FROM The Second Advent - How: When: Where? Daniel Chapter 11
By A. J. Ferris
Revised 20230831
I am dyslexic so please bear with me. Scripture references are from Modern King James (MKJV) unless noted other wise.
Aim -
Is to
produce a short useful piece of reference material based on the work by Mr. A. J. Ferris concerning his commentary on
Daniel chapters 11.
Reason –
This booklet is out of print. In my opinion it is one of the few commentaries with considerable detail covering this particular prophecy. Hence it is worthy of revival.
Reference:
The Second Advent: How, When, Where? / A. J. Ferris. - Fourth Edition.;
And my HARD copy of the booklet
Background
The attached material has been copied from
the above-mentioned booklet. Ferris initially produced his first edition in
1935, then later, the third edition in July 1940. The works of Ferris can be
obtained from the National Library; you can search via “Trove”, “https://trove.nla.gov.au/”.
This chapter is one continuous event or
vision. Cyrus and Darius the Mede are the same person, Refer to the works by
James Ussher’s, ‘The Annals of the World’- “560 BC par 902”. So it is Gabriel
who says in Dan 11:1 “I, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I was standing
for a supporter and for a fortress for him.”
The symbols like [P57] indicate the exact location of the bottom of the booklet page. In some cases it happened to be mid sentence. Or [Map] indicate the exact location of the map or chart.
Ferris uses the Historic interpretation point of view, as did many of the orthodox Protestant commentators. Refer to ‘e-Sword’, History of The Christian Church, volume 1 chapter 12 par. 101. Or do a word search using the phrase “The Apocalypse is a prophetic”.
From “The Second Advent: How, When, Where? By A. J. Ferris. - Fourth Edition.” Starting page 57
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(5) The Fall of Turkey, the last “King of the North” of Dan 11, also shows that the l9l7 generation will see the Second Advent.
DANIEL, Chapter 11. 3. And a mighty king shall stand up. 4. ..and his kingdom shall be broken. 5. And the King of the South shall be strong ..and he (the King of the North) shall be strong above him. (verses 6 to 30) 31 ..And arms shall stand and they shall pollute the sanctuary, and shall take away the daily sacrifice (70 A.D,) and they shall place the abomination that makes desolate. 32 ..the people that do know their God shall do exploits and shall .. 33. Instruct many, yet they shall fall by the sword., and by flame, by captivity ..many days. 34 ..but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. (35) ..36. And the king shall ..exalt himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished. 37. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers nor the desire of women.... 38. But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not ..with gold, and silver, and with precious stones.
DAN. 11 Is the consecutive history of the nations ruling the Near East from Alexander the Great to fall of Turkey in 1917- 18. The “mighty king” of DAN. 11-3 was Alexander the Great after whose death in 323 B.C. the Greek Empire was divided into two smaller Empires, one centred in SYRIA, north of Palestine, and the other in EGYPT, south of Palestine. Verses 6 to 30 then foretold the history of those two powers from 323 B.C. to 62 8.C., calling them by the names of the " King of the North " and the “King of the South. “Bishop Newton, the well-known writer on prophecy, stated that Daniel's forecast of the careers of those kings of Syria and Egypt” was really more perfect than any history." About 60 B.C. the Romans conquered the whole of the Near East, so that the " King of the North " and the " king of the South " ceased to exist until the fall of Imperial Rome when, as Daniel foretold, they rose again. [P57]
Verse 31 describes the rise of the Imperial Roman Empire; (“arms shall stand on his part"); and how that the Romans would destroy the Temple-as in70 A.D. (“they shall take away the daily sacrifice”) the same " abomination of desolation" referred to in Christ’s prophecy of the destruction of Jerusalem.
Verses 32, 33, then describe the preaching by the early Christians ("the people that do know their god shall do exploits ") and then their persecution under Pagan Rome (" yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame and by captivity.")
Verse 34 then describes the cessation of that tribulation by the nominal conversion of the Roman Empire to Christianity under the leadership of the Emperor Constantine in 312 A.D. (" many shall cleave to them with flatteries.”) - Christianity became popular.
Verses 36 to 39 then describe apostate Christendom during the "'time of the end " under the head of the Papacy from 533 B.C. " till the indignation be accomplished' that is, until the end of the " seven times” chastisement of Israel. The Papacy certainly “(exalted himself above every god”, i.e., above all idols and rulers, nor did he " regard the desire of women," by laws of celibacy forbidding the marriage of its priesthood of both sexes, and confining multitudes to seclusive monastery life. Also “in his estate he honoured the God of forces”, or as literally rendered, “a God of protectors”, or divine guardians. Parallel with the rise of the Papacy into power, the Church of Rome encouraged the worship of the shrines, relics and images of dead saints who came to be regarded as intercessors and mediators to God. The Roman Catholic nations name their streets after their saints. Thousands of village churches and chapels in France, Belgium, Austria, etc., have their patron saints. The Roman Catholic peoples also hang medals of their saints around the necks of their cattle as lucky charms, and wear brooches of their saints to protect them from accidents, etc. Moreover the Papacy “honoured a god whom his fathers knew not, with gold, silver, and precious stones”. Some regard this as a reference to the [P58] “Virgin Mary” images of whom were, and still are covered with priceless jewels. However the “Queen of Heaven” was well known to the Babylonians and idolatrous Israelites of old, (see Jer, 44:17 to 19,) so that this more likely refers to the worship of the “bread-god” the “host” or “mass” encased in the be-jewelled monstrance.
The fall of the Imperial Roman Empire also allowed the nations of the Near East to rise into power once again. As foretold in DAN. 7:2, “their lives were prolonged for a season and a time.” Thus Dan. 11:40 to 45, describe during the period of Papal dominion, the rise again of the two Gentile Empires corresponding to the Kings of the North and South of pre-Roman days. Verse 40 shows these two powers attacking in turn the dominions of apostate Christendom, and shows the “King of the North” being victorious over many countries of the former Imperial Roman Empire. Verse 40: - “and at that time of the end shall the King of the South push at HIM, and the King of the North shall come against HIM like a whirlwind. . . .” First of all notice in this verse that the “King of the North” does NOT fight against the “King of the South” as so many people wrongly read this verse. The “King of the South” attacks “HIM” -the Papal dynasty and the countries of idolatrous Christendom described in the previous verses 36 to 39. Then the “King of the North” follows on and also attacks “HIM” -the same countries, and apparently with far more permanent results. It needs very little knowledge of European history to identify these two anti-Papal Eastern powers of the latter days. Sir Isaac Newton, one of history's greatest intellects, clearly showed in his “Observations Upon the Prophecies of Daniel”, 1733, that these two powers were the ARABS and the TURKS who successively attacked and conquered large portions of apostate Papal Christendom. Here is similar evidence from a later famous Bible student. Dr. Alexander Keith, who wrote on pages 141, 142 of his “Signs of the Times”, 1847: - [P59] “The King of the South, and the King of the North, as denoting the successive sovereigns of Egypt and Syria, necessarily passed away, when these kingdoms were engrossed in the Roman Empire. But as their designation was derived from the local relation of their kingdoms to Judea, so also in the more recent things (i.e. in the latter days) the some names must be held to retain the same general significancy. And not only is it so in respect to the Saracenic and Turkish powers-that the one arose on the south, and the other on the north of Judea-but the Saracens actually became masters of Egypt, the original kingdom of the of the King of the South, and were the first to dispossess the Romans of that country, and long retained possession of it; while 'Syria, or the Kingdom of the North, was also a province of the Turkish Empire. And both, thought in a larger sense, have occupied the stations of the former and original kings. With the exception of them, there is none in all past history to whom the appellation of the Kings of the South and of the North, in reference to Judea, can, with any propriety, be adapted; while the Caliphs of the Saracens, and the Emperors of the Turks, have a clear as well as exclusive right to the name, and have sustained the characters, as they occupy the place, of the Kings of the North and of the South, during the period of the " time of the end," even as during that appointed time the Pope bore all the marks of the king, who did according to his will, and magnified himself above all,” In regard to the " King of the South," in 622 A.D. Mohammed was proclaimed in Medina, Arabia, as the prince and prophet of Allah by the Arabs. In 629,he sallied forth from the SOUTH of Palestine at the head of a vast and victorious army. From 634 to 644 A.D., the Caliph Omar, a successor to Mohammed, conquered 36,000 cities or strongholds, destroyed 4,000 Christian churches and built 1.400 Mosques. By the year 638, A.D. the Mohammedans had conquered Palestine including Jerusalem, while Egypt fell in 640. Then the Saracen Empire gradually [P60] spread across Northern Africa and thence to Spain.
[P61 is Map]
This verse exactly describes the career of the Turks from the 11th to the 16th century, A.D., when they became the greatest military power of Europe and Asia-the “terrible Turk”. Their one object was to destroy idolatrous Christianity according to the Koran of Mohammed, and this they did when they “entered into the countries” of Asia Minor and “overflowed and passed over” the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. In 1453 A.D. Constantinople which was the centre of Eastern Christendom, fell to the Turks. The next, event Danie1 described in time order was the conquest of the “glorious land” or Palestine. Verse 41: “He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon”. [P62]
In 1550, the Turks next conquered. Libya - in strict agreement with Daniel's prophecy' As regards Ethiopia. Sit Paul Rycaut tells on the same page as quoted above. that after the Turkish conquest of Egypt and Libya"". " all the princes who were before tributary or Confederate to the late Sultan of Egypt even to the Most mighty King of Ethiopia without delay entered into like subjection with the Turks." Thus the Ethiopians - were truly " at his steps " on the southern boundary of the Turkish Empire. Thus Dan 11: 44 to 43 describes a vast Empire obtained by military conquest, stretching over Asia Minor, South-Eastern Europe, Pristine, Egypt, and North-African lands. This exactly was the composition -of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries There could never have been written a more accurate description of the rise of the Turkish Empire in so few words as Danie1 used in DAN 11-40 to 43' Nor has history recorded any other Empire which has fulfilled Daniel’s prophecy except Turkey. DAN. 17-44,-45, then foretold the cause of the collapse of the " King of the North " and that he would come to his end. " But tidings out of the EAST and out of the NORTH should trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many". Trouble from the east and from the north of Turkey. would be from Russia as the latter is directly north-east of Turkey. (As there was no single word for " north-east " in Hebrew, the above method was the only way to indicate the direction of -Russia). The “tiding " from Russia was the news of the repeated encroachment of Russia across Turkey's north-eastern boundaries (Russia’s ulterior motive being to capture Constantinople, the gate to the Black Sea). As a result of such an encroachment, Turkey sent army after army, and navy after navy against Russia “with great fury” and in every case met with disaster. For Example, in the Russian-Turkish War of 1768, the Turkish armies were beaten and disgraced.
In 1770, [P65] the Turkish fleet was annihilated by Russia in the Aegean .Sea. In 1774, another Turkish army was completely beaten. In 1777, Russia again defeated Turkey on both sea and land. In 1806, Russia occupied Moldavia and Walachia, and the' Turkish fleet was again destroyed by the Russian fleet. In 1826, Turkey surrendered to Russia all the fortresses it possessed in Asia. The war continued and resulted in the independence of Greece in 1829. Then in 1853 Turkey took the offensive against Russia and the Crimean War broke out. In 1867 Servia was made independent. Then in 1877-8, there took place the most disastrous war of all between Russia and Turkey as a result of which the countries forming modern Jugo-Slavia, Rumania and Bulgaria were severed from the. Turkish Empire which thus lost the major portion of its European territory. Verse 45 then foretold the complete end of the Turkish Empire: - “And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.” The glorious holy mountain between the seas is Mount Zion, between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean. The translation " tabernacles of his palace,” as in the A.V., obscures the true meaning. On page 356 of his " Dissertations on the Prophecies” l754. Bishop Newton pointed out the correct interpretation (as also borne out by Elliot and other scholarly commentators), as follows.- “.. he shall plant the TENTS OF His Army, ,etc." What then are the facts of history? In the Great War, the Turks made their military headquarters in Jerusalem on Mount Zion, with the result that the once great Turkish Empire came to its final end by the loss of Palestine, Mesopotamia and Syria. In 1917-18, the Turks were driven out of Baghdad Damascus and Aleppo – the three capitals of the pre-Roman “Kings of the North”. Thence Turkey ceased to be the “King of the North,” which [P66] thus “came to his end”, and none helped him.
[P67 Map]
The Turks afterwards shifted their capital from Imperial Constantinople to Ankara in Asia Minor, which became a small cosmopolitan Republic. Verses l to 3 of DAN. 12, tell us what will happen next. Dan 12: 1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. :2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Therefore the next great events before us are (A) the activity of Michael the archangel, (B) a great national deliverance of the peoples of Israel and Judah, and (C ) the first resurrection. We recognize these three events as all being associated with the second coming of Christ. As regards Michael, we saw in 1 THESS., 4-16, that when the Lord Jesus descends from heaven, the voice of the archangel will ring out at the head of the angelic hosts. As regards the national deliverance of Israel, God has promised to destroy the German attack on Britain, and also the Russian attack on Palestine, and many scriptures show that all in Israel who at this time call upon the name of the Lord will be saved from destruction. Thirdly, we know that at Christ's advent, there will take place the first resurrection. Therefore, as the last “King of the north,” Turkey, came to his end in 1917-18, these next events as shown to Daniel cannot be far off in our, experience. *For the fulfilment of this prophecy, see “The Great Tribulation, Past, Present or Future?” by A. J. Ferris. [P68]
(6) Daniel's Time-periods of the Mohammedan Desolation also point to the l9l7 generation as the end of the age.
In the remaining verses of Dan 12 the prophet inquires of God what would be the absolute end of the wonders he had been told about in the previous visions, DAN. 2 etc. He is then told the exact length of time the Mohammedan desolation would last and that at its end, the resurrection would take place which means of course the second advent of Christ. Let us now study the dates provided in DAN. 12, which will thus give us a very approximate idea as to when to expect the advent of Christ. As recorded in the last part of Dan 12, Daniel had a vision in which he saw a river on each bank of which stood an angel ; the angel who had been telling Daniel about the “King of the North”, etc., apparently stood in the centre of the river. Verse 5: - "Then I Daniel looked, and behold, there stood other two (angels), the one on this side of the. Bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank." Daniel then heard one of the angels call from the bank to the angel in the centre of the river, "How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?" The “ wonders " were the prophetic visions give to Daniel as recorded in Dan. 2, etc. These can be divided into two groups (A) those including the career of the pre-Roman Kings of the South and North, i.e., Egypt and Syria, and (B), those including the latter-day, Kings of the South and North, i.e. the Arab and Turkish Empires. And so Daniel heard the answer: “And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his RIGHT HAND and his LEFT HAND unto heaven, and sware by Him that liveth for ever that IT (each group of wonders) SHALL BE FOR A TIME, TIMES, AND AN HALF; and when He (God) shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.” [P69]
We notice that the angel raised TWO hands instead of the usual one hand in making an oath, this indicating that his oath referred to the TWO groups of "wonders" in DANIEL. Each group would last for: “3½ times” which meant that the whole of DANIEL would take " seven times” or 2520 years to be fulfilled. We recognize this period as the very length of time God foretold He would chastise and scatter His people Israel and Judah Lev. 26: 32: - “if ye will not hearken unto me, I will chastise you seven times for your sins. …I will SCATTER you among the nations.”
MY comment here: - Maybe a misquote of scripture reference? But he IS refereeing to the following: -
Lev
26:14 “But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do
all these commandments;..:18 And if ye will not yet for all this hearken
unto me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.
…:21 And if ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will
bring seven times more plagues upon you according to your
sins. …:24 Then will I also walk contrary unto you, and will punish
you yet seven times for your sins. …:28 Then I will walk
contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven
times for your sins. …:33 “And I will scatter you among
the heathen, and will draw out a sword after you: and your land shall
be desolate, and your cities waste.”
Hence it seems as if the wonders of DANIEL were to be fulfilled during the captivity of God's people. This is confirmed by the remainder of the angel's answer that “when He shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people " (or as the Septuagint puts it, “when the dispersion is ended,”) then “ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE FINISHED.,, Thus the prophecies of DANIEL were to be fulfilled during the “seven times” dispersion of Israel and Judah, and to terminate at the same time as the dispersion ended. The historical interpretation of DAN. 11 as fulfilled in the Papacy, the Arab and Turkish Empires, etc. fits in perfectly with this answer of the angel. Daniel of course could not understand these Prophecies, (as we can now), and so he exclaimed in verse 8: - " I heard, but I understood not …O my Lord, what shall be the END of these wonders?" The prophet was then told to go on his way for the wonders were "sealed till the TIME OF THE END," when many saints would be persecuted at the hands of the wicked. Then and only then would the prophecies of Daniel be understood.
Verse 9-10: - “And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Truly during the “time of the end” the Papacy [P70] persecuted unto death millions of true Christians. At the same time the martyrs came to understand Daniel’s prophecies which were unsealed by their fulfilment. by its blasphemous pretentions the Papacy revealed itself as the self-deifying power of Dan. 11: 36-39, while the war of the Arab and Turkish Empires against Papacy revealed then as the later-day ‘Kings of the North and South”
The Book of Revelation is the continuation of Daniel 's visions. Now we read in REV. 22: l0, "SEAL NOT the sayings of the prophecy of this book: FOR THE TIME IS AT HAND." This means that in 90 A.D., the "time of the end" had commenced, when the books or DANIEI and REVELATION would be unsealed. Truly many of the Lord's people were purified in the fires of Pagan and Papal precaution, and came to understand the meaning of DANIEL and REVELATION as the prophecies were progressively. fulfilled throughout the " time of the end” or the "last time" or "last days". As -regards Daniel himself, his fervent request was not altogether in vain, for the angel of the Lord went on to tell him how long it would be to the end of the second group of wonders. Verse 11:- " And from the time that the daily shall be taken away, and an Abomination THAT MAKETH DESOLATE BE SET UP, there shall be 1290 days, (to its end)." Thus the desolating power of Mohammedanism which the angel sware would last ‘3½ times’, or 1260 “days" would pass away during the next 3O “days” Daniel was then told a most amazing promise that those of his people Israel and Judah alive to see the 1335 “days" of the Mohammedan faith would be blessed, and what was more, at the end of those 1335 “ days” the resurrection would take place (as already explained in the first few verses of.'' DAN. 12) and Daniel himself would be resurrected Verse 13: - " Blessed is he that cometh to the 1335 days. But go thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, (i.e.. sleep in death) and stand (be resurrected) in thy lot at the end of those days." [P71]
According to these figures, 1335 prophetical days from the time the Mohammedan power arose ought to bring us to the time of the first resurrection which is of course the second advent of Christ as Paul taught the Thessalonian church. (Note:-All the prophetical " days" in DAN. and Rev. are equal to YEARS in the calendars of the nations concerned. In regard to the Papacy, we saw that "3 ½ times" or 1260 prophetical "days" were equal to 1260 Solar years because the Latin earth uses the Christian calendar of solar years. But the prophecies of DAN. 11, as above, refer to the Near East, and to Mohammedanism. Now the Mohammedan year consists of. 12 revolutions of the moon around the earth which equal 354 days. This is called a LUNAR year. Then the "3½ times" or 1260 prophetical days of Mohammedanism will be equal to 1260 LUNAR years, on the scale of a year for a prophetical "day". The 1290 "days" will be equal 1290 L. years, and likewise the 1335 "days.") Let us now test out these time-periods given to Daniel and see whether the power of Mohammedanism did desolate Christendom for 126O L. years, and whether it came to its end after 1290 L. years, and whether Daniel's people have been blessed after 1335 L. years. Then we ought to be able to tell how near or otherwise we are to the first resurrection. A chart is here enclosed for reference showing the dates of the rise of anti-Papal Mohammedanism and the dates which were 1260, 1290 and 1335 L. years later. In the year 622 A.D., Mohammed was publicly proclaimed at Medina as the prophet of God and commenced gathering his followers. In 629, he led his army from Mecca to conquer Arabia In 637, his successor the Caliph Omar attacked Palestine, and early in 638 entered Jerusalem. Gibbon tells us in his history Vol. 9, p. 473, how at that time the Christian patriarch of Jerusalem testified that the abomination of desolation (of DAN. 12-II) is in the holy place." In 643, on the very site of Solomon's Temple, Omar commenced building a [P72]
[P73 Chart]
mosque which became a physical symbol of the Mohammedan desolation of Eastern Christendom. By 644, the Saracen Empire had become firmly established over the Near East, and in that year the great Othman became Caliph and the mightiest in history. Thus the years 622 to 644 A.D. were the commencing dates of the rise of Mohammedanism and we should expect to see corresponding periods of decline at the end of the 1260 and 1290 L. years. On the chart it will be seen that these two periods ran out in the years 1844 to 1895 A.D., and in absolute confirmation of the accuracy of our interpretation,- in those very years the great Mohammedan Turkish Empire came to its end. Now let us test the detailed dates. As we come down 1260 L. years from 622-644 A.D., we reach the years 1844-1866 which should have seen the cessation of Mohammedanism as an active desolating power. In the very year 1260 of Mohammed which was the Christian year L844., Britain demanded of Turkey that she cease the practice of putting to death Mohammedans who became Christians. Although this meant an alteration in the very laws of the Koran, the Mohammedan Bible, pressure from Britain forced the Sultan to issue a "Decree of Religious Toleration," by which Christians were allowed to live within the Turkish Empire. In the succeeding years the Turkish Empire experienced rebellion and revolution throughout all its states as well as war with Russia. In 1853, the Czar of Russia, the Emperor Nicholas, gave testimony as to the end of Turkey as a great power in his memorable words to Sir Hamilton Seymour the British ambassador in St. Petersburg, " We have on our hands a sick man – a very sick man, and he may suddenly die on our hands.”
Then as we come down a further 30 years, that Is 1290 L. years all told from the era of the rise of Mohammedanism, we reach the years 1873 to 1895, which should have seen the end of the Turkish Empire. In 1874 the Turkish states of Herzegovina, Bosnia, Montenegro and Bulgaria all rebelled in open war [P74] against the Sultan.
[Map Top of P75]
Then in 1877-8, there took place the great war between Russia and Turkey as a result of which the peoples of modern Jugo-Slavia, Rumania and Bulgaria broke away from the Turkish Empire. In 1882, Britain defeated the Mohammedan Egyptians by which Egypt passed into British hands. Then through the efforts of General Gordon in 1884, and Lord Kitchener in 1896, the Mohammedan followers of the Madhi were defeated, and the Sudan became British. Thus the Turkish Empire came to its end as a great power. Then as we come down a further 45 L. years, that is 1335 L. .years all told from the era of the rise of Mohammedanism, we come to the years 1917 to 1939, which should have seen (1) the final end of the Turkish Empire, (2) God's blessing on His peoples Israel and Judah, and ( 3) the way made open for the first [P75] resurrection. The Mohammedan year 1335 commenced on October 28th, 1916 and terminated October.16th, 1917. On page 77 there will be seen a drawing of an Egyptian coin which was minted in 1917. As Egypt was then a Protectorate of Britain, the Christian Year 1917 is shown in English figures. Also as Egypt was largely Mohammedan in faith, the coin shows the corresponding year of Mohammed -1335, in Arabic figures.
[Map from P77]
On January 9th, 1917, British troops invaded Palestine by capturing the border town of Rafa, and from then onward the Turks were driven back. Two months later, in March, British troops also entered Baghdad in Mesopotamia. Then on November 2nd 1917, Lord Balfour made the historic "Balfour Declaration," announcing that Britain would give her support to 'making a national home for the Jews in Palestine! Thus right to the year what a blessed hope swept through Jewry, and the hope has since materialized. Then- on November 9th, the Turks lost Gaza followed a week later by the loss of Jaffa. Then came the crowning victory of all, the DELIVERANCE' OF Jerusalem. On December 9th, 1917, through fear of being surrounded and cut off, the Turks evacuated Jerusalem without the necessity of a single shot being fired into the Holy City, and on December 11th, General Allenby made his official entry in the name of Christian Britain. Then in September, 1918, came the great drive in which the Turks were driven completely out of Palestine and thousands taken prisoner. by October 1st, 1918, Damascus was captured, and of October 26th, British troops entered Aleppo. Five days later, on October 31st, Turkey unconditionally surrendered. Thus in the exact year commencing the period of prophesied blessing for God’s people. the armies of the British Empire. as Modern Ephraim-Israel the birthright tribe, came into possession- of Palestine, and the way was made open for the return of the Jews. Moreover, wonderful to relate, on January 31st, 1977, right in the year 1335 of Mohammed, [P76] then [Map of P77] the Turkish Government abandoned using Mohammedan calendar and adopted instead the Christian calendar! Here is "THE TIMES” report Of this Most significant event.
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THE TIMES, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 31, 1917. Imperial and Foreign News Items.
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The Turkish Chamber of Deputies has sanctioned the adoption of the Gregorian calendar.
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What else but the Hand of God caused Turkey to finish with the Mohammedan calendar as soon as their year 1335 was reached? To those who had “eyes to see" it was an obvious demonstration by God that Daniel's 1335th year of blessing had been reached. Also what further need was there for the Mohammedan calendar. God's over-ruling of the Turkish mode of reckoning in favour of the Christian was a symbolic dramatization that the “times of the Gentiles" were at their end and the end of the age was nigh. Then in 1923 the League of Nations granted Britain the Mandate to govern Palestine, while in 1924, the Turkish Republic expelled her religious head the Caliph and abandoned Mohammedanism as her official Religion, exactly 1335 L. years from the time Mohammed her first Caliph went forth to victory.
Then in 1925 came the record return of some 38,000 Jews to Palestine. As we come down 1335 L. years From the time the Mohammedans under Omar conquered Palestine and Egypt, 638 to 640 A.D., we reach the years 1933 to 1935, which saw the remarkable return of some 136,000 Jewish immigrants to Palestine. As we come down 1335 L. years from the years 642 to 644 A.D., when the Mosque of Omar was built and the Saracen Empire established over the Near East, we reach the years 1937 to 1939. In 1937, owing to the Jewish influx into Palestine, the Palestine Mohammedans broke the peace of the land. As a result Britain expelled their leaders including their [P78] head the Grand Mufti, in spite of his sheltering in the Mosque of Omar!
[Photo Top P79]
Then in October 1937, an earthquake shook the Mosque of Omar as a result of which the experts appointed by Britain reported on April 11th, 1938, that the Mosque was "in a dangerous condition and needs immediate repair” surely symbolizing the death-knell of this last relic of the Mohammedan desolation. Also 1937 and 1938 witnessed the activities of the Royal Commission, whose suggestions caused the League of Nations to agree to Britain having permanent government of the three holy cities, of Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Nazareth. Then in 1939-40 came the disastrous earthquakes in Turkey with the loss of 60,000 lives and widespread damage.
Thus true Thus true to Daniel’s promise, the 1335th year of Mohammedanism has brought the final end of the Turkish Empire, the blessing to Britain-Israel of having the dominion of Palestine and Jerusalem, while the family of Judah are, escaping from their persecution in Europe to Anglo-Saxon lands, and in part [P79] to Palestine. Finally, Daniel was told that he would be resurrected at the end of the 1335 years. The events of 1917 and since have confirmed that we have reached the end of the 1335 years of Mohammedanism. Therefore we must be very close indeed to the time of the first resurrection and the second advent of Christ. Readers can judge this for themselves.
Here are the facts which none can gainsay. In conclusion listen to what that great Bible scholar, Dr. Grattan Guinness, wrote over 60 years ago in his “Approaching End of the Age”, pages 473 474. as follows: -
“THE DESTRUCTION OF THE OTTOMAN Empire ..SHOULD BE A Trumpet BLAST TO Christendom, Proclaiming THAT THE DAY OF CHRIST IS AT HAND. When the Moslems, now driven out of Bulgaria, shall be driven also out of Syria, When the nations of Europe shall conspire to reinstate the Jews in the land of their forefathers, THEN the last warning bell will have rung, then the second advent will be CLOSE at hand.”
Dr. Guinness was able to make such a prophecy because the Bible showed the destruction of the Turkish Empire, and the return of the Jews, as signs of the immediate return of Christ. We who now live in 1940 have seen the destruction of Turkey. We have seen the Moslems driven out of Syria in 1918. We have seen the League of Nations "conspire to reinstate the Jews" by entrusting the Mandate of Palestine to Britain for the purpose of repatriating the Jews. We have witnessed the Jewish population increase by 500,000 since 1918. Therefore if the above great Bible student was alive to-day he would say that "the hast warning bell HAS rung - the second advent IS at hand," and we must agree. [P80]
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(Notes: -The late Italian-Abyssinian War tempted many Bible students to try and fit the event of Dan. 11: 40-45 into the present and near future. For example, some think that Italy is the "King of the South" of verse 40. But Italy can never be either a "King of the South" or a "King of the North" because she is the heart of the former Roman Empire, NOT the Greek, and also is WEST of Palestine rather than north or south. Others consider that Italy is the latter-day "King of the North", but if so she has gone about her conquests in exactly the opposite order described by DAN. 77. Daniel's "King of the North" was to build up its Empire by conquering (1) "many countries," (2) then "the glorious land" or Palestine, (3) then Egypt, (4) then Libya and Ethiopia: whereas Italy has conquered Libya and Ethiopia first! This shows the futility of trying to apply DAN. 11 to the present day, for DAN. 11 is historically fulfilled in every minute detail. Then some think that Britain is that “King of the South", But the “King of the South" of pre-Roman days was always the southern half of the GREEK Empire, and was an heathen Gentile power. The heart of Britain is NORTHWEST of Palestine, not south, nor can she be classified as a Gentile power since she contains more spiritual children of Abraham than any other race, quite apart from her Bible identity, as latter-day Ephraim-Israel. Also there are some who think that Russia is the "King of the North" of verses 40 to 45 in view of the fact that Ezekiel describes at the end of the age an invasion of Palestine by Russia, etc.. from the NORTH. Russia is certainly north of Palestine, but TOO FAR north to qualify since the centre of the dominions of Daniel's pre-Roman "King of the North" was always SYRIA. Russia has never even occupied Syria so that once and for all rules her out.
Also the "King of the North" was to have "many ships" (verse 40); there is no evidence that Russia has any considerable fleet whatever to-day, nor does she need ships to invade the Near East. On the other hand, the Turks had great fleets by which they were able to “ overflow and pass over" the seas from Asia Minor into Europe. The Turks also conquered all the islands in the Aegean Sea. (Gibbon relates in his [P8l] History, Vol. 5, p. 553, how that at one time the Turks Caused a fleet of 200 ships to be constructed by their captive Greeks)
Again some think that Russia is Daniel's "King of the North" because the Authorized Version of EZEK. 38: 5 states that “ETHIOPIA and LIBYA" Will be with Russia. But Ezekiel plainly shows that all these countries who will be in league with Russia, will come down “OUT OF THE NORTH PARTS" And “from THE NORTH QUARIERS " (V. 6). Therefore these cannot be the modern African Ethiopia and Libya since the latter are SOUTH and West of Palestine. The descendants of "Kush and Phut" Translated "Ethiopia and Libya" in the A.V.), divided into two, one section migrating into Asia and the other into Africa. Obviously, it is the Asiatic section which will be with Russia, probably the modern Afghanistan with its Hindu-KUSH.
This Russian league will certainly' invade Palestine but will not conquer and build up the vast Near Eastern Empire which Daniel described for the "King Of the North" of verses 40 to 45. As there can be only a year or two left of the period known as the “times of the Gentiles", it is now absolutely impossible for any Gentile power to carry out the long and mighty exploits pictured in Dan. 11: 4O to 45. it must be remembered that Daniel prophesied concerning events which cover 2520 years in their fulfilment, and which were to be fulfilled during the "scattering of the holy people" (Israel and Judah).. Anglo-Saxon Israel is now gathered out of the Continent, and since 1918 hundreds of thousands of Judah have migrated into Israel and back to Palestine, thus proving that the dispersion is ended. Hence all attempts to apply the prophecies of Dan. 11: 40 to 45, to the present and near future will prove to be contradictory speculation which will lead nowhere, and only confuse people, and lead to unbelief by their non-fulfilment' [P82]
I hope you found that as informative as did I
God Bless Ya!
Yours Adrian Deacon
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