With the dawning of the year 2002 a watershed in European history was reached with the emergence of a single European currency adopted by most of the EU's member states. While the vast majority in the countries that have adopted the new currency are euphoric about it most have missed the significance of it. However the point was not lost on one European banker who observed as long ago as Jan 1st 1999 that it was "the first time since the fall of the Roman Empire that Europe has had its own currency." Neither has Bible believing Christians who are students of prophecy failed to see the significance of the emergence of the single European currency. For us it is another step in the process towards the fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures in which the European continent plays a leading role in end time events. The coming of the single currency is only one of the many developments in Europe that should cause us to look up, because if the fulfillment of these things is at hand then the coming of the Lord must be near. An examination of Europe in prophecy in the last days reveals five things.

1. There will be a future European confederacy.
In a celebrated speech in Zurich Switzerland in September 1946 Winston Churchill, said, "we must build a kind of United States of Europe." Long before Churchill suggested this idea the Bible predicted a coming together of European nations at the end of the age in European confederacy, cf Dan7v7-8, Rev13v1, 17v12. This prophecy today is not far from fulfillment, several times in the history of Europe since the fall of the Roman empire such a confederacy of nations as scripture predicts have emerged. Charlemagne, Otto the Great, Napoleon, and Hitler each led a partially united Europe but each of these European empires lacked essential elements necessary for them to be a direct fulfillment of the prophetic scriptures. Though it may be said of them that in them we see future events casting their shadow before them. In the modern day EU we have potentially all the necessary elements for the fulfillment of a European confederacy of nations, a revived Roman empire that will dominate world affairs at the end of the age. It may be argued that the number of states in the Union already exceed ten, and therefore the present EU is disqualified from being a candidate for the fulfillment of end time prophecy, but whatever the figures may be now there is nothing to say that what we have now is the final number. In the final analysis there will be ten, interestingly the French plan for a unified is for 21 countries divided into 10 or 12 provinces each presided over by a governor or president. That doesn't sound terribly far away from the Bibles prediction of a ten-nation confederacy.

2. The future European presidency.
There is talk of an elected president in the corridors of Brussels they're looking for a man to lead them. We do not want another committee. We have too many already. What we want is a man of sufficient stature to hold the allegiance of all peoples and to lift us out of the economic morass into which we are sinking. Send us such and be he god or Devil we will receive him." That was the view of Henri Spaak Former Prime Minister of Belgium and leading Europhile back in the late nineteen forties and fifties. But although Monsieur Spaak's dreams have not yet been realised they are not to far from it. Others are calling for a man for Europe too; British Prime Minister Tony Blair a committed Europhile has called recently for an elected president with increased powers to run the European Union. Also leading European Federalist and member of the European parliament Otto von Habsburg has spoken in favour of an elected head of state for the EU, holding office for life and possessing a symbol of authority recognisable throughout Europe. He says, "Now we do possess a European symbol which belongs to all nations equally. This is the crown of the Holy Roman Empire which embodies the tradition of Charlemagne the ruler of a united occident." It is wholly possible that the first one to wear this crown will be the antichrist himself. Such a man is coming as A W Pink observes, "across the varied scenes depicted by prophecy there falls the shadow of a figure at once commanding and ominous. Under many different names, like the aliases of a criminal, his character and movements are set before us. This one will be the full embodiment of human wickedness and the final manifestation of satanic blasphemy." Without doubt he will be the most diabolical character in all of history. There are at least 30 different names by which this individual is known; here is a sample of seven.

A. He is the little Horn of Daniel 7v8.
B. He is the wilful King of Daniel 11v36.
C. He is the man of sin of 2Thessalonians 2v3.
D. He is the son of perdition, of 2Thessalonians 2v3.
E. He is the wicked one of 2Thessalonians 2v8.
G. He is the antichrist of 1John 2v18.
H. He is the beast of Revelation11v7.

He must be a Roman according to Dan9v26, he might be a Greek, since he is the "little horn" which emerges from the four Grecian horns in Dan8. He will definitely be a Jew as Dan11v37 makes clear, (only a Jew could win the confidence of Israel to sign a seven year peace covenant). The Bible leaves us in no doubt as to what sort of person he will be.

A. He will be intellectually astute, cf Dan8v23.
This man will possess an amazingly high degree of intelligence, as Satan's imitation of the one "in whom are hid all treasures of wisdom and knowledge." The phrase, "Understand dark sentences," indicates that he will be master of all secrets of occult science.

B. He will be verbally articulate, cf Dan7v20, & 11v36.
As an imitator of Christ who "spake as never man spake," antichrist will have an amazing command of language. Audiences will be held spellbound when this man speaks, his words will be powerful and authoritative, and he will have the ability to manipulate people through his eloquence.

C. He will be politically authoritative, cf Dan8v25, Rev17v11-12.
He will be a clever politician, endowed with the skills of diplomacy and political savvy. He will take power not by force but by stealth, but once he has control he will rule with absolute authority.

D. He will be commercially acquisitive, cf Dan11v43, Rev13v16-17.
All commerce will be under his control and he will use the world’s wealth for his own aggrandisement. He will introduce the cashless society where every transaction will be made by means of some kind of micro chip under the skin, and every one will have a number without which it will be impossible to buy or sell.

E. He will be militarily aggressive, cf Dan8v24, Rev6v2, 13v8.
None will be able to stand before him the military exploits of Alexander and Napoleon will fade into insignificance beside him. His strategies and tactics will be so much more sophisticated than his opponents that he will overcome them with ease.

F. He will be religiously appealing, cf 2Thess2v4, Rev13v8.
He will do what no one else could do and unite all the worlds’ religions in a new age super church. He will demand what the Roman emperors of the past demanded, godhood.

G. But he will be morally appalling, cf Dan11v37.
Full of selfish ambition and sinful desire he will be completely lacking moral fibre. This verse in Daniel indicates that antichrist will be a godless homosexual.

3. The future European currency.
Belgian Prime Minister Jean Luc Dehaene said, "Monetary union is the motor of European integration." The implications for the single currency are immense, a single currency requires a single monetary policy and in order for the implementation of such a policy there would of necessity have to be one single decision making body. This implies that there will have to be a European government and a European central bank. This is all fascinating stuff but does the scriptures have anything to say about such things? Yes indeed the Bible predicts a time when the Beast the head of the European confederacy of nations will control the commerce of the world making it impossible to buy or sell without his approval cf Rev13v16-18. What is suggested here is that the antichrists empire will be so powerful that it will dominate the world and then control it by controlling its commerce? When you are in control of the world's money supplies then you are at the helm of global destiny, determining who owes what to whom, who will prosper and who will not. Money influences every aspect of government; money and power are bedfellows in every walk of life. Without doubt the European Union has all the potential of being the most powerful economic power block on the globe.

4. The future European diplomacy.
For many years now the signatories to the Treaty of Rome have been calling for a common European approach to international affairs. Laterally the calls have been getting louder and evidently Europe's leaders have been listening because more and more the independent nation states that form the European Union are speaking with one voice on foreign affairs with a heavy Brussels accent. To go with the European approach to diplomacy, there must needs be a European army and we know that the plans for such are well advanced. Europe in prophecy will indeed speak with one voice the voice of the coming antichrist, he will accomplish what others have sought and failed to do, a peace treaty in the Middle East, cf Dan9v27. It is amazing that the world is already thinking in terms of a seven-year interim peace treaty with Israel precisely as scripture predicts. In an article in the Jerusalem post on the 2nd of October 1988 Henry Kissinger said, "I believe if you attempt to achieve a total solution it must fail, because as of this moment the differences are so great. But what is achievable in the Middle East is a series of interim agreements that improve the situation, for by five to ten years, at the end of which the situation will be discussed anew. If on e could get some self governing structure into Gaza and parts of the West Bank, governed by local Arabs supported perhaps by Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, and if that group could then co-exist with Israel in a concrete manner for say five to seven years. At the end of that period one could consider the role of other organisations."

5. The future European catholicity.
It cannot have escaped attention that Europe is predominantly Roman Catholic religiously. A fact that is flaunted in the symbolary of her institutions. Take the flag for instance, mistakenly it was thought by the blissfully ignorant that the circle of stars represented the nations that form the E U, but there are more than twelve nations and still only twelve stars, how come? The reason is that the flag is a Marion symbol derived from the Roman Catholic interpretation of Rev12v1 which views the woman there as Mary. What a fitting symbol for catholic Europe this is for after all Europe has been given to Mary by the Roman Church, and she is to Roman Catholics "Our Lady of Europe." In recognition of which the government of Gibraltar have produced a twenty pence piece on the back of which is an enthroned and crowned Mary bearing the title "our Lady of Europe." In order for such a coin to be legal tender our own Queen had to agree to defer her titles. If indeed Otto von Habsburgs suggestion is adopted and the future president wears the crown of Charlemagne as the symbol of his office, then without doubt the symbolism would be complete for this crown is the symbol of the Holy Roman Empire, first given to Charlemagne by Pope Leo iii. The centre left socialist alliance within Europe is moving clearly in the direction of a federalist Europe. Bringing in everything to centralised control the centre left is dominated by Roman catholic politicians who are perfectly at home with this concept of centrality and hierarchy, for it is right at the heart of Catholicism. One Euro official astutely observed, "Catholics tend to be hierarchical and centralised, in other words they tend to be corrupt and autocratic." The symbolism of Europe is Catholic, the politics of Europe is Catholic and the religion of Europe is Catholic. The Bible speaks of political power being dominated by false religion in the end times, cf Rev17v3-6. The seven headed ten horned beast is the antichrist and his European empire the scarlet woman that sits astride the beast is false religion, her association with Babylon identifies her with Roman Catholicism who embodies today all of the ancient Babylonian Mysteries. The ecumenical movement are moving forward at break neck speed to join in with Rome, new agers would have no difficulty in identifying with the Roman Church and even other religions are cosying up ever closer these days to Rome. When antichrist rules he will appoint a false prophet to look after religious affairs in his empire, he might well be the Pope, cf Rev13v11-15.

Many of these things that we have spoken of as future developments as far as bible prophecy is concerned are actually in place today, therefore we should look up for our redemption is at hand and the return of the Lord for His church cannot now be a long way off. The Christian ought therefore to be ready the unbeliever must be right before he can be ready.