The nations of Europe have produced some of the world’s greatest music, finest literature and exquisite art, and 500 years ago Europe gave birth to the age of exploration that changed the world. It was from Europe that navigators ventured forth to explore distant lands and circumnavigate the globe. Tragically, Europe is also home to devastating wars that have killed millions. The two world wars of the 20th century originated in Europe, but since 1945, Europe has worked to build peace through a union of states called the EU.

Daniel’s well known prophetic dream of the image of a man with a head of gold, a chest of silver, belly and thighs of bronze and legs and feet of iron and iron mixed with clay gives some insight into the future events prophesied to take place in Europe.

The image was a vision of world history from Daniel’s time to the modern world, and into the immediate future. The head of gold, represented the kingdom of Babylon and the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar. It symbolised Satan’s human system of government which counters the plan and purpose of God.

Daniel  then goes on to  describe the other kingdoms to come after Babylon including the most telling part of the image --- the ten toes made of a mixture of iron and clay. We are told this part of the image represents an unstable mixture of people and nations existing at the end time, just before the return of Jesus Christ.

The ten toes correspond to a group of ten rulers, a superpower union, described in slightly different terms in the book of Revelation. “And the ten horns which you saw are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength to the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them...” (Revelation 17:12-14).

The ten kings appear in the context of a great end time system called: “Mystery, Babylon the Great…” It is said of this symbolic woman that “she is drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” She is described as “that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth” (Revelation 17:18). This description fits a great, world-wide religious system, and shows that when Christ returns Europe, representing a modern day type of Babylon, will be a major power in world events. There is no other region that fits the conditions Bible prophecy describes.

Europe today is not what Europe will be in the future. The world’s largest grouping of nations, today is going through a crisis of identity. Great Britain is exiting the EU. It’s the first nation to do so. And there are continuing financial crises with poorer nations spending beyond their means and having to be bailed out by the wealthier states, like Germany. Russia on the east pushes at the fringes with propaganda coupled with aggression towards the Ukraine. But the biggest threat to stability in Europe is the attacks from radical Muslims inspired by ISIS and other terrorist groups.

Europe has been at peace for more than 70 years and the present economic union is given credit for achieving this feat. But history and Bible prophecy indicate this will not continue. Europe matters because it will be the place from which a final flowering of the Babylonish system will burst upon the world with the promise of order and peace for all nations, offering security and prosperity at a moment when it appears all may be lost.

It will also usher in the final great deception before the return of Jesus Christ.