Jehovah’s Witnesses on Kings of the North and South

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While many are familiar with the fact that the group calling itself “Jehovah’s Witnesses” knocks on doors, relatively few seem to understand how the JWs explain Daniel 11 and the Kings of the North and South.

In its booklet titled Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! the Jehovah’s Witnesses correctly teach,

The designations “the king of the north and “the king of the south” refer to kings north and south of Daniel’s people, who were freed from Babylonian captivity and restored to the land of Judah (p. 218).

However, they do not seem to keep that belief when it comes to explaining about them (at least not for the “King of the South”).

Regarding the “king of the north” the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that it was Germany from the late nineteenth century until in World War II (pp. 256-267) fulfilling Daniel 11:27-31a (this time period was not, however, the final end-time fulfillment of these verses in Daniel). Then they teach it became the Communist Soviet Block until around 1993 (pp. 275-280), fulfilling Daniel 11:31b-43 (we in the Living Church of God would contend that the Communist block did not fulfill these prophecies).

The JWs actually teach that the defeat in Vietnam was part of the result of the king of the north fulfilling Daniel 11:42,43. Notice:

(Daniel 11:42-43) Even the king of the south, “Egypt,” did not escape the effects of the expansionist policies of the king of the north. For example, the king of the south suffered a notable defeat in Vietnam (pp. 278-280).

The above “Egypt” is not, according to the Jehovah’s Witnesses the actual nation of Egypt but what they call the “Anglo-American World Power” (p. 247). Those of us in the LCG believe that the term “Egypt” means the area occupied by the current nation of Egypt. Verses 40-43 of Daniel 11 are talking about more than a nation giving up, they show that the King of the South is defeated and that it is itself overwhelmed.

But since the USA and UK are NOT south of Palestine/Israel, the JWs seem to have a problem with geography.

Currently, the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that they do not know who the final king of the north will be:

Who will be this king when Daniel 11:44, 45 is fulfilled? Will he be part of the former Soviet Union? Or will he change identity completely, as he has done a number of times before? Will the development of nuclear weapons by additional nations result in a new arms race and have a bearing on the identity of the king of the north? Only time will provide answers to these questions. We are wise not to speculate (p. 281).

The above differs greatly from LCG teachings. Essentially like Herbert W. Armstrong did, LCG teaches that Daniel 11 will have final fulfillment at the time of the end from Daniel 11:31, but probably prior (like vs. 21 or 27) as the final time of the end, the “appointed time”, begins no later than Daniel 11:29. LCG teaches that the king of the north is also the same power as the feet of the image in Daniel 2 (more information is in the articles Who is the King of the North and Europa and the Beast of Revelation).

Notice what else the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach in Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy!:

When World War I broke out in 1914, Egypt belonged to Turkey…Britain…declared Turkey a British protectorate. Gradually forming close ties, Britain and the United States of America became the Anglo-American World Power. Together, they came into position of the king of the south (p.247).

This causes the Jehovah’s Witnesses several problems as they indicate with the image of Daniel 2 that the Anglo-American World Power formed over 100 years prior to WWI, plus the fact that since Britain and the USA no longer control Egypt, that they are not south of Judah (actually, all of Britain and the USA, with the exception of the Falkland Islands and some minor territories, are north of Judah).

A chart that the book Pay Attention to Daniel’s Prophecy! has on page 284 shows that the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that “Anglo-American World Power” became the “king of the south” around WWI, were also the king of the south in WWII, were also the king of the south during the time of the “cold war”, and will be at the final end.

In addition, unlike the LCG, the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach:

Similarly, the king of the south is not destroyed by the king of the north (p. 285).

But the Bible is clear that the king of the south is destroyed by the king of the north in Daniel 11:40-43.

Sadly, the misunderstanding of prophecy that many groups (like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and even many who are affiliated with some of the Churches of God) will deceive them about end-time events.

Articles of related interest may include:

Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Living Church of God Both groups claim to represent the original Christian faith. Do you know much about them? Both groups have some interesting similarities, but many major differences. Would you like information on how to deal with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach?
Is There A Future King of the South? Some no longer believe there needs to be. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? What does the Bible say?