Daniel 11:40-45 speaks of the King of the North which invades Israel at “the time of the end”.

Whether or not the phrase “time of the end” refers to the last days of Judah’s commonwealth or the last days of the kingdom of men has traditionally been contested.

For example, author Bryan T. Huie postulates in his exposition of Daniel that the account of the latter day King of the North in verse 40 has already been fulfilled through the actions of Herod.

However, in his exposition, Mr. Huie fails to recognise five things.

1. Mr. Huie believes that “the King” of verse 36 is the same king as the King of the North” in verse 40, however there is an inherent problem with this reading. While Mr. Huie correctly notes that the king of verse 36 is a Roman king, he fails to note that the Roman power itself never ruled over the entire Northern kingdom (Seleucid empire) and therefore was never by definition the King of the North. The suggestion that Herod was the ‘later day’ King of the North doesn’t agree with history and this is why it is not recorded in verse 36 as either the King of the North or South.
2. Secondly, when read in proper context, the “him” of verse 40 is “the king” of verse 36, not the King of the North as Mr. Huie suggests.
3. Thirdly, Mr. Hue fails to explain the following verse in chapter 12: “at that time… many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life” which when read in context is talking of the “the time of the end” in verse 40 of chapter 11.
4. Lastly, Daniel 11 has a number of similarities to Ezekiel 38 which also speak of a latter day invasion after Israel has returned to her land. Both prophecies must be speaking of the same event as both both records show the same characteristics.
5. In verse 45, the king plants his palace in the in the “glorious holy mountain”. Herod never retired to Jerusalem.

Here are the similarities:

Detail	KON – Daniel 11	Gog – Ezek 38
Geographical position:	Greek Seleucid Empire: “King of the North” v40	“North parts”, v15
When	“the latter days” – 10:14 “time of the end” – v40	“latter days” – v16 “latter years” – v8
Who else	“Libya, Ethiopia” – v43 “him”/Turkey – v40	“Libya, Ethiopia” Turkey – v5-6
Transport	“Horsemen, chariots” v40	“Horses” v4 “chariots” 39:20
Attack style:	“Whirlwind” v40	“Storm” v9
Attack size:	“And shall overflow and pass over” – 40	“like a cloud to cover the land” v9. “many people” v15,v6
Final Target	“Glorious land” v41, “Glorious holy mountain” v45	“Land of Israel” v18 “Mountains of Israel” v8, 21
Take a spoil	“he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt” v43	“hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to take away silver and gold, cattle and goods and a great spoil?” v13
Destroy	“to destroy and take many away” v44	“thou shalt come against my people Israel” v16
Meet their end on the mountain/s.	“he shall plant his tabernacle… in the glorious holy mountain, yet he shall come to his end” v45	“Thou shalt fall upon the mountains of Israel”: 39:4