Does the European Union have anything to do with the end times?

Then the Roman Empire which was in force when our Lord was crucified shall revive. The germ of this revival is now seen in these momentous days in which we live. The E.E.C. is with us! It's commercial character has already developed into a political in the European Parliament, soon it shall assume a military form. According to Rev. 13, the Beast shall arise from the sea — the troubled Western nations shall welcome him. This final form of the Roman Empire under its bestial head shall comprehend ten nations (Rev. 17:12).

In Revelation 17:7-13, the Roman Empire is spoken of as a kingdom that was, is not and is to come. Today (not true when the first edition of this book was published), there is an amazingly-united Western Europe called the European Union (EU) with NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) supporting it with military might, and with a common currency, the Euro. Many national borders are little more than lines in the sand. This EU seems to be the forerunner of the prophetic ten-nation Revived Roman Empire of the Tribulation. It will only be in its final form after the Rapture and when whittled down to ten nations. When God wants it to, things can happen literally overnight! Think of the forming of Israel in the Promised Land in 1948, virtually overnight! As I write this edition, other amazing things are going on in the Middle East!

Out of this united Europe will arise a beast-like dictator who subdues 3 nations in becoming its dictator (Dan. 7:24; Rev. 13:1-8; 17:12). Therefore, a united Europe under the Beast's rule will begin with more than ten nations. This future dictator is sometimes so closely connected with his empire that it is hard to distinguish the two in some Bible passages.

The Bible also talks about Europe – albeit not under this name. In the language of the Bible it is the fourth world empire, i.e. the Roman empire. The Bible stated that this empire would be destroyed (as it has been) but also tells us that it will be ‘revived’. Over the past few decades we have seen calls for ever closer European integration, and a lot of movement in this direction. Again, this may not be the final fulfilment of the Biblical prophecies about the Roman Empire – but you can see how the stage is being set.

Let us turn first to Daniel 2. Here we get Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the great image with its head of gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of brass, its legs of iron and its feet part iron and part clay mingled together. God reveals the meaning of this image to Daniel the prophet. The image represents with its four different metals four different empires that were to have power one after another. We know as a matter of history that the Babylonian Empire represented by the head of gold was followed by the Medo-Persian Empire, and that by the Grecian Empire, and the Grecian in turn by the Roman Empire. The iron (Roman) empire, with its Eastern and Western branches represented by the two legs of iron, is now a matter of past history, but its final form represented by the ten toes is yet future. Revelation 17:8 shows us this empire under the figure of the beast that ascends into power again after having for a time ceased to exist. Also in Revelation 13:3 we see it with the deadly wound it had received in one of its heads, healed. That the empire must come into power again in the form of a ten-power kingdom or empire is evident also from Daniel 2:32-45; for Christ, "the Stone cut out without hands," falls in judgment upon it and breaks it in pieces and sets up in its stead His own millennial kingdom which fills, as a mountain, the whole earth. Therefore the Roman Empire must exist as represented by the ten toes at the time of Christ's coming to reign. This is also evident from Revelation 16:13-16 and Revelation 19:11-21 where we see the beast, the last head of the revived Roman Empire, gathered with his armies at Armageddon and taken alive and cast into the lake of fire when Christ appears with His armies from heaven. It is this last form of the revived Roman Empire that is the subject of our study today.

A few years ago there was nothing in the political world to indicate that the Roman Empire would ever be revived, but today we have the European Common Market which is striving for economic and political power. The threat of Russia's power is driving Western Europe to a closer alliance. All this makes even the political world realize the possibility of a revived Roman Empire in the form of a league of nations. But what shall we say when we see God revealing to His prophet way back at the beginning of the Babylonian Empire the rise of the Roman Empire and its destruction in its final form under His judgment by Christ when He comes to reign? There is nothing that strengthens one's faith in divine inspiration of the Scriptures like the study of prophecy. It deepens too the conviction that man must have to do with the living and almighty God.

The ten horns are ten (European) kings (v. 12) though not in power at the time John wrote, but who will be identified with the Beast in a future great political-military confederacy. These appear to be Western European nations which were part of the bygone Roman Empire and will at the end willingly join forces with the Beast.

It is a solemn thought that the Roman Empire of the near future, that is, United Western Europe, which once boasted of being Christian, will raise itself up against God in open and blasphemous opposition against Him and all His interests, whether in heaven or on earth. But that is just what prophecy shows will soon be, and just what we must expect to come out of all the present juggling between the powers in Europe and the unrest that is reigning there now. But before this will take place the Church will be caught up to be with the Lord in heaven.

(Vv. 12, 13) The ten horns, we are told, represent ten kings who will reign concurrently with the beast. They will unite in giving power and authority to the beast. Does not the prophecy clearly indicate that in the future Europe will seek "peace and safety" by forming itself into a confederation of ten kingdoms under the central authority of the head of the Roman Empire, who will be directly led by the power of Satan?

Western Europe is described in prophecy as the revived Roman Empire (Rev. 13), as a confederation of ‘kings’ to delegate some of their power to the head of this empire (Rev.17:13). Tragically, “These shall make war with the Lamb” but “the Lamb shall overcome them.” (Rev. 17:14; cf 19:19). He will destroy the Western European armies by the breath of His mouth (Rev. 19:20).

The last wild struggle between democracy and monarchy will result in the complete triumph of the latter. Democracy will be squelched in torrents of blood. We do not presume to offer a list of the ten kingdoms in question, but it is interesting to remember that England, France, Spain and Italy were some of the countries included in the ancient Roman Empire. Egypt and Greece, though formerly ruled by Rome, will have no place in the revived Empire, as Scripture predicts for both of these States independent action in the latter-day crisis (Dan. 11:40; Zech. 9:13). What will be the potent factor in the reconstitution of the Empire none can say at present. It may be that the growth of Socialism in every country will cause the crowned heads of Europe to combine for mutual help; it may be the Yellow Peril, or it may be the increasing aggressiveness of Russia. We leave this for the future to unfold. It is significant, by the way, that the Press of to-day frequently speaks airily of a possible "United States of Europe." The writers perhaps little realise that the thing of which they speak so lightly is destined soon to become an accomplished fact.

Moreover, the Beast has ten horns. These, we are told both in Daniel 7:24 and Revelation 17:12, are ten kings, who will federate for mutual advantage under one powerful head. Nothing of the kind was seen in the Empire which the Goths destroyed

The Gentile powers of both past and future are divinely characterised as wild beasts. That is, they have neither conscience nor heart. Their dominion is founded on rapacity and brute force. Remarkably, the states of this intermediate period, while the Roman Empire is in abeyance, have voluntarily accepted this character — all of them having adopted either a wild beast or bird of prey for their national symbol. Hence the British lion, the German eagle, etc.