Jerusalem in the Crossfire/Program 1

By: Dr. Jimmy DeYoung; ©2007

European Union = Revived Roman Empire?

Contents

Introduction

Dr. John Ankerberg: Today on the John Ankerberg Show, Why is Jerusalem in the crossfire of world events? Over half of all Europeans think that Israel now presents the biggest threat to world peace. The President of Iran, who has the world’s fourth largest military force, is developing nuclear weapons, and has publicly called for the elimination of the Jewish people and promises to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. In Lebanon, Hezbollahs’ stated goal is to attack Israel until it forces it from its territory and ultimately eliminates it as a nation. Among the Palestinians, the terrorist group Hamas is now officially part of the government and shares the goal of Hezbollah and Iran to retake Jerusalem and eliminate the Jews. What is going to happen to this ancient city that rests on the most controversial piece of land on the planet? My guest today, is news correspondent Dr. Jimmy DeYoung, who has lived in Jerusalem since 1993 and interviewed every Israeli prime minister, as well as Jordan’s King Abdullah, and the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. Join us today and learn why Jerusalem is in the crossfire of world events.

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Dr. John Ankerberg: Welcome to our program. We are talking with a fascinating guest, Dr. Jimmy DeYoung, who has lived in Israel since 1991, got there just in time for the scud attacks from Saddam Hussein; lived for 39 days with a gas mask standing by and trying to get to a secure room. He has interviewed every Prime Minister of Israel since that time. He has interviewed King Abdullah of Jordan. He has interviewed the late Yasser Arafat. So he knows the major players personally in the Middle East.

And we are drawing on his expertise and his experience through all of these years. He has attended some of the signings of the peace treaties that have taken place with Israel and other countries in the Middle East. He knows all of that. And today what we want to start with is that in the world there is now a half a billion people that form the biggest economic bloc, the biggest economic power in the world. It is called the European Union. And the European Union and this powerful economic bloc of people is referenced in the Bible and it has to do with the events that we are seeing today. And what we want to talk about is, where do we find that in Scripture, and what does the Bible say about this group of people and its leadership in the days ahead? And, Jimmy, start us off.

Dr. Jimmy DeYoung: Well, you have got to realize that 2007 is the 50th anniversary of this European Union. It was originally known as the Common Market, or the European Economic Community. And it is a result of the signing of the Treaty of Rome on March 27, 1957. That established the base upon which we now have the European Union with, and maybe today, I didn’t check, 27 members I think. It could be a couple of more because so many of the nations of the world want to become a part of this economic power that you have been discussing.

Turkey, for example, would love to be that very first Islamic nation that would be included in the membership. There is much concern in the European Union about including Turkey. They feel that that would open the door for the rest of the Islamic nations of the world. But in addition to that, the European Union who would like to include Turkey, understands that that would open the door for the Middle East; and that would continue on around the Mediterranean. It would encircle the Mediterranean Sea. And that would bring back into existence what the Bible talks about as the Revived Roman Empire. It is a very powerful group of member states who have come together economically.

I can remember, and I am sure you can too, John, you have been over to Europe quite often; we used to go in there and the dollar was worth something. But now the dollar does not hardly compare to the Euro, which is their common currency.

Ankerberg: Yeah once upon a time, I had a hard time remembering how far back it was, that the Euro was 73 cents to our dollar. Well, anybody who has taken a trip to Switzerland or Britain or Germany or France, you know that we are not in any kind of shape to take a trip over there. You are going to lose some money.

DeYoung: You know, that is amazing how quickly that Euro has become as powerful as it really is. I can remember one trip when we were in London, England, that they were talking about whether the Euro was going to make it or not. Should the European member states really be excited about this common currency that they have across their member states? So that is evidence of how this is all quickly coming together.

You have the European parliament which is a governmental operation for the member states of the European Union. That has then selected a group of commissioners called the European Commission who will actually have responsibility should the constitution which Chancellor Merkel of Germany, who is the temporary president of the European Union, would like to see ratified. If the constitution is ratified that will place then in power a very powerful political leader; and this man who will be the head of the European Union, this large economic power that is coming out of this unique part of the world, is going to be competing with control of this world.

The United States, I just have to believe, and by the way I do not see the United States mentioned in prophecy at all, except with the exception maybe in Zechariah 14, where it talks about “all the nations of the world” at the end of the seven year tribulation period, that terrible time of judgment, all of the nations will gather at Jerusalem. Should the United States still be around – which I think is not going to be the case – should they be around, they will be there with that gathering of nations.

Ankerberg: Yeah, we will talk about why that’s the case probably two programs from now. But the thing is, talk about the relationship of this powerful economic bloc of nations to the United States, first of all, and then second to Israel.

DeYoung: Well, as it relates to the United States economically, they are becoming more powerful than the United States, which is, you know, economics drives every nation, every national leader, every legislative body in any nation. The Congress, of course is responsible for all of the legislation which deals with the economy. And so the United States is falling quickly out of that position of power that they have known for so many years.

Ankerberg: And politically what are they saying about the United States?

DeYoung: Well, you have the nations, it’s like, for example, France; when we went into Iraq they just denounced the United States for even going in there. You have seen Great Britain who, Tony Blair got the British Empire involved in Iraq, but now they are starting to pull their troops out. There are other nations.

As you travel through Europe, and I am sure you can testify to this as well, the ugly American is prevalent in the minds of most Europeans. We don’t have that super power status that we used to have. They seem to be superior. And if you don’t believe that, just fly into Paris, de Gaulle Airport, sometime and see the way they treat an American. They can hear the English, and so they know where you are from. And so as it relates to the United States, they are quickly surpassing them both economically, politically, with the political influence in the world, and in particular in the Middle East.

You say, “How do they relate to the Middle East?” The cease fire was put in place after the summer of 2006 conflict between the Israelis and Hezbollah, that cease fire that was put into place was brought about by the United Nations. But quickly the UN stepped out, and the European Union peacekeepers were put in place to maintain that peace, to separate Hezbollah from the Israelis. And so they are becoming more powerful there.

As it relates to the peace process in Israel itself, they want to play a key role. There are now peacekeepers as such at the Rafah Crossing, that is at the southern border of Israel going into Egypt where the Palestinians enter the Gaza strip. And so they are observers of what’s going on at that point in time. They monitor that crossing. They have a key role there. They are wanting to have more influence as it relates to the Palestinians. Some of the European members, Norway, one example for sure, France has also recognized the possibility that they can recognize the Palestinian Unity government. So they are looking for a greater impact as far as the affairs of Israel and the Palestinian conflict and all that is going on. They are playing a key role.

The head of Great Britain, Tony Blair, just recently made a Middle Eastern swing, went into all the countries. He is going to be leaving office pretty soon, but he wanted to make that final swing through to call for peace in the Middle East. In fact, we were talking about a ratification of the constitution, which would put in place a very powerful president of the European Union. Tony Blair has already mentioned he would love to be a candidate for that position. And I believe he has been maneuvering to try to get that position should it become available.

Ankerberg: Alright, we are going to take a break and when we come back we want to tie this, why do we think the European Union is actually mentioned and described in Scripture, and what part does Scripture say the European Union is going to play in the events that are coming up ahead? So stick with us. We are going to take a break; we will be right back.

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Ankerberg: We are back. We are talking to Dr. Jimmy DeYoung about the most powerful economic bloc in the world, the European Union, and their involvement in the affairs of the Middle East as well as their relationship to the United States. And what we want to do in this segment is, we want to tie this to, we believe the Bible mentions this crowd of people and this group of nations, as well, and says some very interesting things about what’s up ahead. Start with the Scripture this time.

DeYoung: Well, here in the Bible, in the book of Daniel, the ancient Jewish prophet, he wrote, in the second chapter, a record of the dream that Nebuchadnezzar had. And then God allowed Daniel to have the capability to interpret that dream. Nebuchadnezzar, who was king of the Babylonian Empire, the first great Gentile world power, was given a dream that would basically prophesy the world powers that would come into existence. He saw an image of a man with a head of gold – that was the Babylonian empire; a chest and arms of silver (this is in the second chapter of Daniel) – that would be the Medo-Persian Empire; a belly and thighs of brass – the Grecian Empire; two legs of iron – that would be the Roman Empire; then he saw 10 toes of iron and clay – that would be the Revived Roman Empire. And we come to that conclusion as we put that together with the dream that Daniel himself had as recorded in chapter 7 of the Book of Daniel.

Daniel, about 50 years after interpreting Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, had a dream of similar content talking about the Gentile world powers, but different figures. Not a man with a head of gold etc., etc., but he saw four beasts rising up out of the sea. And the first one was a winged lion. Now that’s the emblem for the Babylonian Empire. Then he saw a bear laying on his left side with three ribs in his mouth. We don’t have time on this broadcast to give an in-depth study of this, but that would be referring to the Medo- Persian Empire. Then he saw the four-headed leopard with four wings. That would be the Grecian Empire, which came to power faster than any Gentile world power in the history of the world. Then he saw an awesome beast rise up out of the sea. And that beast, who would devour all of the other empires – which is exactly what the Roman Empire did – had 10 horns. And as he looked closely he saw a little horn come out of those 10 horns.

Now, you know, you don’t have to be a brain surgeon to understand Bible prophecy, you simply keep reading. In the 7^th chapter of the book of Daniel, you go to the 23^rd, 24^th verses, you see that a heavenly visitor, Gabriel the archangel, was dispatched from heaven to come to Daniel to interpret what he was talking about.

He said the fourth beast was that beast that is going to be different from all the rest, diverse from every other previous beast. And he describes the Roman Empire – in retrospect we can look back and see that as the case. But also then he talks about those 10 horns and the little horn, this little horn who will be one who will speak blasphemous statements against the most High God. And that’s a phrase used seven different times in the book of Daniel referring to God Himself.

The one who will speak blasphemy against this Most High God, if you parallel that with the 13^th chapter of Revelation, it’s talking about a man who has 27 different names in Scripture, the Antichrist, the willful king, the little horn, the beast out of the sea, whatever. Those are names talking about a one-world dictator who comes to power.

At the beginning of the tribulation period he brings together a peace agreement between Israel and their enemies surrounding them. At that point in time he establishes this peace. He endeavors to fool the Jewish people into believing that he is truly the Messiah by protecting the Jewish people from these attacking enemies. We’ve talked in the past, Syria and Egypt make their move against Israel; he rushes to defend the Jewish people, trying to deceive the Jews into accepting him as their Messiah.

Now he is going to be a Gentile. He comes out of the Gentile world. Why will the Jews accept a Gentile as their Messiah? Paul wrote about it in 2 Thessalonians 2. It says, “They that rejected the love of the truth that they might be saved” – during this tribulation period, this terrible time of judgment – they will believe the lie of Satan and thus they will believe the lie of the Antichrist who is energized by Satan.

Well, this Revived Roman Empire comes to power and it is that which Satan will use to endeavor to try to destroy the Jewish people.

You see Satan has an overall plan, John. And that is, if he can wipe out existence of the Jewish people – that’s why we hear Ahmadinejad, said “we must wipe Israel off the face of the earth” – if he can rid the world of Jewish people, God fails. He is unable to fulfill His promise to the Jewish people of giving them a piece of real estate in the Middle East, of giving them all of those promises that He has made throughout the Old Testament.

Ankerberg: Are you saying that this little horn, the Antichrist will come out of the European Union?

DeYoung: Yes, I am. He will be,… and because of the fact that in Chapter 7 there of Daniel, it says you have to 10 horns and the little horn appears out of the 10 horns. That thus is giving him that information that indeed the Antichrist will come from this Revived Roman Empire. But you parallel that over in chapter 13 of the book of Revelation. Daniel talks about the kingdoms or the Gentile world powers that would come into existence. He talked about the winged lion, and he talked about the bear laying on his side, and he talked about the leopard. Well, in Revelation, in reverse order, John the Revelator writes about the leopard, the bear and the lion.

Now remember, Daniel was in the past looking to the future; but John the Revelator was in the future looking back to the past, so that’s the reason the different directions. But both Daniel and John, when referring to the Antichrist, are talking about him coming out of these Gentile world powers.

And so he comes to power and he uses the base, we’ve just been talking about the economic power of the European Union, what a fantastic base upon which to establish a world dictatorship! In fact, as you study the book of Revelation in Chapter 17, it talks about a one world religion that will be headquartered, listen, in the city of Rome, where that treaty of Rome was signed 50 years ago to establish the Revived Roman Empire. Boy, you start pulling all the strings together to tie it up in a sweet little bow.

Ankerberg: Alright, a couple of questions. Number one is, what statements are being made in the European Union right now that they are going to be this kind of a power that wants to be involved? And what makes you think that the leader, according to statements that are being made right now in the European Union, that this most powerful leader could come out of that group of nations?

DeYoung: Well, when you have a constitution, if ratified – and may I say when ratified; I believe it’s going to be ratified. People are not going to let this economic power slip by the wayside. There’s no individual member state of the European Union who wants to not be prosperous economically. And so they are going to join that force. And it’s a foregone conclusion, it’s a given, that they are going to do that. And when you have that then constitution ratified, it brings forth this powerful leader who controls this economic political power. And it is going to be a military might as well. The peacekeeper operation that the European Union is putting together, it’s going to supplant NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which is the military power for Europe, as I see it. And they, more and more, almost on a daily basis, are going to Israel and playing a role in the peacekeeping process there, or endeavoring to try to restart the peacekeeping.

The other day there was a survey taken among Israelis: 73% of Israelis say they want to join the European Union. Now, that from economic reasons as well. Right now 62% of all food stuffs consumed in Europe come out of Israel. It’s economically a great advantage for Israelis to be involved in the European Union.

Ankerberg: Tell the folks what Merkel, the chancellor of Germany who is now the current president of the European Union, said about the strong leadership in the EU.

DeYoung: She has to have the strong leadership; she wants that strong leadership; and that’s why she is working to try to get the ratification of the constitution. She also said that religion must be a part of this constitution. It has to mention the role that religion has played in pulling this all together. In fact, I was in Rome not a whole long time ago, when the Pope pulled together a conference of European leaders, political leaders and religious leaders. And their whole thrust is, how can we jell this European Union? And the bottom line coming out of that conference, religion; it is the lowest common denominator. And that is running across the entire warp and weft of the European Union. That can bring it all together; Merkel, at this point in time, playing a key role in making that all come together.

Ankerberg: I also find it absolutely fascinating, it gives you goose bumps to think that she is also calling for having a man elected that will be the strongest leader in the world as head of the European Union. Talk about that.

DeYoung: Well, if he is indeed the one that is going to be the Antichrist, that’s exactly a perfect description from the biblical perspective of who this one is who is going to become the one world dictator: the Messiah, as the Jewish people will refer to him as; the false Messiah beyond that. And so many of the things that they are talking about, that they are putting in place right now, are setting the stage for all that to happen.

Ankerberg: We’ve got just two minutes left. Talk about the peace treaty that the Bible says is going to be established in the end days.

DeYoung: See, that’s what makes this powerful leader of the European Union so effective; because he, according to the text in the scripture, he – and you go back to Daniel 9:27, another prophecy that Daniel wrote; and all of his prophecies are coordinated together like hand in glove they fit together – but he, the Antichrist, this one world leader out of the revived Roman Empire, is going to go to Israel. And there he is going to confirm a peace treaty.

I always taught for many years, John, that he was going to sign a peace treaty. Then when I saw the Camp David Accords come together in 79, the Oslo Accords in 93, the peace treaty between Israel and Jordan, which I witnessed right on location in 1994, I said, “Well, I don’t see an Antichrist signing it.” What it says is that he is going to confirm that peace treaty; and those will be peace treaties already on the table. And we have three of them already on the table, none of them working. He will come along, and in his powerful position as the head of this revived Roman Empire, i.e., the European Union, he can say “I will confirm that.” He will have the military might, he will have the economic might, to make that happen.

By the way, the rapture of the church takes place before that; then those 10 horns come into existence and form that European Union or revived Roman Empire. Then the little horn, the Antichrist, before the Peace Treaty. The Peace Treaty’s confirmation is basically when the clock starts ticking on that seven year tribulation period. Daniel, when he told Nebuchadnezzar, he said this, “When you see these kings coming together, Jesus Christ is about to appear to set up His kingdom.” That’s where we are in history.

Ankerberg: There is another thing that just flows right into this. which we are going to get into next week, and that is that the prophets Daniel and others, as well as Jesus Christ in the New Testament, the Apostle Paul, all talked about a temple being built on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

DeYoung: Yes.

Ankerberg: Okay, during our lifetime the Jews have come back and formed a nation. I mean, you go back 100 years; they weren’t expecting that. But some of the biblical writers about prophecy said this has got to happen, when nobody thought there was a prayer for it happening. Okay, the Jews have come back into the nation. They have taken the Temple Mount area, they have taken Jerusalem. Alright, now there is a problem. You have got the Dome of the Rock, the Muslim holy place in Jerusalem. If something happened to that, we would have World War III, okay? The Bible says something is going to happen to that and the temple is going to be erected.

DeYoung: Yes.

Ankerberg: Oh, by the way do you know that the Sanhedrin is formed in Israel? Do you know that the temple plans have been built? They are building the utensils, and there is a whole lot more. And what we want you to hear about is what is happening right now in regards to the temple in Jerusalem. And we are going to talk about that next week. Please don’t miss that.

Read Part 6