Daniel Unlocked #79. Why Atheism and Russia are not the King of the South.
The clash of empires in Daniel is limited to those powers who affect the People of God. The sequence is clear, through all 4 cycles. Russia, China, or any other power are not in the picture. If we want to make Russia the King of the south, we must ask how it got so far north of Jerusalem, which is the focal point of the conflict? I do believe atheism is pictured in Revelation 11, but that is a discussion for another day. Our current examination is Daniel 11 and the sequence through 4 consecutive cycles.
The power of Revelation 11 is not the king of the South from Daniel 11, but it IS like it! Daniel 11 is a literal/geopolitical discussion from the beginning, while Revelation 11 uses place names symbolically. This is especially true in Revelation 11 where it says, “which spiritually (or symbolically) is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” When Daniel uses the name Babylon, he means the literal nation of Babylon. When John uses the term Babylon, he uses it as a symbol for a power that is like Babylon. When Daniel uses the term Egypt, he means the literal country of Egypt. When John uses the term Egypt, he uses it as a symbol for a power that is like Egypt.
We have no reason to interpret the powers of Daniel 11 as only religious or only spiritual because Daniel 11 already describes them as both geopolitical and religious. The historical fit of Islam as the king of the South from verses 25 to 43 is too great to ignore. It fits each of the details throughout the prophecy. We should not change the identity of the powers partway through the period between the Roman Empire and the second coming of Jesus Christ.
Both geographical and religious viewpoints understand the king of the North to be the Roman Catholic papacy.
Daniel 2, 7, and 8; 2 Thessalonians 2; and Revelation 13 all indicate that the king of the North covers the period from the fall of Rome to the second coming of Christ. If this is so, then the king of the South should also extend from the fall of the Roman Empire and last until just before the second coming of Christ. We would expect, based on Daniel 11:29-45, three eras of conflict between these same two powers in the period between the collapse of Rome and the Second Advent.
When we understand Islam to be the king of the South, we do not need to change the identity of the king of the South partway through the prophecy—Islam fits all the way through. In Daniel 11, we find such a good description of the Crusades and the Reformation, which are literal and geopolitical and yet occur after the time of Christ’s death? It is not wise to spiritualize a prophecy when it makes sense literally.
When comparing the 4 cycles of prophecy in Daniel (2, 7, 8-9, and 11-12) we should note clearly that Russia (as we know it today) was NEVER part of the Roman empire or its disintergration into the divided nations of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Historically, the Roman Empire became the Little Horn/ King of the North (Europe controlled by the vatican) and the King of the South, (the Middle east and North Africa) controlled by Islam. The third and final conflict between these two powers could well be looming on our own horizon.
Of course, Christianity and Islam have stretched way beyond Europe and the Middle East and therefore we must understand on the basis of the book of Revelation’s input into this that the whole thing, in the end of time, becomes global. The two Ideologies clash and God’s people, spiritual Israel, who align with neither power, get caught in the middle. (Revelation Unlocked is coming!)
The context of Daniel 11:40-43 lends itself to interpreting the king of the South as Islam. When the king of the North launches its final attack against the king of the South, Daniel mentions nations by name. They are Egypt, Libya, Ethiopia, and western Jordan (Ammon, Edom, and Moab). These are all predominantly Islamic, not secular atheistic or communist. The question should be asked, how does the context of Daniel 11:40-45 indicate Communism? Answer: It doesn’t. Those who believe this must find support for their view from outside Daniel 11:40-45.
Geopolitical consistency: After the demise of the Roman Empire, the papacy takes the northern part of the empire, and Islam takes the southern part. For 1,400 years this has been true, even to this day. Christian nations are predominately to the north of Israel and Islamic nations are predominately to the south of Israel. Those who believe that atheistic Communism is the king of the South find themselves forced to explain how the king of the South got so far north into Russia! In short, the atheistic Communism view is not geopolitically consistent with the prophecy. Because the literal explanation fits so well, I am exceedingly reluctant to look for any other supposed meaning. So, I firmly believe Islam to be the king of the South in Daniel 11:25-43.
Thank you Ross for Clarifying , where Islam fits in .