The King of the North as you Never Heard ity Explained Before

by raymond frantz 32 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Vidqun

  Raymond, not sure the Hebrew allows for the “him” to be a third entity. I know of a scholar that views Islam becoming one of the main forces during the time of the end. But I, personally, was not convinced by his arguments. I tried to find his article, but was unable to. I remember he got a lot of flack from the run-of-the mill scholars in a discussion of his theories. Where it mentions that the Cushites and Libyans will be followers of the King of the North. Cushites indicate African nations and Libyans the Arab tribes.

  
  

  Christo van der Merwe, The Lexham Hebrew-English Interlinear Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2004), Da 11:40.

  
  

  
  
• 

  raymond frantz

  Vidqun

  The structure of the verse, with two kings acting against a "him," suggests a separate entity. Now if this verse is all we had to go with it would be difficult to identify the HIM but thankfully we have the immediate few verses 36-39 that talk about this 3rd king as HE many times.Read verses 36 to 40 as one single verse and then it all makes sense.

  And the king shall do as HE wills. He shall exalt himself and magnify HIMSELF above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. HE shall prosper till the indignation is accomplished; for what is decreed shall be done. 37 HE shall pay no attention to the gods of his fathers, or to the one beloved by women. HE shall not pay attention to any other god, for HE shall magnify himself above all. 38 HE shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these. A god whom his fathers did not know HE shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. 39 HE shall deal with the strongest fortresses with the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge HIM HE shall load with honor. HE shall make them rulers over many and shall divide the land for a price.[f]40 “At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack[g] HIM, but the king of the north shall rush upon HIM like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And HE shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through.

  After reading these verses as one isn't it obvious that the HIM of verse 40 refers the king of 36-39?
• 

  Jeffro

  🤦‍♂️ This whole fatuous narrative about an ambiguous king suddenly appearing in verse 36 is nothing but a lie. The kings are frequently (mostly) referred to as just ‘he’ or ‘him’ throughout the entire chapter, and it’s clear throughout (from verse 5 after the brief consideration of the division of Alexander’s kingdom) that it’s referring to the ‘kings of the north (Seleucids) and south (Ptolemys)’. Everything beyond that (including the traditional Christian re-interpretation roping in Augustus and Tiberius) is a fantasy.