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 perplexing dream. This was not a normal dream or a fanciful flight of the imagination: it was a prophetic message from God.
But none of the king’s priests or pagan magicians could tell him what was happening. They had no idea nor did they represent God. As “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 shaking 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 the king and the 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 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 sequence of time until the last throes of humanity’s misrule, the original Roman empire was divided in two, between the east and the west. Power was divided between Rome and Constantinople.
After the fall of Rome (in 476), his spirit was determined to transform ten times, seven under the influence of the Catholic Church. The three previous 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 “mortal wound” inflicted by these barbarian invaders (Rev. 13:3), and exorcised Italy from its 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” evoked images of Charlemagne’s Empire. Germany became the new center of power, the heart and nucleus of the Roman Empire. After all, it was their kings, throughout the Middle Ages, who maintained a steely 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 the Church-State union. He wanted to bring back (from the dead) a coalition of nations that maintained their own identity, but shared a common faith. Although his project did not take off and his dream home did not 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 their apparent Caesar. At first, during a pilgrimage to Charlemagne’s tomb, he intoned: “There will be no peace in Europe until the whole continent is under one 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 code of laws, 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 the adventure of 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.” The almost non-existent empire of his 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 German Empire. His mountain fortress on the Obersalzberg gave him 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’s no coincidence that I have my residence in front of it.” The restless Roman spirit refuses to die!
We have reached the end of the road: THE FINAL SETTLEMENT OF EUROPE IS NOW TAKING PLACE! And all driven by the Pope and enthusiastic politicians! The ten toes on the image of Nebuchadnezzar, referring to 10 kings, correspond to this “Holy Roman Empire” carbon copy. 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 prophesied nuclear fires to scorch the earth (Isaiah 24:6)! His campaign promises of peace and security will be quickly broken. EUROPE PREPARES FOR WAR! The last trumpet of Europe is near! They will try to fight 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 on world government.
The Christ Ray will be a smashing success! He will take over the reigns of human governments and rule supreme (Rev. 11:15). Israel (all the Twelve Tribes) will be restored like super power.
Gentile authorities will pay tribute to our God and King, and will recognize 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)