As prophesied, there were four Gentile superpowers: Babylon, the Medes and Persians, the Greco-Macedonians, and Rome (Daniel 2:31-45). Thesis these are the roots that Europe would do well to investigate.
Nebuchadnezzar, the first leader of this series of human governments, had an impressive and puzzling dream. This was not an ordinary dream or a fanciful flight of imagination: it was a prophetic message from God.
But none of the king’s priests or pagan magicians could tell him what was going on. They had no idea or represented God. Since “Neb” saw that they were on the payroll for nothing, wasting time and taking up space, he sentenced them to death. They were exposed as worthless charlatans, left trembling in their boots. But God saved the day and forgave them all.
God intervened for Daniel, a prisoner in the palace, and used him to clarify what the nightmare meant. This Jewish ambassador denied any extraordinary credentials, but attributed his God-given understanding to the God of Israel. He proved before king and court that the Most High God far transcends pagan superstitions. He then proceeded to offer the inspired explanation.
The king had seen this monstrous statue of a man, with different body parts made up of different materials. Daniel interpreted the “members” as representatives of successive governments. Each kingdom would have its own characteristics and would reflect the disposition of its ruler. Different men are made of different mettle. Each emperor would leave his mark on history. Just as the huge statue had two legs, descending in time sequence to the last throes of misrule of humanity, the original Roman empire was divided in two, between east and west. Power was divided between Rome and Constantinople.
After the fall of Rome (in 476), his spirit was determined to transform ten times, seven times under the influence of the Catholic Church. The three earlier entities of the Germanic tribes (the Ostrogoths, the Vandals, and the Heruli) embodied the Roman form of government, but they were Arian kings, not Catholics or Italians (Daniel 8:24). Justinian’s “Imperial Restoration” in AD 554 healed Rome’s “deadly wound” inflicted by these barbarian invaders (Rev. 13:3), and exorcised Italy from foreign occupation. It lasted, as predicted, for 1,260 years.
In AD 800, Charlemagne was crowned imperator Romanorum, an “heir” to the Western Roman Empire. He was truly considered the “Father King of Europe”. It was this Christian Caesar who firmly established the “ideal” of a unified Christian Empire in the heart and mind of Europe.
In 962, Otto the Great’s “Holy Roman Empire of the Germanic Nation” conjured up images of Charlemagne’s Empire. Germany became the new center of power, the heart and core of the Roman Empire. After all, it was their kings, throughout the Middle Ages, who maintained an iron grip on the imperial title. They were the “Protector of Europe”.
At the beginning of the 16th century, Carlos V dedicated himself to rebuilding the Gothic style of Church-State union. He wanted to bring back (from the dead) a coalition of nations that kept their own identity, but shared a common faith. Although his project did not take off nor did his dream house materialize, his grand design stirred the imagination of others.
Dr. Habsburg, his descendant, has predicted: “Our generation will find its historical inspiration in the latest concepts embodied in the person, mind, and political views of Charles V…Insofar as he represents an eternal ideal, the Emperor (Charles V)… still lives among us, not only as our European ancestor, but as a guide to the centuries to come.” Can’t you feel his “presence” in the Pope’s plea for Europe to “rediscover” its roots?
Napoleon considered himself his apparent Caesar. Early on, during a pilgrimage to Charlemagne’s tomb, he intoned: “There will be no peace in Europe until the whole continent is under a single sovereign, an emperor whose chief officers are kings, whose generals have become monarchs.”
This vision of European unity and peace is being seen again. Did Napoleon have a breakthrough? Later, unable to achieve his grand design, he lamented: “He wanted to found a European system, a European law code, a European judiciary. There would have been only one people in all of Europe.”
Mussolini fantasized about a modern version of the Roman Empire. To fulfill it, he began his adventure by enlisting the Vatican. After restoring Italy’s honor by defeating Ethiopia, he declared it a “Roman triumph” and proclaimed “the reappearance of the empire on the fated hills of Rome.” His nearly non-existent empire was the prophesied sixth resurrection of Rome. (Revelation 17:11).
In October 1936, the “Berlin-Rome Axis” sealed the fate of Italy with that of Germany’s Third Reich. Hitler (also in possession of a concordat with the Vatican) saw himself as destined to lead a great Germanic Empire. His mountain fortress on the Obersalzberg provided him with a magnificent view of the Untersberg. Within that mountain, he whispered the legend, Charlemagne still slept, waiting for his day to rise again and restore Germany to glory! The Führer would point out the visitors; “It is no coincidence that I have my residence in front of me.” The restless Roman spirit refuses to die!
We have reached the end of the road: THE FINAL SETTLEMENT OF EUROPE IS TAKEN PLACE NOW! And all fueled by the Pope and enthusiastic politicians! The ten toes of the image of Nebuchadnezzar, referring to 10 kings, correspond to this carbon copy of the “Holy Roman Empire”. It will include rich and poor countries, and will be made up of strong and weak elements, but they will not stay together for long (Daniel 2:43). They don’t share the right chemistry.
The dream of Rome will become our nightmare! This seventh resurrection will be responsible for the nuclear fires prophesied to scorch the earth (Isaiah 24:6)! His campaign promises of peace and security will quickly be broken. EUROPE PREPARES FOR WAR! The last trumpet of Europe is near! They will try to fight against Christ at his coming, but they are fighting for a lost cause (Rev. 17:12-14). Jesus will lead a brilliant campaign (Hab. 3:11) to end the Gentile monopoly of world government.
The Christ Ray will be a resounding success! He will take over the reigns of human governments and rule supreme (Rev. 11:15). Israel (all Twelve Tribes) will be restored as a superpower.
The Gentile authorities will pay tribute to our God and King, and will acknowledge Israel as God’s instrument. At that time, they will realize that an evil spirit had guided them and that Rome was his capital of confusion. It will be destroyed, never to rise again. BABYLON HAS FALLEN! BABYLON HAS FALLEN! (Revelation 18:2)