Ten Kings from Western Europe

The Bible says the end-times Roman Empire will be composed of a group of ten kings. Daniel 7 symbolizes these ten kings as ten horns on the head of a beast. Daniel 7 says:

As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise, (Daniel 7:24a)

As a result, many theologians and Church Fathers await a 10-nation alliance in the area where the Roman Empire was.

Dr. John Walvoord, former president of Dallas Theological Seminary, anticipated the:

formation of the revived Roman Empire composed of a ten-nation confederacy. (1)

One very important early Church Father, Irenaus, wrote in the 100's A.D. He wrote that the Roman Empire would be partitioned out to the ten kings:

and concerning the ten kings who shall then arise, among whom the empire which now rules [the earth] shall be partitioned. (2, 3)

Church Father Hyppolytus, writing in the 200's A.D., expressed a similar view:

and the ten horns of the fourth beast are distributed over ten kingdoms (2, 4)

St. Cyril of Jerusalem, writing in the 300's A.D., also shared this viewpoint:

There shall rise up together ten kings of the Romans, reigning in different parts perhaps, (2, 5)

Below is a map of the historical Roman Empire at its greatest extent. However, the end-times Roman Empire does not start off this big. The Antichrist's military base starts off in Western Europe. He then conquers the surrounding areas by military force.

Notice how the territory of the Western European portion of the Roman Empire map leans more southern and western. The northeastern section of Western Europe was not part of the old Roman Empire.

There are hints in the Bible that the ten kings have a military relationship. First, Revelation 17 says that the ten kings make "war" against the Lamb (Rev. 17:14). Second, in the same passage, it says that these transfer their royal power to the Antichrist, so that they can totally destroy the end-time city code-named "Babylon" (Rev. 17:16-18; 18). A military attack like this implies a military relationship. Third, the ten kings are represented as horns. In the Vision of the Ram and the Goat (Daniel 8), animals represent empires. The horns of these animals are used when fighting other animals or kingdoms. Fourth, we know the ten kings have a military relationship, because the Antichrist is a military conqueror in the end-times (Daniel 11:36-45).

Therefore, the ten kings represent a ten-nation confederacy in Western Europe with a military relationship.

10-Nation Western European Union

In 1995, a military alliance called the “Western European Union” became ten countries. This alliance was a separate organization from the European Union. However, the alliance worked very closely with it. The EU was not a military organization at the time. Therefore, EU member countries agreed to use the Western European Union as its “defense component.” (6, 7, 8)

The Western European Union was a mutual defense treaty. It was like NATO, where an attack on one is considered an attack on them all. They also used this as a platform to launch civilian and military operations, since the EU was unable to do so. (7)

From 1999 until its eventual closure in 2011, member countries transferred the military functions of the WEU to the European Union. (7) Most importantly, they transferred the WEU’s ability to do joint military operations to the European Union. (7, 9, 10, 11)

Indeed, EU countries viewed this transfer as the very purpose of the existence. According to the EU foreign office’s official website:

The Council declaration states that in the event of the EU fulfilling its responsibility in the area of the Petersberg tasks [military functions], ‘the WEU as an organisation would have completed its purpose’. (11)

As we will see in a forthcoming article, this transfer fulfilled a prophecy about the Antichrist's consolidation of power.

From 1995 – 2011, the full members of the WEU were:

1. France

2. United Kingdom

3. Germany

4. Belgium

5. Luxembourg

6. The Netherlands

7. Spain

8. Italy

9. Portugal

10. Greece (6)

The territory of the WEU countries significantly overlaps with the Western European portion of the Roman Empire. As with the historical Roman Empire, the member countries lean towards the southern and western parts of Western Europe.

Just as the Bible describes, there was a ten-nation confederacy in Western Europe with a military relationship.

Many prophecies are associated with these ten kings, including the Antichrist's rise to power and the consolidation of his military power. Even though this alliance closed down in 2011, these ten kings have an important role to play in the future. Remarkably, future European military cooperation will include the UK as well, despite the fact that they are leaving the EU.

End Notes:

1. Walvoord, John F. "Major Events Preceding the Second Coming of Christ." Walvoord.com. Accessed October 16, 2018. https://walvoord.com/article/166.
2. "Early Church Fathers on the Timing of the Rise of Antichrist." Early Church Fathers on the Timing of the Rise of Antichrist. Accessed October 16, 2018. http://biblelight.net/fathers-on-antichrist.htm.
3. "Against Heresies (Book V, Chapter 26)." CHURCH FATHERS: Against Heresies, V.26 (St. Irenaeus). Accessed October 16, 2018. http://newadvent.org/fathers/0103526.htm.
4. "On Christ and Antichrist." CHURCH FATHERS: On Christ and Antichrist (Hippolytus). Accessed October 16, 2018. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0516.htm.
5. "Catechetical Lecture 15." CHURCH FATHERS: Catechetical Lecture 15 (Cyril of Jerusalem). Accessed October 16, 2018. http://newadvent.org/fathers/310115.htm.
6. "List of 28 Delegations." Western European Union. Accessed October 22, 2018. http://www.weu.int/Delegations.htm.
7. "Shaping of a Common Security and Defence Policy - EEAS - European External Action Service - Western European Union." EEAS - European External Action Service. Accessed October 22, 2018.  https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/common-security-and-defence-policy-csdp/5388/shaping-of-a-common-security-and-defence-policy-_en#The Western European Union
8. "Treaty of Amsterdam." EUR-Lex Access to European Union Law. November 10, 1997. Accessed October 22, 2018. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:11997D/AFI/DCL/03.
9. "Luxembourg Declaration." Western European Union. November 23, 1999. Accessed October 22, 2018. http://www.weu.int/documents/991122luxen.pdf.
10. "Council Decision of 22 January 2001 Setting up the Political and Security Committee." EUR-Lex Access to European Union Law. January 30, 2001. Accessed October 22, 2018. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:32001D0078.
11. "Shaping of a Common Security and Defence Policy - EEAS - European External Action Service - Cologne European Council." EEAS - European External Action Service. Accessed October 22, 2018. https://eeas.europa.eu/topics/common-security-and-defence-policy-csdp/5388/shaping-of-a-common-security-and-defence-policy-_en#The Cologne European Council.
12. “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Photo Credits:

1. CrazyPhunk. "File:WEU Map.svg." Wikimedia Commons. May 16, 2007. Accessed October 22, 2018. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:WEU_Map.svg.
2. "File:Flag of the Western European Union.svg." Wikimedia Commons. Accessed October 22, 2018. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Western_European_Union.svg.