JEHOVAH HIMSELF HAS BECOME KING

Chapter 13 – King of the North

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“In the time of the end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing, and against him the king of the north will storm”  – Daniel 11:40 –

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Since the disintegration of the Soviet Union almost twenty years ago Jehovah’s Witnesses have been somewhat at a loss as to the identity of the prophetic king of the north. Here is what the Watchtower has stated on this issue:

“With the disbanding of the Soviet Union in December 1991, the king of the north suffered a serious setback. Who will be this king when Daniel 11:44, 45 is fulfilled? Will he be identified with one of the countries that were part of the former Soviet Union? Or will he change identity completely, as he has done a number of times before? Will the development of nuclear weapons by additional nations result in a new arms race and have a bearing on the identity of that king? Only time will provide answers to these questions. We are wise not to speculate. When the king of the north embarks on his final campaign, the fulfillment of prophecy will be clearly discerned by all who have Bible-based insight.”

In reality, the king of the north has not “suffered a serious setback” with the disbanding of the USSR—as the Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy commentary asserts. Rather than the king of the north, it is the Watchtower’s interpretation of Daniel’s prophecy that has suffered a serious setback. According to the prophecy of Daniel, the king of the north succeeds. It is the king of the south that suffers a “serious setback”— exactly the opposite of the Society’s interpretation. And besides that, the Watchtower claims that the time of the end commenced in 1914 and supposedly the prophecy of Daniel was unsealed then. But if that is the case, if the prophecy was unsealed nearly a century ago, why then are Jehovah’s Witnesses still in the dark as regards the identity of the king of the north? Why must they wait for ‘time to provide the answers,’ waiting until “the king of the north embarks on his final campaign” before they can discern the truth? It is another instance of double-speak on the part of the stupid prophets. .

Instead of refraining from speculating about who the next new king might be, as if there is not one at the present moment, it seems most timely to reconsider whether the USSR and Germany were ever in the position of the king of the north. Indeed, in view of the embarrassing fact that the Watchtower’s interpretations have led to a dead-end, with no workable means of understanding present political developments in the light of prophecy, it is vital to clear away the old and establish a new framework in anticipation of the actual unsealing of the prophecy of Daniel during the time of the end. 

In order to pick up the trail of the king of the north a good place to start is with Daniel 11:20-22, which reads: “And there must stand up in his position one who is causing an exactor to pass through the splendid kingdom, and in a few days he will be broken, but not in anger nor in warfare.” 

The Watchtower’s interpretation of this part of the prophecy appears to be correct, in that, the one standing up in the position of the king of the north at this juncture is Augustus Caesar—the first emperor of Rome. Augustus decreed that a census be taken, apparently for purposes of taxation and conscription; hence, he caused “an exactor to pass through the splendid kingdom” of Judea. Shortly afterwards Augustus died of natural causes. 

After Augustus came Tiberius Caesar, who is mentioned by name in the Gospel of Luke in connection with the baptism and anointing of Jesus. Daniel 11:21 says of Augustus’ successor: “And there must stand up in his position one who is to be despised, and they will certainly not set upon him the dignity of the kingdom; and he will actually come in during a freedom from care and take hold of the kingdom by means of smoothness.”

The Watchtower’s interpretation of the verse above sounds plausible, but it is not really clear how “they will certainly not set upon him the dignity of the kingdom.” The Watchtower notes that the dignity of the kingdom was “unwillingly bestowed on him only after all other likely successors were dead.” Perhaps, though, it was the dignity of the Judean kingdom that was not set upon Tiberius; for the reason that the Jews despised their Roman occupiers—including Pontius Pilate—Tiberius’ appointed governor of Jerusalem. Jewish history records several incidents where Pilate greatly offended Jewish religious sensibilities. After all, the previous verse in context made reference to “the splendid kingdom” of David. 

In this regard consider how on one occasion Pilate nearly caused an insurrection when he placed Roman ensigns in Jerusalem—reminders of Rome’s loathed imperial presence. The Jews, however, defied Pilate’s authority, not conferring upon him the dignity of his position as Tiberius’ appointee, and demanded that the ensigns be removed from the holy city. Pilate ordered his soldiers to surround the Jews, but they stood their ground; even at the risk of execution, so that Pilate was forced to remove the ensigns. 

On another occasion Pilate hung some armory shields in Herod’s palace in honor of the emperor. The Jews, again, took offense and petitioned Tiberius; who ordered that the offending shields be removed. So, in this way Tiberius may have ingratiated himself to the Jews—taking “hold of the kingdom by means of smoothness.” 

By the time of Christ’s execution the leaders of the Jewish kingdom expressed their complete allegiance to Tiberius with the following words: “We have no king but Caesar!” So not only was the Judean kingdom controlled by the smoothness of the Roman king of the north, but the birthplace and original field of operation for Christianity came even more under the authority and influence of the king of the north as well. 

The 22nd verse goes on to say of the Roman king of the north: “And as regards the arms of the flood, they will be flooded over on account of him, and they will be broken; as will also the Leader of the covenant.” While “the Leader of the covenant” is undoubtedly Jesus Christ, what is it that “will be flooded over on account of him”? 

The Watchtower’s interpretation seems to widely miss the mark, stating:

“As regards the arms of the flood—the military forces of the surrounding kingdoms—the angel said: ‘They will be flooded over and will be broken.’ When Tiberius became the king of the north, his nephew Germanicus Caesar was commander of the Roman troops on the Rhine River. In 15 C.E., Germanicus led his forces against the German hero Arminius, with some success. However, the limited victories were won at great cost, and Tiberius thereafter aborted operations in Germany. Instead, by promoting civil war, he tried to prevent German tribes from uniting. Tiberius generally favored a defensive foreign policy and focused on strengthening the frontiers. This stance was fairly successful. In this way ‘the arms of the flood’ were controlled and were broken.” 

According to the Watchtower, the “arms of the flood”were the Germanic armies hostile to Rome on the northern fringe of the empire. However, the Watchtower seems to be saying that the Germanic forces are both the “arms of the flood” as well as the “they” who are “flooded over.” But, how reasonable is that? The Watchtower offers no sensible explanation as to how the arms of the flood were flooded over. 

Secondly, it seems completely unwarranted to come to the conclusion that the pronoun “they” who were “flooded over” refers to the Germans when there is nothing in the immediate context to support that. Considering that the focus of the prophecy has to do with what was to occur in the “splendid kingdom” in connection with “the Leader of the covenant” being broken by the king of the north, it would seem that the pronoun “they” is in reference to the Jews. It is highly doubtful that the angel would mention an obscure battle between the Germanic tribes and the Roman armies in the same breath as he foretold the execution of the Son of God.   

Would-be Bible interpreters do well to keep in mind that the Bible interprets itself. For example, the ninth chapter of Daniel refers to the Jewish holy place (the splendid kingdom) and “the people of a leader” being flooded over and made desolate by a disgusting thing after the Messiah is cut off. That is the exact same subject matter of the verse in question in connection with the king of the north. 

It seems reasonable, then, to conclude that “they” who are spoken of as being flooded over and “broken”at Daniel 11:22are the residents of the “splendid kingdom” who tragically rejected the “Leader of the covenant.” The flood of desolation, of course, occurred in 70 CE when the Romans under General Titus utterly destroyed Jerusalem.

Evidently, though, the identity of the king of the north at each stage is not limited to just one individual, such as Tiberius. But, rather, the prophecy goes on to include developments that individual kings, like Tiberius, merely set into motion. 

Since this aspect of the prophecy carries us beyond the reign of Augustus’ despised successor, Tiberius, the Watchtower’s commentary on the next span of verses bears revision as well: “And because of their allying themselves with him he will carry on deception and actually come up and become mighty by means of a little nation.”

“BY MEANS OF A LITTLE NATION”

The Watchtower commentary in the Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy book interprets the prophecy as applying to the internal affairs of the Roman political body. “Their allying themselves with him” is said to apply to the Roman Senate. But, again, there is nothing in the context that warrants arbitrarily ascribing the pronoun “their” to an entity like the Roman Senate. The context is regarding “they” being “flooded over on account of him.”

So, it seems the prophecy is saying that the Jews allied themselves with the Roman Empire. But how? Allowing for the Scriptures to interpret themselves, the 2nd Psalm is a messianic prophecy, which the apostles applied to the anti-Christ conspiracy that developed in the first century between the Jewish rulers and Roman ruler—Pontius Pilate. At Acts 4:26-28, the apostles prayed to God, quoting the second Psalm and offering these inspired words of interpretation, saying: ‘“The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers massed together as one against Jehovah and against his anointed one.’ Even so, both Herod and Pontius Pilate with men of nations and with peoples of Israel were in actuality gathered together in this city against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, in order to do what things your hand and counsel had foreordained to occur.”

Luke also reports that the nominally Jewish Edomite king, Herod, and Pontius Pilate became friends on the very day that Christ was executed. Luke 23:11-12 says: “Then Herod together with his soldier guards discredited him, and he made fun of him by clothing him with a bright garment and sent him back to Pilate. Both Herod and Pilate now became friends with each other on that very day; for before that they had continued at enmity between themselves.” The unseemly political alliance between the Jews and their despised Roman masters might be considered one aspect of the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy. However, it is understood that the second Psalm has a more far-reaching application.

At this point it is important to take note of some crucial details. “The land of the Decoration” at Daniel 11:16 and “the land of the Decoration” in the 41st verse are not the same. This is because the original decorated land was the literal “splendid kingdom” of Judah. But on Pentecost 33 CE a spiritual Israel was created and that is the kingdom over which Christ became the King. So, the anointed congregation that came into existence then is the modern-day “land of the Decoration.” So too, the “Leader of the covenant,” Christ, is not the leader of the Mosaic covenant that God covenanted with the nation of Israel. Jesus mediates a covenant with members of the Israel of God, as Paul called the Christian congregation. But tragically, just as the fleshly Israelite nation rejected Christ and became apostate, so too, an apostasy developed shortly after the nation of spiritual Israel came into existence.

With these overlapping features of prophecy in mind, it is noteworthy that apostate Christian bishops also allied themselves with the Roman king of the north, just as the Jewish leaders had done. How did this come about?  After the death of the apostles Christianity gradually became more and more corrupt. Eventually, even though Christians only composed about 10% of the total population living under Roman rule in the fourth century, Emperor Constantine made “Christianity” the state religion. Hence, Christendom was born.  

By those means the Roman Empire was poised to “become mighty by means of a little nation”—the “little nation” that sprang from the Israel of God. And by means of false Christians “allying themselves with him,” the king of the north was able to “carry on deception.” Think of it—by Constantine making apostate Christianity the official religion, the emperor of Rome, the king of the north, became the titular head of what had been Christ’s congregation.  And what far-reaching effects that deceptive alliance has had! To this day, hundreds of millions of Catholics, Protestants and members of Orthodox churches and the countless sects and cults that fall in between, are under the false doctrinal system of worship first instituted by Emperor Constantine’s Council of Nicea. 

As regards the Watchtower interpretation, the Pay Attention commentary states that the “little nation” is the so-called Praetorian Guard. The Praetorian Guard was an elite group of handpicked infantry and cavalrymen that served as a type of secret service and bodyguard for the emperor. But is it really accurate to say that the emperor became mighty by means of them? Not really. The Caesars were mighty because they controlled an enormous army—not just their Praetorian bodyguards. In some respects, the Praetorian Guard themselves posed a threat of assassination, so that they had to be well paid to insure their loyalty. 

But not only for those reasons is the Watchtower’s interpretation untenable. The pertinent question is why Jehovah would even concern himself with such trivial fluff of history and neglect to shed any light on how the Roman Empire perpetuated itself from ancient times to modern times. As it stands, according to the Watchtower commentary, the prophecy does not provide any details as to how the king of the north survived the so-called fall of the Roman Empire. The Watchtower even readily admits as much by their own commentary, where we read on page 242:

“Without giving unnecessary details about the breakdown of the Roman Empire, which stretched over centuries, Jehovah’s angel went on to foretell further exploits of the king of the north and the king of the south. However, a brief review of certain developments in the Roman Empire will help us to identify the two rival kings in later times.” 

The Watchtower’s commentary leaves inquiring Bible students scratching their heads in bewilderment as to why Jehovah supposedly felt the need to enlighten us about inconsequential history having to do with the border skirmishes on the Germanic frontier, the Roman Senate’s trifling dealings with Caesar and the Praetorian Guard, while omitting as “unnecessary details” how it was that the Roman Empire transformed itself into Christendom in order to perpetuate itself into the modern era.

Presumably, the purpose for God issuing prophecy in the first place is not to merely impress us with his foresight. One of the primary purposes of prophecy is to reveal how God’s purpose has and will unfold in connection with his people. Certainly, Jehovah’s purpose is intimately bound up in Christendom’s storied past; if only that we may know our spiritual heritage and how the world’s political and religious stage has come to be set in the manner that it is presently. But the organization’s preferred interpretations present Bible students with an enormous unbridgeable gap between the Roman Caesars and the modern king of the north, whoever it is assumed to be. Truly, the Watchtower’s exhortation to keep paying attention to Daniel’s prophecy is sound advice! 

Returning to Daniel 11:23-24, we read: “And because of their allying themselves with him he will carry on deception and actually come up and become mighty by means of a little nation. During freedom from care, even into the fatness of the jurisdictional district he will enter in and actually do what his fathers and the fathers of his fathers have not done. Plunder and spoil and goods he will scatter among them; and against fortified places he will scheme out his schemes, but only until a time.”

The Watchtower offers no commentary as to how Tiberius Caesar may have done “what his fathers and the fathers of his fathers have not done.”We are told simply that Tiberius made certain improvements within the Roman Empire and eased the tax burden and that that was how the king of the north shared the spoils of the empire. But if indeed “their allying themselves with him” finds a secondary fulfillment in the apostate bishops allying themselves with Constantine, then the 24th verse would have application to the period when Christendom has dominated Europe. 

Prior to Constantine Christians were periodically banned and persecuted by the Roman emperors. By making Christianity the state-sponsored religion, Christians entered into a period appropriately described in the prophecy of Daniel as a“freedom from care.”

By means of the Christianized Pontifex Maximus the popes became successors to the Roman Emperors, and as such, the king of the north was able to do what the Caesars (“his fathers and the fathers of his fathers”) had not been able to accomplish. Through the Pontificate the king of the north was able to more effectively control European civilization, as well as Christianity itself. Through the time of the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 4th and 5th centuries, marking the beginning of the roughly 1,000-year period known as the Dark and Middle Ages, until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in the early 1800’s, the system set in place by Constantine remained in power. Through the feudal system and the imperial crusades the king of the north fulfilled the prophecy: “Plunder and spoil and goods he will scatter among them.” 

However, the king of the north’s domination of Europe was not to continue on unchallenged. The prophecy goes on to say: “And against fortified places he will scheme out his schemes, but only until a time.” 

“AN EXCEEDINGLY GREAT MILITARY FORCE”

At this stage we are reintroduced to the king of the north’s longtime nemesis—the king of the south, where we read at Daniel 11:25-26: “And he will arouse his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great military force; and the king of the south, for his part, will excite himself for the war with an exceedingly great and mighty military force. And he will not stand, because they will scheme out against him schemes. And the very ones eating his delicacies will bring his breakdown. And as for his military force, it will be flooded away, and many will certainly fall down slain.”

The Watchtower teaches that this portion of the prophecy found fulfillment during the third century of the Common Era. The Pay Attention commentary states:

“About 300 years after Octavian had made Egypt a Roman province, Roman Emperor Aurelian assumed the role of the king of the north. Meanwhile, Queen Septimia Zenobia of the Roman colony of Palmyra occupied the position of the king of the south… As the ruling entity headed by Zenobia, the king of the south ‘excited himself’ for warfare against the king of the north “with an exceedingly great and mighty military force”… Aurelian himself ‘did not stand because of schemes against him.’ In 275 C.E., he set out on an expedition against the Persians. While he was waiting in Thrace for the opportunity to cross the straits into Asia Minor, those who ‘ate his food’ carried out schemes against him and brought about his breakdown.’” 

There are several problems with this interpretation. First, while there is no question that Rome conquered Palmyra and captured Queen Zenobia, there is no indication from history that the battle between the desert kingdom of Palmyra and Rome was of such epic portions that the imperial legions of Rome should be described by the angelic forecaster as “a great military force”; or that the armies of Palmyra should be called “an exceedingly great and mighty military force.”One historical source describes the two armies of Rome and Palmyra as being of equal size, at about 70,000 men each. That is not “an exceedingly great military force” by ancient or modern standards. 

Furthermore, there is the obvious discrepancy that Queen Zenobia was not a king. A small detail perhaps, but surely if Jehovah’s angel saw fit to refer to Cleopatra in the feminine gender at Daniel 11:17, it would have been no special feat for the angel to also have specified that the king of the south was a queen.  

Secondly, the Watchtower’s interpretation identifies the king of the north as the king who “will not stand, because they will scheme out against him schemes.” True, the Roman Emperor, Aurelian, was evidently betrayed and assassinated by his own Praetorian guard—as the Watchtower’s commentary makes mention; however, the immediate context of the verse in question seems to indicate that it is actually the king of the south—the king with the great and mighty military force—who is victimized by the conspiratorial schemes of the king of the north. Besides, the assassination of Aurelian is a mere footnote of history and had no significant effect upon the course of the Roman Empire. 

The prophecy outlines the enmity between the kings of the north and south, not the petty internal intrigues within the king’s own camp. Another obvious incongruity in the Watchtower’s application of this portion of the prophecy is the fact that the verse says, “they will scheme out against him schemes”—“schemes” being plural—as in numerous schemes. Obviously, sound reasoning dictates that only one assassination plot can be successful. And any subsequent “schemes” to murder Aurelian would have been—pardon the expression—overkill.

Lastly, the most glaring inadequacy with the Society’s interpretation is that the very next verse in Daniel, which refers to the two kings sitting at the same table speaking lies, is applied to a conference of European leaders at The Hague in 1898! 

The Watchtower’s interpretation inexplicably leaps from a relatively insignificant battle and political assassination to an obscure meeting between rival European nations at the close of the 19th century! 

Thinking Christians have every reason to question whether Jehovah’s method of foretelling future events is really so illogical and disjointed. 

 Surely the Watchtower is in error in assuming that God’s revelatory angel does not give “unnecessary details,” when it is the Watchtower’s very interpretations that focus on mere footnotes of history rather than anything meaningful. 

As a result of the angelic forecaster supposedly not giving any “unnecessary details,” the Watchtower is compelled to devote a large portion of their own commentary to filling in necessary details to explain the angel’s seeming neglect. 

But rather than supposing the prophecy of Daniel foretells mere trivia while neglecting the broad historical developments that have shaped the world, perhaps it is time to scrap the Watchtower’s interpretation of Daniel’s prophecy altogether. 

It is reasonable that the centuries-long contest for dominance between the king of the north and king of the south is the primary phenomenon around which modern history revolves. However, the ongoing struggle between the two rival kings should not be thought of merely in terms of a military conflict between two opposing national armies on the field of battle. Outright warfare is only an outward expression of a deeply underlying philosophical conflict. In order to comprehend the ongoing enmity between the king of the north and king of the south, it is vital to understand the two counterpoised ideologies that have up until now polarized the world. 

Just as modern two-party political systems typically stand on opposing platforms on various issues, so too, the conflict between the king of the north and king of the south is rooted in two mutually antagonistic systems. 

“PARTLY OF IRON PARTLY OF MOLDED CLAY”

 Elsewhere in Daniel, the prophet alludes to the preeminent world kingdom being politically and ideologically divided. At Daniel 2:41-43 we read: “And whereas you beheld the feet and the toes to be partly of molded clay of a potter and partly of iron, the kingdom itself will prove to be divided, but somewhat of the hardness of iron will prove to be in it, forasmuch as you beheld the iron mixed with moist clay.  And as for the toes of the feet being partly of iron and partly of molded clay, the kingdom will partly prove to be strong and will partly prove to be fragile.  Whereas you beheld iron mixed with moist clay, they will come to be mixed with the offspring of mankind; but they will not prove to be sticking together, this one to that one, just as iron is not mixing with molded clay.”

The king of the north and king of the south are also symbolized by the iron and the clay feet of Nebuchadnezzar’s metallic colossus. But what do those two incompatible materials symbolize in the real world? Simply put—the iron represents empire and the clay represents the republican, democratic form of government. Iron being a fitting symbol for iron-fisted imperial rule; whereas, since mankind was originally made from the dust of the earth, the properties of clay make it a fitting symbol for the common man. The very Preamble to the United States Constitution says it best—“We the people.” 

Republicanism is the antithesis of oligarchism and monarchy. Ruling-class oligarchs and elitists typically view themselves as inherently superior to the lower classes. They generally regard mankind as nothing more than an educable form of beast. Yet, monarchies and the oligarchic circles associated with them have “come to be mixed with the offspring of mankind” due to parliamentarian and democratic power-sharing structures that have come into existence. 

But the metallic image of Daniel portrays the succession of individual world powers, not indescript systems or ideologies. That being the case, the modern political expression of the iron and clay must be embodied in the present Anglo-American dual world power. Indeed, to this day, as the successor to the Roman Empire, London remains the capital seat of the most powerful oligarchy that has ever ruled this planet. Until recently, the United States has historically been the champion of human rights, liberty and democracy. Together, Great Britain and the United States are allied in an unworkable fusion of two incongruous systems—forming the Anglo-American alliance. 

To fully understand the ongoing war between the king of the north and king of the south today, it should be appreciated that there was a time when the king of the north completely dominated. The prophecy in the second chapter of Daniel also makes it evident that the iron and clay making up the feet and toes of the political image is only a relatively recent phenomenon. The legs of iron indicate that a sole empire ruled prior to the clay and iron mixture. History testifies to the fact the Roman Empire and its offspring, Christendom, and finally the British Empire, have each taken their turn. But, while the Vatican and Constantinople were vying for religious and political control of a vast portion of the planet during the so-called Dark Ages, Venice quietly became the financial capital of the world. 

Under their appointed doge, the billionaire club of the Venetian oligarchy established Venice as the most powerful city-state in all of feudalistic Europe. Then in the 16th century, the Venetians exported their usurious financial system to London, so that during the intervening centuries the transplanted Venetian arrangement gradually transformed itself into the modern Wall Street-IMF global financial system. It is considered an open secret that the London-centered oligarchy of today was modeled after the Venetian organization.  By means of Venice’s transplanted financier system, the City of London became the inheritor and perpetuator of the Roman Empire; hence, the king of the north. What about the king of the south? 

During the period when the Feudal system dominated Europe 95% of the population lived as bestialized serfs. Ironically, though, the Black Death that ravaged the continent for over a century wrought beneficial political and social changes. Because the series of plagues decimated the working population to such an extent (estimates range from one-third to one-half), able workers were in demand. Skilled craftsman and artisans were eventually able to command a better wage—marking the beginnings of what would eventually become a middle class. At the same time, the Renaissance also began to have an ennobling and technologically uplifting effect upon European civilization generally. Eventually, in the 15th and 16th centuries, beginning in France under King Louis the XI, sovereign nation-states began to take shape as an alternative to feudalism and empire.

However, it was not until after the colonization of the Americas by the Europeans that the first truly independent nation-state republic, the United States, was finally formed. For the first time in modern history the oligarchic system was faced with a formidable challenger. Thus, the prophetic king of the north and south began to renew their centuries-long enmity. 

The struggle between the United States and Great Britain continued after the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, when British soldiers burned down the president’s mansion. While textbook historians cite the issue of slavery as the sole reason for the American Civil War, the real underlying conflict had to do with the conflict between the American system of economy and the British system. The fundamental difference between the two is that in the American system the government is constitutionally bound to use its power for the benefit of the general welfare of all of its citizens. The British system merely seeks to extract interest and rent, while exploiting cheap labor through varied forms of slavery—otherwise known today as globalism and free trade.

The American Civil War was really a manifestation of the developing conflict between the entities represented as the iron and the clay in prophecy. Leading up to the Civil War the United States was determined to abolish the system of slavery it inherited from the original colonial powers. Even though Britain had already outlawed the slave trade in the early 1800’s, or some might say they outsourced the odious merchandizing of humans to Spain, nevertheless, England’s cotton mills were the primary beneficiaries of slave-produced cotton from the South. As a little-known fact of history, the British monarchy supported the Confederacy in an attempt to divide and conquer the union of the United States.  Had it not been for Czar Alexander’s threat to use the Russian navy to prevent any British blockade of Union ports the war might have had an entirely different outcome. It was during the American Civil War that Abraham Lincoln embarked on an accelerated program of railroad construction and nation building that set the United States on track for further conflict with the London-centered oligarchy.

As human schemes go, the American system is vastly superior to the British-Venetian system; and so as other nations began to industrialize and aspire to the American economic model—namely Germany, Japan, Russia, and China—the British Empire was forced to take action to thwart the spread of the American system, or else it faced eventual extinction. The proposed Berlin-to-Baghdad railroad was the last straw. The British merchant navy possessed a near-monopoly over maritime commerce and was determined to establish a monopoly over the newly discovered oilfields in the Middle East. An overland rail route linking the Middle East with the heart of Europe was unacceptable to the lords of London. British geo-political machinations under King Edward VII finally succeeded in provoking the First World War, and by means of that war the United States was subverted from its historic mission of opposition to oligarchism and drawn into fighting in its behalf.

With the historical foundation for the epic conflict between two inimical systems having been established, modern events may now be better situated in the context of the prophecy of the king of the north and south. 

Having already made the case for adjusting the interpretation of Daniel 11:23-24, it follows, then, that an adjustment is also in order for Daniel 11:25-26 as well. Again, those verses read: “And he will arouse his power and his heart against the king of the south with a great military force; and the king of the south, for his part, will excite himself for the war with an exceedingly great and mighty military force.” As an alternative interpretation, and in view of the previously proposed revisions, the renewal of conflict between the king of the north and south involving “an exceedingly great and mighty military force” well describes the Great War of 1914. From a broad historical perspective, which is surely Jehovah’s view of earthly affairs, the First World War was an epic clash between the remnants of the Roman imperial power and the bourgeoning power of the republican form of government, which was born during the Renaissance and unleashed by the American Revolution. 

As is well known, the First World War was the most intense episode of bloodletting in world history up to that point. Over 35 million men were killed or wounded in the slaughter—even as the prophecy of Daniel says: “And many will certainly fall down slain.”Vast numbers of men were mobilized for the war. Some estimates put the total number of men under arms during WWI at 65,000,000! Certainly, that fits the angel’s description of “an exceedingly great and mighty military force.” Obviously, those numbers far exceed the combined forces of the Palmyrene and Roman armies. 

But, since the United States and Great Britain were victorious allies in the First World War, if America represents the king of the south, then, in what way could it be said that the king of the south succumbed to the schemes of the king of the north? The answer to that question may astound you. 

“THEY WILL SCHEME OUT SCHEMES AGAINST HIM”

After the Civil War the United States quickly emerged as the greatest industrial power on earth. It soon became clear to the leading oligarchic circles in London and Europe that the formal British Empire had reached its zenith under Queen Victoria and was surely doomed to fade into irrelevancy during the new 20th century, unless something was done.  And most alarming to the colonialists and imperialists, other nations were keen to emulate the American model of development. 

In his book The Anglo-American Establishment, historian Carroll Quigley writes in considerable detail describing how numerous overlapping secret societies and roundtable discussion groups were formed in Britain during the decades immediately preceding World War One; primarily for the purpose of subverting the United States back under the control of the British Empire. One such group was The Fabian Society, which was established in the late 1800’s and had adopted the long-range goal of conditioning the world to accept socialism. Later, the Royal Institute for International Affairs was established in 1919 (also known as Chatham House) for the purpose of promoting Anglo-American relations. The ultra-wealthy diamond magnate, Cecil Rhodes, after whom the African country of Rhodesia was named (now Zimbabwe), along with H.G. Wells, Bertrand Russell and Lord Alfred Milner, among others, appear to have been the primary architects of the still-unfolding subversive plot to re-invent the British Empire as a world government. 

An excerpt from a book published by Carol White in 1980 describes how prior to World War One the conspiring imperialists discussed how best to go about capturing the United States so that it might serve as London’s “dumb giant”— fighting their wars and paying their bills. As far as conspiracies go, it is the scheme of all schemes—intending to destroy the American system of economy throughout the planet and establish a new Anglo world empire—a “new world order,” as it is commonly referred to today. In order to accomplish their open conspiracy, as H.G. Wells called it, the conspirators recognized that first they had to throttle the American engine of production by controlling credit, which meant destroying the national banking system within the United States. 

Edward Griffin documents in great detail in his book The Creature from Jekyll Island how in 1913, through their American agents, such as Paul Warburg, J.P. Morgan, and others, the “old-money” banking cartel centered in London succeeded in foisting the privately-owned Federal Reserve Bank upon the United States. This resulted in delivering the economic sovereignty of the United States into the hands of an exclusive clique of private bankers whose own aims were diametrically opposed to that of the people of the United States. Such an act was blatantly unconstitutional and is exactly what the American Founders tried to prevent. But, the scheme was so successful that to this day most Americans assume that the government of the United States owns the Federal Reserve. It does not. While the Federal Reserve is governed by a board of federally appointed governors, Edward Griffin points out in his book that that is merely window dressing to give the appearance that the Federal Reserve is a government institution. 

Jehovah’s matchless foresight certainly seems to have described the ongoing conspiracy, when centuries ago he inspired the prophet to write: “And they will scheme out against him schemes.”

The second aspect of the scheme of the empire of the financiers involved fomenting war on the continent of Europe. 

The original inventors of the United States of America realized the importance of keeping free from foreign entanglements and wars. To that end, in 1823 President James Monroe articulated the foreign policy of the United States in what has become known as the Monroe Doctrine. Essentially, the doctrine states that the United States will not become involved in the foreign affairs of Europe and that the European colonial powers should not mettle in the affairs of the Americas. 

In the run-up to the First World War, the United States continued to maintain its neutrality toward the European powers. Even as war erupted in Europe—due mainly to the many entangled alliances of the European nations—the United States continued to remain neutral. For example, on August 19, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson addressed the U.S. Congress, saying: “Every man who really loves America will act and speak in the true spirit of neutrality, which is the spirit of impartiality and fairness and friendliness to all concerned.”  

However, the sinking of the British-flagged Lusitania by German U-boats, which resulted in the deaths of some 120 Americans, eventually drew the United States into the First World War in 1917 on the side of the British and French.

To this day though, the controversy continues as to whether the British baited the Germans into torpedoing the Lusitania by letting it be known that the passenger vessel was “secretly” shipping munitions from New York to Great Britain. The Lusitania supposedly even slowed down to linger in U-boat-infested waters off the coast of Ireland. Whether that particular Lusitanian conspiracy theory is true or not does not matter; what is historically significant is the fact that anti-German propaganda eventually swayed American opinion in favor of the British. 

Woodrow Wilson’s closest confidant and advisor, Colonel Edwin Mandell House, often referred to as Wilson’s alter ego, was in fact an Anglophile (if not an outright British agent) and one who was most responsible for steering the United States into the First World War. House was also apparently influential in the establishment of the Federal Reserve Bank, as well as being instrumental in the creation of the Council on Foreign Relations in 1919, which is the American counterpart of London’s Royal Institute for International Affairs. Both organizations are dedicated to the establishment of an Anglo-American controlled empire and the destruction of the nation-state system. As Woodrow Wilson’s chief advisor, Edwin House is credited as the American architect of the League of Nations as well. 

Even though the entry of the United States into the Great War quickly tipped the balance of power in favor of the so-called Allies, America merely served as London’s “dumb giant” and afterward found itself saddled with a foreign-owned central bank and national policies increasingly under the influence of British imperialists. After a century of struggle against the geo-political machinations of London, the events of the First World War successfully manipulated America into becoming the closest ally of its former colonial master. And London’s imperial interests were served by having their continental imperial rivals crushed. So, in this way the American king of the south was lured into a ruinous course by traitors loyal to the Crown, so that the scripture was fulfilled that foretold: “And the very ones eating his delicacies will bring his breakdown.”

On June 28, 1919, the victorious Allies sat together at the peace table and forced Germany to accept the terms of the Treaty of Versailles. The signatories of the treaty pretended they were intent on peace. That was a lie. Historians are in agreement that the victors’ terms of the treaty were so egregious and punitive, particularly as regards the vengefully exorbitant war reparations imposed on Germany, that in reality, the “peace” Treaty of Versailles made the rise of Nazism and the Second World War virtually inevitable!

In this way, Daniel 11:27 was fulfilled: “And as regards these two kings, their heart will be inclined to doing what is bad, and at one table a lie is what they will keep speaking. But nothing will succeed, because the end is yet for the time appointed.”

While the empire was successful in capturing their “dumb giant,” they were not immediately successful in creating an Anglo-controlled super-state, which is what some intended the League of Nations to become eventually. In spite of being hailed as the “political expression of God’s kingdom on earth” by certain clergymen of that day, the United States Senate refused to even ratify the treaty—citing doing so as a violation of the Monroe Doctrine. Prophetic destiny would not permit the king of the north to achieve his coveted goal of uncontested world government until the appointed time of the end. 

Meanwhile, 11 years after the end of the Great War, the king of the North used his newfound power over the financial affairs of the king of the South to further “bring his breakdown” by pulling the plug on the American economy. In his book Against Oligarchy, historian Webster Tarpley painstakingly documented how London created the Great Depression. 

 “AND HIS HEART WILL BE AGAINST THE COVENANT”

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As an example of a scheme against the king of the south that did not succeed: Because Franklin Roosevelt used his presidential powers to act against those whom he called “economic royalists” back during the Great Depression, a plot was hatched from within the financier oligarchy to overthrow the government of the United States.  It was foiled when a high-ranking military officer, Smedley Butler, exposed the conspiracy before Congress.

But not only were the scheming imperialists determined to eradicate the American system, it has also been their intention to control, corrupt and destroy Christianity too; because in their view, the republican system found its legitimacy in the foundational principle that man is in the image of God. And towards the close of the 19th century, it surely did not escape the notice of the demonic principalities—the real rulers of the world—that a small circle of anointed Christians began to form around Charles Taze Russell and the Watchtower. As in the first century, the king of the north will have to deal with his satanic master’s earthly enemies. Hence, we read at Daniel 11:28: “And he will go back to his land with a great amount of goods, and his heart will be against the holy covenant. And he will act effectively and certainly go back to his land.”

As history testifies, the Roman Empire originally viciously persecuted Christians, but as time went on, Rome took a more accommodating position toward Christianity, and eventually, the Empire even adopted the corrupted form of Christianity as the state religion. After King Henry VIII broke England’s ties with the Roman Vatican, London created its own state religion in the form of the Anglican Church of England. However, with the re-emergence of a lively movement of anointed Christians in the later part of the 1800’s—those in the “holy covenant” with Jehovah through Christ—it may well be that the king of the north goes “back to his land” in the sense of returning to Rome’s original policy of outright opposition. 

Not coincidentally, just prior to the time that the International Bible Students began to promote the original Bible doctrines, the seat of the Empire also spawned various virulent forms of anti-Christianity. Among these were Darwinism and Communism and the satanic view that mankind was related to the animal kingdom. Through the oligarchy’s steadily increasing control over academic institutions and the media, evolution has nearly supplanted the biblical truth concerning the divine origin of mankind.

Also, about the same time as C.T. Russell first began publishing the Watchtower Satanism was institutionalized in America by the Jehovah-hating spirit medium, Helena Blavatsky. Although Blavatsky was born in Russia, her world travels eventually landed her in London, where her occult theosophy was adopted by many of the British aristocracy. Eventually, Blavatsky found her way to New York, where she helped establish the Theosophical Society.

Through the upper levels of Masonry, Blavatsky’s theosophy has become the foundation for today’s hugely popular, multi-faceted New Age religion. British-born Alice Bailey was a prolific occult writer and member of the Theosophical Society. In 1922 she founded a publishing company in New York City called Lucis Trust. Today, Lucis Trust is a prominent NGO with consultive status at the United Nations and a big promoter of the organization. Conversely, the influence of Lucis Trust is undoubtedly why New Age pantheism has also been adopted as the unofficial religion of the United Nations.

But the king of the north also took more aggressive action against the “holy covenant.” As the influence of Jehovah’s dedicated Bible Students began to sweep across North America and Europe—initially through such means as the incredibly successful Photo Drama of Creation, and later by means of radio and the printed page, millions of persons were beginning to be exposed to long-hidden Bible truths. It was not long before the seeds of war planted at Versailles sprouted Fascism, the holocaust and the horrors of the Second World War, as a direct affront to the holy covenant. 

Daniel 11:29-30 foretells of another clash between the king of the north and king of the south: “At the time appointed he will go back, and he will actually come against the south; but it will not prove to be at the last the same as at the first. And there will certainly come against him the ships of Kittim, and he will have to become dejected.”

Textbook versions of history portray Hitler and Nazism as a wholly German creation. In truth, Hitler was funded and supported by certain elements of the anti-American-system financiers. Of particular interest at this present moment in history, Webster Tarpley documents in his Unauthorized Biography of George Bush, how the grandfather of the 43rd president was instrumental in securing loans from Brown Brothers Harriman for Adolph Hitler and his Nazi regime.  It is also well known that the ultra-wealthy Rockefeller family had business dealings with the Nazis, even during the war.  Executive Intelligence Review has researched recently declassified U.S. government documents from the period, which reveal that the Franklin Roosevelt administration was aware of the fact that European financial interests were behind a plot to pit Soviet Communism against Nazism as a pincer, in order to frighten the nations of Europe into dissolving their national governments to form a feudalistic super-state. The United States intelligence termed the fascist movement of that period Synarchism. (A synergy of fascism and communism)

In accord with the way the prophecy of Daniel is written, we should not expect the identities of the king of the north and south to change so abruptly from one verse to the next—as is taught by the Watchtower. 

In accord with the true facts of history, the Second World War again pitted the United States against the machinations of the British Empire. With the once-mighty American economy mired in depression and the nation itself on the verge of toppling into bankers’ fascism, the king of the north was intent on delivering the mortal coup-de-grace to the king of the south by unleashing the combined forces of the Nazis and Japanese imperialists against the United States. 

But, things did not work out the way the oligarchy had intended. Their earlier successes against the king of the south were not to be repeated—at least not during the Second World War; even as the prophecy foretold: “But it will not prove to be at the last the same as at the first.”

During and after the war, the American system of economy was once again unleashed—quickly pulling the nation out of the Great Depression. The result was the United States became an economic and military superpower, and through the Marshall Plan, the nations of Western Europe were also assisted in recovering from the devastation wrought by the war quickly. After the Second World War, the imperialistic king of the north found himself facing a new wave of nationalistic pride and economic strength—and in the words of the angel, “he will have to become dejected.” But, he would, again, “go back” and “act effectively.” 

 “THOSE LEAVING THE HOLY COVENANT”

 Daniel 11:30 says: “And he will actually go back and hurl denunciations against the holy covenant and act effectively; and he will have to go back and will give consideration to those leaving the holy covenant.” But “act effectively” against what? 

The Watchtower’s interpretation of this aspect of the prophecy attributes its fulfillment to post-World War One Germany and the rise of Nazism. Those “leaving the holy covenant” are said to be the clergy of Christendom who supported Adolph Hitler. What is puzzling, though, is the fact that the clergy of Christendom have never been in a covenant with God—so, how can they properly be described as “leaving the holy covenant”? According to the Watchtower’s view, their merely claiming to be in the Christian covenant is supposed to be what is implied in Daniel’s prophecy. The Nazi king of the north also is said to have hurled denunciations against the holy covenant by his persecutions of Jehovah’s Witnesses. But since Hitler’s Nazi scheme for world domination was a complete failure—as was his attempt to destroy Jehovah’s Witnesses—in what way can it truly be said that the Nazi king of the north acted “effectively”?

In accord with the evidence already presented, it does not appear that Germany was ever the king of the north. Furthermore, instead of symbolizing the clergy, more reasonably, those described as “leaving the holy covenant” are those who were at one time anointed Christians, but who have since become the “evil slaves” of Christ’s illustrations. Just as Judas had been an effective accomplice of the Roman king of the north, and the Roman Empire was once also effective in seducing some anointed Christians leading up to and during the time of Constantine—so that Christ’s congregation was effectively swallowed up by what became Christendom—so too, with the emergence of Jehovah’s Witnesses in modern times, evidently the king of the north, in the guise of the London-centered empire, goes “back” to the technique of infiltrating Christ’s congregation from within in order to control it. In this he may be said to “act effectively.”  

It is worth noting that Jesus Christ referred to the earthly throne of Satan in connection with his congregation. In commending a few anointed Christians in the Pergamum congregation, Jesus stated: “I know where you are dwelling, that is, where the throne of Satan is.” Evidently, Jesus’ words are intended to acknowledge the influence upon the congregation due to its proximity to the throne of Satan. Keeping in mind that the letters to the seven symbolic congregations in Revelation are really intended for those living during the Lord’s Day, it becomes apparent that there is a specific capital associated with the Devil’s government over the world in the present age. Of all the great cities in the world, London appears to serve in the capacity of Satan’s earthly throne. In order to appreciate the place London occupies today as a demonic control center and the impact London has had chiefly upon the United States, as well as the Watchtower and Jehovah’s Witnesses, consider now the development and origin of modern religious thought and culture in Great Britain. 

Following England’s break with the Vatican, the ruling monarch became the head of the newly formed Church of England in 1534. It was not long, though, before various kinds of Protestant reformers—collectively known as Puritans—broke from the Crown’s anglicized version of Catholicism. This resulted in years of bitter persecution for the Puritans, which eventually led to their immigration to America as the original Pilgrims and ultimately to the establishment of the American Republic in opposition to the British Empire. It is also notable that the Puritans rejected the liturgical form of worship and developed the sermon-based service familiar to Jehovah’s Witnesses today. 

Understandably, the King’s Anglican Church had a difficult time establishing itself in early America, as members of the church were required to swear allegiance to the king of England. However, the Empire developed more subtle means of influencing and controlling religious and political thought. After the Crown authorized the translation of the King James Version of the Bible in the early 1600s, London eventually became home to numerous Bible Societies and missionary groups. As the Vatican and Constantinople had for centuries established their control over the Bible and religious thought, the newly ascending Anglo Empire sought to do the same thing. Perhaps inevitably, it was not long before the deepening interest in the Bible gave rise to the teaching of British Israelism and so-called Dispensationalism—or what is called today “end times” eschatology. Anglican clergyman, John Nelson Darby, is credited for popularizing such. The most pernicious outgrowth of British Israelism is Zionism, which has been adopted by virtually all evangelical and Armageddonist sects and cults today as being an authentic Bible doctrine. Zionism has especially become the cornerstone of Anglo-American foreign policy—even providing biblical justification for endless geo-political intrigue in the Middle East. Perhaps it is fitting that Zionism may well serve as the detonator for nuclear war—the Zionist’s version of Armageddon. (How Evangelicals infiltrated the US Military – Alternet) 

Through the doctrine of British Israelism (or Anglo-Israelism) and the secretive apparatus of Masonry—apparently in some instances even channeled through networks of Anglo-American intelligence operatives—London has hatched and controlled numerous sects and cults; such as so-called “Low-church” Pentecostalism, Armstrong’s World Wide Church of God, as well as the 1960’s “Jesus people” movement. The Reverend Sun Yung Moon, who is considered to be a neo-Nazi, runs the so-called Moonie cult, otherwise known as the Unification Church. The UN-promoting Bahai faith also appears to have connections to the Victorian British Empire, its founder being an advocate of a political super-state. 

Religion has always been a tool of the state, and like its imperial predecessors, London has also effectively used religion to accomplish its geopolitical goals of world domination. The common thread that seems to link all sects and cults together is the matrix of secret societies. 

Jehovah’s Witnesses are rumored to have Masonic origins. So, the question is not inappropriate: Just where does the Watchtower stand in relation to London’s religio-imperial control? 

There has been speculation in recent years about Charles Taze Russell’s connection to Masonry. Unfortunately, Pastor Russell was responsible for much of the controversy. In a public talk delivered in 1913, Russell spoke very favorably of Masonry. Although he plainly stated that he was not a Mason, his sermon revealed he was thoroughly familiar with Masonry. He also spoke of the Christian priesthood in the terminology peculiar to the Masons. Russell even declared that Christ was the Master Mason—in the sense that he is the master temple builder. Although the stories of his supposedly being in the pedigreed bloodline of the mystical Illuminati have no basis in fact, Charles Russell and the early Bible Students were unquestionably heavily influenced by British-Israelism as it was expressed through the Darby-influenced Millerite-Adventists groups of the 1800s. 

While some of Russell’s numerous enemies have endeavored to portray him as a Satanist, it is obvious to those who love the truth that C.T. Russell was a deeply devoted child of God. Nevertheless, unfortunately, it is equally evident he was also influenced to some extent by Masonic mysteries. As a few examples, the cross, inserted through a crown, which originally appeared on the cover of Russell’s Watchtower magazine, is evidently a prominent Masonic symbol. The ancient Egyptian symbol of the winged sun also used to appear on numerous Watchtower books. And even though Russell justified its use by connecting it to Malachi 4:2, the Watchtower eventually wisely discontinued using occult symbols on their literature. Russell’s fascination with the pyramids also smacks of Masonry. For example, his dispensational pyramidal Chart of the Ages borrows from the same occult symbolism that appears on the Great Seal of the Federal Reserve Note. To this day, a Masonic pyramid marks Russell’s gravesite memorial in Pennsylvania. 

In view of the undeniable facts at hand, it is apparent that the Watchtower’s use of those powerful occult symbols in the early days is not only evidence of their own influences, but the appearance of mystical typology must have also served to attract other Masons into the organization, and by those means, the Watchtower Society has most assuredly been secretly infiltrated and no doubt subtly influenced by those, who, as the prophecy says, are “leaving the holy covenant.”

 DENUNCIATIONS AGAINST THE HOLY COVENANT

 In view of past successes of the Roman king of the north in subverting Christianity and the much available evidence of London’s efforts to control Christian sects in modern times, it is inconceivable that Satan the Devil would not make every effort to use his earthly apparatus to overreach Jehovah’s true servants. But before examining further how the king of the north may have infiltrated Jehovah’s Witnesses, next is a brief consideration of other ways in which the imperial king of the north has acted effectively.”

After the Second World War, the British Empire was faced with the challenge of a resurgent American king of the south, as well as a rapidly growing New World Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Thus, the Empire adopted new tactics. It has since become the strategy of the London oligarchy to not only doctrinally corrupt and control Christianity from within, but also to oppose it philosophically through atheism and paganism. After the horrific destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ushered in the nuclear age, British Lord Bertrand Russell advocated a superpower Cold War standoff between the Anglo-American dyad and the Soviet Union. Bertrand Russell’s scheme was intended to terrorize the world into abandoning nationalism and accepting the United Nations as a world government. 

At the same time as the “Red Menace” was being exploited and the Cold War was heating up, London’s Tavistock Institute set about on a decades-long campaign of mass brainwashing for the purpose of corrupting Western Civilization. The newly-invented technology of television became a powerful tool in the hands of the London-directed social engineers, not only as a propaganda tool but as a means to take their version of the Roman Empire’s demoralizing “bread and circuses” policy of population pacification to a whole new level. 

The Empire was especially threatened by the wave of cultural optimism President Kennedy generated through uniquely American programs like the Peace Corp and particularly by his commitment to scientific advancement embodied in the Apollo moon mission. But after the mind-jolting trauma of the Cuban missile crisis and the assassinations of key American leaders during the 1960s, including President Kennedy himself, the Empire promoted the use of LSD and the drug-sex-rock & roll counter-culture in order to mass-induce cultural pessimism and hedonism in their ongoing war against the Renaissance and Christianity. 

It is no secret that many of the most famous rock stars from the original wave of the appropriately named “British Invasion,” were hedonists, occultists and even disciples of depraved British Satanist, Aleister Crowley. Concurrent with that, the “God is dead” campaign also burst on the scene during the turbulent ’60s and was specifically directed against Christianity—not against pantheism and the gods of the then-emerging New Age cult. The intended result was that much of the cultural and scientific advances by the king of the south, which culminated with men walking on the moon, were effectively reversed in one generation by a wave of paganism, anti-nuclear power hysteria and environmentalism in the name of saving goddess earth—Gaia. 

Society was deceived into believing the lie that Christian culture and scientific progress was responsible for ruining the world. So instead of producing a new generation of scientists, doctors and Renaissance thinkers, the enemies of civilization effectively mass-induced a form of cultural genocide. By attacking the moral foundation of biblical Christianity, even indirectly, the imperial king of the north would “hurl denunciations against the holy covenant and act effectively.” 

“HE WILL LEAD INTO APOSTASY”

The span of verses from Daniel 11:32-35 foretells how the king of the north will influence God’s people more directly. Daniel 11:32 indicates that the king of the north poses a direct challenge to the faith and integrity of Jehovah’s people. It reads: “And those who are acting wickedly against the covenant, he will lead into apostasy by means of smooth words. But as regards the people who are knowing their God, they will prevail and act effectively.” 

On the night of the Lord’s evening meal, Jesus concluded a kingdom covenant with his apostles—and by extension, with all anointed Christians. At the Lord’s side at the Passover table was Judas Iscariot—one of the twelve. The traitorous Judas was certainly guilty of acting wickedly against the covenant. And has already been discussed, Judas, “the son of destruction,” has a modern counterpart in the man of lawlessness, who is instrumental in fomenting apostasy within the true Christian congregation as an immediate prelude to the manifestation of Christ. Since Christ’s kingdom is no part of this world, Christians must also be no part of the world. Those “acting wickedly against the covenant” are apostates who violate their covenant with Jehovah and Christ by becoming part of Satan’s world. 

Fitting the pattern outlined in Daniel’s prophecy, in recent years the Watchtower has served as the spokesman for anointed Christians, who are in a covenant relationship with God. And although few of Jehovah’s Witnesses would admit it and most are not even aware of it, the leadership of the Watchtower organization has indeed violated Christ’s kingdom covenant. How so? 

While the Watchtower Magazine has carried the sub-caption “Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom,” the organization also signed an NGO pact with the United Nations, which, as explained already, essentially required the Watchtower Society to use its resources and influence to disseminate information regarding the United Nation’s agenda for global government. By their treachery, certain men in high places within the Watchtower Society have unquestionably acted wickedly against Christ’s kingdom covenant. 

But in what way, though, might the king of the north have misled the leadership of Jehovah’s Witnesses into apostasy “by means of smooth words”?

Well, “smooth words” might indicate flattering speech or deceptive, counterfeit words. In that respect, it cannot be coincidental that the oligarchy’s new world order and the Watchtower’s message of a new world order are nearly indistinguishable. In fact, the terminology is exactly the same. Consider a few other similarities: Those who advocate a new world order cite the inability of national governments to cooperate in enacting effective environmental laws to prevent rampant pollution. So does the Watchtower. 

Advocates of a new world order cite wars between the nations as the rationale for doing away with competing national governments. So does the Watchtower.

Promoters of a new world order cite the ineffectiveness of national governments in dealing with international terrorism as the basis for global government. So does the Watchtower. 

The oligarchy behind the new world order wants to discourage youth from getting a classical education. So does the Watchtower. 

Virtually every social problem facing the nations today, be it over-population, pollution, drugs, crime or poverty, is used by the imperialists as the rationale for doing away with national sovereignties in favor of global government. In this, the Watchtower appears to mimic the globalists. “Smooth words” indeed!

But the mimicry goes further than that and stretches back to the attachment Jehovah’s Witnesses have to the year 1914. How so? 

Consider that Jehovah’s Witnesses have been led to believe that Satan initially set up the League of Nations as a counterfeit kingdom in direct response to God’s kingdom coming to power in 1914. However, the opposite appears to be the case. Amazingly, the Watchtower seems to have imitated the nations; that is because the Watchtower did not even begin to point to 1914 as the date for the establishment of Christ’s kingdom until some years later—well after London had already established their hoped-for world government in the form of the League of Nations. Prior to that, the Watchtower had taught that Christ’s presence had begun in 1874 and that 1914 would see the breakup and overthrow of all the nations. When those expectations were dashed only afterward did the Watchtower formulate the 1914 doctrine in its present form.

But how reasonable is it that the nations supposedly banded together as one under the banner of the now-defunct League of Nations in order to oppose Christ’s kingdom before it was even announced to them that Messiah’s kingdom had begun ruling? Put another way, is it sensible to suppose that men counterfeited God’s kingdom before Jehovah’s servants even began to preach the message that the kingdom began ruling in 1914?  

Of course, Satan the Devil was aware of the emergence of the International Bible Students movement and it would obviously suit his purpose to subvert Christ’s congregation and make it subservient to his own beastly kingdom. 

“THE PEOPLE WHO ARE KNOWING THEIR GOD”

 However, Jehovah’s true witnesses have also acted effectively against the Devil and against the king of the north. How so? The remainder of verse 32 and 33 says: “But as regards the people who are knowing their God, they will prevail and act effectively. And as regards those having insight among the people, they will impart understanding to the many. And they will certainly be made to stumble by sword and by flame, by captivity and by plundering, for some days.”

Jesus Christ once stated:  “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” There is no group on earth that has championed the cause of the truth, other than Jehovah’s Witnesses. 

In spite of all of the prophetic miscues and organizational chicanery, the Watchtower has succeeded in imparting the true faith into the hearts of receptive ones. The truth about Jehovah and Christ; their true relationship with each other; the meaning of the ransom; the issues of Jehovah’s universal sovereignty and Christian integrity; Jehovah’s intention to destroy the Devil’s kingdom over the world and the loving purpose of the Creator to usher in a paradise for mankind under the rule of Jesus Christ—these are the core truths that have strengthened Jehovah’s Witnesses to “act effectively” against the enemy.  The Watchtower has imparted vital spiritual insights to millions of people around the world. 

It should be pointed out, that the prophecy does not specifically say that the king of the north directly devotes Jehovah’s servants to the sword and flame, captivity and plundering. It merely states that in spite of the king of the north’s effective efforts God’s people will prevail over the stumbling blocks before them. So it is that many nations of the world have persecuted Jehovah’s Witnesses, subjecting them to prison, banning and even death. No doubt Jehovah’s Witnesses have been able to prevail because of “knowing their God.” 

Daniel’s prophecy continues in the same vein, where we read: “But when they are made to stumble they will be helped with a little help; and many will certainly join themselves to them by means of smoothness.  And some of those having insight will be made to stumble, in order to do a refining work because of them and to do a cleansing and to do a whitening, until the time of the end; because it is yet for the time appointed.”

In the Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy book, the Watchtower assigns the fulfillment of the verse above to Communist infiltration of a few congregations in the former USSR. The Watchtower comments:

“The infiltrators caused some faithful ones to fall into the hands of the authorities. Jehovah allowed such things to happen for a refining and a cleansing of his people.”

It is not clear, though, how Soviet infiltrators may have brought about a cleansing. Instead, it is more probable that “some of those having insight” who are made to stumble are some of the leading men of the Watchtower Society; who, by their erroneous teachings, stumble themselves and others and set the stage for a future refining and “whitening” during the time of the end. 

But after decades of running a war of persecution, propaganda and subversion against Christianity, the king of the north finally commits himself to a full-scale invasion of the domain of Christ Jesus—as it is represented on the earth by his anointed followers. Hence, we read at Daniel 11:31: “And there will be arms that will stand up, proceeding from him; and they will actually profane the sanctuary, the fortress, and remove the constant feature. And they will certainly put in place the disgusting thing that is causing desolation.” 

What are the “arms that will stand up, proceeding from” the king of the north? And when do the sanctuary, fortress and constant feature come in line for profanation? According to Daniel’s prophecy regarding the king fierce of countenance, it is during the time of the end. Also, it should be recognized, that Jesus’ exhortation—“when you catch sight of the disgusting thing that causes desolation, as spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in a holy place, (let the reader use discernment)”—is directing the discerning reader primarily to Daniel 11:31. Apparently, though, the prophecy is not to be taken in strict chronologic, sequential ordering from one verse to the next—as it is presently understood. The desolating “arms” that “will stand up, preceding from him”—that is, from the king of the north—is in reference to the already-established institution of the United Nations Organization, which will serve as the future desolator of the holy place. 

Daniel foretells that both kings will set up the disgusting thing, as in—“They will certainly put in place the disgusting thing.” This harmonizes with the prophecy of Revelation that calls for the two-horned Anglo-American entity (“they”) to breathe live into an inanimate idolatrous image of the beastly political system. So, while the United Nations appears to be an Anglo-American creation, it is in keeping with the financier oligarchy’s goal of world empire and hence, the scheme originates with the imperial king of the north. 

“AND IN THE TIME OF THE END…A PUSHING”

 “The time of the end” begins the climacteric phase of the long-running rivalry between the king of the north and king of the south, which ultimately leads to Michael the archangel standing up to annihilate the last king. Although the king of the south is destined to initiate the pushing against his imperial nemesis, it is the king of the north who responds with overwhelming force. The angel relates the details of the conclusive clash: “And in the time of the end the king of the south will engage with him in a pushing, and against him the king of the north will storm with chariots and with horsemen and with many ships; and he will certainly enter into the lands and flood over and pass through. He will also actually enter into the land of the Decoration, and there will be many lands that will be made to stumble. But these are the ones that will escape out of his hand, Edom and Moab and the main part of the sons of Ammon. And he will keep thrusting out his hand against the lands; and as regards the land of Egypt, she will not prove to be an escapee. And he will actually rule over the hidden treasures of the gold and the silver and over all the desirable things of Egypt. And the Libyans and the Ethiopians will be at his steps.”

Having presented the historical dimensions of the ongoing confrontation between two inimical systems that have become fused together into what is now the Anglo-American dual world power, it is time to consider what is to occur in the time of the end. 

It is noteworthy that the English phrase “the time of the end” appears in the Greek Septuagint translation of Daniel as the word “synteleia.” However, in the actual Greek Scriptures “synteleia” is translated into English as “the conclusion of a system of things.” This indicates that the phrases “the time of the end” and “conclusion of a system” are synonymous. It may rightly be concluded, then, that the harvest is accomplished concurrent with the concluding phase of the rivalry between the two kings. It would appear that the variously described whirlwind and storm-like invasion of the king of the north is the tempest of Jehovah. 

Though initiated by the “pushing” of the king of the south, the most significant feature of the end-times conflict between the two kings is that the king of the north ultimately overwhelms and subjugates his rival. It would appear that his domination will be total—global. That is why it is a single king—the king of the north—who comes all the way to his end with no helper for him to be found. That crucial fact has so far been lost upon the Sibyls of Bethel. Yet the prophecy is in harmony with the totality of God’s prophetic word, which reveals a solitary king will appear on the scene during the final period. Noteworthy, too, both the NWT and the KJV use the term “pushing.” A push or a shove between two belligerents is not intended as an all-out knockout blow. What may be involved in the “pushing” between the two kings during the time of the end? 

The expression “the time of the end” may well be an appropriate way to describe the world at this present moment from the standpoint that a system is ending. No, not the entire wicked system, not yet anyway, but certainly it is no exaggeration to say that the global financial system has recently entered into what some might describe as a terminal phase. The Wall Street financial arrangement, which is really just an extension of London’s empire of the financiers, is predatory by design. Particularly is that the case with the exotic new financial schemes of more recent years. As has been demonstrated, the financiers have the power to loot and plunder the world on a massive scale and bring the nations to their knees. The only entities powerful enough to prevent it are the national governments; but lawmakers and watchdogs have been seduced and corrupted by the cunning money powers. 

To illustrate the point, in the past decade laws and regulatory systems that were intended to dampen rampant speculation have been weakened. For example, during the Great Depression Roosevelt signed into law the so-called Glass-Steagall Act, which outlawed commercial and investment banking under the same roof. The intent of the law was to protect bank depositors and investors from losses incurred by speculative bankers. However, Glass-Steagall was repealed in 1999 due to the illegal merger of Travelers Insurance and Citibank. Many observers now point to the repeal of Glass-Steagall as one of the major reasons for the ongoing financial meltdown, which to date has seen the evaporation of over $50 trillion from equities values worldwide, largely due to the derivatives losses of the giant banking houses and their subsidiary hedge funds. 

As another example of the paralysis of governmental agencies, in recent months two well respected Wall Street men have been exposed as operating massive Ponzi schemes that were also used as drug money laundering conduits and which ultimately bilked tens of billions from trusting individuals and institutions. In both cases, regulators at the SEC were aware of suspicious activities but did nothing to protect investors. Now, though, a new American administration is attempting to reverse years of deregulation and even making tentative moves to crack down on the Empire’s flourishing dope business. And not only that, but as reported by the British press recently, London is horrified that the Obama administration may not continue the Anglo-American “Special Relationship.” This startling development gives rise to the question—has the prophesied “pushing” begun? Time will tell. 

All this comes at a time when world leaders are faced with setting up a new global financial and monetary structure to replace the failed present system. That such discussions are now taking place, in a recent speech before gathered Asian financial ministers, the former head of the IMF, Michael Camdessus, called upon Asia to become the new money center of a “new world order.” There are also serious discussions to replace the U.S. Dollar as the world’s reserve currency with a currency issued by the United Nations. The question that remains unanswered is who will control the new financial system? Will individual nations be allowed to reassert their sovereignty over their currencies and domestic economies, or will private financial interests continue to dominate? Those are the crucial issues with which the world is now faced. And the urgency of the crisis requires immediate solutions. 

One thing seems fairly certain: any move by the American government to extract itself from the hunter’s net and push the financiers into the background will be met with a storm of ferocity. 

 The Empire now stands poised to unleash a wave of assassinations, terrorism—perhaps using biological agents—anarchy and world war, in order to destroy the nation-state system for good. And although London and the British Empire may have played the role of the king of the north for the past two centuries that is about to change too.  In the aftermath of the coming crash of the present Anglo-American system the last manifestation of the king of the north will likely be in the form of the United Nations—not as it presently exists, but as a totalitarian, supra-national government—the new world order.