The Roman Empire Has Already Returned . . . Just Not in the Way You Think
In an earlier post, we talked about how the book of Daniel predicted the rise of the Roman Empire.
However, the Bible predicts that the Roman Empire must be reborn in the end times. In fact, it has already been restored, though not in the way you might expect.
The final ruler of the Roman Empire is defeated when God sets up an eternal kingdom, led by Messiah. Daniel 7:26 says:
But the court will convene for judgment, and his dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever.” (Dan. 7:26)
Roman Empire at its greatest extent.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Empire#/media/File:Roman_Empire_Trajan_117AD.png
Furthermore, all empires will obey God and his people in his new kingdom. Daniel 7:27 says,
“Then the sovereignty, the dominion, and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the empires will serve and obey Him.” (Dan. 7:27)
Source:
https://pixabay.com/photos/sunrise-space-outer-space-globe-1765027/
Due to this, Dr. Kenneth O. Gangel says:
“God sets up his ultimate and eternal kingdom and all rulers will worship and obey him.” (Gangel 2001, 211)
But this poses a serious problem. The Roman Empire as we know it fell in 476 A.D. God did not violently defeat the final ruler of the Roman Empire. Furthermore, God did not set up an eternal kingdom, where all empires serve him.
Did God’s word fail? Let’s take a closer look. Daniel 7 says:
“I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a son of man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, Honor, and a kingdom, So that all the peoples, nations, and populations of all languages Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed." (Dan. 7:13-14)
Source:
https://pixabay.com/photos/jesus-christ-god-holy-spirit-4336337/
Jesus uses the same wording to describe his second coming. Jesus says,
"...and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.” (Matt. 24:30)
Another literal translation, the English Standard Version, says:
“…and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” (Matt. 24:30, ESV)
Source: own work
According to Dr. J. Paul Tanner:
“Christian interpreters quite naturally saw the fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ, especially due to Jesus’ frequent references to himself as the Son of Man…” (Tanner 2020, 437)
Source:
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/jesus-jesus-christ-christianity-8839200/
The Roman Empire is defeated at the Second Coming of Christ. For this to happen, it must be reborn in the end times. Therefore, many theologians have anticipated the “revival” or “restoration” of the Roman Empire immediately prior to the return of Christ.
In 1982, Dr. Renald Showers stated that:
“Sometime beyond the present there will be a revival of the Roman Empire.” (Showers 1982, 35)
Another theologian, Dr. Leon Wood, said in 1973 that
“…there will be a time still future when the Roman Empire will be restored…” (Wood 1973, 187)
Flag of the European Union
Source:
https://pixabay.com/photos/banner-flag-europe-european-flag-3370970/
This calls our attention to the European Union. In 1957, six European nations came together and signed the Treaty of Rome. This formed the European Economic Community, which is the basis for what the European Union is today.
The European Union has some features of statehood, including: a single currency, border-free travel, an executive branch that proposes laws, and its own legislature, the European Parliament.
Even while the European Union was still a Common Market, theologians began taking an interest in European unification as it relates to Bible prophecy. Dr. J. Vernon McGee said in 1975 that:
“They have a Common Market in Europe today, and they may be well along in restoring the Roman Empire.” (McGee 1991, 47)
Map of the European Union
Source:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:European_Union_main_map.svg
Jose’ Manuel Barroso, who was president of the EU’s executive branch for ten years, compared the EU to an empire. He said:
“Sometimes I like to compare the EU as a creation to the organization of empire. We have the dimension of empire […] What we have is the first non-imperial empire” (Euractiv 2007)
The Bible makes clear that the end times Roman Empire will not be as strong or united as the historical Roman Empire. When interpreting the final stage of the fourth empire to king Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel says:
“And in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have within it some of the toughness of iron, since you saw the iron mixed with common clay.” (Dan. 2:41)
Divided EU
Source:
https://pixabay.com/photos/eu-flag-brexit-europe-british-uk-2108026/
As a result, Dr. Gleason Archer said in 1985 that:
“The text clearly implies that this final phase will be marked by some sort of federation rather than by a powerful single realm.” (Archer 1985, 47)
The European Union struggles with disunity, just like the Bible predicts. The first major example of this occurred from 2009 until the mid-2010’s, with the European debt crisis. This threatened the very existence of the euro as a currency. Another strong example of the EU’s disunity took place in 2016, where the UK voted to leave the EU in its historic “Brexit” vote.
Brexit
Source:
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/brexit-puzzle-eu-europe-england-2070857/
This is perfectly consistent with Dr. Stephen Miller’s 1994 Daniel commentary, saying that:
“Evidently the meaning is that in spite of the fact that these groups will compose one empire, they will never truly become one people, for they will maintain separate cultures and their own national identities.” (Miller 1994, 95)
The historical Roman Empire covered territory in Western Europe, the Middle East, Western Asia, and North Africa. However, the end-times Roman empire does not start off this large. Can we be more specific on the location of the end-times Roman Empire?
Indeed, we can show that the Antichrist's military base is in Western Europe. Check out the next article in the series to see why.
Bibliography
Archer, Gleason R. 1985. Daniel. Vol. 7, in The Expositor's Bible Commentary, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, 47. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan.
Euractiv. 2007. Barroso: European Union is 'non-imperial empire' (long version). July 10. Accessed June 27, 2024. https://youtu.be/-I8M1T-GgRU?si=MKISGeDfNc0-yG73.
Gangel, Kenneth O. 2001. "Holman Old Testament Commentary: Daniel." In Holman Old Testament Commentary: Daniel, by Kenneth O. Gangel, edited by Max Anders, 211. Nashville, Tennesee: B&H Publishing Group.
McGee, J. Vernon. 1991. Daniel. Nashville, Tennesee: Thomas Nelson.
Miller, Stephen R. 1994. The New American Commentary: Daniel. Nashville, Tennessee : B&H Publishing Group.
Tanner, J. Paul. 2020. Daniel: Evangelical Exegetical Commentary. Edited by H.W. House and William D. Barrick. Bellingham, Washington: Logos Bible Software.
Walvoord, John F. 2012. The John Walvoord Prophecy Commentaries: Daniel. Edited by Charles H. Dyer and Philip E. Rawley. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishers.
Wood, Leon J. 1973. A Commentary of Daniel. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock Publishers.
