What does this Dream of Nebuchadnezzar mean for the End of the Age we are in now?

European Union. Since the 1940’s they have tried an economic union. The politicians have been trying to go beyond the economic union to create a political union of one nation. In 2000 they introduced a standard currency. They were hoping to ratify a constitution in November 2006. The rules state that all 25 members must agree before it can be implemented. The first nine nations approved because their politicians decided in a parliamentary vote. (Austria, Hungary, Italy, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain). But the tenth country did not. Not even a symbolic appearance of ten heads formed. But in two countries the choice was left to the popular vote and the people rejected it. On May 29, 2005 the French voters said no by a majority of 55%. On June 1, the Dutch said no by a majority of 66%. God says that they will not unite again.

The French Connection.
Vive La France! The French have been instrumental in fulfilling prophecy several times.

• Early Protestant. The earliest keepers of the faith under persecution were the French. The Waldenses, Albigenses and the Huguenots spread their faith under constant threat of annihilation from the church and the state.
• Rise of the Papacy. The church was given the western Roman empire in 538. Under Clovis, the French kept it in power.
• Fall of the Papacy. It was Napoleon in the French Revolution that caused their fall in 1798.
• Atheism. Simultaneously, the French Revolution unleashed the “beast from the abyss”, when it introduced atheism and secularism.
• European Union. It stopped the union of Europe by opposing Hitler and by being the first to reject the constitution.
• Babylon the Great. It also confronted Babylon the Great when it would not approve the United States invasion of Iraq. This is allowing the prophecy to come through that says “he shall come to his end and no one shall help him”. Daniel 11: 45.
  Incidentally, the last person who tried to disobey a prophecy and rebuild an empire was Saddam Hussein. The Gulf War ended his ambitions.
• Mutiny. So in the future, the French may be the leaders of the group that revolt and turn against the persecuting force. Revelation 17: 12-18. Something forces them to form an uneasy alliance after they refused to support Babylon the Great during the Middle East campaign. (Daniel 11: 45). It ends in mutiny. Vive La Liberté!
  Stone – The Second Coming (Future)
  “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.
  “Just as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation can be trusted.” (Daniel 2: 44-45)

  It is during the days that the kingdom is divided that God will set up His kingdom.

  1. Judgment.

  The Stone comes from a mountain. It is cut from that mountain.

  This mountain is the kingdom of heaven. From it a new kingdom is established in Christ. Christ takes possession of that kingdom as we will see in Daniel 7.

  Something happens in heaven before the stone strikes the earth and after the kingdom was divided. This is after 476 A.D.
  The cutting out of the stone is not the incarnation of Christ which occurred about 4 B.C. It must be another event which occurs after the division or “in the days of those kings”. Later we will learn that Christ begins the judgment and takes legal possession of His kingdom before the Second Coming. During this time He seals and selects His people from among the living and the dead. After He has formally declared who belongs to Him, then He comes to rescue them.

  2. Second Coming.

  The Stone destroys the image after it is cut out of the mountain.
  After the Second Coming, God destroys the kingdoms of the earth.

  3. Third Coming.

  The Stone establishes another mountain.

  It is only after the thousand years, after the third coming, that the New Jerusalem comes to earth and God sets up His throne on the earth.

  The mountain represents God’s sanctuary and truth. Zion is called the “mountain of the Lord’s house.”
  In the last days the mountain of the house of the Lord will be established as the chief of the mountains, and will be raised above the hills, and all the nations will stream to it. (Isaiah 2: 1-5)

  Key point Key Point: Nebuchadnezzar attacked the sanctuary in Jerusalem and destroyed it. God shows this pagan king that there is a sanctuary far removed from this earth in heaven that he cannot destroy. The Rock who is Christ will come from that sanctuary and destroy all the kingdoms of the earth. The prophecy indicates this will happen sometime after World War 1 in the days of modern Europe when the crowned heads lose their power. In the place of the kings of the earth, God will establish a Sanctuary kingdom that will never be destroyed again.

  Christ
  Christ is the Rock that will appear at the end of the world to rescue the saints, smash all worldly power and begin a government of righteousness on the earth.
  and they all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and that rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10: 4)
  Jesus is the chief corner stone according to Acts 4: 11 and Ephesians 2: 20.

  Errors in the Catholic View of Prophecy

  With an ultimate goal of political domination, there are several events in the Catholic prophetic view that drives them to certain actions. Some of these are incorrect and they must change their strategy:

  The Error-A revived Roman empire

  This probably led them to start and nurture the European economic union. With the western preoccupation with money and their disregard for the spiritual, this was certainly an alliance that the governments would pursue, so it was in the best interest of the church to start and nurture this union.

  The Actual Prophecy states: that there will not be a revived political Roman empire in Europe. God stated that the ten toes of the image of Daniel 2 will not cleave to each other.
  What will occur is that there will be a separate political Europe controlled by the church as it did in the dark ages. But European nations will be politically independent. All ten of the original nations in the region of the old Roman empire will not unite as one nation. The original Roman nations included northern Africa. These are now Muslim nations and would not form a single government with Europe. The remaining seven original nations will probably not unite as one nation.

  Error number 2: Fall of the United States-In its attempt to be the spiritual ruler of the world, the church saw the communism of Russia and the secularism of the West as enemies of God and the leadership of the church. Since communism directly challenged God and directly caused many to abandon the faith – the church chose communism as the first system to fall. This policy was in agreement with the United States policy on communism, so both leaders cooperated in the downfall of the Soviet Union.

  The Actual Prophecy states Prophecy sees the final powers as the Catholic Church, the United States of America and the teachings of the Pagan systems as the last three powers. Paganism by itself is not a tangible political power like the country of the United States but it is the ideology that people will adopt.

  But the United States will not fall like the Soviet Union, rather the church will learn that it must find a way to influence the laws and politics of the United States. After this, it can control the country to do its will.

  Prophecy sees the church controlling the European union but cooperating with and relying more on the United States as its source of military strength to enforce religion.

  Error number 3 talks of the Worldwide appearance of Mary and the Christ-The church is hoping that this appearance will immediately convince all the world to obey its commands.

  But the Actual Prophecy does predict a counterfeit appearance of Christ. And it does predict that all the world will follow this powerful union of the Church with the United States of America.

  Error number 4 is Devotion to Mary-The church is convinced that obedience to the messages given in the Fatima visions and other visions of Mary will cause heaven to be totally on their side so that they can act out their will without worrying about public opinion. They are guaranteed success if they follow the visions.

  But the Actual Prophecy is that This attitude will lead them to do the things predicted by prophecy. They must rely on false prophecies, miracles and visions as a sign of their special approval by God. But this policy will lead to disaster since it places them against God.

  The Antichrist Blasphemes

  Several parallel prophecies record the blasphemous words of the antichrist. Blasphemy involved at least two sins that eventually affects the good name of God and leads to unacceptable (vain) worship. These are claiming to be God and claiming to forgive sins.

  Daniel 7:25

  And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time, times and the dividing of a time

  Great words against God. Boasts

  “… the power of the priest is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world. … thus the priest may be called the creator of the Creator …” – The dignity of the priesthood by Liguori, page 33

  And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priest and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it.” – Liguori, Duties and Dignities of the Priest, page 27

  Innocent III has written: “Indeed, it is not too much to say that in view of the sublimity of their offices the priests are so many gods.” – The dignity of the priesthood by Liguori page 36

  Change Times and Laws

  The Pope has the power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dispense with all things, even the precepts of Christ.” “The Pope has the authority and often exercised it, to dispense with the command of Christ.” Decretal, de Tranlatic Episcopal Caption (The Pope can modify divine law.) Ferraris’ Ecclesiastical Dictionary.

  The Pope is of great authority and power that he can modify, explain, or interpret even divine laws … The Pope can modify divine law, since his power is not of man, but of God, and he acts as vicegerent of God upon earth.” – Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Ribliotheca, “Papa,” Article 2, translated

  The authority of the church could therefore not be bound to the authority of the Scriptures, because the Church had changed … the Sabbath into Sunday, not by command of Christ, but by its own authority.” Canon and Tradition, page 263

  Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; — she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday the seventh day, a change for which there is no Scriptural authority.” – Reverend Stephan Keenan, A Doctrinal Catechism, “On the Obedience Due to the Church,” chapter 2, page 174. (Imprimatur, John Cardinal McCloskey, archbishop of New York.)

  Wear out the saints

  Experience teaches that there is no other remedy for the evil, but to put heretics (Protestants) to death; for the (Romish) church proceeded gradually and tried every remedy: at first she merely excommunicated them; afterwards she added a fine; then she banished them; and finally she was constrained to put them to death.” – Cardinal Bellarmine famous champion of Romanism cited by Schumucker page 76

  That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind, will be questioned by no Protestant who has a competent knowledge of history . . . It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings.” — W. E. H. Lecky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, volume 2, page 32, 1910 edition.

  He is a heretic who does not believe what the Roman Hierarchy teaches. — A heretic merits the pains of fire. — By the Gospel, the canons, civil law, and custom, heretics must be burned.” — Directory of the Inquisitors 148, 169

  The church may by Divine right confiscate the property of heretics, imprison their persons, and condemn them to the flames.” – Vatican II

  II Thessalonians. 2:3-4

  This was the fate of heretics or those suspected of heresy. According to the church, only death has worked to stop heresy. Therefore, do not expect them to use any other method in the future.
  Excommunicate
  1.) Force
  2.) Monetary fines
  3.) Banishment
  4.) Confiscate property
  5.) Torture
  6.) Death by fire

  the son of perdition; Who opposes and exalts himself above all that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God [the church], showing himself that he is God

  The pope is of so great dignity and so exalted that he is not a mere man (…) he is as it were God on earth, sole sovereign of the faithful of Christ, chief of kings, having plenitude of power.”
  – Lucius Ferraris, Prompta Bibliotheca, 1763, Volume VI, ‘Papa II’, pages.25-29

  The pope is the supreme judge of the law of the land … He is the vicegerent (replacement) of Christ, who is not only a Priest forever, but also King of kings and Lord of lords.” – La Civilia Cattolica, March 18, 1871, quoted in Leonard Woosely Bacaon, An inside view of the Vatican Council (American Tract Society ed.), page 229

  Daniel 8:11-12

  And he magnified himself even to the prince of the host” – [Jesus Christ], and “… it cast down the truth to the ground; and it practiced, and prospered

  The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, he is Jesus Christ himself, hidden under the veil of flesh.
  Catholic National July 1895

  All the names which are attributed to Christ in Scripture, implying His supremacy over the church, are also attributed to the Pope.” Bellamin, “On the Authority of Councils,” book 2, Chapter 17

  Daniel 11: 36-37

  Then the king will do as he pleases, and he will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will speak monstrous things against the God of gods; and he will prosper until the indignation is finished, for that which is decreed will be done. 37 “He will show no regard for the gods of his fathers or for the desire of women, nor will he show regard for any other god; for he will magnify himself above them all.

  All the faithful must believe that the Holy Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff [the Pope] possesses the primacy over the whole world, and the Roman Pontiff is the successor of blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and is true vicar of Christ, and head of the whole church, and father and teacher of all Christians; and that full power was given to him in blessed Peter to rule, feed, and govern the universal Church by Jesus Christ our Lord.” — First Dogmatic Constitution on the Church of Christ, “Eternal Pastor,” published in the fourth session of the Vatican Council, 1870, chapter 3, in Philip Schaff, Creeds of Christendom. volume 2, page 262

  … we find in obedience to the words of his priests – Hoc est Corpus Meum – God Himself descends on the altar, that he comes whenever they call Him; and as often as they call Him, and places Himself in their hands, even though they should be His enemies. And after having come, he remains, entirely at their disposal; they move Him as they please, from one place to another; they may, if they wish, shut Him up in the tabernacle, expose Him on the altar, or carry Him outside the church; they may, if they choose, eat His flesh, and give Him for the food of others. ;Oh how great is their power!’ – The Dignity of the priesthood by Liguori page 26,27

  ” Hoc est Corpus Meum ” means “This is my body”.

  The power referred to is transsubstantiation and the power of the priest in moving the eucharist (bread) which is supposed to be the real body of Christ. With this act, they have God at their control.

  Revelation 13: 5-7

  There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty two months was given to him. And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven. It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them

  666 (The Number of his Name)
  There are two main methods by which the number 666 is interpreted.

  1. Gematria. Assigning numerical values to each letter in a chosen language. In languages, such as Latin, this is a legitimate method since their numbers were actually letters and the practice of adding the letters that had numerical value was known. This form of word play was called chronogram.

  Modern variations of this (in languages that do not have a numerical equivalent to letters) is to do the following:
  * Assign a number based on its order of appearance in the alphabet.
  * Adding the total number of letters.
  * Using a modern system of numerical assignments.
  * Use several languages.
  2. Symbolic. By looking at the symbolic use of numbers in other Bible prophecies.

  666 is derived by many by adding the numerical value of other people’s name. This is done using many ancient numerical systems or by simply counting letters. But some of these systems are irrelevant because they do not use any methods known to the ancients at the time of the prophecy. At the time the prophecies were given, the Romans were in power. Since their numerical system included letters of the alphabet, one could get the “number of your name” by adding the letters in your name that are equivalent to numbers.
  Therefore, any other system (like counting the number of letters in your name) are invalid.

  A Latin title of the Pope is Vicarius Filii Dei which means “vicar of the son of God”. The name adds up to 666. It is only one of several other pieces of evidence that is combined with other statements of prophecy which identifies this power as the little horn.