For years, we in this Work have been warning of a coming reunited and remilitarized Europe. Events have now brought us closer to the dream of so many Europeans—an end-time revival of the mighty Holy Roman Empire. And, as one American businessman I know has said, "You can bet the Europeans are not uniting Europe for the benefit of the United States!"
Because of the stepped-up nuclear missile threat from several countries, the U.S. has announced plans to station components of its new missile defense in the Eastern European countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia has responded by announcing a buildup of its conventional forces to counter the perceived threat.
With its armed forces stretched thin in Afghanistan and Iraq, the U.S. is in no position to neutralize the Russian buildup. So, for the first time since 1945, a major European force deployment can soon be expected to be led, once again, by Germany! The chilling facts were laid out in a Reuters report dated April 26, 2007: "Making what he called his last annual address to lawmakers, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin said he was suspending Russia's commitments under the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty and linked the move in part to U.S. plans for a missile shield in Eastern Europe.
"Under Putin, relations with the United States have soured dramatically, prompting some foreign officials to warn of a new Cold War… Putin said he saw no point keeping the treaty, which limits the number and type of conventional weapons either side of the old Iron Curtain, if other signatories were flouting it."
For more than 2,500 years, Bible prophecies have predicted the end-time emergence of a united, armed and aggressive European empire, which will hold Russia at bay while attacking and destroying the greatest nation and the greatest commonwealth of nations ever to exist on this planet—the U.S. and the British Commonwealth nations—and will take the survivors into captivity and slavery shortly before Christ returns!
The power behind this European aggression will be derived directly from Satan the Devil, described in Scripture as the "dragon." The end-time European superpower, called in several prophecies the "Beast," will impress the world with its might. "So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, 'Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?'" (Revelation 13:4).
That "Beast" power is prophesied even to fight Christ at His coming! Scripture describes the returning Christ as finally breaking in pieces the nations of the united Europe: "And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed… it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44).
The modern descendants of ancient Israel, along with their brothers of Judah, will then be released from slavery! "'For it shall come to pass in that day,' says the Lord of hosts, 'That I will break his yoke from your neck, and will burst your bonds; foreigners shall no more enslave them'" (Jeremiah 30:8).
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The above is adapted from one of the many commentaries, discussing vital topics facing our world, available at the www.lcg.org and www.tomorrowsworld.org Web sites.