From 1st Samuel 17:36, we see that Goliath deliberately opposed Israel. David says there,” this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.”David’s battle against Goliath is a picture of the victory of Jesus Christ over the coming great “Goliath”, the Antichrist, and the world of nations following in his train, the Roman Empire which is being restored in our day. Not Babylon, but the Roman Empire, must be restored.

In Jeremiah 50, it says clearly that Babylon will never be rebuilt. Even if Saddam Hussein has achieved this and that, and thinks he can rebuild the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, it will never be the Babylon that the Bible refers to in Revelation 17 and 18. This vain attempt of Saddam Hussein to restore the fullness of power of Nebuchadnezzar in his Babylonian world empire merely shows us how near we are to the fulfillment of the prophesied event of the endtimes: The return of Jesus Christ.!

Rome is the last, the fourth world empire to be restored. Why? Because the prophet Daniel saw Rome first in the two legs  of iron of the image, ( Western and Eastern Roman Empires), and then in the feet and ten toes of iron and clay, as the fourth and last world empire, which will experience the return of Jesus ( the stone coming from heaven which will strike the image and break it to pieces and then fill the world).This is why the former  Roman Empire has to rise again, whose nucleus, according to our understanding is the European Union, and its future leader , the Antichrist! Coming from Heaven , the Lord will fight the last batttle against this image of nationsand its ruler before He sets up His worldwide Kingdom in and from Jerusalem.

 When the Philistines gathered their armies to war against Israel, and the Israelite army under King Saul confronted their armies, David’s three elder brothers were among the soldiers, but David wasn’t. He was looking after his father’s sheep at the time. Prophetically, this means that when the armies of the nations are gathered against Israel, the heavenly David, Jesus Christ, will not yet be in Israel. He is keeping today, as then, the sheep of His Father, the Church, redeemed out of the nations. As the Good Shepard, He has made us who come to believe on Him to be His sheep. Let us now turn to the prophetic parrallels we see in the Wod of God.

 First, Goliath, comes out of the ranks of the Philistines, appearing almost out of nowhere. We read in 1Samuel 17:4-6: “  A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall.   He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels ;   on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back.” Like Goliath at that time, the Antichrist will also appear suddenly, almost out of nowhere, from the ranks of the union of nations which is taking on contours today as never before. It will be great and powerful.  It says in 1 Samuel 17:1, “  Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah.” In other words, the Philistines entered into a kind of union to destroy Israel, and sent the biggest and the strongest ahead of them: “And there went out a champion out of the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath of Garth.”(Verse4)

 This is what our world awaits: A new world order and a strong man to go to the head of it. We see how the striving aftera world union is becoming stronger in our day. The European Union is becoming greater and more powerful. It is turning into a steamroller which threatens to crush everything in its path. The restoration of the Roman Empire is taking place in our generation! People are speaking today of a real EU awakening!

 The prophet Daniel says in 7:19 and 23, “"Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others and most terrifying, with its iron teeth and bronze claws--the beast that crushed and devoured its victims and trampled underfoot whatever was left..... He gave me this explanation: 'The fourth beast is a fourth kingdom that will appear on earth. It will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth, trampling it down and crushing it.
 When Goliath opposed Israel, he was armed with iron (his spear’s head) and brass (his coat of mail), like the last world empire. The governments of Europe are watching the EU with amazement.  Already today the question is arising, “When will the strong man appear on the European scene? In this connection I want to quote the following report: “ The call for a charismatic personality who is able to tackle the problems of our timeis becoming ever louder. A study of young people in Germany showed that one half of the boys and girls between 14 and 24 years of age were calling for a strong hand. According to another survey among German managers, the call for a strong man on the  level of directors is also increasing. “

 The call for a new world order and a world government is also becoming ever louder: “ In order to escape the increasing influence of the USA and the delemma of the UN, more and more states are calling for a new world order to control better. This is only possible, however, if it has not only democratic but also dictatorial power.”

 Just as Goliath appeared out of the hostsof the union of Philistines, the Antichrist will also appear out of a world union.
 Goliath was six cubits high, and he had a spear with a head weighing six hundred skekels of iron. In 1 samuel 17:4 and 7 we read “ And there went out a champion of the camp of Philistines, named Goliath, of Garth, who height was six cubits and a span... And the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam; and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels if iron.” This points to the antichristian number 666, and is surely also a picture of the gigantic size of the last world empire.  The fact that Goliath’s spearhead was of iron, in my opinon, points to the central power of a coming antichristian empire which will spread from Europe. A central Europe is already spoken of, so that everything can be realized faster.

 Daniel describes the newly- restored Roman Empire as being as hard as iron, which has iron teeth and will devour everything: “And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: for as  much as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all things: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise...  After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth, and devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue  with feet of it : and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it and it had ten horns.” (Daniel 2:40 and 7:7) But it was also prophesied that this empire will come to an end through the returning Lord, namely the stone cut out without hands coming form Heaven ( Daniel 2:34)!

 Goliath is described as a man with great power of speech. It says in 1 Samuel 17:8 and 10-11: “Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me... Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."  On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. “
 Here we see a clear parallel to the Antichrist, of whom it is written , “The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.   He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. (Rev.13:5-6)

 At first nobody dared fight against Goliath. In 1 Samuel 17:24-25 we read, “When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear. 25  Now the Israelites had been saying, "Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father's family from taxes in Israel." Of the endtime Goliath, the Antichrist, it says,”
 “One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast.   Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" (Rev. 13:3-4)

 Goliath had a shield bearer who went before him. It says in 1 Samuel 17:7 and 41...” His shield bearer went ahead of him....And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bear the shield went before him.” Goliath and his shield bearer worked hand in hand. According to the prophetic Word, we know that the apostate Church, from whom the false prophet will come, will work hand in hand with the Antichrist. This other beast, mentioned in Revelation 13:11, which John saw in a vision, will proceed the first beast- the Antichrist, as his shield bearer, so to speak and prepare the way for him.
 It is amazing what is taking place at the moment in this connection, and how the iron (religious Rome) is approaching the people of God (Israel) in Jerusalem. We ask ourselves, however, to what purpose? The following press reports throw some light on this:

 It is interesting to note how today , the following are taking place parallel to one another:
· On one hand , the ten horns or ten kings seem to be forming who will give the Antichrist their power and become a world power (enconomic union see Rev 18).· On the other hand , in the religious sphere everything is moving forthrightly towards religious unity and a world church. (, Rev 17.)  It says that the kings of the earth  (political power) have committed fornication with “ the great whore that sitteth upon many waters” ( Revelation 17:1-2 and 18:3). The great goal of the enemy behind this is Israel, and more directly, Jerusalem. It seems as though 1996 couls be a significant year where this is concerned, as we see from  the following list of current events:

· In Russia , important elections will take place in 1996. Already, ominous signs are coming out of the Kremlin, a hardening toward the Western nations.
· Jerusalem will be 3,000 years old in 1996.
· Negotiations will take place concerning the status of Jerusalem in 1996.
· And simultaneously, Rome is approaching Jerusalem with an almost sinister outlook.
 Where will all these developments in the world lead us?

 This is apparent from 1st Samuel 17:8-9: “Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me.
9  If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us." He burdened himself with the burdensome stone, Jerusalem, even in those days ( see Zechariah 12:3). The Antichrist, as leader of all nations, will also attempt to do this. But Israel, actually Jerusalem, will be a burdensome stone and a cup of trembling for all nations: “"I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling. Judah will be besieged as well as Jerusalem.   On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” ( Zechariah 12:2-3)
 This could begin in 1996. We are seeing it approaching today. When this actually happens, Israel will find herself in a desperate plight through the armies of the nations, and particularly through their strong man. It will be as when the armies of the Philistines with their leader , Goliath, oppressed the people of God to the utmost : “Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other."  On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. ( 1 Samuel 17:10-11) This will be Israel’s situation at the final battle of the nations at Armageddon. “...The time of Jacob’s trouble...” ( Jeremiah 30:7) It is wonderful to know , however, that the Lord God has promised...”but he shall be saved out of it.”

 David came in the of the Lord, the God of Israel. He came to the despondent army of Israel at just at the right moment. The shepard was already anointed to be king by Samuel, but was despised by his brothers and not reconized by Israel. This is a wonderful picture of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in great power and glory.

 We read in 1st Samuel 17:40 -41 : “Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. I ask myself here the following question: Why did David take five stones from the brook if he only needed one to kill Goliath? What took place here is one of the most beautiful spiritual pictures in the Bible, like the parable of what God did and is doing through Jesus: Jesus Christ came to this world , and He has ascended into Heaven. On Calvary’s cross, He redeemed a Church for Himself out of every tribe , tongue and nation...” thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9)  David chose  him five smooth stones out of the brook,and put them in a shepards bag. Our world is made up of five continents, Europe, Asia, Africa, America, and Austraila. Out of these five continents, the Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly David, chose for Himself people out of all tribes , tongues, and nations and put them in His shepards bag as living stones. He is the Good Shepard.

 The number five in the Bible is the number of mercy and grace. The Lord Jesus had five wounds from His crucifixion which brought salvation and grace to mankind. Bethesda (“house of mercy”) had five porches (John 5:2). Five wise virgins lived out the fullness of His grace (Matthew 25:4). Five loaves of bread were enough for Jesus to satisfy thousands of people (Matthew 14:17-21). The expression “God of peace” occurs five times in the Bible. David took five stones out of the brook, over which streams of living water had flown. Has the Lord Jesus not chosen us, through His blood and His grace, but also given us new birth through the washing of water by the Word (1stPeter 1:23 and Ephesians 5:26)? Has He not said of those who believe on Him that streams of living water will flow from them (John 7:38)?

 These five stones, which David placed in his shepards bag, were directed against Goliath and the enemies of Israel. In the same way, the redeemed host out of the nations of the five continents (the Church of Jesus Christ) is already at enmity with the coming Antichrist, against his spirit which is already active and the enemies of Israel. The Church overcomes the enemy and the antichristian spirit, and she supports Israel because she is part of the power of the Good Shepard, and is hidden in the shepards bag. The Church is the hindering element preventing the revelation of the Antichrist because of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

 David only used one of His chosen five smooth stones to conquer Israel’s aech enemy. Jesus has chosen people from five continents and put them in His  shepards bag. But only one stone is necessary to bring about the downfall of the Antichrist and his kingdom. Through onr nation, Israel, and through one man who came from Israel, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, the antichristian empire will fall. Jesus Christ will come with His Church as the Stone from Heaven, and He will destroy the “Goliath” of the endtimes, the Antichrist, as well as the armies of the nations. Taht which took placewith Goliath and the Philistines is an illustration of revelation. Israel will then see  , He who was in their house over 2,000 years ago and drove out devils, He it is before whom they stand, and the one who redeemed them from the last Goliath. Then it will be revelaed that Jesus Christ is the great “I Am”., the Son of His Heavenly Father. How near is this? It is evidenced by the everlouder question in Israel, “Who will the Messiah be? We are living today at a time when the Lord  is beginning to take His staff in His hand, to intervene in the things of this Earth.

 Therefore, I repeat, the signs of the endtimes proclaimed in the prophetic Word of the Bible are being increasingly fulfilled. We are in the midst of the last events before the return of Jesus Christ. The Rapture is imminent. I would like to ask you, the following question: Are you in Jesus’ shepard bag?