Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, will step down from his position tonight, as the Lisbon Treaty comes into force on December 1st. A few weeks ago, Czech President Klaus became the last European leader to sign the treaty, despite objections that it would give unelected officials in Brussels "even more power". That prediction was realized just this week, when previous unknowns, Belgian President Van Rompuy and Labour Baroness Ashton were 'chosen' by EU leaders to fill the roles of EU President and Foreign Minister during secretive meeting. Van Rompuy, a self-proclaimed federalist who envisages Europe-wide taxation as a means of funding the European Union, was virtually unheard of outside his native country until he was put forward as a candidate for the presidency. While Baroness Ashton has never been elected to any of the positions she has held in the United Kingdom. She was chosen to be a Baroness in the House of Lords by the Labour government, and has no previous experience in directing foreign policy. The two candidates were chosen precisely because they were perceived to be safe bets who wouldn't 'rock the boat'. Largely euro-sceptic nations such as Britain will not see a weak EU presidency as a particular threat to British freedoms. Nor will the Council of the European Union, the heads of state governments, feel intimidated by two unknowns.

Quote: "After 10 years as European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana leaves his post on Tuesday with a mixed diplomatic record, from a durable peace in Macedonia to failed consensus on Iraq. The 66-year-old Spaniard hands over EU diplomacy to Britain's Catherine Ashton, 53, who will command a more powerful position created by the reforming Lisbon Treaty with a new, and eventually vast, European diplomatic service.

I had though Javier Solana could have been a good candidate for the person the Bible describes as the Antichrist, but it looks like will be no longer the case. I first heard about Solana on Herb's Prophecy Fulfilled website. There were a lot of interesting facts surrounding the man. His position as EU High Representative was formed under Article 666. He drafted a document called Recommendation 666. He was heavily involved in the Middle East through the Barcelona Process, which would later became the Union for the Mediterranean. He spear-headed the European Neighbourhood Policy. And he was tipped to become the EU's first Foreign Minister, had the Lisbon Treaty been ratified on time. But when 2007 passed, I realized the European Neighbourhood Policy could not be the 7 year covenant mentioned in Daniel 9. The Church is still here. There is no agreement over Jerusalem. The sacrificial system has not recommenced. And there is no peace in the Middle East. Of course I still believe the position Solana held, and the positions these two unknowns will hold, will be the position that the Antichrist will eventually occupy. The Bible foretells that the Antichrist will be of the people who destroyed the city and sanctuary in 70 AD (Daniel 9:26). Daniel 7 also has the 'little horn', another name for the end-time world ruler, rising out of the revived Roman Empire. I do still believe we are living in the last days. Nobody knows for certain when the end will come. Not even Satan knows that. Only when Satan is cast down out of the second heaven, will he know that he has just a short time left (Revelation 12:12). Some people have though Hitler was the Antichrist, and other world leaders that have since fallen by the wayside. While they were not the Antichrist as described in the book of Revelation and other places, I think that in every generation Satan has had a man in place who could have become the Antichrist. But only the Lord knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), so only He knows who the real Antichrist will end up being.

The important thing is, not when the end will come or how it will come, but have you made preparation for it? Noah prepared an ark to the saving of his house (Hebrews 11:7). God's judgement fell in one day, and destroyed the entire world. But Noah was ready. Lot's nephews scoffed at the thought of God's judgement falling upon Sodom. The next morning the city was completely destroyed. God's judgement will fall upon this world in the not too distant future, and it will also come unexpectedly (Matthew 24:37-39). What will you do? The Bible describes Noah as a preacher of righteousness (2nd Peter 2:5), who's preaching saved his family and condemned the world in their unbelief. Lot brought the message of salvation to his family. And we bring the message of salvation to you today. The Bible declares that all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). If God is to be righteous He must punish sin. The penalty for sin is death (Ezekiel 18:4) and eternal separation from God in a place called the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14). This will happen to you if you die in your sins (John 18:21,24). But God is also love. He created you (John 1:10), He loves you (John 3:16), and He wants you to be with Him forever. Jesus Christ bore God's punishment for your sin when He died upon the cross. He suffered and died in your place. And now God can be fully righteous in forgiving you, for another has paid your debt. Why don't you turn away from your sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today. He will not turn you away.

Isaiah 53:11
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Source EU Business, Times Online