Written by A.D.H. Thomas

Brethren Of Christ Articles - Prophecy

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Future of Europe Biblically foretold
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EUROPE’S FUTURE BIBLICALLY FORETOLD

Recent elections in Italy, France and Germany have resulted in less than clear Mandates for the newly formed governments. Their leaders are certainly not finding their constituencies willing to go along with their visions of Europe. And there are clearly differences between member states of the European Union on how far integration should go. Will the vision of the architects of a united Europe be realized? And what does the Bible have to say on this subject.

We readily acknowledge that the Bible does not refer to Europe under that name. Bible prophecy has, amongst other things, to do with the destiny of nations and empires, which may not have appeared on the scene at the time the prophecy was written. These future powers are identifiable through those powers or nations that occupied their territories in the past. They also exhibit similar characteristics. For example, Russia is portrayed as the latter day Assyrian, and Rome as the latter day Babylon.

The Europe whose future the Bible has foretold, and which we are interested in, is that area of Europe that comprises the territory of the Roman Empire, and which from the beginning of the 9th century was known as the Holy Roman Empire.

Our ability to foretell the future of these European nations is not due to any special knowledge or insight that we have more than any other. It comes from our reading and study of those God Inspired Scriptures, called the Bible and it is to this book we will turn for our understanding. In so doing, we must remember that the Bible is not written as an Encyclopaedia, to which we can turn to particular sections for information on specific subjects. It has been written for the interested, earnest and diligent enquirer, purposely so that it might reveal its secrets to those who desire to find them. To quote its own words “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure in them.” And again, “He that seeketh, findeth, ….,” etc. This will explain the use of symbolism that might at first sight appear unnecessary and obtuse, but is very powerful and meaningful when understood.

For example we find a great world empire presented as a man, composed of various metallic parts. These clearly represent earlier identifiable empires.

When God revealed to the Hebrew prophet Daniel the nature of these empires, He did so by the use of animals, a device that is not uncommon in our day. For example we speak of the British bulldog, the Russian bear, and so on.

The following symbols are used to identify those empires and nations whose destiny it foretells, the winged lion for Assyria; the Medo Persian bear; the Grecian leopard: and the fourth of the beasts, the dragon, a symbol that appeared on the banners that the Romans carried to battle.

We also find the dragon in the New Testament, as a symbol of Rome. And to the Old and New Testaments we will refer, to show how both the political and the ecclesiastical constitution of Europe are foretold. Let’s start by looking at a vision of the image seen by the king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, in a God induced dream, about 2,600 years ago; the meaning of which, was revealed to the prophet Daniel.

Daniel 2:28-45. “But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass. But as for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart. Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is the dream; and we will tell the interpretation thereof before the king. 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. And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee, and another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And as the toes of the feet were part of iron, and part of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.”