The Lisbon Treaty is RatifiedThe Lisbon Treaty is a reformatted "treaty" to replace the constitution thatfailed ratification owing to the French and Dutch rejection of it a few years ago. As is typical for the EU, they merely repackaged it, renamed it, and passed it by having the individual nation's parliaments approved it, instead of allowing the people to vote on it (Ireland was an exception to this). Jean Monnet, the true founder of the EU, suggested that to obtain passage of significant matters in the EU; never allow the people to vote onthe issue. That advice is now being followed by the current EU leaders.
This treaty increases the central power of the EU and limits the sovereignty of the individual nations within the EU. Additionally, it creates a President of the European Council and a High Representative of ForeignAffairs and Security.
The EU Branches of GovernmentRecall that the EU consists of three primary branches of government: The European Council, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. Only the latter is an elected body.
The new president will act as moderator at the meetings of the Council -which consists of the heads of state of the 27 countries in the EU. The Council is the policy-making branch of the EU (in some ways more of a figure head role owing to the lack of a single voice and cohesive purpose among the 27 states).
"The unelected Commission is the most powerful branch owing to its lawmaking authority. Barroso is the most powerful man in the EU"
The Commission also has a president, Jose Manuel Barroso. He directs the 27 commissioners who are appointed by each of the 27 countries. The unelected Commission is the most powerful branch owing to its lawmaking authority. Barroso is the most powerful man in the EU. The Parliament is more of a policy discussion arena and its powers arelimited. Members of the Parliament are elected by the vote of the people of the EU.
Finally, the new High Representative deals with Foreign Affairs as representative of the Council. Additionally, the High Representative is given the position of Deputy (Vice) President of the Commission and Head of External Affairs. The appointment of Britain's Baroness Cathy Ashton to this position moves her into the second most powerful position in the EU.
The New President
As I have said many times on Jimmy DeYoung's Prophecy Today radio program (available on the Internet), the selection of the new Council President would be a person who is relatively unknown in the EU. This ruled out former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who sought the position.
Herman Van Rompuy, Belgian's Prime Minister will begin to serve in this position beginning on 1 January 2010. This quiet man is a capable administrator and facilitator. He is "well known as a consensus builder."The presidential position is undefined in the Treaty. Thus, I believed the first person chosen would be more of an administrator than a politician. I expected the choice to go to someone whose chief accomplishment would be todefine and implement direction for the leader of the EU. In effect, he mightactually pave the way to merge the position of Commission President with that of the Council President. Van Rompuy is just such a man who will "pull ideas together" for others to carry out. Additionally, I knew that Barroso would not want a rival for power and prestige; hence, a bureaucrat would bepreferred. Van Rompuy fits the "bill."
In order to limit the size of this paper, I will not go into any length on this man except to note that the duties and procedures he creates ultimately could result in the demise of individual state sovereignty by diminishing the influence of the Council members. It is possible that with the High Representative being a member of the Commission also, that ultimately the Council would be seen as redundant and would be merged with the Commission. This MAY suggest an aspect of how the Antichrist could ultimately overcome three "kings" of the ten regions. Van Rompuy is a strong supporter of the EU as planned by Jean Monnet.
Monnet's goal was global government without individual sovereign states, asupra-national government. Van Rompuy also will be a strong voice in thearea of climate change. More on this in a later opinion paper. (Please let me know if you find these opinion papers helpful.)
The High Representative
With the rejection of Blair and in recognition of the City of London's significant financial influence in the EU, a Brit was chosen to be the High Representative. Just 13 months ago Ashton was a junior member in the British Cabinet. She is now the foreign representative for the EU foreign policy for half a billion people.
Prior to her appointment, "her most notable success was in pushing throughthe ratification of the Lisbon treaty in the face of intense Tory (British political party opposing the treaty and Prime Minister - ed.) opposition."("The Great EU Stitch-Up,” The Guardian, 20 Nov. 2009).
In her new position she will establish a single diplomatic corps for the EU,ultimately replacing the individual 27-country corps. Under the new department, visas would be issued for the single nation of Europe. I believe this will be when US missionaries will be forced to re-apply for visas and in all likelihood will be denied and forced to return to the US. The EU is against true Bible-believing churches and missions. Thus, our missionaries in Europe must be training nationals to take over the ministry. We, back in the States, must support our missionaries in this task by our prayer and financial support.
Additionally, she will be in charge of security - that means ultimately an EU army under a single head. When fully implemented, this new diplomatic department will speak for Europe and hold the UN seat. This trend if followed will lead to the end of the individual states of Europe and be the potential basis for a worldwide, global government.
Valery Giscard d'Estaing, the man who presided over the writing of theEuropean Constitution (now the Lisbon Treaty) said that this new position would bring a great change into the operation of foreign affairs for Europe.He said in 2007, that such a position would "respond to the famous telephone calls of Henry Kissinger: 'I want to speak to Europe.'" ("The Mystery Rise of Lady Ashton," Eurosoc, 27 Nov. 2009). Lady Ashton will speak, as a single voice, for Europe.
Key to the power of this position is the fact that Ashton will develop the EU's Common Security Policy. This same woman is under a British pressenquiry into her Communist Party links in Britain ("Lady Ashton, CND, the Soviets and M15" Eurosoc, 27 Nov 2009). Some of the EU member states that were former Russian satellites are concerned over this past.
In summing up the future role, Britain's former Europe Minister Denis MacShane was quoted: "While big nations will hang on to their pretensions to being foreign policy powers, bit by bit, the blue and yellow flag of Europe will represent the smaller nations of Europe in far-flung parts of the world." (Eurosoc). Britain's Prime Minister said that Lady Ashton is now our voice in "the global Europe of the future." (Eurosoc).
Eurosoc summarizes her appointment as follows:"A 'global Europe of the future.' The embassies are being staffed; European Flags continue to be hoisted over consulates outside the continent. A chair is being prepared at the United Nations, ready for Britain's career appointee to begin to build the future Euro-Empire, with the Prime Ministeralready having declared that Lady Ashton is now our voice in the world."
A final note, in her new position she will have to work closely with Barroso. The Guardian newspaper noted that Barroso was "keen to promote Aston to the foreign policy post." They will be a powerful team to bring the EU to a position as a global empire.
The key point of the recent events is that the EU is now in the position to speak with united, single European voice in political, financial, global, and foreign affairs. Depending upon the abilities of the key powers in the EU, its long struggle to become a world power may finally be accomplished. The ratification of the Treaty, the prominent position of Barroso and Ashtonin a "crisis ridden" world, combined with the general decline of the US in the world's eyes, sets the stage for a new world empire to arise. While theworld ignored these developments, the EU is pressing on to its goal of a global supra-national government symbolized by its Parliament building designed after the Tower of Babel. The EU is a potential candidate that fits the prime characteristic of the final empire described in Daniel 7:23.
For a better understanding, I suggest you get my book, "The European Union and the Supra-Religion: Setting the Stage for the Final Act?" Just drop an email to order. It is $15.00 plus shipping.This opinion post represents the observations and OPINIONS of the writer ONLY. Its goal is to inform and help you understand that the prophecies contained in the Bible are now viable in our day and requires us to watch for the soon coming of the Lord.
"Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, ateven, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch" - Mark 13:35-37
The EU MAY NOT be the final empire, described by Daniel, but Christians of all ages are told to look for the Lord's coming. The events described above,merely suggest the importance of living our life in that expectancy. It is our hope that this paper helps you to understand world events that could besetting the stage for the coming of our Lord.
Dr. Robert Congdon
Congdon Ministries International
PO Box 1785 Greer, SC 29652
