Dan 11:5. Then the king of the South (Negeb in Hebrew) shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority.
The text from Dan 11:5-13 I have avoided for over ten years because I could not understand how to put the exegesis together with the history of God´s people from the time of Alexander the Great to the emergence of the Roman Catholic Church. This text is one of the most complicated texts in the Bible, but after a more in-depth exegetical study things have begun to fall into place and a further understanding became clear.
Who does the king of the North represent symbolically?
This conclusion is from my website www.ayindk.com. The king of the North refers to God, the king of Babylon, the king of Medo-Persia, all the kings of the earth who do God´s bidding, and all the kingdoms described in the statue of Nebuchadnezzar in Dan 2: called by God to achieve his purpose in the history of the world.
Who does the king of the South represent symbolically?
This conclusion is from my website www.ayindk.com. The king of the South (Negeb in Hebrew) does not refer to Egypt. It is a term used for the enemies of Israel and especially the wicked nations that attacked Israel during the 40 years wandering in the wilderness. The king of the South refers to the king of the wicked which is firstly Satan and secondly the kings and nations of the earth who persecuted God´s people. The king of the South also refers to religions like paganism in opposition to the Bible and the belief in God as creator and saviour.
Dan 11:5. Then the king of the South (Negeb in Hebrew) shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be a great authority.
The king of the South refers to the king of the wicked and especially those who persecute God´s people e.g., Satan.
The king of the south is Satan and paganism here in this text. What is paganism that pervaded the Roman empire? www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism
Pagans worship the divine in many different forms, through feminine as well as masculine imagery and also without a gender. The most important and widely recognized of these are the god and goddess (or pantheons of gods and goddesses) whose annual cycle procreation, giving birth and dying defines the pagan year.
Paganism is a non-Christian religion but has influenced Christianity for many years. So paganism had influenced the beliefs of the Roman empire through one of the princes from the king of the South.
Dan 11:5. Then the king of the South (negeb) shall be strong, but one of his princes shall be stronger than he and shall rule, and his authority shall be great authority.
Who does one of Satan´s princes represent in this text?
Among all the emperors who persecuted God´s people, the only one that stands out in Roman history before the date A.D. 508 in Dan 11:14 is the Emperor Nero A.D. 54-68. It was he who had the apostles Paul and Peter executed in Rome. It was Nero who blamed the Christians for the fire in Rome and sent them to the Amphitheatre or the Colosseum in Rome to be mauled to death by lions and bears. He used Christians as living burning candles in the gardens surrounding his palace. This is not paganism but heathenism. Nero the prince representing heathenism shall rule with great authority.
Dan 11:6. After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the South shall come to the king of the North to make an agreement. But she shall not retain strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up, and her attendants, he who fathered her, and he who supported her in those times.
Dan 11:6. To the end of years they make an alliance the daughter of the king of the South she shall come to the king of the North to make and agreement/fairness. (Direct Hebrew translation).
This is the key text for the understanding of Dan 11:5-13.
What does daughter mean in prophecy?
Psalm 45:12. And the daughter of Tyre will come with a gift; the rich among the people will seek your favour. (Daughter refers to the rich living in Tyre).
Psalm 137:7.8. Remember, O Lord, against the sons of Edom – – – O daughter of Babylon, who are to be destroyed. (Daughter refers to the sons of Edom).
Isaiah 1:8. So the daughter of Zion is left as a booth in a vineyard, as a hut in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. (Daughter refers to Judah in verses 1 and 4).
Isaiah 23:10. Overflow through your land like the river O daughter of Tarshish. (Daughter refers to the inhabitants of the city of Tarshish).
Isaiah 37:22-24. The virgin, the daughter of Zion, has despised you, laughed you to scorn; the daughter of Jerusalem has shaken her head behind your back whom you reproached and blasphemed? Against whom have raised your voice and lifted up your eyes on high? Against the Holy One of Israel. By your servants you have reproached the Lord – – -. (Daughter refers to The Lord God).
Isaiah 47:1. Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! Verse 5. Sit in silence and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no longer be called, the Lady of Kingdoms. (Daughter refers to the Chaldeans living in Babylon).
Jeremiah 4:11. At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, a dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness towards the daughter of my people. (Daughter refers to God´s people in Jerusalem).
Jeremiah 46:24-26. The daughter of Egypt shall be ashamed; she shall be delivered into the hand of the people of the north. The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel says: “Behold, I will bring punishment on Aman of No (Amon is a sun god) and Pharoah and Egypt, with their gods and their kings—Pharoah and those who trust in him. And I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the hand of his servants.”
(Daughter refers to all the people living in Egypt who trust in Pharoah, their kings and gods).
Jeremiah 48:18. O daughter inhabiting Dibon, came down from your glory, and sit in thirst; for the plunderer of Moab has come against you. (Daughter refers to the inhabitants of the city of Dibon).
Jeremiah 50:41-43. Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation and many kings shall be raised up from the ends of the earth. Against you, O daughter of Babylon. The king of Babylon has heard the report about them, and his hands grow feeble – – -. (Daughter refers to the king and city of Babylon).
Lamentations 1:6.7. And from the daughter of Zion all her splendour has departed. Her princes have become like deer that find no pasture – – -. In the days of her affliction and roaming, Jerusalem remembers all her pleasant things. (Daughter refers to the people living in Zion and Jerusalem).
Zechariah 2:6.7. “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. “Up Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” (Daughter refers to the inhabitants of Babylon).
Zechariah 9:9. Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; he is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Daughter refers to the inhabitants of Jerusalem at the time Christ rode on a donkey into Jerusalem).
Conclusion
The word daughter is related to the following: The Lord God is the daughter of Zion and Jerusalem. Daughter is referred to Jerusalem, Zion and the inhabitants of Judah. Daughter refers to Egypt, Amon of No, Pharoah and those who trust in him, the kings of Egypt and their gods. Daughter refers to Dibon in Moab. It refers to the king of Babylon and king Nebuchadnezzar and the inhabitants of Chaldea. It refers to Edom which is Assyria, and northern Arabia. Lastly it refers to God´s kingdom and people living in Jerusalem.
Who does the daughter of the king of the South represent? Paganism and believing in different gods.
Dan 11:6. To the end of years they make an alliance the daughter of the king of the South she shall come to the king of the North to make and agreement/fairness. (Direct Hebrew translation).
The key word in this text is the word alliance. The only alliance between the daughter of the king of the South with the king of the North would have to be between the time of the end of emperor Nero´s reign A.D. 68 and Dan 11:14, A.D. 508. Furthermore, the words `after some years´ refers to the alliance made between the daughter of the king of the South representing paganism, and the king of the North representing king Constantine in A.D. 312 when he was converted to Christianity. Before this time the majority of the emperors and people in the Roman empire were pagans and worshipped paganism.
So when we are talking about an alliance we are talking about the alliance between Christianity and paganism which influenced the church in a negative way through church history.
How did Constantine influence Christianity with paganist beliefs?
- Constantine retained the pagan high priest´s title Pontifex Maximus, for a decade his coins continued to feature some of the pagan gods, notably his own favorite deity, the Unconquered Sun.[i]
- Retaining the pagan symbols was a necessary compromise with his pagan subjects, still very much in the majority.[ii]
- Constantine continued to identify the sun with the Christian God in some way.[iii]
- When in 321 Constantine made the first day of the week a holiday, he called it `the venerable day of the Sun` (Sunday).[iv] Many Christians henceforth worshipped on Sunday instead of the Bible Sabbath on Saturday.
- From sun-worship, for example, came the celebration of Christ´s birth on the twenty-fifth of December, the birthday of the Sun, Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival of 17-21 December, provided the merriment, gift-giving and candles typical of later Christmas holidays.[v]
- The use of candles, incense and garlands, were first avoided by the church because they symbolized paganism.[vi]
- Some scholars believe that the worship of Artemis (Acts 19:35 The goddess Diana) was transferred to Mary the mother of Christ.[vii]
- Many people connected Mary with Isis, the Egyptian goddess whose worship had spread throughout the empire in the Christian era.[viii] Some surviving images of Isis holding the child Horus are in a pose remarkably similar to that of some early Christian Madonna’s.[ix]
- The cult of saints and martyrs grew rapidly in the fourth century, another example of the old paganism with Christianity.[x]
- The Christian historian Theodoret boasts that in many places saints and martyrs took the place of pagan gods, and their shrines the place of pagan temples.[xi]
- Constantine had to proceed slowly since most of his subjects were still pagan–particularly in the army, and the nobility from whom he drew his officials. His `Edict of Milan` (A.D. 313) proclaimed toleration for both pagan and Christian subjects.[xii]
In 321, Sunday work was forbidden to the people of the cities. Great churches were erected in Rome, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and elsewhere under imperial auspices.[xiii]
These churches took the place of pagan temples, and house churches of which Christianity grew up in the first two centuries in Asia Minor and Europe. These large churches laid the way for a two-tier system in the church where the priests were separated from the laity and they the priests eventually became the head of the church instead of Christ.
Dan 11:6. It says in this verse that the daughter of the king of the South shall not retain strength of her arm, and he and his arm shall not endure, but she shall be given up.
Paganism tried to influence the emperor Constantine the Great so as to overpower him. But this did not take place. After his conversion to Christianity, he made a slow alliance between paganism and Christianity. But paganism did not overpower the church and Constantine´s son´s carried on the reform of the empire to Christianity.
Dan 11:7.8. (Direct translation from Hebrew to English). And he shall arise (one supporting the daughter of the South) from the branch of roots place of him and he shall come against the army and he shall enter in fortress of the king of the North and he shall do with them and he shall make strong and also gods of them with images of them with vessels of precious thing of them silver and gold in the captivity he shall bring Egypt and he years he shall stand from the king of the North then he shall come in kingdom king of the South but he shall return to land of him.
What does branch (netser in Hebrew) of roots mean from the Bible?
Isaiah 11:1.2. There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. (This is without a doubt referring to Jesus Christ).
Isaiah 14:19. But you are cast out of your grave like an abominable branch, like the garment of those who are slain, thrust through with a sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a corpse trodden underfoot. (The context of this passage refers the text to Lucifer whose other name Satan. Isaiah 14:12-21)
Isaiah 60:21. Also your people shall all be righteous; they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. (This is God speaking to his people).
Conclusion
Branch refers to Christ our Saviour, and Satan or Lucifer the false saviour. When the context refers to the branch coming from the king of the South it means Satan or Lucifer.
“This compromise between paganism and Christianity (under Constantine) resulted in the development of `the man of sin´ 2 Thessalonians 2:1-8., foretold in prophecy as opposing and exalting himself above God. That gigantic system of false religion is a masterpiece of Satan’s power—a monument of his efforts to seat himself upon the throne to rule the earth according to his will.”[xiv]
“To secure worldly gains and honours, the Church was led to seek the favour and support of the great men of the earth; and having thus rejected Christ, she was induced to yield allegiance to the representative of Satan–the bishop of Rome.”[xv]
“In 319 private heathen sacrifices were prohibited. Gifts were made to the clergy, and great churches erected in Rome, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and elsewhere under imperial auspices. Above all, Constantine´s formal transference of the capitol to the rebuilt Byzantium, which he called New Rome, but which the world has named in his honour, Constantinople, was of high significance. Undoubtedly political and defensive in its motives, its religious consequences were far-reaching. From its official foundation, in 330, it established the seat of the empire in a city of few heathen traditions or influences, situated in the most strongly Christianized portion of the world. It left the bishop of Rome, moreover, the most conspicuous man in the ancient capital, to which the Latin-speaking West still looked with reverence—in a conspicuity which was more possible of future importance because it was wholly unintended by Constantine and was spiritual rather than political. Great as were the favours which Constantine showed to the church, they were only for that strong, close-knit, hierarchically organized portion that called itself the `Catholic´.”[xvi]
Dan 11:7. (Explanation of the text). And he shall arise (one supporting the daughter of the king of the South) from the branch of roots (Satan who is the king of the South arises from the king of the South´s dominion and establishes the Catholic hierarchy: the bishop of Rome) and he shall come against the army and he shall enter in the fortress of the king of the North. (The bishop of Rome shall enter the fortress which is Rome) and he shall do with them and he shall make strong. (That is the bishop of Rome´s power increases from this point onwards. Although the bishop of Rome is part of the dominion of the king of the South, he later establishes his own spiritual and political kingdom after uprooting the three tribes: Visigoths, Vandals and Ostrogoths. Dan 11:14. The bishop of Rome after Dan 11:14 is referred to as the pronouns “He, Him and His,” and becomes the head of the established church).
Dan 11:8.9. And also gods of them with images of them vessels of precious thing of them silver and gold in the captivity he shall bring Egypt and he shall stand years from king of the North. Then he shall come in kingdom the king of the South, but he shall return to land of him.
What does Egypt mean in prophecy?
Exodus 5:2. Pharoah said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, nor will I let Israel go.” (Egypt refers to Atheism).
Isaiah 19:1. Behold the Lord rides on a swift cloud and will come into Egypt; the idols of Egypt will totter at his presence – – -. (Idols of Egypt).
Isaiah 31:1. Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many – – -. (Egypt refers to trusting in military horses and chariots).
Isaiah 36:6. So is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who trust in him. (Egypt refers to trusting in Pharaoh).
Jeremiah 46:25. The Lord of hosts, the God of Israel says, “Behold, I bring punishment on Amon (sun god) of No (ancient Thebes), and Pharoah and Egypt, with their gods and their kings–Pharaoh and those who trust in him. (Egypt is related to Amon the sun god, No, Pharaoh, kings of Egypt and those who trust in Pharaoh).
Revelation 11:8. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (This text is referring to the French Revolution in 1793 when the French Assembly had all the Bibles burnt and many Christians were persecuted and executed by the guillotine. The French Assembly had rejected God and accepted Atheism as their religion, the same as Pharaoh during the 10 plagues of Egypt).
Conclusion
Egypt is a symbol of Atheism e.g., Pharaoh who rejected God as his saviour and creator. Egypt is a symbol of idols which do not represent God, like the sun god. Egypt is a symbol of trusting in military horses and chariots and the kings of Egypt.
Let us look at the text again referring to Egypt.
Dan 11:8. And also gods of them with images of them with vessels of precious thing of them silver and gold in the captivity he shall bring Egypt and he years he shall stand from the king of the North.
The translation should be, “he shall bring Egypt into captivity.” That is he shall bring atheism and trusting in military power into captivity. E.g., Isaiah 46:1.2. Bel bows down, Nebo stoops; their idols were on the beasts and on the cattle. Your carriages were heavily loaded, a burden to the weary beast. They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden but have themselves gone into captivity.
What does silver and gold mean in this text?
When gold and silver are related to images the text is translated literally. E.g., Isaiah 46:6. Those who lavish gold from the purse and weigh out silver in the scales, hire a goldsmith, and he makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship it.
Dan 11:8. (Explanation of the text). Egypt is symbolic of atheism, trusting in military power and idols representing the sun god. The images made of silver and gold representing idols like the sun god were not allowed under the bishop of Rome´s jurisdiction or under the emperor Constantine´s power. Therefore, Egypt is described as being in captivity under their rulership.
Dan 11:9. Then he (king of the North: Constantine) shall come in the kingdom of the king of the South (Bishop of Rome with Satan guiding him) but he shall return to land of him.
Constantine helped to establish the bishop of Rome in Rome while he himself returned to Constantinople to rule the Roman empire from there. This was to be his land until his death in 337.
[i] Tim Dowley, Edit., A Lion Handbook. The History of Christianity (Herts: Lion Publishing, 1977), 130.
[ii] Ibid., 131.
[iii] Ibid., 131.
[iv] Ibid., 131.
[v] Ibid., 131.
[vi] Ibid., 132.
[vii] Ibid., 132.
[viii] Ibid., 132.
[ix] Ibid., 132.
[x] Ibid., 132.
[xi] Ibid., 132.
[xii] Ibid., 135.
[xiii] Williston Walker, A History of the Christian Church (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1959), 105.
[xiv] Ellen G. White, Confrontation (Grantham: The Stanborough Press, 1978), 50.
[xv] Ibid., 50.
[xvi] Walker, A History of the Christian Church, 105.