62. Glorious Land - Edom - Moab - Ammon - Russia.

Daniel Chapter 11, Verse 41.

Glorious Land -

Edom - Moab - Ammon - Russia. 

In verse 40 however, the "HE" was -Joseph Stalin- who was the king who brought that "WHIRLWIND" upon Germany and the OVERFLOWING into other countries. Since World War II had ended -and we all know Joseph Stalin had died, therefore,- "HE" could not bring about the happenings within verse 41. There will be another predominant cruel "he" who remains as leader of the North, right up to the end of the verses in chapter 11 of Daniel.

After Stalin died came the notables Khrushchev, then came Brezhnev, Gorbachev and Yeltsin. There is to be another notable"HE" to arise out of Russia, who will lead his people into the age-old dream to conquer and subdue the whole world. No matter what peaceful or peculiar front this "HE" will show to the world, his objective will be the same as Stalin's, which is the manipulation of the Russian political organisation for power!

The Russian governing body politic will not suffer aged men to govern when this "HE" will command, because the prophetic verses that are to follow in Daniel's chapter 11, will take youthful nerve and stamina to accomplish, if all the following history comes to pass within a short period of time.

"He" within Russia will indeed be a second Stalin or Hitler in his practises of terror. "HE" has dreams of glory and world domination and will not suffer Russia to be a second-class power either, his eyes are greedy for wealth and power. "He" will have the nerve to accomplish in a Nuclear Age, what an older man in the body politic might pull away from, for fear of being enveloped in a holocaust himself with his country. Let us unravel verse 41 and first line. "HE SHALL ENTER ALSO INTO THE GLORIOUS LAND. The King of the NORTH (of the British Isles), -Russia- after overflowing and passing over many countries during World War II, then "overflowing" through the so called, years of peacetime since that war, went on "overflowing" other countries I have listed within verse 40. "He" now continues on with his plan of world domination!

The separate words of verse 41 are:- "SHALL", is a word which one has to pay and what has to be atoned for, it forms part of a future tense of happenings, -"ENTER", means:- to go into a place, in any manner whatever, it is to pierce, advance and penetrate.

"ALSO" means:- in like manner, in addition to. "INTO" means:- expressing motion or direction towards the inside of. "THE" is representing the whole and by how much it will be accomplished in the abstract noun.-GLORIOUS LAND,- "Glorious" means:- illustrious, renowned, noble and eminent in majesty. "Land" is a definite portion of the surface of the globe set apart, or belonging to an individual or a people as a country, estate, region, etc;

These translated words are saying, that this new "HE" belonging to the USSR in the "future happening" will "PAY" for what will be done, when -HE- advances and penetrates into a "place" that he has no business to be doing, because HE is now OVERTHROWN countries and going beyond his own border.

In the "like manner"- and in "addition to" - what he did to Germany and many other countries in verse 40, this new Russian dictator will "ALSO" do again, this time however in another sector of the world other than Europe. His direction he chooses is a name "renowned" in secular and biblical history, it is a name illustrious to many nations of the world, especially to all the children of Israel -both houses-. This "eminent country" belongs to an ancient people and an individual race of people whom God has seen fit to choose, bless, chastise and bless again, for His purposes of love, hope and faith.

The leader called "HE" out of Russia, now purposefully makes his attempt to take over the Middle East and he enters the land of Palestine, or more correctly the land of Israel.

Since 1948 the Jew of the House of Judah has once more taken a big part of that land for himself, possessing his fleshly possessions that God has given him as his right! The words Daniel chooses in verse 41 is,-"HE" of Russia penetrates into the "GLORIOUS LAND". Let us cross check who or what is the GLORIOUS LAND? Daniel himself will answer that for us reader, we have already unravelled in Daniel 11:16. "BUT HE THAT COMETH AGAINST HIM SHALL DO ACCORDING TO HIS OWN WILL, AND NONE SHALL STAND BEFORE HIM; AND HE SHALL STAND IN THE "GLORIOUS LAND", WHICH BY HIS HAND SHALL BE CONSUMED". This verse 16, was a prophecy dealing with the Roman Titus when he entered Palestine, to deal with the Jewish problem between AD 66 to 70. The secular history from verse 16 showed Titus was merciless, Jerusalem was besieged and was almost wholly destroyed by the Romans, Herod's temple was reduced to ashes, and reputedly a million Jews were killed. Here in verse 16 Daniel calls Palestine, -from which Jerusalem beckons,- the "GLORIOUS LAND," so the translation remains the same in verse 41. Again, it is Palestine/Israel that the King of the NORTH, Russia, is actually entering at his own will, passing through it and in it as he pleases. In other words, he "ALSO" does to the land of Israel and other Middle Eastern countries what has been recorded in verse 40, when "HE" entered other countries in like manner and in further addition to, so "HE ALSO" does to this country.

Continuing the translation of verse 41. "AND MANY COUNTRIES SHALL BE OVERTHROWN". Let us now look at these words individually. "AND" is of course a word, which introduces another clause to this whole story. "MANY" is a word comprising a number of persons or things. "COUNTRIES", the regions and tracts of land belonging to other nations. "SHALL", to pay and atone for in the future tense. "BE", is to have existence in the world of fact whether physical or mental. "OVERTHROWN", is to turn over, to defeat and conquer, to subvert, ruin and destroy. These little words are painting a picture of utter upheaval in the Middle East, because the little word "AND" is introducing other changes to many persons in regions belonging to other nations, who will pay for this interference from the Russian "HE". This prophecy exists in the world of "FACT", no matter how the secular world looks to us today, it "will" come to pass! The COUNTRIES we know that comprises the Middle East, will be subverted, conquered and ruined, changing the face of the map as we see it today.

Daniel 11:41, -as one can see,- deals solely with the Middle area of the world and the COUNTRIES surrounding the land we know as Israel today. If the rest of the Arab world within this sphere, -(from understanding Daniel's prophecy,)- needing aid from Russia should rub their hands with glee at Israel's troublous times to come, let them be warned their names are on that ruinous list also, because this prophetic sentence in verse 41 foretells "MANY COUNTRIES" around the "GLORIOUS LAND" will be overthrown!

The "illustrious" land of Israel was chosen by the Majesty on High, The Lord God Almighty, to accomplish much in the long bloody saga of its history. Immediately around this land (also called Palestine) we have the countries Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, etc; and it is to them this ruinous state is prophesied.

The term "Middle East" was coined around World War II to denote a part of the world around the Mediterranean Sea. I will quote -(In a condensed version)- from "The Encyclopaedia Britannica", "THE CHANGE OF USAGE EVOLVED DURING WORLD WAR II, WHEN THE TERM MIDDLE EAST WAS GIVEN TO BRITISH MILITARY COMMAND IN EGYPT. THUS DEFINED, THE MIDDLE EAST DURING WORLD WAR II CONSISTED OF THE STATES OR TERRITORIES OF TURKEY, GREECE, CYPRUS, SYRIA, LEBANON, IRAQ, IRAN, PALESTINE (now Israel) JORDAN, EGYPT. THE SUDAN, LIBYA, AND VARIOUS STATES OF ARABIA PROPER (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Yemen, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, the Trucial States or Trucial Oman and Aden Protectorate). SUBSEQUENT EVENTS HAVE ENLARGED THE NUMBER OF LAND INCLUDED IN THE DEFINITION. THE THREE WESTERN COUNTRIES OF TUNISIA, ALGERIA, AND MOROCCO, ALL FORMERLY TIED TO FRANCE, HAVE BECOME CLOSELY CONNECTED IN SENTIMENT AND FOREIGN POLICY WITH THE ARAB STATES. THE INCLUSION OF GREECE IN THE DEFINITION OF THE MIDDLE EAST MAY SEEM SOME WHAT INCONGRUOUS, BUT THE MIDDLE EASTERN QUESTION IN ITS MODERN FORM FIRST BECAME APPARENT WHEN THE GREEKS ROSE IN REBELLION TO ASSERT THEIR INDEPENDENCE OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE IN 1821. TURKEY AND GREECE TOGETHER WITH THE LARGELY ARABIC-SPEAKING LANDS AROUND THE EASTERN END OF THE MEDITERRANEAN WERE ALSO CALLED THE LEVANT.

ITS INNER CORE, THAT OF THE MUSLIM ARAB WORLD, REPRESENTS A REALITY THAT CLOSELY AFFECTS THE LIVES, THE INTERESTS, AND THE SENTIMENTS OF THE PEOPLE TO WHOM IT REFERS; AND ALL GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE TO DEAL WITH ONE OR MORE ARAB STATES MUST TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT. NO GOVERNMENT CAN ENTER INTO CLOSE RELATIONS WITH ONE WITHOUT BEING OBLIGED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE RELATIONSHIPS EXISTING BETWEEN IT AND OTHER".

Remember reader Daniel's prophecy has already taken us into the "Middle East sphere", when we unravelled a verse on the Greek and Turkey conflict during the fall of the Ottoman Empire in Daniel 11:30. -So, it now remains to be seen how many countries in this area will be ruined and fall.-

This "King" of the NORTH called "HE", fulfils his first move into the COUNTRIES of the Middle East surrounding the "GLORIOUS LAND" of Israel, in verses 41,42,and 43 and on the face of it seems unopposed by any of the bigger powers in the world, namely, the USA Britain, France, Germany etc; Or, if these countries have objected and moved against Russia's threat, they have been repelled to such an extent they are hamstrung by it.

Many things though, must be taken into consideration here, as to "why" this can happen in our dangerous age. The USA for instance could have a President that resembled Jimmy Carter who was a dove of peace. Britain could have a Prime Minister, resembling Neville Chamberlain who waved a worthless piece of paper in his hand signed by Hitler, proclaiming "peace in our time." France could have another Pierre Laval acting as a Russian puppet to govern that land etc;

This picture of problems could include the weather patterns changing to such an extent that it too had helped to cause a vast worldwide economic crisis of unprecedented magnitude sweeping the earth, with nations busy trying to reorganise their own lifestyles. One must also take into account that corruption in high places, and the power of oil needed, have brought the western world into serious decay making these countries almost moribund at times.

The situation in the world when Russia makes her last move to conquer, will be as easy for them as when Hitler was able to march into country after country unopposed. The COUNTRIES are certainly falling under the heel of the Russian "HE" in verses 41,42,43 with great problems continuing into the remaining verses to 45, making these verses a "block" to explain the run up to World War III. In verses 44 to 45 the world is in great turmoil with the Russian and Oriental "RIDER OF THE PALE HORSE" predominating for a while!

Let us cross check with other prophecies and read what they say of this entering into Judah's land of Israel.

Our Lord Jesus has this to say on the subject of that incursion into the "GLORIOUS LAND". Matthew 24:15-22.
Verse 15:-"WHEN YE THEREFORE SHALL SEE THE ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION, SPOKEN BY DANIEL THE PROPHET, STAND IN THE HOLY PLACE", (who so readeth let him understand). -(Which is stated in Daniel 11, verse 31,- also when the "RIDE OF THE WHITE HORSE" of Revelations 6 began. These verses are the "countdown" for the beginning of the end, Matthew 24/16.

Verse 16:- "THEN LET THEM WHICH BE IN JUDEA (it is no longer classed as Palestine, but Judah's land) FLEE INTO THE MOUNTAINS", (within the land of Israel).

Verse 17:- "LET HIM WHICH IS ON THE HOUSETOP NOT COME DOWN TO TAKE ANYTHING OUT OF HIS HOUSE, (or hide where one is).

Verse 18:- NEITHER LET HIM WHICH IS IN THE FIELD RETURN BACK TO TAKE HIS CLOTHES". (Or escape when one has the chance).

Verse 19:- "AND WOE UNTO THEM THAT ARE WITH CHILD, AND TO THEM THAT GIVE SUCK IN THOSE DAYS". (There is no mercy upon the helpless).

Verse 20:- "BUT PRAY YE THAT YOUR FLIGHT BE NOT IN THE WINTER, NEITHER ON THE SABBATH DAY", (Or the people will be overcome from exposure to weather or are unable to get help because there are no rest days).

Verse 21:- "FOR THEN SHALL BE A GREAT TRIBULATION (Or severe suffering and distress because it is nuclear war) SUCH AS WAS NOT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD TO THIS TIME, NO NOR EVER SHALL BE". (Even greater suffering will be experienced than all that the Jew and other nations have known before, which is extreme).

Verse 22:- "AND EXCEPT THOSE DAYS SHOULD BE SHORTENED (Or the days of years will be lessened, and terrors curtailed) THERE SHALL NO FLESH BE SAVED; (Nuclear holocaust and perhaps chemical warfare) BUT FOR THE ELECTS SAKE (Those called children of the 2 nations of Israel, the daughters of Zion and Jerusalem) THOSE DAYS SHALL BE SHORTENED". (God will intervene and call a halt to man's foolhardy power struggles. We have brought this power-time factor into secular history).

From Jeremiah 30 we read of the same turmoil amongst the 2 houses of the whole nation of Israel, during this Russian time zone in history. I will pick out a few verses. Jeremiah 30-

Verse 4, "AND THESE ARE THE WORDS THAT THE LORD SPAKE CONCERNING ISRAEL ("House of Israel" in British Commonwealth and American stock) AND CONCERNING JUDAH" ("House of the Jew" in the land of Israel, etc);

Verse 5:- "FOR THUS SAITH THE LORD; WE HAVE HEARD A VOICE OF TREMBLING, OF FEAR, NOT OF PEACE". (Remember reader the prophetic words of Daniel during the "END TIME" of the last days, they are of war, subversion, of great upheaval and ruin).

Verse 6:- "ASK YE NOW, AND SEE WHETHER A MAN DOTH TRAVAIL WITH CHILD? (Because all mankind now mourns itself with great agony of body and mind), WHEREFORE DO I SEE EVERY MAN WITH HIS HANDS ON HIS LOINS, AS A WOMAN IN TRAVAIL, AND ALL FACES ARE TURNED TO PALENESS". (Man is sick to his stomach, there is nothing man can do other than mourn in agony, so great is the anxiety which the Russian/Oriental "Pale Horse" brings upon him).

Verse 7:- "ALAS! FOR THAT DAY IS GREAT, SO THAT NONE IS LIKE IT; IT IS EVEN THE TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE (Or the Jew -of the flesh- who are the sons of Judah's House in the "GLORIOUS LAND") BUT HE SHALL BE SAVED OUT OF IT". (The Jew drunk the dregs of the cup in Hitler's Germany, that, will not happen again, they shall not perish in a holocaust though they are chastised).

Verse 24:- "THE FIERCE ANGER OF THE LORD SHALL NOT RETURN (God who will perform what He said He would do) UNTIL HE HAVE DONE IT, AND UNTIL HE HAVE PERFORMED THE INTENTS OF HIS HEART.(Until God's love and compassion for His people and the suffering within "His" own heart calls a halt). IN THE LATTER DAYS YE SHALL CONSIDER IT". (Or at the ending of the twentieth century and the end of prophecy man will examine and reflect on these words within the Bible and upon his own malicious ways).

The Bible is full of trouble for our last days, because of man's greedy dominion over the earth and the results of that greed. It is a promise from God to us, named many ways, of a great tribulation, -wars and rumours of wars,- and the day of the Lord,- with each set of words a separate happening in itself. These troubles are not all the same thing, as Daniel is carefully showing us in the oracles that a being unravelled. The killing of mankind on a massive scale began from Daniel 11:31 and continues onwards through 2 World Wars and on into World War III.

Let us go back to the last line of Daniel 11:41. "BUT THESE SHALL ESCAPE OUT OF HIS HAND EVEN EDOM, AND MOAB, AND THE CHIEF OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON". Here we have 3 separate sections of the "Middle Eastern" area of the world, which are but a few miles apart geographically. Let us therefore find out exactly who these countries are today, which is not an easy thing to achieve, when noting the Middle East has been the wash-pot of the nations for ages passed. Other civilisations in the process of time have mixed the people up so much that most of these peoples look like Arabs. Even some of the Jews look like Arabs, because their colourings and facial structures resemble each other. Who is Edom? These are the descendants of Esau, brother of Jacob. Esau's Surname was Edom meaning "red" (after the red pottage Jacob sold him, Genesis 25:29-34). Esau/Edom's descendants lived in the country called Seir or Mount Seir. Their territory was between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqabah, approx; 100 miles long and 40 miles wide. Edom became a vassal state of Assyria between 711 and 701 BC. In 586 BC when Judah was destroyed by the Babylonians, Edom took over the Southern part of Palestine and as far North as Hebron.

Under the Persian Empire Edom became the province of Idumea. (The name Edom was modified by the Greeks to Idumea).

The Romans took over Idumea, when the Herod's, -(Antipater, father of Herod the Great)- were kings out of Idumea or were Edomites.

Ptolemy who wrote in the second century AD divided Arabia into 3 sections with Arabia Petraea having its capital at Petra, which was the district between the Red and Dead Seas and Arabian and Syrian deserts, which under the Romans Idumea of Edom was incorporated.

During the (Jewish) Maccabean times from 168 BC and the revolt of the Jews, Judas Maccabeus retook some towns from Edom including Hebron.

John Hyrcanus - Hasmonean dynasty 135-104 BC forced Edom to accept Judaism and compelled them to the rite of circumcision and incorporated them with the Jewish people. This is the reason "why" Herod the Great was an Edomite with the Jewish faith. When the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and ravaged Palestine in AD 70, the Idumeans disappeared from the pages of secular history as if they never were and their country was merged with Arabia Petraea, as Ptolemy in the second century tells us. There are a number of Biblical judgements on the sins of Edom running through the prophecies of Scripture let us just take one and read it.

Ezekiel 35:2:- "SON OF MAN, (Ezekiel) SET THY FACE AGAINST MOUNT SEIR (the land of Edom) AND PROPHECY AGAINST IT".

Verse 3:- "AND SAY UNTO IT, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD; BEHOLD, O MOUNT SEIR, I AM AGAINST THEE, AND I WILL STRETCH OUT MINE HAND AGAINST THEE, AND I WILL MAKE THEE MOST DESOLATE".

Verse 4:- "I WILL LAY THY CITIES WASTE, AND THOU SHALT BE DESOLATE, AND THOU SHALT KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD".

Verse 5:- "BECAUSE THOU HAST HAD A PERPETUAL HATRED, AND HAST SHED THE BLOOD OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL BY THE FORCE OF THE SWORD IN THE TIME OF THEIR CALAMITY, IN THE TIME THAT THEIR INIQUITY HAD AN END". (Edom was Jacob's brother and kin-folk to Israel, which made his sins worse).

Verse 6:- "THEREFORE, AS I LIVE, SAITH THE LORD, I WILL PREPARE THEE UNTO BLOOD, AND BLOOD SHALL PURSUE THEE, (or to be killed most easily) SEETH THOU HAST NOT HATED BLOOD, EVEN BLOOD SHALL PURSUE THEE".

Verse 7:- "THUS WILL I MAKE MOUNT SEIR MOST DESOLATE, AND CUT OFF FROM IT HIM THAT PASSETH OUT AND HIM THAT RETURNETH".

Verse 9:- "I WILL MAKE THEE PERPETUAL DESOLATIONS, AND THY CITIES SHALL NOT RETURN; AND YE SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD".

Verse 10:- "BECAUSE THOU HAST SAID, THESE 2 NATIONS (Kingdoms of Israel and of Judah in the holy land) AND THESE 2 COUNTRIES (Samaria and Judea) SHALL BE MINE, AND WE SHALL POSSESS IT; (Which they hastened to do after these 2 nations fell under Assyria and Babylon) WHEREAS THE LORD WAS THERE"; (There was a covenant between the 2 nations of Israel and God, in that land and "they" were under God's punishment only and not under punishment from Edom also).

Verse 15:- "AS THOU DIDST REJOICE AT THE INHERITANCE (or the land God gave Israel) OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL; (King Herod the Edomite built his summer palace at Samaria, -Sebaste- the capital of the kingdom of Israel) BECAUSE IT WAS DESOLATE, (the Assyrian had driven out the Northern Kingdom of Israel) SO WILL I DO UNTO THEE; THOU SHALT BE DESOLATE, O MOUNT SEIR, AND ALL IDUMEA, EVEN ALL OF IT; AND THEY SHALL KNOW I AM THE LORD".

This is the reason "why" the land of Edom to this day is desolate and Petra their city a ghost town. The Edomites as a nation have disappeared from history as if they never were. All has come to pass as the Almighty had pronounced on them. The question again arises, where is Edom today?

Remember that Daniel 11:41 is dealing with the land of Palestine (Israel) today during the twentieth century and also the countries within that vicinity. We have read how Edom in times past swallowed up Judea and Samaria as if it were their own territory, when it was not! Today, the reverse has happened, the "House of Judah" has restored the land of Judea and Samaria to its titles, though the "House of Israel" has not returned as yet. Judah's sons have taken under their wing parts of Edom's territory in the Negev desert etc; the other part is under modern Jordan's territory. So, according to Daniel 11:41, Edom's area of the Negev etc; will escape the ravages of Russia, when "HE" KING OF THE NORTH, enters into the Holy Land. At this point of time reader we must remember the words of Our Lord from Matthew 24:16, concerning the land of Judea during these calamitous times. He said, "THEN LET THEM WHICH BE IN JUDEA FLEE INTO THE MOUNTAINS ETC".

When the "House of Judah" is being chastised by the Russian Oriental 2 headed Eagle, their avenue of "escape" is already mapped out for them from ancient times. That they must run South into the "mountains" and the desert of Edom's land, there they must hide until once more these final persecutions are passed.

The prophecy which we have already read for the House of Judah written in Jeremiah 30 verse 7, tells one the same thing about those times, but in another way. "ALAS! FOR THAT DAY IS GREAT SO THAT NONE IS LIKE IT; IT IS EVEN THE TIME OF JACOB'S TROUBLE. (Sons of the flesh, called the Jews- or "House of Judah" in the land of Israel) BUT HE SHALL BE SAVED OUT OF IT".

I have read many interpretations from other scholars of Scripture on this prophecy of Edom. For example, the interpretation by the late Herbert Armstrong of the then "World-wide Church of God" writes in his book called, "The United States and Britain in Prophecy". "THE SPARSE RECORDS OF HISTORY, WITH OTHER PROOFS SHOW THAT MANY OF THE DESCENDANTS OF ESAU BECAME KNOWN AS TURKS. THEREFORE WE MUST REMEMBER THAT PROPHECIES PERTAINING TO THE LATTER DAYS REFERRING TO EDOM, OR ESAU, REFER GENERALLY TO THE TURKISH NATION. IN ISAAC'S DYING PROPHECY, HE FORETOLD THAT ESAU'S DESCENDANTS WOULD COME TO A TIME WHEN THEY SHOULD HAVE DOMINION, AND THEN BREAK THE YOKE OF THE ISRAELITES FROM OFF THEIR NECKS, THAT HAS HAPPENED. THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THROUGH SIN, WERE DRIVEN OUT OF THE PROMISED LAND THAT BELONGED WITH THE BIRTHRIGHT. THE TURKS CAME TO POWER AND DOMINION AND FOR CENTURIES POSSESSED THAT LAND. THOSE DESCENDANTS, THE TURKISH PEOPLE, OCCUPIED PALESTINE 400 YEARS BEFORE BRITAIN TOOK IT IN 1917. ESAU'S DESCENDANTS ALWAYS HAVE LUSTED FOR THAT LAND, CENTRAL PROMISE OF THE BIRTHRIGHT! THE TURKS HAVE TRULY LIVED BY THE SWORD". Esau's blessing, Genesis 27:38-40.

This is indeed a very interesting theory and no doubt some of Esau's children "are" in the Turkish nation. Many more would also be in the Egyptians, the Syrians and many Arab nations, etc; seeing the Middle East and its people have been a melting pot for men.

I have great respect for the late Herbert Armstrong's Biblical writings, and the work that he has left behind would put some of us to shame. He has partially understood the 2 roles of the 2 nations of Israel into our day, which others have not! But, only up to a point does he get prophecy right. -His "Turkish theory" is incorrect for Daniel 11:41. His interpretation of Edom and Turkey being one and the same, -which I have quoted,- is a point in question where he falls down into the valley of conjecture. One must continually bear in mind that prophecy and truth is "absolute" in its foretelling and the right path for the right prophecy goes right "through" our Heavenly Father's Law. One must indeed always go back to the "first principles of the Oracles of God," or the "source or beginning of wisdom", (as Hebrews 5 tells us) and get "that" correct. Then, one picks up the path and follows it through prophecy after prophecy! If, as a Bible student one is searching and one is unable to pick up the signs to that path and "see it" through to the end, one must leave it in abeyance until some day it will be found again, setting one back on the straight path of truth.

I will give you an example of what I mean! When Mr Armstrong quotes Esau's blessing from Isaac his father, it is thus:- Genesis 27:38-40. "AND ESAU SAID UNTO HIS FATHER, HAST THOU BUT ONE BLESSING, MY FATHER? BLESS ME, EVEN ME ALSO. O MY FATHER, AND ESAU LIFTED UP HIS VOICE AND WEPT".

Verse 39:- "AND ISAAC HIS FATHER ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM. BEHOLD THY DWELLING SHALL BE THE FATNESS OF THE EARTH, AND OF THE DEW OF HEAVEN FROM ABOVE".

Verse 40:- "AND BY THY SWORD SHALT THOU LIVE, AND SHALT SERVE THY BROTHER; AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS WHEN THOU SHALT HAVE DOMINION, THAT THOU SHALT BREAK HIS YOKE OFF THY NECK".

I will pick out the most notable words to give understanding of this blessing. Esau's living area -or place of dwelling - shall be in the Holy Land, south of Judea in Edom. In the "FATNESS OF THE EARTH" is the quality of being full fed, richness and fertility and these are the blessings of the creature of the flesh and not of the spirit. Esau, for a while was to live in God's chosen country, which land has been rich in all the desires of mankind for centuries. -Because God was there.

Esau has been fruitful over the centuries and has multiplied much, his material and bodily richness were apparent when he met Jacob and his family many years later, when Jacob returned from the land of Padam-aram. (Genesis 33).

The place of Esau's dwelling in the Holy Land would not only sustain his fertility but would sustain his needs, though Edom's area to live in would be dry, as the word "DEW" implies, because Esau does not get the former or latter rains, nor green pasture in abundance but "DEW", and as most people know, "DEW", is a trickle of moisture from the atmosphere, condensed and deposited in small drops on the surface of cold bodies as leaves or grass. It is only to moisten and dampen not to drench into the ground as rain.

By the SWORD Esau has indeed lived within the Arabs all through his secular history and throughout Biblical Scripture. Esau was subject to the desires of his flesh, from his stomach to his "DOMINION" or "lordship, as a sovereign in supreme control". He was to have authority as a "prince" of a domain or region over Jacob's sons -The Jew- within the "House of Judah's" territory, thereby, breaking the "YOKE" of a lesser person than Jacob. When Edom took upon himself the Kingship of the Hasmonean House from the Jewish Maccabees, the "YOKE" was broken and Edom ruled the Jew. Edom/Esau became known as Antipater and the beginning of the "Herod's" dynasty from 63 BC to AD 44 began, which Daniel 11:11-14, tell us about, then Esau killed many of Jacob's children. During the time of Jewish ruling in the land of Israel under John Hyrcanus in 63 BC Antipater, (Herod's father) an Idumean or of Esau's lineage, was senior officer or vizier. Julius Caesar in 48 BC was pleased with John Hyrcanus and Antipater. The latter was appointed to the procuratorship of Judea for services rendered to the Romans. Antipater was murdered in 43 BC His 2 sons, one who was Phasael, was appointed to the prefecture of Jerusalem and Herod his second son the governorship of Galilee.

Herod, made a running for the throne of Jerusalem in 39 BC.- (Because of confusion with the fighting between the Romans Octavian Augustus and Mark Antony.) Herod succeeded and was confirmed to the throne of the Kingdoms of Judea and Samaria. To make sure he, Herod, had complete control over his brother Jacob's land and Jacob's children, he married Marianne the heiress to the Jewish Hasmonean House. Only a few years before, -this son of Esau,- was under the rule of John Hyrcanus when Esau's children were forced to take circumcision, to become a ritual Jew. Now however, under the rule of the Idumean the tables were turned. Jacob's "YOKE" over Esau was broken and he became "subject" to the foibles of Esau's children. Herod, Esau's lineage of sons, was king and ruler of that domain and he did as he pleased with those Jewish children. When our Lord Jesus,- who, was the greatest of the "House of Judah's" sons to open the womb,- was a babe, he fled with his mother into Egypt and from the slaughter of the innocent Jewish children recorded in the gospels. That particular Esau's son - Herod,- who caused that destruction upon the Jew died in 41 BC.

Then came Herod Antipas, (whom Jesus called that old fox) who ruled Galilee and Peraea and under this Herod of Edom/Esau's lineage, poor John the Baptist -a Jew- was beheaded. Then came Herod Agrippa between 37 to 41 AD who, after much conniving and subtlety under the Romans took over the whole area of his grandfather's ruling that of Judea and Samaria. It seems that not even the Jew at that time, had realised the full implication of prophecy that Esau's "blessing" of "DOMINION" and rule over Jacob, was then fulfilled before their eyes, because they welcomed the latter Idumean's reign. Herod died in 44 AD.

When Jesus walked the holy land there had been much "in" fighting with the Idumean hierarchy for the control of Judea, etc; Hence the Roman Pontius Pilate becoming the procurator of Judea at that time, which was during the reign of Tiberius Emperor of Rome.

The greatest Jew of them all -Jesus out of Judah- was under these Edomite tyrant kings, tetrarchs and rulers. "He" who bore the YOKE of Esau's cruelty, was another person who fulfilled as spoken by their ancestor Isaac, in his words to Esau, such a long time before! Jesus knew full well the dye was cast and "He" was bearing the "DOMINION" of Esau over His person.

That King of Kings Jesus, also worshipped in Esau/Herod's temple as did all the Jews.

Esau's weeping and imploring Isaac for a blessing set in motion an "oracle of God" that had to be consummated in history and "that first principle" -had- to be fulfilled in secular history. As much as the "blessings" upon the 12 tribes of Israel "had" to be fulfilled. (Which blessings are set in Deuteronomy 33).

This then is how Esau's "DOMINION" of ruling came about, when he actually ruled Jacob as their king, breaking his brothers YOKE. Not, as Mr Armstrong suggests that it perhaps came about under Turkish rule and the Ottoman Empire? Mr Armstrong "knew" the children of Israel were driven out of the Promised Land, scattered and peeled of their identity. How then could the Jew be "factually" ruled in secular history, identifiable as the House of Judah to Esau of the Turks?

Both the Jew of Judah and Esau disappeared into other nations during their long history, after the Romans closed the Holy Land in AD 70. There were no doubt smatterings of Jacob and Esau's children within the Holy Land, when under the Turks, but, hidden from the searching eyes of them fulfilling prophecy and history as such identifiable step by step.

When there is a "foretelling" in a "blessing" of the future destiny for a man or woman in the Bible, it eventually becomes "factual" and is made operative to the letter of the Law in secular and biblical history, for us to "see" that person's destiny through future lineages, it will be carried out through the years. This is "why" the worthies of old were fully aware of the "blessings" they gave, or did not give. They knew they would come to pass exactly as they said it would! These prophetic "blessings" were given by "seers" who saw into the future of that person's character and its lineage. Knowing the Lord God "heard it" and would put it "into" operation in the history of men.

When man's "self-will" -as in the case of Esau's crying to Isaac,- came into heavenly blessings it then upset other blessings, yet! They had to be taken note of once they were made!

There are many items in prophecy to be taken note of when unravelling that type of prophecy.

Bible students it seems underestimate our Heavenly Father's ability in fulfilling all things and most people think "He's" asleep in our modern times. "He" is the same now as "He's" ever been and "very" much alive to prophecy!

The Law works upon 3 main paths, number one path is the story and history of the "whole" Hebrew nation, which has to be told from Genesis to Revelations and because the greater portion of the tribes were lost in other nations, Daniel and other prophets set their story down as one would write a diary.

The second path prophecy took, was to also "hide" the "full" story of the Hebrew nation from them at the same time, so that their punishments and promises would run their full course.

The third path in prophecy is that the "hidden story" can only be told or understood fully, at the "END TIME" of man's ruling, as Daniel emphasises and "why" we are only understanding it now, at the close of the twentieth century!

One could have been taught by the greatest Biblical tutor that has ever lived during the past latter centuries, and "still" he could not tell his pupils the full correct translations and meanings of Daniel chapter 11, because the lock of the "oracles" from the Law turned shut and the keys secreted away, until, God Almighty said, "the time has now arrived in history here are the keys my children now turn the lock"! Or as Daniel put it in Daniel 11:4. "BUT THOU, O DANIEL, SHUT UP THE WORDS, AND SEAL THE BOOK, EVEN TO THE TIME OF THE END; MANY SHALL RUN TO AND FRO, AND KNOWLEDGE SHALL BE INCREASED".

Daniel's prophetic verses are so placed in the milestones (or waymarks) of history that much cross checking from other prophecies can go on, to prove that the unravelling of Daniel's words are correct, following and flowing verse after verse as secular history unfolds down the centuries!

Let us go back to the last line in Daniel 11:41. "AND MOAB, AND THE CHIEF OF THE CHILDREN OF AMMON". The question is who was, or is Moab today? Moab was the son of Lot, by an incestuous union by his eldest daughter (Genesis 19:37), very closely related to the Ammonites. They became numerous as a nation, and they took possession of the country within Jordan and formed a boundary with Edom. When the Israelites wanted to pass through their land they refused them permission to do so, though they were kinsmen. (Deuteronomy 2) The King of Moab sent Balaam to curse the Israelites (Numbers 22), for which it was commanded to exclude them from their people to the tenth generation and to maintain a coldness towards them. Nevertheless, Elimelech an Israelite, stayed in Moab and acquired two daughters-in-law Orpah and Ruth, the same Ruth out of who eventually came King David of Israel. Moab paid tribute to the Assyrians. The Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar subjugated them and they then seemed to have disappeared from history as a nation, though remain a race of people.

During ancient Israelite times Moses died in the land of Moab and John the Baptist was beheaded there.

Alexander Jannaeus (the King Maccabean) placed the Moabites under tribute. The land of Moab was bounded on the west by the Dead Sea, on the east by the desert, on the north by Arnon and to the south by Edom. Today, the land of Moab is in the sphere of Jordan, whereas during ancient Israelite times Jordan formed part of Palestine. Let us read a little of Jordan's history who incorporated the land of Moab and Ammon.

Under the Romans in the second century AD Jordan was incorporated into the province of Arabia. Arab tribes conquered Trans Jordan between 633 and 636. Continuing on into history it was seized by the Christians during the Crusades. The Arabs controlled the region in 1188 AD then it became a possession of Egypt and from the sixteenth century until 1918 it was ruled by the Turks, when it was taken and ruled by British and native troops. In 1920 it came under a mandate to the United Kingdom and in 1928 it was given its independence in a treaty. Jordan co-operated with the United Kingdom in World War II, giving Britain a base there for operations and in 1945 Trans Jordan became a member of the Arab League. In 1946 the United Kingdom relinquished its mandate and Abdullah Ibn-Hussein assumed Kingship of Jordan, who attacked Israel in 1948 with the Arab League, who then signed an armistice in 1949. In April 1950 Jordan annexed Arab Palestine. 1956 saw Jordan and Israel in border clashes. 1967 Israel won a 6-day lightning war against the United Arab Republic when Jordan was a member and Israel took Arab territory, including Jordan's West Bank of the Jordan River.

Let us have a quick look at the other name in Daniel 11:41, "Ammon". He again, is one of the sons of Lot born by an incestuous union by his youngest daughter, (Gen. 19:38) He became the father of the Ammonites who occupied the area of land east of the Dead Sea, known as the land of Gilead. In Scripture Ammon often appears united with Moab. Ammon occupied a tract of land east of Moab, it stretched as far as the Jabbok River in the North and South to the hills of Edom. Their tract of land was small and on the whole, they were a nomadic people, they did however have a few cities, the capital being Rabbath-Ammon, which is present day Ammon in Jordan. History sees the Ammonites as a fierce, idolatrous people whose chief God was Molech, who was offered human sacrifices.

In Ezekiel chapter 25, God pronounces to destroy them for their evil ways and of the joy they felt at Israel's captivity. Their last stand in secular history seems to have been against Judas Maccabeus 164-163 BC.

Daniel is emphasising the "land mass" these nations once occupied only, not the people as such. The same way he has spoken of the "GLORIOUS LAND of Israel and Egypt's LAND in verse 42.

Now that we have established where Ammon's "land" is also, let us now go "into" the rest of Daniel 11:41. The verse says, "that, not only will the land of Edom and Moab escape out of the hands of the Russian "HE", also the chief of the children of Moab and Ammon shall escape. A "CHIEF" is one man and not many men belonging to the Ammonites. The word "CHIEF" meaning a leader or head of the children of the Ammonites and it is the most eminent leader of their clan today in Amman Jordan. This "CHIEF" (at the time of writing this book) is the Jordanian King Hussein or heirs, of his Hashemite House, who is the superior office or "CHIEFTAINSHIP". Though Hussein was classed as a King, his dynasty is but a short one. The dynasty of the now "CHIEF of the children of Amman" began in 1946 with Abdullah Ibn-Hussein who took upon himself the kingship of Trans Jordan. His son Crown Prince Talal was proclaimed king- after his father was assassinated in 1951. Through mental illness Talal's kingship was terminated in 1952. The then King Hussein, Talal's son, came to the throne on his eighteenth birthday, crowned 1953. His "seat of ruling" is the capital city Ammon Jordan, thus representing the ancient capital of Ammon. Daniel 11:41, is telling us that Jordan's Kingly seat or superior office, is also threatened by the King of the north, Russia. But the king will escape from out of Russia's or other clutches. Whoever is "CHIEF" at this perilous time, he will indeed escape the hammer hand of Russia.

When one "ESCAPES" as Daniel says it means, that it is to pass unobserved and without harm. It also means to free oneself from custody or restraint and gain ones liberty if caught by the Russian "HE". -Perhaps the Russian leader is entering Jordan and has passed by without giving injury to the "CHIEF" or taking him into custody. Anyone of these scenarios is identified in the word "ESCAPE"!

The King of the north, Russia, enters the land of Israel and overthrows many countries throughout this area. Though today's land of Israel will be overrun with the Russian hordes, nevertheless, parts of the land south of Israel and Jordan will escape from Russian hands which once belonged to Edom and Moab. This is the interpretation of Daniel 41.

As I have said before I have read many interpretations on these prophetic verses of Daniel, offering much conjecture by some biblical students when trying to interpret this "vision". It saddens my heart deeply to read how one denomination gets something partially right and the rest wrong, then another sect or denomination reverses that situation. I always wish that they could get together and take their partially "right" translations of Scripture and put them together. What a stunning difference it would make to their whole outlook on scriptural interpretations, if they could see eye to eye in this manner, as Scripture hopes for in Isaiah 52:8.

Let us read a condensed version from the sect the Christadelphians and what they have to say about verse 41.

Firstly, I must explain that these peoples are a class of Bible students who want to know the height, the depth, and the breadth of the whole matter. But, their "set ways", which originate in a book called "Elpis Israel" by Dr: John Thomas, written a 100 years ago, puts a stumbling stone in their way, so, they are unable to surmount it for fear of losing face. They, like the old "Worldwide Church of God" -(now it's a church divided, The Philadelphia Church speaks for Mr Armstrong) are good people, of whom I have much respect. For years these Christadelphians have hammered away to other folk how Russia will invade the Middle East, quoting verses of Daniel 11:41-45 to prove it. They, partially incorrectly quoting from Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 to prove their point.

I will "not" quote in this instance from their book "Elpis Israel", as it would not be fair in our modern era, when this book was speaking of the greatness of the British Empire days and defending the Jews going back to the holy land. The book also speaks of the influence of Turkey and the Ottoman Empire in those bygone times. The book "Elpis Israel" knew nothing of 2 World Wars looking into the years ahead from the time it was written. On one hand the author of this book was far sighted enough to "see" the regathering of the Jews into Palestine (Israel). On the other hand, there's much confusion in the book with wrong interpretations of nations within secular history. For instance, in a few short paragraphs Britain's power is being forced to fulfil prophecy by becoming the lion-power of Tarshish (mentioned in Ezekiel) or perhaps Moab of the latter days?

A modern-day pamphlet by the Christadelphians called "Russia's bid for world Domination", tries to rectify some of the historical errors by saying, "IN DUE TIME, RUSSIA HAVING CONFEDERATED OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS UNDER ITS CONTROL, WILL INVADE THE MIDDLE EAST. THE WORLD WILL BE CONVULSED IN THE GREATEST CRISIS OF ALL HISTORY. THE PASSIONS OF MEN WILL OVERFLOW UNTIL ALL REASON IS SUBMERGED. IT WILL ERUPT INTO A STRUGGLE TO THE DEATH BETWEEN EAST AND WEST, WHICH WILL INVOKE THE NATIONS. THE MIDDLE EAST WILL BECOME THE FOCAL POINT OF IMPACT. RUSSIA WILL DRIVE SOUTH TO EGYPT (Daniel 11-40 to 45) AND WILL FINALLY LAY SIEGE TO JERUSALEM, DRAWING ALL NATIONS TO THAT CITY TO BATTLE (Zechariah 14-2).

THE CITY WILL FALL TO GOG'S ONSLAUGHT, AND THE JEWS, WITH THEIR BRITISH AND AMERICAN ALLIES, WILL BE DRIVEN BACK. RUSSIA'S TRIUMPH WILL SEEM COMPLETE! THE WORLD WILL APPEAR TO BE ON THE EVE OF BECOMING COMPLETELY COMMUNISED, WHEN SUDDENLY A NEW POWER WILL BE MANIFESTED IN THE POLITICAL ARENA. JESUS CHRIST WILL RETURN TO INTERVENE IN THE AFFAIRS OF NATIONS, AND SET UP HIS POWER ON EARTH".

On the face of it the entry of Russia into the Middle East is correct. It is "not" however a struggle to the death between East and West as such, but a struggle to the death between the 12 tribes of Israel, both Houses, in Jew and Christian in their respective countries, namely, Britain, America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc; and the Jew in the land of Israel. These will fight against the Russian led colossus at the close of the "end time" in secular history.

Indeed, there will also be an intervention of a "new power" in the earth, -as the above denomination says,- but the return of Jesus in "not" immediately at "that" time. We will be "visited" by other righteous Beings first and the killing stopped by God's forces, who are waiting in the wings of time for such an occasion. Jesus returns as a "Mighty King" to establish peace in the earth after heavenly powers have set peace in motion. Before "His" coming however, must come His royal retinue of persons to do His work.

Christadelphians are only aware of all that befalls the Jews in the land of Israel, they will not accept the "House of Israel" to be British stock etc!

All the prophecies and verses they translate from Scripture dealing with all the 12 tribes of Israel, whether verses name them Israel, Jacob, Judah, Jews, Zion or Jerusalem they hump them "all" together into one name, "Jews"! Anything else in prophecy dealing with these separated words is whitewashed!

Our Heavenly Father in "His" ancient prophetic words has taken the trouble through the prophets, to separate all these names for clarity of learning and understanding! As an alternative church with other beliefs, we have the assembly of persons of, "The World-wide Church of God", (or now Philadelphia Church of God) who believe British stock are indeed the "House of Israel", but they at times get confused with the last verses within Daniel chapter 11. I will quote a paragraph from one of their very informative books, "The Plain Truth". "IN THE WAKE OF THE INVASION AND TAKE-OVER OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL BY THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE, THE "BEAST" (European strongman) WILL MAKE JERUSALEM HIS HEADQUARTERS (Daniel 11-45) AS MANY NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECIES REVEAL, A GREAT MIRACLE- WORKING RELIGIOUS LEADER CALLED THE "FALSE PROPHET" AND "MAN OF SIN" WILL COME ALONG FROM EUROPE WITH THE BEAST, IN DIRECT ALLIANCE WITH HIM. THIS FALSE PROPHET WILL MAKE HIS RELIGIOUS HEADQUARTERS AT JERUSALEM". So, the king of the NORTH, -according to this church- is not Russia. But, in their "final end" application of prophecy is a strong man who will lead a coming union of once ten European nations (10 toes), which to them is the seventh and final revival of the ancient Roman Empire.

I shall quote another paragraph. "THE KING OF THE SOUTH OF VERSE 40, WHICH VERSE UNDOUBTEDLY FOUND PARTIAL FULFILMENT IN THE OFFENSIVE IN 1896 OF EMPEROR MENELIK II OF ETHIOPIA, WHO IS THE "KING OF THE SOUTH," AGAINST THE "KING OF THE NORTH" KING HUMBERT I OF ITALY AND 40 YEARS LATER MUSSOLINI PARTLY FULFILLED THAT PROPHECY ALSO. THERE IS YET TO BE A FINAL "KING OF THE NORTH -THE BEAST- AND THE END TIME "KING OF THE SOUTH" PERHAPS AN ARAB-MOSLEM CONFEDERATION WITH PERHAPS A TITLE OF MAHDI (or Messiah)".

One will instantly be aware of massive conjecture in that paragraph with the writer unable to pick up the reliable thread of translation, all because the preceding secular history of Daniel chapter 11 has not been interpreted correctly.

This is only two examples of church's translations of the "oracles of God". Who then is right? -Confusion all is confusion! With much more conjecture from other denominations also, who have turned our Heavenly Father's prophetic utterances upside down until there are so many theories of Scripture, one could be trying to unravel the Quatrains of Nostradamus with many answers and getting nowhere! (See Isaiah 29:9-24).

If these two scriptural student churches had Russia entering the Holy Land as the Christadelphians say, coupled with Daniel's secular history in all his chapters. -Which represents "the House of Israel" within British stock around the world who the Philadelphian Church say they are, then, we will begin to get somewhere towards seeing the full truth of this matter!

I can't for the life of me, understand "why" these "Worldwide Church of God" or Philadelphia Church haven't understood some of the prophecies mentioned in this Biblical book, in a clearer light? When their understanding of the "House of Israel" and "British stock" to be one and the same, should have given them a better insight into Daniel's historical prophecies!

Or even the Christadelphians becoming aware, there's an historical "knowledge" dimension missing in their understanding of Daniel!

The whole prophetic work of Daniel chapter 11 is misunderstood by all the various peoples I have read about. Apart from the two churches I have quoted and studied in this matter.

The "Seventh Day Adventists" who are other biblical students whom I respect, are trying to find "truth" also, but fail miserably in some respects being too dogmatic -like the others, in their "own" interpretations!

Even many of the Scofield references from my own Bible also fall short of understanding prophecy.

Words, words and more words, hundreds and hundreds of them have I read and researched, until my head spins with it all and still men can't get to the truth of the matter, all because men doggedly say about themselves, "we alone are God's real spiritual church, or spiritual Israel"! Or, there is no factual national Israel in the Gentile. "We" have the keys of learning. "We" can unravel prophecy. "We" are God's chosen elect. "We" are right the others are wrong!

If all the numerous churches in the world could only understand that Daniel chapter 11 was and is, the doorway into secular and biblical histories spoken about the 10 toes of part iron/part clay (Dan: chapter 2), which also gives us British and World history. Then indeed, these churches would have to rethink their position in interpreting prophecy, they then will have to take a good hard look at themselves! Many churches today are uniting through reshuffling their rituals, which is "men's" idea of obtaining one whole unifying church of God. Whereas it is "God" who does the reshuffling of people, through absolute truth of His word. With men's hearts pricked to the quick, bringing them mourning with that understanding and wisdom, to spur them on through the final "END TIME" of man's ruling with history!

At the end of Daniel's chapter 11 we must go to the much-quoted Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 which continues the Russian advance into the Middle East. This exercise is very necessary before we pass on to Daniel's next chapter 12 and the end of all things.