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The European Union
The European Union by Columbia University Press
The European union (EU), name given since the ratification (Nov., 1993) of the Treaty of European Union, or Maastricht Treaty, to the European Community (EC), an economic and political confederation of European nations, and other organizations (with the same member nations) that are responsible for a common foreign and security policy and for cooperation on justice and home affairs. Twenty-five countries Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany (originally West Germany), Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden are full members of the organizations of the EU.
Organizational Structure
The EC, which is the core of the EU, originally referred to the group of Western European nations that belonged to each of three treaty organizations the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), the European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom). In 1967 these organizations were consolidated under a comprehensive governing body composed of representatives from the member nations and divided into four main branches the European Commission (formerly the Commission of the European Communities), the Council of the European Union (formerly the Council of Ministers of the European Communities), the European Parliament, and the European Court of Justice.
Although the EU has no single seat of government, many of its most important offices are in Brussels, Belgium. The European Commission, which has executive and some legislative functions, is headquartered there, as is the Council of the European Union; it is also where the various committees of the European Parliament generally meet to prepare for the monthly sessions in Strasbourg, France. In addition to the four main branches of the EU's governing body, there are the Court of Auditors, which oversees EU expenditures; the Economic and Social Committee, a consultative body representing the interests of labor, employers, farmers, consumers, and other groups; and the European Council, a consultative but highly influential body composed primarily of the president of the Commission and the heads of government of the EU nations and their foreign ministers.
Evolution
The history of the EU began shortly after World War II, when there developed in Europe a strong revulsion against national rivalries and parochial loyalties. While postwar recovery was stimulated by the Marshall Plan, the idea of a united Europe was held up as the basis for European strength and security and the best way of preventing another European war. In 1950 Robert Schuman, France's foreign minister, proposed that the coal and steel industries of France and West Germany be coordinated under a single supranational authority. France and West Germany were soon joined by four other countries Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Italy in forming (1952) the ECSC. The EEC (until the late 1980s it was known informally as the Common Market) and Euratom were established by the Treaty of Rome in 1958. The EEC, working on a large scale to promote the convergence of national economies into a single European economy, soon emerged as the most significant of the three treaty organizations.
The Brussels Treaty (1965) provided for the merger of the organizations into what came to be known as the EC and later the EU. Under Charles de Gaulle, France vetoed (1963) Britain's initial application for membership in the Common Market, five years after vetoing a British proposal that the Common Market be expanded into a transatlantic free-trade area. In the interim, Britain had engineered the formation (1959) of the European Free Trade Association. In 1973 the EC expanded, as Great Britain, Ireland, and Denmark joined. Greece joined in 1981, and Spain and Portugal in 1986. With German reunification in 1990, the former East Germany also was absorbed into the Community.
The Single European Act (1987) amended the EC's treaties so as to strengthen the organization's ability to create a single internal market. The Treaty of European Union, signed in Maastricht, the Netherlands, in 1992 and ratified in 1993, provided for a central banking system, a common currency to replace the national currencies, a legal definition of the EU, and a framework for expanding the EU's political role, particularly in the area of foreign and security policy. The member countries completed their move toward a single market in 1993 and agreed to participate in a larger common market, the European Economic Area (est. 1994), with most of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nations. In 1995, Austria, Finland, and Sweden, all former EFTA members, joined the EU, but Norway did not, having rejected membership for the second time in 1994.
A crisis within the EU was precipitated in 1996 when sales of British beef were banned because of mad cow disease. Britain retaliated by vowing to paralyze EU business until the ban was lifted, but that crisis eased when a British plan for eradicating the disease was approved. The ban was lifted in 1999, but French refusal to permit the sale of British beef resulted in new strains within the EU. In 1998, as a prelude to their 1999 adoption of the euro, 11 EU nations established the European Central Bank; the euro was introduced into circulation in 2002 by 12 EU nations.
The EU was rocked by charges of corruption and mismanagement in its executive body, the European Commission (EC), in 1999. In response the EC's executive commission including its president, Jacques Santer, resigned, and a new group of commissioners headed by Romano Prodi was soon installed. In actions taken later that year the EU agreed to absorb the functions of the Western European Union, a comparatively dormant European defense alliance, thus moving toward making the EU a military power with defensive and peacekeeping capabilities.
The installation in Feb., 2000, of a conservative Austrian government that included the right-wing Freedom party, whose leaders had made xenophobic, racist, and anti-Semitic pronouncements, led the other EU members to impose a number of sanctions on Austria that limited high-level contacts with the Austrian government. Enthusiasm for the sanctions soon waned, however, among smaller EU nations, and the issue threatened to divide the EU. A face-saving fact-finding commission recommended ending the sanctions, stating that the Austrian government had worked to protect human rights, and the sanctions were ended in September.
In 2003 the EU and ten non-EU European nations (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Malta) signed treaties that resulted in the largest expansion of the EU the following year, increasing the its population by 20% and its land area by 23%. Most of the newer members are significantly poorer than the largely W European older members. The old and new member nations at first failed to agree on a constitution for the organization; the main stumbling block concerned voting, with Spain and Poland reluctant to give up a weighted system of voting scheduled for 2006 that would give them a disproportionate influence in the EU relative to their populations. In Oct., 2004, however, EU nations signed a constitution with a provision requiring a supermajority of nations to pass legislation. The constitution, which must be ratified by all members to come into effect, was rejected by voters in France and the Netherlands in 2005, leading EU leaders to pause in their push for its ratification. By mid-2006, however, 15 nations had nonetheless ratified the document.
Meanwhile, in 2003 the EU embarked, in minor ways, on its first official military missions when EU peacekeeping forces replaced the NATO force in Macedonia and were sent by the United Nations to Congo (Kinshasa); the following year the EU assumed responsibility for overseeing the peacekeepers in Bosnia. EU members also took steps toward developing a common defense strategy independent of NATO, and agreed in 2004 to admit Bulgaria and Romania in 2007. Jose' Manuel Barroso succeeded Prodi as president of the European Commission late in 2004.
Is the E.U. the Revived Roman Empire?
By Jennifer Rast
Daniel chapters 2 and 7 reveal a
strong connection between the formation of the European
Union and end-times scripture. The possible fulfillment
of this scripture began in 1950 when the Roman Empire
began to show signs of being revived. In 1950 the
European Coal and Steel Community was proposed as a means
of achieving economic unification in Europe following the
war. The hope was that this would strengthen economic
trade in Europe. This unified effort led to the signing
of the treaties of Rome in 1957, which established the
European Economic Community (EEC), and the European Atomic
Energy Council. That treaty was taken a step further with
the signing of the Brussels Treaty in 1965. The Brussels
Treaty began the process of rebuilding the old Roman
Empire through reunification of European states under one
political system, one economic system, and eventually
under the protection of one military force. The treaty
established a commission, council, parliament, and court
for the union. The revived Roman Empire prophesied in the
Bible was well on its way to becoming a reality.
More states were added to this
growing union in 1973, 1981, and 1986, making up the 10
permanent member states of today's European Union. In
2002, the Euro was introduced as the first step toward a
unified single currency in Europe. Upon adopting the
Euro, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres raved,
As Peter was the rock on which the church was built, so
the Euro is the rock on which the European Union will be
built.
The EU today is made up of over 25
countries, however the ten nations of the Western European
Alliance have a separate status as full members, while
those nations who joined subsequent to the original 10
have only associate membership, or observer status. This
10 nation military wing of the EU may very well fulfill
the prophecy of the beast with 10 horns from Daniel 7:7-8
and Revelations 13:1. On this beast's back will ride the
woman that symbolizes a global religious system that is to
appear before Christ returns to set up His kingdom.
The purpose of the EU's creation was
and is, ultimately, to create a European super-state or
United States of Europe, as some have suggested naming
it, that would eventually rival the United States in
influence and military might. In 1999, Javier Solana
became the High Representative for the EU's foreign and
security policy, and through recommendation 666, he
was given emergency powers over the military wing of the
EU in 2000. All that currently remains to create a truly
revived Roman Empire is the creation of a permanent
executive branch of government and the full integration of
the new Euro currency. With the introduction of the new
EU constitution, the groundwork is being laid for just
such an executive branch and economic system.
So how does this all relate to Bible
prophecy? Let's start with the book of Daniel. Daniel
chapter 2 records that the ancient Babylonian King
Nebuchadnezzar had a dream concerning the Last Days. No
Babylonian could interpret the dream; however, Daniel, a
captive of Judah, was able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's
dream (Daniel 2:25-30), as God had already revealed the
dream to him (Daniel 2:19-23).
Daniel 2:25-30 says, You, O king,
your thoughts came while you were on your bed about what
would happen in the future, and the Revealer of Secrets
informed you what will be. As for me, it is not because I
possess more wisdom than any other being that this secret
was revealed to me, but rather to make the interpretation
known to the king, so that you may know what has occupied
your thoughts.
Daniel recounted the dream to
Nebuchadnezzar, and interpreted the king's dream of a huge
statue by explaining the 4 major components of the
statue.
1. A head of Gold
2. Breast and arms of silver
3. Belly and thighs of bronze
4. Feet of iron and clay
Most Bible scholars interpret these 4
components to represent the 4 major empires that have
existed in the world's history. Daniel confirms that the
first of these empires is Babylon, ruled by Nebuchadnezzar.
Daniel 2:37-38 Thou, O king, art a
king of kings; for the God of heaven hath given thee a
kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever
the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the
fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and
hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of
Gold.
Daniel goes on to identify the second
and third empires that will emerge following the
Babylonian empire.
Daniel 2:39 And after you will arise
another kingdom inferior to you, and [then] another, a
third kingdom, of copper, which will rule the whole
earth.
History records the empires that
followed Babylon were Medo-Persia and Greece. Daniel 5
tells us that Nebuchadnezzar's successor, Belshazzar, was
conquered by Persia. The second empire of
Nebuchadnezzar's dream was established from modern-day
Iran to Asia Minor (Turkey).
The third empire to arise (Daniel
2:39b) and rule the earth was Greece, whose reign began at
the time of Alexander the Great. The fourth empire will
be a revived model of this Roman Empire. Daniel did,
after all, tell Nebuchadnezzar that his vision was about
what will be at the End of Days (Daniel 2:28). The
fourth empire is described as follows:
Daniel 2:40 It will be strong, yet
mixed. It will be a diverse empire (part of potters clay
and part of iron, the kingdom will be divided), but will
be strong (but there shall be in it of the strength of
iron)
Prophecies elsewhere in the Bible
also describe this fourth empire of the final days, and by
studying these we can examine further any indications that
would point to the European Union as the final world
empire that will be ruled by the antichrist before Messiah
returns.
DANIEL'S VISION OF 4 BEASTS
Following Nebuchadnezzar's reign,
Daniel also had a vision of these 4 kingdoms, but this
time they were represented by 4 beasts. (Daniel 7:1-24)
The first beast in Daniel 7:4 is
described as being like a lion, and it has eagles
wings. Interestingly, the emblem of the ancient Babylon
was a lion with eagles wings.
The second beast is described in
Daniel 7:5 Then behold Another beast, a second one,
similar to a bear; it was placed on one side, and there
were three ribs in its mouth between its teeth; and this
is what they said to it, Arise, devour much flesh! The
second beast in Daniel 7 is generally accepted as being
Medo-Persia because Persia devoured much of the Middle
East and Asia, and the Persian Empire had three capitals,
Susa, Persepolis, and the conquered Babylon.
Of the third beast Daniel 7:6 says
After this I was watching and behold Another beast, like
a leopard, with four bird's wings on its back; the beast
had four heads, and it was given dominion. This beast is
symbolic of the empire of Greece left behind by Alexander
the Great. When Alexander the Great died in 323 C.E., his
empire was divided between and ruled by 4 of his
generals.
The following verses describe the 4th
beast, or kingdom of Daniel's dream.
Daniel 7:7-8 After this I was
watching in night visions, and behold! A fourth beast,
exceedingly terrifying, awesome and strong. It has
immense iron teeth, and it was devouring and crumbling,
and trampling its feet what remained. It was different
from all the beasts that had preceded it, and it had ten
horns. As I was contemplating the horns, behold! Another
horn, a small one, came up among them, and three of the
previous horns were uprooted before it. There were eyes
like human eyes in this horn, and a mouth speaking haughty
words�.
Daniel 7:23 Thus he said, the fourth
beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon the earth, which
shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the
whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it to
peaces.
In the first verse we see a fourth
beast with 10 horns. The small horn, speaking haughty
words, rises up and conquers three of them. This
represents the antichrist that will come to power through
the 4th kingdom. The 10 horns, 3 of which are
subdued, are the 10 kings that make up the rulers of the 4th
kingdom. From this kingdom and the reign of antichrist
will come a global system of government that will rule
over the earth prior to the coming of Christ to establish
his Kingdom.
Daniel 7:24 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.
The three kings that are subdued will
probably not approve of his rise to power or will object
to his far-reaching powers.
In addition to creating an EU constitution,
plans are being discussed for an EU presidency that will
replace the current 6 month rotating presidency, creating
a powerful international leader with great influence at
the United Nations and on the global stage. The new
president would be elected by government heads of EU
members and would hold office for five years. Tony Blair
believes this new president will become the public face
and driving force of Europe. German Foreign
Minister Joschka Fischer has gone so far as to say that
the Euro was the first step to a federation, and he went
on to say that he wanted a powerful president of the EU as
head of a European government with full legal and
executive power. He welcomed the progress made in
removing the sovereign rights of nations.
We're given a clue as to the identity
of the little horn in Daniel 9:26 And after threescore
and two weeks and the people of the prince that shall come
shall destroy the city and the sanctuary, and end thereof
shall be [as swept away] with a flood, and unto the end of
the war desolations are determined.
We know that the people who destroyed
Jerusalem (the city) and the temple (the sanctuary) were
the Romans. From this people shall come the prince that
is to come or the Antichrist. We can expect then for the
Antichrist to rise up from a fourth kingdom that will be
the revived Roman Empire.
Daniel 7:25 says, 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.
The Antichrist will speak blasphemous
words against God as he rules over the world, and there
will be intense persecution of the tribulation saints.
A time and times and the dividing of time refers to the
three and a half years of the Great Tribulation (see Rev.
12:14; 135).
The EU is definitely becoming a world
power of clay (diversity) and iron (power) with striking
similarities to the fourth kingdom or fourth beast of
Daniel's prophecies. A world power of so many ethnic
groups and representing so many states could easily become
a very influential leader at the United Nations and the
world. It's possible that the U.N. is a beginning for
this world government that will eventually be ruled by a
revived Roman Empire and the Antichrist.
There are, however, other views on
these prophesies that can be considered. Some think that
the fourth kingdom is the revived Roman Empire (ten kings
are the 10 nation military alliance of the EU) and the
U.N. is the 4th beast (10 horns being the 10
bio-regions the UN has established for the globe). Only
time will tell which is the case.
If the EU is the revived Roman Empire
that will bring about the rise of Antichrist, then it is
important to look at the religious symbolism of the EU.
After all, riding on the beast's back will be the harlot
that represents a global pagan religious system that will
unite the world and play a part in the persecution of the
tribulation saints (Rev. 17).
The EU flag has a circle of 12 stars
on a blue background. These stars were inspired by the
halo of 12 stars appearing around the Madonna as depicted
in Catholic pictures of her. Leon Marchal, former
secretary general of the Council of Europe, confirmed that
the stars are representative of the woman of the
Apocalypse. He expounded, it's wonderful that we have
gotten back to the introit of the new Mass of the
Assumption. It's the corona stellarum duodecim of the
woman of the Apocalypse. He is referencing
the woman in Revelation 12 who appears with a crown of 12
stars. The Bible uses this symbolism to represent Israel,
however the Catholic Church has always claimed that she
represents the Virgin Mary, the mother of God. A
leaflet titled Building Europe Together states that The
European flag is a shared flag, blue with 12 gold stars
symbolizing completeness. The number will remain 12 no
matter how many countries there are in the European
Union.
The anthem of the EU Ode to Joy
also contains religious symbolism. Ode to Joy is the
prelude to the last movement of Beethoven's Ninth
Symphony, which has religious implications. EU
publications state that the anthem really is an ode to
freedom, community, and peace, however the lyrics, by
Friedrich von Schiller, are actually about the entering of
the shrine of a pagan goddess and the uniting of all men
in brotherhood, by the power of magic.
Further evidence of a religious side
to the European Union is a poster that was issued by the
EU, showing the tower of Babel. The poster carried the
slogan Many tongues, one voice. As if the celebration
of the pagan tower that led God to confuse the languages
of a defiant people (Genesis 11) isn't enough, a crane in
the background was shown rebuilding the tower. Now, once
again, a rebellious people are rebuilding mystery
Babylon. In a parliament building in Strasbourg, France,
you will find an enormous replica of the unfinished tower
of Babel that the secular press has named Eurobabel.
If that religious symbolism seems too
obscure to be that significant, perhaps a snapshot of
Revelation 17 will peak your interest in the religious
symbolism of the EU. Revelation 17 depicts a great harlot
riding on a beast. The beast in Revelation 17 represents
the world government and the great harlot is a global
religion that will ride in on its back. This harlot
riding a beast was used when Britain issued a stamp to
commemorate the first EU parliament election in 1979. It
is now the official picture of the EU, and is painted on
the dome of the parliament building in Brussels. It is
also pictured on the same building that holds the Eurobabel.
The EU constitution has also raised
the ire of protestant leaders by banning the mention of
Christianity as part of Europe's cultural heritage, while
at the same time, including references to the
civilizations of Greece and Rome, and the philosophical
heritage of the Enlightenment. EU government
representatives excused this revisionist view of history
by claiming any mention of Christian values would upset
the Muslim population of the EU.
As you can see, the stage is being
set for the emergence of a global political system(the EU
and the UN), a global economic system(the Euro and WTO),
and a global religious system (the interfaith movement).
The EU would seem to fulfill many of the prophesies of the
fourth kingdom that is to come, from which will arise the
Antichrist of the end-times.
Europa Links
The Holy Roman Empire By Gerald Flurry, J. Tim Thompson and Stephen Flurry
Facts they don't want you to know about the E.U. - 2003 By Despatch Magazine (pdf file)
Europa- How Revelation reveals Europe in end time prophecy
List of European Union member states by accession. Wikipedia
The European Union is the largest political and economic entity on the European continent. Around 500 million people live within the EU and it has an estimated GDP of 13.4 trillion USD.
The Union has a single market consisting of a customs union, a single currency called the euro (so far adopted by 13 of the 27 member states and managed by the European Central Bank), a Common Agricultural Policy, a common trade policy. Wikipedia
This is the history of the European Union. See also the history of Europe and history of present-day nations and states. Wikipedia
United Nations - Website
Europa The European Union at a glance
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