Well here it is friends, it seems the European Union has finally found its "one voice" that has been spoken about for so long. The draft of the new EU Constitution is now available on the internet here (a backup copy is on my website here). I have been keeping record on this site of the many times European leaders have called on Europe to speak with one voice. Javier Solana called for it in relation to energy resources, the European Parliament echoed those calls, Javier Solana called for it in relation to the UN Security Council, former French President Jacques Chirac said it of Solana's appointment to EU Foreign Policy chief, the press said it of Solana and the new EU Constitution, and of course EU propaganda boldly proclaims that Europe is a nation of many languages speaking with one voice. Well if this new constitution is ratified by 2009 as planned, the EU will officially have one voice on the world stage. I wouldn't consider EU treaties bedtime reading material, but I found article 188n of particular interest regarding the EU's new "legal identity". Following the ratification of this treaty, the European Union will now have the power to make and break its own agreements with other nations and organizations, with the guidance of its new Foreign Policy chief. This is quite an increase in political power for the European Union. No wonder the politicians are saying that no further constitutional changes are needed for quite some time. Have a read for yourself...

The new legal identity of the European Union

THE UNION'S RELATIONS WITH INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS AND THIRD COUNTRIES AND UNION DELEGATIONS
Article 188p 
1. The Union shall establish all appropriate forms of cooperation with the organs of the United Nations and its specialised agencies, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The Union shall also maintain such relations as are appropriate with other international organisations. 
2. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Commission shall be instructed to implement this Article.

The new power of the European Union to make and break agreements with third countries, based upon the recommendation of the Foreign Policy chief.

Article 188n
1. Without prejudice to the specific provisions laid down in Article [III-315], agreements between the Union and third countries or international organisations shall be negotiated and concluded in accordance with the following procedure. 
2. The Council shall authorise the opening of negotiations, adopt negotiating directives, authorise the signing of agreements and conclude them.
3. The Commission, or the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy where the agreement envisaged relates exclusively or principally to the common foreign and security policy, shall submit recommendations to the Council, which shall adopt a decision authorising the opening of negotiations and, depending on the subject of the agreement envisaged, nominating the Union negotiator or head of the Union's negotiating team.
4. The Council may address directives to the negotiator and designate a special committee in consultation with which the negotiations must be conducted.
5. The Council, on a proposal by the negotiator, shall adopt a decision authorising the signing of the agreement and, if necessary, its provisional application before entry into force.
6. The Council, on a proposal by the negotiator, shall adopt a decision concluding the agreement. Except where agreements relate exclusively to the common foreign and security policy, the Council shall adopt the decision concluding the agreement: 
    (a) after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament in the following cases: 
        (i) association agreements; 
        (ii) agreement on Union accession to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; 
        (iii) agreements establishing a specific institutional framework by organising cooperation procedures; 
        (iv) agreements with important budgetary implications for the Union; CIG 1/07 103 EN Page 104 
        (v) agreements covering fields to which either the ordinary legislative procedure applies, or the special legislative procedure where consent by the European Parliament is required. The European Parliament and the Council may, in an urgent situation, agree upon a time-limit for consent. 
    (b) after consulting the European Parliament in other cases. The European Parliament shall deliver its opinion within a time-limit which the Council may set depending on the urgency of the matter. In the absence of an opinion within that time-limit, the Council may act. 
7. When concluding an agreement, the Council may, by way of derogation from paragraphs 5, 6 and 9, authorise the negotiator to approve on the Union's behalf modifications to the agreement where it provides for them to be adopted by a simplified procedure or by a body set up by the agreement. The Council may attach specific conditions to such authorisation.
8. The Council shall act by a qualified majority throughout the procedure. However, it shall act unanimously when the agreement covers a field for which unanimity is required for the adoption of a Union act as well as for association agreements and the agreements referred to in Article [III-319] with the States which are candidates for accession. The Council shall also act unanimously for the agreement on accession of the Union to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; the decision concluding this agreement shall not come into force until it has been approved by the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. 
9. The Council, on a proposal from the Commission or the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, shall adopt a decision suspending application of an agreement and establishing the positions to be adopted on the Union's behalf in a body set up by an agreement, when that body is called upon to adopt acts having legal effects, with the exception of acts supplementing or amending the institutional framework of the agreement.
10. The European Parliament shall be immediately and fully informed at all stages of the procedure. 
11. A Member State, the European Parliament, the Council or the Commission may obtain the opinion of the Court of Justice as to whether an agreement envisaged is compatible with the Treaties. Where the opinion of the Court of Justice is adverse, the agreement envisaged may not enter into force unless it is amended or the Treaties are revised."

Friends, for the first time in history, the European Union will have its own legal identity on the world stage. It will be able to establish its own relations with third countries. It will have the authority to negotiate, modify and suspend its own agreements with those nations. It seems that for the first time in history, the EU will have the capability of fulfilling Daniel 9:27, which prophesies of a Roman "prince" or ruler that would strengthen a covenant of peace between Israel and the Arab nations. As we can see from this treaty, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs will have a central role in establishing agreements between the European Union and third countries. The book of Revelation states that during the tribulation period, all sovereignty on earth will one day be handed over to a man who will head up a world government system. The Apostle John declares about this man that "the dragon (Satan) gave him his power, and his seat (position), and great authority", Revelation 13:2. John also records that there was "given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies", and that he would be given "power to continue for forty two months", Revelation 13:5. This world leader will use his powerful position to blaspheme God's name, to persecute the Jewish people and defile the Temple, to make war against the tribulation saints, and to blaspheme those that dwell in heaven. 

With today's news, it seems we have come one step closer to the fulfilment of these prophesies. Time is short. I presently believe that the rapture of the Church must occur before all this comes to pass. I am not dogmatic about this, but this is simply my understanding of Scripture. And so I say, will you be one of the ones that the Antichrist will blaspheme, because he cannot come at them in heaven, or will you be left behind to face the judgements of God, poured out without mixture? Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today, and be counted worthy to escape all these things which shall come to pass, and stand before the Son of Man (Luke 21:36).

Isaiah 26:19-21
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.

Source Europa

Leaders of the European Union talked through the night and into the early hours of this morning as they finalized an agreement on the new EU Constitution. Last minute deals were made in order to persuade some governments to sign up to the new Lisbon treaty. Changes to voting rules had meant Italy would lose seats in the next European Parliament session under the treaty. Bulgaria wanted to use the Cyrillic alphabet on its Euro coins, and Poland wanted the right for small countries to delay controversial EU decisions. Britain was seeking an opt-out clause for the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights, and the government is making every effort to convince a largely Euro-sceptic public that this document is not a Constitution and a referendum need not be held. The BBC reports that the trappings of a super-state have been dropped - the flag and national anthem, but the essence of a super-state remains - a permanent EU President and Foreign Secretary.

Quote: "Mr Brown said Europe "will move away from the institutional, inward-looking debate of the past, to deal with the full agenda of globalisation". He highlighted jobs, prosperity and the environment as priorities. After seven hours of talks, EU leaders emerged embracing and slapping each other on the back in sheer relief that the most serious crisis in the bloc's 50-year history seemed to be over, the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Lisbon says. 

Back-slapping each-other out of sheer relief? Or perhaps because the EU leaders have just pulled off the biggest confidence-trick in the history of Europe? Judging by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's statements, my guesses would be the latter of those two. Europe has healed its bitter divisions of tha past, following the rejection of the former EU Constitution, and has been given the green light to press ahead with its plan for global governance.

Quote: ""We've managed to complete our plan at the summit," Jose Socrates, Prime Minister of Portugal, which holds the rotating EU presidency, told reporters at the end of the summit. We had a treaty yesterday, and today we went straight into high quality debate on the real issue for the future ... the issue of how Europe can successfully rise to the challenges of globalization," he said. He said the EU is ready to tackle the challenges of globalization and intends to "lead" the world debate on globalization, in three areas in particular. The three areas are the redesigning of global institutions, the globalization agenda, which should be an agenda of innovation but not of isolation or protectionism, and the environmental issue, especially climate change. Climate change is the most severe challenge arising from globalization, he said. Socrates said Portugal will prepare a declaration on globalization, which will be submitted to discussion at the Dec. 13 summit in Lisbon. Portugal will also push for the formation of a "group of wise men," who will make proposals for the EU to cope with globalization.

Now that the EU has more or less successfully signed up all European nations to a cloak and dagger Constitution, the next step will be to replicate this all over the world. My guesses are that this is what the "redesigning of global institutions" entails. Probably the "globalization agenda" is the pooling of all national sovereignty and financial systems under one supra-national organization ("not of isolation or protectionism"). And the "environmental issue" will no doubt convince the nations of the need to bring their governments under the control of one regional or global authority. Some believe that there is a global plan of the ages, with secret organizations such as the Illuminati conspiring to bring all this about. That may be the case, but I believe this plan is too complex for mere humans to effect. The plan has been going on for too long, too many people are involved and it is on too vast a scale for that to be the case. I believe demonic spirits are the real architects behind this plan of the ages. They never die, they have superior intellect to man, and according to Scriptures they have power in high places and are the rulers of the darkness of this world (Ephesians 6:12). Make no mistake about it, this "globalization agenda" has for only one goal, the setting up of a one world government which will be controlled by Satan and his minions. Satan may have power over all the kingdoms of earth (Luke 4:5-6), but praise God the Lord has other plans for this world.

Daniel 2:44-45
And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.

Source BBC, China View

Two weeks ago lawyers from European Union member states scrutinized the new EU Constitution to assess its legal standing, and later this week EU leaders will officially approve the document at an EU summit in Lisbon. The adoption of the treaty will establish ministerial posts for a full-time president of the European Council and a High Representative for Foreign Affairs. 

Quote: ""This will be the last institutional reform for a long time," a senior EU diplomat said, noting that some of the voting provisions will not fully take effect until 2017. The treaty creates a full-time president of the European Council of EU leaders, a stronger foreign policy chief with a foreign service, a streamlined voting system based on population size and more say for the European and national parliaments.

Its ratification has been a long and arduous process, following the rejection of the document by France and Holland. European leaders did everything in their power to convince the public to approve the treaty. Constitution author Giscard d'Estaing claimed it could not be rewritten once rejected, EU Trade Secretary Peter Mandelson claimed its rejection would harm EU financial markets and former French President claimed France would cease to exist politically if the public voted no. The Prime Minister of Luxembourg even claimed the French and Dutch rejected it because they did not know what they were voting for! Following its rejection, former British Foreign Minister Jack Straw stated that the EU Constitution was "dead in the water". Others wanted the EU Constitution redrafted in simpler form, and again other states which have already ratified the constitution sought for as much of the original text as possible to be preserved. Parts of the constitution were also cherry-picked out of the text, and drafted into EU law by the European Commission. Well, the Constitution has been rewritten, and its author claims that the new version is substantially similar to the old.

Quote: "Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the former French president, said that the treaty would be "very, very near" to the constitution, axed after voters in France and Holland rejected it in referendums in 2005. He also asserted that, "although the British, Dutch and French have insisted we eliminate all reference to the word 'constitution' ", the new treaty "still contains all the key elements [of the constitution]". Mr d'Estaing insisted that "all the earlier proposals will be in the new text, but will be hidden and disguised in some way". He added that while the treaty was a "step backwards for the European spirit, because the flag and anthem have been removed", it was "good in terms of substance as it will be very, very near to the original".

So much for Britain's "red lines" and "opt-outs". And those dear politicians, who insist they know what's best for us, are not going to give us the option of saying no this time. The Scriptures state that during the last days, a final world empire will emerge from the ruins of the old Roman Empire. The book of Daniel indicates that this Revived Roman Empire will have a "prince" or "ruler" that will strengthen a peace agreement for a seven year period. And that is why this development is so significant in regards to end tim prophecy, for up until now Europe has not had a permanent leader. As we can see with today's news, the European Union is destined to continue to grow in both power and influence, until the day that Christ returns to set up His kingdom.

Daniel 2:40-44
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And [as] the toes of the feet [were] part of iron, and part of clay, [so] the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, [but] it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.

Source Reuters, Telegraph

Quote: "In a non-binding resolution, the European Parliament said the new energy supremo should report to the bloc's foreign policy chief -- a post currently held by Javier Solana -- whose own powers are to be strengthened under a planned treaty reforming the EU's institutions. "I realise there is still a long way before a common EU energy policy is created but I am happy that this first step was supported so widely," said Polish deputy Jacek Saryusz-Wolski who drew up the resolution. The parliament said the new official would help the EU speak with one voice on energy by offering stronger links between the executive European Commission and national governments.

Once again we have this phrase, the "one voice" of Europe. Why is Europe so keen to speak with one voice? And who has given Europe the authority to speak on behalf of its member states in areas such as this? Through the efforts of Javier Solana, great strides have been made towards increased European unity. Solana has overseen the pooling of Europe's defence markets, its military, its police force, and now an energy czar will be appointed who will be directly accountable to Javier Solana himself. Somebody once said, control food and you can control the individual. Control energy and you can control nations. Following the ratification of the new EU Constitution in 2009, when Solana will officially take the title of EU Foreign Minister, the amount of power invested in this one man will be phenomenal. We don't know that Solana will be the Antichrist, no man knows. But the Bible states that the Antichrist will come from a Revived Roman Empire, and I can see events in Europe leading up to his appearance. The book of Revelation states that one day, a man will arrive on the scene who will be given a mouth boasting great things. With the myriads of articles detailing Europe's desire to speak with "one voice", I think it is clear to see that the appearance of such a man as described in the Scriptures must be at hand.

Revelation 13:5-6 
And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty [and] two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

Revelation 17:12 
And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Source Reuters