[Steve Myers] A new world superpower is on the rise. It will continue to strengthen and challenge the United States and the world. It will affect your life. It’s really not possible for the United States to continue indefinitely to be the world’s preeminent power. Can you know what will happen? Who is this coming superpower?

Could a dreaming king, a slave, and an ancient prophecy hold a key to understanding what’s on the horizon?

On this edition of Beyond Today, we’ll answer those questions and more as we discuss, “The Final Superpower!”

When you think of a world-dominant power, what comes to mind? You may think of the United States. But America is losing its grip as the world’s superpower. No matter where you live, a shift in the world’s power structure will certainly affect you. So it’s important to understand what we mean when we refer to superpower status.

If you had to say what exactly a superpower is, how would you describe that?

> Yeah, one that just has—I would think—has great influence in the world and more or less can do pretty much what it wants to do, without too much interference from other countries.

>> They’d have to have enough military force to impose their superpower or enough financial force to impose that, one way or another. So, I think anything that sort of meets those criteria, any country or group.

[Steve] No doubt the U.S. has the financial means and the military muscle to greatly influence the world. But that’s already changing. You don’t have to look too far to realize that America is losing its supremacy. Just consider her enormous debt—over 20 trillion dollars! Now, if you divide that between every citizen, that would be over $62,000 for every man, woman and child in the country.

No wonder that a coming dominant system will bring a massive power shift that will change your whole perspective on government and authority.

Now, who will replace the United States as the world’s global leader? We’ll see in just a moment, that surprisingly, the Bible has a lot to say about it. People I spoke with had definite opinions:

Is there a nation in mind that you think could be the next world-dominate power?

> Everybody is vying to be that. You know, everybody wants to be the top dog. Probably Russia.

>> China, I would think maybe China. Great Britain, definitely.

> But maybe somewhere more exotic, like Australia.

>> China. And that’s just because they’re starting to become a U.S., slowly but surely. I mean, they’re already getting all of our work. So…

> We thought it was going to be Japan in the 90s because of their economy. And now everyone’s saying, well, it’s going to be China because of their economy, but I don’t know.

[Steve] But is it possible to know? Is there a place we can look to find clues for the future of our world? Now when we talk about a coming shift, this is not some simple change in government, some minor political thing: This coming superpower will impact you and your family—how you live, how you work and even if you’ll survive.

Here’s an odd thought for our modern mind to consider: Could an ancient Bible prophecy have any impact? Now, be careful not to think that world superpowers are just related to our modern world. Dominant nations and kingdoms have risen and fallen throughout time. But does God have anything to say about history and the future? Some aren’t so sure:

Do you think that the Bible could have any impact in predicting who the next superpower might be?

> I think that would be a pretty far-stretched interpretation.

>> Not at all. I don’t necessarily know anything about the Bible either. So, but I don’t think so.

[Steve] Do you think there’s any possibility that the Bible might have something to say about the next superpower?

> No. No.

[Steve] Now wait a minute. Even though it may not seem that God’s in the picture, He is—and more than you might imagine. He inspired His prophets to predict in advance—people, places, and events hundreds of years before they occurred. And those predictions came true. God has recorded for us many examples throughout the Bible. Do you believe prophecy will impact your life?

Do you think that the Bible could predict who the next superpower nation would be?

> Probably. If I knew a lot about that. I’m no help to you. I tell you. Yeah, I’m sure it does predict.

[Steve] Do you think it’s possible that the Bible might predict the next superpower nation?

> >There is a possibility. I mean, I believe in the Bible, and I would like to think so. However, I don’t know the answer to that.

[Steve] If you believe in the Bible, you don’t have to be unsure. It is possible to know the answer. It’s in the Word of God, if you’re willing to pay close attention to prophecy. God tells us: “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God, and there is none like me. Only I can tell you the future before it even happens…” (Isaiah 46:9-10, NLT).

Now that’s an amazing statement! You see, God challenges all of us to count on Him, no matter what. One reason we can trust Him? Because He’s made predictions. He’s made prophecies about nations and powers in the past and they came true, so we can believe what He tells us about the things yet to come.

Now in the New Testament we’re told “...we regard the words of the prophets as confirmed beyond all doubt. You’re doing well by paying attention to their words. Continue to pay attention...” (2 Peter 1:19, GW).

So instead of doubt, you can have confidence in God and the biblical prophets if you’re willing to pay attention to what they say—even the predictions about governments, about nations and rulers.

Do you think that the Bible could predict the next superpower?

> It probably already has. I haven’t really read it extensively to where I got to the point where I’ve seen it for myself, or interpreted it, but I’m sure it’s in there.

[Steve] Do you think that the Bible could predict who the next superpower nation might be?

>> I’m sure if you read into the Bible and you wanted to find that answer there, you could find that answer. I think you could find almost anything you are really looking for in the Bible if you dig deep enough.

[Steve] They’re right! It may be a surprise to many, but the answers are found in your Bible. Don’t you think it’s time for you to dig a little deeper? You can find the clues to the coming superpower and its impact on you.

Here’s one example. This is where God tells us how to dig deeper. It’s in Proverbs 2: “...if you take my words to heart and treasure my commands within you, if you pay close attention to wisdom, and let your mind reach for understanding, if indeed you call out for insight, if you ask aloud for understanding, if you search for wisdom as if it were money and hunt for it as if it were hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and you will find the knowledge of God. The Lord gives wisdom. From his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:1-6, GW).

So, let’s take God’s words to heart and reach for understanding for a moment.

We can actually recognize how the final, man-led superpower will affect you. Now surprising as it may seem—a dreaming king, a slave boy, and an ancient prophecy holds a key.

That key is found in the book of Daniel. Now you’re probably familiar with the story of Daniel in the lion’s den. It’s that same Daniel.

Daniel was taken captive as a teenager—captured by the Babylonians. Babylon was the dynasty of the day—a world ruling empire, dominated by a powerful dictator by the name of King Nebuchadnezzar.

The king started having dreams that frightened him. So in the book of Daniel, chapter 2, we’re told that these dreams worried him so much, that he couldn’t even sleep. He called in all the Babylonian magicians, the sorcerers, fortune tellers, his advisers, to help explain to him what these dreams meant.

Now imagine the scene: They came all lined up before the great king and said “O great king! Tell us your dream and we’ll interpret it.”

Now Nebuchadnezzar didn’t become the leader of that Babylonian superpower by being naive. So, he told them: You’re supposed to be the great men of mysterious magic and you say you have a direct connection with the gods. You should be able to tell me what I dreamed—and if you do, then I’ll believe your interpretation.

Well, they couldn’t do it. This made the king so angry, so furious that he gave the order to execute all the advisers in Babylon. Now that command right there from the ultimate ruler of the world’s superpower, well that included Daniel and his companions, too.

Well, Daniel didn’t know what the king had dreamed either. So what could he do? Well he and his friends prayed to God for mercy and understanding so he could know and explain his mysterious dream.

We can begin to see that this isn’t just some kiddie story from the Bible. Imagine how strange it may have seemed to Daniel—and perhaps strange to you too—that this event actually has something to do with your life—even today! We’ll get to that connection in just a moment.

Well God did answer their prayer and so not only did they know what the king dreamed, but God also gave understanding about the meaning of the king’s dream. Daniel praised God saying: “You control human events—you give rulers their power and take it away and you are the source of wisdom and knowledge” (Daniel 2:21, CEV).

Daniel knew that God is in charge. He oversees rulers and superpowers of this world. He understood that if it was true then, it’s still true today.

The young captive then begins his report to the king. Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar that this is a special prophecy. That God is revealing what will happen in the future.

Daniel explains that the king saw a vision of a huge, terrifying statue that was shimmering, and gleaming brightly. Its head was made of pure gold, its chest and arms were silver. Its belly and thighs were bronze. Its legs were made of iron, and its feet were a mixture of iron and clay (Daniel 2:31-33).

Now can you imagine the king’s surprise when he heard exactly what he’d been dreaming about? No doubt, Daniel had his attention. What could it mean to the king? What does it mean for your life?

Daniel tells Nebuchadnezzar as the ruler of that superpower of the day: “You O king have command, strength, and control. “You are the head of gold” (Daniel 2:37-38).

So now it becomes clear that the different sections of the statue represent different world ruling empires—different superpowers.

The silver, bronze, iron—all parts of the statue represent future dominant kingdoms that were to come to power after Babylon. Now this wasn’t Daniel’s idea; this dream was inspired by God; and God provided an amazing preview of what was to come. So today, we can look back in time, and determine which superpowers correspond to the different sections of the statue—just as God said it would.

The gold head of Babylon ruled the Middle East for generations until mighty Persia conquered them in one night. The silver chest with two arms symbolized the empire of the Medes and the Persians. History tells us that this silver empire was the superpower in the Middle East for about two centuries.

Next, Alexander the Great and his great armies came up and swallowed up Persia. The belly and thighs of bronze represented his Greco-Macedonian Empire. He came like a flood, conquering the known world and the Greeks ruled for some 300 years.

Then we have the legs. Those legs of iron represented the next superpower—the great kingdom of the Roman Empire. The iron fist of the Roman legions united parts of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Rome became the greatest empire the world had ever known up to that time.

I hope you’ll look into what history records. You don’t have to be a history professor to recognize the past definitely records this sequence of kingdoms. A simple search will reveal all of these were superpowers of their day.

You see, God was right. He was right about the past and that should make us realize that He’s right about what’s to come. Now we’re getting closer to our era. The pieces of the puzzle are falling into place for prophecy to potentially be fulfilled in our lifetime.

God predicted that the Roman Empire would become divided and eventually become a mixture compared to the feet of those toes of iron mixed with clay. Now I’ll have more about that in just a moment.

Because you may be wondering, “Well, where is America in the vision of the statue?” After all, isn’t the United States the most powerful nation that has ever existed? So shouldn’t America be in this prophecy of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream?

This prophecy in the book of Daniel is described in several ways. We see that it is precisely accurate in describing the empires of Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. But when it comes to America, it’s not mentioned in that prophetic dream.

Here’s why: The prophecy shows the succession of empires that followed one after another. America was not an outgrowth of Rome. Its origin was very different. The kingdoms in the dream swallowed up and incorporated the characteristics of the earlier empires that came before. And that’s also true of the end-time superpower to come.

Now if we examine the roots of America, Great Britain, the English-speaking peoples—they come from a different sequence of events, one that isn’t tied to the Roman Empire. So this vision in the book of Daniel doesn’t focus on the United States. Now, there are many prophecies in the Bible that do tell specifically about America—but we’ll have to discuss that in another program.

Now even though America exports billions of dollars of machinery, technology, pharmaceuticals, and even though she is now the world’s largest producer of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons—this prophecy shows, it won’t last. The Bible tells us that America’s days are numbered and she’ll greatly be impacted by that coming powerful empire.

Do you think then that America is on the decline?

> Yeah, I would say so in some cases, yeah.

[Steve] Why do you think that is?

> Seems like there’s a lot of turmoil in our government and such, and with some of our overseas activities. So, you know, I think that in the past it was a lot better and lately, yeah, we’ve seen a bit of a decline.

>> I think all nations right now are struggling, so I don’t believe the United States is on the decline any more than any other nation. Do I think they’re falling behind? No.

[Steve] Do you think it even matters? Does it even matter who the next big nation will be?

> Yeah, I think it matters.

[Steve] Why do you think it would matter?

> Because it’s going to determine what happens in the future.

[Steve] She’s right, it will determine the future—not only for that one powerful nation—but the impact will be felt around the entire world. The Bible predicts that this end-time superpower will turn your world upside down. Here’s how: It will change the world’s source of food and technology. There will be a major shift in politics, in finances and in foreign policy. So who will be affected? Everyone! Each of us will be affected—and not in a good way. Now think about this: Amazingly, it has been predicted in the dream of King Nebuchadnezzar recorded in your Bible.

Here’s what the dream does tell us. You’ll want to listen carefully because this is critical:

We’re down to that final world superpower of man’s rule. This last global force will be connected to the Roman Empire—like the toes, to the feet, to the ankles, to the legs. Now it might sound a little bit odd, but Daniel’s prophecy reveals that the 4th kingdom—the Roman Empire—will exist in some form, right up to the end of the age.

Wouldn’t you like to find out more about this coming superpower? Now you may wonder if it’s even possible to identify where it will originate and what type of government will it be? Will it be a kingdom with savage, wild attributes like the one of the beasts that are described in the book of Daniel?

Now some think there’s a chance that new world government will bring hope and lasting peace.

> It would be lovely, idealistic but lovely, if the United Nations or something like that could really have some teeth and could say this is the way it’s going to be, and we’ll all decide as one big democracy. However, that’s probably wishful thinking at least in this century.

[Steve] According to the Bible, that is wishful thinking. But he’s right in one way. That coming government will really say this is the way. This is what’s going to happen. It will really have some teeth, but ultimately, it’s bite that will hurt.

Did you know that more of the details of this super-kingdom are found in the book of Revelation? It’s in chapter 13. This coming powerhouse government is represented by an animal—not just any animal, but a fierce beast. It describes “a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns.” It’s a beast because of its characteristics and actions.

Did you notice a connection to the book of Daniel? The coming super empire has characteristics like those ancient kingdoms. Now back then, what did Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome do in order to maintain command and control? Well like a wild beast, they all used their biting power to attack, to oppress and to enslave. That will be the nature of the approaching Beast power—that coming, global superpower.

Of course, this reminds us that in order to understand the forecast and vision in Revelation, you’ve got to understand Daniel.

So in a moment, I’ll tell you about a free study aid that will help you make the connection between this Beast in Revelation and the 10 toes in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream.

The Bible predicts that that dominating government will be an alliance—a federation of presidents or kings—that voluntarily give their authority to a coming powerful political leader—the Beast. Now why would that happen? Prosperity. To find a solution to our world’s problems, it’s economic problems.

Now, does that sound far-fetched? You don’t have to look too far back in history to find a fairly recent example of this. Adolf Hitler.

Did you know that he saw himself connected to the Holy Roman Empire and to the Caesars? He called his rule the Third Reich—the third realm or empire. Of course, back then, the Great Depression brought economic upheaval to Germany, to Europe and to the world. Hitler claimed to have the answer. Now for a time, Germany roared back. It had life with jobs, and wealth, and power but the final result: World War II. Over 60 million people died. Intense suffering. Death camps.

The ruin brought about by Hitler’s Germany with Mussolini’s Italy was only a frightening foretaste of what’s to come. It gives us a disturbing preview of the not too distant future. The Word of God prophesies a destructive empire just ahead. And it’s represented by the 10 toes in King Nebuchadnezzar’s vision. In Revelation 13, the Bible also calls that coming world ruling kingdom “the Beast”. That coming Beast power will shock the world. Scripture predicts that it will be a dominating empire. It will bring America, Britain, and the English-speaking peoples of the world to their knees and dispense tremendous suffering in horrifying ways.

It’s a scary, fearful vision that will come to pass. And as this man warned:

> I would advise everybody to get their house in order and get it done now, before it’s too late.

[Steve] That’s good advice. This next, last superpower of men, will become a terrible system that will affect you, your household and the entire world, but only for a short time. It’s not all doom and gloom. It is possible for you to have hope for the future. Why?

Because King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream didn’t end with the image of gold, silver, bronze and iron. Let’s go back to Daniel 2 and pick up the rest of the story in verse 34: “You watched while a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces... And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (Daniel 2:34-35).

We know that towering statue represented human government and corrupt rulers. But God shows they will finally come to an end. He says, “In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed... it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever” (Daniel 2:44).

That impending evil superpower will ultimately be destroyed by that stone. And that stone represents Jesus Christ. He will return and smash the governments of this world.

Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God will replace man’s empires and all human governments—and it will grow into a great mountain that will fill this whole world. It will be real, a literal Kingdom that the returning Jesus Christ will set up on earth. So, that nightmare of fear will turn into a dream come true.

Imagine God’s Kingdom—right here on earth. Have you ever wondered why we pray, “Thy kingdom come?” Well that’s one reason why. It won’t be just another superpower, but it will be the final great Kingdom.

And that’s good news because in the end, Daniel’s prophecy gives us hope. And even though we face troubled times, you don’t have to be overly concerned in your mind or your heart. You can have courage and you can have true hope if you base it on a right relationship with God. If you take it to heart and repent of your sins and grow closer to God right now—to really get to know Him.

His Word compels us: “Knowing that one day all this will come to pass, think of what sort of people you ought to be—how you should be living faithful and godly lives” (2 Peter 3:11, Voice).

God wants each of us to take advantage of the opportunity He gives us now—to understand His plan, to keep His commandments and to truly love and honor Him in our lives.

Isn’t it time to fully choose His way of life? That’s a choice that brings true happiness and joy, a real hope for the future.

There is so much more to understand when it comes to Bible prophecy and what lies ahead. Now here’s a way you can really dig into the subject. Order your copy of The Final Superpower at BeyondToday.tv or call us at: 1-888-886-8632.

If you request this helpful study guide right now, we’ll be sure to send it to you at no cost. You’ll certainly want this free Bible Study aid to help you gain insight into your studies of the Word of God and a greater understanding of Bible prophecy.

You can get your free copy right now online at BeyondToday.tv, or request your free copy to be sent to your home by calling: 1-888-886-8632. Or, write to us at the address shown on your screen for your copy of The Final Superpower [Beyond Today, PO Box 541027, Cincinnati, OH 45254].

When you order your copy, we’ll also send you a free subscription to Beyond Today magazine. Beyond Today will help increase your faith with important articles designed to help you better understand the many remarkable truths of the Bible.

We face so many challenging issues in our everyday life. Beyond Today will help you make sense of this worrisome world and know where to place your trust.

Call us: 1-888-886-8632. Or go online to download your free copy at BeyondToday.tv.

Thanks for joining us, don’t forget our free offers and be sure to tell your family and friends about Beyond Today. Tune in again next time and join us in praying, “Thy Kingdom come.” For Beyond Today, I’m Steve Myers. Thanks for watching.

[Announcer] For the free literature offered on today’s program, go online to BeyondToday.tv.