Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini meet in Berlin, Germany, in April of 1943. The Nazi dream was that the fate of victorious Germany and Italy and their vanquished opponents would all be bound in one united Europe. (Photo by Gerhard Baatz, Wikimedia Commons)What does the future hold for today’s German-led European Union? Bible prophecy and history enlighten us to long-planned dreams for mainland Europe.
Could Europe fall again for a Nazi-type dictator who would carry out the unspeakable acts of Third Reich Germany? Bible prophecy reveals the fate of Europe will be to fall to the domination of a powerful leader who will bring Europe and the world to the brink once again.
Europe: bound together by fate
As early as 1942, Germany under the Third Reich was confidently planning victory in Europe and the economic control of that continent. In that year Nazi academic Heinrich Hunke talked about “the community of fate which is the European economy” (emphasis added throughout). The Nazi dream was that the fate of victorious Germany and Italy and their vanquished opponents would all be bound in one united Europe. Professor Hunke also said, “The continent [mainland Europe] is, with Germany and Italy, bound by fate.”
He saw the war efforts of Hitler and Mussolini resulting in something very much like what the European Union is moving ever closer to today. The economic control the Nazis dreamed about but failed to gain by brute force then is today being achieved (in a different manner) by a German-led European Union.
“Anglo-Saxon values”
Hunke’s comments are quoted from chapter 4 of the book Europe’s Full Circle by Rodney Atkinson (1996). Chapter 11 of the book highlights many comments made in Nazi Europe and compares them to strikingly similar comments made in the Europe of our time. For example: “The Anglo Saxon economic system, the classic national economy is dead” (Heinrich Hunke, 1941) and “It is important to establish a European single currency core in order to stand firm against Anglo-Saxon values” (Philippe Maystadt, Belgian finance minister, 1996).
With the fervor of a Winston Churchill, Mr. Atkinson does a powerful job of warning the sleep-walking British against the creeping economic ideology of a German-led United States of Europe.
Europe’s dangerous future
However, Mr. Atkinson’s warning is against European economic and political integration. The stark reality is that there are other dire consequences of a united Europe that Britain, and indeed the rest of the world, should be concerned about.
The EU’s struggles last year over the debt crisis in Greece, Spain and Italy led to the Future of EuropeGroup’s efforts to propose plans to not only enable the Eurozone to survive but to turn the crisis into an opportunity to strengthen Europe. The New York Times, reporting on the plan, stated: “Highlighting the difficulties confronting the European Union, the document notes, ‘In many parts of Europe, nationalism and populism are on the rise, while the feeling of solidarity and sense of belonging in Europe are dwindling.’ Its answer is more, not less, Europe” (Sept. 18, 2012).
Bible prophecies indicate the appearance of a German-led United States of Europe in the years prior to the return of Jesus Christ. It is likely that this European power will develop from the present European Union economic system. The biblically foretold reality is that it will not be just an economic system but will be a mighty military, political and religious power. Like the Nazi Third Reich, it will be powerful enough to use brute force to suppress all who would dare oppose it.
The nature of “the beast”
The final book of the Bible informs us that just such a megalomaniac dictator will indeed be “granted power” on the European Continent once more (Revelation 13:15). This madman will be granted power to get millions of people around the world on his side and will delude himself of grandeur and self-importance. The book of Revelation symbolically calls this future cruel dictator “the beast” and for a good reason (Revelation 13:1). Satan the devil will grant him “his power, his throne, and great authority” (verse 2).
“He [the beast] was granted power to give breath to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark” (Revelation 13:15-17).
At that time, there will be commandment-keepers who believe that worship of anybody but the Eternal God, or bowing to any image, is against the First Commandment. They will refuse to comply. Consequently, they will not be allowed to buy or sell, do business of any kind or be employed because they refuse “the mark of the beast.” Some will even be martyred.
Such is the system of the symbolic “beast” of Revelation. His power, far from being just economic, will last for 3½ years, culminating in the return of Jesus Christ.
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