Europe Pushed to Grow Stronger

The “European experiment” has struggled over the last couple of decades with periods of strength and growth and periods of weakness and hesitation. While Bible prophecy reveals a powerful German-led European “beast” power will lead the world for a time in the years ahead, the continual vacillation among European leaders has raised questions about these prophecies. But, before the eyes of the world, something is happening on the continent.

Pressed by Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and the continuing need to feed its war machine, Russia’s military industrial complex is operating at full capacity and has created over a half-million jobs (The Guardian, February 15, 2024). Arms factories are in continuous operation. Russia now claims to spend 7.5 percent of GDP on its military, and its capacity is increasing—and Europe is responding. Recently, multiple European nations have increased their defense spending to the 2 percent minimum required by their NATO membership—a first for many NATO members. Germany just broke ground on a new munitions factory and has increased production of tanks and other military weaponry, as have many other European nations. Recent comments by former U.S. president Donald Trump—threatening not to support non-paying NATO members in the event of a Russian attack—are not only motivating greater overall European military spending, but are pressuring Europe to seek a European nuclear shield. EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen made very direct comments in a recent interview about Europe’s defense infrastructure: “We have to spend more, we have to spend better, we have to spend European” (MSN, February 16, 2024).

Bible prophecy states that a core of European nations will coalesce in the not-too-distant future (Revelation 17:12–13), creating an economic, political, and military power that will drastically change the world as we know it. Events that are now unfolding could be profoundly connected to the fulfillment of these ancient prophecies. We need to continue to watch events in Europe, Germany, and the Middle East. To gain a biblical perspective on these important events, watch “Four Prophecies for Germany.”