Dan. 7. Proof of all this has been given in The Future of Europe. We allude to it again in order to emphasize the thought that the chief of the Roman Empire is not the Antichrist. Many have thought it, and still do, but we are persuaded that it is not so. The Antichrist will be the false King of the Jews who will be reigning at Jerusalem-of whom our Lord Jesus spoke in saying: "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive" (John 5:4343I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:43)), whereas the chief of the revived Roman Empire will be located at Rome, the city of the seven hills. (Rev. 17:99And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. (Revelation 17:9).)
Nor must the Roman Empire be confounded with the Romish Church. The Roman Empire will be a political system, gathered under one imperial head; this is clear from a careful study of Dan. 7 and 9, and Rev. 13 and 17. There will also be an ecclesiastical system, which at first will control the Beast or Roman Empire, but which at length will be rendered desolate by the ten kings of Western Europe, confederate under the Beast.
Present Period a Parenthesis.
Let it be distinctly remembered that we are now writing about events that will take place after the coming of our Lord into the air to remove His true Church from the scene where all the judgments detailed in the prophetic scriptures are to take place. Every believer in Christ will be "caught up" in the twinkling of an eye "to meet the Lord in the air," and so to be forever with Him. After that, and not until then, will prophecy, strictly speaking, begin to be fulfilled. Meanwhile the student of Scripture, observant of the state of things around him both politically and religiously, may discern rapid strides being taken in the direction of preparation for the accomplishment of God's revealed plan; but prophecy itself has to do not with the Church, but with Israel and the nations of Christendom and the earth at large.
Prophecy has to do with the earth, and not with heaven: the Church belongs to heaven, and not to the earth; far-reaching principles of practice are contained in this simple truth, ignored by so many in the present day. This day of grace, during which God is gathering out from all nations of the earth the members of Christ's body—the Church, which is to share Christ's heavenly glory and to reign with Him over the nations, and to appear with Him in glory when He comes in judgment—this day of grace began at the Cross, and will end at the coming of the Lord into the air for His saints. (1 Thess. 4:1313But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4:13) to end.) This period is entirely outside all question of dates; it is a parenthesis in God's dealings with the earth; during it prophetic time is not reckoned.
Seventy Weeks of Daniel.
The seventy weeks of Daniel's prophecy were interrupted after the rejection of Messiah at the end of the sixty-ninth week (Dan. 9:24-2724Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:24‑27)); then comes the present long parenthesis of already more than 1800 years, to be followed by the last or seventieth week (i.e., seven years) after the removal of the Church.
It is during this last week of seven years that the Beast or Roman Empire will exercise its blasphemous and wicked sway. For further and fuller details on this subject we refer the interested reader to The Future of Europe, etc.
We have before observed that all the nations composing each of the four great Gentile powers, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, are yet to come up for judgment in the end; Ezekiel and the minor prophets leave no room for doubt on this point to any mind subject to the Word of God. But, while this is so, those amongst them that are more closely concerned in the future of Israel receive special notice.
For this reason it is that so much is said both in Daniel and Revelation on the subject of the resuscitated Roman Empire. But not only is this, the fourth, Beast to revive, but the third, or Grecian, will likewise have its representative in the last conflict of the nations with the Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, this representative of the Grecian Empire, according to prophecy, will meet his doom after the destruction of the Beast (or Roman Empire) and the false prophet (or Antichrist), described in Rev. 19.
The King of the North.
It is with this third Beast of Dan. 7 that Russia's destiny is concerned. Russia will be the supporter of the last "King of the North" (Dan. 11), who will be the representative of the Grecian (or third) Empire in the last days—days which we believe are near at hand. It is plain from Scripture that the policy of these two powers ("the Beast" and "the King of the North") will be distinctly opposed the one to the other.
Turning to Dan. 8 we find that the first three of the four Gentile Empires are menioned. It is during the reign of Belshazzar, King of Babylon, that Daniel wrote. The Ram is explained to represent "the Kings of Media and Persia" (Dan. 8:2020The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. (Daniel 8:20)); and the He-goat is "the King of Grecia" (Dan. 8:2121And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. (Daniel 8:21)). Thus we have Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Grecia.
Deeply interesting as this chapter is, we cannot do more than point out one or two matters in connection with the He-goat. The Spirit of God in this chapter, as well as in Dan. 11, inspired the prophet to describe, in brief but striking language, the course of events three hundred years before they took place. Any one acquainted with the history of the Grecian Empire during and after the times of Alexander the Great, cannot fail to be struck with the perfect accuracy of the brief outline given by Daniel: yet Daniel lived and wrote about three centuries before Alexander's time. Can any external evidence of inspiration be more complete? A mere scholar, apart from any appreciation of the spiritual power of the Word of God upon heart and conscience, must be struck with this.
There can be no doubt that "the great horn" (Dan. 8:4-94I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; so that no beasts might stand before him, neither was there any that could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and became great. 5And as I was considering, behold, an he goat came from the west on the face of the whole earth, and touched not the ground: and the goat had a notable horn between his eyes. 6And he came to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and ran unto him in the fury of his power. 7And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns: and there was no power in the ram to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground, and stamped upon him: and there was none that could deliver the ram out of his hand. 8Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. 9And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. (Daniel 8:4‑9)) typifies Alexander the Great, who was the first King of the Grecian Empire, and who led his victorious armies against the realm of Persia; indeed, Dan. 8:2121And the rough goat is the king of Grecia: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first king. (Daniel 8:21) puts this beyond question. Prophecy here informs us of certain facts that history confirms, namely, that on the death of Alexander his kingdom was split up into four parts (Dan. 8:88Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. (Daniel 8:8)), and that out of one of these parts "a little horn" should arise. (Dan. 8:99And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. (Daniel 8:9).)
This little horn must not be confounded with the little horn of the previous chapter. In Dan. 7 the little horn proceeds from the fourth or Roman Empire, whereas here the little horn springs from the third or Grecian Empire. Just as there will be at the close a representative of the Roman, so also will there be one of the Grecian Empire; but they are not the same.
Prophecy makes known to us that three awful individuals are to arise, and that each one of them shall play a most important part in the future and closing scenes of this world's history, before the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of Man in judgment. These are (1) the Antichrist, (2) the chief of the Roman Empire, and (3) the King of the North. Let the reader carefully bear in mind the difference between the coming of the Lord to remove His saints in the twinkling of an eye, and His return with them in manifested glory; it is the latter of these two which is spoken of as the coming of the Son of Man." We are now writing about the events which will take place upon the earth between His coming into the air for His people (1 Thess. 4) and His coming to the earth with His people. (2 Thess. 1 and 2; Zech. 14, etc.)
But let not the study of prophecy, interesting and important as it is, dim the hope of Christ's coming for the Church! He might come this very day; the Church will be removed before the earth becomes the scene of the desolating judgments which the prophetic word so solemnly and plainly describes.
Reader, we are living in serious days. The people now alive may, with their own eyes, see the things take place of which we are now treating. Are you a part of that blood-redeemed company that will be "caught up to meet the Lord in the air," or a part of that Christ-rejecting and Gospel-refusing world, that shall witness the awful events that will follow upon the earth?
The Little Horn of Dan. 8.
Having already written of the Antichrist and the chief of the Roman Empire, we shall now pass to the third great prophetic character, viz., the King of the North. The "little horn" of Dan. 8 is said to wax "exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land." (Dan. 8:99And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. (Daniel 8:9).) "The pleasant land," we need hardly say, is the land of Palestine; and how beautiful it is to see the faith of Daniel rising above all the desolation and ruin of that land, resulting from the failure of the people of Israel, and speaking of it according to God's estimation thereof. He entered into the spirit of those words, "The Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates," etc. "A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." (Deut. 8:7-9; 11:127For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills; 8A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; 9A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou shalt not lack any thing in it; a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass. (Deuteronomy 8:7‑9)
12A land which the Lord thy God careth for: the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year. (Deuteronomy 11:12)). Though at the time at which Daniel wrote Palestine had been desolated, the temple defiled, and large numbers of the people deported to heathen lands, yet to faith it was still "the pleasant land."
This little horn was to arise from one of the four divisions of Alexander's kingdom. History and prophecy are here in perfect accord. History tells us that after his death his kingdom was divided amongst four of his generals, not his sons. Daniel, writing by inspiration three centuries before, tells us that "four notable horns" (Dan. 8:88Therefore the he goat waxed very great: and when he was strong, the great horn was broken; and for it came up four notable ones toward the four winds of heaven. (Daniel 8:8)) came up in place of the one great horn (Alexander); and, further (Dan11:3, 4), that upon the breaking up of this kingdom of the "mighty king" it should be divided towards the four winds of heaven, but "not to his posterity," that is, not to his sons.
Two of these divisions came into special conflict with each other; and the land of Palestine which lay between them, cruelly suffered from them both; and their representatives are to do likewise in the future. They are called the "King of the North" and the "King of the South" in Dan. 11. We would observe again that everything is described according to its relation to the land and people of Israel. These kings are spoken of as the kings of the north and south for the simple reason that the territories over which they rule were, and will be, one of them north, the other south, of Palestine. In other words the King of the North occupied Syria and Asia Minor, or that district which is now called Turkey in Asia, and the King of the South ruled over Egypt. According to prophecy, a king of great importance in the future of the world, and especially of the Jews, is yet to arise in that part of the world now occupied by the Sultan, in Asia. No one at all aquainted with what God has revealed in His Word in connection with this individual can fail to be deeply interested in the movement now taking place in reference to Turkey.
Believing, as we surely do, that we are rapidly nearing the time of the fulfillment of these things, we have little doubt that the agitation now going on, will have a far-reaching effect in the preparation of those lands for the part that they are to play, according to Scripture, in the near future.
In the past there was a notorious individual, Antiochus Epiphanes by name; he was a specially wicked man, and took a fiendish delight in ill-treating the Jews in every conceivable manner. He even went the length of penetrating into the holy place and there offering up a sow upon the altar in impious and blasphemous mockery. This Antiochus was a type of the future and last King of the North, and is, we believe, the one mentioned in Dan. 8:1111Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. (Daniel 8:11) and the first half of Dan. 8:1212And an host was given him against the daily sacrifice by reason of transgression, and it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practised, and prospered. (Daniel 8:12). He defiled the sanctuary, and caused the daily sacrifice to cease for a time. It is thought by some, and we incline to think it too, that the 2300 days of verse 14 had their fulfillment at that time.
But from verse 17 to the end of the chapter the prophet treats of the last and yet future representative of the northern division of Alexander's kingdom, him of whom Antiochus, bad as he was, was only a type. At the time of the end shall be the vision" (Dan. 8:1717So he came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man: for at the time of the end shall be the vision. (Daniel 8:17))—"I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation" (Dan. 8:1919And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for at the time appointed the end shall be. (Daniel 8:19))—and, again, "In the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up." (Dan. 8:2323And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. (Daniel 8:23)) But though the power of this king will be mighty, it is added that it shall not be "by his own power." (Dan. 8:2424And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. (Daniel 8:24)) We call the reader's earnest attention to this point. At the back of this fierce and powerful king will be another power greater and mightier than his, supporting him in his evil and self-willed course. In other words, he shall be a vassal of some other great power; and we believe that prophecy distinctly implies that Russia will be this mighty power supporting and strengthening the last King of the North. This we shall look at more fully presently.
Though in this pamphlet we are principally concerned with what the prophetic word has foretold in connection with these matters, we cannot help pointing out in passing how the events now transpiring in the political world are surely and rapidly paving the way for the fulfillment of prophecy. Who can close their eyes to the enormous influence that Russia has lately been gaining in the management of European affairs on the one hand, and the vast extension of her power in the Far East?
What times of thrilling interest are these in which our lot is cast! Revival of the truth of the Lord's coming in the past century, and the earnest study of the prophetic scriptures, led some to conclusions as to these matters which at that time seemed far from probable, if even possible, but which through the last few years have approached a startling likelihood of accomplishment. And to what end have these things been revealed? Are they merely to interest our minds in prophecy in the same way as others might be in mathematics or science? Nay, verily. When God made known to Abraham, His friend, the awful judgment that was soon to befall the guilty cities of the plain, it was not merely a mark of friendship —precious as it was to be thus admitted into God's confidence—still less was it that he might have some subject of curious and fruitless speculation. It brought Abraham into close communion with the Lord, and set him in the attitude of prayer and intercession for those who had no anxiety about themselves. In penning these pages it is our earnest desire that the like spirit of communion and intercession be awakened in every heart that shall read and believe these solemn truths!
This "little horn," then, "shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practice, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people" Dan 8:2424And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. (Daniel 8:24).)—that is the Jews, when restored to their own land. But he will carry his fierce and iniquitous designs too far, for he shall "stand up against the Prince of princes (i.e., Christ) but he shall be broken without hand." (Dan. 8:2525And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25).) Some have thought that this little horn of Dan. 8 referred to the Mohammedan scourge of the East, whilst the little horn of Rev. 7, denoted the Papacy in the West. We are persuaded that both these thoughts are incorrect. Once it is seen that the object of the Spirit of God in Daniel is not to describe matters concerning the Church, or the heavenly people of God, but concerning ISRAEL, or the earthly people, our understanding of the prophecy becomes amazingly clearer.
It is evident that we are on Jewish ground in this chapter, for the little horn waxes "great toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land." (Dan. 8:99And out of one of them came forth a little horn, which waxed exceeding great, toward the south, and toward the east, and toward the pleasant land. (Daniel 8:9).) It describes a power situated north of Palestine, and whose evil designs are all directed against that land, the temple or sanctuary (Dan. 8:1111Yea, he magnified himself even to the prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his sanctuary was cast down. (Daniel 8:11)), the Jewish people (Dan 8:2424And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. (Daniel 8:24)), and, finally, the Messiah Himself when He shall have appeared at the very darkest hour of the Jews' great tribulation in the future.
The Assyrian.
This King of the North is elsewhere spoken of as the Assyrian. The Assyrian of the past, Sennacherib, was but a type of the Assyrian of the future. The Assyrian is not done with yet; Isa. 10 and 14, along with many other scriptures, make this evident. The Assyrian of the past was the rod of Jehovah's anger (Isa. 10:55O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. (Isaiah 10:5)), by means of which He chastised His unfaithful people. But when the Lord shall have performed His whole work upon Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, and not until then, will He "punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria." (Isa. 10:1212Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. (Isaiah 10:12)) Has the Lord finished His whole work on Mount Zion and Jerusalem? Clearly not; then the judgment of the Assyrian is yet to come.
If we turn to the prophecy of Micah we shall find this confirmed. Let the reader open his Bible at Mic. 5—"They shall smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek." (Mic. 5:11Now gather thyself in troops, O daughter of troops: he hath laid siege against us: they shall smite the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. (Micah 5:1)) Here we have the rejection of Christ, the Messiah, in the past. The next verse is a parenthesis, quoted in Matt. 2:66And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel. (Matthew 2:6) as being fulfilled in the birth of our adorable Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who combined in His own glorious Person perfect humanity and deity, for He is here presented in His manhood as "Ruler in Israel," and in His Godhead as the One "whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Mic. 5:33Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. (Micah 5:3) describes the present rejection of Israel on account of their rejection of their Messiah, but also their future restoration after their great tribulation. But verse 4 tells us that when this takes place "He," their Messiah, will be in their midst, and shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into their land. (Mic. 5:55And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. (Micah 5:5).) The Assyrian is yet to tread in their palaces (Mic. 5:55And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land: and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men. (Micah 5:5)), but the restored remnant of Jacob will be delivered from him, and he himself will be destroyed "in the land" by the presence of the Lord.
The prophet Isaiah bears the same testimony—"Through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.... For Tophet is ordained of old; for the king also it is prepared; He hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it." (Isa. 30:31-3331For through the voice of the Lord shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod. 32And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the Lord shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it. 33For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. (Isaiah 30:31‑33).) "The King" mentioned in this passage is, we believe, the same as the one spoken of in Dan. 11:36,36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (Daniel 11:36) namely, the Antichrist.
An awful judgment awaits the three wicked men of whom the prophetic word speaks, namely, (1) the Beast, the chief of the revived Roman Empire; (2) the Antichrist; and (3) the Assyrian, or King of the North. At the coming of the Lord into the air all the saints then alive on the earth will be caught up without dying into glory, "changed in a moment"; but those three men, exceptional in their wickedness and blasphemous rebellion against God, are reserved for this awful and exceptional judgment—they pass to their eternal doom without dying.
The next chapter likewise speaks of this Assyrian—"Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him." (Isa. 31:8, 98Then shall the Assyrian fall with the sword, not of a mighty man; and the sword, not of a mean man, shall devour him: but he shall flee from the sword, and his young men shall be discomfited. 9And he shall pass over to his strong hold for fear, and his princes shall be afraid of the ensign, saith the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 31:8‑9).) That is, unlike the mere ordinary results of human warfare, where one army may have to flee from a stronger, the Assyrian of the future will flee from "the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and His furnace in Jerusalem."
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God," therefore each part is in perfect consistency with every other. Hence, if we now turn to Dan. 11, we shall not be surprised to find the same consistent testimony in reference to this King of the North. The whole chapter is one of the deepest interest, and will well repay a close and careful study. Space will not admit of more than a very brief notice of its earlier verses. The more we examine it, the more are we filled with wonder and worship. It is one of the most perfect answers to the infidelity that would reject the verbal inspiration of the Scriptures. Higher Criticism quails before it. Hence the strenuous efforts from the days of Porphyry, the heathen opponent of Christianity of the second century, down to the Higher Critics of our days, to disprove the early date of Daniel.
The account given in Dan. 11:1-361Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. 2And now will I show thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. 3And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. 4And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. 5And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. 6And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king's daughter of the south shall come to the king of the north to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times. 7But out of a branch of her roots shall one stand up in his estate, which shall come with an army, and shall enter into the fortress of the king of the north, and shall deal against them, and shall prevail: 8And shall also carry captives into Egypt their gods, with their princes, and with their precious vessels of silver and of gold; and he shall continue more years than the king of the north. 9So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land. 10But his sons shall be stirred up, and shall assemble a multitude of great forces: and one shall certainly come, and overflow, and pass through: then shall he return, and be stirred up, even to his fortress. 11And the king of the south shall be moved with choler, and shall come forth and fight with him, even with the king of the north: and he shall set forth a great multitude; but the multitude shall be given into his hand. 12And when he hath taken away the multitude, his heart shall be lifted up; and he shall cast down many ten thousands: but he shall not be strengthened by it. 13For the king of the north shall return, and shall set forth a multitude greater than the former, and shall certainly come after certain years with a great army and with much riches. 14And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of thy people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall. 15So the king of the north shall come, and cast up a mount, and take the most fenced cities: and the arms of the south shall not withstand, neither his chosen people, neither shall there be any strength to withstand. 16But he that cometh against him shall do according to his own will, and none shall stand before him: and he shall stand in the glorious land, which by his hand shall be consumed. 17He shall also set his face to enter with the strength of his whole kingdom, and upright ones with him; thus shall he do: and he shall give him the daughter of women, corrupting her: but she shall not stand on his side, neither be for him. 18After this shall he turn his face unto the isles, and shall take many: but a prince for his own behalf shall cause the reproach offered by him to cease; without his own reproach he shall cause it to turn upon him. 19Then he shall turn his face toward the fort of his own land: but he shall stumble and fall, and not be found. 20Then shall stand up in his estate a raiser of taxes in the glory of the kingdom: but within few days he shall be destroyed, neither in anger, nor in battle. 21And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. 31And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. 32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. 36And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (Daniel 11:1‑36) is such an accurate description prophetically of what has since taken place historically, that nothing short of inspiration in the fullest acceptation of the term could account for the miracle. We cannot here dwell upon this point, but every reader of that part of Grecian history immediately following the break-up of the empire upon the death of Alexander the Great, cannot fail to be impressed with the remarkable exactitude of Daniel's language—a fact which can alone be accounted for by remembering that the prophet spake as he was "moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1:2121For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (2 Peter 1:21).)
We commend Dan. 11 to the careful and prayerful consideration of every one who desires a clear, God-given, and yet most solemn understanding of the course of events upon the earth after the coming of the Lord.
The King of the North mentioned throughout Dan. 11 is, of course, not the same individual all through. The King of the North is a title, just as we might speak of the King of England. The King of today is a different individual from the King of one hundred years ago; indeed, during the last one hundred years there have been several different Kings of England. In like manner throughout this chapter there are several successive Kings of the North. It is generally admitted that the particular King of the North spoken of in Dan. 11:21-3521And in his estate shall stand up a vile person, to whom they shall not give the honor of the kingdom: but he shall come in peaceably, and obtain the kingdom by flatteries. 22And with the arms of a flood shall they be overflown from before him, and shall be broken; yea, also the prince of the covenant. 23And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people. 24He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. 25And he shall stir up his power and his courage against the king of the south with a great army; and the king of the south shall be stirred up to battle with a very great and mighty army; but he shall not stand: for they shall forecast devices against him. 26Yea, they that feed of the portion of his meat shall destroy him, and his army shall overflow: and many shall fall down slain. 27And both these kings' hearts shall be to do mischief, and they shall speak lies at one table; but it shall not prosper: for yet the end shall be at the time appointed. 28Then shall he return into his land with great riches; and his heart shall be against the holy covenant; and he shall do exploits, and return to his own land. 29At the time appointed he shall return, and come toward the south; but it shall not be as the former, or as the latter. 30For the ships of Chittim shall come against him: therefore he shall be grieved, and return, and have indignation against the holy covenant: so shall he do; he shall even return, and have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant. 31And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. 32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 35And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. (Daniel 11:21‑35) was Antiochus Epiphanes, whom we have already mentioned.
Antichrist.
But in Dan. 11:3636And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. (Daniel 11:36) another King altogether is introduced—"the King." This king we believe to be Antichrist, who will be reigning at Jerusalem as the false King of the Jews at the time of this attack of the last King of the North. If the reader will carefully compare Dan. 11:36-4036And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. 40And 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. (Daniel 11:36‑40) with 2 Thess. 2:4,4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. (2 Thessalonians 2:4) we believe he will be struck with the similarity of the language. Without doubt this willful king is in the land of Palestine—he divides "the land" for gain. What land? The land which is the center of all God's interests, and the focus of all His dealings in the last days—Palestine. Then, too, he will not regard the God of his fathers, i.e., the Jehovah of Israel (which implies that he will be a Jew); "nor the desire of women," that is, the Messiah—the long promised Seed of the woman.
But "at the time of the end"—that time so near at hand, that time which will begin very soon after the removal of the Church—"shall the King of the South push at him." The King of the South is that power that will be ruling in Egypt, whoever at that time it may be. At the same time the King of the North shall come down upon him from the north. This king, then, becomes the point of attack from both north and south. This shows that he is a third and different king from the Kings of the North and South.
We cannot proceed without once again calling the reader's attention to the marvelous way in which the Spirit of God has here entered into detail concerning these closing scenes of this world's history. And is it not a fact that the thoughts of all the world are rapidly centering upon these very lands? Russia, Turkey, Egypt, and the East are today absorbing universal attention. The amazing development and advancement of Russia during the past twenty five years show how dependable is the Word of God when it tells us of "things to come".
O reader, the times are moving quickly! The coming of the Lord draweth nigh. The nations are falling into line; all unknown to themselves, they are forming themselves into the very attitude long since foretold by Him who "worketh all things after the counsel of His own will," and whose irreversible decree it is to "head up in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth." (Eph. 1:9, 109Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: (Ephesians 1:9‑10).) Yes, "the dispensation of the fullness of the times" is at hand, and Christ shall reign in righteousness and peace; but first must there be unparalleled judgments on this guilty world.
The latter part of this chapter (Dan. 11:40-4540And 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. 41He 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. 42He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. 43But 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. 44But 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. 45And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. (Daniel 11:40‑45)) describes the last King of the North. He is represented as sweeping down upon the countries like a whirlwind, at the head of masses of men and fleets of ships. He will enter also "the glorious land." What land is this? PALESTINE, without doubt. That land will then be peopled by the Jews, a large number of whom have already gone back there within the last few years. The persecutions and banishment of the Jews have set them in motion, and many of their own leading men are encouraging them in every way that lies in their power to return to Palestine, utterly ignorant, for the most part, of how remarkably they are carrying out the plans of God revealed centuries ago.
Yes, the Word of God must be fulfilled. Antichrist (an apostate Jew) is yet to sit in the temple which is to be rebuilt at Jerusalem, and there the Jews nationally reinstated (not the remnant, but the unbelieving majority of the nation), gone back to Palestine in unbelief will yield to Antichrist the homage, allegiance, and worship which they refused to Jesus of Nazareth, their true Messiah. In the days which are past a small remnant only received the Messiah, while the nation rejected Him; in the future the nation, as a whole, will receive the Antichrist, whilst the remnant will reject him.
Then will be fulfilled that sorrowful prediction of our blessed Lord, "I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." (John 5:4343I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. (John 5:43).) But their "covenant with death shall be disannulled," and their "agreement with hell shall not stand." An allusion is here made, we believe, to the same northern power (the Assyrian) already referred to. It would appear that in order to escape from the King of the North, who will at that time be Jehovah's rod of anger (Isa. 10:55O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. (Isaiah 10:5)), they will enter into a covenant with the Beast (or Roman Emperor) on the one hand (Dan. 9:2727And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)), and with the Antichrist (Isa. 28:1818And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. (Isaiah 28:18)) on the other. But so far from this being a success, "when the overflowing scourge" (i.e., the Assyrian, or King of the North) "shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it."
The last verse of Dan. 9 announces the same solemn judgment. The three fearful characters of the future crisis already alluded to are mentioned in this verse. "He," that is, the prince of the revived Roman Empire, will enter into a covenant with "the many," that is, with the apostate portion of the Jews; these again will seek a further help from the protection held out by Antichrist, the miracle-working "man of sin." But "on account of the protection of abominations" (that is, Antichrist's idolatry) God will send down upon them a desolator (the King of the North), who will sweep into "the glorious land" like an overwhelming scourge, as we have already seen from Dan. 11:40,40And 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. (Daniel 11:40) and Isa. 28:14-2014Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. 15Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: 16Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. 17Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. 18And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it. 19From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report. 20For the bed is shorter than that a man can stretch himself on it: and the covering narrower than that he can wrap himself in it. (Isaiah 28:14‑20).
Edom. Moab and Ammon.
But in spite of his victorious progress, three countries neighboring upon the land of Palestine "escape out of his hand." This verse (ver. 41) affords an indirect evidence of the inspiration of Scripture which is altogether remarkable. It will be no mere accident of war that shall deliver Edom, Moab, and Ammon from the King of the North; but God, the Jehovah of Israel, has said, "I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel." (Ezek. 25:1414And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord God. (Ezekiel 25:14).) Israel, and not the King of the North, is to be Jehovah's instrument in the judgment of Edom. The same God that inspired Ezekiel likewise inspired Daniel. We notice this in passing in order to strengthen the faith of some of our readers that may be in danger of wavering owing to the assaults of Higher Criticism and other forms of rationalism.
It would appear that on this last expedition of the King of the North, Jerusalem will be besieged and taken; at least, we incline to think that it is then that Zech. 14:22For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2) will receive its fulfillment. Evidently this verse describes a siege of Jerusalem when "the city shall be taken." We must bear in mind the difference between the Beast and the confederacy of the Western kings of Europe, and the Assyrian (King of the North), and the confederacy of the Eastern nations. The Beast will make a covenant with the Jews (Dan. 9:2727And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:27)) through the influence, no doubt, of Antichrist reigning in Jerusalem, whereas the King of the North (or Assyrian) will be the open and declared enemy of the Jews. It is of this Eastern confederacy that some of the psalms speak (e. g., Psalms 79 and 83.) These psalms are prophetic; they tell us of a time when the heathen shall come into God's inheritance, when they will defile His holy temple, and lay Jerusalem on heaps.
Restoration of the Jews to Their Own Land.
We cannot close our eyes to the fact that 1 great movement is now going on in the East and around about the land of Palestine. Politicians of today are leaving God out of their reckonings, and yet are becoming the instruments for the carrying out of His plans. The Powers, so called, find Turkey a difficult problem. Letters and leading articles in the daily papers have gone the length of suggesting that Russia seeks suzerainty over Syria and Turkey in Asia, and that the Jews should be put back in their own land. This policy would meet the requirements of the case, some say. Are those writers aware that it is the exact plan revealed in the prophetic Scriptures?!
The Word of God has clearly foretold that the King of the North, or that power which will in the end occupy Syria and Turkey in Asia, "shall be mighty, but not by his own power." (Dan. 8:2424And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. (Daniel 8:24).) There will be a power behind him, and, so to speak, backing him up. What this power will be, Scripture points out we believe. Furthermore, the same Scriptures of truth have revealed that some great maritime power is to be the instrument in the hands of Jehovah for the restoration of Palestine of that people "scattered and peeled," "a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot." (Isa. 18.)
Isa. 18:11Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia: (Isaiah 18:1) should read, "He! to the land shadowing with wings," etc. It is a summons to some nation to carry out the restoration of the Jews to their own land. Wealthy Jews, private individuals, societies, Christian and otherwise, for the colonization of Palestine, have all been putting their hands to this work within the last few years, but when God's time has fully come He will accomplish swiftly (Isa. 18:77In that time shall the present be brought unto the Lord of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts, the mount Zion. (Isaiah 18:7)) and thoroughly what men are trying to do slowly and imperfectly.
Meanwhile, dear Christian reader, stay your hand. Labor and pray for the conversion of souls to Christ, whether Jew, Gentile or professing Christian, rather than making strenuous efforts to send back the Jews to Palestine to swell the ranks of the apostate people who will band together to serve and worship Antichrist.
Some have thought that the maritime power that is here mentioned is England. For many generations England has treated the Jews with great tolerance. The now famous "Balfour Declaration" of 1917 pledged England to support the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people. Thus willingly or unwillingly England finds her welfare bound up with that of the Jewish nation. We do well to remember that though the Jews are now under God's chastening hand, they are nevertheless "beloved for the fathers' sake" (Rom. 11:2828As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes. (Romans 11:28)), and God will not hold guiltless either the man or nation that oppresses them. They are His people, though for the time He cannot publicly recognize them as such. Scattered they have been for more than eighteen centuries; greater sorrows still await them; and all because of their rejection and crucifixion of their Messiah. But the time is coming when all the predictions of the prophets shall be fulfilled in their glorious restoration, when with repentant and contrite hearts "they shall look upon Him whom they have pierced, and shall mourn for Him as one mourning for his only son." (Zech. 12:1010And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. (Zechariah 12:10).)
But when, through the influence of the nations, one or more, the Jews are back in their land, whilst Antichrist is still reigning at Jerusalem, persecuting the godly remnant in the most bitter and cruel manner possible, though at the same time entering into a covenant with the apostate portion of the nation, then will this last confederacy of the Eastern nations rise up against God and His people, saying, "Come, let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance." (Psa. 83:44They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. (Psalm 83:4).) Edom, Moab, and Ammon, the ancient and inveterate enemies of Israel, once more appear upon the scene, and "joined with them" is Asshur (the Assyrian). In other words, we have here the very expedition described in Dan. 11 and Zech. 14.
Destruction of the King of the North.
Let us go back again to Dan. 11. After the siege of Jerusalem, which we have noticed in Zech. 14:2,2For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2) the King of the North will extend his conquests into Egypt, but while there carrying everything before him, tidings of a startling and terrible nature "shall trouble him." (Dan. 11:4444But 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. (Daniel 11:44).) Let the reader observe the direction whence these tidings shall come-out of the east and out of the north. A glance at the map will show that this quarter is none other than Palestine! Fearful things will have taken place around Jerusalem, the report of which will stay his progress and strike terror into his heart. The greatest battle that this poor world has ever known is yet to be fought around Mount Zion. "The Beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies" (i. e., the Western confederacy), are soon to be gathered together to make war with the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.
This gathering of the Western nations will have taken place around Jerusalem during the time of the King of the North's expedition into Egypt. The Jews will then be settled in their own land. Having returned in unbelief, they will have formed themselves into a flourishing community. Let the following extract from the Jewish World speak for itself. It is one of many that might be given, showing the thoughts that are agitating the minds of the Jews irrespective of God or His purposes. The extract is from an article with the significant heading, The Return to Palestine."
The financial obstacles could, no doubt, be met in a week. To form and finance a 'chartered' company for such an object as the re-establishing of an autonomous Jewish State in Palestine would indeed present hardly any difficulty, and when it was seen that the Jewish State would not help to give the balance of power to any European Government, but rather tend to the preservation of European peace, it is not impossible that political obstacles and diplomatic objections would not be found to be very great.
"Nor will some of the chief arguments that have been advanced against the Scheme bear close scrutiny. It is not true that the Jews are incapable of again becoming an agricultural people. Every agricultural colony of Jews that has been formed in Palestine or elsewhere, has, by its success, proved the reverse; while, even in Russia, where Jews are none too popular, Jewish agriculturalists have earned the commendation of the Government.
"It has been argued that Jews have too much love for art, literature, the theater, and the concert hall, to willingly abandon London, Paris, Vienna, and Berlin for the Holy Land, where their talents and their tastes would find neither scope nor satisfaction. The answer is too obvious to need insisting on. One need only ask, Could not Jerusalem also he made a center of art and literary culture, the drama and music? Surely, there is nothing in the soil or the climate to hinder this; and one might indeed look forward to a special development of Jewish art that would benefit the world as well as the Jews themselves, but which is impossible while we are scattered and our artists are living in a non-Jewish environment and working, consciously or unconsciously, for a non-Jewish public. No, the danger is rather the other way. It is lest the new Palestinian State should be merely a fighting-ground between the representatives of various and conflicting non-Jewish theories and practices imported by people of Jewish birth. If there be at the present time sufficient unity and idealism in Israel; sufficient detachment from the conventions of the nations; there is no very obvious reason why the restoration to Palestine should not be commenced in the way Dr. Herzl and his friends think possible."
Man's thought is to make Jerusalem the center of the drama and music! God's thought is to gather all nations there for their judgment. (Joel 3.) Daniel's seventieth week is yet to come (Dan. 9:24-2724Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. 25Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. 26And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Daniel 9:24‑27)); the coming Roman prince will make a covenant with the many" (i. e., the mass of unbelieving Jews) for one week; in the midst of the week he will break off this covenant, and by means of Antichrist (the false king in Jerusalem) will establish idolatry in the Temple, where the "abomination of desolation" will be set up.
This will be the sign to the faithful remnant to flee, according to Matt. 24:15-2515When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judea flee into the mountains: 17Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. 23Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. 24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. 25Behold, I have told you before. (Matthew 24:15‑25). The second half of the week will be the period of the great tribulation, and when this is at its very height, and the clouds gathering thicker and darker around them, suddenly the Son of Man will be seen coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory—awful sight for the assembled armies of the West (read carefully Matt. 24:26-31,26Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. 27For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 28For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. 29Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: 30And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:26‑31) and Rev. 19:11-2111And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. (Revelation 19:11‑21)), but glorious deliverance for the godly and persecuted remnant.
Reader, these things may soon take place. The mighty armies are to be mown down before the brightness of Christ's glory, when like the lightning He shall descend from heaven. Let not the infidelity of our days lead you to question the possibility of such things. The God who breathed on the hosts of Assyria in the days of Hezekiah still lives. What was done then is but a feeble foreshadowing of what is yet to be:—"The remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of Mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this.... For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians 185,000: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses." (2 Kings 19:30-3630And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall yet again take root downward, and bear fruit upward. 31For out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and they that escape out of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord of hosts shall do this. 32Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it. 33By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the Lord. 34For I will defend this city, to save it, for mine own sake, and for my servant David's sake. 35And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses. 36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh. (2 Kings 19:30‑36).)
The "tidings out of the east and out of the north," which reach the King of the North when down in Egypt, are doubtless the gathering together of the armies of Western Europe, bent upon seizing for themselves the land of Palestine. He goes forth "with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas [i. e., the Mediterranean and Dead Seas] in the glorious holy mountain" [i. e., the Judxan mountains]. (Dan. 11:44, 4544But 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. 45And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. (Daniel 11:44‑45).) But a greater than he will already have settled matters with them. The Lord Himself will be there, the Prince of princes, against whom this King of the North will "stand up," but only to be "broken without hand," for "he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." (Dan. 8:25; 11:4525And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand. (Daniel 8:25)
45And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. (Daniel 11:45).) Let the reader observe that Dan. 11:36-4036And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 37Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 38But in his estate shall he honor the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. 39Thus shall he do in the most strong holds with a strange god, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory: and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for gain. 40And 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. (Daniel 11:36‑40) is an account of the Man of Sin, or Antichrist, but from Dan. 11:4040And 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. (Daniel 11:40) to 45 the subject is the last King of the North. We shall now turn to the prophecy of Ezekiel.
Russia's Catastrophic End.
We have before pointed out that the King of the North will be a vassal of some greater power, and that power we believe to be none other than the vast Russian Empire. It may surprise some to learn that Russia is mentioned by name in the Scriptures, or, at any rate, in such a way as to leave no reasonable doubt that Russia is meant. Let the reader open his Bible and read Ezek. 36 to 40; if Ezek. 36 and 37 be read with attention, it will be seen that the vision before the mind of the prophet is the restoration of Israel to their own land. The restoration here described is distinctly future; never since the days of Ezekiel has any such an one taken place. The repentance and conversion of the people are distinctly foretold: their blessing in the land, which will cease to be desolate, and become fertile as the Garden of Eden; the hostility of the tribes one against the other shall cease, and they shall be gathered together under one King—David's Son and David's Lord.
But the day of Israel's blessing in the land is also the day of the judgment and destruction of their enemies—a principle which is seen all through the Psalms, where the Spirit of God frequently employs language in a prophetical manner most suitable in the lips of God's earthly people, who cannot be fully blessed until all their enemies are destroyed, but most unsuitable for the heavenly people, the church, who will be caught up to heaven before the living nations are judged.
Let Ezek. 38 and 39 be now read with attention. Israel being fully and finally restored to their own land, and blessed therein according to the distinct announcement of the prophetic word, their time of great tribulation being over, the Beast, or Western confederacy of nations, and the Antichrist, or False Prophet, having been destroyed by the brightness of Christ's appearing, the King of the North likewise having fallen upon the mountains of Judæa (Dan. 11:4545And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. (Daniel 11:45)), there still remains to be dealt with that vast and mighty empire whose vassal the King of the North had been.
"Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against him." (Ezek. 38:22Son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, (Ezekiel 38:2).) Here we have the names of three of the sons of Japheth, who, in the early days of the settlement of nations (Gen. 10:2, 32The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 3And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. (Genesis 10:2‑3)), moved off in the direction of what is now called Russia. These three names survive today in the well-known terms Russia (Rosh), Moscow (Meshech), and Tobolsk (Tubal). These two chapters describe in forcible language and almost in minute detail the final overthrow of the vast north-eastern confederacy which we see today in process of rapid and unexpected formation.
Oh, that God might open the eyes of many set in the high places of the earth, so difficult to reach with the simple story of the Cross and of the redeeming love of Jesus! May you, dear reader, whoever you may be, prince, peer, or pauper, be brought to own as your Savior and Lord, now in the day of His grace, Him whom the proudest of monarchs and the haughtiest of empires shall be forced to recognize in the day of His power and judgment!
The Spirit of God distinctly announces that the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy was far removed from that in which the prophet lived—"After many days shalt thou [Gog] be visited." (Ezek. 38:88After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8).) Not only so, but it was to be in "the latter days"—days now near at hand. Already do we see the signs of that movement amongst the Jews which is to result, according to Scripture, in their national restoration to their own land. And not only the Jews, but also the ten tribes, will share in that restoration. Men may ask, Where are they? Faith replies, They will be "gathered out of many people," and "brought forth out of the nations." (Ezek. 38:88After many days thou shalt be visited: in the latter years thou shalt come into the land that is brought back from the sword, and is gathered out of many people, against the mountains of Israel, which have been always waste: but it is brought forth out of the nations, and they shall dwell safely all of them. (Ezekiel 38:8).) At the time of which this chapter treats they will be dwelling "safely, all of them." An evil thought will then come into the mind of Gog, the north-eastern potentate. Beholding the prosperity of returned Israel, and their apparently unprotected condition in the land of "unwalled villages" (Ezek. 38:1111And thou shalt say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to them that are at rest, that dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates, (Ezekiel 38:11)), blinded by the unbelief of Scripture, so rife at the present time, which, did he but heed it, might teach him that their prosperity was the evidence that they were now blessed by Jehovah, who had interposed on their behalf, he (Gog) gathers together all his bands from the north and the east, and comes down like a storm upon the once desolate but now favored land. "Cursed is he that curseth thee," Jehovah had long before declared, and all who oppress and despise the Israel of God will have to answer to the God of Israel.
In the words of another:—"It is the last enemy of Israel who confronts us. He dwells in the land of Magog, that son of Japheth who overspread in due time the vast steppes of what was anciently called Scythia. He is autocrat of all the Russias, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. Thus we have himself, his land, and his people. But the Lord Himself is against him who, instead of seeing when good comes to a long-troubled people, would fain aggrandize himself, and thus finds himself in array against, not merely the Israel of God, but the God of Israel."
"Thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company and a mighty army: and thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes." (Ezek. 38:15, 1615And thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, all of them riding upon horses, a great company, and a mighty army: 16And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land; it shall be in the latter days, and I will bring thee against my land, that the heathen may know me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes. (Ezekiel 38:15‑16).) Can any one giving a moment's serious thought to the subject fail to see how the events now transpiring tend to the accomplishment of these predictions? Russia's rapid extension of power in the East, could easily presage the carrying out of those plans of Jehovah, long since foretold in the prophetic word, which is, alas! slighted, ignored, and despised by the vast majority in our days.
But will this invasion prosper? "Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal: and I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee... and I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee... thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. And I will send a fire on Magog [i. e., the land of Russia], and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles [i. e., the distant countries that contribute to his host]: and they shall know that I am the Lord." (Ezek. 39:1-81Therefore, thou son of man, prophesy against Gog, and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: 2And I will turn thee back, and leave but the sixth part of thee, and will cause thee to come up from the north parts, and will bring thee upon the mountains of Israel: 3And I will smite thy bow out of thy left hand, and will cause thine arrows to fall out of thy right hand. 4Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel, thou, and all thy bands, and the people that is with thee: I will give thee unto the ravenous birds of every sort, and to the beasts of the field to be devoured. 5Thou shalt fall upon the open field: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. 6And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles: and they shall know that I am the Lord. 7So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more: and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel. 8Behold, it is come, and it is done, saith the Lord God; this is the day whereof I have spoken. (Ezekiel 39:1‑8).)
The overthrow is terrible, whether the language be taken literally or figuratively. So vast is the host destroyed, that their weapons of war will suffice to Israel for firewood for seven years, and seven months will be required for the burial of the dead and the cleansing of the land. Gog, who thought to possess himself of the land and its wealth, will find "a place there of graves," and God shall then be known, through the judgments that He executeth, by all those nations refusing to know Him now as revealed in grace in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Solemn alternative! Reader, lay it to heart!
When all is over, then, saith the Lord, "I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward." (Ezek. 39:21, 2221And I will set my glory among the heathen, and all the heathen shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid upon them. 22So the house of Israel shall know that I am the Lord their God from that day and forward. (Ezekiel 39:21‑22).)
This, according to Scripture, is the destiny of Russia. Mighty as she is, she is destined to be more powerful still. The extent of her territory today is amazing-half of Europe and the whole of Northern Asia. But according to prophecy it is in Asia that she is destined to succeed. There can be little doubt that Russia, and not England, will be the dominant power in the East.
England's future is bound up with that of the Beast, or Roman Empire; she, as one of the ten horns, will be in that fatal gathering of the Western powers around Jerusalem. (Rev. 17 and 19.) Powers they may be called today, but in that day they will be forced to lick the dust, and bow before the Lamb who will come forth from heaven, not in weakness, but girt with strength and majesty, as KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.
After the destruction of the Beast, or the Western confederacy, the northern and eastern nations remain to be dealt with. With prophetic irony, Gog, the autocrat of all the Russias, is thus addressed: "Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them." (Ezek. 38:77Be thou prepared, and prepare for thyself, thou, and all thy company that are assembled unto thee, and be thou a guard unto them. (Ezekiel 38:7).) But the awful consequences of this onslaught upon favored and gathered Israel have been already described.