King of the North from the time of Christ

How did we arrive at this point in history? What past events have brought the world to the present state at this moment in time?

God has allowed for the temporary provision of human governments in various forms even though these have been dominated by greedy, short-sighted, and oftentimes tyrannical men. The alternative is tribalism and anarchy and a much lower population.

Although allowing for the present unsatisfactory state of affairs God has essentially revealed history in advance— at least insofar as how events have impacted His interests and how it will culminate. Existing in a realm far above the earth, long ago Jehovah God published a book through his human agency— a Hebrew named Daniel— wherein, he outlined the general course of human history up to the momentous advent of the Kingdom of God.

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society have offered an interpretation of Jehovah’s esoteric pronouncements. It was last updated in the Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy publication. It provides some valuable insights into the past fulfillments of prophecy. In many ways, though, the Watchtower has blinded truth-seekers to the future. Although the secrets contained in Daniel are sealed up until the time of the end and the time of the end has not begun yet, still, some of us are intently roving about.

Back in 2005, the first edition of Jehovah Himself Has Become King offered an in-depth explanation of the epic conflict between the kings of the north and south. It has also been my intention to debunk the Watchtower’s interpretation of the 7th and 8th chapters of Daniel. So far anyway, I have not seen the need to substantially revise anything stated therein. That is not to say I have it all figured out. I make no such claims. I am still seeking— still watching as events unfold.

Interestingly, recently the Watchtower revised its interpretation of the prophecy to match one aspect of what I had presented— shifting the fulfillment of Daniel 11:26-28 from the 3rd century to the time First World War that began in 1914. (Who Is the King of the North?)

One thing of which I am certain— the Watchtower’s identification of the king of the north in modern times is not correct.

Ironically, I suspect the reason the Watchtower cannot get a clearer view is because they have come under the influence of the king of the north. Does not the scripture say that the king will overreach some by means of smoothness or insincerity? – “And those who act wickedly against the covenant, he will lead into apostasy by means of smooth words.” (11:32)

As the adversary and opposer, Satan has always had designs on whatever belongs to God. That is why God’s property has always been in the middle of the ongoing conflict between the kings of the north and south. Before Christ both kings controlled the “splendid kingdom” at different times.

Particularly since the king of the north (Rome) broke the prince of the covenant by executing Christ and many of his followers in the first century, the Devil has waged an unrelenting war against Christianity.

Satan’s masterstroke was reversing Rome’s policy of persecuting Christians. Instead of being viewed as enemies of the state Constantine shrewdly adopted a watered-down version of the Way as the state religion. The result has been far-reaching. Instead of Christianizing Rome, Rome paganized Christianity. Christendom remains steeped in paganism to this day. The prophecy foretold it. “And because of their alliance with him, he will carry on deception and rise up and become mighty by means of a little nation. During a time of security he will come into the richest parts of the province and do what his fathers and their fathers have not done. Plunder and spoil and goods he will distribute among them; and against fortified places he will plot his schemes, but only for a time.” (vs 23-24)

Just as the Jews had allied themselves with Caesar to oppose Jesus, apostate bishops allied with emperor Constantine. The “little nation” of the “Israel of God” became the means by which the king of the north took control of what had once belonged to God. As the political, military might of the Roman Empire crumbled, the popes of Rome carried on a great deception by ruling as vicars of Christ.

All of Europe was controlled by the Catholic Church. Eastern Europe was eventually ruled by Constantinople, named after Constantine, which broke off from Rome in 1054 due to differences between the Greek and Latin theologians. The “richest parts of the province” is in reference to the province of spiritual Israel, the coveted land of the decoration, which was plundered spiritually. Think of it, even God’s word, the Holy Bible, came to be possessed by the king of the north. Not until the printing press was invented and utilized to publish the Bible was it even possible for the common people to read any part of the Scriptures in a language other than Latin.

Whereas in 167 B.C.E. the Syrian king of the north, Antiochus IV, tried to supplant the worship of Jehovah by placing an altar to the pagan god, Zeus, in the temple courtyard, the campaign failed. The Jews rose up and under the leadership of Judas Maccabaeus they successfully fought back and rededicated the temple, which is what the festival of dedication commemorated.

But during the Middle Ages, the king of the north was successful in abolishing the truth and adulterating Jehovah’s religion (Christianity) with paganism, mysticism and superstition. That was something his fathers and grandfathers (previous kings of the north) had not done.

The fact that from God’s perspective the king of the north existed after the fall of the Roman Empire indicates that the “king” is not necessarily enthroned in a particular kingdom, as was the case with Egypt, Assyria, Babylon and so forth. Empires, by nature, rule over nations and peoples.

After the great Roman Empire dissolved a new order was gradually imposed. By the 8th century, the so-called feudal system was in place. There were no nations as we know them. Only collections of fiefdoms, also called duchies— that is, ruled by a duke. Duchies were grouped into kingdoms. Naturally, fiefdoms and kingdoms were composed of peoples who spoke the same language. The landowners were the kings. Under them were the nobility, the dukes, barons, and lords, who were also landowners. Then the next strata were the knights and vassals who were the administrators. And on the bottom rung of society were the lowly peasants who worked the land but owned nothing. On top of the whole system was the church. Each local parish took in a tithe, part of which went to the popes who ruled overall. By those means the king of the north (church of Rome) became fabulously wealthy, amassing and redistributing “plunder and spoil and goods” among the kings and lords who ruled over the church’s subjects.

By the 14th century, Europe and the feudal system were in decline. The Dark Ages had taken their toll. Decimated by the Hundred Years War between successive generations of the kings of England and the kings of France, and the Black Death which stalked Europe in successive waves for 50 years, the population of Europe was reduced in some places by as much as 50%. Some villages were wiped out entirely by the plague and marauding bands of pillagers.

The merchants of Venice, who are credited with inventing modern banking, were instrumental in bringing about a financial crash that was also responsible for unleashing the carnage and death that brought European civilization to the brink of collapse. 

WHAT ABOUT THE KING OF THE SOUTH?

After Rome absorbed Ptolemaic Egypt in 30 B.C.E. there was no rival king of the south. When did an identifiable entity emerge?

After the Roman Empire crumbled Europe fragmented into a dizzying checkerboard of ever-changing tiny disunited kingdoms and city-states ruled over by the popes. Surely that was intended. In time, though, with the 14th-15th century Renaissance and the development of humanism came the notion of the nation-state and the general welfare. Although the bankers of Venice connived with the pope to sabotage it, King Louis XI succeeded in bringing into existence what might be called the French commonwealth. Louis brought about the concept of national banking for the purpose of development as well as the education of the general population. It is as the 21st Proverb says: “A king’s heart is like streams of water in Jehovah’s hand. He directs it wherever He pleases.”

When the Treaty of Westphalia of 1648 brought an end to the Thirty Years War that pitted Protestants against Catholics, it established the concept of national sovereignty. The pope was no longer the supreme authority. Thus, the nation-state system came into existence in opposition to imperial power.

At the same though as the power of the popes was being countered, the bankers of Venice migrated from their base on the Adriatic and set up shop in England. It was a process that took place over several hundred years. The Venetians were opposed to the Renaissance and national sovereignty.  They devised various schemes— including occultism, in order to corrupt, enslave, and undermine nations. To that end in the 16th century, the Venetians created Freemasonry. Eventually, the transplanted Venetian system created the private companies known as the Dutch East India Company and the British East India Company. The Anglo-Dutch oligarchy morphed into the British Empire— the king of the north.

Even with the emergence of sovereign nations a complete break from the wealthy lords— holdovers from the feudal system— was not possible on the European continent. Some far-sighted nation-builders saw America as the land of promise— an opportunity to establish a truly independent nation-state. Benjamin Franklin is recognized as the main conduit who channeled the Renaissance into the creation of America. Thus, with the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the 13 colonies broke free from the British Empire. The birth pangs of the Revolutionary War resulted in the birth of a nation. Not only a new nation, but a new system also came into being— the American system of political economy— as opposed to the British system of slavery, free trade looting, and usury. The king of the south was revived.

Jehovah was once again directing the king’s heart where he pleased. It is not too difficult to imagine Jehovah’s angel standing as a strengthener to the upstart nation. That is because the new nation promoted free speech and freedom of religion. And because many of the original settlers were Puritans fleeing from the tyranny of the church the generations that came from those pilgrims produced many keen Bible students. America became the fertile soil for the seeds sown by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society in the late 1800s. (See article: The City of Tearing Down)

HE WILL PLOT HIS SCHEMES

The creation of America as a republic governed by the people and for the people was antithetical to the oligarchic system that had prevailed since Rome became the king of the north. The upstart nation, which was not only dedicated to educating and uplifting its own citizens but all nations as well, presented a formidable challenge to the continuation of the Venetian-Anglo Empire, which viewed humans as merely an educable beast. You don’t have to be a flag-waving patriot to recognize the fact that the creation of America was a great turning point in history. But the conflict between the two inimical systems was far from over. On the contrary— it was just beginning.

Although the British navy ruled the waves they were ill-prepared to wage a land war in another hemisphere. The War of 1812 was London’s last attempt to recapture their breakaway colonies with musket and canons. Taking down the rival king of the south would require subterfuge, hence the scripture comes into play regarding the king of the north: “against fortified places he will plot his schemes, but only for a time.” — Daniel 11:24b

Because many of the settlers had migrated from England some wealthy and influential men remained loyal to the Crown even after the colonies declared their independence. Most notorious among the loyalists was Aaron Burr who acted as an agent of the British Empire to sabotage the development of the new nation. Although historians have made their revisions the fact is Burr assassinated Alexander Hamilton, who is credited with designing the American system. Burr even unsuccessfully tried to get New York to break away from the newly formed union of states and sabotage grand projects to develop the nation.

Fleeing back to England Burr took counsel with the lords of London. Secretly returning to the states, Burr organized to have British agents placed in the president’s office. With a few exceptions, it seems the majority of American presidents have taken orders from London. The schemers also plotted to control the economy of America. To that end Wall Street was established in New Amsterdam— now New York City. (Hamilton’s New York City PDF)

MORE ON THE WATCHTOWER’S “ADJUSTMENT”

Let us now consider more closely what the May, 2020, Watchtower presents as an adjustment in their understanding.

Evidently, the teachers at Bethel are slowly coming to the realization that Jehovah God does not use His incomparable powers of foresight to foretell trivia. Apparently that is why they discarded the interpretation of Daniel 11:25 regarding the defeat of Queen Zenobia in the third century C.E.— shifting it instead to the First World War. That’s quite an “adjustment.” (For more details the absurdity of the Watchtower’s interpretation is considered in the book, Jehovah Himself Has Become King.)

However, while I was pleasantly surprised to see the Watchtower adopt the point I presented some 15 years ago, I am even more dismayed that now Bethel’s pendulum has swung far in the opposite direction.

Astonishingly, according to the Watchtower’s most recent “adjustment,” there was no king of the north from the second century until Charles Taze Russell started his tiny little Bible study group in 1874! Apparently, the Governing Body found it easier to simply make the king of the north disappear than to explain the prophecy in any meaningful way. What is the reasoning behind deleting the king of the north? The Watchtower explains in paragraph five:

At some time during the second century C.E., the true Christian congregation began to be overrun by false Christians, who had adopted pagan teachings and who were hiding the truths found in God’s Word. From that time until the late 19th century, there was no organized group of God’s servants on earth. The weeds of false Christianity flourished and hid the identity of true Christians. Why is that fact significant? It indicates that what we read about the king of the north and the king of the south could not apply to rulers or kingdoms that held power from sometime in the 2nd century to the second half of the 19th century. There was no organized group of God’s people for them to attack. However, we can expect that the king of the north and the king of the south would reappear in the late 19th century. Why is that the case?

Fred Franz was undoubtedly the intelligence behind the Watchtower’s original interpretation of Daniel. Although he was off on many things he was at least smart enough to realize that the king of the north has existed from the time of the break up of Alexander’s empire until the very end. Even by the Watchtower’s own admission, there have been a few anointed persons here and there down through the ages. Surely, the very fact that the Roman Empire successfully perverted Christianity by making it the state religion is a significant and far-reaching development. As explained above, the king of the north became mighty by means of the “little nation” and essentially plundered what belonged to God.

The Watchtower is being overly simplistic in characterizing the two kings by their hatred of God. (Paragraph 4) As pointed out in this article, just as Jehovah’s angel stood up as a strengthener to the king of Persia, God can use any king or person in power as he sees fit. For example, when William Tyndale was being executed for the crime of translating the Bible into English his final words were: “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes!” Was Tyndale’s prayer answered? Indeed it was. Less than a century later King James authorized the translation of the Bible into English and when the Puritans left England they brought the King James Authorized Version with them.

It is simply wrong to cast every human government as hateful enemies of God. The truth is, America was a nation founded by God-fearing men and women who respected the Bible and tried to honor God. True, they were mired in the centuries-old doctrinal errors of the Catholic Church, but if not for the Christian founders of America the Watchtower would not even exist.

The underlying problem with the Watchtower’s interpretation of Daniel is that they do not know real history. They only rely on the watered-down history presented in school textbooks or that written by British propagandists. For instance, in claiming that Britain and America formed a close alliance during WWI and together comprise the king of the south betrays their utter lack of understanding of real-world events. No doubt the Governing Body is like most people. They are afraid of going outside the bounds of what is officially accepted as the truth. They are afraid of being labeled as “conspiracy theorists.” (“Conspiracy theorist” is a derogatory term put into use after the assassination of the Kennedys to discredit anyone who rejected the official narrative.) But what does the prophecy say in regards to the modus operandi of the king of the north?

“And because of their alliance with him, he will carry on deception…”

“…he will plot his schemes, but only for a time.”

“…he will not stand, because they will plot schemes against him.”

“…they will sit at one table speaking lies to each other.”

“…he will lead into apostasy by means of smooth words.”

It is most noteworthy that the king of the north is characterized— not by his military conquests, but by the deception and intrigue that he has employed down through the ages and up to the present moment. On the one hand, the Watchtower rightly teaches that Satan is the god of this world who has enshrouded the planet in a web of lies; yet, on the other hand, Bethel relies upon the official version of history laid out by Satan’s dupes as if it were God’s sacred truth.

One of the most effective and prevalent lies today is that the British Empire no longer exists. Another bit of deceptive, straw man propaganda, is that Britain is America’s lapdog. Of course, the British Empire is not Britain or the United Kingdom. The empire is more than the British Commonwealth too. By nature, empires are over nations. Britain itself is ruled over by the imperium that it has hosted for two and a half centuries. Just as the Vatican once ruled Europe, so too, the City of London controls the global financial system and by various means plunders the nations, including America. Foremost, the empire is private money. And as the saying goes: “money makes the world go ‘round.” The conflict between the king of the north and south in modern times is reflected in the secret history of the ongoing conspiracy by the British Empire to destroy America and enslave civilization. 

To be continued…