Joel 1:6 introduced the prophecy of the King of the North. Daniel
11:40 also refers to the King of the North, and calls this King
of the North "the king of fierce countenance" in Daniel
8:23. Isaiah 10:24 calls him the "Assyrian," and the
"overflowing scourge" in Isaiah 28:15. In Ezekiel 38:2
and 39:1, he is called "Gog of the land of Magog." It
is important not to confuse this phrase with the "Gog and
Magog" of Revelation 20:8, which refers to all of Satan's
gentile proselyte followers at the end of the Millennium and their
rebellion.
The Kings of the East are referred to in Daniel 11:44, and are
called the "kings of the sunrising" in Revelation 16:12.
The King of the West refers to the ruler or dictator of the Revived
Roman Empire.
Revelation 16:13 states, "And I saw three unclean spirits
like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the
mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet."
This verse explains the evil motivations of the various kings,
north, south, east and west. The three unclean spirits are kosmokrator
demons, and are referred to in Daniel 10:13. These demons, at
the command of Satan, 'possess' political leaders so that Satan's
plans might reach fruition.
The dragon: the dragon is Satan himself. Satan himself empowers
the King of the West, also called the "man of sin,"
and referred to in II Thessalonians 2:4. And Revelation 12:7-9
identifies Satan as the dragon.
The beast: the beast is referred to in Revelation 13:1,2, where
he is called the "beast out of the sea." He is called
the "feet of the image" in Daniel 2:31-45, and the "little
horn" in Daniel 7:8, also "the prince that shall come"
in Daniel 9:26,27, and the "god of forces" in Daniel
11:38, the "man of sin" in II Thessalonians 2:3-10,
and the "scarlet beast" in Revelation 17:3. He is, then,
the King of the West, the ruler of the Revived Roman Empire. He
has "ten horns" in Daniel 7:7,8,23,24; these horns denote
his power over a ten nation entity called the Revived Roman Empire.
He is also the religious leader of this ten nation entity. In
Revelation 17:2-12 he, the king of the West, is the "seventh
head" or "mountain." The seven heads are those
nations throughout history who have attacked Israel: Egypt, Assyria,
Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, and the future King of the West,
the Revived Roman Empire. And as the "seventh head"
he is the beast or little horn found in Daniel 7:8,24, where he
gains control over three horns (nations) of the ten horns (nations)
and thus comes to rule all ten nations and form the Revived Roman
Empire. [3]
And Revelation 13:7 says that the beast will be given permission
to persecute the saints and to kill them. And he will, according
to Revelation 17:14, make war on the Lamb of God, our Lord Jesus
Christ, who will destroy him at Armageddon.
The false prophet: is described in Revelation 13:11, "And
I saw another beast coming up out of the land; and he had two
horns like a lamb, and he spoke as a dragon." This is the
"false prophet" of Revelation 19:20, 20:10; he is the
ruler of the Jews in the Tribulation. He is also called "the
willful king" in Daniel 11:36-40, and "the idol shepherd"
in Zechariah 11:15-17. He comes "out of the land (Palestine
or Israel)" while the first beast came out of "the sea
(the Gentile nations)." This false prophet comes in the form
of a lamb, i.e., he presents himself as the Messiah -- and he
is not! That is why he is false! And his two horns speak of his
two false Messianic claims: king and prophet. This second beast
or false prophet is empowered by Satan and deceives by miracles
and directs the Jews to worship the first beast, the king of the
West, according to Revelation 13:12-18. Again, this is why he
is called the false prophet; and his is the number 666. [4]
At the beginning of the Tribulation, the false prophet, the ruler
of the Jews in Israel makes a pact with the King of the West (the
beast out of the sea). He does this in hopes of preserving his
power. However, in the middle of the Tribulation (the 70th week,
the last 7 years of the Age of Israel), the King of the West,
who is 'possessed' by Satan himself, abrogates the pact. He, the
king of the West, demands that he be worshipped as God and that
all Jewish forms of worship cease (Daniel 12:11). This is when
"the abomination of desolation," which is a statue of
the King of the West, is erected in the Temple in the Holy of
Holies (Revelation 13:15).
The erection of this statue is a sign to the Jewish believers
of the Tribulation. They are to flee to the mountains. Matthew
24:15 and 16 say, "When you see the abomination of desolation,
spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoever
reads these words let him understand them) then let those who
are in Judaea flee into the mountains."
And Revelation 12:14 says, "And to the woman (Israel) were
given two wings of a great eagle (divine protection from God),
so that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where
she is safe for a time (one year), and times (two years), and
half a time (one-half a year), from the face of the serpent."
Daniel 11:40, reads, "And at the time of the end shall the
king of the south push (make war) at him (false prophet, the ruler
of the Jews): and the king of the north shall come against him
like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many
ships; and he (the king of the north) shall enter into the countries
and shall overflow and pass over them."
We see then that the king of the southern power seat decides to
attack Palestine. Simultaneously, the king of the north is moving
through the Middle East on his way to engulf Africa. The king
of the north has both land armies and navies at his command. And
the phrase "overflow and pass through" seems to indicate
that the king of the north moves quickly and decisively through
the area. [5]
Daniel 11:41 reads, "He (the king of the north) shall invade
also into the beautiful land (middle east), and many countries
(including Israel) shall be conquered: but these (Jewish believers)
shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief
of the children of Ammon."
Since the military goal of the king of the north is north Africa,
Egypt, he passes rapidly through Palestine. Thus, those Jews who
obeyed Matthew 24:16, and fled to the mountains, remain in safety.
Daniel 11:42 reads, "He (the king of the north) will shall
stretch forth his hand also upon the countries (of north Africa):
and the land of Egypt will not escape." He takes Egypt.
Daniel 11:43 reads, "But he shall have power over the treasures
of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt:
and the Libyans (his naval forces from the Mediterranean and the
west) and the Ethiopians (his land armies driving toward central
Africa) shall be at his steps." So the king of the north,
also called Gog (Ezekiel 38:2), is ready to conqueror Africa when
God intervenes.
Revelation 16:2 says, "And the sixth angel poured out his
vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was
dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared."
In other words, the kings of the east now enter Palestine.
Daniel 11:44 reads, "But tidings out of the east and out
of the north shall trouble him: therefore he (the king of the
north) will go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to
make away (to wipe out) many (the Jews in Jerusalem)."
So we have the armies of the kings of the east penetrating to
Idumea (Isaiah 63), and we have the king of the south entering
Palestine; and to the north, in the valley of Esdraelon, the army
of the king of the West (Revived Roman Empire) is descending upon
Jerusalem.
So the king of the north, who is down in Africa, must reverse
his line of march and return to Palestine so that he might protect
his lines of supply. So "with great fury" he turns for
Jerusalem. Remember, the King of the West seeks to protect his
statue in the Holy of Holies.
Daniel 11:45 says, "And he (the king of the north) will plant
the tabernacles of his palace (his army headquarters) between
the seas in the glorious holy mountain (Zion); yet he will come
to his end, and none shall help him." So we see that he returns
to Palestine and sets up headquarters on the western escarpment
of Jerusalem.
Joel 2:2-9 describes the king of the north's attack on Jerusalem.
It is like the attack of the locust infestations: devestating.
The king of the north contacts great prosperity, but leaves only
desolation behind, just as the locusts, and just as Satan in the
original Garden of Eden.
Thus we have the four power-seats of the future, north, south,
east and west; the armies of the entire world are descending upon
Jerusalem.
Zechariah 12 relates the attack against the Jerusalem of the Tribulation
from the perspective of the believing Jews living and fighting
in Jerusalem.
Zechariah 12:2 says, "Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup
of intoxication to all the people (the four armies) round about,
when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against
Jerusalem." Here, the Jews are depicted as a cup of strong
wine; the invading armies will drink of this wine and become intoxicated.
This wine is the wrath of God poured out upon these armies.
Zechariah 12:3 says, "And in that day will I make Jerusalem
a burdensome stone for all people (the four armies): all that
burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the
people of the earth be gathered against it."
Zechariah 14:1 and 2 state, "Behold the day of the Lord approaches,
and your wealth will be divided in the middle of you. For I will
gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall
be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women raped; and half
of the city shall go forth into captivity (unbelieving Jews),
but the residue of the people (the believing remnant) will not
be cut off from the city (they will be safe)."
Remember, Jesus Christ controls history. [6] He allows this to
happen.
Zechariah 12:5 and 6 say, "And the governors of Judah will
say in their heart, the inhabitants of Jerusalem will be my strength
in the Lord of the armies (hosts) their God. In 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." These governors, then, are believers and those
who stand with them are believing Jews. They stand and fight,
trusting in God.
Remember, the king of the north is on the western escarpment of
the city; the king of the west is on the Valley of Megiddo in
the Plain of Esdraelon. The kings of the east are on Jehoshaphat's
Valley to the east, and Scripture does not relate where the kings
of the south are.
Then, then when the world is attacking the believing Jews and
all hope is lost -- supernatural darkness! Matthew 24:29 says,
"Immediately 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 will
be shaken." Isaiah 60:2, says, "For, behold, the darkness
shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people..."
Zechariah 12:4 says, "In that day (the day of the Lord),
saith the Lord, I will smite every horse with terror, and his
rider with shock: and I will open my eyes (divine favor and blessing)
upon the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the people
with blindness." Total darkness and total confusion of the
four armies. No one can see, no computers work, no information
is available -- men begin to go mad with fear.
Isaiah 13:6-9, compared with Luke 21:25 and 26 says, "Howl;
for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction
from the Almighty. Therefore will all hands be faint, and every
man's heart will melt: and they will be afraid: pangs and sorrows
will take hold of them; they will be in pain as a woman in child-bearing:
they will be amazed at each other (total shock); their faces shall
be as flames. Behold the day of the Lord comes, cruel both with
wrath and anger, lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the
sinners on it."
Just as the darkness of the Cross provided salvation for all believers,
so this darkness preserves the Jewish believers of the Tribulation.
Then, unexpectedly and suddenly, from within the all encompassing
supernatural darkness, there appears the only thing that can pierce
such darkness -- supernatural light. Zechariah 14:6 and 7 put
it thusly, "On that day there will be no light, no cold or
frost. It will be a unique day, without daytime or nighttime (no
light whatsoever) -- a day known only to the Lord. When evening
comes (that time of day at which evening would normally occur),
there will be light."
And Psalm 97:2-6 describe that day, the day of the Lord, as follows:
"Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and
judgment are the habitation of his throne. A fire goes in front
of him, and burns up his enemies round about. His lightnings light
up the world: the earth saw, and trembled. The hills melted like
wax at the presence of the Lord....and all the people see his
glory."
And Revelation 1:7 describes our Lord's return: "Look, he
is coming with the clouds (saints in their resurrection bodies),
and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all
the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it
be! Amen."
So we see that as our Lord descends from the Third Heaven, the
Abode of God, everyone will see him, for His is the Light of the
world. Christ himself said in John 8:12, "I am the light
of the world. Whoever follows (believes) me will never walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life."
This supernatural light, visible to all, is the return of our
Lord at the Second Advent. He returns to render judgment. Zechariah
14:3 says, "Then the Lord will go out and fight against those
nations, as he fights in the day of battle."
The Lord will fight and deliver! For just as Moses said at the
Red Sea, "Stand and watch the deliverance of the Lord!"
And just as the Jews were delivered at the Red Sea in Exodus 14:10-14,
so will the believers of the Tribulation generation be delivered.
For Zechariah 14:4 states, "On that day (the day of the Lord,
the Second Advent) his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives,
east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will be split in two
from east to west, forming a great valley, with half of the mountain
moving north and half moving south." Therefore, just as the
Red Sea parted so Moses and the Exodus generation could escape,
so will the Mount of Olives part. The Mount of Olives is the first
place that His feet will touch the earth and it will part and
the believers in Jerusalem during the Tribulation that are fighting
against overwhelming odds will escape in the valley created by
the rending asunder of the mountain. [7]
Here, then, is the return of the King of Kings and the Lord of
Lords, the Ancient of Days, the Stone cut without hands, David's
Greater Son, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. Revelation 19:11-16
speak eloquently of His coming: "I saw heaven standing open
and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful
and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like
blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written
on him that no one but he himself knows. He is dressed in a robe
dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of
heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed
in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp
sword with which to strike down the nations. 'He will rule them
with an iron scepter.' (Psalm 2:9) He treads the winepress of
the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his
thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS."
Throughout the ancient world the 'white horse' was the symbol
of conquest and victory. And He is true to His Word and Faithful,
and He will deliver His own, both believing Jews and believing
Gentiles. And He does this through Righteous judgment, violence
and death.
And His judgments are correct, right, just and true! For He is
the very God. And those that are judged at this future day are
unbelievers who have, without exception, had each and every chance
to believe, but who have rejected Him repeatedly.
The armies that accompany Him at his return are the Elect Angels,
the Old Testament Saints, those saints who have died (martyred)
during the Tribulation, and the saints of the Church Age. References
to these groups are found in I Thessalonians 3:13 and Jude 14.
And all these saints will stand and watch. Our Lord Jesus Christ
will do all the fighting and all the judging. And His only weapon
is the "sharp sword" of Revelation 19:15; this sword
is His spoken word. The "winepress" refers to the tremendous
crushing power of these words: the devastation is total and complete.
Continuing in Revelation 19:17. "And 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 (the first heaven - the
atmosphere which surrounds the earth), Come and gather yourselves
together at the supper of the great God." This angel announces
the destruction of the Beast and all his allies. The angel calls
those carrion-birds such as vultures to prepare for a feast of
dead bodies. Ezekiel 39, the entire chapter, and specifically
verses 17-22, provide the prophet's description of this scene.
And note: there is no doubt as to the outcome of the battle in
the angel's mind; indeed, he is so sure that he commands the vultures
to gather before the battle takes place.
Revelation 19:19 says, "And I saw the beast (King of the
West - the Revived Roman Empire), 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." Here we have the
culmination of the work of the three "frog spirits"
of Revelation 16:13: they have gathered together the four power-seats
to do battle. Remember, these four kings and their armies have
been fighting each other for control of the world and Palestine.
Now, faced with the Great Lamb of God, they unite with another
to fight against God. They suffer what II Thessalonians calls
"strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that
they all might be damned..." Thus, these four armies now
prepare to war with God Himself; their absolute arrogance fuels
their belief that they can defeat God. Psalm 2: 1-3 describes
their thoughts: "The heathen rage, and the people imagine
a vain thing. The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers
take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed."
Isaiah 63:1-6 describes the short-lived battle: "Who is this
coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson?
Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness
of his strength? 'It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to
save (the Jewish remnant of believers and any Gentile believers).'
Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?
'I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was
with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my
wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my
clothing. For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year
of my redemption has come. I looked, but there was no one to help,
I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked
salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me. I trampled the
nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured
their blood on the ground."
Revelation 19:20,21 tell the final end of the dictators: And the
beast (king of the West) was taken, and with him the false prophet
(dictator of Israel) that wrought miracles before him, with which
he deceived them that received the mark of the beast, and them
that worshipped his image (the abomination of desolation - the
statue of the King of the West). These both were cast alive into
the lake of fire burning with brimstone." The armies are
slain and defeated and the two dictators are cast 'alive' into
the lake of fire.
As we have already seen in Isaiah 63, so widespread is the slaughter
that our Lord's garments of white are stained red with the blood
of His enemies. Revelation 14:19 and 20 describe the extent of
the carnage: "The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered
its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath.
They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood
flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles
for a distance of 1600 stadia (180 miles)." Thus the blood
runs 5 to 6 feet high for a distance of 180 miles.
Many flounder at this picture of our Lord. "And ask, in amazement,
whether the author really believes it? We answer, Yes!" [8]
For at the First Advent He came in humiliation to provide salvation;
then, at the Tribulation, however, He will come in glory. And
this is stated in Psalm 45:3-6: "Gird your sword upon your
side, O mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.
In your majesty ride forth victoriously in behalf of truth, humility
and righteousness; let your right hand display awesome deeds.
Let your sharp arrows pierce the hearts of the king's enemies;
let the nations fall beneath your feet. Your throne, O God, will
last for ever and ever; a scepter of justice will be the scepter
of your kingdom."
So the entire picture is that of judgment and vengeance. And our
Lord Himself spoke of this day in Luke 19:27, where He said, "But
those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them
-- bring them here and kill them in front of me."
And there are so many dead enemies of our Lord that Scripture
relates that it takes seven months to bury all the bodies. Ezekiel
39:12 says, "For seven months the house of Israel will be
burying them in order to cleanse the land."
The "day of the Lord" or the "day of Jehovah"
or the "Great day of God," then, occurs in the final
days of the Tribulation, which is the final 7 years of the Age
of Israel (Daniel's Seventieth Week). And Christ returns to fulfill
the promises to Israel made in the Abrahamic, Palestinian, Davidic
and New Covenants to Israel. And the location of this last great
battle is in Palestine, specifically in Armageddon (Valley of
Megiddo), the Jeshoshaphat Valley, Edom (Idumea) and the city
of Jerusalem.
Because of 'demon possession' and empowerment by Satan himself,
the four power-seats of the future descend with their armies upon
Jerusalem. And these four power-seats are called the Kings of
the North, the South, the East and the West in the Bible.
Then the Second Advent of Christ occurs; He destroys the invading
armies who unite to make war with Him. The two beasts (the dictator
of the Revived Roman Empire, also called the King of the West;
and the False Prophet, the dictator of Israel) are cast alive
into the Lake of Fire for eternity. Then Satan himself is bound
and thrown into the Abyss, and the Great White Throne judgment
takes place. And our Lord rules on the earth for 1000 years, which
time is called the Millennium.
Questions: Is the Tribulation close? The Bible states that there
is no prophecy that must be fulfilled before the Rapture of the
Church takes place. However, this has been true since the death
of the Apostles. And "no one knows the day or the hour."
Thus no accurate forecast may be made or supported. Additionally,
remember the Church will not go through the Tribulation; the Rapture
of the Church precedes the Tribulation.
Who is the beast? Who is the false prophet? Again, no one knows
for sure. Their identities cannot be stated. Also, many world
leaders in the past have been marked as the beast and the Anti-Christ,
including Napoleon, Hitler, the Pope, and Mussolini.
Finally, for the Church Age believer God has a plan (Ephesians
3:20). And as we have just seen, He is Faithful and True. He is
faithful to His promises and true to fulfill His warnings of judgment.
[1] This exposition of 'Daniel's Seventieth Week' is based on
the scholarship of Robert Thieme, Clarence Larkin, and E.W. Bullinger.
[2] Bullinger, E.W. Commentary on Revelation
[3] Thieme, Robert. Revelation; from notes
[4] This exposition is extracted from the schoarship of E.W. Bullinger,
Clarence Larkin, and Robert Thieme. From notes, handwritten, undated
[5] Thieme, Robert. Revelation; from notes taken in 1970's, undated.
[6] Thieme, Robert. The phrase "Jesus Christ controls history"
while perhaps not exclusive to, probably was first uttered by
Robert Thieme.
[7] Thieme, Robert. Revelation; from undated notes.
[8] Bullinger, E.W., Commentary on Revelation; page 597.