The European Superstate and the Coming New World Order

By Dr. Jack Van Impe

I have heard a great deal about the European"Superstate" and the coming "New World Order." Are these events also signs of Christ’s return?

The short answer is Yes! We are living at a time in which it is not only possible for a world dictator of unprecedented authority to emerge-the Antichrist- it is also inevitable. God's Word states that only seven empires will exist in world history before Christ returns. The verse proving this statement is Revelation 17:10, "There are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space." The five fallen empires referred to by John in this verse are Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Medo-Persia, and Greece. The one that ruled at the time John wrote the Book of Revelation was Rome. One more final empire would arise, but there would first be a long delay. That global power would be the "revived Roman Empire," a scenario we addressed briefly in an earlier question. From this final group of nations the figure known as the Antichrist emerges and reigns for a brief period-just eighty-four months. So the question: Is this period way off in the distant future? No! It is around the corner. The world is on the brink of submission to this latter-day power. This revived Roman Empire is presently assembling and organizing itself under the aegis of the European Union, a federal Super state that will form the basis for the last one-world government. This dictatorship under Antichrist rules with supernatural power, advanced twenty-first-century technological police-state know-how, and unthinkable terror. Is it in the making? Judge for yourself. The European Community created the European Monetary Institute in January 1994, and it is scheduled to become a central bank issuing a single currency no later than 2002. We are already seeing the power, threat, and influence of the euro.

In addition to its growing economic prowess, the European Union will formulate common foreign and security policies with defense issues handled by the Western European Union. Soon, all defense policies will be made jointly. The European Union is rapidly dissolving the ideas of national sovereignty in a giant step toward globalism and one-world government. The Superstate is preparing the way for a more powerful central government, one that will eventually be headed by a world dictator. In Daniel 9:27, we see this future Fuehrer making a peace contract with the nations of the earth for seven years. During the first half of this tribulational period, the Antichrist is controlled by satanic powers (Revelation 13:4). However, during the second forty-two months, Satan is cast out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-11) and incarnates the body of this world dictator (Revelation 13:3). When Satan takes over the physical being of the Antichrist, he begins to call himself god, magnifying himself above every god (Daniel 11:36).

How can we know with certainty that we are close to this historical moment? The entire prophetic scenario began in the miraculous year of 1948, when three major world events occurred simultaneously. The first was the rebirth of the land of Israel. Jesus Himself predicted this event would precede His return in Matthew 24:32-33 when He told His disciples to come to grips with the message of the parable of the fig tree, which always represents Israel in the Bible. Jesus said, "When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors." Nothing of significance prophetically, therefore, could happen until Israel became a nation again. That happened in 1948. In addition, that year witnessed the first meeting that would lead to the establishment of the revived Roman Empire, the European Union. This last-days entity would form the political and military basis for the coming one-world government-the apparatus by which the Antichrist would rule. The third important event of 1948 was the formation of the World Council of Churches, which would help lay the groundwork for the one-world religious system of the Antichrist described in Revelation 13:11 and 17:9. For more than fifty years now, the stage has been set for a world dictator to emerge, a man with power and authority far beyond the scope of Nebuchadnezzar or any of his successors. The world anxiously awaits his appearance. I have little doubt that this great imposter is alive and waiting in the wings. How close are we to the fateful day of his appearance? Here is what three citizens say:

"We are in a leaderless world," is the opinion of Walter Cronkite.

"We have a rendezvous with a world dictator and his appearance may be soon," says economist Julian Snyder.

The internationally acclaimed Dr. Paul-Henri Spaak says, "Europe is looking for a man so powerful that he will hold the allegiance of all the people. Be he man or devil we are ready to receive him."

However, it is not just a political leader for whom the world is looking. All the major religions discuss the emergence, in the last days, of a powerful and terrifying spiritual figure-someone who will ultimately proclaim himself to be God. Today's widespread New Age philosophy is laying the groundwork for the Antichrist's global religious system. Did you know, for instance, that John Randolph Price, one of the world's principal New Age gurus, says his spirit guide revealed to him that 2.5 billion people may need to be wiped off the face of the earth for their Utopian spiritual dreams to be realized (Revelation 6:8; 9:18; 13:15; 20:4)? Could such an organization claiming a billion followers produce the Antichrist? Definitely!

The New Age movement teaches that we are all "little gods." I believe the Antichrist will ride the crest of that belief and give it the credibility it does not deserve. However, the honeymoon for the Antichrist will not last forever. He will suffer a mortal head wound and come to his end in a battle with Russia (Daniel 11:45). After being incarnated by Satan, he then rises from the dead and declares himself as the god of gods (Revelation 13:3). He demands that every human being worship him under penalty of death (Revelation 13:15). Is it not fitting that today's New Age leaders are already beginning to justify the mass slaughter that will follow? The Antichrist will have more help, too, from someone known as "the false prophet." It is from the leadership of this false prophet, propped up by the revived European Empire, that all such latter-day prophecies emerge. Rome will again be the center of the world economically, politically, militarily, and spiritually. Those currently moving Europe in this direction seem inexplicably drawn to their fate. Perhaps you remember that in 1987, the Belgians minted the first ECU silver coins. Imprinted on them was the bust of Emperor Charles the Fifth, crowned head of the Holy Roman Empire in 1519. Why was Charles chosen to be immortalized on the first-ever European coin? Because of the striking geographical similarity between the European Community and the Holy Roman Empire. But what about the ten toes and the ten nations? Hasn't the European Union evolved past this stage? Yes it has. That is to be expected. Remember that we are speaking of an eventual world government, not a regional one. The European Union began as ten nations. In fact, Daniel 7:24 shows us that a very significant eleventh nation arises.

That was Spain. Now we have fifteen and Poland and others may come aboard by the year 2002 for the formation of the one-world government or New World Order. The European Superstate, I believe, will provide the platform and the structure for this world dictatorship (Daniel 7:23; Revelation 13:7). When Christ returns to establish His earthly kingdom, a grouping of ten kings or ten areas remain (Daniel 2:44). Interestingly, all of the prime movers behind the globalist dream have divided the world into ten spheres. The Trilateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Bilderbergers, the Club of Rome, and others that promote a one-world federation eventually break up the globe into ten regions. One way or another God's Word will come to pass. Only now, after two great European wars have been fought and reunification has occurred, could the promises of the Bible about a world government centered in Rome be possible. Likewise, only now, as we prepare to enter the twenty-first-century computer age could such a government hope to keep track of the commercial activities of every human being on the planet (Revelation 13:16-17). The University of Edinburgh once was proud to claim it had a computer that was able to perform forty billion arithmetic transactions per second. However, that is only one of the ten fastest computers in the world! We now have computers that process upwards of one trillion pieces of information per second. What an up-to-date book is the Bible!

Soon the Rapture will occur, after which a time of unmitigated terror will engulf the globe. "Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it" (Jeremiah 30:7). Daniel 12:1 describes it as a "time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation." Jesus used almost the exact words in Matthew 24:21, "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world." These things must happen. They are right around the corner. But we should have no fear about them, not as believers, anyway. When these things come to pass, be not terrified (see Luke 21:9). Why? Because Jesus said that when these things come to pass, "Know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand" (Luke 21:31). We believers who are prepared will miss this horrendous hour. We will be gone before any part of the seven-year Tribulation period begins. We will be caught up in the air to meet Jesus in the twinkling of an eye, according to 1 Corinthians 15:51-54. Then we shall return with the King seven years later to rule and reign (Revelation 20:4). Soon we will hear the shout "Come up hither"! (Revelation 4:1). Then eighty-four months later, the Lord returns with His heavenly entourage for the millennial honeymoon (Jude 14; Revelation 19:7-8, 14; 20:4). My friend, the Rapture is near!