By Don Frost, pdf

“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

The Bible says, “And at that time shall Michael stand up … and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time.” When does that time of trouble begin? The answer is in the verse before:

“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. 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 11:45-12:1

When the two verses are read together, we see that a prophetic event precedes the time of trouble. Many students of Bible prophecy, religious writers and leaders over a hundred years ago believed and understood the answer of Daniel 11:45 as something called “The Eastern Question”. Here are some statements from those that believed in this prophecy:

“Elder Daniells speaks this evening upon the ‘Eastern Question’. May the Lord give His Holy Spirit to inspire the hearts to make the truth plain.” (Ellen G. White, Ms189-1889, Dec. 25, 1898)

“Now the interests, the controversies, and the entanglements of the Eastern question include all the kingdoms of the world that are upon the face of the earth; and when the crisis comes, and the wrath of God is poured out, all nations drink it, all nations come up to Armageddon, all nations join in the battle of the great day.” {A.T. Jones, The Review and Herald, Sept. 13, 1898.)

The Eastern Question was a term coined by political and newspaper reporting of the 1800s. It was the question of how and when the once great Ottoman Empire [would] finally collapse. The Turkish dynasty of the Ottoman Empire had been in decline for many years, but had been prevented from collapsing by the help of other nations. History and Bible prophecy agree. If a careful study of the last six verses of Daniel chapter 11 is conducted, Turkey is the power that comes to its end in verse 45. Because of a geographical specification regarding the power exhibited in Daniel 11:40-45, answering the Eastern Question in the light of Bible prophecy concludes that at some point in time, the Turk will come to its end at Jerusalem, and that event will bring on the time of trouble.

The Eastern Question, the belief that the Turk in Bible prophecy will come to his end in Jerusalem, fell out of favour after the end of World War I and was all but forgotten. The Turkish Ottoman Empire had allied itself with Germany during the war; the Germans lost the war in Europe, but the Turks held out in the Middle East for four more years, until 1923, when peace terms were reached and a treaty was signed. It was the Treaty of Lausanne, dated July 24, 1923.

“The Turkish people can finally share the joy that was felt in Paris and London four years ago. The enemy has finally been driven out. World War I in the Middle East is over. On July 24th, 1923, the great powers sign a treaty with the Turkish government in the Swiss city of Lausanne. Now the borders of Turkey and the government in Ankara are recognized by all of Europe. On October 29th, 1923, Mustafa Kemal, who helped to save his nation on the fields of Gallipoli, becomes the first president of the Turkish Republic.” (Treaties of Sevres and Lausanne, Mr Allsop History Clips)

On the signing of the treaty, Turkey was transformed from an Ottoman Islamic caliphate to the Republic of Turkey. The change so transformed Turkey that it seemed as though it could never fulfil the prophecy of going to set up a form of government at Jerusalem and then come to its end there. There is also the problem of the new nation of Israel that now controls Jerusalem. But now things have changed.

“On April 16 [2017], the Turkish people went to the polls to show their support for a landmark constitution referendum; and by Turkish people I mean barely more than half the Turkish people; and by constitution referendum I mean resurrection of the Ottoman Empire. “Yes, a minute majority of Turks have bestowed sultan-like powers to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He now has the power, nay, the right to issue decrees, declare emergency rules, draw up budgets, to appoint ministers and top-state officials, to dissolve the Parliament, and in general, overhaul the entire governing system into an executive presidency model that abolishes the office of prime minister. It also allows Erdogan to stay in the presidency until 2029, aka for life. “Still, you might be thinking that this is just a consolidation of power typical of any secular dictator. The fact is that this is something else entirely. ‘This is very serious changes around the way for Turkey’s future.’ This referendum was the culmination of a thirty-year campaign by Erdogan to not just accumulate supreme executive power, but to remove any obstacles to Islamic rule of Turkey. “As one Turkish writer puts it, ‘What this presidential system looks like is the Islamic caliphate system in terms of its mechanism.’ [Hayrettin Karaman]. “‘Erdogan clearly sees himself as the founder of a new caliphate, the world Islamic government, with Turkey at its center.’ “The Turkish Ottoman Empire was the last legitimate Sunni Islamic caliphate, ruling over nearly the entire Arab world for four hundred years, until it was dissolved following defeat in World War I. “Turkey appears to be a throwback to the very, very old Turkey. As Prime Minister Davutoğlu said in 2015, Turkey ‘will re found the Ottoman state’, or as a parliamentarian twitted, ‘The 90-year-long commercial break of 600-year-old empire is now over’. “This is not just about Turkey becoming more overtly Muslim; this is about using Islam as a unifying force in the region and using historical precedent to reclaim lands that once belonged to the Ottomans. Erdogan’s rhetoric got only more extreme vowing to mobilize the Islamic world against Euro-fascism, saying, ‘This matter is not a matter merely for Turkey. This fascism that shows its dirty face is negatively impacting all Muslims and foreigners living in Europe’ [source]. “But of course, he knows that it’s really all the Pope’s fault, saying, ‘All the leaders of the EU countries went to the Vatican and listened to the pope submissively. Do you now understand why they have not been taking Turkey into the EU for 54 years? The situation is quite loud and clear, it is a Crusader Alliance.’ [source]” (Unknown documentary source)

“Now you can well imagine what will happen when Tayyip Erdoğan gets back the treaty of Lausanne, when Turkey gets back all that Europe took from them. Turkey will take back its power and rights for Khilafat. It can claim back its states, including Syria, Makkah, Palestine, Irak, and many other countries.” (Treaty of Lausanne Ended | What Will Happen Next in Turkey?, Quran and Islam)

“President Erdogan now has all the trappings of an imperial ruler: The dictatorial powers, the religious underpinnings, control of the media, and even a royal palace. With this referendum Turkey has revived the Ottoman Empire in all but name, and should they decide to follow through with their imperial ambitions, there would be very little in the way to stop them, and Western Europe would be hard pressed to defend itself with millions and millions of unassimilated Turkish Muslims already within their border.” (Unknown documentary source)

“Turkey is the strongest military power and military might in the region, i’s the second largest army in NATO, and the statements coming out of Turkey should be very concerning to Americans when Erdogan is saying 1.5 billion Muslims are waiting for the Turkish government to rise.” (Unknown source)

“The treaty also banned Turkey from trading its own petroleum resources. Here is how everything will change in 2023. The Treaty of Lausanne was only valid till 2023. And 2023 is here.” (Treaty of Lausanne Ended | What Will Happen Next in Turkey?, Quran and Islam)

Millions of Muslims believe that there is a sunset clause in the 1923 treaty, and that it will expire on July 24, 2023. Whether this is true or not, it is irrelevant. Millions believe it is, and Turkey could pull out of the treaty at any time, because none of the great powers that enforced the treaty in 1923 have power over Turkey now.

“Turkey stands as a national guidepost to the world, that men may know what is going on in the sanctuary above.

“God’s eye is upon his people, and he never leaves himself without a witness in the world. No man knows when Turkey will take its departure from Europe, but when that move is made, earth’s history will be short. Then it will be said, “He that is unjust let him be unjust still, . . . and he that is righteous let him be righteous still.” To-day is “the day of preparation.” […] While the world watches Turkey, let the servant of God watch the movements of his great High Priest, whose ministry for sin is almost over.” (Stephen N. Haskell, The Story of Daniel the Prophet, p. 248.)