God's plan for man is written in The Holy Bible, and this plan is drawing to its conclusion as proven by daily news reports.

As teenagers, Daniel and his three friends were taken captive by the Babylonians (King Nebuchadnezzar) in 605 BC. Because of his purity and God's hand upon his life, Daniel rose to a position of respect in the Babylonian court. He probably wrote the Book of Daniel from ca 536-530 BC. His book is fundamental to understanding the end of time.

A TROUBLING DREAM: Nebuchadnezzar was troubled by a recurring dream. He saw a magnificent metallic object. The original Aramaic is translated as "idol" or "image," and it may have appeared as a magnificent statue in the dream.

The king demanded an interpretation of the dream from his advisors. They asked the king to describe the dream. Irritated, he said he could believe their interpretation only if they first told him the dream. They protested that only "the gods" [Dan. 2:11] could know the nature of his dream. Realizing he was dealing with charlatans, the king ordered all of them to be executed. Hearing of this sentence, Daniel sent word to the king that his God (Jehovah) would allow him to tell the king his dream and its interpretation, if the king would grant him one day to prepare. Daniel used this day to pray for guidance. On the next day, Daniel, through God's instruction, related perfectly the nature of the dream and its interpretation.

THE INTERPRETATION OF NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S DREAM: The dream concerned empires that would affect the world— especially the sons and daughters of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob— from Nebuchadnezzar's time (approximately 2,600 years ago) until the Millennial Kingdom (in our future). The dream consisted of a magnificent metallic idol, which was destroyed by a Stone.

Each metal represented an empire, replacing from head to toe the preceding empire. Each new empire was less culturally rich— but more powerful— than the empire it replaced.

Head of gold: Daniel told the king [Dan. 2:37] that he (Babylon) was the head of gold. Beautiful and rich Babylon was militarily weak.

Chest and arms of silver: The chest and two arms of silver represented the two merged kingdoms of the Medes and the Persians— the Medo-Persian Empire [Dan. 2:39]. This empire easily defeated the Babylonians [Dan., chapter 5].

Belly and thighs of brass: The belly and thighs of brass represented the Grecian Empire [Dan. 2:39], under the brilliant military leadership of Alexander the Great. Alexander rapidly swept through the known world and defeated the Medo-Persians.

Legs of iron: The legs of iron represented the Roman Empire, which was an unstoppable military force crushing all nations in its path [Dan. 2:40]. Rome defeated the Greeks. Note that the idol had two legs, and the Roman Empire was divided into a western part (ruled from Rome) and an eastern part (ruled from Constantinople). This empire division may have significance in trying to understand the origin of the Antichrist.

Feet of iron and clay: The idol's feet and toes were made of a mixture of iron and clay [Dan. 2:41-42]. After a parenthesis (a prophecy study term for a gap of time), extending from the collapse of the Roman Empire until the Twentieth Century, this empire represents conditions in our time. The feet, coming from the legs of iron (Roman Empire), represent the revived Roman Empire, now known as the European Union (EU) Iron and clay do not mix well. This composition prophesied that the EU would be a mixture of powerful and weak nations, with dissension over policies.

The empires thus far depict the world as we know it. One more part of the statue exists, and this represent the future world:

Toes: Sprouting from the feet were toes. Humans have ten toes, and the statue likely had ten toes. For a variety of reasons given in later chapters of Daniel and the Book of Revelation, we know that these toes represent future kingdoms. These are the rulers (governors) the Antichrist will establish as part of his government during the Tribulation.

After the western and eastern "legs" of the Roman Empire fell to non-Romans, nothing was heard about this empire for centuries. Fast forwarding through many centuries, we know that Europeans were war-weary in the mid-1900s, having had World Wars I and II fought on their continent. Three small countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, banded together to form a defense and trading pact. Using the first letters of their countries' names (underlined, above) for the treaty, they signed the Benelux Treaty. Other European nations, realizing the value of a "United States of Europe," began joining together in a union of nations. The European Union (EU) was eventually selected as the name for this multi-national confederation. Today, the EU has an area less than half the size of the United States, but a larger population (exceeding 490-million persons). For the first time in many centuries, the former Roman Empire is united. A single currency, the euro, replaces most national currencies. A uniform system of laws is a goal. Read more about EU statistics.

Although there has been an attempt to create one union of many nations, regional, ethnic, and national differences have proven difficult obstacles, just as the feet and toes in the dream were made of clay (weak material = weak countries) and iron (strong material = strong countries), neither of which mixes well with the other.

The EU and America in the end times: Prophecy implies that the United States will become irrelevant as the Tribulation is approached, because it is essentially absent from prophecy. There are several possible scenarios for America's irrelevance, but I do not have space in this newsletter to discuss them. With loss of American dominance and influence, the EU will fill the world power vacuum left by America's decline.

From the EU will arise the Antichrist. Prophecy students differ in speculating whether the Antichrist will come from the "western leg" (Europe) or the "eastern leg" (Middle East). Scriptures can be cited to support either interpretation. When the Antichrist is revealed, he will suddenly appear on the world stage with an existing bloc of nations, rich economy, diversified industries, unified government structure, and a military force. He will use this power base to gain even more diplomatic, economic, and military power. He will have his religious stooge, the False Prophet, establish a false religion.

Even now, there are calls for a unified world government. These calls are accelerating because of the faltering economy. Such phrases as "global" and "one world" are used as plans are being set into place to unify the world's nations into one confederation of nations. These phrases were once uttered only by prophecy teachers, but now they are used regularly by world leaders. God's Old and New Testament prophets are being proven correct every day.

There is apostasy— a falling away from faith. Many persons who identify themselves as Christians believe that we should embrace ecumenism among all religions, because a loving God surely would accept any good person, regardless of whether that person comes to Him as a Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Secular Humanist, or whatever. A Christian who knows Scriptural teachings understands that there is only one way to God. Ecumenism— one-world religion— merely prepares the way for the False Prophet's false religion during the Tribulation (Revelation 13:11-17; other Scriptures).

The confusion of people over government, world leaders, and religion is not unexpected. The end times will be marked by strong delusion of many persons. It is frightening to watch the delusion now taking place. The Lord's appearance surely must be close at hand.

The Stone: A remarkable feature of the dream foretells the coming of Jesus (Daniel 2:34-35 |...| 45): [Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar] "You watched while a Stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were crushed together, and became like chaff from the summer threshing floors; the wind carried them away so that no trace of them was found. And the Stone that struck the image became a great Mountain and filled the whole earth. |...| Inasmuch as you saw that the Stone was cut out of the Mountain and that it broke in pieces [the image]-- the great God has made known to the king what will come to pass after this...."