Let’s begin with the United Kingdom ── there was a new Prime Minister elected, Andrew Murray Burnham, who assumed office on the 20th of July. He has often been dubbed “the King of the North” ──
July 20, 2026
‘King of the North’ Andy Burnham becomes 7th British prime minister in a decade.
The man dubbed the “King of the North” became the new British prime minister Monday, the latest in a revolving door of leaders trying to halt a decade of political turbulence and economic stagnation in the United Kingdom.
Burnham, 56, was appointed unchallenged after the unpopular Keir Starmer agreed to step down last month following a series of election defeats, U-turns and scandals.
Both Starmer and Burnham come from the same center-left Labour Party, and in the United Kingdom, ruling parties can change leaders — and therefore the prime minister — in the middle of an election cycle without anyone voting.
That said, Burnham has promised radical change after taking office following a morning of royal formality, though he already faces infighting over his Cabinet selections.
Making his first speech as prime minister outside No.10 Downing St., Burnham vowed a “circuit breaker for Britain” that would involve “the biggest changes of the past 40 years.”
17 July 2026
Andy Burnham Pledges to “Bring Back Hope” in First Speech as Labour Leader.
Andy Burnham used his first speech as the new leader of the Labour Party to promise a return to “the Labour they once knew”, devoting efforts to rebuild trust in politics, devolve power away from Westminster, and to unite a party he believes have often been too divided by internal battles.
Addressing party members after winning the leadership contest, Burnham said Labour had a “last chance to change” and has promised to put the party’s renewed unity “at the service of people and places who have been waiting too long for politics to let them hope again.”
So, Mr. Burnham is pledging “hope” and “change” to the UK. Sounds especially similar to the 44th President of the US, who promised to fundamentally change America ── and indeed he did. He caused ever-greater division and promoted, to the 3rd degree, the LGBTQ+ agenda!
Also, and I’d like to add, since I believe that the soon-coming end of the age is coming soon (based upon our understanding of the LORD God’s 6,000-7,000-year plan), Mr. Burnham will not accomplish his pledge.
“Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name” – Revelation 13:1. The above illustration generated for COJCOM by GPT Image2.
Now, as far as the label “the King of the North,” there is a final one with that very description spoken of in the 11th chapter of the Book of Daniel. So, this final leader from the heartland of a United Europe will promise peace and prosperity. He will make a deal with a small number of people and will gain power (cf. Rev. 17:12-13). He will promise peace at a time of crisis ──
“And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue.” – Daniel 11:21.
Historically, this focuses on Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who ruled the Seleucid Empire from 175 to 164 BC. He seized the throne by intrigue, ousted the priest Onais III, sold the priesthood twice, and handed the temple's treasures to his supporters. This verse 21 paints Antiochus IV as a pretty vile guy──also called “the vile one” who rolls in as a tyrant, taking the temple's treasures and oppressing the people. This is, however, a dual prophecy-- Antiochus IV is the first “vile one”; another will rise again, a future oppressor.
God’s living Word – the Holy Bible – teaches that Europe will NOT continue as it has been. It shows that it will – in this final end-time – reorganize under a dictator of ‘fierce countenance’ who will implement under the auspices of the Catholic Church a totalitarian police state within a United States of Europe.
This same final “vile” leader, who appears at the “appointed time” of “the end,” is described without the ‘king of the North’ title in Daniel chapter 8 ──
“Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, then suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. 16) And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, ‘Gabriel, make this man understand the vision.’ 17) So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, ‘Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.’ …
19) And he said, ‘Look, I am making known to you what shall happen IN THE LATTER TIME of the indignation; for at the appointed time the end shall be. …
23) ‘And in THE LATTER TIME of their kingdom, When the transgressors have reached their fullness, A king shall arise, Having fierce features, Who understands sinister schemes. 24) His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; He shall destroy fearfully, And shall prosper and thrive; He shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. 25) Through his cunning He shall cause deceit to prosper under his rule; And he shall exalt himself in his heart. He shall destroy many in their prosperity. He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; But he shall be broken without human means. 26) And the vision of the evenings and mornings Which was told is true; Therefore seal up the vision, For it refers to many days in the future.’” – Daniel 8:15-17, 19-26.
This soon-coming final ‘king’ is also the ‘beast’ spoken of that the ten kings (or, rather, kingdoms ── as the LORD God views earthly kingdoms) give their power to in Revelation 17:12-13.
I want you to pay close attention to what I have bolded in the above end-time prophecy. This ‘king’ shall rise up when “the transgressors have reached their fullness,” which does suggest that this is when the LORD God has had enough of the increasing wickedness of man among the nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Grave wickedness and evil are increasing in our Anglo-Saxon lands, and elsewhere.
Now, the Book of Daniel specifically shows us that a final ‘king of the South’ (a final end-time Islamic confederation of nations) will arise and make a “deal” with a final ‘king of the North’ ── yet neither will be trustworthy ──
“Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be AT THE APPOINTED TIME.” – Daniel 11:27.
Today, in these perilous times, events in Europe and the Middle East are occurring that are setting the stage for the final fulfillment of these and other biblical prophecies. And since Islamists are utilizing TERROR as a major weapon ── and they have in their past, as they are today ── God’s word teaches us that terror will indeed be one of the curses that the descendants of Jacob/Israel will have to face for our disobedience unto the LORD God (cf. Leviticus 26:16; Jeremiah 15:8).
In this end-time, something upsets this risen ‘king of the North’ – even though he feels that he had made a “good deal” ──
“While returning to his land with great riches, his heart shall be moved against the holy covenant; so he shall do damage and return to his own land.” – Daniel 11:28.
Historically, verses 25-28 pick up Antiochus IV's return from his Egyptian campaign that was around 169 BC. He swings back through Syria and makes a stop in Jerusalem, where he raids the temple and confiscates its treasures. “Moved against the holy covenant” means that he actively opposed the Jewish people and their faith, attacking the temple and their worship of the LORD God.
So, this verse about his ‘heart being moved against the holy covenant’ refers to the fact that many of the LORD God’s chosen servants are WARNING against what this coming “deal” in verse 27 actually means.
So, at THE APPOINTED TIME OF GOD, there will be something that will trigger the final ‘king of the North’ to attack a final ‘king of the South’ ──
“’At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. 30) For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage.’” – Daniel 11:29-30.
I speak of this in a fairly recent conversation I had with AI ──
“Turning the page once again ── let us notice Daniel 11.”
Daniel 11 continues the theme of divine sovereignty over nations and kings. It shows how God orchestrates history, even through the rise and fall of empires. This chapter contains one of the most specifically fulfilled prophecies, predicting events over 375 years with amazing accuracy.
“Oh, exactly, because there have been many ‘kings of the north’ and many ‘kings of the south.’”
Daniel 11 traces conflicts between northern and southern kingdoms, primarily the Seleucid and Ptolemaic empires that emerged after Alexander the Great’s death. Would you like to explore how these ancient power struggles connect to later biblical prophecy? What aspect of Daniel 11 would you like to dive into?
“Notice verse 30, the latter part.”
“ … ‘So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant.’” – Daniel 11:30.
Daniel 11:30 describes ships from Kittim coming against Antiochus IV, causing him to withdraw in fear. He then returns enraged, taking action against the holy covenant and favoring those who forsake it.
“Verse 31.”
“’ And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation.’” – Daniel 11:31.
Daniel 11:31 describes Antiochus IV’s desecration of the Temple, setting up the “abomination of desolation.”
“Yes, he took away the daily sacrifices.”
Right, Antiochus IV halted the daily sacrifices in 167 B.C., which helped spark the first Maccabean revolt.
“Yes. The ‘abomination of desolation’ was his sacrificing a swine upon the altar.”
Yes, Antiochus IV’s act of sacrificing a swine on the Temple altar in 168 B.C. was indeed the “abomination of desolation” mentioned in Daniel 11:31. Would you like to explore how this event connects to later biblical prophecy?
“Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke about the “’ abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place.” Indicating a future happening.”
Jesus did reference Daniel’s prophecy in Matthew 24, suggesting a future fulfillment. It’s fascinating how these ancient prophecies continue to spark discussion. It’s fascinating how the duality of prophecy ── having multiple layers ── how Daniel’s vision found its fulfillment with Antiochus IV, but also Jesus points to it as still in the future, yet another layer to unfold. It’s like prophecy has this telescoping quality where one event foreshadows another.
A final risen Catholic-led European ‘king of the North’ will send military forces into a Jerusalem ── initially as a ‘peace’ mission ── as was spoken about by our Lord Jesus (Matthew 24:15). So, soon after the LORD God’s final end-time prophets, after 3 ½ years of proclaiming unto the world the gospel of the kingdom of God, preaching throughout the world as a witness unto all nations ── the end will come (Matthew 24:14). The official Jewish animal sacrifices will be stopped (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 11:31), and then ‘those who are in Judea (modern-day Israel) will begin to flee to the mountains’ (Matthew 24:16-20).
God’s living word tells us of a soon-coming time of great and massive destruction ──
“ … the coming generation of your children who rise up after you, and the foreigner who comes from a far land, would say, when they see the plagues of that land and the sickness which the LORD has laid [has allowed] on it [such as the great plague of our grave terror attack of 9/11]:
23) ‘The whole land is brimstone, salt, and burning; it is not sown nor does it bear, nor does any grass grow there, like the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, which the LORD overthrew in His anger and His wrath.’
24) All nations would say, ‘Why has the LORD done so to this land? What does the heat of this great anger mean?’” – Deuteronomy 29:22, 23-24.
“Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts The land is burned up. And the people shall be as fuel for the fire; No man shall spare his brother. 20) And he shall snatch on the right hand And be hungry; He shall devour on the left hand And not be satisfied; Every man shall devour EPHRAIM, and EPHRAIM MANASSEH; Together they shall be against JUDAH.
For all this His anger is not turned away, But His hand is stretched out still.” – Isaiah 9:19-21.
The above certainly appears to describe something consistent with a nuclear explosion or a similar event. Ephraim represents, for the latter days, the United Kingdom and her Commonwealth Nations. Manasseh represents the United States of America, and Judah ── modern-day Israel. It is prophecy for our time!
Here is some following additional news concerning this “military operation” between the United States of America and the Islamic Regime of Iran ──
Jul 21, 2026
U.S. strikes Iran and Houthis threaten Saudi Arabia shipping as mediators push 10-day ceasefire.
The U.S. completed a fresh round of strikes against Iran … as Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis threatened to impose a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia, potentially opening a new front in the Middle East conflict. The latest cycle of tit-for-tat strikes comes amid reports that regional mediators have presented Washington and Tehran with a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire, a pitch that could put last month’s memorandum of understanding back on track. …
“U.S. forces struck Iranian military command centers, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites, and air defense systems to degrade Iran’s ability to continue attacking commercial vessels flowing through the Strait of Hormuz,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
It added that commercial vessel transits through the strategically vital waterway were continuing. CENTCOM forces, the statement said, had facilitated the transit of around 900 commercial vessels and 450 million barrels of crude oil through the strait since early May. …
Iran, meanwhile, attacked a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz early Tuesday, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel as it seeks to tighten its control over the waterway, one that typically handles around 20% of the world’s oil traffic.
Kuwait said Iran had attacked several of its power generation and water desalination plants on Monday, causing a fire at multiple facilities.
18 July 2026
US strikes leave 10,000 Iranians without water as Kuwait desalination plant burns.
Officials said facilities were destroyed as Iran warned countries hosting US forces to prepare for retaliation.
The escalating conflict between the United States and Iran is taking a growing toll on civilian infrastructure, with Iranian officials saying overnight US strikes destroyed a desalination facility supplying drinking water to about 10,000 people.
Hamzeh Pour, chief executive of the Hormozgan Water and Wastewater Company, said US strikes hit desalination pumps and electrical infrastructure in Bunji village, in Jask, cutting off water supplies to 20 villages.
“The supply of drinking water to 20 villages with a population of approximately 10,000 people has been completely disrupted,” Pour was quoted by Iran’s Tasnim News Agency as saying.
Pour called the strikes “a series of crimes and terrorist attacks”, adding that a seawater pumping station and a power transformer serving the Bunji desalination plant had been “completely destroyed”.
“These villages are facing a severe water shortage,” he added.
Now, I personally, do not trust Iran’s Tasnim News Agency any further than I can spit! And that's not very far! We should have learned that we cannot trust the Iranians. And like what my sister and I were discussing recently ── where are the thousands upon thousands of protestors raging in the streets of Iran against the IRGC and this vile and evil Islamic regime? We’re being told that they’re still scared! Apparently, there’s more of them than those who support this evil. WHERE ARE THEY?
Yes ── this evil Islamic Regime of Iran believes that it will prevail as their version of Islam proclaims.
This important “military operation” against evil is not over.
God’s living word, in the Book of Isaiah shows us that an Iranian-led confederation of nations will come to cause great damage to JERUSALEM ──
“Elam [a reference to Iran] bore the quiver With chariots of men and horsemen, And Kir [thought to be in the region of modern-day Syria or Iraq] uncovered the shield. 7) It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys Shall be full of chariots, And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate.
8) He removed the protection of Judah. You looked in that day to the armor of the House of the Forest; 9) You also saw the damage to the city of David, That it was great; And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool.” – Isaiah 22:6-9.
Again, not long ago I spoke concerning this end-time prophecy with AI ──
“Well … notice verse 9.” …
Yes. That’s a fascinating verse to explore. I’d love to hear your teachings on how you see this verse playing out in duality.
“Certainly, in connection with what’s happening in the world today ── especially in relation to the U.S., Israel, and Iran.”
That’s an interesting connection you're making between those ancient verses and current geopolitical events. What are you teaching regarding these connections unfolding in today’s world?
These verses are describing Jerusalem’s defensive preparations and the LORD’s perspective on them. It’s addressing the city’s reliance on human strength rather than divine protection.
“Is it not true that ancient Elam was an ancient part of Persia?”
Elam was indeed an ancient civilization in what is now Iran. It became part of Persia when King Cyrus the Great conquered the area around 539 BC.
“What about ancient Kir?”
It was an important city associated with Elam’s history. Kir’s exact location is debated, but it is thought to be in the region of modern-day Syria or Iraq. It was likely the origin of the Arameans, who later settled in Syria.
“Yes. Notice in verse 8, the LORD removes the protection of Judah, which today is modern-day Israel.” …
That’s an interesting theological teaching connecting ancient Judah with modern Israel. I’d be interested to hear more about how you're seeing those connections between the biblical text and current events. …
“Notice verse 9 says that ‘You’ ── meaning the LORD ── ‘also saw the damage to the city of David,’ which the city of David is Jerusalem, and that it was ‘great.’”
That’s an interesting theological teaching connecting the ancient text to Jerusalem. The city of David refers to the original settlement that became Jerusalem, and the verse describes the LORD’s perspective on the city’s defenses.
Truly, truly, with the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, those living in Jerusalem should consider evacuating! (See: our sermon “’ Blow the Trumpet!’”).
An illustration of a dream I had back in 2015. A dream in the night in my head while on my bed, and behold, I saw a young Jewish family on a bright beautiful morning, in which all the males wore yarmulkes, taking pictures. Then as I lifted my eyes, I saw a huge armada of spaceships in low earth orbit in which one very tall commander dressed in silver armor with six huge horns which wrapped around from the back of his head, his face shining like the sun in full strength, stood atop one of the ships looking through a pair of binoculars at the earth.
Historically we see that after Tiglath-Pileser, king of Assyria, took over Damascus, he moved Syrians to ancient Kir (2 Kings 16:9-10). Now, while this does not necessarily mean that “Kir” is a reference to modern Syria ── it is of interest that Syria and Iran are allies. Also, God’s word has the expression “the Syrians from Kir” – Amos 9:7, which is a direct confirmation that ancient Kir will certainly include some Syrians. And the prophecy that “Kir uncovered the shield” appears to suggest that Syria will somehow reduce the effectiveness of Israel’s Iron Dome, or David’s Sling, or Arrow 2 & 3. God’s unwavering word tells us that there is coming a time when “Kir” ── today, Damascus ── will be utterly destroyed (cf. Isaiah 15:1; 17:1). Interestingly, the “house of the Forest” was anciently located in Lebanon—which is exactly where the terrorist group Hezbollah is based out of.
Certainly, a way for Judah (modern-day Israel) to ‘look to the weapons in the House of the Forest’ would be a massive attack by Hezbollah. Though it has become more difficult for Hezbollah’s patron, the Islamic Republic of Iran, to support the group financially. The tightening of international sanctions and the maritime blockade of Iranian ports in April 2026 have caused a near-total paralysis of Tehran’s oil-export economy. Nevertheless, Hezbollah’s multifaceted financial apparatus is demonstrating remarkable resilience. 1
Indeed, Isaiah 22:9 tells us that there is soon coming a time when modern-day Jerusalem, “the city of David,” will be greatly damaged.
Yes, there are various biblical prophecies involving Iran──yet they will never succeed in ruling over an Islamic coalition of nations, but it will, soon, be involved in causing great damage to the capital of Israel ── “the city of David.” □
