3. And again, in that same issue on p.6 another caution regarding Headline-guided Prophecy--the importance of distinguishing between "foreshadow" and fulfillment.

"From verse 36 to the end of chapter 11 (and the end of the age), Daniel foresees the ascendancy of Syria-Iraq (“King of the North”) “at the end time.” (v. 36 & 40; Today’s events are a FORESHADOW, not the reality)"   [bold in original]

Bible Prophecy ALWAYS "trumps"
the ebb-and-flow of the Headlines1

4. The primary point in these three quotations is that Bible Prophecy always "trumps" the headlines, no matter how convincing they may be. Bible prophecy predicts the end-day rise of the "King of the North" located in a realm generally parallel with the territory of modern Syria-Iraq. Today, ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq-Syria) is fading from that territory. But the Bible Prophecy of an end-time "King of Iraq-Syria (the North)" remains steadfast. The prophecy does not alter with the ebb-and-flow of current events. And there is no question about the contextual meaning of Daniel 11:40, as Arnold Fruchtenbaum makes clear below,"... in all previous references [in Daniel chapter 11], "the king of the north" is always Syria. ... "the king of the north" always refers to Syria throughout Daniel 11 ...Consistency demands that "the king of the north" of Daniel 40-45 also refers to Syria..."
Messianic-Jew Bible Scholar Arnold Fruchtenbaum, http://www.pre-trib.org/articles/view/review-of-after-empire-by-mark-hitchcock

(Note: In the historic era of Daniel 11, Syria, or "Seleucia", included the territory of modern-day Syria-Iraq)
BELOW: The rise of the Syria-Iraq "State" (Assyria) as the "King of the North", one of the "Four Horns", in the Last Days. (Daniel 8:22-23; 11:40)  

  In summary, then, setting the headlines aside, and keeping our focus on the Bible, expect the "King of the North" to arise in the modern-day area of Syria-Iraq, just like ISIS did for a short season. Iran in 2017 created a "Cresent Security Arc", also referred to as Iran's "Arc Of Influence", to fill the vacuum left by the reduction of ISIS in the territories of Syria-Iraq. Like all headlines (see maps below), this one may also be "blowing in the wind", but that doesn't discount the fact that the Syria-Iraq "King of the North" configuration will arise as prophesied with those same approximate boundaries.

And, yes, the "King of the North" territorial domain is an event set during the Tribulation period. But the Tribulation stage requires a preliminary stage-setting, so we expect to see the Syria-Iraq region arise according to the Daniel 11 formation sometime prior to the Tribulation itself.

We don't want to "knee-jerk" with the pen and ink every time a news item comes along (which is the way-too-often habit of way-too-many prophecy web sites these days). But we must remember that the "on & off" headlines about the Jews returning to their ancient ancestral Homeland blew every which way for over a half century before the rock-solid Bible Prophecy of the physical restoration of Israel entered fulfillment stage in the 1948 rebirth of the State Of Israel. The Headlines do not lead--rather they follow--Bible Prophecy!

BELOW: Two news maps showing Iran's "Arc Of Influence" and the continued prominence of the Syria-Iraq territory of the future "King of the North." - 

NOTES:

1. When the headlines about ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq-Syria) appeared for the first time in 2014-16, the ISIS-map had the remarkable appearance of a prophecy about the "King of the North", based on the Bible, not the headlines. This prophecy is found in Daniel 11:40 and following.

"And at the end time the king of the South will collide with him, and the king of the North [throughout chapter 11, the land of modern-day Syria-Iraq] will storm against him with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships; and he will enter countries, overflow them, and pass through. (Daniel 11:40)

The Bible didn't change, or adjust its meaning--just the headlines. If the headlines disappear and recede into history (as is so often the case), the prophetic truths of Scripture (and Daniel 11:40) continue onward toward their ultimate fulfillment. With that in mind, regarding the phenomenal rise of ISIS, I stated...,

Newsletter, Sep. 2016, Bible Prophecy As Written,
"If this is not the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy, another such event will bring it to pass in the exact same territory. "

Mid-America Prophecy Conference, Apr. 2016, presentation handout on "Eastern Leg",
"This is the boundary of the coming King of the North, The Assyrian. If this Iraq-Syria "State" is not the final "King of the North," then there will be another Iraq-Syria "State" just like it in the future."

Partner Letter June 2014

God and only God calls forth events before they happen. (Isa. 46:8-11) And it is the Word of God in Daniel, Micah, Revelation and other Biblical references which predicts the rise of Syria-Iraq in the Last Days.
That's what I documented in The Assyrian Connection—Biblical prophecies. Therefore, we look to God's Book, and no other book, as the basis of understanding today's events. Though the events in Syria-Iraq have not yet worked there way into full fruition, indeed...they do look very familiar.

Various Conferences 2014-16
When the real event stacks up to the North of Israel, it will look very much like it does Today.
(Statement on the Events North of Israel given at the Lake Charles Prophecy Conference in Sep. 2014; the Pre-Trib Prophecy Study Group in Dec. 2014; the Mid-America Prophecy Conference in Tulsa, April 14-16, 2016)

Today (2017), as ISIS control of Syria-Iraq recedes, another "King of the North" geo-pattern is arising,
There has arisen another "look-alike" to the King of the North--The Arc Of Influence Created By Iran (CLICK HERE map, NBC News)
NOW...READ ON about The ASSYRIAN ANTICHRIST...