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

David Miliband, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's new Foreign Secretary, has stated that he sees the European Union as a "model power" which should be replicated around the world. He made the comments at a meeting at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, in what was his first major speech on Britain's relations with Europe. Miliband said he believed that enlargement of the European Union was its greatest tool for promoting stability in the world, and that the EU should consider extending its single market to bordering nations in the Middle East and North Africa. He also lamented the EU's lack of combat-readiness, and called on the bloc to improve its military capabilities to enable it to intervene in conflict situations around the world.

Quote: ""The EU will never be a superpower, but could be a model power of regional cooperation," he said in a speech prepared for delivery in the Belgium city of Bruges, where Britain's then prime minister Margaret Thatcher argued in 1988 against a European federalist superstate. "For success, the EU must be open to ideas, trade and people ... and it must be able to deploy soft and hard power to promote democracy and tackle conflicts beyond its borders," he said. The call for the EU to be ready to flex its military muscles is likely to go down well in Paris, which will make EU defence a key theme of its EU presidency in the second half of next year.

Of course the Scriptures state that Daniel's fourth beast would be different from all the other world empires that had come before it. The European Union is a supranational power. It came into being not through popular vote, but through the will of politicians who sold our sovereignty to the global elite. Europe's leaders are not elected by the people but are appointed by state governments, and remain completely unaccountable to those selfsame governments, yet they have the authority to dictate law to member nations. As we saw recently with the new EU Constitution, the European Union now has its own legal identity on the world stage and can establish its own relations with foreign powers. No wonder they are wanting to replicate this model across the whole earth. Daniel's prophecy also states the last world empire would engulf the whole world, and that may be what we are witnessing today. Praise God that the kingdoms of this world are destined to become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ (Revelation 12:10).

Daniel 7:23-27
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 

Are you a citizen of God's kingdom? To become a citizen of this kingdom, you must first have a relationship with its King, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 49:7
Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

He was the one who was despised by men (Isaiah 53:3), He was the one that was abhorred by the nation of Israel (Matthew 27:25). He was the servant of rulers that shall one day be worshipped by kings. Through faith in Him and His sacrifice on the cross, He provides for you a place in His kingdom (Luke 23:42). Trust in Him for salvation today.

Isaiah 52:13-15
Behold, my servant (Jesus Christ) shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men (His crucifixion):  So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Source Reuters

European Union Foreign Ministers and their counterparts from the Middle East are gathering in Lisbon today for the ninth Euro-Mediterranean Ministerial Meeting of Foreign Affairs. Representatives of the nations involved in EuroMed, also known as the Barcelona Process, will be in attendance at the two-day summit. This group includes the 27 nations of the European Union and 10 nations from the Mediterranean area, comprising of Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey. Prior to the EuroMed meeting, negotiating teams from Israel and the Palestinian Authority will address EU leaders on progress being made ahead of the upcoming international peace conference. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said he believed the EU would give Palestinians a boost in helping to pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state.

Quote: "EU officials in Brussels said that while no concrete results were expected to emerge from the Lisbon meeting as far as the peace process is concerned, the fact that the EU was providing traditional enemies a forum in which to discuss issues of common interest was in itself significant. On Tuesday, EU ministers planned to discuss a variety of issues with its colleagues from the Mediterranean. These include enhanced economic cooperation, issues relating to migration and a code of conduit on counter terrorism.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier's plan for strengthening Palestinian businesses, universities, police and other institutions will be discussed at the summit, along with French President Nicolas Sarkozy's proposal for the creation of a Mediterranean Union. And as the EU prepares to strengthen a future Middle East peace agreement, Israeli Rabbis have cautioned President Bush over his support for a process that will result in Israel ceding Judea and Samaria to pave the way for the creation of a Palestinian state. The Ultra Nationalist rabbis warned that the United States risks facing another unprecedented natural disaster if the Annapolis conference is not immediately cancelled. They stated in their letter to President Bush that the Californian fires should be considered the "last warning" if the US presses ahead with the dividision God's land.

Quote: ""We wrote to President Bush, a man who believes in the Bible, to warn him against the terrible danger to which he is exposing his country by hosting such a conference," Rabbi Meir Druckman, one of eight signatories, told army radio. "The land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel. God punishes anyone who wants to force Israel to give up its land," he said, alluding to Biblical Israel, which incorporates the modern-day Gaza Strip and West Bank. "There is no doubt the New Orleans flood from the Katrina hurricane was God's punishment for dismantling the settlements," he said of the August 2005 catastrophe that hit the southern U.S.

Although the Scriptures teach that the time of Jacob's trouble is designed to bring an unbelieving nation of Israel back to their Messiah Yeshua (Zechariah 12:10), the Bible warns us that God will also punish the nations that seek to divide His land (Zechariah 12:9). For God may use the nations to correct Israel for its disobedience, but He also holds the nations to account for their actions, especially when they overstep the line. The Lord also demands more of those nations that have received the greater light. Jesus Christ said that if the mighty miracles which had been performed in Capernaum had been done in Sodom and Gomorrah, Sodom would have remained until this day (Matthew 11:23). He said the town had been exalted to heaven, but would be brought down to hell for their unbelief. There are few nations that have received a greater light that the United States of America, and I believe because of this we can expect that they will also receive the greater judgement for dividing God's land.

Jeremiah 25:15-17, 27-29
For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. Then took I the cup at the LORD'S hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:
Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye shall certainly drink. For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts.

Source Monsters and Critics, IMFA, IHT, Nasdaq