French President Nicholas Sarkozy has stated that the Middle East conflict must not be allowed to hinder the creation of the Mediterranean Union, and that the creation of the bloc may help to bring peace and stability to the region. He made the comments during a three day visit to Tunisia. Leaders from the EU and sixteen Mediterranean states are expected to formally announce the establishment of a Mediterranean Union on July 13th of this year. Under the original plan, Sarkozy had initially proposed that the Mediterranean Union would comprise of only those nations that border the Mediterranean sea. But Germany objected to this idea, fearing that the special status for southern European states could create division within the union. There were also fears that the establishment of a Mediterranean Union could undermine progress being made through Javier Solana's European Neighbourhood Policy. At the time it was announced I didn't believe such a union could come about, for the Scriptures seem to indicate that the last world empire will be a revived form of the old Roman Empire, not a separate entity from it (Daniel 7:23). And it seems that my suspicions were at least partly correct. European leaders met on the 14th of March to discuss the issue and decided that the new Mediterranean Union should include all twenty seven EU states, and that the project should be promoted as an upgrade to the Barcelona Process. Thus the Mediterranean Union will effectively become an extension of the European Union itself. Sarkozy has said he believes that the establishment of the Mediterranean Union will "change the world", for as he previously stated regarding this issue, "in the Mediterranean will be decided whether or not civilisations and religions will wage the most terrible of wars...whether or not the North and the South will clash".

Quote: ""I know that, inside the project of the Union for the Mediterranean, there is the issue of Israel and the issue of Palestine," Sarkozy said. "I'm fully aware that all this is in the background ... but this should not stop us acting. It should encourage us to act." He was addressing university students at the end of a three-day visit to Tunisia to boost cooperation on trade, nuclear energy and migration between the two countries. "Failure ... would mean taking a terrible responsibility towards our children and all future generations," said Sarkozy, adding that the new Union "will change the world".

And it does seem that the Mediterranean is fast becoming the focal point of world politics. When the Apostle John was exiled to the isle of Patmos, which is located on the coast of present day Turkey, he received a vision from God of what will come to pass in the days prior to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. In his vision, John is standing upon the seashore, and he sees a Beast rising up out of the sea. Although the vision is symbolic and the word 'sea' is often used in the Bible to refer to the Gentile nations, the Scriptures do seem to indicate that this final world empire will rise out of the Mediterranean region. As we can see from today's news, the European Union is already seeking to extend its influence over the Mediterranean, in an attempt to bring about peace and stability there. And peace will come. The Bible says that the Antichrist, the leader of this revived Roman Empire, shall strengthen a covenant between Israel and the surrounding nations for a period of seven years (Daniel 9:27). But the agreement will fail. 1st Thessalonians 5:3 states that "when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape". And following the collapse of the covenant, Sarkozy's "most terrible of wars" will commence. The Jews call it the 'last battle', during which they believe their Messiah will come and deliver them. The Christians call it Armageddon (in the Hebrew, Har Megiddon), when the armies of the world will be gathered together to do battle against Jerusalem (Revelation 16:16). And the Muslims are taught in the Qur'an that they must make war against the Jews before the day of resurrection will come. The Scriptures make it clear that this time of trouble will be so great that there will be none like it, even since the time when Israel became a nation (Daniel 12:1). But praise God that Israel shall be saved out of it (Jeremiah 30:7). For when they have no-one else to turn to, the Jewish people will call upon their Messiah for salvation (Zechariah 12:10), and Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus Christ, will return out of heaven with all His saints, and defeat the armies of the Antichrist and deliver His chosen people.

We are not looking for the day of the wrath of Almighty God (Revelation 6:17), nor are we awaiting the appearance of the Antichrist. We "wait for His Son from heaven", who has "delivered us from the wrath to come", 1st Thessalonians 1:10. God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ (1st Thessalonians 5:9). Jesus Christ is coming back. And He will take all those who have trusted in Him for salvation, to be with Him where He is (John 14:3). Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

1st Thessalonians 5:4-10
But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

Source Reuters, Likud