For example, think about Nebuchadnezzar's vision in Daniel 2. God has shown us that from the days of Christ to the days of the end, one empire shall reign. This phenomenon is demonstrated by two legs on a statue. Rome has been the only world empire since it first arose. It even divided into an eastern and western section to fulfill exactly the picture in the vision. Though it reached a great low, it was never totally disbanded and reigns now in the person and kingdom of the Pope, in an empire that affects one out of every five persons on earth!

But Rome's final disposition is in the two feet of the statue, or more specifically the "ten toes." The number two will not suffice to describe the final world alliance. There will be a coming together of ten entities instead. We all held our breath years back when the "Common Market" moved to 10 members. There! There is revived Rome, we shouted. Then came number 11 and 12 and... I think there are 25 members anticipated at present. Where did we miss it?

There are two feet. Left and right. East and west. And Daniel saw a mixture of "clay" and "iron", perhaps strong and weak governments. Communist and capitalist. Kingdoms and democracies. European and Muslim.

For you see, the old Roman Empire surrounded the Mediterranean Sea (called the "Great Sea" in Scripture). It is out of the midst of the "Great Sea" that antichrist arises. Compare Daniel 7 to Revelation 13 for that item.

What if the nations presently surrounding the Mediterranean Sea, European and Muslim, the world's two rising super-powers, were to rise together in a pact of agreement? What if at first the pact even included Mediterranean Israel, for the sake of world peace? How awesome a power would that be?

Even now, a united Europe alone far surpasses the American economy. Add to it the oil of Islam. Then put the Catholicism of old Europe together with Islam, so that 2 out of every 5 people of the earth now have a common religion.

I go past the factual here, but know for certain that the Word of God does point to the Mediterranean as the earth's final power, and does foresee an unusual combination of strength and weakness that will be overseeing the world with the man of sin at the helm.