Lesson #35

• MEMORY VERSE REV 13:1

• IN THE STUDY OF THE BOOK OF DANIEL AND IN REVELATION 13, WE HAVE SEEN HOW THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL COME TO POWER THROUGH A POLITICAL ORGANIZATION CALLED THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE.
• TO UNDERSTAND THE TRIBULATION PERIOD AND THE REIGN OF THE ANTI-CHRIST, WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE, ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO THE POLITICAL CLIMATE IN THE WORLD TODAY.
• READ
• DAN 2:41-45
• DAN 7:7-8
• DAN 7:19-24
• WHAT IS THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE?
• THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IS A CONFEDERATION OF 10 NATIONS (10 TOES DAN 2:33-34, TEN HORNS DAN 7:7, 10 HEADS REV 13:1).
• THIS CONFEDERATION CONSISTS OF BOTH STRONG AND WEAK NATIONS, DEMOCRACIES AND AUTOCRACIES (THE IRON MIXED WITH CLAY).
• THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ANTI-CHRIST:
• THE ANTI-CHRIST COMES IN THE DISGUISE OF PEACE TO LEAD THE 10 NATIONS.
• THE NATIONS WILL WELCOME HIS LEADERSHIP FOR 2 WEEKS, THEN THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL REMOVE 3 OF THE NATIONS FROM THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE. (DAN 7:8)
• HOW DO WE INTERPRET THIS? AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHICH THREE NATIONS AND THE SCENARIO. HERE ARE SOME POSSIBILITIES:
• =1 PERHAPS THE ANTI-CHRIST SUBDUES 3 NATIONS AND THE OTHER QUICKLY FOLLOW GIVING POWER TO THE ANTI-CHRIST.
• =2 PERHAPS THE THREE NATIONS WERE NOT PART OF THE ORIGINAL ROMAN EMPIRE.
• =3 PERHAPS THESE THREE NATIONS GIVE THE ANTI-CHRIST OPPOSITION AND DIFFICULTY, SO HE REMOVES THEM.
• =4 PERHAPS REMOVING THE THREE REDUCES THE TOTAL NUMBER OF NATIONS TO 10.
• THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE IS THE PLATFORM FROM WHICH THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL GAIN WORLD CONTROL.
• THE TERRITORY OF THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE MUST INCLUDE THE SAME GENERAL GEOGRAPHICAL TERRITORY CONTROLLED BY THE PREVIOUS KINGDOMS MENTIONED IN THE BOOK OF DANIEL. (BABYLON, MEDO-PERSIA, GREECE, ROME).
• THE EUROPEAN UNION AS A FULFILLMENT OF THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE:
• THE EUROPEAN UNION SEEMS TO BE A FULFILLMENT OF THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE. HOWEVER, THE VISION OF A UNITED EUROPE HAS EXISTED THROUGH HISTORY SINCE THE FIRST ROMAN EMPIRE. THE EUROPEAN UNION IS NOT THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY THAT A REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED:
• =1= CHARLEMAGNE TRIED TO REVIVE THE OLD ROMAN EMPIRE IN 800 AD. HE CALLED IT THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, UNITING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE KINGS OF EUROPE. HOWEVER, THIS ATTEMPT FAILED.
• =2= NAPOLEON TRIED IT IN 1800 AD WHEN HE CONQUERED HALF OF THE TERRITORY, BUT IT, TOO, FAILED.
• =3= MUSSOLINI PROMISED IT.
• THE FASCIST CREED UNDER MUSSOLINI SAID:
• “I BELIEVE IN ROME ETERNAL, THE MOTHER OF MY FATHERLAND, AND IN ITALY, HER FIRST-BORN, WHO WAS BORN OF HER VIRGIN WOMB BY THE GRACE OF GOD, WHO SUFFERED UNDER THE BARBARIAN INVADER, WAS CRUCIFIED, SLAIN AND BURIED; WHO DESCENDED INTO THE SEPULCHRE, AND ROSE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD IN THE 19TH CENTURY, WHO ASCENDED TO HEAVEN IN HER GLORY IN 1918 AND 1922 (BY THE FASCIST MARCH ON ROME), WHO IS SEATED AT THE RIGHT HAND OF MOTHER ROME, WHO WILL COME THENCE TO JUDGE THE QUICK AND THE DEAD; I BELIEVE IN THE GENIUS OF MUSSOLINI; IN OUR HOLY FATHER FASCISM AND IN THE COMMUNION OF ITS MARTYRS; IN THE CONVERSION OF THE ITALIANS; AND IN THE RESURRECTION OF THE EMPIRE, AMEN.”
• =4= ADOLPH HITLER TOOK OVER MUSSOLINI’S DREAM TO BRING IT ABOUT IN 1939. HE CALLED IT THE THIRD REICH.
• THE HISTORY OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (THE EU):
• 1948 THE IDEA OF AN ECONOMIC UNITY BETWEEN EUROPEAN NATIONS BEGAN WITH A FRENCHMAN NAMED JEAN MONNET.
• MAY 9, 1950 THE PRESENTATION FOR THE PROPOSAL OF AN ORGANIZED EUROPE MADE BY ROBERT SCHUMAN. (THE SCHUMAN DECLARATION). THE OFFICIAL BIRTH DATE OF THE EU.
• 1957 THE EUROPEAN COMMON MARKET WAS ESTABLISHED ON THE TREATY OF ROME WITH 6 ORIGINAL NATIONS:
• FRANCE
• WEST GERMANY (EAST GERMANY WAS BROUGHT IN WITH THE UNIFICATION OF EAST AND WEST GERMANY.)
• BELGIUM
• LUXEMBOURG
• HOLLAND
• ITALY
• 1973 OTHER NATIONS WERE ADDED TO THE EUROPEAN COMMON MARKET:
• ENGLAND
• IRELAND
• DENMARK
• 1981 OTHER NATIONS WERE ADDED:
• GREECE
• SPAIN
• PORTUGAL
• 1995 OTHER NATIONS WERE ADDED:
• AUSTRIA
• SWEDEN
• FINLAND
• OTHER NATIONS ADDED INCLUDE:
• SLOVAKIA, HUNGARY, POLAND
• LEITLAND, CZECH REPUBLIC

• EVERY YEAR NEW NATIONS APPLY FOR ENTRY INTO THE EU. IN 2003 THE PLAN WAS TO ADD THE FOLLOWING NATIONS OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS:
• CYPRUS, SLOVENIA, MALTA
• ESTONIA, LATVIA, SWITZERLAND
• NORWAY, CROATIA, BULGARIA
• TURKEY, ROMANIA, ISRAEL
• BELARUSIA, LYBIA, ALBANIA
• TUNISIA, ALGERIA, EGYPT
• MOROCCO, MACEDONIA, UKRAINE
• SERBIA
• MANY OF THESE NATIONS WERE NOT EVER A PART OF THE ORIGINAL ROMAN EMPIRE. WHEN THE NATIONS IN THE EU BEGAN TO BE MORE THAN 10, PROPHECY EXPERTS BEGAN TO QUESTION WHETHER THE EU WAS REALLY THE BIBLICAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE.
• HOW SHOULD WE INTERPRET BIBLE PROPHECY IN LIGHT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EUROPEAN UNION? HERE ARE TWO POSSIBILITIES:
• =1 WHILE THERE ARE MORE THAN 10 NATIONS IN THE EU, NOT ALL ARE EQUALLY COMMITTED ECONOMICALLY, POLITICALLY, AND MILITARILY. IT MAY BE THAT THE FIRST 10 OF THESE NATIONS TO COMPLETELY GIVE UP THEIR NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY TO THE EU WILL FULFILL THE PROPHECY.
• =2 WITH THE RUSH OF NATIONS TO JOIN THE EU, THE ORGANIZATION IS BECOMING OVERLY CUMBERSOME. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF A FURTHER DIVISION INTO 10 OPERATIONAL REGIONS THAT WOULD FULFILL PROPHECY, OR 10 NATIONS THAT MAKE UP AN OPERATIONAL REGION.
• THE PROGRESS, STRUCTURE AND PLANS OF THE EU:
• THE EU BEGAN AS AN ECONOMIC COOPERATION OF NATIONS. THEN IT BECAME THE EU WITH POLITICAL COOPERATION LEADING TO POLITICAL UNITY. NOW THE EU HAS DRAFTED A CONSTITUTION (THE YEAR 2003) MAKING IT POSSIBLE TO ELECT ONE MAN AS PRESIDENT.
• ORGANIZATION OF THE EUROPEAN UNION:
• THERE ARE 4 GOVERNMENTAL BODIES:
• THE COMMISSION:
• THEY MEET IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.
• THEY ARE EN EMBRYO GOVERNMENT.
• THE COUNCIL
• THEY MEET IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.
• THE MEMBERS ARE ELECTED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES.
• THIS COUNCIL HAS THE POWER TO UNIFY AND DIRECT FOREIGN POLICY AND MILITARY DEFENSE.
• UNDER THE COUNCIL IS A SECRETARIAT.
• THE PARLIAMENT
• THEY MEET IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.
• THE COURT OF JUSTICE
• THEY MEET IN LUXEMBOURG.
• THE REFORMS OF 1984:
• A REFORM TO PROVIDE A POWERFUL POLITICAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL BASE.
• A COMMON EUROPEAN DEFENSE AND SECURITY POLICY.
• A EUROPEAN MONETARY UNIT AND CURRENCY CALLED THE EURO DOLLAR.
• 1991 THE MAASTRICHT TREATY
• THIS TREATY GREATLY EXPANDED THE POWERS OF THE EU.
• IT EXPANDED PARLIAMENTARY POWER.
• IT EXPANDED THE CURRENCY AND A SINGULAR INTEREST RATE STRUCTURE.
• IT ANTICIPATED A COMMON BANKING SYSTEM.
• IT ANTICIPATED A COMMON BUREAU OF STANDARDS.
• IT EXPANDED THE MONETARY POLICY.
• IT PROVIDED FOR A SINGLE MINISTER OF FINANCE.
• IT MOVED THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO BELGIUM INTO ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST BUILDINGS.
• 1992 THE EUROPEAN ACT
• IT CHANGED THE NAME FROM THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY TO THE EUROPEAN UNION IN ORDER TO EMPHASIZE POLITICAL UNION AS OPPOSED TO A COOPERATING COMMUNITY OF INDIVIDUAL NATIONS.
• INTERNAL NATIONAL BORDER CONTROLS WERE ELIMINATED.
• IT INSTITUTED A COMMON EUROPEAN PASSPORT.
• IN 1994 THE EU ESTABLISHED A THREE PART SYSTEM:
• =1= AN INNER CORE OF NATIONS:
• NATIONS COMMITTED TO FULL MONETARY, MILITARY, AND SOCIAL UNION WORKING TOWARD GIVING UP THEIR OWN NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY.
• FRANCE AND GERMANY ARE LEADERS OF THE INNER CORE AND HAVE MERGED THEIR OWN SOVEREIGNTY IN MANY AREAS.
• THE INNER CORE CONSISTS OF FRANCE, GERMANY, BELGIUM, HOLLAND, AND LUXEMBOURG.
• =2= THE SECONDARY CIRCLE OF NATIONS:
• THESE ARE NATIONS LESS COMMITTED BUT WANTING TO BENEFIT ECONOMICALLY BUT STILL RETAIN NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY.
• THE SECONDARY CIRCLE CONTAINS BRITAIN, ITALY, AND SPAIN.
• =3= THE THIRD CIRCLE OF NATIONS:
• THESE NATIONS DESIRE ECONOMIC BENEFITS WITH NO SURRENDER OF NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY.
• THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE:
• A COMMON DEFENSE WITH A COMMON MILITARY TO REPLACE NATO.
• A COMMON CRIME CONTROL.
• A COMMON HIGH SPEED TRANSIT SYSTEM.
• ONE MAN ELECTED TO BE THE LEADER OF THE EU.

• APPLICATION:
• MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD DESIRE A ONE-WORLD GOVERNMENT TO SOLVE THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS. EVENTUALLY GOD WILL GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT IN THE ANTI-CHRIST. HOWEVER, NO HUMAN GOVERNMENT CAN EVER SOLVE THE WORLD’S PROBLEMS SUCCESSFULLY.

HOMEWORK
REVELATION 13:11-18
THIS IS SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.

• APPLICATION OF THE STUDY OF THE REVIVED ROMAN EMPIRE:
• HONESTLY EXAMINE YOUR LIFE AND ATTITUDES:
• WHO DO YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN POLITICALLY?

• WHO DO YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN ECONOMICALLY?

• WHO DO YOU PUT YOUR TRUST IN MILITARILY?

• WHAT IN YOUR LIFE AND ATTITUDES NEED TO CHANGE IN ORDER TO REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS OF TRUST TO JESUS CHRIST?

• PREPARATION FOR REV 13:11-18
• READ REV 13:11-18
• IDENTIFY THE BEAST FROM OUT OF THE EARTH?

• WHY DO YOU THINK SO?

• WHAT IS THE MAIN MESSAGE OF THIS SCRIPTURE?

• MEMORY VERSE: REV 13:18a
• “Here is wisdom, let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast.”