New SuperPower on the Rise

Are we nearing the end of the age? After NATO began its intense airstrikes against Yugoslavia, Russia quit its membership in NATO - and President Boris Yeltsin gave this warning: "I told NATO, the Americans, the Germans, don't push us toward military action. Otherwise there will be European war for sure and possibly world war."

My friends, we're living in dangerous times. The changing balance of power on the international scene has been predicted in your Bible. For decades, the Church of God has explained the symbolism of the prophesied Beast power in the book of Revelation in your Bible. The 18th chapter of Revelation, or the Apocalypse, describes a modern Babylon that conducts commerce with "the kings of the earth." (v. 8) The 17th chapter of Revelation reveals a powerful military alliance of "ten kings" (v. 12) who give their power to the great dictator called the Beast! The foundation for that potential superpower is now being laid!

For more than 50 years before his death in 1986, Herbert Armstrong, our predecessor in this Work, spoke plainly of Biblical prophecies that showed a resurgent Germany dominating a united Europe before the final Tribulation at the end of the age. In April of 1952, Mr. Armstrong wrote in the Plain Truth magazine that East Germany would be returned to West Germany, and Russia would "be forced to relinquish her control over Hungary, Czechoslovakia and parts of Austria" (p. 16). In December of 1956, Mr. Armstrong wrote: "The way is being prepared for a colossal third force in world politics—a European Federation of Nations more powerful than either Russia or the United States" (Plain Truth, December 1956, p. 3).

Those predictions have come to pass. Our past publications have also described the history of the Holy Roman Empire and its various resurrections. The Bible reveals one final resurrection of that Empire to come. That extensive revival will be centered in Europe - and as we have been pointing out for many years, the European Union has been a model or nucleus for the end time superpower. The first phase of development was political. The second phase was economic development. The European Union has been an economic superpower for decades. The institution of the new Euro currency will likely soon replace the dollar as the international reserve currency.

The third phase of development is military. Did you notice that for the first time in over 50 years since WW II, German military forces have actually utilized war planes beyond their own borders in the NATO airstrikes on Kosovo? Now, even more significantly, on June 3, 1999, the European Union decided to become a MILITARY POWER! The New York Times News Service reported the following: "The leaders of 15 European countries decided Thursday to make the European Union a military power for the first time in its 42-year history." The plan is that by late 2000, the European Union will be able to "respond to international crises [militarily] without prejudice to action by NATO." Even French President Jacques Chirac has proposed that once Yugoslav forces have moved out of Kosovo, the territory should be placed under the administration of the European Union!

This is historically significant! Europe is now beginning to assert itself in a way that will produce a new superpower rivaling that of the United States. While the United States is encouraging such leadership in Europe, it will someday be shocked at the massiveness of the power that will emerge.

The balance of international power can change suddenly and dramatically. You need to watch the significant geopolitical developments just now beginning to occur. Remember how soon the USSR dissolved after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

My friends, we are living in historic times. Bible prophecy is being fulfilled. A new superpower will emerge as the foundation of a prophesied resurrected Holy Roman Empire, which will astound the world. You need to be aware of Bible prophecy. As Jesus said in Luke 21:36, "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

I'm Roderick Meredith for the Living Church of God.