Chapter 9, Returning from the Dead. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. Daniel 11, verses 42 and 43. Previously, we identified the prophetic use of the word hand as illustrative of a power which brings another power under its dominion, influence, or control. As the sequence of events illustrated in Daniel 11, 40-45, began in verse 40, we saw the king of the north sweep away the king of the south. He then passes through the countries which made up the king of the south's domain. We identified the message in verse 40 as the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989 through the combined efforts of the papacy and the United States. Verse 40 identifies a tremendous historical event which was used by the Lord to identify the starting point for the final verses of Daniel 11. The southern kingdom is swept away. In Daniel 11, verse 41, we see the United States brought under the spiritual control of the papacy by the symbols used within the verse. We previously discussed Sister White's teaching that much of the history of Daniel 11 would be repeated as the final verses of that chapter come to pass. Some of those histories were the events connected with the rise to power of the papacy which marked the beginning of the Dark Ages. The rise of the papacy to control the world was itself a repetition of history, for pagan Rome conquered three geographical areas in order to come to rule the world, and, likewise, the papacy had to pluck up three horns before it ascended to the control of the earth. Modern Rome is first presented as retaliating and sweeping away the southern kingdom, the kingdom of atheism which brought about its deadly wound in 1798. Then, its second obstacle is the glorious land of the United States. Following the United States, we see the third hindrance illustrated as it brings Egypt or the rest of the world under its spiritual control, thus returning it to its former position as the ruler of the world. Pagan Rome, Papal Rome of the Dark Ages, and the papacy of today each overcome three obstacles in order to take the throne of the earth. Though these histories parallel each other in the sense of three obstacles, they are different in some respects. Pagan Rome literally conquered the world using its own military prowess. Papal Rome of the Dark Ages took the throne of the earth by the literal conquest of three horns, though they did so without their own army, using instead the armed forces of their sympathetic allies. After the three horns were literally subdued, then the spiritual bondage was enforced. The papacy of today will spiritually conquer the southern kingdom, the glorious land, and then Egypt, though literal consequences will follow. In Daniel 11 verse 41, the United States will come under the spiritual control of the papacy when it legislates a national Sunday law, the Mark of Papal Authority. In verse 41, the subjection of the United States represented by the hand is alluded to by the identification of those who escape the hand of the papacy. The King of the North's Final Obstacle In Daniel 11 verse 42, we see the King of the North once more stretching forth his hand. This time it is against her final obstacle, which is identified as the countries and the land of Egypt. The land of Egypt symbolizes the world with all its countries. We read in Testimonies Volume 1, page 131, these words. And then we read in Volume 5 of the Testimonies, pages 217 to 218, these words. But our own course of continual backsliding has separated us from God. Pride, covetousness, and love of the world have lived in the heart without fear of banishment or condemnation. The Church has turned back from following Christ, her leader, and is steadily retreating toward Egypt. Have we not been seeking the friendship and applause of the world rather than the presence of Christ and a deeper knowledge of His will? And then we read in the Signs of the Times, March 6, 1884, these words. And then we read in the Great Controversy, pages 627 to 628, these words. And then we read in Manuscript Releases, Volume 10, page 240, these words. The context of the passage under consideration points out that the next step for the papacy after passage of the Sunday Law in the United States is to move against the rest of the countries of the world. This is also the sequence of events which the Spirit of Prophecy identifies. We read in Volume 6 of the Testimonies, page 18, these words. And then we read in Volume 6 of the Testimonies, page 395, these words. And then we read in Volume 6 of the Testimonies, page 395, these words. And then we read in Volume 6 of the Testimonies, page 395, these words. Not only does Sister White uphold this sequence of the conquest of the world by the papacy, this is also the order of events in Revelation 13. First, through the passage of a National Sunday Law, the United States speaks as a dragon, as well as forming an image to the beast. And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon, Revelation 13, verse 11. The word spake describes the action of a government. We read in The Great Controversy, page 442, these words. End of quote. The image of the beast is a description of the use of secular power to enforce religious dogma. We read in The Spirit of Prophecy, Volume 4, page 278, these words. Both the speaking as a dragon and the making of an image to the beast officially will take place at the National Sunday Law. There are, no doubt, many events which lead up to this climactic act of apostasy, but it is after the events of the National Sunday Law There are, no doubt, many events which lead up to this climactic act of apostasy, but it is after the event in Revelation 13, verse 11, when the United States will force the world also to set up an image to the beast. Saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast which had the wound by a sword and did live, Revelation 13, verse 14. The world will make their own image to the beast and the United States will empower it. By definition, in order for the world to set up an image to the beast and thus enforce and sustain the decrees of the churches, it must have a world system such as the United Nations in place. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. Revelation 13, verse 15. Deceived through Spiritualism When the United States passes the National Sunday Law, it not only speaks as a dragon, but also erects an image to the beast. After this action, the glorious land of the United States will deceive the whole world through the spiritualistic powers that were so profoundly associated with the history of Egypt. We read in Manuscript Releases, volume 19, pages 129 and 130, these words. I was pointed back to the children of Israel in Egypt. I saw that when God worked through Moses before Pharaoh, the Egyptians came up and said they could do the same. I saw the same work was now going on in the world and among the professed churches similar to the work of the magicians anciently. Through this deception the whole world will be brought to worship the papacy, and deceive with them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast. Revelation 13, verse 14. The spiritual bondage portrayed by John is represented by Daniel in verse 42, when the king of the north stretches forth his hand upon the countries of Egypt. When the United States causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed, the world in reality will be worshipping Satan, for to worship the beast is to worship the dragon which gave power unto the beast. See Revelation 13, verse 12. We read in the Review and Herald, September 1st, 1874, these words. End of quote. And then we read in Isaiah chapter 14, verses 12 through 14, these words. And then we read in Isaiah chapter 14, verses 12 through 14, these words.

I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High. And then we read in the Review and Herald, March 9th, 1886, these words. Ever since his fall, Satan has been at work to establish himself as ruler of this earth. After John identifies them that dwell on the earth, making an image to the beast, he states in Revelation 13, 16 that all people will be affected by this image. The whole world will follow the United States, but as John describes the all who will be affected by this action, he then divides this group into two classes, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond. Daniel also divides the world up into rich and poor. Ancient Egypt had two neighbors who had interesting histories. The Libyans, to the west of Egypt, lived on the fringe of the desert, which prevented them from attaining to any measure of prosperity. Throughout their history, they had cast a longing eye toward Egypt and the fertile Nile Valley. They attempted to invade Egypt several times, but were always repulsed. Egypt symbolizes the entire world, while Libya represents what is labeled today as the third world. Libya symbolizes the poor, underprivileged and downtrodden countries which long to move up to the prosperity of the affluent western world. Ancient Ethiopia included not only Nubia, but also the part of western Arabia bordering the Red Sea. The Egyptians coveted Ethiopia because of the gold mines in its mountains and its wealth in cattle, ivory, hides and ebony, and because products from central Africa entered Egypt through Ethiopian traders. The wealth of Egypt first passed through the hands of the shrewd Ethiopian traders. As modern Egypt represents the world and Libya the poor, third world countries, so Ethiopia represents the most affluent countries of the world. Daniel links up with John's testimony when identifying that the papacy will control the entire world, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, Libya and Ethiopia. See Daniel 11 verse 43 and Revelation 13 verse 16. And then we read in Prophets and Kings page 547 these words, "...as we near the close of this world's history, the prophecies recorded by Daniel demand our special attention as they relate to the very time in which we are living. With them should be linked the teachings of the last book of the New Testament Scriptures." Daniel adds that the Libyans and Ethiopians shall be at his steps. See Daniel 11 verse 43. And then we read in Strong's Exhaustive Concordance these words, "...steps, number 4703 from 6805, a step, figuratively companionship, going, step, number 6805, a primitive route, to pace, i.e., step regularly, upward, to mount, along, to march, down and causative, to hurl, bring, go, march, through, run, over." To be at the steps of the king of the north is to march with him as he runs over the whole world. John states that the second beast causes the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, Revelation 13 verse 12. In the book, Keys of This Blood, written by Malachi Martin, we find an interesting passage. Martin is a Vatican insider who has written many books concerning Catholicism. In Keys of This Blood, Martin elaborates on why he believes that the pope will be enthroned over the whole world. As Malachi Martin addresses the structure of the countries of the world, he describes in depth how the pope views them. Here are quotations from Keys of This Blood showing how a contemporary map of the world would be drawn by the pope. We read in Keys of This Blood by Malachi Martin, pages 163 to 164, and page 171, these words. In short, that contemporary map of shame would be the graphic expression of the atrocity we have come to describe so blandly as the division of the world into north and south, which is to say, in plainer terms, the division of nations and of populations within nations into rich and poor. It is just such a map of shame that Pope John Paul does hold up to the world in his moral assessment of the geopolitical arrangements that are setting up our future for us. On the modern map of world shame that is the subject of so much of John Paul's attention, north and south do not figure as precise geographical terms. Instead, they are global frontiers where wealth and poverty divide not only nations but societies within nations. Whether it is applied to the confines of the United States or in the world at large, John Paul's moral assessment of north and south is simple and clear. In a morally adjusted economy, he insists, the rich should not get richer if the poor get poorer. Egypt shall not escape. In Daniel 11, verse 42, the land of Egypt represents the entire world, which has many countries that, according to Daniel, will not escape. The word translated as escape in this verse is different from the word translated as escape in the last verse. The last verse conveyed an idea of being saved by slipping out of a hand which had previously been clasped. The word escape in this verse conveys the meaning of not finding any deliverance from Rome's iron fist. We read in Strong's exhaustive concordance these words, escape, number 6413, feminine of 6412, deliverance, concretely an escaped portion, deliverance, that is, escape, remnant, number 6412, a refugee that have escaped, fugitives, deliverance, that is, deliverance, and so on. In verse 41, when the United States passes the National Sunday Law, speaks as a dragon, and erects an image to the beast, many people will be overthrown, not many countries. Then the world will follow the United States and many countries, in fact all the countries of the earth, will be overthrown as they march in step with the papacy. Verse 42 introduces us to the Pope in the process of bringing the world into harmony with the papacy. There we see the third obstacle overcome which allows the papacy to ascend to the throne of the world. At this point, the King of the North ceases to be simply a church and returns to the position of the ruling geopolitical power in the world. This position of authority was taken away in Daniel 11 verse 40 when the King of the South pushed at him in 1798. The deadly wound will be fully healed when the papacy stretches forth his hand upon the world and its countries and is subsequently given control of the economics of the world. We know he will assume control of the economy of the world, for John tells us that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name, Revelation 13 verse 17. Daniel links his testimony with John's as he states that at this time the King of the North shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver and over all the precious things of Egypt, Daniel 11 verse 43. Daniel uses Egypt to provide the scenario to identify these end time scenes. He uses Egypt to symbolize the world as well as using Egypt's ancient neighbors to divide the world into both rich and poor, free and bond. The history of Egypt allows us to see the spiritualistic influence which will mislead and entrap the world into accepting this deception as we remember the role of the Egyptian magicians in resisting the plagues of God. The story of Egypt also provides the perfect scenario to help us recognize the final deliverance of God's people as represented by the Red Sea crossing. However, recognizing Egypt as illustrating the world provides even more information which impacts this time period. Apostasy leads to ruin. We see the papacy receiving power over the treasures of gold and of silver and over all the precious things of Egypt, Daniel 11 verse 43. In Daniel 11 verse 41, the United States legislates a national Sunday law as it begins to march with the papacy. At this point, the laws of cause and effect begin to increasingly impact the world environment. We read in The Signs of the Times, March 22, 1910, these words, With rapid steps we are approaching this period, when the Protestant churches shall unite with the secular power to sustain a false religion for opposing which their ancestors endured the fiercest persecution, when the state shall use its power to enforce the decrees and sustain the institutions of the church, then will Protestant America have formed an image to the beast and there will be a national apostasy which will end only in national ruin. As the United States and then the world legislates and enforces apostasy against God, each step away from truth is followed by more and increasingly destructive judgments. We read in Last Day Events, page 134, these words, Roman Catholic principles will be taken under the care and protection of the state. This national apostasy will speedily be followed by national ruin. Each step in apostasy will bring more devastation upon the world. When Daniel identifies the king of the north as stretching forth his hand upon Egypt and the countries of the world in Daniel 11, verse 42, the apostasy will have nearly reached its ultimate climax. At that time, the world will be racked with the judgments of God as the spirit of God is withdrawn and man's rebellion is almost fully developed. In this condition, the people of the world will surely be looking for a savior to promise them a return to temporal prosperity. We see in this scenario a perfect ploy for the Pope of Rome to make promises of peace to a devastated population. This crisis situation has a parallel to the history of the Egyptian plagues. We read in Review and Herald, April 23, 1901, these words, But Egypt was desolated by plagues before Pharaoh would consent to listen to the great I Am. He persisted in his stubbornness till Egypt was ruined, and the Egyptians, from the lowest serf to the king upon his throne, looked upon the dead bodies of their firstborn. In this devastated condition, the population of Egypt was terrorized by the plagues.

terrified and quite willing to surrender their treasures of gold and of silver and all the precious things. We read in Patriarchs and Prophets, page 253, these words, 1. The Egyptians had been enriched by the labour unjustly exacted from the Israelites, and as the latter were to start on the journey to their new home, it was right for them to claim the reward of their years of toil. They were to ask for articles of value such as could be easily transported, and God would give them favour in the sight of the Egyptians. The mighty miracles wrought for their deliverance would strike terror to the oppressors, so that the request of the bondsmen would be granted. As the time of destructive judgments confronts humanity, when world apostasy has given control over to the papacy, conditions in the world will have brought such terror upon mankind that the people will easily trade their economic privileges for false promises of peace. Clearly, the history of Egypt provides powerful insights into Daniel 11, verses 42 and 43.