European empire formed today, might it become Babylon?

Eruropen Poster from the late 20th Century

Today, all the 27 nations of the European Union now are united under the Lisbon Treaty.  This essentially means that a new European Empire has formed.

The Czech Republiic was the last of the 27 nations to approve it, and it did so on November 3, 2009 (see Signing of Lisbon Treaty a Sign for End Time Prophecy Watchers) with an effective date of December 1, 2009.

The Roman Catholic Herman Van Rompuy took office as its first president today (though his official duties do not begin until January 1, 2010).  Herman Van Rompuy has publicly stated that he wants Europe to hold to  his understanding of the "fundamental values of Christianity"  (EU President Herman Van Rompuy vs. Oprah Winfrey).

The European Union has tended to use certain Catholic symbols (such as the twelve stars on its flag), references to the Holy Roman Empire, and even the ancient Babylonian empire in some of its documents.  The European Union occpies much of the same land territories that the old "Holy Roman Empire" once ruled.

Roman and Eastern Orthodox Catholics have pointed to a time when a "Babylon" with ties to the city of seven hills would rise up in the end:

Priest H. Kramer  (20th century): In the vision of the Seer now appears a second beast rising out of the earth, having two horns like a lamb but speaking like a dragon...In other places he is called the false prophet ...This prophet may re-establish the pagan Roman Empire  and build the "Great Harlot", Babylon..(Thiel, Bob.  2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Nazarene Books, pp. 179-180).

Monk Leontios (died 543):...New Babylon, dance, bounce and leap greatly, make known even those in Haydes...oh, the City of Seven Hills the dominion will be yours. (Thiel, Bob.  2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Nazarene Books, p. 241)

Pope John XXIII (1410): XVI. But on a sudden this Babylon is fallen, and in her fall she is broken to pieces, said the Spirit.  XVII. All this shall come to pass for the purification of the just, and for the destruction of the wicked (Thiel, Bob.  2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Nazarene Books, p. 242)

 

Three Catholics wrote the following:

Bishop Malachy (12th century) "In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church there will reign Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock with among many tribulations; after which the seven-headed city will be destroyed and the dreadful Judge will judge the people". (Bander, Peter. Introductory commentary in The Prophecies of St. Malachy. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p. 96)

Magdeburg Chronicle. "Of the blood of the Emperor Charles the Great and of the Kings of France shall arise as emperor named Charles, who shall rule in Europe...and the ancient glory of the Empire restored.' (Dupont, Yves. Catholic Prophecy: The Coming Chastisement. TAN Books, Rockford (IL), 1973, p.26)

D Birch: Several private prophecies of canonized Saints specifically state that there will be a latter restoration of the Holy Roman Empire and that there will be at least one last Holy Roman Emperor. The authenticity of the authorship of such prophecies of canonized Saints (e.g., St. Hildegard, St. Vincent Ferrer, St. Francis of Paula, and St. John Vianney) at least over the last eight hundred years is scholastically unquestionable. (Birch, DA. Trial, Tribulation & Triumph: Before During and After Antichrist. Queenship Publishing Company, Goleta (CA), 1996, pp. 281).

Thus, many have looked towards a revival of the "Holy Roman Empire". 

And some apparently have considered that this would be a dangerous development (Thiel, Bob.  2012 and the Rise of the Secret Sect, Nazarene Books, pp. 179-180; 239-242).

The Bible in the Book of Revelation has warnings that a Babylonian system would arise and that God would ultimately destroy it:

 2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." 4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities..." (Revelation 18:2-5, NKJV).

Some may wonder how "Babylon" can be tied to Europe.  Throughout history, many writers have tied this Babylon to Rome in the end times:

Tertullian also taketh it for Rome, thus, Babylon (saith he) in St. John is a figure of the city of Rome, being so great, so proud of the Empire, and the destroyer of the saints. Which is plainly spoken of that city, when it was heathen, the head of the terrene dominion of the world, the persecutor of the Apostles and their successors, the seat of Nero, Domitian, and the like,Christ's special enemies, the sink of idolatry, and false worship of the Pagan gods. Then was it Babylon, when St. John wrote this, and then was Nero and the rest figures of Antichrist, and that city theresemblance of the principal place (wheresoever it be) that Antichrist shall reign in, about the later end of the world. (Annotations: Chapter 17. (The) Original And True Douay Old Testament Of Anno Domini 1610 Volume 2 Prepared and Edited by Dr. William von Peters, Ph.D. Copyright © 2005, Dr. William G. von Peters. Ph.D. 2005 copyright assigned to VSC Corp., p. 563)

Another reason is that the final Babylon in the Hebrew scriptures is also referred to as "the daughter of Babylon" in the end times in Jeremiah 50:41-42 and apparently Zechariah 2:6-7.  The term "daughter of Babylon" conveys the concept that it is different from the Babylon located in ancient Mesopotamia. 

But why Europe? 

Many prophetic commentators agree that Rome is the famous city of seven hills/mountains spoken of in Revelation 17:9 which is tied in with Babylon in verse 5. Since ancient Babylon in Mesopotamia was on a flat plain, many realize that it cannot be the final "Mystery Babylon" in Revelation 17:5.  And the "mystery" may include the fact that it is not the original Baybylon of Mesopotamia.

Protestant scholar have also tied European leaders in with the events of end time prophecies.  Here is one example related to Daniel 9:26-27 and an end time "prince" with a revived Roman empire at the time of the end:

C. F. Keil (Comm., in loco) is correct in asserting that the prince is said to be coming (habba'), because he has already been introduced and discussed in the prophecy of chapter 7...The Romans who destroyed Jerusalem (A.D. 70) were his people because they and he belong to the fourth stage (the Roman) of world empire (chs. 2; 7)...

The most natural antecedent for he, the subject of the clause, is the wicked "prince" of verse 26...Evidently the covenant is to be made…when the Jews are back in their homeland in the last days... (The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press)

Also, since there was an original Roman Empire in Europe and a "Holy Roman Empire" in Europe, the tying together of a Roman system to a final end time empire is consistent with historical developments in Europe.  Such events simply have not occured in the Babylon of Mesopotamia.

Now this is not to say that the European Union today is in the final structure of the end time Babylon (other organizational changes are expected per Revelation 17:12), but an actual European Empire has formed today.  This fact does have major prophetic implications for the entire world.

More information on these and prophet developments is available (with more expected) at the Los Angeles Church History and End Time Prophecy Examiner page and at the Daily Religious News and Prophecy Updates page.