The King of the North

Part one

Jer 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Satan is a diligent Bible student. He knows that his time is short, and he seeks at every point to counterwork the work of the Lord upon this earth. It is impossible to give any idea of the experience of the people of God who shall be alive upon the earth when celestial glory and a repetition of the persecutions of the past are blended. They will walk in the light proceeding from the throne of God. By means of the angels there will be constant communication between heaven and earth. And Satan, surrounded by evil angels, and claiming to be God, will work miracles of all kinds, to deceive, if possible, the very elect. God's people will not find their safety in working miracles, for Satan will counterfeit the miracles that will be wrought. God's tried and tested people will find their power in the sign spoken of in Exodus 31:12-18. They are to take their stand on the living word: "It is written." This is the only foundation upon which they can stand securely. Those who have broken their covenant with God will in that day be without God and without hope. {9T 16.1}

Dan 11:1 Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. Dan 11:2 And now will I shew 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.

Cyrus (Persia)and Darius were coregents. Omitting the false Smerdis (after Cambyses) who was not of the legitimate line, the three kings after Cyrus would thus be Cambyses (son of Cyrus 530-522), Darius I (522 – 486) and Xerxes (the Ahasueres of Esther ) (486-465) Artaxerxes (465 – 423) followed by the mighty king of verse 3, Alexander the Great.

Cambyses son of Cyrus

Darius I Xerxes I Also known as

Ahasuerus in the book of Esther

Dan 11:3 And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. Dan 11:4 And 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.

Alexander the Great

The four divisions of Greece that remained where those ruled by Cassander, Lysimachus Seleucus and Ptolemey

SeleucusPtolemey

Lysimachus Cassander

Traditionally the verses 5-39 are interpreted as the conflict between the two powers controlling the north and the south. The agreement of verses 5 and 6 which is sealed by marriage is considered to be that between Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt and Antiochus Theos of Syria who married Ptolemy's daughter Bernice an arrangement that went sour when Bernice was murdered. Verses 7-15 sketch the conflicts between the Greek north and south until Rome is introduced in verse 15 or 16 (some interpret the robbers of thy people of verse 14 as Rome others introduce Rome in verse 16).

Dan 11:16 But 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.

The ‘he’ traditionally being Pagan Rome that warned Antiochus IV Epiphanes from attacking Rome. Rome entered the ‘glorious land’ (Palestine) and conquered it in 63 BC.

Verses 17 – 30 deal with Pagan Roman intrigues with v 17 being a possible reference to the Julius Caesar, Marc Antonius and Cleopatra saga.

Antiochus IV Epiphanes

Dan 11:17 He 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.

Julius Caesar

Cleopatra

Verses 18-22 deal with the successors Augustus Caesar who raised taxes in the time of Christ’s birth (a raiser of taxes)and Tiberius Caesar (‘vile person’ verse 21) before whom the ‘prince of the covenant’ would be broken.

Tiberius Caesar

Dan 11:31 And 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.

Some commentators link the subsequent verses (to verse 30) to the Roman intrigues until the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, whilst others start introducing the ‘little horn’ (Papal Rome) in verse 21 making the ‘vile person’ the man of sin and applying the verses to the crusades. What is certain, is that Pagan Rome converted to heathenized Christianity in the time of Constantine and did “have intelligence with them that forsake the holy covenant” (verse 30b). From verse 31 onwards, however, the verses have a distinctive religious flavor.

The ‘sanctuary’ and the ‘abomination that maketh desolate’ are religious aspects and refer to the setting up of the false system of worship that negates the ministry of Christ and is accepted by all who “forsake the holy covenant” v30b)Verses 32 and 33 refer to the time of Papal dominance (many days = 1260 years)

Dan 11:32 And 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. Dan 11:33 And 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.

Dan 11:34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. Dan 11:35 And 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.

Verses 36-39 are a description of the nature of the papal power.

Dan 11:36 And 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.

Verses 34-35 can be seen to refer to The Reformation

Dan 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. Dan 11:38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Dan 11:39 Thus 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.

Jacques, B. Doukhan in his book “Secrets of Daniel” presents the interesting view that the North-South conflict of v.5-39 is to be interpreted as a merism and that the distinctive pattern of the conflict leads to a final fusion of the forces with a common intent – the destruction of god’s people. The pattern in these verses is:

South against north, north against south, south against north A, B, C and then the reverse.

In verses 40-45 the south attacks the north, the north attacks the south A, B, the north attacks the north (v 42, 43a) and then the south allies itself to north –(synthesis) – followed by the final victory of God over the combined forces of evil. We will largely concern ourselves with these verses in this lecture.

The North-South conflict as a merism

The three themes of chapter eleven are thus:

1. conflict between north and south2. Alliance between north and south3. Conflict with the people of God

Verses 5-39 thus describe the Hegelian sparring between two philosophical systems which have one collective aim – the destruction of God’s people and the obliteration of true worship. The chapter is thus written as a merism.

Psa 89:11 The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. Psa 89:12 The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name.

A merism consists of two opposites or contrasting parts expressing a totality

Eze 21:3 And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. Eze 21:4 Seeing then that I will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall my sword go forth out of his sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:

Dan 11:27 And 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.

Dan 11:32 And 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. Dan 11:33 And 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.

Actions of the king of the north:

Dan 11:36 And 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. Dan 11:37 Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. Dan 11:38 But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things. Dan 11:39 Thus 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.

Both the kings of the north and the south are enemies of God so both must be under the control of the arch deceiver employing a Hegelian dialectic to induce a collective mindset conducive to his schemes.

Typologically the King of the North must represent the religio-political alliances that would attempt to force God’s people to worship according to its dictates as Babylon tried to force the Hebrews to worship according to its dictates.

The King of the South (geographically Egypt) enslaved the people of God, refused to acknowledge JAHWE or the right of the Hebrews to worship Him according to their conscience but did not force them to worship the Egyptian deities.

The motives of the King of the South were thus secular whereas the motives of the King of the North were religio-political.

Jer 1:14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

Jer 6:1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Bethhaccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

Jer 10:22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

Destruction comes from the north

Jer 47:2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.

Jer 50:3 For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.

Isa 14:12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! Isa 14:13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:

Satan is the one that wants to occupy the North, that is he claims worship, a prerogative of God alone. In Canaanites mythology the god Baal dwelt in the north but the true north (the right to be worshiped) must belong to God alone.

Jer 46:10 For this is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord GOD of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

"The 'king'" in Dan. 11:36, explains Rev. Professor Martin Luther, "clearly depicts the Pope, who unashamedly bellows forth his decretals.... As the sun is over the moon, so too is the Pope over the emperor.... Not the emperor but the Pope is emperor; for the emperor like a vassal kisses the Pope's feet.... The latter puts himself above Holy Scripture.... As [the Prophet] Daniel says [11:36], 'against the God of gods'... "Other tyrants persecuting God's Word, have done so in ignorance. This one does it knowingly! While calling Holy Scripture God's Word -- he wishes to lord over it.... Hence, he may be called an earthly god - ..... in Second Thessalonians two. There it is revealed that he is the 'man of sin' and the 'son of perdition‘ 'who exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped -- so that he, like a god, sits in the temple of God, exhibiting himself as a god.‘ ...... "It is not just as a private and as a personally lost sinner that he is here called 'the man of sin' and 'the son of perdition' -- but as a public figure, who drags others with him into sin and perdition.... (LUTHER ON ISLAM AND THE PAPACY by Rev. Prof. Dr. F.N. Lee)

http://www.dr-fnlee.org/docs/loiatp/loiatp.pdf

Martin Luther stated, "If you do not contend with your whole heart, against the impious government of the Pope, you cannot be saved. Whoever takes delight in the religion and worship of

popery will be eternally lost in the world to come. "If you reject it, (popery) you must expect to incur every kind of danger, even to lose your lives, but it is far better to be exposed to

such perils in this world than to keep silence! So long as I live, I will denounce to my brethren the sore and the plague of Babylon

for fear that many who are with us should fall back like the rest into the bottomless pit." History of the Reformation of the 16th Century

vol 15 p 208

“Elder Smith has given a very fine talk on the eleventh chapter of Daniel, and his interpretation seems plausible, but IF the legs of iron, and the feet of iron and clay in the second chapter represent Rome, and the nondescript, ten-horned beast, and the little horn of the seventh chapter represent Rome, and IF the little horn which waxed exceeding great of the eighth chapter represents Rome, the King of the North represents Rome also. These are four parallel prophecies, brethren, reaching down - to the coming of our Lord.” (Quoted in King of the North, by M. C. Wilcox, Mountain View, California, 1910, page 44.)

The pioneers of the Advent Movement, from their consecrated study of the Word of God, came to the conclusion that the power referred to in the closing verses of Daniel 11 was the Papacy. Uriah Smith tried to introduce the idea that the King of the North should represent Turkey, but James white countered:

When it is remembered that Daniel’s last prophecy was given as the fitting conclusion to the very important prophecies which have preceded it, its importance will be seen. All the previous prophecies of Daniel have their consummation in this last prophecy. This prophecy was revealed to him after he had spent three weeks in fasting and praying in order to obtain clearer light on the previous prophecies. It is obvious, therefore, that unless we approach this subject in the light of the prophecies which have preceded it, we shall not understand aright the climax of them all – “the ending of the king of the north at Jerusalem. (Louis F. Were. The King of the North at Jerusalem. P.7)

Both Daniel and John foretold the dangers, conflicts, and final deliverance [Daniel 12:1] of the people of God” (Great Controversy, Page 341). John described these dangers, conflicts, and final deliverance of the people of God” in connection with the Satanic forces of spiritual Babylon (Revelation 13 to 19). Daniel described the same things in connection with the “king of the north.” …. As the king of the north does the same work as the Papacy there can be but one conclusion, namely, that the king of the north refers to the Papacy. (Louis F. Were. The King of the North at Jerusalem. P.9)

Eze 28:2 Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:

The typology of the king of Tyre

The typology of Tyre and its prince and king serves as a model for the final cosmic conflict.

Eze 26:7 For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will bring upon Tyrus Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, a king of kings, from the north, with horses, and with chariots, and with horsemen, and companies, and much people.

The man of sin makes the same claims as the prince of Tyre, he also sits in the seat (within the temple – the church) usurping the position of God and in his religio-political capacity as the beast out of the sea (Rev 13) he receives his seat and authority from the dragon himself. Tyre also represents economic power as the Phoenicians were the traders and seafarers. By conquering this power, the king of the north (Nebuchadnezzar), claims this economic power for himself and fuses religious supremacy with economic supremacy.

2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 2Th 2:4 Who 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, shewing himself that he is God.

Rev 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.

This seat, however, belongs to God alone. He sits on the throne and His throne is in the north as Ezekiel describes the throne as coming from the north, His kingdom (Zion) is therefore also in the north.

Rev 13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

Wesley’s comment: This beast is the Romish Papacy, as it came to a point six hundred years since, stands now, and will for some time longer. To this, and no other power on earth, agrees the whole text, and every part of it in every point; ……. This beast is a spiritually secular power, opposite to the kingdom of Christ. A power not merely spiritual or ecclesiastical, nor merely secular or political but a mixture of both. … The beast is now existing. He is not past. for Rome is now existing; and it is not till after the destruction of Rome that the beast is thrown into the lake. …

Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

Prince - nagiyd nagid - naw-gheed', naw-gheed‘. From H5046; a commander (as occupying the front), civil, military or religious; generally (abstract plural), honorable themes: - captain, chief, excellent thing, (chief) governor, leader, noble, prince, (chief) ruler.

1Ki 16:31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

'ethba‛al, eth-bah'-al. From H854 and H1168; with Baal; Ethbaal, a Phoenician king: - Ethbaal.

The prince of tyre referred to was Ethbaal, the father of Jezebel who had married Ahab the king of Israel and had led the nation into Baal worship:

ba‛al, bah'-al, - a master; hence a husband, lord, or (figuratively) owner .

Eze 28:12 Son of man, take up a lamentation upon the king of Tyrus, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Thou sealest up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.

King – melek - meh'-lek. From H4427; a king: - king, royal.

Transition from Prince to King:

Eze 28:13 Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, …....Eze 28:14 Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Eze 28:15 Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee.

Eze 28:16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Eze 28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. Eze 28:18 Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee.

Typologically the literal earthly ruler of Tyre serves as a type for the end time earthly ruler and Satan is the true instigator behind the scenes who gives him his seat and great authority. The thrust and counter thrusts between the kings of the north and the south are intended to induce a collective mindset which will bring final unity in terms of the opposition they both cherish towards God’s people. Satan wants total subservience and worship. The king of the North is his avenue for securing worship, the king of the south is his avenue for securing unbelief and rebellion against God. The King of the north in the immediate context is Babylon and represents end time Babylon which is the fusion of the religious systems of the world under the control of the papacy. The kings of the world will then bow down to this system and lend their power unto it thus creating the religio-political beast which is controlled by the woman, the church.

Rev 17:7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. Rev 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The king of the south then represents humanism, evolutionism, atheism, secularism and existentialism all exerting their influence to eliminate God and rely on human strength, human wisdom and human feeling alone to order the world. All of these ideas were in some form or another also propagated and even initiated by Jesuit philosophers such as Voltaire, Descartes and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin as well as countless others to this day.

ex·is·ten·tial·ism noun Philosophy .

a philosophical attitude associated especially with Heidegger, Jaspers, Marcel, and Sartre, and opposed to rationalism and empiricism, that stresses the individual's unique position as a self-determining agent responsible for the authenticity of his or her choices.

General Franco of Spain stated:

Our war is not a civil war … but a crusade …Yes our war is a religious war. We who fight, whether Christian or Muslim, are soldiers of God and we are not fighting against men but against atheism and materialism. Generalisimo Francisco Franco – (Quoted in Robert Hutchison, Their Kingdom Come, Inside the secret world of Opus Dei. Corgi Books, p 105)

Nebuchadnezzar

Typology of North verses South

2Ki 23:29 In his days Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt went to the aid of the king of Assyria, to the River Euphrates; and King Josiah went against him. And Pharaoh Necho killed him at Megiddo when he confronted him. NKJV

2Ki 23:30 .... And the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in his father's place.

2Ki 23:33 Now Pharaoh Necho put him in prison at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.2Ki 23:34 Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. And Pharaoh took Jehoahaz and went to Egypt, and he[8] died there. NKJV

Necho II: pharaoh of the Saite dynasty, ruler of Egypt from 610 to 595.

610: Accession; Necho inherits a war against Babylonia, in which Egypt supports Assyria 609: Intervention in Palestine; meeting with king Josiah of Judah in Megiddo (according to 2 Kings 23.29); or battle against Josiah (according to 2 Chronicles 35.20-24); Judah and the Phoenician towns become Egyptian tributaries. War in Syria (Late years of Nabopolassar chronicle)

http://www.livius.org/ne-nn/necho/necho_ii.html

Three years later, the aging king of Babylon, Nabopolassar, sent his son Nebuchadnezzar against the Egyptian armies. The encounter took place at Carchemish in the year 605 B.C.E. Defeating the Egyptian armies, Nebuchadnezzar scours the land of Israel and subjugates Jehoiakim, but the news of his father’s death precipitates his return. He hurries back, taking with him young captives from the elite of Judah, including Daniel and his companions.

Late Years of Nabopolassar (ABC 4)

http://www.livius.org/cg-cm/chronicles/abc2/early-nabopolassar.html

605: Nebuchadnezzar defeats Necho near Karchemiš (Early Years of Nebuchadnezzar chronicle)

601: Babylonian attack on Egypt repelled

597: Loss of Judah; Jerusalem is captured by the Babylonians

595: Death of Necho II; he is succeeded by his son Psammetichus II Necho's names are sometimes erazed from his monuments, which may signify that his foreign policy was seen as a failure; his successor refrained from foreign interventions

Jer 46:20 Egypt is like a very fair heifer, but destruction cometh; it cometh out of the north.

Thus the typical king of the north overwhelmed the typical king of the south just before Babylon's final thrust against Literal Jerusalem and the destruction of the first sanctuary. In the first antitype of this destruction, Rome (the new king of the north) would destroy the second temple in 70 AD.

Dan 9:25 Know 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. Dan 9:26 And 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.

The King of the North

Part two

Dan 11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. Dan 11:41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

The time of the end

Dan 11:42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. Dan 11:43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

Dan 11:44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. Dan 11:45 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.

Dan 11:45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. NIV

Dan 11:45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him. NKJV

Dan 11:40 And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him

http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/aqc/napoleon.html

http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/bonaparte_n/bonaparte_n.html

http://freemasonry.bcy.ca/biography/bonaparte_n/bonaparte_n.html

Napoleon was the first leader in Europe to grant liberty, equality and fraternity to all religions. In this lithograph of the period, Napoleon is granting liberty to the Jews. ….

http://www.napoleon-series.org/ins/weider/c_jews.html

Napoleon and the Jews By Ben Weider, CM, PhD

Napoleon's uncle, Cardinal Fesh, also got involved. He told Napoleon, "Sire, so you wish the end of the world to come with your Laws to give the Jews equality like the Catholics. Do you not know that the Holy Scriptures predict that the end of the world will happen when the Jews will be recognized as a corporate nation."

For religion, Napoleon ended the schism and restored the Catholic Church to France by the Concordat in 1801. He insured freedom of religions and equality to the Protestant sects, and he declared France the homeland of the Jews, after it became obvious he could not establish their national home in Palestine.The Code Napoleon established equality before the law, emphasized the sanctity of the family, and assured the legal gains of the Revolution. The Code of Civil Procedure insured widespread user of mediation in the courts and the laws, and the courts were secularized.

Napoleon's religious opinions were the height of modern philosophy; he was completely given to tolerance. Everywhere that Napoleon went, he led tolerance by the hand; everywhere that he found several religions, he ended the domination by which one took precedence over the others. "Faith," Napoleon would say, "is beyond the reach of the law. It is the most personal possession of man, and no one has the right to demand and account for it."

Now here is an amazing incident which is not generally known.When the French troops were in Palestine, and besieging the city of Acre, Napoleon had already prepared a Proclamation making Palestine an independent Jewish state. …… He was unable to realize this project because of the intervention of the British.This proclamation was printed and dated the 20th of April 1799, but his unsuccessful attempt to capture Acre prevented it from being issued. The Jews had to wait more than 150 years before their state was proclaimed.The proclamation, however did bear fruit. It was a precursor to Zionism, heightening awareness of the cause of Jewish statehood. The ideas Napoleon expressed found the admiration of many who saw Napoleon's gestures as a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy, which foretells of the restoration of the Jews to their land. The idea drew many adherents, especially in England.

Napoleon and Palestine:

One hundred and eighteen years later, the British would issue the "Balfour" declaration which called for a Jewish homeland and ultimately - 31 years later in 1948 - Israel would be recognized as a sovereign state by popular vote in the United Nations General Assembly. Perhaps it can be said that Napoleon's premature announcement on that first day of Passover in 1799 played an important role in the creation of the state of Israel. ……. On the 16th of August, 1800, Napoleon declared: "If I governed a nation of Jews, I should reestablish the Temple of Solomon."

http://www.napoleon-series.org/ins/weider/c_jews.html

Rev 11:1 Then I was given a reed like a measuring rod. And the angel stood, saying, "Rise and measure the temple of God, the altar, and those who worship there. Rev 11:2 But leave out the court which is outside the temple, and do not measure it, for it has been given to the Gentiles. And they will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months.

Rev 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. Rev 11:4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.

Freemasonry appeared in Egypt soon after Napoleon's conquest in 1798 when General Kleber, a French Mason and top commander in Napoleon's army established the Lodge of Isis. French Masonry dominated Egypt until British lodges began to appear after the British occupation in 1882. Freemasonry was very popular in the first half of the twentieth century, and many important Egyptians were Masons, along with the British rulers and aristocrats who occupied the country. In fact the Egyptian monarchs, from Khedive Ismail to King Fouad, were made honorary Grand Masters at the start of their reigns. From 1940 to 1957 there were close to seventy Masonic lodges chartered throughout Egypt. At one time the leaders of the Nationalist and Wafd parties were Freemasons, and many members of the Egyptian parliament were Masons as well, where they mingled with the military commanders and aristocrats of the ruling British occupation. (Freemasonry In Egypt, Insight Magazine, March 1, 1999) http://www.redmoonrising.com/Ikhwan/MB.htm

Napoleon and Islamic Masonry

Rev 11:7 And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. Rev 11:8 And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.

He sits in the temple of God:Observe the place occupied by the man of sin - the

“temple” or house of God. This is not, and cannot be, any Jewish temple. Paul, who uses this expression in his prophetic portrait of Romanism, employs it both in Corinthians and Ephesians with reference to the Christian Church. In the second Epistle to the Corinthians, writing to Gentile Christians, he says, “Ye are the temple of the living God.” In Ephesians he calls the Church “a holy temple,” a “habitation of God through the Spirit.” To Paul emphatically the temple of God was the Church of Christ. This is the temple in which his prophetic eye saw the man of sin seated. It is no person in a temple of stone, but a power in the Christian Church. (H. GRATTAN GUINNESS. Romanism and the Reformation, Harley House, Bow, E.,June 1st, 1887.)

GRATTAN GUINNESS comments on the man of sin:

The First and the second Jewish temples as well as the menorah for the third

Eph 2:20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; Eph 2:21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: Eph 2:22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Gal 3:29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: Rom 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Gal 6:15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. Gal 6:16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Christians have an interest in Jerusalem and Israel

Christians around the world are affected by events in Israel. How? For one thing, they are looking for signs pointing to the second return of Jesus Christ.

Perhaps one of the most significant signs they look for is the reconstruction of the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah (the Third Temple), and the re-instituting of Old Testament sacrifices. This would be followed, prophetically, by the appearance of Man of Sin (Antichrist) in the Temple to shut it all down again - to call an end to prayers and sacrifices. This is called the Abomination that makes desolate, or the Abomination of Desolation (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:2).

Dispensationalist teaching

http://kenraggio.com/KRPN-TheThirdTemple.htm

Gershon Salomon, Chairman of the Temple Mount Faithful Mount

Faithful (the preeminent organization in Israel working for

the rebuilding of the Third Temple) opined on the record saying that a Netanyahu government would be good news for the prospect of the

rebuilding of the temple. In previous political campaigns,

Netanyahu incorporated into the platform of his Likud Party, that if he was elected Prime Minister,

they would press for the opening of the Temple Mount for Jewish

worship.

Gershon Salomon,

http://kenraggio.com/KRPN-TheThirdTemple.htm

The Temple Mount Faithful have the cornerstone ready to lay …. In addition, the Temple Institute now has all the furniture and priestly garments ready for the Third Temple. .. The priesthood and the Sanhedrin have also been revived.

In this book Benjamin H. Freedman: 'A Jewish man writes about the Jews and

reveals an interesting history. He states that the present Jews

in Palestine are not the true descendants of the Judeans,

but rather descendents of the KHAZARS .

In the letter addressed to: DR. DAVID GOLDSTEIN, LL.D., of

Boston, Mass., a convert to Catholicism, the author

BENJAMIN H. FREEDMAN of New York City Dated October

10, 1954, provides some fascinating insights.

http://www.rense.com/general47/facys.htm

Benjamin H. Freedman claims that the word “Jew” was only introduced into the English language in the eighteenth century and that ‘Jesus referred to Himself as a "Judean" and not as a "Jew". Inscribed upon the Cross when Jesus was Crucified were the Latin words "Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudeorum“ which means Jesus of Nazareth ruler of the Judeans.

He further writes:

“The form of religious worship known as "Pharisaism" in Judea in the time of Jesus was a religious practice based exclusively upon the Talmud. The Talmud in the time of Jesus was the Magna Charta, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, ALL ROLLED INTO ONE, of those who practiced "Pharisaism". The Talmud today occupies the same relative position with respect to those who profess "Judaism".”

Rabbi Morris N. Kertzer wrote a most revealing and comprehensive article with the title, "What is a Jew" which was published as a feature article in "Look" Magazine in the June 17, 1952 issue. In that article Rabbi Morris N. Kertzer evaluated the significance of the Talmud to "Judaism" today. In that illuminating treatise on that important subject by the most qualified authority, at the time, Rabbi Morris N. Kertzer stated:"The Talmud consists of 63 books of legal, ethical and historical writings of the ancient rabbis. It was edited five centuries after the birth of Jesus. It is a compendium of law and lore. IT IS THE LEGAL CODE WHICH FORMS THE BASIS OF JEWISH RELIGIOUS LAW AND IT IS THE TEXTBOOK USED IN THE TRAINING OF RABBIS." (emphasis supplied).

Then he states: “From the Birth of Jesus until this day there have never been recorded more vicious and vile libelous blasphemies of Jesus, or Christians and the Christian faith by anyone, anywhere or anytime than you will find between the covers of the infamous "63 books" which are "the legal code which forms the basis of Jewish religious law" as well as the "textbook used in the training of rabbis".

He then proceeds to quote some of the most horrendous statements from the Talmud regarding ethical issues.

As to the origin of the present “Jews” in Palestine he states that those Jews derived from Eastern Europe are not descendents of the Judeans or the lost tribes of Israel but rather descendents of the Khazars, a nation most people do not even know of. He writes:

“The so-called or self-styled "Jews" in eastern Europe in modern history cannot legitimately point to a single ancient ancestor who ever set even a foot on the soil of Palestine in the era of Bible history. Research also revealed that the so-called or self-styled "Jews" in eastern Europe were never "Semites", are not "Semites" now, nor can they ever be regarded as "Semites" at any future time by any stretch of the imagination. …. What secret mysterious power has been able for countless generations to keep the origin and the history of the Khazars and Khazar Kingdom out of history text-books and out of class-room courses in history throughout the world? The origin and history of the Khazars and Khazar Kingdom are certainly incontestable historical facts. ”

He writes: “After a historic session with representatives of the three monotheistic religions King Bulan (7th century)decided against Christian and Islam and selected as the future state religion the religious worship then know as "Talmudism", and now known and practiced as "Judaism".” They adopted the Hebrew alphabet and “The Khazars adapted words to their requirements form the German, the Slavonic and the Baltic languages” , this language was known as “Yiddish”. Yiddish uses the Hebrew alphabetic characters but is not Hebrew.

The Khazars were an Asiatic nation (The Jewish

Encyclopaedia states ‘Persian origin’ that

converted to Talmudic Judaism and that had

conquered a vast area of eastern Europe which was in turn later conquered by the Russians in the 10th-

13th centuries.

In accordance to this history the religion of the modern state of Israel is based on cabalistic and Talmudic traditions and is far removed from the Biblical worship of Yahweh.

In March 2006, while visiting Yeshiva University at Brooklyn, New York, a Jewish institute dedicated to the study of the Talmud, Card. Walter Kasper poses with rabbi Zevulun Charlop holding the Talmud, a central book of Judaism. http://www.traditioninaction.org/RevolutionPhotos/A241rcKasperTalmud.htm

George Bush holding the Talmud

http://www.napoleon-series.org/ins/weider/c_jews.html

Napoleon established both the Bank of France and the French bourse (stock exchange) as well as National and Departmental Tax Boards, to insure equitable taxation for all. Consequently, the income of the French peasants skyrocketed.

Napoleon and the JewsBy Ben Weider, CM, PhD

"Think tanks" and research centers were established in France to work on projects vital for national economy. An Industrial Board was organized to provide data and information to French Industry, as exemplified by the success of the sugar beet farming and the canning industry.

In the military, Napoleon pioneered in what we describe today as the "principles of war" which are studied by almost every military academy in the world. The armies of today are based on the organization created by Napoleon for his Grand Army and it has been used ever since.

Prussia retracted the liberal laws in 1815 after the Battle of Waterloo. The worst setback was inflicted upon the Jews of the Papal states. It would almost seem as if Pius VII had taken revenge on the Jewish population of his territory for the humiliation he had suffered at the hand of Napoleon. He was not content with their confinement behind the walls of the re-erected ghetto but he obliged the Jews to wear the "Yellow badge" again. In Sardina, the Jews were thrown back into ghettos and not allowed to build synagogues.Much later some European nations assimilated the Jews between 1824 and 1867. Notably, Holland in 1830, Sweden in 1834 and Switzerland in 1838.It is remarkable that in England, it was only in 1858, after Lord Lionel Rothchild was elected five times, that he was permitted to take his seat in parliament. It is also interesting to know that the laws that were passed in France, in 1808, are still in existence even to this day.

Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. Rev 11:12 And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. Rev 11:13 And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the God of heaven.

As the enemy musters his forces for the final onslaught, so God raises the tabernacle of His truth and these two forces grow together until they meet in the final conflict. When Christ came the first time, He established His church, the spiritual temple, on the new corner stone and the wall of partition between Jew and gentile was broken down.

Amo 9:11 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: Amo 9:12 That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

The apostle James applies these words to the call of the gentiles.

Act 15:13 And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: Act 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. Act 15:15 And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, Act 15:16 After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: Act 15:17 That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. Act 15:18 Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.

Wesley’s notes: Act 15:16 After this - After the Jewish dispensation expires. I will build again the fallen tabernacle of David - By raising from his seed the Christ, who shall build on the ruins of his fallen tabernacle a spiritual and eternal kingdom. Amo_9:11.

But there was to be a second gathering after the 1260 years of prophesying in sackcloth and the Word of God would once again be lifted up to heaven so that all kindred's tongues and nations should be able to make a choice. We find this in Isaiah’s parallel prophecy to Daniel11:41-44

Isa 11:11 And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. Isa 11:12 And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Isa 11:13 The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim. Isa 11:14 But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.

Isa 11:15 And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod. Isa 11:16 And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.

Isa 58:12 And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in. Isa 58:13 If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: Isa 58:14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

Louis F. Were states: Jesus is now reigning! The Prophecies concerning His kingdom of grace are now being fulfilled! This was the thrilling burden of the apostles’ preaching after the descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost! It was this recognition of the fulfillment of the kingdom prophecies in relation to the church that gave power to their preaching, and which also aroused the anger of the Jews against them. That which the Jews regarded as being wholly future, and to be fulfilled literally in connection with national Israel, the apostles preached as being fulfilled in the work of preaching the gospel. Today, Christendom has been led so far astray in its understanding of the prophecies that it takes the same view of those prophecies as did the Jews:

the literal, Palestinian fulfillment in relation to the Jews. When the people of God, like the early disciples, seek God more earnestly in prayer and study and the Holy Spirit is poured out more fully upon them, they, like the disciples, will emphasize more the spiritual interpretation of those prophecies which are so popularly applied literally in relation to Palestine. As such preaching angered the Jews, so such preaching to-day, backed home by the power of the Holy Spirit, will also create antagonism. Were, King of the North p. 74

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

Dan 11:41 He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon.

Dan 11:42 He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. Dan 11:43 But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.

The king of the south mindset is thus overwhelmed by a massive final thrust by the king of the north who employs fear tactics induced amidst a chaos of wars and economic chaos. The military alliances forged by the king of the north serve to force the world to accept a collective morality which will be dictated by himself. Even the very elect are at risk here.

Luk 21:26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

World Stirred With the Spirit of War

The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place.--Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 14 {ChS 54.5}

I was shown the inhabitants of the earth in the utmost confusion. War, bloodshed, privation, want, famine, and pestilence were abroad in the land. . . . My attention was then called from the scene. There seemed to be a little time of peace. Once more the inhabitants of the earth were presented before me; and again everything was in the utmost confusion. Strife, war, and bloodshed, with famine and pestilence, raged everywhere. Other nations were engaged in this war and confusion. War caused famine. Want and bloodshed caused pestilence. And then men's hearts failed them for fear, "and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth."--Testimonies, vol. 1, p. 268. {ChS 55.1}

Spiritual Darkness : This is a time of spiritual darkness in the churches of the world. Ignorance of divine things has hidden God and the truth from view. The forces of evil are gathering in strength. Satan flatters his coworkers that he will do a work that will captivate the world. While partial inactivity has come upon the church, Satan and his hosts are intensely active. The professed Christian churches are not converting the world; for they are themselves corrupted with selfishness and pride, and need to feel the converting power of God in their midst before they can lead others to a purer or higher standard.--Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 65. {ChS 55.2}

In our day, as of old, the vital truths of God's word are set aside for human theories and speculations. Many professed ministers of the gospel do not accept the whole Bible as the inspired word. One wise man rejects one portion; another questions another part. They set up their judgment as superior to the Word; and the Scripture which they do teach rests upon their own authority. Its divine authenticity is destroyed. Thus the seeds of infidelity are sown broadcast; for the people become confused, and know not what to believe. There are many beliefs that the mind has no right to entertain.--Christ's Object Lessons, p. 39. {ChS 55.3}

The world is stirred with the spirit of war. The prophecy of the eleventh chapter of Daniel has nearly reached its complete fulfillment. Soon the scenes of trouble spoken of in the prophecies will take place. {9T 14.2} "Behold, the Lord maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof. . . . Because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate. . . . The mirth of tabrets ceaseth, the noise of them that rejoice endeth, the joy of the harp ceaseth." Isaiah 24:1-8. {9T 14.3}

Publication Date: April 1, 2008Cutting against the grain of conventional wisdom, New York Times bestseller, George Weigel, offers a compelling look at the ways in which Catholic social teaching sheds light on the challenges of peace, the problem of pluralism, the quest for human rights, and the defense of liberty. In this major contribution one of America's most prominent intellectuals offers a meticulous analysis of the foundations of the free society as he makes a powerful case for the role of moral reasoning in meeting the threats to human dignity posed by debonair nihilism, jihadist violence, and the brave new world of manufactured men and women.

Two recent books attempt to explain the relationship between the Vatican and the United States. Each has a different agenda, and thus they reach opposite conclusions. Common to both, however, is a primary focus on the debate over the legitimacy of America’s war in Iraq.Parallel Empires: The Vatican and the United States—Two Centuries of Alliance and Conflict, by Italian journalist Massimo Franco, portrays the Vatican as an independent actor on the world stage, guiding and guarding the flock of Christ. The other work, Against the Grain: Christianity and Democracy, War and Peace, a collection of essays by American Catholic commentator and papal biographer George Weigel, sees a strong relationship between the Vatican and the U.S. based on a mutual concern for saving Western civilization and promoting democratic government around the world.

Publication Date: January 20, 2009The fascinating and highly relevant history of the turbulent relationship between the United States and the Holy See, recounted and analyzed by Italian journalist and Vatican insider Massimo Franco

Drawing on unique access to the archives of the Holy See and a range of sources both in Washington, D.C. and Rome, Parallel Empires charts the path of U.S.-Vatican relations to reveal the dramatic religious and political tensions that have shaped their dealings and our world.Starting with the Holy See’s initial diplomatic overtures to the United States in the 1780’s, Franco illuminates a two-hundred-year-old history of alliances, mutual exploitation, and misperceptions. From the nativist anti-Catholicism of the nineteenth century, through JFK’s election as America’s first Catholic president and the cold war anti-Communist partnership between the United States and the Holy See, to the establishment of full diplomatic relations in 1984, the story has never before been told quite like this. With U.S.-Vatican affairs still evolving in the present day, Parallel Empires also details the most recent developments of this ever-changing and often-tenuous relationship, including contemporary disagreements over the Iraq War and engagement with the Islamic world, and the Papacy of Benedict XVI. Parallel Empires leaves no doubt regarding the impact that the struggle between these two great powers—one of secular might and the other of moral influence—has had on both our history and on today’s world. Franco’s insights are sure to have lasting relevance as U.S.-Vatican relations continue to evolve, and with religion’s undeniable influence on everything from domestic elections to international terrorism, his work will prove invaluable in coming years.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0385518935/theamericansp-20

Dan 11:44 But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. Dan 11:45 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.

Dan 11:45 He will pitch his royal tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he will come to his end, and no one will help him. NIV

Dan 11:45 And he shall plant the tents of his palace between the seas and the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and no one will help him. NKJV

Rev 17:12 "The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. Rev 17:13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. Rev 17:14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful."

Rev 17:15 Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. Rev 17:16 And the ten horns which you saw on the beast, these will hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire. Rev 17:17 For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. Rev 17:18 And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth."

And none shall help her

Num 24:17 I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. Num 24:18 And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly. Num 24:19 Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city. Num 24:20 And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

Num 24:14 And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

Balaam’s Prophecy

Num 24:21 And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwellingplace, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. Num 24:22 Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive. Num 24:23 And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this! Num 24:24 And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever. Num 24:25 And Balaam rose up, and went and returned to his place: and Balak also went his way.

Before returning to his people, Balaam uttered a most beautiful and sublime prophecy of the world's Redeemer and the final destruction of the enemies of God: "I shall see Him, but not now: I shall behold Him, but not nigh:

There shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, And shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." {PP 451.1}

And he closed by predicting the complete destruction of Moab and Edom, of Amalek and the Kenites, thus leaving to the Moabitish king no ray of hope. {PP 451.2}

He immediately returned to the land of Moab and laid his plans before the king. The Moabites themselves were convinced that so long as Israel remained true to God, He would be their shield. The plan proposed by Balaam was to separate them from God by enticing them into idolatry. If they could be led to engage in the licentious worship of Baal and Ashtaroth, their omnipotent Protector would become their enemy, and they would soon fall a prey to the fierce, warlike nations around them. This plan was readily accepted by the king, and Balaam himself remained to assist in carrying it into effect. {PP 451.4}

Eze 43:1 Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east: Eze 43:2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory. Eze 43:3 And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city: and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. Eze 43:4 And the glory of the LORD came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east.

Eze 1:4 And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.

Psa 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

Isa 47:1 Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate. ….

Isa 47:7 And thou saidst, I shall be a lady for ever: so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it. Isa 47:8 Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:

Isa 47:9 But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments. ……

Isa 47:12 Stand now with thine enchantments, and with the multitude of thy sorceries, wherein thou hast laboured from thy youth; …….Isa 47:13 Thou art wearied in the multitude of thy counsels. Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up, and save thee from these things that shall come upon thee. Isa 47:14 Behold, they shall be as stubble; the fire shall burn them; they shall not deliver themselves from the power of the flame: there shall not be a coal to warm at, nor fire to sit before it. Isa 47:15 Thus shall they be unto thee with whom thou hast laboured, even thy merchants, from thy youth: they shall wander every one to his quarter; none shall save thee.