King of North vs. South: Daniel's Prophecy

Okay, I can definitely put together both a sermon and a sermon outline exploring the King of the North and King of the South!

My dear brothers and sisters, friends, and seekers of truth, we gather today to explore a profound and relevant prophecy from the book of Daniel, one that sheds light on the unfolding drama of history and points us to the glorious end of all things. Our topic is a fascinating one: the identities of the "king of the North" and the "king of the South" as revealed in Daniel chapter 11. This prophecy, though ancient, speaks directly to our time, for we are living "at the time of the end," a period when these very powers are central to God's unfolding plan Daniel 11:40BDOC 51.21+2.

Before we delve into the depths of this prophecy, let's hear a short story that reminds us of a fundamental truth.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy named Samuel who loved to draw maps. He would spend hours with his crayons, coloring in continents and oceans. One day, his grandfather, a wise old sailor, came to visit. Samuel proudly showed him a map he had drawn of his own neighborhood. "See, Grandpa," he explained, "this is my house, and this is the park. And this big blue line is the river." His grandfather smiled and said, "Samuel, that's a wonderful map! You've shown us where everything is in relation to your house. Just like on a big map of the world, when we talk about 'north' and 'south,' it's always in relation to a central point."

My dear friends, this simple illustration helps us understand the prophecy we are about to examine. Just as Samuel's map had a central point, so too does God's prophetic map.

The Genesis of the Kings: A Divided Empire 🌍👑

To understand who the king of the North and the king of the South are, we must go back to their very origin, following the prophetic thread of Daniel. The angel Gabriel, in Daniel chapter 11, lays out a detailed history from Daniel’s own day to the very end of the worldARSH May 29, 1900, page 338.9. After the mighty king of Grecia, Alexander the Great, stood up and ruled with great dominion, his kingdom was broken and divided "toward the four winds of heaven" Daniel 11:3-4. These divisions, reckoned from the standpoint of Palestine, the native land of the prophet, established the initial geographical territories for the kingdoms of the west, north, east, and southDAR1909 249.1+1.

Cassander received Greece and adjacent lands to the west. Lysimachus took Thrace, including Asia Minor, and the countries bordering the Hellespont and Bosphorus, which lay to the north of Palestine. Seleucus gained Syria and Babylon, primarily to the east. And Ptolemy acquired Egypt and neighboring countries to the southDAR1909 249.1+1.

Through subsequent wars and revolutions, these geographical boundaries frequently shifted, but the names established by these first divisions of Alexander's empire forever determined which power, at any given time, would be known as the "king of the North" or the "king of the South"DAR1909 249.1+3.

The Ancient Conflicts: A Battlefield of Prophecy ⚔️🛡️

The prophecy in Daniel 11 from verses 5 to 14, focuses solely on the succession of principal events between these two powers: the king of the South and the king of the NorthEQ 11.1+2.

• ** Daniel 11:5** states: "And 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." This verse clearly points to Ptolemy, the king of Egypt, who was indeed strong, but Seleucus, one of Alexander's princes, became stronger than Ptolemy and established a vast dominionDAR1909 249.1+5. The realm of the Seleucidae, the king of the North, encompassing Macedonia, Thrace, Bithynia, all Asia Minor, Syria, Mesopotamia, Babylonia, Media, Susiana, Persia, and central Asia to the Indus River, was far more extensive than Ptolemy'sGEP 203.2.

• ** Daniel 11:6** then speaks of an attempt at alliance: "And 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." This refers to Berenice, daughter of Ptolemy Philadelphus (king of the South), marrying Antiochus Theos (king of the North) to forge peace between Egypt and Syria. However, this union did not succeed. Antiochus put away his lawful wife, Laodice, for Berenice, and the jealous Laodice later poisoned Antiochus and murdered Berenice, her child, and her attendants. This demonstrates that worldly policy and intermarriage, even between nations, cannot stand against God's decreeGEP 207.3+4.

• ** Daniel 11:7-9** details a branch from Berenice's roots rising up: "But 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: And 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. So the king of the south shall come into his kingdom, and shall return into his own land." This refers to Ptolemy Euergetes, Berenice's brother, who avenged her death by plundering Syria and carrying immense treasures, including idols, back to Egypt, and outliving the king of the NorthESH 20.3+3.

• ** Daniel 11:10-12** describes further conflict: "But 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. And 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. And when he has 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." This accurately describes the wars between the sons of the king of the North (Antiochus Magnus) and the king of the South (Ptolemy Philopater). The battle of Gaza saw Ptolemy defeat Antiochus, but despite the victory, Ptolemy's heart was lifted up, leading to no lasting strength or gainSBBS 194.1+6.

• ** Daniel 11:13-14** speaks of the king of the North returning with even greater forces: "For 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. And in those times there shall many stand up against the king of the south: also the robbers of your people shall exalt themselves to establish the vision; but they shall fall." This prophecy outlines the second campaign of Antiochus Magnus against the king of the South (Ptolemy Philopater), where many stood against Egypt. Crucially, the "children of robbers"—identified as the Romans—exalted themselves "to establish the vision"SBBS 194.1+10.

The Roman Intervention and Beyond 🏛️➡️

The entrance of the Roman power marks a significant shift in the prophecyARSH May 29, 1900, page 338.9. In Daniel 11:16 the prophecy describes Rome: "But he that comes 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." Rome indeed became the dominant power, even intervening to direct Antiochus and Ptolemy to make peaceSBBS 194.1. The prophecy then continues, detailing the rise and fall of emperors and the long triumph of the papacyDAR1909 247.

The King of the North and South at the Time of the End 🕰️🌍

Now, we come to a critical juncture in the prophecy: "the time of the end." The angel in Daniel 11 does not specify the king of the North and the king of the South again until Daniel 11:40 which marks "the time of the end"MON 30.2. This period began in 1798 with the downfall of the papacy, as predicted in Daniel 7:25 and Revelation 13:5 which marked the termination of the 1260 years of papal supremacyAPEC 103.3+6.

It is unequivocally clear that:

• The king of the South is always in EgyptMON 30.2+4.

• The king of the North is always the power occupying the territory of which Constantinople is the centerMON 30.2+5. This territory originally belonged to Lysimachus in the division of Alexander's empireEQ 11.1+1. Since 1453 A.D., the territory centered in Constantinople has been held and ruled by the TurksMON 30.2+4. Therefore, the king of the North at the time of the end is the Turkish dominionMON 30.2+4.

** Daniel 11:40** states: "And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over."

In 1798, exactly at the beginning of "the time of the end," the king of the South (Egypt) pushed at France, an atheistical governmentAPEC 103.3+4. Napoleon Bonaparte, an instrument of vengeance in the hand of the Almighty, led the French expedition to Egypt in May 1798, landing on July 1st. The Turks, caught unprepared, resisted, but the French prevailed, conquering Lower EgyptAPEC 97.2+4. This act, the pushing of the king of the South, initiated the prophecy's fulfillment for the time of the end.

Immediately following, the king of the North (Turkey) came against France (the "him" in the verse)APEC 97.2+3. Driven by jealousy of France's actions in Egypt and encouraged by English ambassadors, the Sultan of Turkey declared war against France in September 1798DAR1909 304.1+2. This coming of Turkey was "like a whirlwind" compared to Egypt's feeble resistanceAPEC 97.2+2. Napoleon then marched into Syria, taking fortresses like El-Arish and Gaza, but ultimately faced a decisive check at St. Jean d'Acre, where a Turkish fleet, reinforced by Russian and English vessels, constituted the "many ships" of the king of the NorthAPEC 97.2+3.

The phrase "he shall overflow and pass over" refers to the actions of the king of the North, Turkey, as it entered and overran countries in its campaignAPEC 97.2+2.

Tidings from the East and North, and the Final End 🕊️💥

** Daniel 11:44** then speaks of the Turkish power: "But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many." This prophecy found a striking fulfillment in the Crimean War of 1853, when Russia, from the north and east, warred against the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish power was saved only by the support of Great Britain and other alliesEQ 11.1+3.

Finally, ** Daniel 11:45** proclaims the ultimate end of the king of the North: "And 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." This signifies the complete downfall of the power occupying the territory of the king of the North (Turkey)GNT 98.1+2. When this power comes to its end, it will usher in "a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation" Daniel 12:1BDOC 51.21+2. This world-wide conflagration is directly linked to the final conflict, the battle of Armageddon Revelation 16:16+1ARSH October 11, 1853, page 107.12+1.

The Heart of the Matter: A Call to Decision 🙏💖

My beloved friends, what does this intricate prophecy mean for us today? It means that we are living in momentous times, drawing near to the great day of GodWIEX 1.1. The prophetic chains of Daniel, including this one, are being fulfilled before our very eyesTMR 32.2. We see the signs in the heavens, upon the earth and sea, and among the nations Matthew 24:29-31+4TMR 32.2+1. Iniquity abounds, nations are angry, and distress with perplexity is on every side 2 Timothy 3:1-5+1WIEX 1.1.

God makes no distinction between North and South, East or West3MR 401.3+3. He calls upon every soul to examine themselves and preparePCO 168.1. The science of salvation, centered on Jesus Christ, must be the burden of every heartWIEX 1.1. The cross of Calvary, revealing the amazing love of our Savior who humbled Himself to die a shameful death, is the life-healing balm for every soulWIEX 1.1.

The prophecies are not given to satisfy idle curiosity, but to enlighten the world and confirm men and women in the truth, strengthening the gospel ministryBDOC 51.21+1. We are called to understand, purify ourselves, and be made white Daniel 12:10BDOC 51.21.

The standard by which our character is measured is God's royal law. By the law, we gain the knowledge of sin. But it is by the wonderful manifestation of God's love, drawing us to Jesus, that we are convicted and transformedWIEX 1.1. The mystery of godliness is this: that fallen humanity, deceived by Satan, can be conformed to the image of the Son of God, loved by God even as He loved His Son, through the righteousness of ChristWIEX 1.1.

My dear friends, the time of the end is here. The final movements will be swiftARSH October 11, 1853, page 107.12. The world is watching for the final destruction of these powers at the termination of whose career the Bible places the opening of the day of GodWIEX 1.1.

What are you going to do? Will you stand speechless and condemned, or will you choose the right way? Will you prepare for the solemn scenes ahead, allowing God to purify and make you white? I appeal to you today, open your hearts to Jesus. Forsake your sins. Turn to Christ, for He is the way, the truth, and the life. Let the love of the Savior touch your heart and transform your life, so that you may be found ready when He comes.

Here is the sermon outline:

The King of the North and the King of the South in Daniel 11

I. Introduction

• Daniel 11 as a relevant prophecy for "the time of the end."
• Illustration: Samuel's map and the importance of a central point.

II. The Genesis of the Kings: A Divided Empire

• Alexander the Great's kingdom divided "toward the four winds of heaven."
• Initial divisions:
  • Cassander (West)
  • Lysimachus (North)
  • Seleucus (East)
  • Ptolemy (South)
• Palestine as the central point for geographical reference.
• Names of "King of the North" and "King of the South" determined by these initial divisions.

III. The Ancient Conflicts: A Battlefield of Prophecy

• Focus on principal events between the king of the South and the king of the North Daniel 11:5-14.
• Specific Verses and Interpretations:
  • ** Daniel 11:5**: Ptolemy (South) and Seleucus (North) - Seleucus' greater dominion.
  • ** Daniel 11:6**: Berenice's marriage and its failure - Worldly policy vs. God's decree.
  • ** Daniel 11:7-9**: Ptolemy Euergetes' revenge - Plundering Syria.
  • ** Daniel 11:10-12**: Wars between Antiochus Magnus and Ptolemy Philopater - Ptolemy's lifted up heart.
  • ** Daniel 11:13-14**: Antiochus Magnus returns - Rise of Rome ("children of robbers").

IV. The Roman Intervention and Beyond

• Rome's dominance Daniel 11:16.
• Rise and fall of emperors, the long triumph of the papacy.

V. The King of the North and South at the Time of the End

• "The Time of the End" Daniel 11:40 begins in 1798 with the downfall of the papacy.
• Key Identifications:
  • King of the South: Egypt
  • King of the North: Power in Constantinople (Turkey since 1453 A.D.)
• Daniel 11:40 Fulfillment:
  • King of the South (Egypt) pushes at France (1798).
  • King of the North (Turkey) retaliates against France.
  • Napoleon's campaign in Syria and ultimate check at St. Jean d'Acre.
  • The "overflow" and "passing over" refers to the Turkish campaign.

VI. Tidings from the East and North, and the Final End

• Daniel 11:44 - The Crimean War (Russia vs. Turkey).
• Daniel 11:45 - The ultimate end of the King of the North (Turkey).
• Leads to "a time of trouble" Daniel 12:1 and Armageddon.

VII. The Heart of the Matter: A Call to Decision

• We are living in momentous times.
• Prophecies being fulfilled before our eyes.
• God's call to examine ourselves and prepare.
• The science of salvation (Jesus Christ) is paramount.
• Prophecies given to enlighten and strengthen faith.
• Call to understand, purify, and be made white Daniel 12:10.
• Emphasis on God's love, conviction, and transformation through Christ.
• Final appeal: Open hearts to Jesus, forsake sin, and be ready for His coming.