[Editor: The first paragraph of this article originally indicated that Slovenia had not yet received final approval to enter the eurozone. It has been corrected below to reflect the fact that Slovenia joined the eurozone January 1.]

The European Union’s hold on the Balkans is increasing. With the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, the now-27-nation EU borders the resource-rich Black Sea and governs about half a billion people. Concerning the fractured Yugoslavia, one of its former republics has become the first to join the eurozone—the group of EU nations using the Union’s monetary unit—with Slovenia’s 2 million citizens having given up their tolars for euros. Croatia hopes to join the EU by 2010.

While some Europeans may not like Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession, the strategic value of these two nations to the EU—aside from the bevy of resource options they bring to the table—is major. And, according to the European Commission, both countries will be able to help strengthen the EU’s foreign policy and security policy: Romania as a bridge to the East, and both as interfaces with the Balkan region.

That last point is particularly interesting, given Europe’s history with the Balkans. Stratfor made this observation: “With Romania and Bulgaria joining the European Union … the Balkans are nearly surrounded by EU member countries, meaning the European Union will have to address rising tensions and instability in southeastern Europe” (Dec. 29, 2006).

Consider these rising tensions. Serbia, for example, stripped of its former republics and geopolitical relevance thanks to Western European intrusion, now stands at the threshold of a political revolution. This month, it will hold its national parliamentary elections. Europe is watching whether the radicals get in (who oppose Kosovo’s independence) or the moderates (who are more pro-EU). Meanwhile, in Bosnia, the United Nations is supposed to hand power over to the national government this spring, when European forces are scheduled to withdraw from the country. No one quite knows how successful the deadlocked government (split among Muslims, Croats, Serbs) will be on its own.

Added to that is the possible energy crisis the EU has purposefully plunged the Balkans into. To be an EU member, Bulgaria—the Balkans’ biggest electricity supplier—had to shut down two perfectly running nuclear reactors because of incredibly strict EU safety regulations. Throwing this baby out with the bathwater means Sofia will lose up to €10 billion in export revenues and face possible increases in energy imports and shut-down costs; at the same time, electricity may become scarce and costlier. It will “destroy the delicate energy balance in a region that continues to be economically and politically unstable” (Deutsche Welle, Dec. 28, 2006).

But have no fear. As Stratfor implied, Europe is poised to address these rising tensions.

The EU’s increased presence in the Balkans through Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession has coincided with Germany’s six-month presidency of the EU. Stratfor asserts, “Whether or not Germany likes it, these Balkan issues have fallen in its lap. Keeping the Balkans from returning to its previous chaos, then, could become Germany’s unintended presidential legacy” (op. cit., emphasis ours throughout).

Unintended? Hardly. Germany and the Vatican were at the helm of slicing and dicing the Balkans in the first place. Back when Germany stood firm in recognizing Croatia and Slovenia, the New York Times said the incident “underscored Germany’s growing political power within the 12-nation European Community” and that “it marked the single most visible demonstration of that power since reunification of the two Germanys …” (Dec. 16, 1991).

In his booklet The Rising Beast, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry states that Yugoslavia was actually the first victim of World War iii—just as Czechoslovakia was the first of the Second World War.

As Stratfor maintained only a few years back, “Germany is seeking to reassert itself at the center of Europe, and the Balkans play a big part in that strategy. It is an area where Germany can expand its military reach without frightening either itself or its neighbors. Berlin also would like to build on its ties with Slovenia, Croatia, Albania, Bosnia and Bulgaria to pull both southern and eastern Europe under its wing as the EU expands” (March 6, 2002).

How interesting is the timing of Germany’s presidency, along with the accession of two large Balkan countries, while the former Yugoslav republics stand at political crossroads.

It won’t be long before these countries, now surrounded by the EU and already essentially vassal states of it, join a united Europe.

What we see happening is the building of the eastern leg of an age-old empire, prophesied of in the Holy Bible. The political framework of this union will consist of 10 nation-blocs—likely with half in Western Europe and half in Eastern Europe.

This key prophecy is outlined in Daniel 2, where Daniel showed King Nebuchadnezzar how the image in his dream was a prophetic timeline of the Gentile kingdoms that would succeed his Babylonian Empire. The two iron legs of this image depict the Roman Empire with its western and eastern divisions, each with a capital (one in Rome, and one in Byzantium, now Istanbul).

Moving down this image, we come to the feet of iron and clay, of which Daniel draws special attention to the 10 toes. This is the final resurrection of the Roman (now “Holy” Roman) Empire—comprised of 10 nation-blocs (depicted by “ten kings” in Revelation 17:12).

A little understanding of human anatomy, world history and European geography teaches us that this final resurrection is divided, as it historically has been, between east and west. And, more specifically, that with five toes on one foot and five on the other, we can even speculate that the east-west division of these 10 nation-blocs will be relatively equal.

Notice what the Plain Truth stated back in January 1986: “Notice further that the ancient prophecies of Daniel picture this system as a human image standing on two legs. … Thus it is probable that the coming reconstituted Roman Empire will also be composed of two distinct yet cooperative parts: one comprising nations of Western Europe, the other incorporating nations released from Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe. … Given the fact of five toes on each foot, it is possible that five entities will come from Western Europe and five from the east.”

How will these nations be divided east and west? As far back as the 1950s, Plain Truth editor in chief Herbert W. Armstrong was forecasting how, based on the above prophecies.

In 1956, Mr. Armstrong wrote, “There will be 10 dictatorships, exerting iron rule over 10 European nations. These 10 will give all their military power to the central overall leader—pictured under the prophetic symbol, ‘the beast.’ … The strong indication of these prophecies, then, is that some of the Balkan nations are going to tear away from behind the Iron Curtain.”

In 1979, reporting on the pope’s visit to Poland, he suggested that a “‘resurrected’ Holy Roman Empire … may include such nations … as Poland, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Yugoslavia” (co-worker letter, Sept. 20, 1979). Three of those nations are now members of the EU, with the republics of the former Yugoslavia not far behind.

Feb. 18, 1980, Mr. Armstrong wrote, “There will now be an effort to bring Yugoslavia into the Holy Roman Empire alliance! There will be strong pressure from the Vatican, in view of the pope’s visit to his native Poland, to bring Poland into the new United States of Europe. If Yugoslavia and Poland go in, then expect at least Romania also to go in.”

Dec. 27, 1981, he wrote: “But suddenly, unexpectedly, as biblical prophecy reveals, the whole world will be startled and shocked into wonder to learn that a new third super world power has suddenly burst forth onto the world scene—a resurrection of the medieval Holy Roman Empire by a union of 10 nations in Europe—very possibly five in Western Europe, and five broken loose from the Communist orbit in Eastern Europe!”

The image of Daniel 2 does not stand on one strong Western foot and another, weaker, crippled foot. The image implies a sense of equality—meaning the Eastern European nations will grow in strength to add vitality to this resurrected empire. And when Europe can stand on this foot, watch out!

Of course, Daniel 2 does say the kingdom is “divided” and that it is “partly strong, and partly broken” (verse 42). The glue that holds this union together is religion.

As destructive and horrific as the Holy Roman Empire’s reign will be, however, it will also be short-lived. Thank God for that. As Daniel 2 goes on to describe, a huge stone comes from heaven to smash the feet of the great image! The lineage of world-ruling kingdoms will be replaced once and for all by the government Jesus Christ will bring to this Earth at His Second Coming.

“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever” (verse 44).

Before Jesus Christ returns, this 10-nation colossus will plunge our globe into the worst world war ever in our history. Don’t be caught off guard by the pomp and circumstance of a seemingly harmless economic and political body expanding its borders to charitably include feeble neighbors. Watch for Eastern Europe to use its EU membership to grow in strength. Watch for any chaos economically or politically to be quickly remedied by a strong leader who will come to the fore—streamlining the EU’s operations into 10 major divisions. Watch for the Vatican to increase its efforts to reunite Eastern European Orthodoxy with Catholicism under the common denominator of Christian values in an increasingly secularized (and Islamicized) world.

Europe is about to stand on its own two feet!

We have ample free literature offering more detailed explanations on all these areas to be watching, as well as how you can be protected from the calamity this final resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire will instigate. See our free booklets The Rising Beast and Germany and the Holy Roman Empire for more information.