The Roman Empire stretched across most of Western Europe, reaching as far as the British Isles. However, the Romans were not able to conquer one part of those isles – Scotland. Eventually, Scotland did finally fall to the English and by doing so, ended up as part of Great Britain. In a world where many areas hunger to break free from the national governments that bind them, the people of Scotland have a rare opportunity to secede from Great Britain and become a separate, independent nation. The binding referendum vote is coming this September.
It is a bit of a stretch to say that the Book of Revelation gives us insight into the outcome of this important vote, but that has not stopped us in the past. If we take a strict view of the interpretation of prophecy that says the Beast will rise to take final dominion over a reborn Roman Empire, than the odds favor Scotland gaining independence from England – and for England to eventually fall under the dominion of the Beast. We can make that jump given that Scotland was not conquered by the Romans, whereas England was.
Should Scotland choose independence and secede from Great Britain, it could give encouragement and momentum for other independence movements, like those found in Catalonia and Venice. It may also encourage those who are working to break their countries ties to the European Union, like the UKIP in England, the National Front in France, and the AfD in Germany.
The children of the Beast are working hard to prepare for the final ascension of the Beast, where he will take control of a politically united collection of formerly independent nations. The children of the Beast are working for the political unification of independent nations, which is the end goal of their political agenda. Given that this political agenda is consistent with those who are working for the long hope for Judaic messianic period, we speculate that the Beast will take up the mantle of a secular Jewish messiah. This is consistent with the interpretation of Revelation that says the Beast will betray the Church – except the ‘Church’ is not the Catholic Church, nor some unspecified atheist movement, but rather the Jewish people who are working for a secular messianic period.
The End of Days may already have started, with the first seal opened. We will get confirmation of the opening of the second seal when major conflicts erupt around the world. Whether it will start with Ukraine-Russia, or Israel-Iran, or China-Japan, nobody knows. The opening of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th seals will definitely leave no mistake that the End of Days are here. Though great calamity will precede the rise of the Anti-Christ, those calamities will only endanger our physical well-being (which is not to diminish the extent of physical suffering that we will be tested with). However, the rise of the Beast will endanger our very souls, as we are told that anyone who takes his mark will face an eternity of separation from God. For this reason, the independence movements like those found in Scotland, Catalonia, and Venice are crucial, as success gives hope that Believers will be able to find sanctuary from the mark of the Beast. The same can be said for those working to break the ties that bind their countries to the European Union.
Many Believers hold out hope that before the Beast rises to power, God will rapture them, and take them away from the world. I am in no position to argue whether that will happen or not. However, I have argued that why would God go through all the trouble of causing so much craziness in the world, unless it served some greater purpose. If the purpose of the End of Days is to create a priesthood to serve Him in the next Millennium, then why deny Believers the chance to qualify by rapturing them? As I have said before, I have no seminary training, nor have I even been to Church more than once or twice in the past 10 years (I keep telling myself that I need to find a Church again). However, I do repeat my point that if we are not already in the End of Days, then it should be starting soon enough, assuming current mainstream Evangelical interpretation of Revelation is more or less correct. That being the case, we should be acting on our faith and getting ready for what is coming. Get your priorities right, take care of what needs to be taken care of, and figure out what it is that God wants you to be doing. If nothing comes to mind, then just start doing something that seems right and see where it takes you.