Ellen White’s View on the King of the North

Many are the controversies within the Seventh-day Adventist movement. More commonly known, you have the women’s ordination movement; less commonly known, the flat earth group. And a very great many others. One such controversy that boggles my mind that it’s even a controversy, is the identity of the King of the North of Daniel 11, specifically the latter half of the chapter.

Why does this controversy confuse me? Because Adventists have long held that the antichrist is the Papacy. The natural conclusion of Daniel 7, as well as Daniel 8, leads to this conclusion. In fact, when we see world history prophesied at large in the Bible, this is where the conclusion always goes.

Babylon —> Medo-Persia —> Greece —> Pagan Rome —> Western Europe —> Papal Rome

Personally, I believe Daniel 11 follows the same progression of world empires, with the exception that it starts with Medo-Persia, not Babylon. However, there are many who look to what the early Advent Pioneers taught. Sadly, many look to the pioneers as if said pioneers were infallible prophets.

Uriah Smith eventually came to believe that Turkey was/is the King of the North of end time Daniel 11. They often point to such quotes as:

“We inquire, therefore, Is it a fact that at the time of the end, Egypt did ‘push,’ or make a comparatively feeble resistance, while Turkey did come like a resistless ‘whirlwind,’ against ‘him,’ that is, the government of France?” (Uriah Smith, 1882 edition, pp. 364-365)

“‘And he shall overflow and pass over.’  We have found events which furnish a very striking fulfillment of the pushing of the king of the south, and the whirlwind onset of the king of the north, against the French power. Thus far there is quite a general agreement in the application of the prophecy” (Uriah Smith, 1882 edition, p. 368).

“The collision between this power and the French we have already noticed. The king of the north with the aid of his allies, gained the day in this contest; and the French, foiled in their efforts, were driven back into Egypt. Now it would seem to be the more natural application to refer the ‘overflowing and passing over’ to that power which emerged in triumph from that struggle; and that power was Turkey” (Uriah Smith, 1882 edition, p. 370).

Additionally, there are some who point to Ellen White’s endorsement of Smith’s book as Gospel Proof that Turkey is the King of the North. And it is true, she did endorse the book. Notice what she said here:

“Daniel and Revelation, Great Controversy, Patriarchs and Prophets, and Desire of Ages should now go to the world. The grand instruction contained in Daniel and Revelation has been eagerly perused by many in Australia. This book has been the means of bringing many precious souls to a knowledge of the truth. Everything that can be done should be done to circulate Thoughts on Daniel and Revelation. I know of no other book that can take the place of this one. It is God's helping hand.” (The Publishing Ministry, page, 356).

However, does this endorsement mean that she believed the book to be without error? Of course not. While Uriah Smith taught in his book that paganism was the daily, notice what Ellen White said:

“I now ask that my ministering brethren shall not make use of my writings in their arguments regarding this question [“the daily”]; for I have had no instruction on the point under discussion, and I see no need for the controversy. Regarding this matter under present conditions, silence is eloquence.” (Selected Messages Vol 1 p. 164).

Neither Ellen White, nor the other pioneers, saw Smith’s book as an infallible or inspired book. She said it was a valuable tool in bringing others to a knowledge of the truth, but that’s as far as she went in her assessment of it.

We should take note that she did also endorse other books, such as Pilgrims Progress, which, while it is a great book teaching many valuable lessons, it also teaches certain error as well, such as the immortality of the soul. The truth of the matter is this: Ellen White only ever endorsed the Bible as a book that is inspired and without error.

Those who place Uriah Smith and/or the other pioneers on the pedestal of divine inspiration would do well to step down from said pedestal. The pioneers, though godly men, were not prophets, and they certainly were not God Himself. Many within our ranks would do well to stop idolizing them.

While Ellen did encourage us to read Smith’s book, she also said this:

“We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn.” (Counsels to Writers and Editors, p. 37.1)

When you go to egwwritings.org, and punch in Turkey into the search function, 33 results come up. But none of them are made in connection with Turkey. When writing about end time prophecy, Ellen White follows the same line of progression as the Bible that we mentioned earlier:

Babylon —> Medo-Persia —> Greece —> Pagan Rome —> Western Europe —> Papal Rome

Let’s briefly look at an example from Scripture:

“And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.” (Daniel 11:36.)

In commenting on this, Dr. Norman McNulty says this:

“Uriah Smith and other contemporaries placed the king of the north as France through verse 39, and Turkey as the king of the north from that point. However, based on Scripture and the flow of history in Daniel 11, it becomes clear that the king of the north remains papal Rome through the remainder of the chapter. The SDA Bible Commentary notes that “king” is preceded by a definite article “the” indicating that this king has already been referred to, likely in the preceding five verses. 177 Furthermore, when looking at the description of this “king” in verse 36, it is helpful to see parallels from other parts of Daniel and the rest of Scripture to come to an understanding of who this “king” is in verse 36.

“By comparing Scripture, clearly the king of the north in Daniel 11:36 still refers to papal Rome. Claiming infallibility and attempting authoritatively to change God’s law are among the exalting, magnifying, and “marvellous words” spoken against Him. Papal Rome had the longest prospering domination (1,260 years) out of all the kingdoms in Daniel.

“As noted in Daniel 8:19, “indignation” is God’s indignation against papal Rome’s sins of persecution, which continued until 1798. Daniel 8 reveals that the judgment for this indignation began in 1844 at the end of the 2,300-day prophecy.” (McNulty, Norman. Daniel: Practical Living in the Judgment Hour, p. 264-265; Kindle Edition.)

What we have to remember is that while the pioneers were godly men and women, they weren’t always right. In fact, in the early days, they were wrong on a lot of things. But, they didn’t stay there. They grew in understanding the Bible, and as God revealed more and more Truth to His fledgling Remnant, they accepted it, and lived in obedience to this Truth.

So why would Ellen White recommend a book with errors? There are at least a couple of reasons, I believe.

First, she endorsed it for its overall value, not for any perfection or belief it was inspired. It wasn’t inspired and certainly wasn’t perfect. But it taught core Seventh-day Adventist doctrines, such as the 2,300 day/year prophecy, the Sabbath, the Investigative Judgment, etc..

Secondly, Smith’s book helped fill a void in the modern Christian world. Remember, God raised up the Millerite movement, and later the SDA movement, at a time when God was bringing the attention of modern Christianity back to the Sanctuary Truth that the antichrist had cast down and trampled on. There was still so much to learn and teach, even fore the pioneers of this Remnant Movement.

What concerns me is how many within the Seventh-day Adventist movement almost worship the pioneers, treating them as if they are the Bible. We have to remember, while these were godly men and women, there were some cherished beliefs that they eventually had to give up, because they did not line up with Scripture. The belief in Turkey as the King of the North was one of them. Ellen White herself stated we have a lot to learn, and a lot to unlearn.

I’ll leave you with this:

“We have many lessons to learn, and many, many to unlearn. God and heaven alone are infallible. Those who think that they will never have to give up a cherished view, never have occasion to change an opinion, will be disappointed. As long as we hold to our own ideas and opinions with determined persistency, we cannot have the unity for which Christ prayed.” (Selected Messages, vol. 1, p. 37.)