October 8: WHERE IS YOUR CITIZENSHIP?
But news from the east and the north shall trouble him; therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many. Daniel 11:44
The Hebrew word translated news, shemu’ah, refers to a report of an incredible and difficult to believe nature. Shemu’ah is translated report in Isaiah 53:1, the report concerning the Suffering Servant who would come to die for us. Could the news in today’s verse also concern the Lord Jesus who will come? This time He will come in judgment and splendor and power.
We are taught that when the Lord comes to gather His own, He will appear from the east, like the rising sun. Often, north is considered straight up to the highest heaven, where God dwells. The reason that the papacy is called king of the North is to expose the usurping nature that claims the prerogatives of God, as manifested in papal doctrines. In today’s verse, the north mentioned is north of North. It is the place whence the three angels’ messages originated (Revelation 14:6-11); God’s final messages of warning to a lost world. When these are fervently preached, in combination with the Spirit of God being poured out, many true believers will exit Babylon and join God’s Kingdom. Support for the papacy will begin drying up. (See Isaiah 14:13; 41:2,25; 46:11; Ezekiel 43:1-4; Joel 2:28-29; Malachi 4:2; Revelation 16:12)
… shall trouble him… The Hebrew verb bahal, here translated trouble, appears often in Scripture to describe human terror and dread before God. The king of the North is indeed troubled by the news of the three angels’ end-time messages being preached. (See Exodus 15:16; Leviticus 26:16; Job 23:15; Psalm 90:7; Jeremiah 51:32; Ezekiel 26:18)
The terror of God for the stubbornly unrepentant translates into anger toward any who speak the message of salvation. The everlasting gospel (Revelation 14:6) has never changed. It is the same message that was first introduced in Genesis 3:15. Repentance is the first step toward conquering the deadly enemy of sin. At the start of His ministry, Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17) God’s people preaching the three angels’ messages will provoke the unrepentant king of the North to great fury. They know that their citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20) and therefore do not fear the king of the North or his spurious law commanding the world to break the law of God.
The great fury of the king of the North will cause him to decree the annihilation of many. Our English may sound vague, but the word translated many is rabbim, which specifically designates God’s true people. Revelation’s parallel verse is 13:15 … speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed.
But, beloved, rather than becoming furious, allow the loving rebuke of God to turn your heart toward Him. He wants to create within you a clean heart, free of all that encumbers or ensnares.
Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Proverbs 1:23