Daniel's visions of world empires conclude with a sort of "revived Roman Empire" in the last days. The European Union (EU) could very possibly be the head of this final world government. It is located in the same area as the old Roman Empire, and is expanding its influence year by year.

The first step toward the formation of a European superstate was the Benelux Agreement on June 8, 1948. This was a treaty between three very small countries, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Several years later, in 1957, in the city of Rome, and with a document called "The Treaty of Rome," those three countries joined with three other countries, Italy, France, and Germany to make the EEC (European Economic Community) which was called the Common Market for many years. Today the organization is known as the EU (European Union). In 1973 the United Kingdom joined the EU along with Ireland and Denmark, making a total of nine nations. In 1981 Greece became a member of the union.

Spain and Portugal joined in 1986, and in 1995 Austria, Finland and Sweden were added to the official list.

In July of 2008 the EU spawned a related organization known as The Union for the Mediterranean which includes European, Middle Eastern and African nations all around th Mediterranean Sea. A map of all these nations looks very much like the old Roman Empire.

At the heart of all of this growth, the original 10 nations have a separate powerful existence, The Western European Union. The WEU is relatively dormant at this time, but is bound together for mutual defense if it is ever needed.

At the close of 2008 the United States and the rest of the world were distressed by the greatest economic melt-down since the Great Depression. Our financial weakness could be the reason the United States does not figure prominently in end-times prophecy. As the world rebuilds its financial system there may be less dependence on the U.S., and more trust in the EU.

At the beginning of 2009 there were 27 member states of the union. The success of this European merger is a further impetus to global unity.

Protests and revolutions in various Islamic countries around the Mediterranean Sea in 2011 raise the specter of a new Islamic caliphate that might merge with the European countries where Muslim culture is becoming predominant. Such a coalition would resemble the old Roman Empire at it's greatest extent, and could be what was predicted in Daniel, chapter 2 -the final world empire, symbolized by iron [Rome] and clay [Islamic caliphate?].