Welcome to the November 20th edition of Bible in the News.  This is Glenn Abel with you.

The recently ratified Lisbon Treaty defined the role of the EU President, as an individual who would replace the previous system of rotating the Presidency amongst the member nations. The original intent for this position was to elevate the status of the EU on the world stage. To “...ensure the external representation of the Union on issues concerning its common foreign and security policy...” Indeed, many desired that the role should be occupied by a strong personality who would command respect in foreign capitals such as America and China.

However, as a consensus approach is wont to produce, the job description becomes watered down, and the result is the lowest common denominator that everyone could agree upon. Thus a vastly weakened Presidency was guaranteed.

The secretive manner in which the President was selected had reporters reminiscing about papal conclaves and puffs of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel, and there is no doubt that the Vatican will be happy that a devout Roman Catholic has secured the post. Of course, they would still have had an ally had Tony Blair been selected, or no doubt many of the other candidates.

The man who was chosen, Herman Van Rompuy, from Belgium, is described as a “haku-writing ascetic.” He is seen as someone who will foster consensus between the member nations and their concerns. Other reports make mention that he is keen on increasing Brussel’s powers. On the world stage, he is a relative nobody, but that makes sense since the major powers in the EU like Germany and France are clearly not fully ready at this point to give up their individual nationalist voice. That time will come.

It is interesting to note that as unremarkable a figure Van Rompuy seems to be, he is on record as being opposed to Turkey’s enrollment in the EU. On what grounds? On the grounds that bringing a Muslim nation into the EU would dilute the “Christian” character of the union. Clearly, he was referring to its “Catholic” character!

As Jonathan mentioned last week, we need to remember that the stage is being set for the nations of Europe to give their power and strength to the Beast, but beginning with the return of Messiah, a lot of events have to happen first - including the defeat of the Russian Confederacy of Ezekiel 38.

The prophecy of Ezekiel tells us that the nations of Catholic Europe, including Germany and France will be a part of that confederacy, having been brought to heel by the Russian Dragon. It won’t take much coaxing, however, for them to embrace the anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist “evil thought” (Eze. 38:10-12) that will bring them down upon the mountains of Israel, against the daughter of Zion (Eze. 38:8, Dan. 11:45).

Russia’s Perspective

Of course, the Russians are content to have a weak EU Presidency. Here is what Nadezha Arbatova, head of the department of European Policy Studies, at Moscow’s Institute of Economics and International Relations had to say: “Theoretically Russia would like to have a president from a country with which it has good bilateral relations, like Germany, France or Italy. But the Belgian prime minister Herman Van Rompuy suits Russia much better than Tony Blair. It means he won’t have a powerful personal say in the EU and he won’t be a self-assertive force. His personal leanings won’t play a big role either. I think the majority of our Russian political elite will prefer to have a weak EU leader.

Opportunity to Submit

After the defeat of the Dragon confederacy at Armageddon (Ezekiel 38), the Catholic nations of Europe will be given an opportunity to submit to Christ, along with everyone else who hears the mid-heaven proclamation of Rev. 14.

There will also be a special message for the Jews left in Europe: “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18:4

Will Europe submit? They will not. Having divested themselves of the last vestiges of their individual nationalist interests, they will completely turn their fortunes over to the Beast, ridden by the Catholic Harlot, who is also prophetically styled the “False Prophet.”

Even in the face of Rome’s destruction (Rev. 18), they will go up against Christ and the Saints.

The End of Catholic Europe

They will be overthrown by Christ and the Saints as verse 14 continues: “... and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.”

And Revelation 19:19-20 tells us the final destiny of Catholic Europe:

They will be judged by fire like Sodom and Gomorrah.

The prophet Daniel prophesied of this in Daniel 7:11 “... I beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the burning flame.”

Give the More Earnest Heed

As we see events unfolding, let us hold fast to the “more sure word of prophecy.” that provides illumination in this age of gross darkness. Let us “give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip” (Heb. 2:1).

Let us set our “affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” (Col. 3:2-4)

Join us again next week, God willing, for another edition of Bible in the News.

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