The Destruction of the European Union & Eurasian Union

• published: 27 Mar 2015
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Bible in the News In about 584BC, Nebuchadnezzar II, the king of the Babylonian Empire, had a strange dream, recorded in Daniel ch2. He saw a metallic image, whose golden head, we are informed, represented his own great kingdom (v38). The silver breast and arms, and the brazen belly and thighs represented the empires that would follow on (v39). These are named explicitly, in Dan 8v20, 21, as the Medo-Persian and the Greek empires, respectively.But what Daniel was particularly interested in, was the 4th kingdom (Dan 7v19); a power as strong and as durable as iron, whose influence permeates the kingdom of men to our day.This fourth kingdom was, of course, the Roman Empire. It was as "strong as iron" v40 tells us. And the Roman Empire's division in 395AD was signified, in the dream, by the two iron legs of the image. In history, the one leg was the Eastern Roman, or Byzantine, Empire. This empire, was ruled from its capital city, Constantinople (today called Istanbul), until it was overrun by the Ottoman Turks in 1453. However, that was not the end, for Ivan III of Russia married Sophia Paleologue, the niece of the last Byzantine emperor. Under the laws of inheritance, followed by most European monarchies of the time, Ivan could claim that he and his offspring were heirs of the fallen Empire. In consequence, his court was transformed with grand Byzantine ceremonies and meticulous court etiquette and Ivan took the title of Czar (ie Caesar). Thus Moscow became the third Rome, and continued the Greeko-Roman traditions (seen in its architecture, education, culture and religion) down to modern times.The other leg was the Western Roman Empire. Its imperial form continued only until the 5th Century, when the barbarian chieftains gradually took over from within. However, a new "Roman" Empire was established by Charlemagne, king of the Franks in 800AD. His empire, later known as the Holy Roman Empire, was ruled by Kaisers (Caesars) until 1806, when overthrown by Napoleon Bonaparte. This First Reich, was followed by Bismarck's Second Reich (1870-1918) and Hitler's Third Reich (1933-1945). However, after the Roman legs come the feet and toes. We read in Dan 2v4141 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.42 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 [brittle].Now firstly, we should not ignore the fact that the feet and toes have iron in them. The iron in the legs represented the strength of the Roman Empire, as we were told in v40, and the Roman power is still present in the feet and toes. In fact, modern Europe is the leftovers of the Roman Empire. Its very division, into eastern and western portions, each showing the distinct characteristics (in religion, culture, architecture and even character set) demonstrates its Roman inheritance. And across the continent of Europe, and clearly excluding the UK, the ruling elite is still a club packed with devout Catholics.However in the "latter days", another substance is introduced. The feet and toes, of the metallic image, have clay mixed with the iron of Rome. And the significance of this is indicated in v43, where we read43 And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men:The verse interprets, for us, "iron mixed with miry clay" as meaning "they" (the Roman power) will mingle with "the seed of men". So it is clearly explained that the clay represents the power of "the seed of men". The word translated men is enosh. When this is contrasted with alternative Old Testament words, such as adam and ish, it suggests the common sort of man. So we have the power of the common man represented in this clay power.And in fact, the declining value of the elements of the image, represent the declining status of the authority in each kingdom. Nebuchadnezzar, the head of Gold, was sole and absolute ruler, where as the Medo-Persian king was bound by his own laws as Dan 6v12-16 makes abundantly clear. Both Greek and Roman rulers were further subjugated to the will of senates and other bodies. But in modern democracy, the power of each individual is so low, that it is like miry clay; the power is very common and of almost zero value.And this democratising philosophy, first manifest (in modern times) in the French Revolution, has spread its influence across Europe, until even the Caesar's of Russia were overthrown in the Russian Revolution of 1917. And while the Papacy stood resolutely against it for many more years, the ascension of John XXIII in 1958, with his historic Second Vatican Council, finally brought humanism, socialism and ecumenism into the Church of Rome.