Why will Europe be ripe for the Antichrist to appear?
Europe will be ripe for the Antichrist because its political and economic unity remains fragile. Although nations come together, latent hatreds prevent real cohesion, likened to iron mixed with clay—strength with weakness. That disunity creates conditions for one man to emerge and make a treaty with Israel.
Les explains that Europe's unification is pictured by the iron and clay in Daniel 2: it has strength but also weakness. The nations agree to a political and economic United States of Europe, yet latent hatreds make the whole thing fragile. They mingle with the seed of men but do not cleave to one another, so there is no real political unity. Because of this fragility, Europe will be ripe for one man, the Antichrist, to come on the scene. He will arise out of a consortium of ten nations and make a treaty with Israel, triggering the final seven years of prophecy. Les adds that he is not a date setter but feels we are getting close to the Antichrist's appearance.