reply to post by Neo Christian Mystic
Is the E.U. the Revived Roman Empire?
Contender Ministries
Daniel chapters 2 and 7 reveal a strong connection between the formation of the European Union and end-times scripture. The possible fulfillment of
this scripture began in 1950 when the Roman Empire began to show signs of being revived. In 1950 the European Coal and Steel Community was proposed
as a means of achieving economic unification in Europe following the war. The hope was that this would strengthen economic trade in Europe. This
unified effort led to the signing of the treaties of Rome in 1957, which established the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic
Energy Council. That treaty was taken a step further with the signing of the Brussels Treaty in 1965. The Brussels Treaty began the process of
rebuilding the old Roman Empire through reunification of European states under one political system, one economic system, and eventually under the
protection of one military force. The treaty established a commission, council, parliament, and court for the union. The revived Roman Empire
prophesied in the Bible was well on its way to becoming a reality.
More states were added to this growing union in 1973, 1981, and 1986, making up the 10 permanent member states of today’s European Union. In 2002,
the Euro was introduced as the first step toward a unified single currency in Europe. Upon adopting the Euro, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio
Guterres raved, “As Peter was the rock on which the church was built, so the Euro is the rock on which the European Union will be built.” 3
The EU today is made up of over 25 countries, however the ten nations of the Western European Alliance have a separate status as full members, while
those nations who joined subsequent to the original 10 have only associate membership, or observer status. This 10 nation military wing of the EU may
very well fulfill the prophecy of the beast with 10 horns from Daniel 7:7-8 and Revelations 13:1. On this beast’s back will ride the woman that
symbolizes a global religious system that is to appear before Christ returns to set up His kingdom.
The purpose of the EU’s creation was and is, ultimately, to create a European super-state or “United States of Europe”, as some have suggested
naming it, that would eventually rival the United States in influence and military might. In 1999, Javier Solana became the High Representative for
the EU’s foreign and security policy, and through recommendation 666, he was given emergency powers over the military wing of the EU in 2000. All
that currently remains to create a truly revived Roman Empire is the creation of a permanent executive branch of government and the full integration
of the new Euro currency. With the introduction of the new EU constitution, the groundwork is being laid for just such an executive branch and
economic system.
So how does this all relate to Bible prophecy? Let’s start with the book of Daniel. Daniel chapter 2 records that the ancient Babylonian King
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream concerning the Last Days. No Babylonian could interpret the dream; however, Daniel, a captive of Judah, was able to
interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream (Daniel 2:25-30), as God had already revealed the dream to him (Daniel 2:19-23).
Daniel 2:25-30 says, “You, O king, your thoughts came while you were on your bed about what would happen in the future, and the Revealer of Secrets
informed you what will be. As for me, it is not because I possess more wisdom than any other being that this secret was revealed to me, but rather to
make the interpretation known to the king, so that you may know what has occupied your thoughts.”
Daniel recounted the dream to Nebuchadnezzar, and interpreted the king’s dream of a huge statue by explaining the 4 major components of the statue.
1. A head of Gold
2. Breast and arms of silver
3. Belly and thighs of bronze
4. Feet of iron and clay
Most Bible scholars interpret these 4 components to represent the 4 major empires that have existed in the world’s history. Daniel confirms that
the first of these empires is Babylon, ruled by Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 2:37-38 “Thou, O king, art a king of kings; for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever
the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all.
Thou art this head of Gold.”
Daniel goes on to identify the second and third empires that will emerge following the Babylonian empire.
Daniel 2:39 “And after you will arise another kingdom inferior to you, and [then] another, a third kingdom, of copper, which will rule the whole
earth.”
History records the empires that followed Babylon were Medo-Persia and Greece. Daniel 5 tells us that Nebuchadnezzar’s successor, Belshazzar, was
conquered by Persia. The second empire of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream was established from modern-day Iran to Asia Minor (Turkey).
The third empire to arise (Daniel 2:39b) and rule the earth was Greece, whose reign began at the time of Alexander the Great. The fourth empire will
be a revived model of this Roman Empire. Daniel did, after all, tell Nebuchadnezzar that his vision was about “what will be at the End of Days”
(Daniel 2:28). The fourth empire is described as follows:
Daniel 2:40 “It will be strong, yet mixed. It will be a diverse empire (part of potters clay and part of iron, the kingdom will be divided), but
will be strong (but there shall be in it of the strength of iron)
Prophecies elsewhere in the Bible also describe this fourth empire of the final days, and by studying these we can examine further any indications
that would point to the European Union as the final world empire that will be ruled by the antichrist before Messiah returns.
DANIEL’S VISION OF 4 BEASTS
Following Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Daniel also had a vision of these 4 kingdoms, but this time they were represented by 4 beasts. (Daniel 7:1-24)
The first beast in Daniel 7:4 is described as being “like a lion, and it has eagles wings”. Interestingly, the emblem of the ancient Babylon was
a lion with eagles wings.