One name tops the charts: Germany. A recent survey of which country has the world’s most positive influence on global affairs found that 56 percent of world citizens are looking to Deutschland over all. The survey was performed by GlobeScan for the bbc World Service and polled 17,000 people in 34 countries.

The poll ranked Israel with Iran as the world’s most negative influences, and respondents who thought Russia was a good influence shot up from 29 percent to 37 percent over the past year, at the same time Vladimir Putin has been consolidating his undemocratic, freedom-constricting grip on the nation.

The survey confirms just how far Germany has come in throwing off its post-war guilt to once again assert itself as the most powerful voice in political affairs in Europe, and an increasingly respected voice in global affairs.

Another poll showed that Europeans are looking to Germany as the Continent’s leading nation. An International Herald Tribunepoll found that, when asked which country is the leader of Europe, most Europeans say, “Germany.”

Most Americans thought it was Britain, but only a third of Britons themselves thought so. More than a third of Britons looked to Germany, along with 39 percent of Spaniards, 57 percent of Germans and Italians, and 68 percent of French.

Americans view their ally in London as the Continent’s leader, but the British Isles have historically separated themselves from the mainland culturally, religiously, politically and militarily, and have repeatedly opted out of wholesale integration into the European Union, preferring to view it as an economic and political asset rather than something to surrender their sovereignty to.

According to the study, Americans thought Prime Minister Gordon Brown was the political personality who leads Europe, but Europeans chose German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Germany’s reputation as the leading nation of Europe has rapidly consolidated since the days of German reunification, following the collapse of the Berlin Wall in November 1989. This was exactly what Herbert W. Armstrong predicted even as Germany lay divided in the rubble of defeat in 1945. Now, as Mr. Armstrong predicted, Germany is the nation other European states are looking to as their leader.

The powerful, friendly, productive, positive, influential Germany that is today’s Germany is the Germany that world citizens prefer to see. However, these remarkably talented and energetic peoples have one historic weakness. When a demagogue arises in their midst during uncertain times, they tend to follow, with catastrophic results for themselves and the rest of the world.

You need to understand Germany’s past and its future. Bible prophecies forecast every major world event far in advance of its happening. These prophecies show what future headlines will be about. To navigate the Bible’s prophecies about Germany’s influence on upcoming world events, read Germany and the Holy Roman Empire.