Many have dreamed of setting up a world empire that would stand forever and ever. Caesar, Napoleon, Kaiser Wilhelm, Stalin, Mussolini and Hitler have all been obsessed with this desire, but they have all been doomed to disappointment. Communist Russia is the latest aspirant to worldwide power. The Kremlin doesn't know it, but there is a Biblical "iron curtain" which forever bars their march to world conquest.

The Red Star has appeared on the horizon, attracting the attention of the world, and striking fear to the hearts of millions. Many are asking, will Russia succeed where Hitler failed? Russia was almost defeated in World War II, but with the help of lend lease and the bombing of the industrial potential of Germany, the victorious Russian troops roared back from Stalingrad. With the help of the Second Front and the impatient halting of General Patton, as had been agreed at Yalta, her troops eventually found their way back to Berlin and beyond. After the celebration was over, and the terms of Yalta and Potsdam were made known, it was discovered that the Hammer and Sickle was the dominant power of Europe. Then declaring war on Japan one week before they surrendered, after the war was already won--the door to Manchuria, Korea and Viet Nam was left ajar--and before we knew what was happening, the 38th parallel was made the division of occupational assignment for the Far East. The Red forces violated this line, and therefore the bloody Korean War ensued.

Communist boots are treading over not only Korea, but Poland, Latvia, Esthonia, Lithuania, east Germany, part of Austria and the Kuril Islands. Other Communist dominated countries include Rumania, Albania, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Jugoslavia, North Viet Nam and China.

Nevertheless, there are seven words of Bible prophecy which have stood through the centuries as a mighty barrier against the wild ambitions of vain-glorious men who have wanted totalitarian powers in the world so that they might establish a tyrannical rule over all men. This mighty barrier will hold firmly against the hoards of communism now on the march in the world.

The disciples of Christ asked Him about the future of our world. In the 24th chapter of Matthew, we read the answer of Jesus regarding the signs of His coming and of the end of the world. Beginning with the 3rd verse, it says, "And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Take heed that no man deceive you. . . . And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall ~rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."

Christ also told His disciples that when they saw the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet, "Whoso readeth, let him understand." Christ made it clear that the prophecies of Daniel had particular significance in regard to the future events of the world.

We will turn to the second chapter of Daniel, where we find a brief and enlightening history of world's events, right down to the end of time. The story is told here of King Nebuchadnezzar, who was the ruler of the first world empire, known as the Babylonian Empire. Nebuchadnezzar was concerned about the future of his kingdom, and one night the Lord gave him a very unusual dream. The king awoke from this dream in a troubled state of mind. He realized that he had seen something of great significance, but he couldn't recall what it was.

Nebuchadnezzar immediately sent his soldiers to bring in the astrologers, the magicians, and the wise-men in an endeavor to discover, if he could, what he had dreamed. The king soon learned that the so-called wisemen were fakers; they could not tell him a thing. There are many people today, who make the same mistake that Nebuchadnezzar made. And when they are endeavoring to find out something about the future, they resort to astrology and fortune tellers. The only way that we can find out about things that pertain to the future is by consulting the word of God.

When Nebuchadnezzar realized that he had been duped by these parasites, he "was angry and furious, and commanded to destroy all the wise men of Babylon." Daniel 2:12. He then dispatched Arioch, who was the chief of the king's guard, to gather in all of the wise men from all over his kingdom so that the order to kill could be carried out.

There were some young Hebrew captives in Babylon at this time. Daniel and his three companions were among them, and they were attending the king's school, and therefore, were considered to be among the wise men. Arioch ordered them to be taken in. Daniel asked for time to consult his God regarding the king's matter, and the time was granted. After Daniel and his three companions had prayed earnestly to the Lord, the dream was revealed to Daniel.

Arioch quickly ushered Daniel into the presence of King Nebuchadnezzar. The king leaned forward and asked in a very cynical way, "art thou able to make known unto me the dream which I have seen, and the interpretation thereof?" Undoubtedly the king thought that Daniel could not reveal the matter to him. Here was an opportunity for Daniel to claim the glory for himself, but being a true servant of God, be did not do so. He made it known to the king that, while all of the so-called wise men of the kingdom were not able to reveal the matter, "there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days."

Notice that Daniel said that God was revealing something to Nebuchadnezzar that pertained to the latter days. Daniel now unfolded the king's dream to him. He said, "Thou, 0 King, sawest, and behold a great image." Daniel then described the awesome scene of a giant image of a man, which had a head of gold, and breast and arms of silver, and thighs of brass, and legs of iron, with feet part of iron and part of clay. Daniel then described how a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that this stone rolled down upon the image and crushed it to dust. Finally, the wind came and blew away the dust, leaving nothing but the great stone which Daniel said grew and grew until it filled the entire earth. King Nebuchadnezzar was amazed. He recognized that this was his dream all right. His cynicism was gone. He now listened intently as Daniel told him what the dream meant.

Daniel first told him that the head of gold represented his kingdom. "Thou art this head of gold." Gold was a fitting symbol of the beauty and wealth of the Babylonian Empire. But then, Daniel told the king that there would be a second kingdom that would rule the world, and that it would be inferior to Babylon. Then he said that there would be a third kingdom, represented by the thighs of brass, which would rule the world also. And a fourth kingdom was then predicted, strong as iron, as represented by the legs of iron in the image of a man. The kingdom of Rome was to be divided into ten divisions, as symbolized by the ten toes in the feet. Daniel revealed to the king that the iron and clay in the feet and toes indicated that the kingdoms of divided Rome would never be united again, as iron and clay cannot be welded together.

Just as God predicted to Nebuchadnezzar in this marvelous dream, the Babylonian Empire finally fell to the second world power called the Persian Empire. This is recorded in the history books. The chest and arms of silver represented the Persian Empire, and as silver is inferior to gold, so the Persian Empire was not as wealthy or as luxurious as was the Babylonian.

When the Medes and Persians laid siege to Babylon, they were scoffed at by the Babylonians. History tells us that they threw tons of food over their walls to show the Persians that they had plenty and to spare, and that they could withstand a siege for any period of time. However, under Cyrus, the Great, the Medes and Persians finally got through into the city, and Babylon fell. The night of Belshazzar's memorable feast was the time of the downfall of Babylon.

The third kingdom of brass symbolized the Grecian Empire, which was led by Alexander the Great, in the conquest of the world. Alexander's army used more modern tactics, and although his numbers were not so great, they soon conquered the Medes and Persians. Alexander died at an early age as a result of a drunken debauch.

The fourth kingdom, as strong as iron, symbolized by the iron legs in the image of a man, arose to rule the world. This was the iron rule of Rome. Under the mighty Caesars, they soon conquered all the world. The course of history had reached the legs of Iron when Jesus was born in the earth. We read in Luke 2:1 that Caesar Augustus, the emperor of Rome, decreed that all the world should be taxed, and this was the reason why Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem where Jesus was born.

The Romans ruled the world with great power until they began living in luxury, drunkenness and licentiousness. They then lost their character and their strength. They were broken up into ten divisions by the invasions of Barbarian tribes from the north. By the year 476 A.D., Rome was a divided nation.

The loss of Rome's strength and character should be a lesson to other nations. France is another example of a nation that has lost its strength because of drunkenness and immorality. America seems to be traveling down the same road. Since the Roman Empire, which is now the territory called Western Europe, was divided into ten divisions, various would-be rulers have endeavored to bring what remains of these divisions under one flag. Thus far each one has failed.

The feet and ten toes in the image were of iron and clay, and God predicted that the kingdoms symbolized by the ten toes would never be united. We read in Daniel 2:43 and 44 as follows, "Whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." Notice that God says, "they shall not cleave one to another." These are the seven words that have stopped every aspiring world ruler up to the present time.

Charlamagne tried to unite Europe, but failed. Charles the fifth tried and failed. Louis, the fourteenth, the ruler of France, who was a very shrewd emperor, also tried to unite Europe into one empire, but failed. Napoleon tried it, and he came very close to succeeding. He was called the little giant. He was considered to be a military genius. His army swept across Europe, and it appeared that nothing would be able to stop Napoleon. However, the elements entered into the picture at Waterloo, and Napoleon's artillery became waterlogged, and he was defeated. Just a simple thing like rain can defeat the mightiest conqueror.

I do not believe that it was Marshall Bleucher nor was it Lord Wellington that defeated Napoleon. I believe that it was God. Napoleon spent his last days as a prisoner on the island of St. Helena. One day his guards overheard him exclaim, "God Almighty has been too much for me!"

Thirty years after Waterloo Dr. Thomas Arnold of Oxford said: "What was the principal adversary of this tremendous power? by whom was it checked, and resisted, and put down? By none, and by nothing, but the direct and manifest interposition of God." Lectures on Modern History. Lecture 3. He also said: "The deliverance of Europe from the dominion of Napoleon was affected neither by Russia, nor by Germany, nor by England, but by the hand of God."

In Daniel 2:21 it says, "He (God) changeth the times and the seasons, he removeth kings; and setteth up kings." God decided that Napoleon was getting too heavy in the balance of world affairs and the Lord stopped him.

In more modern times, we have had another man who aspired to rule the world, and this was Kaiser Wilhelm. He used to say to his people, "God is mitt me." He boasted that he would build a railroad all the way from Berlin to Bagdad. He started the German military machine on the march. His U-boats roamed the seas. He believed that he was on the way to the conquest of the world. He believed that God had made him and his people the sons of destiny.

In the first battle of the Marne, the Kaiser's forces pushed their way to the very gates of the city of Paris. The Big Bertha guns, as they were called, were shelling the city. The French pushed every man and boy of size to the front to try to stem the tide. Marshal Foch, the Allied Commander, realized that his position was critical. On the memorable night that the battle was turned, it appeared that all was lost for the Allies. Finally, in desperation, Marshal Foch made that famous decision, stated as follows, "My left is in retreat, my right is demoralized, but" he added, "I shall attack with my center." Providentially, this was the most strategic thing he could have done because the Germans were unprepared for a counter attack. They were tasting victory, but a furious counter charge by all the available strength that the Allies could muster, set them back on their heels and soon they were in full retreat.

Shortly after this, the Lusitania was sunk by a German U-boat, bringing the United States of America into the fray. When the great American know-how and mass production were brought to bear, the outcome of the war was soon decided in our favor.

Although Kaiser Wilhelm launched a final desperate attack the following spring, called the second battle of the Marne, he was utterly defeated and put to rout. The Kaiser now had to admit that, "maybe God ain't mitt me." He spent his last days in Doom, Holland, where he no doubt was tormented by those seven words of Bible prophecy, "they shall not cleave one to another."

Another aspiring dictator soon appeared on the scene. He is sometimes referred to as the "sawdust Caesar." His name was Benito Mussolini. He claimed that he was the rightful one to unite the Roman Empire. He soon launched an invasion against the poor Ethiopians. When he tasted a little bit of victory there he felt sure that he was on his way to success. He next launched an attack upon the Greeks. He found himself in the frying pan when he entered Greece. Later he died a horrible death.

Adolph Hitler, the Austrian paper hanger, was on the scene by this time. He was the great rabble rouser. He repudiated the Versailles treaty. His mechanized army and mighty air force were soon pulverizing the unprotected countries that surrounded Germany. Hitler soon had Czechoslovakia and Austria in his power. His appetite for conquest now stimulated, he next took Poland. This led to war with the Allies, and Hitler launched a mighty blitzkrieg, conquering the Scandinavian countries, Belgium and soon France. Paris was not saved this time. Hitler visited the tomb of Napoleon. He scoffed at Napoleon, called him a fool. He boasted that he would succeed where Napoleon failed.

The Allied armies were driven clear to the coast. At the beach of Dunkirk, they attempted to make a last stand. Hitler was boasting that he would drive them into the sea, or bomb them out of existence. Again the elements of nature saved the day, just as at Waterloo. A dense overcast covered the beach. Every available boat was sent over from the British side of the channel and the army was evacuated. Hitler's airplanes and guns were not able to function in the foggy mist. Winston Churchill made a memorable speech at this time saying, "We shall fight from street to street, and from house to house." The only thing wrong with this boast was that they didn't have the weapons to fight. But evidently Hitler believed him. If the Nazi armies had crossed the channel into Great Britain, there would very likely have been little resistance.

Hitler made a fatal mistake at this time. He sent his mighty army into Russia. Much to the amazement of the German leaders they met terrific resistance in Russia. The Russians had an overwhelming number of men, and they fought with fanatical zeal, unmindful of the hardships and the casualties. Hitler's army was dissipated in the frozen wastes of Russia. It developed into the coldest winter in Russia in over 50 years. Thousands of Hitler's men froze to death. Diseases spread like fire among his men. Again the elements of nature were responsible for defeat. Such a simple thing as snowflakes helped defeat Hitler's army in Russia. Adolph Hitler had defied God. He had sowed to the wind and now he was reaping the whirlwind. He had issued a proclamation in March of 1941 as follows, "To my people; We do not need anything from God. We do not ask him for anything except that he may let us alone. We want to fight our own war with our own guns without God. We want to gain our own victory without the help of God." Signed: Adolph Hitler.

Hitler knew the prophecies of Daniel. A woman who had nursed Hitler in a time of illness says that Hitler would read the second chapter of Daniel, and when he would come to the place where it says "and they shall not cleave one to another" he would leap from his bed ranting and raving, shouting at the top of his lungs, "I will win, I will win." If Hitler were alive today, he might return to the tomb of Napoleon, where he scoffed so, and about all he could say would be, "Napoleon, move over."

And then came Pearl Harbor, a terrible tragedy to our country. It was a stab in the back by another aspiring would-be world dictator. This time it was Hirohito. He persuaded his people to believe that they were gods. The United States Navy was pulverized in this sneak attack. If the Japanese had only realized it they could have slipped into this country at that time. But again, God intervened. He providentially kept them from advancing beyond Pearl Harbor.

Once again American know-how and mass production were brought to bear in the fight for freedom and democracy. Thousands of tanks, airplanes and guns were soon being poured into the war effort by this nation again. Our boys revealed to the world their ability to fight for freedom. The Japanese were driven from island after island. Tokyo was bombed by our big bombing planes. A newspaper cartoon appeared at this time showing two fat Japanese generals running for a bomb shelter, and one was shouting to the other, "Could it be that we Japanese are wrong about being Gods?"

Hitler was cornered like a rat in Berlin, surrounded on all sides by the Allied armies. Then came the atomic explosion at Hiroshima. This is the place where "Believe-it-or-not-Ripley" said that the end of the world began. A second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, leaving it a heap of ashes. The Japanese unconditionally surrendered. Adolph Hitler committed suicide. The guns of the aspiring world dictators were again silenced.

All the world thought that this was the war that would end wars. Men were dreaming of eternal peace. But Leland Stowe says: "Hiroshima was 'atomized' on August 6, 1945. With that single act the nature of the entire world was changed. What we had yearned for as a prelude to peace was suddenly transformed into a preface to super-war a door was opened to global annihilation." While Time Remains, p. 10.

It did not take long for Stalin to reveal that he also had aspirations to world conquest. Communism has started the same program of world conquest. They have already taken the Baltic states, Poland, Rumania, Albania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, part of Korea and IndoChina. They are gaining by leaps and bounds in India. And last, but not least, there is China, a mighty stronghold of Communism.

Although the atomic scientist Dr. Urey says: "As a scientist I tell you there must never be another war," it appears that nothing short of a third world war will stop the advance of Red Russia. Under its present ruthless leadership, the plan is to plunder, destroy and sabotage wherever possible with world revolution as its goal.

Worldwide tension is increasing. The battle of Armageddon seems to be in the offing. God's prophetic word reveals that this final showdown will be between the kings of the East and the powers of the West. It is a pity that men do not believe God's word and become satisfied with what they have. They cannot gain the world through conquest. Communism is doomed to failure. God says that the old Roman Empire (or western Europe) can never be welded together again. The seven mighty words of scripture, "They shall not cleave one to another," foredoom any attempts to conquer the world.

God revealed to Daniel in the prophecy of Daniel. 2 that while no man who aspired to be a world ruler could succeed, the nations would be united some day under the rule of the Lord Jesus Christ. The:, prophecy says, "in the days of these kings (the kingdoms of Europe) shall the God of Heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed." Daniel next reveals that that great rock that broke the image in pieces, represents Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages. "It shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms and it shall stand forever." Dan. 2:44,45.

The man who is coming from the East to rule the . United Nations under one flag is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, who is coming as King of kings and Lord of lords to set up His kingdom of glory. All the world will then be under the banner of love. What a wonderful day that will be!

We are living tonight down in the toes of the prophetic Image. History has run its course. Thomas E. Murray of the Atomic Energy Commission says: "For all we know it may be the incomprehensible and inscrutable will of God to make the twentieth century 'closing time' for the human race." When you look a man over from head to toe, you have gone as far as you can go. The history of our world has gone about as far as it can go. The next great glorious drama will be Christ and His coming, and eternity. The Bible predicts that we are living in the day of our Lord's return. Thoughtful men everywhere are growingly convinced that the return of Christ is imminent.

Men have tried to unite the nations. They have tried to make peace. But puny man cannot solve the problems of our world. Christ's coming is the answer to our needs. Truly He is coming soon. Are you ready for Jesus to come? If you want me to pray that God will help you to be ready, will you raise your hand? (Hands raised.) Let us pray.

"Look for the waymarks as you journey on;

Look for the waymarks, passing one by one;

Down through the ages, past the kingdoms four--

Where are we standing? Look the waymarks o'er.

"First, the Assyrian kingdom ruled the world,

Then Medo-Persia's banners were unfurled;

And after Greece held universal sway,

Rome seized the scepter--where are we today?

"Down in the feet of iron and of clay,

Weak and divided, soon to pass away;

What will the next great glorious drama be?

Christ and His coming, and eternity!

"Look for the waymarks, the great prophetic waymarks,

Down through the ages, past the kingdoms four.

Look for the waymarks, the great prophetic waymarks,

The journey is almost o'er."