Rebirth of The Roman Empire
When the prophet Daniel asked for the interpretation of the visions he was seeing, especially the meaning of the fourth beast that was far more dreadful than the others, an angel told him that

'The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. 'As for the ten horns, out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them, and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 'He will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. (Daniel 7:23-25 NASB)

Note: Daniel chapters two and seven parallel each other inasmuch as both prophesy a succession of empires, beginning with the Babylonians and followed by Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. The animal imagery of chapter 7 corresponds to the sections of the statue in chapter 2.

In chapter 7 the angel told Daniel that a kingdom will one day arise that will be different from all other kingdoms because it will devour the whole earth. Space does not permit going into detail here but this fourth kingdom that springs from an apparently dormant (not dead) Roman Empire, will be the dominant force in the world when our Lord returns... 'devouring the whole earth'. See A Dragon and Two Beasts

For a long time now, those who seriously study God's word have been convinced that we are currently seeing the beginning of the fulfillment of these prophecies inasmuch as the rebirth of the Roman Empire has taken place in the form of the European Union. Whether they are in favor of the EU or not, most are under the impression that it is just a political organization. However, if one were to pay close attention, the European Union's flag, anthem, architecture, and its logo are all indicative of the major spiritual implications behind a supposedly secular organization.

See The European Union Peaceful Political Entity Or The Fifth And Final Gentile Kingdom Spoken Of By The Prophet Daniel?

The EU Superstate
Twenty five hundred years ago Daniel saw the Roman Empire revived from the dead in the end times. Then, in September, came quite a shock: The EU, at an astonishing art exhibition sketching the future of the organization, described itself under the heading : "Roman Empire Returns."

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The Falling Away
In his letter to the Thessalonians Paul mentioned several things that had to happen before the day of the Lord arrive, i.e. great apostasy when some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. Also the man if sin would be revealed.

Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, (2 Thessalonians 2:3 NASB)

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. (2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB)

The problem is that although most Christians know there will be great apostasy or falling away from the faith, they seem to think (i.e. if they think about it at all) that it will happen at some vague point in time in the future. What few seem to realize is that the apostasy of the last days isn't coming, IT IS ALREADY HERE. The falling away has gone largely unrecognized simply because it does not conform to the common perception that apostasy involves believers becoming less religious and more materialistic - less spiritual and more worldly.

The apostasy has taken exactly the opposite form

Certainly a large percentage of humanity has become more carnal however, a staggering number of people have actually become more spiritual, seeking out the divine in every possible nook and cranny, including within themselves. While their counterparts outside the church are focused on raising their level of consciousness and attaining enlightenment and self-actualization through an assortments of spiritual practices, modern Christians are trying to 'find God' or enhance their experience of Jesus by highly questionable means like contemplative prayer, meditation, labyrinths, yoga etc. See The Occult Take Over of The Once Christian Church - Borrowing From Catholicism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and The New Age HERE

The only difference being that Christians hide their extra-biblical practices under a thin veneer of Christianity.