French president Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have both hinted that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, and now Middle East envoy for the United Nations, European Union, United States and Russia, would be a suitable candidate for the newly created role of "President of the European Union". Under the 'Treaty of Lisbon' document the 'EU President' role would be a  permanent two and a half year post starting in 2009 and could be extended to five years. 

"While I was thinking about the horns, there before me was another horn, a little one, which came up among them; and three of the first horns were uprooted before it. This horn had eyes like the eyes of a man and a mouth that spoke boastfully." Daniel 7v8 NIV. 

From midnight tonight, it will be possible to travel through 24 European states without having to carry a passport. Nine additional states are due to join the Schengen zone tonight, enabling freedom of travel throughout the European continent. Internal land and sea border controls between the nine states are being lifted, while internal border controls at airports are expected to be abolished in March. Celebrations are being held in all the countries involved, and the occasion is being hailed as the final fall of the "Iron Curtain" in eastern Europe.

Quote: "Celebrations to mark the extension of the Schengen Agreement were planned along the newly opened borders. European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso and Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini will be there as the barriers come down. "We will live and circulate in an area of 24 countries without internal borders. This is a unique and historic accomplishment," Barroso said on Tuesday. "The lifting of the European Union's internal borders brings opportunities for people living, circulating and doing business in Europe," he said.

And there is no doubt this is a landmark occasion. We have witnessed in this past week, the signing of the European Charter on Fundamental Rights, the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon, and now the extension of the Schengen zone. It seems the sovereignty of European states is slowly being eroded away, while the Revived Roman Empire grows from strength to strength. I don't think the EU in itself is inherently evil. It is no more evil than any other empire that has come before it. The kingdoms of men are characterized by the things of earth. The kingdom of God is characterized by the things of heaven. The EU is a good idea in the eyes of men, for it is man's last attempt to bring peace to this troubled world. The United Nations headquarters features an image of a man beating his sword into a ploughshare. And who wouldn't object to a one world government, if it would help to bring about peace and stability in the world? Of course a super-state requires a super-statesman to run it, and the Bible says that one such man will come along in the not too distant future. Satan will see to that.

Revelation 13:2
And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.

This Revived Roman Empire may not be inherently evil, but it will be governed by a being who is inherently evil. The EU may usurp the sovereignty of nation states, but its leader is the ultimate usurper, who has obtained his authority by lies and deceit for the past 6000 years. Satan once offered to give all the kingdoms of the world into the hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, if He would only bow down and worship him (Luke 4:5-7). And I believe Satan presently has them in his power to give, for according to Scripture he is the god of this world (2nd Corinthians 4:4). But he won't be forever. Jesus Christ holds the title deeds to this planet. It is his by right of creation (John 1:10) and it is His by right of redemption (Ruth 4:9). And he alone holds the legal claim to the Throne of Israel (Luke 1:32). Praise God that soon, this angelic impostor will be thrown out of heaven, and cast down into the sides of the bottomless pit. And praise God that soon, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ (Revelation 11:15).

Isaiah 14:12-15
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Source DW World, Wikipedia

No, not for a nativity play. Former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez has been chosen to head a group of ten "wise men", who's job it would be to ponder future European integration. The idea was first proposed by Nicolas Sarkozy in August of this year, in what was his first foreign policy speech as French President. In his speech, Sarkozy called on the EU to build a more "harmonious world order", and to strengthen European defence, immigration and environmental policies. Sarkozy said the group of ten "wise men" would look at whether the EU can continue expanding indefinitely, and what the EU's mission would be in the world. But for the meantime, the group will focus on European integration and globalization.

Quote: "The Prime Minister claimed victory after a summit of EU leaders ruled out further changes to their institutions "for the foreseeable future". He insisted there was no appetite for another treaty after a six-year wrangle to secure the Treaty of Lisbon signed on Thursday. But Mr Brown stopped short of ruling out any further EU integration and M. Sarkozy provided ammunition for British Eurosceptics by suggesting the new group – described as "wise men" – would consider such moves. He said the group, proposed by France, would discuss "a politically integrated Europe" and "what will be the new [European] dream". The French President also differed with Mr Brown by saying that the "wise men" could consider whether the EU could continue to expand "indefinitely". That revived fears that France might try to use it to block Turkey joining the EU club, even though EU enlargement is outside the group's formal remit.

So much for a democratic society. Following the signing of the Treaty of Lisbon, the British Prime Minister is unable to guarantee there will be no further European integration, and today a group of "wise men" has been chosen by the European Union to look at ways of increasing political integration and globalization. All this talk of European "dreams" and "wise men" reminds me of the prophet Daniel. One night King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream. And in his dream, he saw before him a magnificent image of a man, with a head made of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly of brass, legs of iron and feet made of iron mixed with clay. The king saw until a stone, cut out of the Rock but not by man's hands, struck the image on its feet. The image then shattered into tiny pieces and was blown away in the wind. And the stone grew until it became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. The wise men were unable to understand the meaning of the King's dream. 

Daniel 2:27-29
Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, the soothsayers, shew unto the king; But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days. Thy dream, and the visions of thy head upon thy bed, are these; As for thee, O king, thy thoughts came into thy mind upon thy bed, what should come to pass hereafter: and he that revealeth secrets maketh known to thee what shall come to pass.

But God revealed to Daniel the dream and its interpretation, and this passage in the book of Daniel forms the base of our understanding of end time prophecy today. The whole history and future of the human race is revealed within this book. Daniel states that the Babylonian kingdom was represented by the head of gold. The other metals represent world empires that would arise after Nebuchadnezzar's empire (Daniel 2:39-40). Daniel would live to see the second world empire arise, ruled by the Medes and the Persians (Daniel 5:28). After this would come the kingdom of Greece (Daniel 10:20), carved out by Alexander the Great (Daniel 8:21). His kingdom would then be conquered by the Roman Empire (Luke 2:1). There have been other world empires which have ruled the earth since the fall of Rome, but none of these have ruled over the nation of Israel. But all that changed in 1948, for within the space of three months, the European Union (then the EEC) and state of Israel were born. Today we are living in the period represented by the feet of iron and clay. A new world empire has entered the scene, a revived Roman Empire. Like the iron and clay, it is partly strong and partly weak. And just as iron doesn't bond with clay, so Europe is governed by a union of individual states which won't bond with each other. Nebuchadnezzar's image has ten toes, which represent ten kings who will receive authority from the Antichrist for a period of one hour. The ten kings are also mentioned in Daniel's visions of the four beasts (Daniel 7:7), and the apostle John's vision of the dragon (Revelation 17:12). Whether or not the ten kings are the ten nations of the Western European Union, or whether these are ten kings that are yet to arise, I'm not sure. There is talk of ten world unions being set up. We already have a European Union (EU), an African Union (AU), an Australasian Union (ASEAN), and we have a Northern American Union is being set up (NAU). Will we eventually have ten unions? I don't know. But what I do know is, that in the days of these ten kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed. 

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.

This is the "dream" that the "wise men" could not understand. And today a group of ten "wise men" are still struggling to understand it. And as Daniel states, the dream is certain and the interpretation sure. Praise God that He has revealed to us through His Word what shall come to pass in the latter days. Praise God that "of the increase of His government and of peace, there shall be no end", Isaiah 9:6-7. The question is, which kingdom do you belong to? Have you been "translated into the kingdom of His dear Son", Colossians 1:13, or do you still belong to the kingdom of darkness (Revelation 16:10)? Don't wait until it's too late. Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today. 

Source Independent

Leaders from across the European Union met in Lisbon yesterday for the signing of two documents which are set to fundamentally change the way the EU works forever. Yesterday afternoon, European leaders added their signatures to the European Charter on Fundamental Rights, in essence a European Constitution in all but name. British MEPs expressed their opposition to the EU Constitution at the ceremony, waving placards calling for a national referendum on the treaty and disrupting Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Portuguese President José Sócrates as they delivered their speeches on the occasion.

Quote: "Welsh Green MEP Jill Evans said that the UK opt-outs meant that British MEPs could not participate in the celebrations as the charter was formally adopted. “Nothing highlights our disadvantage in Europe more than watching everyone except Britain and possibly Poland sign up to the charter of fundamental rights… those of us who are denied the protection of the charter could only stand on the sidelines,” she said. However UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, one of the prime movers of the protest, said: "This is the new EU in action, showing the world a united face as they steamroll towards their own superstate while totally refusing to allow anyone to see a different point of view."

Following the rejection of the original draft of the EU Constitution by France and Holland in 2005, the treaty was hurriedly split into two parts:- a "Charter of Fundamental Rights" which outlines the basic human rights guaranteed to EU citizens, and an "Amending Treaty" which combines all previous European treaties in one document, along with several major amendments. Only the Republic of Ireland will hold a referendum on the adoption of the treaties, but only because Ireland's own constitution requires it by law. The Labour government had promised the British electorate a referendum on the EU Constitution after facing intense public pressure over the issue. But after the document was split in two, former Prime Minister Tony Blair claimed that a referendum was no longer required, for Britain was not signing up to the Charter on Fundamental Rights and as a result Britain's sovereignty would not be affected. But it is the "Amending Treaty" which changes how the EU functions as an organization, and its ratification will create the new posts of EU President and Foreign Minister. Britain's "red lines" only suspends the adoption of the EU Charter on Fundamental Rights in the UK, it does not prohibit it completely. European leaders met inside a 16th century monastery in Lisbon today, to add their signatures to the "Amending Treaty". 

Quote: "'It is the treaty of an enlarged Europe from the Mediterranean to the Baltic, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea. A Europe that shares common values and common ambitions,' Barroso said. 'For the first time, the countries that were once divided by a totalitarian curtain, are now united in support of a common treaty that they had themselves negotiated,' Barroso said. EU leaders were greeted under the Portuguese sun outside Lisbon's Jeronimos Monastery by Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates and his foreign minister, Luis Amado. The officials were putting their signatures to the text inside the monastery, an imposing 16th-century building that homes the tomb of explorer Vasco da Gama and other prominent figures of Portuguese history.

What is the European Union's fascination with Roman Catholicism? Why meet in a 16th century monastery to sign a 21st century agreement? Who will forget that impressive picture of former Prime Minister Tony Blair, signing the original EU Constitution under the dominating figure of Pope Innocent X? The Bible predicted the revival of the Roman Empire in these last days. In the book of Revelation, the apostle John sees a beast rising up out of the sea. Throughout the Scriptures world empires are likened by God to beastly animals which devour the earth (Daniel 7). The sea is representative of the Gentiles, and can sometimes be a specific reference to the Mediterranean. This beast is unique in that it "rises up" out of the people. It hasn't been forged through conquest or war. In the same way, the European Union is unique in that it has been created through peaceful means by the will of state governments, rather than through the efforts of dictators like Hitler. The apostle John also states that he sees an adulterous woman riding upon the back of this beast. In the Scriptures, apostate religions are always likened to adulterous women (Jezebel - Revelation 2:20, Aholah and Aholibah - Ezekiel 23:4). In the middle of the tribulation period, this woman is thrown off the back of the beast and raped (Revelation 17:16). The story is from Greek mythology but is used in the Word of God to identify the last world empire. It was the goddess Europa that was raped by Zeus, from which the European continent derives its name. This image of Europa on the back of the bull is found throughout the European Union. It is emblazoned on our promotional material, a statue of Europa stands outside the Council of Ministers Office in Brussels and it is even on the back of our coins. The book of Daniel also states that the Antichrist would be the ruler of the people who would "destroy the city and sanctuary" following the crucifixion of the Messiah (Daniel 9:26). Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed by the Roman armies under command of Titus in 70AD. And the adulterous woman of Revelation identifies closely with the city of Rome, which is the world headquarters of Roman Catholicism. I believe Roman Catholicism will continue to play a big part in end time events, seeking to reunite all the apostate denominations and world religions under the umbrella of ecumenicalism. That is, until the day when the Antichrist takes control of the world political and religious systems, and the Harlot Church is thrown off the beast's back. Praise God that all who believe on Jesus Christ for salvation are blood-bought members of Christ's Body - the true Church, and that He is coming soon to take His Bride home to heaven. Have you trusted in Him for salvation? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.

Revelation 17:1-2
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Source EU Politix, EuroParl, Monsters and Critics