changed this picture. The present Common Market nations have al most as large a population as the United States. It is believed that by 1975 these nations will have increased their standard of living to approximately that of the Unit ed States. With the projection of four more nations along with sev eral associates, this federation could easily become the most pow erful union, economically, politi cally, and militarily, on the face of the earth. SUMMARY and SIGNIFICANCE In the light of these facts, there are several important and signifi cant conclusions which may be drawn from this study. First, the possibility of a Revived Roman Empire is a fact today. We have not sought to identify the Euro pean Common Market as the Re vived Roman Empire, since this may be only a start in this direc tion. However, the possibility of it has been seen, and God could bring such an empire about im mediately as all the machinery has been set up. Second, such an event makes the Second Coming of Christ very close and the rap ture of the church even closer. If the great significance of this final world power is during the tribu lation period, which Daniel indi cates, and if the Second Coming of Christ follows the beginning of the tribulation period by just seven years, then certainly the presence of such events today in dicates that the Second Coming of Christ is very close. For those who believe in a pre-tribulational rapture, this rapture o f the church is not only imminent, but could take place very soon. Third, as God has fulfilled His prophetic Scriptures literally in the past, He will certainly continue to do so in the future. And fourth, the believer today who knows the Word of God may see the signifi cance of present world events in the light of God’s revealed truth.
forces. If such a nation as Russia were to become so strong and powerful, evidently those nations that once comprised the Roman Empire are going to forget their national boundaries and áre go ing to federate and unite together. They are going to come together and voluntarily unite under one head for protection against the “king of the North,” or Russia. Now although the European Common Market has united over economic reasons, it does have military m otivation and over tones. By uniting together these nations have protected themselves against Russia by strengthening the NATO alliance. France has also proposed that these nations maintain their own nuclear strik ing force as protection against Russia. Then, too, as the Euro pean economy becomes sounder and more flexible, Common Mar ket countries will be able to in crease their military aid. Thus, this may be motivated by and will become a great deterrent to Rus sia. Correlation as to STRENGTH The Revived Roman Empire is to become a very strong nation, in fact, it is to become not only a world power but the world power. The world-wide influence of this great and final power is depicted in Daniel 7 :23: “The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces.” Now as far as such world-wide influence, this never happened to any Roman Empire nation in the past because o f each one’s divisive nationalism which flamed into global war twice in this century. Before that, continental neighbors had quarreled endlessly. Often angry words, envy, obsessions and unsatisfied demands gave way to bloody conflict. However, the European Com mon M arket has completely
Market . . . will be followed by a rush of many other countries to join. “Observers here say negotia tions over Britain’s entry into the European Economic Community, or Common Market, ‘have gone too far to turn back.’ Admission is expected in about a year. Al ready a number of nations are lined up ready to follow the Brit ish into the organization. “As a result, the Common Mar ket promises to be a much larger economic and political force than most Americans / sic] have ex pected. It is likely to grow rapid ly to 10 or more member nations and five dozen associated coun tries, stretching beyond the bor ders of Europe and embracing a billion people, from Swedes and Germans to Congolese and Turks.” Since this article was written, the Common Market, inspired by France, has refused admittance to Britain. The question may well be asked: “Does this event destroy the significance o f ten nations and therefore of a ten-nation federa tion?” Certainly it does not de stroy it, but rather only delays it. There has been a change of government in Great Britain which may aid any future attempt to enter, or DeGaulle may die and French opposition cease. Then too, other nations may enter if Britain does not and the federa tion thereby be expanded to ten nations. Certainly then the Euro pean Common Market offers the possibility of the same number of nations as predicted o f the Re vived Roman Empire.
Correlation as to STIMULUS
Why does the Revived Roman Empire arise? What motivates it? Perhaps this may not be fully de termined, but in Ezekiel 38-39 the prophet speaks of the rise of Russia. Certainly this would be a motivation for those nations in the Revived Roman Empire to protect themselves by joining
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FEBRUARY, 1965
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