For decades, Christians have speculated on whether or not the European Union is the final world empire outlined in the Bible. The Book of Daniel and the Book of Revelation point to a revived Roman Empire that will appear in the end times (Daniel 7:23; Revelation 17:10). Since World War II, prophecy watchers have paid careful attention to the slow and steady unification of western Europe. The alliance now known as the EU has faced numerous growing pains along the way. These include squabbles over a single currency, trade rules, debt bailouts, Brexit, and hundreds of issues.

The latest infighting centers around the EU’s response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While some EU members have called for a complete embargo of Russian oil and natural gas, others have made it clear they will never agree to such restrictions. For example, Germany claims they can move forward with a ban on Russian oil by year-end, but Hungary has unequivocally said, “No.” Without Russian supplies, Hungary runs out of energy. Germany does too. The only difference is its leaders continue to delude themselves into believing they can survive with zero Russian energy.

The EU put itself in a terrible position of weakness. Entering 2022, they were dependent on Russia for 30% of their oil and almost half of their natural gas. When the EU supported sanctions against Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, the international banking system cut off Russia’s foreign dollar and euro reserves. This meant if Russia continued to accept dollar and euro payments, they would be trading oil and gas in exchange for worthless currency they couldn’t spend.

So, what did they do? Russia demanded payment in either rubles or hard currency such as gold. European leaders threatened to sue for breach of contract. They vowed never to accept such an arrangement and threatened any European energy company that dared to comply. That was last month. Today, dozens of European countries and companies are paying for Russian oil and gas with rubles. The latest is French energy group Engie, whose largest shareholder is the French government.

When it comes to foreign policy, the EU is divided. Each nation continues to operate its own foreign policy. They can’t agree and rarely speak in one voice. To me, this failure to agree is yet another reason to believe some form of the EU will become Daniel’s prophesied final empire. Why? Because this EU characteristic aligns with the empire Daniel describes.

For instance, the Bible says this final world empire will be a kingdom:

• Divided (Daniel 2:41)
• Made up of weak and strong nations (Daniel 2:42)
• Of nations trying to strengthen themselves by forming alliances with each other (Daniel 2:43)
• That fails to hold together or “gel,” just as iron and clay don’t stick together (Daniel 2:43)
• From among the ancient Roman Empire (Daniel 9:26-27)

A Global Empire

Right now, no empire rules the world, much less a global empire of ten nations or ten kings. This means the EU in its present form is not the global empire foreseen by Daniel. However, this doesn’t mean it won’t become that empire. Most likely, it’s an early stage of what will become the Antichrist’s global empire. Why? Again, the EU fits every one of the characteristics outlined above. The Antichrist’s empire will be:

1) A Revived Roman Empire – The global empire from Daniel’s vision is built on the ashes of the ancient Roman Empire. Why do I say this? First, the ruler of this global empire is the Antichrist. According to Daniel, the Antichrist will arise from the nation whose armies destroyed the Temple and Jerusalem in A.D. 70 (Daniel 9:26). That nation was Rome. So the global empire’s ruler will come from Rome.

Second, when explaining Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, Daniel described five empires that will rule Israel before Jesus returns. Those empires were Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and a ten-nation alliance (Daniel 2:36-45). He describes each successive kingdom, but he makes no distinction between the fourth kingdom and the ten-nation alliance (Daniel 2:40-43). In other words, the ten-nation alliance will be a new form of the fourth kingdom – Rome.

Later, Daniel has another vision. This time, he sees four beasts, each representing a world power that will conquer Israel (Daniel 7). We know the fourth beast is Rome because it conquers the third beast, Greece (Daniel 7:6). But we also know it will come back. Why? Because it “will rule the whole earth” (Daniel 7:23), and it will be ruled by the Antichrist (Daniel 7:24-25). Rome neither ruled the whole earth nor was it ruled by the Antichrist. Also, this empire is yet again described as a ten-nation alliance (Daniel 7:20), and the ancient Roman Empire never took the form of a ten-nation alliance.

Today, the EU sits on the ashes of the ancient Roman Empire. Ancient Rome occupied nearly every part of the current EU member nations, including Italy – home to Rome itself.

2) A Divided Alliance, Loosely Held Together – The global empire Daniel described will also be divided (Daniel 2:41). It will struggle to hold itself together, just as iron and clay struggle to hold themselves together (Daniel 2:43). Do we see this type of alliance when we look at the EU? Absolutely!

Since its inception, the EU has harbored an odd collection of politicians, governments, economies, currencies, and militaries. From the Schuman Declaration in 1950 to the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007, the rise of the EU has been marked by a struggle to agree on important issues. These include arguments over a single currency (the United Kingdom and Denmark opted out), disagreements over how to handle debt crises (the Greek bailouts), and disputes over open borders (the Syrian refugee crisis). Each step along the way, the EU struggled to survive.

Until recently, Brexit was the latest example. Critics pointed to Brexit as evidence the EU is not the coming global empire. But the exact opposite is true. Brexit is a perfect example of the EU’s struggle to stay together, “just as iron and clay don’t hold together.” Now, the EU’s dividing issue is how to deal with Russia. Arm Ukraine? To what extent? Ban Russian imports or pay for oil and gas in rubles? Yet again, EU member countries can’t agree on a unified policy. It’s the latest example of why the EU is a “divided alliance” (Daniel 2:41). It’s a union of weak and strong nations struggling to bond together (Daniel 2:43), and this is exactly how the Bible described the final world empire.

3) An Alliance of Weak and Strong Nations – As I write this, the EU contains the world’s 4th, 6th, and 7th largest economies (Germany, the United Kingdom, and France). And yes, I’m still counting the UK as part of the EU. When the pro-EU politicians come back into power (which is probably only one election away, given the massive food and fuel inflation we’re seeing), and the UK remains out, then I might concede the UK is no longer part of the EU. Until then, I still count it as part of the EU. The EU also contains the world’s 113th, 114th, and 132nd largest economies (Iceland, Cyprus, and Malta).

When it comes to military spending, the EU contains the world’s 4th, 6th, 7th, and 11th largest militaries (the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy). Yet, it also contains the world’s 78th, 79th, 87th, and 90th (Lithuania, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Estonia).

Alone, not a single EU nation is a world power. Together, they are the world’s greatest economic power. Combined, their military spending is second only to the United States. In fact, several European politicians have called for an EU army. Don’t doubt it – the EU is a superpower. It’s a revived Roman Empire made up of weak and strong nations. And this is what the Bible says will exist just before Jesus returns.

Vassal States of Russia?

In a world governed through the use of force, many geopolitical experts say the reality is the EU has become a collection of Russian satellite states. Despite all the grandstanding over Russia sanctions and threats of military force, the cold harsh reality is Europe needs Russia’s fossil fuels. Without Russian oil and natural gas, the lights go out. Industry comes to a screeching halt. Come winter, people freeze. This means, on the world stage, the EU is in a position of weakness. They’re beholden to Russia. They don’t resemble anything close to a world superpower. Therefore, the conventional wisdom says Europe’s power on the world stage is fading and will soon come to an end. But I would argue this is exactly the state the Bible says the final world empire will be in just prior to devouring the world.

If the EU is the world empire described in the Book of Daniel, then its current weakness will soon transform into overwhelming strength. But how?

We don’t know for sure how this will happen, but we could be witnessing the seeds of this transformation right now. Ironically, the catalyst for change may very well be the state of weakness the EU finds itself in now. Its failure to speak with a single voice when dealing with the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and its reliance on the U.S. and NATO when it comes to defense have led to calls for the creation of a new executive position to formulate a common EU foreign policy and new calls for the creation of an EU army.

In an opinion piece, the foreign ministries of Denmark, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic called for Europe’s foreign ministers to “give the EU’s new high representative greater leeway to respond to rapid developments when core European values are at stake and allow the EU to become more agile and proactive on foreign policy.”

When the EU finally decides to assert itself on the world stage, it will become a mighty superpower. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has likely moved that day closer to reality. It highlights the weaknesses of current EU institutions. This will likely spur significant change in those institutions.

What Happens Next?

Look for EU advocates to push for greater unification, particularly in regard to a unified foreign policy backed with the threat of a EU military force. The current disagreements appear to show weakness, but this weakness won’t last. All the volatility we’ve seen so far makes it more likely the EU is an early phase of the alliance Daniel described. It’s the mirror image of the revived Roman Empire the Bible says will appear in the last days (Daniel 2:40-43, Daniel 7:23-24). It’s made up of weak and strong nations (Daniel 2:42). It’s divided against itself (Daniel 2:41), and the effort of these nations to come together and strengthen themselves is volatile and unstable (Daniel 2:43). These bible verses sound a lot like the EU, don’t they? I sure think so.

If the current crisis in Ukraine results in a single EU foreign policy and a unified EU military, the EU will take one more step toward becoming the global empire Daniel described.

Keep looking up, because Jesus is coming!

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Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming and Racing Toward Armageddon. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.

 

After two years of global turmoil, people are starting to realize we aren’t going to “return to normal.” We’ve endured a global pandemic, widespread social unrest, vaccine passports, and compounding global supply chain issues. Now, we have a major war in Eastern Europe, fuel and food price inflation, and rumors of an impending global financial crisis.

Everywhere you look, it seems as though the end is near. Is it? What does the Bible say? How close are the end times, the Tribulation, and the rapture of the church?

Fortunately, we don’t have to guess. Jesus Himself told us how to recognize the general timeframe of His return. When the disciples said, “Tell us the signs of your coming and the end of the age” (Matthew 24:3), Jesus told them a number of things to look for. He then said, “When you see all these things, you can know my return is near. I’m right at the door” (Matthew 24:33). He also said, “When all these things begin to happen, look up for your salvation is near!” (Luke 21:28).

This means the #1 indication Jesus will return soon is all the signs appearing together. Both Jesus and the prophets told us what those signs are, and the appearance of just one is reason enough to take notice. But the arrival of one sign after another demands your attention. It’s the sign Jesus said to look for. This convergence of signs is confirmation our generation will witness the Second Coming – not according to me, but according to Jesus.

The Convergence of Signs

So, what are these signs? This article will only cite a few. These signs are undeniable, and their convergence should convince you the return of the Lord is close at hand. They include:

Israel Back in the Land – God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He said He would call them from “among the nations” (Ezekiel 39:28), from “the farthest corners of the earth” (Isaiah 11:12), and from “north, south, east, and west” (Psalm 107:3). He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12).

The Jewish People in Control of Jerusalem – Jesus said armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslave its citizens. The Roman legions fulfilled this prophecy in A.D. 70. Jesus then said people other than the Jewish people will control Jerusalem for a time, until the Jewish people once again control Jerusalem. When they did, Jesus promised to return (Luke 21:24-28). Since 1967, the Jewish people have controlled Jerusalem.

The Gospel Preached Throughout the World – When asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus said to look for a very specific sign. He said the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it. And then? And then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). For centuries after the crucifixion, the Gospel was confined to a small area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. In the past two centuries, Christians have brought the Gospel to every nation in the world. Today, missionaries are in every nation. The Bible is translated into hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, TV, satellite, and the Internet. For the first time in history, this generation is on the verge of spreading the Gospel to every last person on earth.

An Increase in Travel and Knowledge – Six hundred years before Jesus, an angel gave Daniel a special message. He said “travel and knowledge” will increase in the end times (Daniel 12:4). For centuries of human history, dramatic gains in travel and knowledge did NOT take place. Yet the last two hundred years have seen explosions in the speed and frequency of travel as well as the amount and availability of knowledge.

Arrival of the Exponential Curve – Jesus said a variety of global signs will come before His return and the end of the age. These signs will be spiritual, natural, societal, and political in nature. He said they will appear in a distinct way – “like birth pains” (Matthew 24:3‐8). This means the frequency and intensity of these signs will increase as we near His return. Our generation has seen the exponential increase in war and famine Jesus said to look for. In the 20th Century alone, more people died from war and famine than lived on the earth when Jesus spoke these words.

Israel Surrounded by Enemies – The Bible says enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say, “Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let’s destroy the memory of its existence” (Psalm 83:4) and “Let us take for ourselves these pasturelands of God” (Psalm 83:12). Ezekiel said Israel’s neighbors will say, “God has given their land to us” (Ezekiel 11:14‐17), and “Israel and Judah are ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care if their God is there?” (Ezekiel 35:10). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, the daily headlines have included these Bible verses. Israel’s Muslim neighbors claim the land of Israel for themselves, and they have no regard for the God of Israel.

Israel’s Exceedingly Great Army – Ezekiel said, in the end times, Israel will field “an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10). Zechariah said Israel will be like a fire among sheaves of grain, burning up the neighboring nations (Zechariah 12:6), and even the weakest Israeli soldier will be like David (Zechariah 12:8). Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time.

Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance – The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of Muslim nations will attack Israel “in the latter days” (Ezekiel 38:8) when God brings His people home from among the enemy nations (Ezekiel 39:27). Today, we see those very nations coming together for the first time – an alliance that has never existed in world history.

Rise of a United Europe – The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten-nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the beginning of this alliance in the European Union – a coalition of weak and strong nations struggling to stay together.

The Rise of Global Government – The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:8), and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over “all people, tribes, and languages” on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete that no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it.

Denial of the Signs – Almost two thousand years ago, Peter issued a warning. He said in the last days people will mock the idea of Jesus returning. They will make fun of those who believe in the Second Coming and say exactly what we hear today – things like, “I thought Jesus was coming back? What happened to His promise? Generation after generation has said He’s coming. Yet, since the beginning of the world, everything has remained the same!” (2 Peter 3:3‐4).

The Hour is Late

Keep in mind, these signs haven’t always been present. Generations of Christians lived and died without witnessing any of these signs. For centuries of Christian history, none of these signs were present. Today, they all are. Jesus said when you see these signs, you can know His return is near. He’s right at the door (Matthew 24:33). In fact, Jesus said the generation witnessing these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34). So despite the skeptics and naysayers, Jesus is coming, and ours is the generation that will witness His return. The convergence of all these signs confirms it.

Are We on the Verge of the Tribulation?

For many years now, we’ve seen the convergence of the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for. Now, in 2022, we see a specific alignment of events that could lead to the outbreak of the Tribulation at any moment. These specific events are identical in nature to the events the Bible says will occur during the Tribulation. Whether or not these events are merely a preview of the events to come, or the actual events the Bible describes for the Tribulation, remains to be seen. However, keep in mind these events will roll out in the midst of the very season when Jesus said He would return.

So, what are these possible Tribulation events in the making? Here are just a few:

Central Bank Digital Currencies – Over the past couple of years, central banks have openly discussed the introduction of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs). The central banks wield power over some of the largest economies in the world – the United Kingdom, Canada, China, the European Union, and the United States. Despite these public discussions, conventional wisdom says the rollout of CBDCs remains years in the future. The conventional wisdom is wrong. China has already released a digital yuan and recently released digital yuan wallets for both Android and iOS smartphones.

In March, President Biden signed an Executive Order titled “Ensuring Responsible Development of Digital Assets.” The order requires federal agencies to submit to the President within 180 days:

“a technical evaluation of the technological infrastructure, capacity, and expertise that would be necessary at relevant agencies to facilitate and support the introduction of a CBDC system should one be proposed. The evaluation should specifically address the technical risks of the various designs, including with respect to emerging and future technological developments, such as quantum computing.”

By September 2022, this technical evaluation will be complete. Then, have no doubt about it – once the next crisis hits, the U.S. will roll out its own CBDC to replace the dollar.

Why does this matter? CBDCs will be centralized, government-controlled programmable currency. This means if the government decides it doesn’t like you for whatever reason (think Canadian truckers), they can cut off your access. In other words, you won’t be able to buy or sell. Sound familiar? The Bible says the Antichrist will implement this same system. Those who refuse the mark of the beast will be unable to buy or sell (Revelation 13:17). We’re now on the verge of a global rollout of a technology identical in ability to the mark of the beast technology the Bible says will dominate the world during the Tribulation.

World War III – The Bible says there will be a World War III (Revelation 6:4), and we’re much closer to it today than when 2022 started and probably the closest we’ve been since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. Every day seems to bring a new escalation between NATO and its allies and Russia over the latter’s invasion of Ukraine. NATO has sanctioned Russia, is providing arms to the Ukrainian resistance, and many of its members have called for direct intervention in Ukraine. Even if NATO avoids a direct military conflict, all it takes is for Russia to make one mistake that leads to a deadly strike in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, or Romania (all NATO members bordering Ukraine), and all of NATO will be obligated to respond.

A full-blown war between Russia and NATO means World War III and the likely use of nuclear weapons. In 2019, the U.S. ran a war game to simulate what would happen in the event of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. The result was nuclear war with over a billion people dead. It’s a stark reminder that, at any moment, the war in Ukraine could escalate into World War III.

Hyperinflation – In 2022, inflation has become a serious problem for almost every major economy in the world. The March 2022 headline inflation number for the U.S. was 8.5% – the highest since 1981. For the EuroZone, it came in at 7.5%. In Germany, wholesale prices rose 22.6% year-over-year. EU natural gas prices increased six-fold. Global oil prices rose 67%, wheat prices doubled, and corn prices went up 50%. Fuel and food riots have erupted in Peru, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan. And unrest is brewing in countless other countries as well.

Could we be on the brink of hyperinflation? Maybe. Maybe not. But the Bible says the whole world will one day experience hyperinflation. When that happens, an entire day’s wages will only buy enough food to barely survive (Revelation 6:6).

Global Famine – As we entered 2022, the world already faced a major food crisis, both in terms of supply and price. Since then, the situation has only gotten worse. The Russian invasion of Ukraine cut off Russian and Ukrainian exports via the Black Sea. Together, they account for 12% of all global calories consumed. The sanctions against Russia have compounded ongoing supply chain issues, and many countries have banned agricultural exports. Add in poor harvests, rampant fertilizer shortages, and an avian flu plague destroying millions of chickens and turkeys, and it becomes clear we’re heading toward the worst food crisis in modern times.

In fact, it’s worse than that. Famine is coming on a mass scale. We simply aren’t going to grow enough food in 2022. The result will be a biblical famine. The only question is whether it will be one of the famines Jesus spoke about in Matthew 24:7 or the Tribulation famine of Revelation 6:5-8.

Jesus is Coming Soon

If the world stage is now set for the Tribulation, how close must the rapture be?

The Bible says the rapture will take place before the Tribulation. Jesus promised His church, “I will keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth” (Revelation 3:10). If you’re reading this and you’re a Christian, your time on this earth is short. Your race (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) is nearing its end, so make sure to finish well. Live a holy, godly life as you look forward to the day of His coming (2 Peter 3:11-12). Take advantage of every opportunity to spread the Gospel. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything Jesus has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20).

The day will come when you will lose the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. So do it now while you still can. Jesus is coming soon.

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Britt Gillette is author of the free ebook Coming to Jesus as well as the books Signs of the Second Coming, Racing Toward Armageddon, and The End Times. Receive his book 7 Signs of the End Times for free when you sign up for his monthly newsletter.