ALARMED BY DISTURBING REPORTS

Consider what the book of Revelation has to say about the end of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion.  Before "the war of the great day of God the Almighty," Armageddon, this great enemy of true worship "will be completely burned with fire." (Revelation 16:14, 16; 18:2-8)  Her destruction is foreshadowed by the pouring out of the sixth bowl of God's wrath on the symbolic river Euphrates. The river is  dried up so that "the way might be prepared for the kings from the rising of  the sun." (Revelation 16:12) Who are these kings?  None other than Jehovah God and Jesus Christ! - Compare Isaiah 41:2; 46:10, 11. 

The destruction of  Babylon the Great is geographically described in the book of Revelation, which states:  "The ten horns that you saw [the kings ruling in the time of the end], and the wild beast [the United Nations], these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshly parts and will completely burn her with fire." (Revelation 17:16)   Why will the rulers destroy Babylon the Great? Because 'God puts it into their hearts to carry out his thought.' (Revelation 17:17)  Included among these rulers is the king of the north.  What he hears "out of sunrising" may well refer to this act of Jehovah, when he puts it into the hearts of human leaders to annihilate the great religious harlot. 

But there is a special target for the wrath of the king of the north.  He will "plant his palatial tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of Decoration," says the angel.  In Daniel's time the grand sea was the Mediterranean and the holy mountain was Zion, once the site of God's temple. Hence, in the prophecy's fulfillment the enraged king of the north conducts a campaign against God's people.  In a spiritual sense, the location  "between  the grand sea and the holy mountain" represents the spiritual estate of Jehovah's anointed servants.  They have come out of "the sea"  of mankind alienated  from God and have the hope of ruling on heavenly Mount Zion with Jesus Christ. -Isaiah 57:20; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 14:1.

Ezekiel, a contemporary of Daniel, also prophesied an attack on God's people "in the final part of the days."  He said that the hostilities would be initiated by Gog of Magog, that is, by Satan the Devil.  (Ezekiel 38:14, 16)  Symbolically, from which direction  does Gog come?  "From the remotest parts of the north," says Jehovah, though Ezekiel.  (Ezekiel 38:15)  However vicious this assault, it will not destroy Jehovah's people.  This dramatic encounter will result from a strategic move on  Jehovah's part  to annihilate Gog's forces.  Thus, Jehovah says to Satan:  "I shall certainly . . .put hooks in your jaws and bring you forth."  I will . . .cause you to come up from the remotest parts of the north and bring you in upon the mountains of Israel." (Ezekiel 38:4; 39:2) The news "out of the north" that enrages the king of the north, therefore, must originate with Jehovah.  But just what the reports "out of the sunrising and out of the north" will finally contain, only God will determine and time will tell. 

As for Gog, he organizes his all-out assault because of  the prosperity of "the Israel of God," who, along with the "great crowd' of  "other sheep," are no longer part of his world.  (Galatians 6:16; Revelation 7:9; John 10:16; 17:15, 16; 1 John 5:19) Gog looks askance upon "a people gathered together out of the nations, one that is accumulating [spiritual]wealth and property." (Ezekiel 38:12) Viewing the Christian spiritual estate as "open rural country" ripe for the taking, Gog makes a supreme effort to wipe out this obstacle  to his total control of mankind.  But he fails. (Ezekiel 38:11,18; 39:4) When the kings of the earth,m including the king of the north, attack Jehovah's people, they will 'come all the way to their end.' 

Next time: 'THE KING WILL COME TO HIS END'

From the book: PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999