Read the article here:
France Rejects European Constitution

Whenever the European Union comes up in the news, the first image that pops into my head has always been, “Feet of Iron and Clay.”

Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon c.605-562 BC, dreamt something that, according to Judeo-Christian theology, only God through Daniel was able to interpret. This dream has probably one of the most recognizable prophetic images in scripture: the image of a tall statue, with various materials making up its different sections. For those not immediately familure with this image, here is the section from scripture:

“You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.
(Daniel 2:31-35 NIV)

For any Adventists reading this (or those interested in Adventist theology) you can read what Ellen G. White had to say on this issue in Prophets and Kings chapter 40.

Daniel goes on to say that the different sections of the statue represent different governments or empires that would rule. The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, and then the rest would follow. Historically, the statue’s sections have been attributed thusly:

• Head of Gold: Babylon
• Chest and Arms of Silver: Medo-Persia
• Belly and Thighs of Bronze: Greece
• Legs of Iron: Rome
• Feet of Iron and Clay: The Un-unified governments of Europe

You could argue the exact dates on all these, so I wont bother to put any in. You could even argue the historical interpretations if you like, but I feel comfortable with the above. Daniel gives us the starting point by identifying the head of gold as Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon. It’s just a matter of looking at history from there.

In any event…

Europe has been separated ever since the end of the Roman Empire; despite the serious efforts of some to create a unified empire again (Hitler and Napoleon come to mind immediately). The traditional Adventist interpretation of the “rock not cut by human hands” which strikes the feet of the statue and brings it all crumbling down, is that this rock represents the second coming of Christ. His arrival will remove all forms of government that we know of, and establish the one true government of God.

What constitutes a “unified Europe” though? Is it any centralized form of government; a centralized economy; an authoritarian dictator? Would a unified body that regulates foreign policy and trade count as a unified Europe? How about one that dictates internal affairs only, leaving foreign policy to the individual members? You could cut this hair as thin as you like. To be honest, I’m not sure how the finer points of a “Unified Europe” would be defined. I do, however, feel that since we have to TRY to figure out what it means, that only emphasizes more the notion that we are living in the time of the end.

Since I believe this interpretation of scripture, I do not feel that the European Union will ever solidify into a major political entity. Don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that the peoples of Europe are trying to break down walls of prejudice and building bridges across socio-economic gaps, but I don’t think that a unified Europe will ever be a reality. I believe this because I feel we are living in the times of the “feet of Iron and Clay.” The only thing that follows this is the second coming of Christ.