Two weeks ago lawyers from European Union member states scrutinized the new EU Constitution to assess its legal standing, and later this week EU leaders will officially approve the document at an EU summit in Lisbon. The adoption of the treaty will establish ministerial posts for a full-time president of the European Council and a High Representative for Foreign Affairs. 

Quote: ""This will be the last institutional reform for a long time," a senior EU diplomat said, noting that some of the voting provisions will not fully take effect until 2017. The treaty creates a full-time president of the European Council of EU leaders, a stronger foreign policy chief with a foreign service, a streamlined voting system based on population size and more say for the European and national parliaments.

Its ratification has been a long and arduous process, following the rejection of the document by France and Holland. European leaders did everything in their power to convince the public to approve the treaty. Constitution author Giscard d'Estaing claimed it could not be rewritten once rejected, EU Trade Secretary Peter Mandelson claimed its rejection would harm EU financial markets and former French President claimed France would cease to exist politically if the public voted no. The Prime Minister of Luxembourg even claimed the French and Dutch rejected it because they did not know what they were voting for! Following its rejection, former British Foreign Minister Jack Straw stated that the EU Constitution was "dead in the water". Others wanted the EU Constitution redrafted in simpler form, and again other states which have already ratified the constitution sought for as much of the original text as possible to be preserved. Parts of the constitution were also cherry-picked out of the text, and drafted into EU law by the European Commission. Well, the Constitution has been rewritten, and its author claims that the new version is substantially similar to the old.

Quote: "Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, the former French president, said that the treaty would be "very, very near" to the constitution, axed after voters in France and Holland rejected it in referendums in 2005. He also asserted that, "although the British, Dutch and French have insisted we eliminate all reference to the word 'constitution' ", the new treaty "still contains all the key elements [of the constitution]". Mr d'Estaing insisted that "all the earlier proposals will be in the new text, but will be hidden and disguised in some way". He added that while the treaty was a "step backwards for the European spirit, because the flag and anthem have been removed", it was "good in terms of substance as it will be very, very near to the original".

So much for Britain's "red lines" and "opt-outs". And those dear politicians, who insist they know what's best for us, are not going to give us the option of saying no this time. The Scriptures state that during the last days, a final world empire will emerge from the ruins of the old Roman Empire. The book of Daniel indicates that this Revived Roman Empire will have a "prince" or "ruler" that will strengthen a peace agreement for a seven year period. And that is why this development is so significant in regards to end tim prophecy, for up until now Europe has not had a permanent leader. As we can see with today's news, the European Union is destined to continue to grow in both power and influence, until the day that Christ returns to set up His kingdom.

Daniel 2:40-44
And the fourth kingdom shall be strong as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces and subdueth all [things]: and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it break in pieces and bruise. And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters' clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. And [as] the toes of the feet [were] part of iron, and part of clay, [so] the kingdom shall be partly strong, and partly broken. And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. 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.

Source Reuters, Telegraph