October 6: NORTH/SOUTH - RIGHT/LEFT
He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. Daniel 11:42
The reading of God’s prophetic word requires a transition from a grasp of the literal places and people in history to the things that they come to symbolize. To be clear, the “he” here is the prophetic king of the North, originally the power north of ancient Israel that came against the nation of God’s people. Daniel’s prophecy has progressed into the latter days of earth, and the king of the North has come to signify the religious/political power that is coalescing with a common agenda that will eventually generate a law of man presented as necessary for the good of man, but requiring disobedience to the law of God.
The Hebrew word yado, his hand, also appears at the end of verse 16 where the Roman power is introduced. To stretch out his hand in this context carries an implication of the intent to kill (see also Genesis 22:10 and 2 Samuel 1:14). This aspect of the king of the North is downplayed at the present, yet according to the Bible, it is a grave reality that underlies his agenda.
The next phrase, against the countries, has a universal scope pointing to the idea of worldwide domination. The word for the countries, ba’aratsot, is repeated from verse 40 for emphasis. The aggression of the king of the North will involve the whole world.
The final phrase of today’s verse is further confirmation of the agenda for worldwide dominion: … and the land of Egypt shall not escape, meaning the king of the South (originally Egypt, located directly south of the nation of Israel). Egypt is used as a symbol in the Bible for the godlessness of atheism along with all cultures who reject the God of the Bible (see Revelation 11:8). The king of the North, while claiming to represent God, will exercise power and influence throughout the world. Even those with very opposite leanings, namely the king of the South, shall not escape the influence and power of the king of the North.
The Bible is the original source for the concepts of left and right. Biblically, a tendency in either direction is a departure from truly walking with God: Therefore you shall be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (Deuteronomy 5:32. See also Joshua 1:7; Isaiah 30:21) In a general sense, we can compare the king of the North with the religious and/or political right, and the king of the South with the religious and/or political left. Current events reveal the papacy steadily moving toward its goal of uniting North and South – or left and right – under its leadership. A large part of the appeal falls under the heading of environmentalism. This common interest will influence more of the world to be supportive of the papacy. May each of us lay hold of the . . . immutability of [God’s] counsel, surrendering our will to Him for help and leadership.
Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. Hebrews 6:17-18