Now one problem with simply stating that the King of the North equals the King of Babylon is Daniel 11, the actual chapter we are studying. Remember, we are looking to understand the Abomination of Desolation. We were looking at the Time of Trouble in Daniel 12 to see if “armies” appeared “surrounding Jerusalem” prior to it. We found the King of the North in Daniel 11:45. So specifically, we should understand which king Daniel 11 is speaking about.
Also I in the first year of Darius the Mede, even I, stood to confirm and to strengthen him. And now will I shew thee the truth. Behold, there shall stand up yet three kings in Persia; and the fourth shall be far richer than they all: and by his strength through his riches he shall stir up all against the realm of Grecia. And a mighty king shall stand up, that shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he shall stand up, his kingdom shall be broken, and shall be divided toward the four winds of heaven; and not to his posterity, nor according to his dominion which he ruled: for his kingdom shall be plucked up, even for others beside those. And the king of the south shall be strong, and one of his princes; and he shall be strong above him, and have dominion; his dominion shall be a great dominion. And in the end of years they shall join themselves together; for the king’s daughter of the south shall come to the King of the North to make an agreement: but she shall not retain the power of the arm; neither shall he stand, nor his arm: but she shall be given up, and they that brought her, and he that begat her, and he that strengthened her in these times.
Daniel 11:1-6
The above passage is written by Daniel in the first year of Darius the Mede. By this time, Babylon had already been replaced by the Medo-Persian empire, and they in turn would soon be dethroned by the Greek empire led by Alexander the Great (verse 3).
When Alexander died his kingdom was broken into four smaller ones, one of which is called the King of the North (verse 6), initially led by Seleucus I Nicator. But get this. The first capital for this northern kingdom was the city of Babylon.
Did you catch that? Again, it is Babylon! Babylon of the North.
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