The Bible provides redundant warnings that when Israel is gathered again to become a nation that there is only one generation left before the second coming of Christ. Many eschatologists have aptly noted that the last generation cannot really begin until Israel is in full possession of Jerusalem. The exodus of Jews from around the world back to their homeland began in the spring of 1948, but it is not until the six day war of 1967 when Jerusalem was recaptured that the famous ?last generation? could begin.



A generation is a period of time between twenty five and seventy five years depending on which definition you use. Some people insist a generation is a complete lifetime or approximately a full three score years and ten or the average lifetime of a person. Any eschatologist that knows his Bible will tell you that Christ warned that no man would know the exact day or the hour of Christ's return. But they would also warn that enough signs were provided by Christ and the ancient prophets so that we would not be caught off guard as the times approached.

Preparations for the last generation that have to do with the rebirth of a nation that eschatologist figuratively call the ?Revived Roman Empire? have run concurrently along side the British mandate of 1948 that led to the forming of a new Zionist State.

In the early fifties upwards of twenty organizations were formed between European countries to strengthen the economic and trade relations between the recovering countries. Most were connected to coal and other energy production and seemed only part and parcel to the post war recovery efforts of the war torn and battered countries of Europe. Political and military connections were not seriously undertaken or even considered until after the ?Maastricht Agreement? of the mid nineties which provided for a common currency (Euro dollar) and other elements that helped nearly 400 million Europeans to get closer to what today is sometimes called, the United States of Europe.

For the first time in over a half century Germany engaged its air force and NATO forces carried on in unison to attack the former Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999. The bombing was referred to by some politicians as ?humanitarian bombing.? As usual few Americans noticed the significance of the bombing being deeply engrossed in their own politics or as some might say their own importance. The details notwithstanding the unified military action by NATO forces marked the first flexing of military might from Europe since World War Two. Its significance is not lost to serious students of eschatology and is seen by them as only a mere precursor to a much more powerful Europe yet to come.

The EU has yet to get all nations to agree on a single constitution because so far only 16 of the full 27 votes needed to solidify the constitution have been produced. Some like Britain's Tony Blair argue that the EU is still largely an abstract, are nevertheless pushing forward to bind up the Union with other agreements that will lead to the full estate of the emerging superpower.

In April of 2007, Washington strengthened ties to the Union by signing on to some new economic partnerships. The agreements, it is hoped, will lead to an ?Open Skies? policy where some travel between certain countries of the Union and the United States will not be hampered by the present visa restrictions. Other agreements were made to seek convergence regarding business takeovers, auto manufacturing, financial services and intellectual property rights and protections. The newest agreements are part of an effort by the U.S. and the EU to create a common market. Other ties that are not now part of NATO accords are sure to follow.

For the Christian Church and the most dedicated eschatologist two common phrases have never been more true as it pertains to the EU. The phrases are ?Rome wasn't built in a day? and ?the Devil is in the details.? Like so many changes in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy there is a time factor. The time is relatively short but not so short as to alarm the world at large and the details will each in their own way seem all very innocuous as each thread is finely woven into what Christians know as the ?last days.?

Often aired TV shows like the History Channel's ?Antichrist? remind people that most second coming experts agree that Europe is the seat of the worlds last and worst dictator. Replete with comments from fallen preachers, skeptics, liberal ministers and secular scholars the sum of the History Channel's offering is that Christians are ?hunting? for the Antichrist. Using numerology driven by panic or faulty eschatology they always seem to come up with the wrong Antichrist and refuse to admit their error even when confronted with counter evidence.

The picture presented by the History Channel is bleak but the presentation is seriously faulted and by best accounts should be granted its own last days and shelved for good. It does not take into account the definition of the word ?cumulative? nor the math connected to the word. The major parts and the key players in the last day's scenario appear on the scene in one full generation and no one needs to ?hunt? for the Antichrist. The Apostle Paul settled the controversy centuries ago when he said the Man of Sin (Antichrist) would be ?revealed.? 2 Thess. 2: 3f. No hunting allowed on this one.

Cumulative was the math connected to the first appearance of Christ that was largely ignored. A world bent on secular interpretation of key elements of the scripture seems to be repeating the error regarding the second coming of Christ. Thousands of years covered the foretelling of Christ's first coming and the 167 prophecies called ?Messianic? were fulfilled in the final appearing of Jesus and throughout his life and ministry. Un-noticed by many is the fact that in the last 24 hours of his life more than 25 prophecies were fulfilled against the odds of multi millions to one. Jack Bauer of Fox's wildly popular series 24 may think he has packed the most deadly and world altering activity that can be imagined into one twenty four hour period but he is actually about 2000 years too late.

The second coming prophecies also will have most of their fulfillment not stretched out over centuries but most will culminate in the last generation. Topped off by the final appearance of the Antichrist in that area Americans affectionately used to call the ?Continent? (Europe). No one will need to hunt for him and no one will fail to notice him. Also true is the fact that when he finally does appear no one will call upon eschatologists to verify his identity. The world will both know who he is and in the shortest period of time will also rue the day he was revealed.