By Gene Brown (used with permission)

Each Gospel is a supplement to the others, every prophecy an explanation of another, every truth a development of some other truth. Education, page 123 

How shall we search the Scriptures? Shall we drive our stakes of doctrine one after another, and then try to make all Scripture meet our established opinions, or shall we take our ideas and views to the Scriptures, and measure our theories on every side by the Scriptures of truth? {RH, July 26, 1892 par. 3}

As we take up the study of God’s word, we should do so with humble hearts {CW 36.4}

Those who sincerely desire truth will not be reluctant to lay open their positions for investigation and criticism, and will not be annoyed if their opinions and ideas are crossed. {CW 36.4}

As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed. {CW 37.1}

If we come to the Word of God with a teachable, humble spirit, the rubbish of error will be swept away, and gems of truth, long hidden from our eyes, will be discovered. Selected Messages, book 1, p. 360.

The best way to deal with error is to present the truth, Contrasted with truth, the weakness of error is made apparent to every intelligent mind. Testimonies to Ministers, page 165

The Princes of the North

There [be] the Princes of the North, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain: with their terror they are ashamed of their might: and they lie uncircumcised with [them that be] slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit. Ezekiel 32:30

Arabia, and all the Princes of Kedar , they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these [were they] thy merchants. Ezekiel 27:21

Angels are now restraining the winds of strife, that they may not blow until the world shall be warned of its coming doom: but a storm is gathering , ready to burst upon the earth: and when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture. The Bible, and the Bible only, gives a correct view of the great final scenes in the history of our world, events that already are casting their shadows before, the sound of their approach causing the earth to tremble and men’s hearts to fail them for fear. Education, pages 179-180

Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am. John 13:19

Condensed from a study by Henry Dana Ward in 1841, a member of the Millerite movement.

Chapters thirty and thirty-one [of Ezekiel] foretell the utter overthrow of Egypt and Assyria, Pharaoh and all his multitude.

The thirty-second repeats the calamity of Pharaoh, and adds to it, of Ashur, Elam, Meshech, and Tubal, Edom, and the Zidonians by name, and of the princes of the north without name. These are all slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit. Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, even Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword, saith the Lord God.

Pharaoh is understood by the wise to be a name of the Dragon , the old serpent, familiar to the prophets.

The thirty-third chapter is addressed to the watchmen of Israel, with denunciations against the land. The thirty-fourth reproves the shepherds of Israel, and promises that the Lord himself will search out of all nations, and gather upon the mountains of Israel his scattered flock.

There shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel: and I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that which was lost, and will bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong: I will feed them with judgment. As these mountains and flocks and mercies belong to the millennium, so do the judgments detailed in chapters xxx., xxxi., xxxii., belong to the introduction of the millennium, and correspond to the overthrow of the beast and false prophet in the harvest of the earth, when all the nations by name are counted to the slaughter and consigned to the pit: even Pharaoh and all his army, slain by the sword.

Ezekiel 35 begins the subject anew with the destruction of Edom which is made a perpetual desolation, never to return. This is the present evil world. Chapter 35 is a counter prophecy to the mountains of Israel, promising to them, and to the hills and rivers and valleys,

Ezekiel 35:8 And I will fill his mountains with his slain [men]: in thy hills, and in thy valleys, and in all thy rivers, shall they fall that are slain with the sword.

Ezekiel 36:8 Ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to my people of Israel: for they are at hand to come, in the resurrection. They shall possess thee, and thou shalt be their inheritance, and thou shalt no more hence-forth bereave them:

Ezekiel 36:12 O house of Israel, I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land:

 35:12 And thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD, [and that] I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they are given us to consume.

Ezekiel 36:24 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good:

Ezekiel 36:31 Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that [were] not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations. 

To this end their recovery must be life from the dead.

Chapter 37 explains the millennial resurrection literally of the whole house of Israel,

Ezekiel 37:11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

Which, if it does not include us, Our hope is lost: we are cut for our parts.

Ezekiel 37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, 14 And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken [it], and performed [it], saith the LORD.

The prophet proceeds to declare the purpose of God, to unite Judah and Ephraim into one nation: and David, my servant, shall be king over them, 24: their prince forever, 25. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore, 28.

Ezekiel  37:24 And David my servant [shall be] king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, [even] they, and their children, and their children’s children for ever: and my servant David [shall be] their prince for ever.  28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore. 

This is the eternal state subsequent to the resurrection: for it is both impossible for David to reign on earth again without rising from the dead, and also for any condition of things in this world to continue forever: seeing that the true Witness testifies of this heaven and earth that they shall pass away, and all things belonging to them are transitory.

After this description of the resurrection of the whole house of Israel, and of their union under David in one everlasting kingdom, which seems to accord and synchronize with the first resurrection, the prophet proceeds, in chapters 38 and 39 to speak of the coming of Gog and all his bands, from Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, or Phut, Gomer, and Togarmah, against the mountains of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land. The Lord will then appear in his anger, so that all men and things shall shake at his presence, and he will rain upon Gog, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hail-stones, fire and brimstone. The thirty-ninth chapter only carries out the doctrine and particulars of the preceding: leaving the reader in no doubt that this Gog and his destruction are the same which are so similarly described in Revelation 20 and not elsewhere expressly named in the Bible.

Chapter 21 to the end of the prophecy of Ezekiel enters into a particular description of the New Jerusalem, in language suited to the Mosaic dispensation, but manifestly intending that same which the Apocalypse describes coming down out of heaven. History and Doctrine of the Millennium pages 66-71.

The Tabernacles of His Palace

As we begin our study of Ezekiel Chapter 32 and its corresponding passage of Psalm 83, we need to lay some groundwork and thereby attempt to bring about a consensus of understanding relating to last day events. The Chapters just mentioned are directly related to the King of the North in Daniel 11:45, and are designed by God to bring His people into harmony with one another on the correct perception of the final way-mark of probationary time.

It seems that even among those who are in agreement with the literal application of Daniel 11:40-45, there is a disparity of thought concerning the phraseology used in verse 45. If we do not have the correct comprehension of the terminology used, neither will we have an accurate conception of the chronology of the final events portrayed, and that could prove fatal to our faith just when we need it most.

Therefore the correct exegesis of verse 45 is crucial not only for ourselves, but to present the final warning to the world:

If the books of Daniel and the Revelation were studied with earnest prayer, we should have a better knowledge of the perils of the last days, and would be better prepared for the work before us–we should be prepared to unite with Christ and to work in his lines. Review and Herald, February 9,1897

Some people get confused when they try to interpret Daniel and the Revelation, or other books such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel, because the prophecies are not always given in strict chronological order. But we can know we have the right understanding when we have harmony within all of the related passages in the Bible, and our views align with the pioneer position:

The Bible is its own interpreter, one passage explaining another. By comparing scriptures referring to the same subject, you will see harmony and beauty of which you have never dreamed. The Youthʼs Instructor, June 30, 1898

Every prophecy [is] an explanation of another, every truth a development of some other truth. Education, page 123

[We] are to take the Word of God and believe on their word who have been led by the Lord in the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages. Selected Messages, book 2, page 111

We are also told the events connected with the close of probation are clearly presented, therefore, we should be able to comprehend them without difficulty, and to come into the unity that Jesus wants us to have.

In the prophecies the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ. The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble, are clearly presented. The Great Controversy, page 594

If we do not have the right view of the foundational verse under investigation, we will not see the relevance of the supporting scriptures found in Ezekiel Chapter 32, Psalm 83, or the book of Joel. We need to look very closely at the verse in question (Daniel 11:45) and determine exactly what is being said:

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

Taken literally, this passage pinpoints the final way- mark for the close of probation. It is not a time prophecy. It does not specify a day, or a month, or a year, but an event that will happen at an undisclosed point in time. However, we are given a guideline so we can know when it is near. When we see this event happen on earth, we know our Great High Priest is leaving the Most Holy Place in Heaven, because the next verse says:

And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. Daniel 12:1

Now we need to ask, when does Michael stand up? Is it when the King of the North shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain, or is it when he shall come to his end?

It cannot be when he shall come to his end because, according to the pioneers, he comes to his end during the sixth plague as foretold in Revelation.

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. Revelation 16:12

The established delineation of this verse is set forth by Uriah Smith:

The drying up of the river in this sense would be the consumption of the Turkish empire, accompanied with more or less destruction of its subjects. Turkey will be no more, and the way will be all open for the nations to make their last grand rally to the Holy Land. The kings of the East, the nationalities, powers, and kingdoms lying east of Palestine, will act a conspicuous part in the matter: for Joel says in reference to this scene, Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat. The millions of Mohammedans of Persia, Afghanistan, Toorkistan, and India will rush to the field of conquest in behalf of their religion. The event that takes place under the sixth vial is the entire and utter consumption of that power, not its preliminary state of decay. Daniel and the Revelation, 1897 edition, pages 692-693

Clearly, the waymark we are to look for to synchronize the event in heaven with what is taking place on earth is when he [the King of the North] shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain.

Now we need to ascertain exactly what this segment of the verse is telling us. Those who hold the literal view will all agree the last part of the segment in question is describing Jerusalem. The disparity comes in with the first part which says, “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace.”

Some honest students seem to think the tabernacles is a reference to the Dome of the Rock and the other Islamic mosques that have been built on the temple mount, but this cannot be. The Muslims first captured the temple mount in the year 637, and built the Dome of the Rock there in 689-691. How could that have anything to do with the close of probation? Uriah Smith says on page 320 of his book:

It is not reasonable to suppose that any great amount of time will elapse between these events. Daniel and the Revelation page 320

We need to look at the word tabernacles as used in Daniel 11:45. When the word is used in the singular form it always means the dwelling place for God, whether on earth or in heaven. When the word is plural it invariably means a temporary dwelling place for man.

We will now give a few quotes to show how the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy use the plural form of the word, and also a few statements from our pioneers to show how they define the term the tabernacles of his palace.

In commemoration of their tent life, the Israelites during the feast dwelt in booths or tabernacles of green boughs. The Desire of Ages, page 448

By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:9, 10.

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, [and] thy tabernacles, O Israel! Numbers 24:5

In the words of the angel, 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.

 The “glorious holy mountain” can be no other place than Jerusalem, which is even now called in the Turkish and Arabic “the holy.” It is certain, therefore, that the seat of the Ottoman Empire will be removed from Constantinople, and will finally be planted in Jerusalem, and then it is just as certain that that power comes to an end. {May 16, 1896 LTNe, GCB 692.1} 

[Question:] What is meant by the tabernacles of his palace? [Answer:] The seat of government. 1888 Bible Reading for the Home Circle, Chapter, The Eastern Question, page 398, question 21.

Uriah Smith is again in agreement with the above statements. Commenting on Daniel 12:1, he makes the following observation:

A definite time is introduced in this verse, not a time revealed in names or figures which specify any particular year or month or day, but a time made definite by the occurrence of a certain event with which it stands connected. At that time. What time? – The time to which we are brought by the closing verse of the preceding chapter, – the time when the king of the north shall plant the tabernacles of his palace in the glorious holy mountain: or, in other words, when the Turk, driven from Europe, shall hastily make Jerusalem his temporary seat of government. Daniel and the Revelation, 1897 edition, page 319

If the prophecy had been fulfilled in their (the pioneers) day, the Turk, [may have been] driven from Europe (Constantinople) by Russia or some other power. Today he will be driven from Europe by his own irrational compulsion to destroy Israel and the United States.

The power now represented by the Turk will be proved to be the restored Ottoman Empire, or, in other words, the Caliphate. Their seat of power will be established in Constantinople before they quickly move to Jerusalem. Some people donʼt think the Caliphate can ever be resurrected because of the deep schisms between the Sunnis, the Shias, and the Wahhabis, but they will unite under the common goal of destroying Israel and Christianity. The Muslims have an ancient axiom: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

In Jesusʼ day there was a seemingly irreconcilable division between the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians, but they cast aside their differences and confederated together to destroy Jesus.

The Muslim Brotherhood, the driving power behind the rise of the Caliphate, is hardly noticed because they work behind the scenes, and try to mask their true intentions until it is time for them to strike, just like the papacy. The Brotherhood is occasionally mentioned in the news, but their nefarious, deep laid plots are completely overlooked, or ignored. The politically correct response is to preach tolerance, understanding, and dialogue. The world will sleep on until it is too late to escape the snare, but we are to be not of the night, but of the day. Some of their villainous plans will be disclosed in the next chapter.

The papacy received a deadly wound in 1798. The Ottoman Empire received a deadly wound in 1840 and was seemingly put out of existence in the first World War, but the ideology they embraced continues to burn in the hearts of the Muslim Brotherhood. Just as the papacy is growing to power and is on the verge of rivalling her former glory, so is the Caliphate and both will fail in their final objective.

Appearances may deceive us but God knows what is to be. The prophecies of Ezekiel Chapter 32 and Psalm 83 tell us there will be a confederacy of all the Islamic nations that form a crescent around Israel. This is a primary phase of the stated objective of the Muslim Brotherhood and the motivation behind all the uprisings we are witnessing right now in the Middle East.

In Ezekiel 32:30 this confederacy is called the Princes of the North which presupposes there must be a King of the North, thus tying the prophecy directly to Daniel 11:45. This king, or by inference, kingdom, can be none other than the resurrected Ottoman Empire, ruled by the Caliphate, with a Caliph (a Mahdi) at its head. Its seat of government will be established in Constantinople, but will swiftly move to Jerusalem as they overrun Israel and declare global jihad. This is the stated plan of the Brotherhood and the Bible attests to the fact that this part of their goal will be achieved.

Drawing our interpretation from the pioneer view, Chapters 30, 31, and 32 of Ezekiel are a delineation of events that introduce the millennium, meaning these are events that transpire just before the close of probation and continue on into the time of the plagues.

It will become very evident that all of the prophecies being looked at in this study are interrelated. The harmony revealed could come only from the hand of the Creator. When we look at these passages according to their obvious meaning, a picture will emerge that is crystal clear.

The language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed. The Great Controversy, page 599

The Bible is its own interpreter, one passage explaining another. By comparing scriptures referring to the same subject, you will see harmony and beauty of which you have never dreamed. The Youthʼs Instructor, June 30, 1898

Every principle in the word of God has its place, every fact its bearing. And the complete structure, in design and execution, bears testimony to its Author. Such a structure no mind but that of the Infinite could conceive or fashion. Education, page 123

As the Muslim Brotherhood accomplishes the overthrow of each nation in the crescent around Israel, one nation after another, we are witnessing milestone after milestone that God has given us in His word, preparatory to the final way-mark depicted in Daniel 11:45. When their objective of confederating all the Islamic nations is reached, he [the King of the North] shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain. The Caliph will at the same time declare global jihad, his stated duty, and the final events will be rapid ones.

We have been given the privilege of watching the footsteps of our approaching God and yet all this is being overlooked because of the misinterpretation that the papacy is the King of the North. If we could only look past the preconceived ideas that have been instilled into our minds, and allow the Bible to interpret itself, we would know the general outline of coming events.

In the prophecies the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ.
The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble, are clearly presented. But multitudes have no more understanding of these important truths than if they had never been revealed. Satan watches to catch away every impression that would make them wise unto salvation, and the time of trouble will find them unready. The Great Controversy, p. 594 

Next we will look at the prophecies concerning Kedar, the most notable of the twelve princes (sons) of Ishmael. As we compare those prophetic utterances with what we have already established in our studies on Daniel 11:45, and the book of Joel, and what we will discuss in later chapters of this book with reference to Ezekiel Chapter 32, and Psalm 83, we will continue to find a harmony that cannot be denied.

This subject is a vital link in the chain of events foretold in Godʼs word to show us just how close we are to the close of probation. We cannot, of course, know exactly how long it will take for the fulfillment, but as we watch the escalation preparatory to the culmination of the prophecies, we can know the end is much nearer than most people realize. Our Lord is showing us it is time to get ready, get ready, get ready, Jesus is coming.

The Tents of Kedar

Kedar was second in order of the sons of Ishmael:

And these [are] the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth: and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, twelve princes according to their nations. Genesis 25:13-16

How could Kedar, who was such a seemingly trivial character, have any impact on the subject we are studying? First of all, God did not waste any precious space in His Holy Word on trivia of no consequence:

Every principle in the word of God has its place, every fact its bearing. And the complete structure, in design and execution, bears testimony to its Author. Such a structure no mind but that of the Infinite could conceive or fashion. Education, page 123

Kedar was the second son of Ishmael, just as Jacob was the second son of Isaac. Jacob had twelve sons and through one of those sons, Judah, came the Savior of the world. Ishmael had twelve sons, and through one of those sons, Kedar, came the destroyer and exterminator of the world. Of the Ishmaelite tribes, Kedar became the most important, just as Jacob became the most important son of Isaac. Thus in later times the name Kedar came to be applied to all the wild tribes of the Arabian desert. It is through Kedar that Muslim genealogists trace the descent of Mohammed from Ishmael just as the descent of Jesus is traced through Jacob. The settlements of Kedar were most probably in the northwest of Arabia, not far from the borders of Israel. The Bible confirms this.

Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these [were they] thy merchants. Ezekiel 27:21

They are also associated with the Turks:

Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, [that] I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I [am for] peace: but when I speak, they [are] for war. Psalm 120:5-7

Mesech was in Turkey. Here the Bible gives us a direct link between the Arab world and Turkey. Notice also, the people who dwell there are described as hating peace, and they [are] for war. This is a clear illustration of Islam and their quest for jihad. So Kedar is a symbolic representation of the Islamic world today.

More specifically, Kedar is illustrative of the King of the North. In Ezekiel 27:21, quoted above, it talks of Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar. We will compare this verse with Ezekiel 32:30. But first we need to realize that Chapters 27 and 28 of Ezekiel are a lamentation for the king of Tyrus, (Tyre).

Everyone is familiar with Ezekiel 28:11-19 where the king of Tyre unquestionably represents Satan:

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 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. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God: every precious stone [was] thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. 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. Thou [wast] perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee. 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. 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. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic: 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. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou [be] any more. Ezekiel 28:11-19

Now consider the last verse in Ezekiel Chapter 27:

The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee:

…thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt be] any more. Ezekiel 27:36 

This is again representing the king of Tyre as Satan himself. Now we come back to Ezekiel 27:21 and we read Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, in these [were they] thy merchants. Here the princes of Kedar are described as the merchants of Satan. Radical Islam is trying to sell, or enforce, the doctrines of Satan on the whole world. Satanʼs way of evangelism is by the sword.

In Ezekiel Chapter 32 all the nations that surround Israel are named and then in verse 30 they are called the Princes of the North, all of them just as they are called all the princes of Kedar in Ezekiel 27:21.

For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Within a year, according to the years of an hireling (judgment is certain), and all the glory of Kedar shall fail (be ended, or perish): And the residue (remnant) of the number of archers, the mighty men (warriors) of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished (be made few): for the LORD God of Israel hath spoken [it]. Isaiah 21:16, 17

Notice it says that within a year and all the glory of Kedar shall [be ended, or perish] And the [remnant] [of] the [warriors] of the children of Kedar shall be [made few]. Just as an hireling will never work past his appointed time, the judgment of Kedar is certain, and will come within a year. This is a direct parallel to the King of the North in the last part of Daniel 11:45 where it says he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.

When the Caliphate is formed, they will immediately declare global jihad precipitating the Sunday Law which will quickly escalate to the death decree. At that time probation will close and the plagues will fall. During the sixth plague, the King of the North (the Caliphate) will perish. The pioneers taught that the plagues would continue for approximately one year. Isaiah 21:16 and 17 confirms this for within a year, and all the glory of Kedar shall fail [be ended, or perish] [and] the mighty men of the children of Kedar, shall be diminished [or made few].

Concerning Kedar, and concerning the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon shall smite, thus saith the LORD: Arise ye, go up to Kedar, and spoil the men of the (middle) east. Their tents and their flocks shall they take away: they shall take to themselves their curtains, and all their vessels, and their camels: and they shall cry unto them, Fear [is] on every side. Flee, get you far off, dwell deep, O ye inhabitants of Hazor, saith the LORD: for Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath taken counsel against you, and hath conceived a purpose against you. Jeremiah 49:28-30

In Ezekiel 32:11 it is the sword of the king of Babylon that destroys Satanʼs army (the Islamic Caliphate) as we will see later in this study. Here the king of Babylon destroys Kedar and his kingdoms. They are one and the same. The king of Babylon symbolizes the papacy and the papacy is the head of the world-wide system of spiritual Babylon. The Princes of the North in Ezekiel Chapter 32 join together and form the Caliphate (the King of the North). Kedar, in the various verses we have looked at, also symbolizes the Caliphate, and the Caliphate will be the governing body of the entire Islamic world until the papacy has them destroyed.

The papacy created Islam to be her battle axe. When Islam has resurrected the Caliphate and fulfilled the purpose for which it was designed and is being instigated into accomplishing, the papacy will smite them when the purpose against them is fulfilled.

This is exactly what the above verses are saying: The king of Babylon [the papacy] hath taken counsel against you [Islam], and hath conceived a purpose against you [Islam]. The king of Babylon [the papacy] shall smite and spoil the men of the [middle] east.

I [am] black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Song of Solomon 1:5

The flag of Islamic jihad is black, and numerous times Ellen White refers to the black banner of Satan. The black tents of Kedar are a symbol of the Islamic extremists who rally under the black flag of jihad.

The parallels we have demonstrated are too striking and numerous to be misinterpreted or denied. Remember, the language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning.

We will close this chapter with a condensed version of an anonymous article found on the internet called the Muslim Brotherhood and Rise of the Caliphate. It is rather lengthy, but is also very enlightening:

Hassan al-Banna founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Ismailia, Egypt in March 1928 as a fascist, Pan- Islamic, religious, political and social movement . The organizationʼs ideology is based on the beliefs of 18th century Muhammad Ibn abd al-Wahhab, an Arabian Islamic theologian and founder of the Wahhabi movement. Muslim Brotherhood and Rise of the Caliphate.

They seek to reestablish a worldwide caliphate. Al-Banna himself said, it is the nature of Islam to dominate, not be dominated, to impose its laws on all nations and extend its power to the entire planet. Critics believe that the primary root of violent Sunni Islamic extremism in the modern era is the Muslim Brotherhood, as the vast majority of Sunni terrorist groups are derived from the Muslim Brotherhood, including Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Egyptian Islamic Jihad, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

It is the obligation of Muslims to stop all negotiations with Israel. In a September 2010 sermon, Badi asserted that the U.S. is now experiencing the beginning of its end, and is heading towards its demise…. He further declared that the victory of Muslims against their enemies was preordained and called upon Muslims to rise against Israel and the U.S. Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, the Muslim Brotherhoodʼs spiritual leader and most prominent ideologue, is the author of fatwas legitimizing suicide bombings against Israeli civilians and U.S. military personnel

In 1973 several dozen Muslim Brothers attended a meeting of the Islamic Cultural Centres and Bodies in Europe in London, England in order to organize the Muslim Brotherhood Movement in Europe Four years later, the senior Muslim Brotherhood leaders met in Lugano, Switzerland, near the homes of Ghaleb Himmat and Youssef Nada, whom the U.S. Treasury Department designated as terrorism financiers in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, to discuss the strategy for moving the Brotherhood forward. The process of settlement [in the United States] is a Civilization-Jihadist Process with all the word means. The Ikhwan [Brothers] must understand that their work in America is a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and sabotaging its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and Godʼs religion is made victorious over all other religions. Without this level of understanding we are not up to this challenge and have not prepared ourselves for Jihad yet.

Phases of the World Underground Movement Plan

Phase One: Phase of discreet and secret establishment of leadership.

Phase Two: Establishing a shadow government (secret) within the Government.

Phase Three: Escalation phase, prior to conflict and confrontation with the rulers, through utilizing mass media. Currently in progress.

Phase Four: The political pressure approach. It is aggressively implementing the above-mentioned approach. Training on the use of weapons

Phase Five: Seizing power

The Clinton administration used Alamoudi as a goodwill ambassador with Muslim communities, foreign and abroad, and made him responsible for identifying, training and credentialing chaplains for the United States military and penal institutions

The Muslim Brotherhood, has a Hollywood Bureau whose mission is to clean up the Muslim image in movies and TV.

Few Americans seem to comprehend the two dangerous — and perversely synergistic — themes that predominate in modern radical Islam:

* The apocalyptic belief of Shia scholars, clerics and political leaders — like Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad — predicting a violent, final clash between Muslims and infidels in which Islam triumphs, by wiping non-believers from the earth, and:

* The predominantly Sunni Muslim goal of an Islamic caliphate

The common ground for all Islamic radicals is hatred of the United States and Israel

Sunni terror leaders — like Al Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and his second-in command, Ayman al- Zawahiri, have openly pledged to establish a new global caliphate

Due to the blessings of jihad, Americaʼs countdown has begun. It will declare defeat soon, and will be followed by a new caliphate.

Western political leaders and media elites appear unwilling to acknowledge the threat posed by these two repetitive themes in modern radical Islam — an Armageddon-like final battle — and the call for a new globe-spanning caliphate

Instead of confronting radical Islam, the response in the United Nations, most of Europe and much of the United States is to preach tolerance, understanding and dialogue.

[The] Muslim brotherhood wants to take over the world and destroy America. It is their stated goal, and President Obama gives them billions in our American taxpayer dollars for the Muslim brotherhood and rise of the caliphate.

In turn, it is believed, the Muslim Brotherhood were a major contributor to Obamaʼs reelection campaign.

Will Israel Attack Iran?

Tensions in the Middle East are stretched to the breaking point. The world is on the edge of its seat, intently watching with bated breath, fearing what will happen next. The United Nations scrambles to try to negotiate a settlement, and the professed Christian world cries peace, peace, when there is no peace.

Will Israel attack Iran? What will be the final result of the skirmishes with Gaza? The whole Middle East seems to be a powder keg, ready to explode at any moment, and everyone knows that when it does explode the whole world will be involved. We don’t need to wonder or speculate, we can know what is going to happen. We are not given every detail, but our gracious Lord has given us a general outline of the final events. The Bible tells us:

Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets. Amos 3:7.

Israel will not attack Iran, at least not yet, as that would quickly escalate into all-out war, and according to prophecy certain events must happen first. The Princes of the North must first confederate together and reinstate their Caliphate, which will be the revived King[dom] of the North. Then the time of trouble will begin in earnest as Israel is destroyed. This will mark the beginning of a very short window of time when Michael stands up, leaves the Most Holy Place, and lingers at the Golden Altar. Islam will at the same time declare global jihad, precipitating the Sunday Law. The Loud Cry of the Fourth Angel will sound to all the world. The Image of the Beast will be fully formed and events will quickly escalate to the death decree. The brief window of time will then close and probation ends. The reason some people do not understand prophecy, or make a misapplication of the prophecies, is that they do not follow the Biblical principles of interpretation, or they try to bend the rules when they do not fit their preconceived ideas. If we would only follow the rules, and accept the inspired counsel we are given, we would have a clear picture of final events:

The Bible is its own interpreter, one passage explaining another. By comparing scriptures referring to the same subject, you will see harmony and beauty of which you have never dreamed. The Youthʼs Instructor, June 30, 1898

The language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed The Great Controversy, page 599

Yes, the papacy, and ultimately Satan, is behind every move that is being made. But the papacy always works behind the scenes, using other entities to do her bidding. If we could get a clear picture of the literal fulfillment of Daniel Chapter 11 and related prophecies, such as Ezekiel Chapter 32, and the book of Joel, we would realize this exegesis is in full harmony with our understanding of the papacy. But Godʼs people have been lulled to sleep by false interpretations, and the time of trouble will find them unready. It is time to wake up and ask God to remove the scales from our eyes, before it is forever too late, and base our interpretation of final events on what the pioneers taught, because the Spirit of Prophecy tells us that is what we need to do:

The prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation are misinterpreted. These persons do not consider that the truth has been set forth at the appointed time by the very men whom God was leading to do this special work. These men followed on step by step in the very fulfillment of prophecy, and those who have not had a personal experience in this work, are to take the Word of God and believe on their word who have been led by the Lord in the proclamation of the first, second, and third angels’ messages. Selected Messages, book 2, pages 111-112 

We often wonder why Ellen White didnʼt tell us more about the King of the North and related prophecies, but indirectly she did when she told us to believe on their word who had been led by the Lord (the pioneers). She also gave us the following counsel concerning these prophecies which suggests there are some things we are to study out for ourselves:

Angels are now restraining the winds of strife, that they may not blow until the world shall be warned of its coming doom:

…a storm is gathering , ready to burst upon the earth: and when God shall bid His angels loose the winds, there will be such a scene of strife as no pen can picture. The Bible, and the Bible only, gives a correct view of these things. Here are revealed the great final scenes in the history of our world, events that already are casting their shadows before, the sound of their approach causing the earth to tremble and men’s hearts to fail them for fear. Education, page 180 

In the prophecies the future is opened before us as plainly as it was opened to the disciples by the words of Christ.

The events connected with the close of probation and the work of preparation for the time of trouble,
are clearly presented . The Great Controversy, page 594 

We are told the prophecy of Ezekiel Chapter 32, along with its parallel prophecy in Psalm 83, belongs to the introduction of the millennium. These prophecies never had a literal fulfilment in Ezekielʼs day, or at any ensuing time up until today. Sometimes the language used is highly symbolic, but they will still have a literal fulfilment at their appointed time.

The prophecy of Ezekiel Chapter 37 is a graphic word picture of the resurrection. This had a very limited fulfilment when Jesus was crucified And the graves were opened: and many bodies of the saints which slept arose. Matthew 27:52. It will have a worldwide literal fulfilment at the second coming of Jesus.

The prophecy of the battle between Israel and Gog and Magog in Ezekiel Chapters 38 and 39 was never literally fulfilled either. But there we find a symbolic representation of what will actually happen in the geographical area of literal Israel at the end of the millennium. The ultimate King of the North, Satan, will gather the wicked from all ages and surround the walls of the New Jerusalem for the final battle.

The principles of interpretation, gleaned from the last chapters of Ezekiel, show that prophecies which had a literal fulfillment in Old Testament times will have a spiritual application today. Those that were not fulfilled literally to ancient Israel, or only had a very limited fulfillment, will have a literal application today, and the discerning student of prophecy will see the spiritual lesson behind the scenes portrayed.

The language of the Bible should be explained according to its obvious meaning, unless a symbol or figure is employed. If men would but take the Bible as it reads, a work would be accomplished that would make angels glad The Great Controversy, page 599

In Ezekiel 5:5 Israel is described as the center of the compass:

Thus saith the Lord GOD: This [is] Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries [that are] round about her. Ezekiel 5:5

Today we find ourselves in the same position spiritually as literal Israel is physically, surrounded by enemies who want to eliminate us: and the odds are overwhelming on both accounts. Our only hope is in God, and a clear understanding of His word. Many, even among the leaders in the historic movement of Adventism, are trying desperately to convince Godʼs people that Ellen White never said anything to endorse the literal application of these prophecies, but to the contrary we are told:

We are living in the time of the end. The fast-fulfilling signs of the times declare that the coming of Christ is near at hand. The calamities by land and sea, the unsettled state of society, the alarms of war, are portentous. They forecast approaching events of the greatest magnitude. The agencies of evil are combining their forces and consolidating. They are strengthening for the last great crisis. Great changes are soon to take place in our world, and the final movements will be rapid ones. The condition of things in the world shows that troublous times are right upon us. The daily papers are full of indications of a terrible conflict in the near future. Testimonies, vol. 9, p. 11.

Who reads the warnings given by the fast-fulfilling signs of the times? The world, utterly regardless of the warning voice of God, is hurrying on to eternal ruin.

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. Ibid, p. 14.

Let us heed the warnings given by the fast-fulfilling signs of the times. The scenes of trouble are clearly presented in the prophecies. As we continue to study we will look at prophecies in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Joel, Daniel, Revelation, and Psalm 83, that were written specifically for today. Most will reject the warning because they want to hold onto this world. The Bible says:

None of the wicked shall understand: but the wise shall understand. Daniel 12:10.

A Seething Pot

As we continue with our study of The Princes of the North we need to look at a few passages from the book of Jeremiah. Whether you see these prophecies literally or give them a spiritual application, the final analysis is the same: The King of the North is Satanʼs army and can only be referring to Islam. The seat of the Islamic power is north of Israel as illustrated in the following passages:

And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot: and the face thereof [is] toward the north . Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north , saith the LORD: and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem , and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. Jeremiah 1:13-16. 

Surely, everyone would agree the Islamic nations of the Middle East today are a seething pot. This seething pot is further described as all the families of the kingdoms of the north, and then Jeremiah says, they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem. This is a direct parallel to Daniel 11:45: And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain:

In Jeremiahʼs day the kingdom described as coming from the north was Babylon. Today, the kingdom that lies to the north of Israel is Turkey, the seat of the Islamic power. Literal Israel today is actually a part of spiritual Babylon because they rejected and crucified Jesus. And literal and spiritual Babylon are both described as being destroyed from the north, as we will see when we look at Jeremiah Chapters 50 and 51 a little later in this study. For proof that literal Israel is a part of spiritual Babylon, compare the following verses:

Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. [Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify: and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. Matthew 23:32-36

And in her (Babylon) was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Revelation 18:24

We will now continue to show that the prophecies of Jeremiah have a special application for today, whether they are understood symbolically or literally:

Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction . The lion is come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way: he is gone forth from his place to make thy land desolate : [and] thy cities shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant . Jeremiah 4:6, 7. 

This description is very similar to that found in Revelation 9:11, which has been proved by Josiah Litch (and endorsed by the Spirit of Prophecy) to be Islam, and ultimately, a reference to Satan himself:

And they had a king over them, [which is] the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue [is] Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath [his] name Apollyon. Revelation 9:11

The name Abaddon means destroyer and Apollyon means exterminator. By paralleling these verses we see the evil from the north in Jeremiahʼs day was Babylon, but today it is Islam because the seat of the Muslim power is now located in that geographical area.

The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them gathered together: (marginal reading) Proverbs 30:27.

The locusts have been proven in previous studies to be symbolic of Islam. The Muslims are not united into one kingdom as yet, but they are all going forth together to accomplish their common goal: to annihilate Israel and take the whole world for Allah. When they form their Caliphate, which they are in the process of doing, they will have a king, or Caliph, over them and they will become Satanʼs army as described in Ezekiel Chapter 32 and again they will go forth to destroy. The world needs to wake up and realize what an imminent threat radical Islam is to our very existence. The Charter of Hamas was published in 1988. The preamble of the charter quotes Imam Hassan al-Banna who said: Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.

Article 13 of the Charter says:

There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad. The initiatives, proposals and International Conferences are but a waste of time, an exercise in futility.

On April 1, 2006, Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar said:

I dream of hanging a huge map of the world on the wall at my Gaza home which does not show Israel on it.

The President of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is quoted as saying:

Israel must be wiped off the map.

They all have the same goal, but if you think they will stop there you are sadly mistaken. After they have wiped [Israel] off the map their next move will be to make the whole world Islamic, starting with America. It is incredible that most Adventists refuse to even look at this breathtakingly evil threat to their very existence as a fulfilment of prophecy. This is the tool the papacy created and will use to bring her Sunday Law in an attempt to seat herself once more on the throne of the world. Satan is playing both ends against the middle in the hope that either way he will win. There will be tremendous destruction and horrific loss of life on both sides, but we know the papacy will come out on top for a very short time. The interval of the papacyʼs triumph will last only from the sixth plague to the end of the seventh plague. Then, just when she intends to seat herself on Satanʼs usurped throne in Jerusalem, fully regaining her temporal dominion, Jesus will destroy her by the brightness of His Coming. We will come back now to our study of Jeremiah, and continue to show this prophecy has an application for today:

Behold, he (the evil from the north) shall come up as clouds, and his chariots [shall be] as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled. Jeremiah 4:13

My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart: my heart maketh a noise in me: I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

Destruction upon destruction is cried: for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, [and] my curtains in a moment. Jeremiah 4:19, 20.

I beheld the earth, and, lo, [it was] without form, and void: and the heavens, and they [had] no light. I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, [there was] no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place [was] a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, [and] by his fierce anger. For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate: yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken [it], I have purposed [it], and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it. Jeremiah 4:23-28.

Everyone will agree that verses 23-28 apply to the time of the millennium, and will have a literal fulfillment at that time. If this is true then the verses leading up to this conclusion must be an introduction to this event.

According to S. N. Haskell the prophecy of Jeremiah Chapter 25 is a symbolic description of the literal battle of Armageddon, and that Chapter concludes by saying:

Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation: he shall mightily roar upon his habitation: he shall give a shout, as they that tread [the grapes], against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise shall come [even] to the ends of the earth: for the LORD hath a controversy with the nations, he will plead with all flesh: he will give them [that are] wicked to the sword, saith the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the LORD shall be at that day from [one] end of the earth even unto the [other] end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried: they shall be dung upon the ground. Howl, ye shepherds, and cry: and wallow yourselves [in the ashes], ye principal of the flock: for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished: and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. Jeremiah 25:30-34

Everyone agrees that verse 33 describes the conditions on this world after Jesus returns, but they want to forget about the application to a literal Armageddon, and they especially want to ignore the reference to the false shepherds who led their flocks astray.

The leaders in the church will be held responsible for the vast majority being lost because they taught the people smooth things and false interpretations of prophecy. Deeply imbedded preconceived ideas cause many to ignore truth when the evidence is presented to them. Pride of opinion, which is most offensive to God, along with the fear of losing support are other factors for rejecting clear evidence. Men fail to understand when their paycheck or pride of opinion depends on them not understanding.

Later, as we approach the close of Jeremiahʼs prophecy, we find these words:

Egypt [is like] a very fair heifer, [but] destruction cometh: it cometh out of the north . The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded: she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north . Jeremiah 46:20, 24 

We have just witnessed the very fulfilment of this prophecy. The first hostilities pursued by the Muslim Brotherhood to reestablish the Caliphate were the overthrow of Egypt and then the swift toppling of Libya. The King of the South is not mentioned again in the closing scenes of Daniel Chapter 11 after verse 40, but is referred to in verse 42 only as the land of Egypt, and in verse 43 simply as Egypt. When we come to the culmination of the prophecy in verse 45, the King of the South, Egypt, (which anciently included a part of Libya) is not mentioned at all. He has been delivered into the hand of the people of the north, just as The King of the East and the King of the West were formerly delivered into the hand of the Kingdom of the North.

In the last part of Jeremiah Chapter 49 we find a prophecy about Elam which today is Iran. The whole world is watching Iran wondering if they will unleash a nuclear holocaust: but the prophecy says this will not happen. God Himself will bring destruction upon Iran:

The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet against Elam [Iran] in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will break the bow of Elam , the chief of their might. And upon Elam will I bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven , and will scatter them toward all those winds: and there shall be no nation whither the outcasts of Elam shall not come. Jeremiah 49:34-36

I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies , and before them that seek their life: and I will bring evil upon them, [even] my fierce anger, saith the LORD: and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them: And I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from thence the king and the princes , saith the LORD. But it shall come to pass in the latter days , [that] I will bring again the captivity of Elam , saith the LORD. Jeremiah 49:34-39 

Notice God says He will break the bow (the military power) of Elam (Iran). This definitely has an application for today because verse 39 says this will happen in the latter days. In verse 36, God says He will bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven upon Iran. This is a reference to Revelation 7:1, which puts it in the timeframe of the sealing or on into the time of trouble:

And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. Revelation 7:1-3

God then says He will cause [Iran] to be dismayed before their enemies. This may well be a reference to the (Wahhabi) Muslim Brotherhood overthrowing the (Shiite) Iranian Government. Iran will not be totally destroyed, however, until after the Caliphate is formed because they are mentioned in Ezekiel Chapter 32 as being one of the Princes of the North who join together and become a part of the King of the North.

Finally we need to ask, will God destroy from thence the King [of the North] and the Princes (all the dominions of the North)? The Bible says in the latter days God Himself will superintend the affairs in the Middle East.

The Judgment of Babylon

In Jeremiah Chapters 50 and 51, the destruction of Babylon by an assembly of great nations from the north country is discussed in detail. This has particular reference to spiritual Babylon.

There is a principle of interpretation found by comparing Jeremiah 51:60-64, with Revelation 18:21 called repeat and enlarge, or the worldwide symbolized by the local. In Jeremiah 51, the Bible talks about a relatively small and local event. Speaking of the destruction of literal Babylon, the prophet tells his servant to take the book and tie a small stone to it and cast it into a small river.

So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, [even] all these words that are written against Babylon. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words: Then shalt thou say, O LORD, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever. And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, [that] thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far [are] the words of Jeremiah. Then in Revelation 18:21, we see a mighty angel take up a huge stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, a very large body of water. This act now symbolizes the total destruction of the worldwide system of spiritual Babylon. Jeremiah 51:60-64

And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. Revelation 18:21.

As we seek for the understanding of this prophecy we need to ask: does it, or at least parts of it, have a dual application for today, not only to spiritual Babylon, but also to literal Israel as well? Remember literal Israel is a part of spiritual Babylon. Consider Jeremiah 50:1:

The word that the LORD spake against Babylon [and] against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet. Jeremiah 50:1

This is an example of Hebrew dualism, saying the same thing in two different ways, but could it also be an indication of a dual application? We will let the reader decide as we go through the prophecy.

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. In those days, and in that time , saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. Jeremiah 50:3, 4 

We see here that Babylon was destroyed by a nation from the north. Therefore, spiritual Babylon cannot be the King of the North because it is represented as being destroyed by the King of the North. Actually, spiritual Babylon and the King of the North bring great destruction upon each other. They are both brought to the brink of annihilation until the papacy gets the upper hand and brings Islam to his end. In Ezekiel 32:11 we are told: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee. This is talking about the destruction of Satanʼs army which is described in the Chapter as the Islamic nations. This will be discussed further in the next Chapter.

And remember, the children of Israel were in Babylon at the time, and those who did not heed the call to come out were subjected to a death decree. We need to keep these things in mind as we proceed.

Remove out of the midst of Babylon , and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks. For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country : and they shall set themselves in array against her: from thence she shall be taken: their arrows [shall be] as of a mighty expert man: none shall return in vain. Jeremiah 50:8, 9

This is a call to come out of spiritual Babylon. Could it also be a reference to stay away from literal Israel lest we be caught in the turmoil? In verse 9 we see an assembly of great nations from the north country: very similar to the expression found in Jeremiah:

For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north , saith the LORD: and they shall come, and they shall set everyone his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. Jeremiah 1:15

All the assembly of great nations from the north country or families of the kingdoms of the north are described in Ezekiel Chapter 32, starting with verse 17 through verse 30, where they are called the Princes of the North. Remember Ezekiel Chapter 32 is an unfulfilled prophecy which we are told is an introduction to the millennium.

Behold, a people shall come from the north , and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. They shall hold the bow and the lance: they [are] cruel, and will not show mercy : their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, [every one] put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon. Jeremiah 50:41, 42 

This is, of course, a description of Babylon being destroyed by the Medes and Persians, but it has a much broader application today. Again, spiritual Babylon is described as being fiercely attacked by a people from the north. They are cruel, and will not show mercy, which is a perfect description of radical Islam.

Jeremiah Chapter 51 continues with the same theme:

Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me, a destroying wind : And will send unto Babylon fanners , (winnowers) that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about. Jeremiah 51:1, 2 

The last part of verse one, where it says a destroying wind, is translated in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible as The spirit of a destroyer. In Revelation 9:11, it is Mohammedanism, or Islam, that is described as a destroyer and an exterminator.

Verse two says Babylon will be winnowed: every precious grain will be separated from the chaff in the day of trouble and not one pure grain will fall to the ground.

Make bright the arrows: gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for his device [is] against Babylon, to destroy it: because it [is] the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of his temple. Jeremiah 51:11

Babylon has taken the truth of God and of His sanctuary and destroyed it and turned it upside down. And now Godʼs vengeance will be poured out upon spiritual Babylon using the spirit of the kings of the Medes, who came from the north. The LORD of hosts hath sworn by himself, [saying], Surely I will fill thee with men, (an invading army) as with caterpillars: and they shall lift up a shout against thee. Jeremiah 51:14

The invading army is here described as caterpillars which is one of the stages of the locust. And again, the locust is a symbol of Islam. Compare Joel 1:4: 2:25: with Nahum 3:15.

Then the heaven and the earth, and all that [is] therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north , saith the LORD. As Babylon [hath caused] the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall
the slain of all the earth. Jeremiah 51:48, 49 

Over and over the spoilers or destroyers are described as coming against Babylon from the north. When God repeats something over and over, He is trying very hard to stress a very important point.

Verse 49 says at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth. This is very similar to Revelation 18:24 which says:

And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. Revelation 18:24

We will look at one more verse from the book of Jeremiah:

Thus saith the LORD of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire: and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary . Jeremiah 51:58

The broad walls of Babylon are a reference to the Ten Commandments as changed by the papacy. The Decalogue is described in many places in the Bible as a wall or hedge. The wall of Babylon will be destroyed and burned with fire and Godʼs true law, including the Sabbath, will be established forever. The last part of the verse, where it says and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary, is translated in the Revised Standard Version of the Bible as The nations weary themselves only for the fire. The nations [are truly] weary[ing] themselves only for the fire. All the confusion and strife in the world today will ultimately end only in the lake of fire, when all sin and sinners will be eternally destroyed and the earth will be cleansed.

This is the culmination of Jeremiahʼs prophecy. Just as Ezekielʼs prophecy ends with the events of the millennium, so does Jeremiah. This shows that the events we have looked at in the book of Jeremiah are an introduction to the millennium just as they are in the book of Ezekiel.

The Famous Nations

One reason people get confused when they try to interpret prophecy is the details are not always given in chronological order. The one we are about to look at in Ezekiel is no exception. But if we follow the landmarks laid down by our pioneers, and align our interpretations with theirs, we can come to the right conclusions.

Chapters 32, 37, 38 and 39, and 40-48 of Ezekiel have never been literally fulfilled. Though much of the language used is highly symbolic these prophecies will undergo a literal fulfilment leading up to, during, and immediately following the millennium.

We will confine this part of our study to Chapter 32. As we begin we need to ask, what purpose did God have in presenting this prophecy to us? Remember, the central theme is an introduction to the millennium. There is only one logical conclusion we can come to as we evaluate the context. This is a depiction of an alliance of nations that will be formed in the Middle East just before the close of probation. Therefore, our Lord is clearly telling us the Caliphate will be reinstated, and we are watching it happen right before our eyes.

Verses 1-16, 31, and 32 of the Chapter are a symbolic representation of Satan and his army and the terrible retribution that awaits them. Verses 17-30 tell us who the nations are that make up that army and calls them the Princes of the North in verse 30. When this confederation is made up they become the revived Kingdom of the North, the uncircumcised army of Satan.

We will proceed by going through the Chapter verse by verse and giving comment as we proceed:

And it came to pass in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh king of Egypt , and say unto him, Thou art like a young lion of the nations , and thou [art] as a whale (dragon) in the seas: and thou camest forth with thy rivers, and troubledst the waters with thy feet, and fouledst their rivers. Ezekiel 32:1, 2.

Remember that ʻPharaohʼ is understood by the wise to be a name of the Dragon. The next part of the verse says, Thou art like a young lion, or can also be translated Thou didst liken thyself unto a young lion. And as the lion is the king of beasts, so Satan makes himself out to be the king of the nations. Consider Ezekiel 29:3: and Isaiah 14:13, 14:

Speak, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I [am] against thee, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers, which hath said, My river [is] mine own, and I have made [it] for myself. Ezekiel 29:3

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: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:13, 14

The great dragon is that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world. Revelation 12:9
Thus saith the Lord GOD: I will therefore spread out my net over thee with a company of many people: and they shall bring thee up in my net. Ezekiel 32:3

Just as Satan has taken many of Godʼs people in his net and deceived and destroyed them, God will finally take Satan in His net and destroy him.

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. Revelation 20:1-3

Then will I leave thee upon the land, I will cast thee forth upon the open field, and will cause all the fowls of the heaven to remain upon thee, and I will fill the beasts of the whole earth with thee. And I will lay thy flesh upon the mountains, and fill the valleys with thy height. Ezekiel 32:4, 5

This language is comparable to Ezekiel 28:17-19 which we know is a description of Satanʼs fate:

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. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffic: 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. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou [be] any more. Ezekiel 28:17-19

Ezekiel continues with a description of Satanʼs future, or lack thereof:

I will also water with thy blood the land wherein thou swimmest, [even] to the mountains: and the rivers shall be full of thee. Ezekiel 32:6

This is a further graphic illustration of the terrible fate that awaits Satan.

And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark: I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. Ezekiel 32:7

The first part of the verse And when I shall put thee out refers back to Revelation 20:3 quoted above when Satan is cast into the bottomless pit. The last part of the verse is a parallel to Isaiah 13:9, 10:

Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine. Isaiah 13:9, 10

Isaiah tells us plainly that this will be fulfilled during the day of the Lord, probably at the beginning of the little time of trouble.

All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 32:8 

Ezekiel here describes the condition of the earth during the 1,000 years while Satan is confined to it, the same as recounted by Jeremiah:

I beheld the earth, and, lo, [it was] without form, and void: and the heavens and they [had] no light . I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and, lo, [there was] no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place [was] a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, [and] by his fierce anger. For thus hath the LORD said, The whole land shall be desolate: yet will I not make a full end. For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black : because I have spoken [it], I have purposed [it], and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it. Jeremiah 4:23-28 

Satan will be bound to this earth for 1,000 years in total darkness. He has claimed to be god, and the true God will give him a long time to think about what he has done.

I will also vex the hearts of many people, when I shall bring thy destruction among the nations, into the countries which thou hast not known.

Yea, I will make many people amazed at thee, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for thee, when I shall brandish my sword before them: and they shall tremble at [every] moment, every man for his own life, in the day of thy fall. Ezekiel 32:9, 10

This is a direct parallel to Revelation 18:9, 10:

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. Revelation 18:9, 10

Next Ezekiel begins to describe the destruction of Satanʼs army, the same army that will be identified in verses 17-30:

For thus saith the Lord GOD: The sword of the king of Babylon shall come upon thee. By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall, the terrible of the nations, all of them: and they shall spoil the pomp of Egypt, and all the multitude thereof shall be destroyed. I will destroy also all the beasts thereof from beside the great waters: neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of beasts trouble them. Ezekiel 32:11-13

The sword of the king of Babylon can represent none other than the armed forces of the United States and her allies that will be used to annihilate the Islamic powers described in verses 17-30. The papacy is the king of Babylon and has no standing army of her own, but always uses the armies of the nations that bow to her in idolatrous devotion.

By the swords of the mighty will I cause thy multitude to fall. America is still the mightiest nation on earth. Satanʼs uncircumcised army will fall before America and the Allied powers. All the multitude thereof shall be destroyed. This is the same thought as expressed in slightly different words in Daniel 11:45 where we are told: He shall come to his end and none shall help him. Verse 13 is a graphic picture of the terrible devastation that will ensue.

Then will I make their waters deep, (cause their waters to sink down) and cause their rivers to run like oil, (undisturbed) saith the Lord GOD. When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate, and the country shall be destitute of that whereof it was full, when I shall smite all them that dwell therein, then shall they know that I [am] the LORD. Ezekiel 32:14, 15

This is describing deep water where all the sediment has settled out, making the water crystal clear. This must revert back to the time while probation still lingers. When this terrible devastation begins to come upon the earth men will finally see clearly that there is a God in heaven whom they have insulted. When God sends judgments upon nations, those who are hardened in sin are destroyed so the rest will have one last, brief, opportunity to turn to the true God and be saved. Jesus wants to save every soul He can possibly rescue at the last moment. This may be the means of turning even many Muslims to the truth.

This [is] the lamentation wherewith they shall lament her: the daughters of the nations shall lament her: they shall lament for her, [even] for Egypt, and for all her multitude, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 32:16

Most people will mourn because they have lost this world and they are not ready to meet Jesus.

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Matthew 24:30

This concludes the first part of the prophecy. In the next segment, Ezekiel lists every nation that forms a crescent around Israel. This is a delineation of the uncircumcised army of Satan who are bent on using terrorism to achieve their goal of destroying Israel and making the whole world Islamic.

It came to pass also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth [day] of the month, [that] the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, [even] her, and the daughters of the famous nations , unto the nether parts (sheol) of the earth, with them that go down into the pit. Ezekiel 32:17, 18 

The multitude of Egypt is symbolic of a world who has rejected God and, therefore, have accepted Satan as their lord. The daughters of the famous nations, can also be translated the well known nations. This is the introduction to the list of nations mentioned in verses 22-30, and then referred to in verse 30 as the Princes of the North.

Even a few years ago the Islamic nations of the Middle East were an obscure group that most people paid little or no attention to, but today they are well known to virtually everyone in the world. Egypt has always been well known to every Bible student, and in the last days she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north, Jeremiah 46:25. These Islamic nations think they are rising to power and will soon dominate the world, but instead they will be cast down into the pit.

Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised. Ezekiel 32:19

Here God is addressing Satan and telling him he will be destroyed with his army. Compare Ezekiel 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. Ezekiel 28:17

Now we need to ask: who are the uncircumcised and what does the term mean? We find the answer in Acts.

Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers [did], so [do] ye. Acts 7:51

According to this verse, the uncircumcised are those who resist the Holy Ghost. If you reject the Holy Ghost you will also reject Jesus Christ. So the uncircumcised are those nations that reject Jesus as being Lord and God. Islam accepts Jesus as a prophet, but totally rejects the fact that Jesus is God.

They shall fall in the midst of [them that are] slain by the sword: she is delivered to the sword: draw her and all her multitudes. Ezekiel 32:20

The famous or well known Islamic nations will be delivered to the sword. This is the same as Daniel 11:45, he shall come to his end, and none shall help him. The last part of verse 20 says, draw her and all her multitudes. This is the same call to Islam as found in Joel 3.

Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD. Joel 3:11

Figuratively speaking, the word heathen in this verse, according to Vineʼs dictionary, can mean a flight of locusts. This is another reference to the Islamic power. Here again, God is calling the Islamic nations to come up to the battle.

The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised, slain by the sword. Ezekiel 32:21

The first part of verse 21 is a very obscure expression. It appears to be saying the various well known nations are represented as lying together in hell and speaking to Satan. They lie there along with all who have bowed to Satan. As Ezekiel goes through the list of nations culminating in verse 30, each one is portrayed as lying uncircumcised in the pit of hell, slain by the sword.

Circumcision was practiced in Egypt from ancient times. To lie with the uncircumcised was considered the height of indignity. Here the term is used primarily in the spiritual sense, but also to show Godʼs indignation against Satan and his army.

Asshur [is] there and all her company: his graves [are] about him: all of them slain, fallen by the sword: Whose graves are set in the sides of the pit, and her company is round about her grave: all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which caused terror in the land of the living. Ezekiel 32:22, 23

The geographical area of ancient Asshur would today encompass Syria and part of Iraq. Notice as we go through the list that each nation also caused terror in the land of the living. This is a reference to the terrorist activities of each of these nations that we see going on today.

There [is] Elam and all her multitude round about her grave, all of them slain, fallen by the sword, which are gone down uncircumcised into the nether parts of the earth, which caused their terror in the land of the living: yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit. Ezekiel 32:24

By comparing the historic maps with current ones we find ancient Elam is Iran today. Here we see Iran is one of the Princes of the North, therefore, Iran will continue to exist until it joins the Caliphate and will then meet with the same fate as all the other Princes of the North. The nether parts of the earth is sheol, the grave.

They have set her a bed [bier] in the midst of the slain with all her multitude: her graves [are] round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword: though their terror was caused in the land of the living, yet have they borne their shame with them that go down to the pit: he is put in the midst of [them that be] slain. Ezekiel 32:25

A bier is a cot or coffin that the dead are carried on. Iranʼs place in the grave has been reserved for her along with all the other uncircumcised nations. Iran is probably the biggest promoter of terrorism today, and for this and their total rejection of Christ, they will be utterly destroyed.

There [is] Meshech, Tubal, and all her multitude: her graves [are] round about him: all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword, though they caused their terror in the land of the living. Ezekiel 32:26

Meshech and Tubal is primarily Turkey today. Turkey is the hinge of the Islamic nations. Soon Turkey will be the seat of power for Islam when the Caliphate is formed. Istanbul, formerly known as Constantinople, is one of the most strategic military areas in the world. But no matter what their advantages, they will meet the same fate as the rest of Islam.

And they shall not lie with the mighty [that are] fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war: and they have laid their swords under their heads, but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though [they were] the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. Yea, thou shalt be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shalt lie with [them that are] slain with the sword. Ezekiel 32:27, 28

The LXX and Syriac omit the negative (not) in verse 27. The former translates the sentence, And they are laid with the giants that fell of old. Turkey, no matter how much military might she has, will fall in that day when the King of the North come[s] to his end.

The expression, they have laid their swords under their heads is obscure but Song of Solomon 2:6 gives us a hint as to the meaning:

His left hand [is] under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. Song of Solomon 2:6

By comparing this verse with verse 27 above, we see the expression signifies a close embrace. How much closer could any soldier embrace his weapon than a suicide bomber who straps on a vest of explosives? When they kill their supposed enemy, they commit the sin of self murder and their iniquities shall be upon their bones, to the delight of Satan. Suicide bombers are the greatest terror we face today, and there is an estimated 200,000,000 of them in the world. But God will fight for His people.

There [is] Edom, her kings, and all her princes, which with their might are laid by [them that were] slain by the sword: they shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with them that go down to the pit. Ezekiel 32:29

Today, the area that bore the ancient name of Edom is Jordan, and part of Saudi Arabia. This reference has to be talking about the literal geographical area (and if this reference is literal, all the names have to be taken literally), because the spiritual meaning of Edom is the professed church who hates the true remnant, and they at least profess to believe in Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

Where Edom is used in a spiritual sense it symbolizes Esau. He is the one who should have inherited the birthright but sold it for a bowl of pottage, just as the conference church sold their birthright to the Evangelicals, in the 1950ʼs, for a bowl of pottage. Esau was the twin brother of Jacob. They represent the division in the church today. Jacob represents the true remnant, who now possess the birthright.

There [be] the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Zidonians, which are gone down with the slain: with their terror they are ashamed of their might: and they lie uncircumcised with [them that be] slain by the sword, and bear their shame with them that go down to the pit. Ezekiel 32:30

Notice the word be is not in the original text. If you leave the word out, it is a little easier to understand the true meaning of the verse. Ezekiel here sums up the list of nations and refers to them collectively as the Princes of the North. Almost as an afterthought, he adds the Zidonians. This ancient people occupied the area now known as Lebanon. The list would not be complete without them. If you will look at a map of the Middle East, you will find that every nation that forms a crescent around Israel has been named and when they confederate together they become the Princes of the North.

Remember, ancient Egypt encompassed a part of Libya, and Sudan. In Daniel Chapter 11 Egypt was always the King of the South, but, if you will recall, the fate of Egypt today was foretold in Jeremiah 46:25:

The daughter of Egypt shall be confounded: she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north. Jeremiah 46:25

According to this prophecy, Egypt would be delivered into the hand of the people of the north. This has happened and the King of the South has ceased to exist. That is why the King of the South is not mentioned in Daniel Chapter 11 after verse 40, but is referred to as the land of Egypt in verse 42, or simply as Egypt in verse 43, and then drops from sight because it is absorbed into the Kingdom of the North.

While most of the people of the region have ancient roots, most of the nations of the Middle East have exited for a relatively short time. This map shows modern borders and the years in which these countries gained Independence.

Notice the order of the nations as they are named by Ezekiel. The first part of the Chapter talked about Egypt, which included a part of Libya. Next is Syria and Iraq, and then follows Iran and so forth. The uprisings started with Egypt and soon spread to Libya. Now Syria is in the process of being overthrown. Our troops overran Iraq, but we have since handed control over to the supposed democratic government that was installed. The Muslim Brotherhood is exploiting the democratic process that we set up to vote in their own people and take full control. We saved them the trouble of an uprising in Iraq.

So far, the order in which the nations are being taken over by the Muslim Brotherhood is exactly the same as delineated by Ezekiel. Will Iran be next? The Brotherhood is already calling for their overthrow, along with Saudi Arabia.

When the Caliphate is formed, the first move will be to destroy literal Israel, and then they will attempt to take over all the professed Christian nations. Their main objective is not to take our land, or our possessions, but to destroy the nominal Christianity described in the Bible as spiritual Babylon, and God will allow them to almost succeed.

Notice the prophecy in Jeremiah Chapter 51 against literal Babylon. When we apply this to the last days and give it a worldwide view, this becomes a warning for all who are in spiritual Babylon today:

Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz: appoint a captain against her: cause the horses to come up as
the rough caterpillars .

Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion. And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant. Jeremiah 51:27-29 

The nations of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz were all in what is now Turkey. Notice the reference to the rough caterpillars: this is one of the stages of growth of the locust, and the locust is symbolic of Islam.

Compare Joel 2:25 where the locusts are juxtaposed to a great army:

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. Joel 2:25 

Next we need to compare Joel 2:20 where the locusts are called the northern army:

But I will remove far off from you the northern [army] , and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things. Joel 2:20 

There can be no doubt that the northern army referred to here is the King of the North as we compare these verses with Daniel 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. Daniel 11:45

Notice that this northern army will be driven into a land barren and desolate. This is a symbol of speedy and total destruction. The King of the North shall come to his end, and none shall help him. The northern army will have his face toward the east sea [the Dead sea], and his hinder part toward the utmost sea [the Mediterranean sea]. In other words he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain.

Looking behind the literal scenes portrayed, the discerning student of prophecy will also see Satan and his fallen angels in their last desperate attempt to seize Godʼs throne in this present world:

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 : Isaiah 14:13 

The dominions of Babylon the Great (the papacy) will be devastated by Satanʼs uncircumcised army (the King of the North) until the professed Christian nations finally come out on top and annihilate Islam.

Finally we come to the conclusion of the prophecy, and Ezekiel sums it all up in verses 31 and 32:

Pharaoh shall see them, and shall be comforted over all his multitude, [even] Pharaoh and all his army slain by the sword, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 32:31 

This is a bit of rare sarcasm on the part of God. The Lord is using irony to show His contempt for what Satan has done. This is the culmination of 6,000 years of Satanʼs usurped rule over this earth. God is asking him since he is soon to be slain if it is a comfort to him that his vast army will be with him in death.

According to the pioneers, Satanʼs army (Islam) will be slain during the sixth plague. This will leave a huge void in the Middle East and all the armies of spiritual Babylon who have come together to destroy Islam will want to claim the oil rich region for themselves. This will culminate in the battle of Armageddon.

Satan knows all this, but what is truly amazing is the real reason he has deceived all the armed forces of the world into coming to the valley of Megiddo to fight. His hidden purpose is revealed in Revelation:

And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. Revelation 19:19

Here Satanʼs real agenda is divulged. Incredibly he has gathered together all the military might of this world to fight against Jesus and His army of angels at the Second Coming.

This brings us to the last verse of the prophecy:

For I have caused my terror in the land of the living: and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with [them that are] slain with the sword, [even] Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD. Ezekiel 32:32

Here God has the last word in the controversy. He tells Satan that he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised [even] [Satan] and all his multitude. This is a fitting end for the prince of darkness. He has caused untold death and destruction for six millennia, and now, he will be brought down to the pit. Thou shalt be a terror, and never [shalt] thou [be] any more.

This is a map showing all the tribes and nations involved in the Arab Confederacy described in Psalm 83 that will be discussed in the next chapter.

A Passionate Appeal and an Arab Confederacy

Now we will look at the parallel prophecy to Ezekiel Chapter 32, found in Psalm 83. This Psalm describes exactly the same confederacy of nations that will be formed against Israel. We know this is yet future, as there is no historical evidence that all those nations were ever confederated together against Israel at any one time.

This prophecy will not only have a literal fulfillment, but is a word picture to illustrate an amazing fact. It shows us that the odds against literal Israelʼs survival are astronomical. They are so far outnumbered by their enemies that it is incredible in the extreme that they still exist, and yet they do exist because Godʼs appointed time for their total destruction is not yet.

It is the same for the true remnant of spiritual Israel. The enemies bent on our demise are legion. We are surrounded and so vastly outnumbered it is incredible. Literal Israel will be finally destroyed because of their apostasy, but the true remnant will not only survive, but go on to victory because Godʼs protecting hand is over them. We should pause and consider just how much we owe to our Lord for our very existence every day.

As we go through the prophecy, we should keep in mind that this is not only a forecast of what is about to happen so we can know the season in which we live, but that it should be our passionate appeal to our Lord every day. It is a plea for protection and for the conversion of all who are honest in heart to the true God, whether they be Jewish, or Muslim, or whatever religion they profess.

We will now go through the prophecy and make comment:

A Song [or] Psalm of Asaph. Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. Psalm 83:1

Literal Israel is in a terrible crisis. Their only hope for survival is in the Lord. If, even now, they would turn to Jesus and accept Him they would be saved, but they will not.

Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, [thou] that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under [her] wings, and ye would not!  

We, the remnant, are also facing a time of trouble such as never was since there has been a nation. We cannot possibly be saved in the coming crisis without Godʼs help. This Psalm is for us in our time of need.

For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult: and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. Psalm 83:2

As we watch what is going on in the Middle East, we see Islam becoming more and more defiant. Their denunciations against Israel and America are increasing every day.

It is the same for Godʼs people. The closer we come to the end, the more the papacy and all who bow in idolatrous devotion to her are coming out into the open with their plans to destroy the remnant.

They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from [being] a nation: that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. Psalm 83:3, 4

Remember the Charter of Hamas which was published in 1988. The preamble of the Charter quotes Imam Hassan al-Banna who said: Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it, just as it obliterated others before it.

Article 13 of the Charter says: There is no solution to the Palestinian problem except by Jihad. The initiatives, proposals and International Conferences are but a waste of time, an exercise in futility.

On April 1, 2006, Hamas Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar said: I dream of hanging a huge map of the world on the wall at my Gaza home which does not show Israel on it.

Satanʼs plans to destroy Israel are being brought to fruition. He wants to cut them off from being a nation so he can seat himself on the throne of the world, in the person of the papacy, at Jerusalem.

Satan also wants to cut off the last remaining part of Godʼs true church. He knows that if he can accomplish this he would win the controversy. But, thank God, we serve a Master who has already gained the victory for us. Satan should read the last page of the book.

For they have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: Psalm 83:5

We are watching this confederation of nations being formed against Israel, and the world, right before our eyes, but no one seems to realize what is really going on. Soon, very soon, the Caliphate will be reinstated and the time of trouble such as never was will begin. The whole Christian world is on the verge of annihilation, but they are asleep and will not wake up until it is too late to escape the snare.

In verses 6-11 the Psalmist names every nation that Ezekiel delineated in his prophecy with the possible exception of Iran. But then, Assyria may have extended into that region, and if so, then the two lists of nations are identical.

The tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites: of Moab, and the Hagarenes: Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek: the Philistines with the inhabitants of Tyre: Assur also is joined with them: they have holpen the children of Lot. Selah. Psalm 83:6-8

Some of the names of the nations are different here because the Psalmist wrote at a different period in time. Some nations were overthrown amid the wars and conflicts of the ages, and when regions were conquered sometimes they were given different names. Edom encompassed what is today Jordan and part of Saudi Arabia. The Ishmaelites lived south and east of Edom in Saudi Arabia and possibly up into what is now Iraq. Moab was just north of Edom where today we see Jordan, It also extended into Saudi Arabia, and perhaps the western corner of Iraq. Next we have the Hagarenes. This is the only place in Scripture the name is used. It is derived from Hagar, the mother of Ishmael. She was an Egyptian slave, so this brings Egypt into the picture, and remember ancient Egypt extended into what is now Libya and Sudan. Gebal was an ancient city in what is now Lebanon. Ammon lay just north of Moab where today we find the northern part of Jordan, western Iraq, possibly the northern tip of Saudi Arabia, the southern edge of Syria, and possibly eastern Lebanon. The Amalekites were a race of giants who inhabited an area in the south of Israel, extending into the northeast corner of Egypt, and possibly up into what is now the Gaza strip. The Philistines dwelt in the area that is now Gaza. Tyre is an ancient city and today lies within the domains of Lebanon. Assur lay north of Israel and today would encompass mainly Syria, northern Iraq, southern Turkey, and possibly extending into western Iran. This completes the list of nations, and as we compare them with the list of Ezekiel Chapter 32, we find they are identical. This cannot be a mere coincidence. They are parallel prophecies and must be studied together to get the full picture.

Assur is said to have holpen (or helped) the children of Lot. The children of Lot were Moab and Ammon. All of these nations were at one time or another the mortal enemies of Israel, but never were they all confederated together to work out their nefarious plan of extermination until now. As we watch the fulfillment of this prophecy we need to discern the workings of the Mystery of Iniquity behind the literal scenes portrayed. Soon all the forces of evil will be confederated together to exterminate the remnant. Our only hope is in God. Do we truly have the faith that He can protect us in such a time as this? The prophecies are designed to fully establish our faith as we see them fulfilled.

Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am [he]. John 13:19

Behold, I have told you before. Matthew 24:25

Next the Psalmist pleads with God to send judgments upon Israelʼs enemies in a solemn appeal that the Lord will destroy those who are hardened in sin and wickedness, and reveal Himself as the true God of heaven.

Do unto them as [unto] the Midianites: as [to] Sisera, as [to] Jabin, at the brook of Kison: [Which] perished at Endor: they became [as] dung for the earth. Psalm 83:9, 10

This is a reference to Gideonʼs miraculous victory over the Midianites: one of the most glorious victories in the history of Israel. The defeat of Jabinʼs armies and the death of Sisera at the hands of Deborah was another miracle of God to the glory of His name. Apparently we donʼt have enough information to be sure about the meaning of verse 10. But when Saul went to the witch of Endor, he and most of his army perished the next day in battle. He had turned from following the Lord, and perished and became as dung for the earth. David immediately took the throne of Israel which is symbolic of the eternal kingdom of God.

Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea, all their princes as Zebah, and as Zalmunna: Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession. Psalm 83:11, 12

Oreb and Zeeb were princes of Midian slain by Gideonʼs army. Zebah and Zalmunna were kings of Midian slain in the same battle. Over and over the Psalmist reminds God of how He worked miracles for the deliverance of Israel when it seemed that their doom was certain. These battles are typical of the way God will deliver His people in the time of trouble. Every day we need to plead with God that He will work the same kinds of miracles for His people today. Satan used the Midianites to try to destroy Israel and possess their land. Today he is trying to destroy the remnant, so he can possess the whole earth. We should continually plead with God for victory so that we may be a part of His eternal kingdom.

O my God, make them like a wheel: as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire: Psalm 83:13, 14

The prayer here is that all the enemies of Godʼs people may be driven away as a tumbleweed is driven before a strong wind.

Next he asks God to consume them even as a piece of wood is consumed by the fire and reduced to ashes and as the dry vegetation on the mountains is totally consumed by a wildfire. This applies to us as well as to them. We should pray that God would consume the impenitent wicked along with Satan and all his host, so that righteousness might prevail.

So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Psalm 83:15

We will compare this verse with Psalm 35:4-7:

Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back and brought to confusion that devise my hurt. Let them be as chaff before the wind: and let the angel of the LORD chase [them]. Let their way be dark and slippery: and let the angel of the LORD persecute them. For without cause have they hid for me their net [in] a pit, [which] without cause they have digged for my soul. Psalm 35:4-7

Satan has always tried to persecute and destroy Godʼs people without a cause, other than we are made in Godʼs own image. We are not to take vengeance on our enemies, but we should pray for the angel of the Lord to vindicate His people.

Fill their faces with shame: that they may seek thy name, O LORD. Psalm 83:16

Confusion and shame always show on the face. The Psalmist does not want his enemies to suffer unnecessarily, but that through judgments brought upon them they may turn to the true God and live. True humiliation results in submission to Godʼs will.

Let them be confounded and troubled for ever: yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: Psalm 83:17

Many times in the history of the children of Israel, God caused the leaders in rebellion to perish, either by a plague, or they were ordered to be put to death by the sword. The Lord did this so those who were not hardened in sin would realize there is a God in heaven who will not tolerate sin, but will be merciful to the sinner. This was designed to lead the penitent to turn to God in sincerity and truth.

That [men] may know that thou, whose name alone [is] JEHOVAH, [art] the most high over all the earth. Psalm 83:18

This is a plea to God that the enemies of Israel may come to the knowledge of the true Lord of Heaven and be made to know that He alone is the Most High over all the earth. This is the reason that God brings judgments upon people and nations. Jesus wants to save every soul that can possibly be saved. The vast majority today will be lost, but Jesus will leave nothing undone to save as many as possible, even if it means that millions must perish in order to save a humble few. I am sure there are many, even among the Islamic nations who are basically humble and honest at heart. Many, many people are honestly deceived. Severe judgments are soon to be brought upon the nations, – earthquakes, volcanoes, fires, tempests, disasters by sea and land, pestilence, famine, political strife, – and through it all, war will rage. Jesus will use all these calamities to wake up and call out a people who will turn to Him in the last moments of probationary time. In the prophecies we have just studied, Jesus has given us a word picture, a symbolic representation, of what is to be. As we watch the literal events escalating to their culmination, we can know where we are in the stream of time. We serve a wonderful, all knowing, and almighty Lord. His ways are mysterious, and infinitely beyond our understanding. Let us praise His Holy name and pray for the deliverance of all His children.

Jesus is coming to take us home. Let us prepare our hearts to meet Him in peace as we watch the end approaching.