INTRODUCING CHARLEY HAVLAT

This is the Lorraine American War Cemetery at St. Avold in northeast France, near the border with Germany. It’s the largest American WWII cemetery in Europe, and over 10,000 American soldiers are buried here. The lines of their crosses just seem to go on and on forever.

Most died in fierce battles to liberate the fortress city of Metz and the surrounding region of Lorraine. A limestone memorial rises 20m or 67ft above the ground in memory of those who gave their lives in the struggle for freedom.

But there is one white cross that shouldn’t be here. He is considered to be the last American killed in the European Theater of Operations. His name was Private Charley Havlat. 

Now, you’ve probably never heard of Charles Havlat.  His sad story even seems to find sympathy with the weather, which regularly sheds showers on his grave here. His parents had immigrated to America from their home country of Czechoslovakia, and settled in Dorchester, Nebraska.  Charley was the eldest of their six children. 

After the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbour on 7 December 1941, the United States entered World War 2.  In February 1942, Charles was drafted into the United States army. 

He joined the 803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion and they departed for England on 24 June 1943 and landed at Omaha Beach a week after D-Day on 13 June 1944.

The US army raced across northern France and passed through Belgium and Holland before crossing the Rhine into Germany.   The Allies were on the offensive.  The war was soon to end.  Victory was in sight.

Charley Havlat and the 803rd Tank Destroyer Division moved on through Austria and into Czechoslovakia,  Charley’s ancestral home.

On 7 May, 1945, at 8:40am, Charles was doing a reconnaissance patrol about 12kms into Czechoslovakia when his platoon was ambushed by the German 11th Panzer Division.   

A hail of enemy machine gun and small arms fire hit them.  The American soldiers leading the patrol took the brunt of the fire.  Charles Havlat fired back at the enemy before ducking behind cover.  Then, just as he raised himself to fire again, he was struck in the head by a German sniper’s bullet.  He died instantly.

But Charley Havlet shouldn’t have died.  There was no reason for the Germans who killed him to be still fighting.  You see, 10 minutes before the ambush, a cease-fire had been signed in Reims, and an armistice was in effect.  Ten minutes earlier the war was over.  But the German officer hadn’t received the news and was unaware that a cease-fire had been declared.  

Charley Havlat was so close to going home.  The war was over.  He’d made it through the tough times.  He was going home a hero after helping free Europe.  But instead of going home to be reunited with his family, his dreams ended on a dirt road in his ancestral homeland.   

THE FUTILITY OF WAR

What a tragedy. Charley Havlet died unnecessarily.  It wasn’t fair, it wasn’t just and it wasn’t necessary.  

His death is a graphic reminder of the futility of war – and particularly Adolf Hitler’s plan to unite Europe and establish an Empire that would last a thousand years – the Thousand Year Reich.

Hitler plunged the world into the largest, most destructive, most violent, and most widespread war the world has ever seen. It was the first truly global war.  

World War II involved 61 countries with nearly 2 billion people – three quarters of the world’s population at that time. 62 million people lost their lives.   It wasn’t fair.  It wasn’t just.  And, it wasn’t necessary.  

Join me as we find out how Adolf Hitler could have saved himself, his people, and the world a whole lot of heartache and agony if he had just taken note of the words of an amazing prophecy written over 2,500 years ago by the Bible prophet Daniel. This prophecy accurately predicted the rise and fall of world empires and the future of Europe, and even told how the world will end.  

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HITLER’S PLAN

World War II, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history, began on 1 September 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland.  Adolf Hitler planned to unite Europe and establish an empire that would rule the world for a thousand years. 

But he could have saved himself, his people, and the world a lot of agony and heartache if he’d just paid attention to an amazing prophecy written by the Bible prophet Daniel over 2,500 years ago. 

But unfortunately, Hitler rejected the Bible and its prophecies. He arrogantly believed that he could conquer Europe and the world with the strength of his armies. In March of 1941, Hitler made a significant speech to the German people.  

 But there was a German soldier, Franz Hasel, in the elite Pioneer Company 699 who boldly told his captain that Hitler was doomed for failure. How did he know this?  Well, from the prophecy in the Bible Book of Daniel that predicted the outcome of World War 2.  

At risk of death, Hasel told his leading officer, Captain Mickus, that Germany would never unite Europe and control the world.  

As Unit 699 drove deep into Russia, Captain Mickus believed what Hasel was saying and carried extra fuel and supplies, hoping for a safe retreat.  They were among the very few who returned home safely from the ill-fated Nazi invasion of Russia. 

DANIEL IN ANCIENT BABYLON

So, what is this prophecy from the Bible book of Daniel? Well, our story starts in the ancient city of Babylon.  Babylon was once the ‘Golden City’ of the ancient world.  A great warrior king, Nebuchadnezzar, ruled it.

In 605 BC Nebuchadnezzar and his armies stuck out westward on a mission of conquest.  As part of their mission, they attacked the city of Jerusalem.  They besieged and plundered the city, looting the temple and carrying off many of the sacred golden vessels.

Daniel, a young Hebrew prince was taken captive, and with the elite of the city’s youth, carried off to Babylon as a war hostage, where he was trained to be a servant of the king and one of the empire’s wise men.

Soon after Daniel’s appointment to the royal staff, strife broke out in the palace.  Nebuchadnezzar had gone to bed worried about Babylon and the future of his kingdom.  

As he slept that night the king had a dream that seemed to contain omens.  Because of the great importance he placed on dreams, he had to know what the dream meant.  But then a peculiar thing happened.  Nebuchadnezzar forgot his dream. 

In his desperation to recall it, he brought in his magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and wise men that claimed to be able to read minds and foretell the future.  

 To this assembly of the wise men of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar brings his strange demand,

 “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means”  (Daniel 2:3)

PSYCHIC DECEIVERS

Now these astrologers and magicians claimed to have psychic powers and contact with the gods.  They claimed to be able to read the stars and foretell the future.  Now it was up to them to either prove their claims or expose their deceit. So they said, 

 “O King, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.” (Daniel 2:4)

They figured that they could analyze the dream and then just make up any old interpretation they wanted.  But interpretation wasn’t the problem on this occasion – remembering it was!   Their response upset Nebuchadnezzar.  He recognized what they were trying to do.  So, he demanded,

“Tell me the dream, and I will know that you can interpret it for me.” (Daniel 2:9)

If you can’t tell me the dream, he was saying, how am I supposed to trust you to give me its meaning?  You’re supposed to be able to see into the future!  Prove it to me now.  Tell me what I dreamed.   

Well, the so-called wise men failed miserably.  Nervously they confessed, 

“There isn’t a man alive who can tell others what they dreamed! This is an impossible thing the king requires.” (Daniel 2:10)

“No-one except the gods can tell you your dream, and they are not here to help.” (Daniel 2:11)

The wise men couldn’t meet the king’s demands and so they were exposed as frauds.  In a moment of intense anger Nebuchadnezzar commanded that they all be killed.  “Execute them!” he commanded.  “Execute all the wise men of Babylon!”  

DANIEL REQUESTS MORE TIME

Now, although Daniel knew nothing of this incident, the soldiers came for him as well because he was also considered a wise man.   Now, when the soldiers arrived, Daniel spoke to Arioch, the king’s guard, and asked why the king had issued such a harsh decree.  

So Arioch explained to Daniel what had happened. The Bible tells us what happened next,

“Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends…he urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.” (Daniel 2:17,18)

Daniel and his friends prayed to the God of heaven, asking Him to reveal the secret of the dream.  Daniel knew the power of prayer.  Even today, the most important and effective way to gain supernatural help is to pray.  

When you need to unlock the mysteries of your life; when you need answers to your questions; or when you desire support and strength to cope with a tough personal situation, try talking to God in prayer.

What happened next was critical. 

“During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision.” (Daniel 2:19)

Well, what excitement! Daniel now knew both the dream and its meaning.  He hurried to Arioch, the chief executioner. 

“Do not execute the wise men of Babylon. Take me to the king, and I will interpret his dream for him.” (Daniel 2:24)

Arioch took Daniel to the King at once, and said he had found a man among the war hostages from Israel who would tell the king what the dream was.  King Nebuchadnezzar must have questioned whether such a young novice from the ranks of his wise men could actually reveal his dream.

Gazing intently at the young man before him, the king asked, 

“Can you tell me what my dream was and what it means?” (Daniel 2:26)

Without hesitation Daniel replied, 

“No wise man, astrologer, magician or wizard can tell the king such things, but there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and he has told you in your dream what will happen in the future.” (Daniel 2:27,28)

THE DREAM REVEALED

Knowledge of future events, he told the king, is not to be found in astrology, or in the mystic arts of the occult.  There is only one dependable source of information about the future – and that is Daniel’s God.  The king leaned forward, as if impatient to hear the dream and its interpretation.  Then Daniel went on to outline the entire dream.

 “As you were lying there, O king, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen.”(Daniel 2:29)

“You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue – an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance.” (Daniel 2:31)

“The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze.” (Daniel 2:32)

“Its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay.”  (Daniel 2:33)

“While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them.” (Daniel 2:34)

“Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and gold were broken to pieces…and became like chaff on a threshing floor…” (Daniel 2:35)

“The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:35)

Overjoyed, the great Babylonian king declared, “Yes, that’s it! That’s exactly what I saw in my dream!” 

TIMELINE OF HISTORY

Now, what could this strange dream have to do with us today, you ask?  Well, be assured, Nebuchadnezzar had the same thoughts.  But he soon learned, as we will, that the dream outlines the future in an amazing way.  

In only 150 words the dream sketched the main course of history from Babylon’s day, 600BC, to the climax of earth’s history.  It starts in Nebuchadnezzar’s day and stretches generation after generation after generation right down till the close of human history.

King Nebuchadnezzar and young Daniel found themselves in a time machine, as it were, travelling through the centuries. But what does it all mean?  Well, breathlessly, the king waited for the interpretation.

“This is the dream and now we will interpret it to the king…you are that head of gold.” (Daniel 2:36,38)

How clear, how plain.  As the prophecy unfolds we’ll find that each part of this metal image represents a world empire or nation that follows one another.

The head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar’s empire of Babylon.  Now, Babylon truly was a golden kingdom, a golden city that appeared to have a golden future.

On one of the stones excavated from the ruins of that once beautiful city were found these words drafted by Nebuchadnezzar, 

“Babylon – the city which is the delight of my eyes, and which I have glorified; may it last forever.”  

But Babylon didn’t last forever, for notice what Daniel went on to say: 

“After you another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours.” (Daniel 2:39)

FALL OF BABYLON

Daniel predicts that another inferior kingdom would overcome Babylon.  Well, did this take place? Oh yes, and during Daniel’s lifetime at that!  Do you remember Belshazzar’s feast, when during a drunken party the kingdom was overthrown, and the Medes and Persians took over?

The Medes and Persians are represented by the silver chest and arms. Now, if you visit the British Museum in London, England, you will see one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of all time.

The Cyrus Cylinder is a clay cylinder recording the Persian attack on Babylon.  It clearly reveals the name of the Persian king who overthrew Babylon – Cyrus the Great.  

It also calls him the King of Babylon and describes how easily he defeated the Babylonians and captured Babylon. The Medo-Persian Empire covered millions of square kms.  It stretched from India right across to Egypt and from North Africa to Europe.  It was a powerful empire administered under a common language and a single ruler.

TIME MARCHES ON

The Medes and Persians ruled the then-known world for nearly two centuries.  But Nebuchadnezzar’s dream didn’t end there, and neither did history.  Time marches on, one kingdom replacing another, just as God predicted.  

Listen as Daniel continues:  

“Next, a third kingdom, one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth.” (Daniel 2:39)

Now, this next empire was the well-disciplined armies of Greece that defeated the Medes and Persians.

The Greeks were led by their charismatic young leader Alexander the Great.  As a boy the famous philosopher Aristotle tutored him.  At 20, Alexander  took control of Greece when his father was assassinated.   He was possibly the greatest military genius and tactician the world has ever seen.

In 5 short years Alexander the Great swept to victory through the then-known world.  By the age of 24 he was Egypt’s pharaoh.  By 25 he was the lord of the Persian Empire and the master of all he surveyed.  He was never defeated in battle, and established the largest empire the world had yet seen.

ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

But the prophecy also said it would not last.  Greece wouldn’t rule the world forever. Well, what was to follow?

“Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron – for iron breaks and smashes everything – and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all others.”  (Daniel 2:40)

History tells us that the kingdom that overthrew Greece was Rome.  Rome’s empire spanned half a millennium, over 500 years. In that time Rome built the greatest empire the world had ever seen.

The Roman Caesars reigned supreme.  Men like Julius Caesar, Augustus, Tiberius, Nero, and Vespasian ruled the Empire. These Roman emperors made their capital a city of monuments.  They built magnificent triumphal arches to commemorate their military successes.

As Rome was the centre of the Empire, so the Forum Romanum was the centre of Rome.  Here stood the Golden Milestone.  Rome’s influence reached to all corners of the then-known world, and so then the [phrase was coined], “All roads lead to Rome.”

For more than 500 years Rome ruled the world.  This great empire seemed invincible.  Its standards and banners were seen from the Atlantic Ocean to the Euphrates River and beyond.  But what was Rome’s destiny?

Well, Daniel went on to say,

 “Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom.” (Daniel 2:41)

DIVIDED KINGDOMS OF TODAY

The prophecy tells us in so many words that the mixture of iron and clay in the feet and toes represents the break-up of the Roman Empire into smaller kingdoms or nations.

So, instead of another empire – a fifth world empire – Rome would be divided into numerous kingdoms symbolized by the ten toes. And you know, that’s exactly what happened.  History confirms that the seemingly unconquerable Roman Empire crumbled in two ways – from within and without.  

Wealth poured into Rome through taxes and booty collected throughout the empire.  Luxury and pomp replaced the simple Roman lifestyle. The political world was permeated with corruption.  Crime and violence infiltrated the streets, and sexual immorality became rampant.  And so the Empire began to rot from the inside.

And as the mighty Roman Empire weakened from within, Rome faced attack from without.  The Barbarian tribes attacked from the north, and by 476AD these barbarian tribes had conquered Rome. And 10 of these tribes eventually became the nations of modern Europe.  

For example, the Anglo-Saxons became England, The Lombards became the Italians, and the Franks became the French.  It’s just amazing how accurately this prophecy has been fulfilled.  But now we come to the most important part of the prophecy for those of us living today.

The prophecy predicted that some of these nations of modern Europe would be strong and others would be weak – brittle. Here’s what it says:  

“As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle.” (Daniel 2:42)

Some of the nations of Europe had been extremely powerful.  While others have been weak militarily, economically, and politically. The prophecy continues with these insightful words: 

“As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another.” (Daniel 2:43)

The Bible predicted that the leaders of these nations – modern Europe – would attempt to unite their nations into one Empire again, in essentially 3 ways: 

1. i) Politically, through war.  
2. ii) Economically, through currency and trade

And thirdly,

iii) Socially, through intermarriage.

The Bible predicted that the nations of Europe would mix together and try to unite.  However, the Bible predicted that no matter how hard they try, they would never become fully united.   There would always be separate nations and they would never become a single entity in the same way that the United States, for example, is a single nation.

It’s interesting to note that the Bible predicted that they would even intermarry in an effort to try to unite Europe into one Empire again.  And that’s exactly what happened.  For example, Napoleon divorced Josephine and married Maria Louisa of Austria to unite the Napoleonic line with the Hapsburg dynasty in an attempt to unite Europe.

Napoleon declared: 

“There will be a European system, a European code of law, a European court of appeals… there will be one Europe.”

THEY SHALL NOT ADHERE

But God’s Word said that, “They shall not adhere.”  The lands of the old Roman Empire would never be permanently reunited again.   No plan to unite Europe will ever succeed.  The ancient prophecy says in  7 short crisp words:  “They will not adhere to one another.”  

The most powerful military men in history have tried. Charlemagne tried and failed.  Charles 5th tried and failed.  Louis 14th tried and failed.  Napoleon Bonaparte tried and failed.

And then came Kaiser Wilhelm II.  He set out to unite Europe in 1914.   As he prepared for war and the conquest of Europe, someone said to him, “Daniel the prophet says that Europe will never be united.”  The Kaiser replied “I can’t accept that. Daniel’s plan does not fit in with my plans.”  

The Kaiser continued with his war preparations.  He said, 

“Where Charlemagne and others have failed, I will succeed. I will conquer all Europe.”

Here, in the fortress city of Metz in northeast France, close to where Charles Havlat is buried, is a large Cathedral.  This magnificent cathedral is surrounded by life-size statues of the Bible Prophets.

Now, the parishioners of this Cathedral desperately needed to put a new lead roof on the building.  The Kaiser heard about their wish and promised to pay for a new roof – but on one condition. The Kaiser said, “Take the head off one of the prophets standing in front of the church, and put my head there in its place.”  

PROVING DANIEL WRONG

Well, the parishioners readily agreed and asked, “Which statue?”  And the Kaiser said, “Daniel’s, because I intend to unite Europe and prove his prophecy wrong.”

Yes, Daniel’s prophecy did not fit in with the Kaiser’s plans to unite Europe. But we all know the tragic end of the Kaiser’s story.  He plunged the nations into World War 1 with terrible consequences – over 16 million soldiers and civilians lost their lives. 

After the war Adolf Hitler demanded that the parishioners of the church in Metz remove [the] Kaiser’s head and return Daniel’s head to his statue, because his prophecy still stood unbroken. Europe remained divided.

But then, with an army of 5 million, Hitler promised to do what Kaiser couldn’t.  He promised to unite Europe and build an Empire that would last for a thousand years – a thousand-year Reich.   We’ve already seen the results of his attempt to unite Europe.  He perished amidst the ruins of his own bunker.  

We’ve seen efforts to unite Europe by Charlemagne, Charles 5TH, Louis 14TH, Napoleon, Kaiser and Hitler.  They all failed. For stronger that any army or atom bomb, are the 7 words of Bible Prophecy:

 “They will not adhere to one another.”  (Daniel 2:43)

TOENAILS OF HISTORY

Now, why is this dream of an ancient king relevant to us today?  Simply this: it shows us where we are living in the stream of time. 

And where are we living? Well, not in the time of the head of gold.  Not in the time of the chest and arms of silver.  Not in the time of the thighs of bronze.  Not in the time of the legs of iron.  But in the feet and toes of iron and clay.

So, where are we living today?  In the toenails of history!  What does this prophecy say is going to happen next? Listen…

“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Daniel 2:44)

Now, you’ll notice it says “In the time of those kings…”  Well, which kings? The nations of today.  The nations that have been attempting to unite.  In the time of those kings, the Lord of heaven will set up a kingdom, symbolized by the stone cut out without hands.

The next great event on the stage of history is the coming of Jesus and the setting up of His kingdom. 

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Be sure to join us again next week when we will share another of life’s journeys together. Until then, let’s pray to the great God of heaven who is coming to set up His Kingdom.

Dear Heavenly Father, we are so grateful that you know and control the future.  We want to be part of the future you have planned.  We want to be ready to meet Jesus when He comes.  Please grant us that privilege.  We ask in Jesus’ name.  Amen.