At the end of World War ii, when Germany was beaten into rubble, Herbert W. Armstrong prophesied of Germany’s rise to great power again. And it has already happened. What is more astounding, he even predicted how it would happen!

Twenty-five years ago, Mr. Armstrong predicted that America and the world would have a massive banking crisis. But the second part of that prediction was even more stunning. He believed the banking crisis would cause 10 kings to unite into superpower status and fulfill a major end-time Bible prophecy. And it is all being fulfilled before our eyes today.

Here is what Mr. Armstrong said July 7, 1984, in a message to his church (emphasis mine throughout):

[I]n London, the economic conference was on while we were there. That is the summit conference of the major powers. And I can tell you now that I learned things while in London that have alarmed me very greatly. And I can see now the event that is going to trigger the formation of the reunification in Europe, the resurrection of the medieval Holy Roman Empire that we’ve been looking forward to that is prophesied to come.Something has been holding it back. And, a year ago, when Dr. Otto von Habsburg [of the Habsburg dynasty—past rulers of the Holy Roman Empire] was here, he had come over here to see me …. He couldn’t understand why they aren’t able to get this unification through sooner.Something is causing it to lag and to hold it up. I said to him, “I’ve been wondering about the same thing.” But I believe that some event is going to happen suddenly, just like out of a blue sky, that is going to shock the whole world, and is going to cause the nations in Europe to realize they must unite! [They have deep divisions in the union today that are beginning to be removed.]Well, he said that he believes that will have to happen too. Well, now I think I can see what may be the very event that is going to trigger it, and that is the economic situation in the world.

Here is another statement Mr. Armstrong made: “Now let me go further. The whole banking structure in the United States is a network all joined together. But not only that, one nation has to deal with other nations and imports and exports. And so they have to have a means of transferring money from one nation to another. And so the banking structure is international and interwoven.”

He also said that “the banking system has become very complex.” The people don’t have much understanding of what is happening, so unscrupulous leaders are free to manipulate major financial decisions to their own devious ends.

But what is even more disturbing, many of our leaders don’t understand the banking system themselves! For example, none of our U.S. government officials saw this crisis coming. Or if they did, none of them spoke out.

However, Mr. Armstrong saw the banking crisis coming 25 years ago. And how did he know that the financial crisis would probably trigger 10 European kings to profoundly unite into a world superpower? That is truly astounding!

He even predicted this European empire would be more powerful than the U.S. or Russia!

Mr. Armstrong had a profound understanding of the Bible. He also had a far-reaching knowledge of world conditions. Therefore, he could make some bold predictions based on foundational Bible prophecies.

It is time this world woke up to what is happening in Europe. The Stratfor organization does have a good insight into what is happening in the European Union. Here is what it published, March 6:

[W]hile Germany faces the same pressures and pains as many other states in dealing with the global recession, it is not in the same boat as the rest. In fact, the recession is providing a wealth of opportunities for Berlin to expand its influence. … Put simply, the Germans face more opportunities than threats from the global recession. … Berlin’s resistance toward sweeping EU economic bailout plans can be summarized in two simple and interrelated arguments. First, Germany does not want to foot the bill for Europe’s recovery. … Second, Germany wants to control any economic package, making it much more comfortable with bilateral deals reached on a case-by-case basis rather than [with an] EU effort in which German control of the bailout would only be loosely correlated (if at all) with its economic contributions. … Rather than pushing for transnational stimulus or bailouts, Germany is forcing the European Union into a common position on financial regulation. [That means that many of the 27 nations will be forced out of the EU.] … Germany is attempting to extend its own financial system, writ large, over all of Europe. … Germany is also in a geographic and trade position to dominate whatever emerges from the wreckage of this recession. … In post-recession Europe, in which the Germans have rewritten the rules of finance, these states will be utterly dependent upon the Germans for their livelihood. Which brings us back to the beginning: To achieve security for itself, Germany either must defeat its neighbors or become indispensable to them. Nazi Germany failed at the first. But with this recession, Germany is on the verge of becoming the indispensable player geographically, financially and economically. It may not be acquiring lebensraum [living room] in the strict sense, but to Germany’s neighbors, Berlin’s gains are going to feel disturbingly close.

Stratfor is disturbed that “the Germans have rewritten the rules of finance” in such a way that “these states will be utterly dependent on the Germans for their livelihood.” Nazi Germany failed to defeat Europe for its “security.” But now Germany has become the “indispensable player” to the nations of the revived Holy Roman Empire—which has been the opposite of holy throughout history!

Germany started a war with France in 1870. It also started World Wars i and ii! This nation has a terrifying history of causing wars.

Have we forgotten? Do we even remember what America and Britain declared after World War ii?

“It is our inflexible purpose to destroy German militarism and Nazism and to ensure that Germany will never again be able to disturb the peace of the world,” Winston Churchill wrote in a signed document with Franklin Roosevelt.

The world may have forgotten, but we did not. What is happening in Europe now is what we have been prophesying for over 60 years! Request our free booklet Germany and the Holy Roman Empire. All of our literature is free.

If the Germans were really repentant for causing so many of our past wars, they would not dare make other European nations utterly dependent upon them for their livelihood.

Stratfor’s report gets even worse: “The solution—or mitigation—to the problem is for Germany to develop and maintain a strong economy not simply for national unification, but also to develop economic links with its immediate neighbors. In theory, if the neighbors see their economic links to Germany as indispensable, they will be more likely to view military issues from the German viewpoint.”

How the Germans are dealing with the economic crisis is far from democratic!

If people know and understand the history of Germany, they surely must be suffering from some anxiety. Now the military has been added to the equation. German armies are getting ready to march once again. They are about to inflict the worst suffering ever on much of this world!

The European Union is being pared down from 27 loosely affiliated nations to 10, so that Germany and a great religion of this world can totally control it. And in this process, a strong leader is about to hijack the EU as prophesied in the 8th chapter of Daniel.

This is the greatest event coming out of the global financial crisis. Before it’s over, the world will be reeling from its impact!

“Everyone is turning to Germany as the ultimate savior of the European economy,” Reuters columnist Paul Taylor wrote February 25. These are extremely alarming words!

European nations fear economic collapse. Now they are looking to Germany as their financial savior. But they are going to get a lot more than a financial savior!

This is the biggest news event in the world right now. But it is almost totally overlooked by the world’s news media.

Germany’s “change of heart” toward rescuing EU states, Taylor wrote, “reflects a shift in the balance of power in the EU that puts Germany in the driver’s seat.”

Germany’s Spiegel Online stated that “Germany’s apparent willingness to support its neighbors reflects a change in direction for the leadership. Until now, Germany … has been reluctant to offer to help pay for what it sees as other countries’ lack of discipline in national spending. As a result, it is expected that extensive strings will be attached to any assistance offered, a point made clear by president of Germany’s Bundesbank, Axel Weber. Speaking to German daily Die Welt, he said ‘targeted aid for individual member states’ may be ‘unavoidable’ but any such moves would have to be accompanied with ‘strict demands and conditions’” (February 27).

Those nations that can’t or won’t comply will be kicked out of the European Union! The foundation of the 10 kings of Revelation 17 is now being laid.

Perhaps the biggest shocker of all is that God is putting it in these nations’ minds to unite and fulfill His will (Revelation 17:17).

Why would God miraculously do such a thing? Nothing is more important for you to understand! Our literature will make it painfully clear to you.

The German Election

You need to watch the September 27 election this year in Germany. It could very well produce the political leader of the Holy Roman Empire—and through devious means. The Bible prophesies that this man will come to power with deceit and flatteries.

The collapse of the dollar has frightened Europe and especially Germany. It has provided Germany with an opportunity to take control.

The International Herald Tribune reported February 26:

The global financial crisis threatens to strike Germany—and the rest of the European Union—with hurricane-like force in the next three to six months.As the world’s leading exporter [Germany is back with real power] and Europe’s primary economic engine, Germany is already enduring its worst recession since 1990. And as world trade shrinks and layoffs mount, Germany’s downward spiral could further fragment the 27-nation EU [that is, reduce the number of nations or leaders to 10]. …A tectonic political shift is likely to occur with the September 27 national elections. The governing grand coalition, linking Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats with the left-of-center Social Democrats, now seems doomed despite its 75 percent majority in the parliament. …With EU institutions in limbo, the economy under growing pressure and the entire country riveted by the September national elections, Germany seems likely to enter a phase of protracted inward focus. …[It] is shaping up to be a perilous year for Europe and the world.

Are you prepared for a perilous 2009? Our literature will show you how to be totally prepared.

It is staggering that Mr. Armstrong could make such a prediction 25 years ago. However, it is less amazing if you understand Bible prophecy. (Also request our booklet Daniel—Unsealed at Last!)

There is a lot of bad news in what I have just written. But there is a mind-galvanizing, hope-filled conclusion: It is all tied directly to the coming of the Messiah!

That may sound foolish to many people. But it is clearly stated and can be proved in more than a hundred prophecies of the Holy Bible.

If you have been a reader of our magazine for some time, you know it is time to act—and act today! Time is running out!