Greetings,
Who among us would have guessed that God would allow His Church to become as fractured and scattered as it is today? Or that the chain of events in our own personal lives would ever be as unpredictable as it sometimes is, given the various trials we go through? But as with Israel in the wilderness, God tries us and tests us and guides and shapes us according to His wisdom. And yet we’re continually surprised, aren’t we?
It’s possible that we may be very surprised at a conceivable way in which the long awaited end time power in Europe could be brought to life. It could be that the United States will play a pivotal role in the way it unfolds. Notice that I am saying “it is possible”. And I see that possibility based in current news.
In the latest issue of “Politico Magazine,” Michael Crowley, who is Politico’s senior foreign affairs correspondent, wrote an article dealing with current and possible future changes in the European Union. Britain, with the world’s fifth largest economy, voting to leave the EU, represents a huge change that has sent shock waves throughout Europe. Crowley’s article singles out one American, Steve Bannon, who celebrated that vote (although many others did too) because of his ties with President Donald Trump. Bannon was CEO of Mr. Trump’s political campaign and is now his top political strategist. And he is an outspoken proponent of nationalism in Europe. Many officials in the EU fear how he might try to use his influence with Donald Trump to further encourage other nations within the EU that already have some nationalistic parties developing. The coupling together of Mr. Trump’s strong “America first” focus, which many believe implies a reduced American commitment in Europe, with his chief advisor’s encouragement toward European nationalism, creates a situation of “conceivable threat” as perceived by some EU government officials. Former German ambassador to the United States, Wolfgang Ischinger said in February, “Is President Trump going to continue a tradition of half a century of being supportive of the project of European integration, or is he going to continue to advocate EU countries to follow the Brexit example? If he did that, it would amount to a nonmilitary declaration of war. It would mean conflict between Europe and the United States. Is that what the U.S. wants?”
The heavy indebtedness in the EU, the possible American encouragement of more nationalism and the problematic influx of refugees from the Mideast and North Africa all are very unsettling to the stability of the EU. But there is yet another piece to the puzzle. From all outward signs, Vladimir Putin seems to be determined to “make Russia great again”. Putin’s Russia seized Crimea in the Black Sea area. The eastern Ukraine, with extensive help from the Soviet Union, broke away. The CIA has evidence supportive of the fact that the Soviet Union has waged cyber warfare against the U.S. And Russia has established a key military base in Syria; heavily strategically supporting Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and helping to perpetuate a bloody civil war that has cost half a million lives. Many European officials believe that Putin’s hope is that European nations would return to nationalism as well, which could only play out to his advantage. So Mr. Trump and Mr. Putin are being viewed by many in Europe as “cut from the same cloth” and are seen as a menace, along with radical Islam, by EU Loyalists.
The question is, will all of these elements work together to galvanize Europe into the more powerful union that biblical prophecy shows it will become? That is appearing increasingly as a likely possibility.
We would do well to heed the Apostle Paul’s forceful reminder in 1. Thessalonians:
“But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:1–6)
Marshall Stiver
