Sound The Trumpet : The Roman Empire Returns

Must Listen

Must Read

What Art Thinks

Pre-Millennialism

Today's Headlines

Sorry... Not Available

Locally Contributed...

Audio

Video

Special Interest

Main Stories

4079

“The Roman Empire Returns”
by Art Sadlier
November 1st, 2008

2600 years ago God gave King Nebuchadnezzar a prophetic vision. Daniel gave the king the interpretation of the vision. Daniel said there would be four great world kingdoms; Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon would be the first kingdom, followed by Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. The facts of history reveal this prophecy was fulfilled in great detail, confirming God’s Word to be what it claims to be, the very Word of the Sovereign Lord of the Universe Who knows the end from the beginning.

The key verse is Daniel 2:28, “There is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets”, a God of prophecy who makes known, “what shall be in the latter days”, this prophecy is about what will happen in the latter days, our day.

The prophecy tells us that gentile world powers will dominate the world while Israel is set aside and they will continue to do so until Israel is restored to supremacy. This will happen at the beginning of the millennium, when Christ rules on the throne in Jerusalem.

These gentile world powers would span the time from 586 BC, until Armageddon and the second coming. This is referred as the “Times of the Gentiles”. Rome, though it was broken in 476 AD, continued to exist until the middle of the 20th century.

In the late 1940’s, almost simultaneously, two things happened.

FIRST -- the rebirth of Israel. SECOND-- the revival of the Roman Empire, with the signing of, “The treaty of Rome”.

In Daniel 7:7, we have a description of Rome. In Daniel 2:40, he tells us what would happen to Rome, “as iron breaketh all these”, that is what Rome did as it came to power in the first century, it destroyed all the nations around it. Then notice, “shall it break in pieces and bruise”, the Roman Empire would break up. The fulfillment of this vision began in 486 BC, however fragments would continue for a long time, symbolized by the long legs in Nebuchadnezzar’s vision.

Rome continued in the form of the empires of the British, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Belgium and Dutch. These are all former territories of the Roman Empire, each with vast colonial empires. They were sub-Roman empires. The verse says, “break in pieces and bruise”, this bruising took place after WWII when this Roman colonial system was broken up and these nations were forced to give up their colonies all around the world. The Roman Empire was dead.

At that very point in 1958 the EU was born, as the Treaty of Rome was signed. The EU today states very emphatically that it is the Revived Roman Empire. Actually the EU is the embryonic form of the Revived Roman Empire which will not actually come into being until the antichrist comes to assume his leadership.

With Israel back in the land and the Roman Empire revived the stage is set for God to begin dealing with Israel again, where He left off dealing with her in the first century.

In Daniel 7:7, we read about the revived Roman Empire, “and it had 10 horns”, the beast with 10 horns represents the RRE (Revived Roman Empire), as do the 10 toes of Daniel’s vision.

In Daniel 7:24 we read, “And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings which shall arise” This teaches us that someday 10 kings will arise out of the old Roman Empire. The fact that the horns were out of the head of the 4th beast indicates which they are part of Rome, a latter day revival of the Roman Empire.

The language of verses 8, 20, and 24 implies that the 10 rulers rule in their 10 kingdoms simultaneously. This has never happened in history and must come to pass. 10 kings ruling 10 kingdoms on the territory of the old Roman Empire.

In verse 24 we read, “And another shall arise”, the one who arises and subdues 3 kings is antichrist, the beast.

The RRE lasts 3 ½ years and then gives way to the world wide kingdom of antichrist. Rev. 17:12 tells us of the RRE, “receive power one hour with the beast”, that is a short time for a kingdom, one hour.

Notice the transition in Verse 13, “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast”. After 3 ½ years the 10 kings will give their power to antichrist.

The duration of 3 ½ years is given in verse 25, “a time and times and a dividing of time”.

THE SCENARIO: After the church is raptured the RRE will flash suddenly on the scene. The 10 rulers will appear and share their power with antichrist for 3 ½ years. This is why they haven’t appeared on the scene as yet, they are limited to 3½ years. What is happening now in the EU is but preparation! It won’t come together until the tribulation period begins, remember:

1. The RRE will not appear on the scene until after the church is raptured.

2. The RRE will only last 3½ years.

3. The RRE will give way to the expanding world-wide kingdom of antichrist, (Rev. 17:13) which will last for 3½ years.

SIGNS OF THE SOON COMING APPEARANCE OF ANTICHRIST:

After 2600 years the prophecies of Daniel about the RRE and the kingdom of antichrist are falling perfectly into place. The EU now has nearly 500 million citizens and they are being welded into one empire with one set of judges, one set of laws, one Supreme Court and one army.

There are now 27 countries in the EU. They have been planning for some time to divide into economic zones. Perhaps these will be the basis for the 10 kings which will appear after the rapture.

Today there is a strong and persistent call to elect a permanent president who will be given great power to lead the union. The man who first fills that office may or may not be the antichrist but the office of antichrist is being prepared for him.

Today the EU is moving to fill the role of negotiator in the mid-east, filling the vacuum that America seems about to leave. It is out of the RRE that antichrist will come to sign the peace treaty according the scriptures.

Today the EU seems headed toward economic supremacy in the world. The US is losing its role of dominance while China is also in deep economic trouble with the falling off of American trade. The World Bank has reported that the EU has a GDP of 13.5 billion dollars, surpassing the US GDP of 12.4 billion dollars. The Euro dollar has surpassed the US dollar in currency circulation.

When the 27 countries of the EU place their armies under a central command, it will be the world’s largest army.

THE PERPETUAL LACK OF UNITY IN THE EU: John says, “And the toes of the feet were part of iron and part of clay, so the kingdom was partly strong and partly broken” (verse 42). In verse 43 the idea of lack of unity in the RRE is emphasized. Nations will try to come together but they will have no unity of purpose. This has been the story of the EU for the last 50 years, partly strong and partly broken. They cannot agree on a constitution, they cannot agree on a leader. They are weak because of disunity. Dan. 7:24 tells us about a leader who will come and by force bring unity, ”and another shall arise after them, and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings”. Someday, maybe soon, a European leader will arise who will take control of the EU, will bring unity to the EU. This will be the antichrist.

The EU is looking, more and more, like it is poised to fulfill the role of the Revived Roman Empire in becoming the beast of Rev. 13 & 17.

Our world is rushing toward a global economy, a new world order, a world church, a peace treaty for Israel and a kingdom for antichrist.

Before that happens the church will be called home, are you ready?

Christian, prophetic revelation leaves you with a tremendous responsibility! You are to be a watchman on the wall. You are to sound the trumpet. “Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound the alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand”, Joel 2:1.

“I know not in what watch He comes,

or in what season of the year,

I only know that He is near”.

Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13