On Constance Cumbey's blog, I ran across her link to a Newsweek article I found fascinating. The article -- to be released in Monday's Sept. 17 edition -- is titled, "Europe Goes to Club Med." It reports how the European Union is combatting terror, migration problems and energy shortages by integrating with nearby Mediterranean nations, including Israel.

This is not news to students of end-times prophecy. But it's fascinating to see mainstream media start to pick up on it. Ancient Bible prophecies foretold a final world empire that would rise before Christ's return -- one that would eventually persecute God's nation of Israel, but would first bring her a time of peace.

Even before the European Union came on the scene, students of prophecy anticipated that this final kingdom would be a revival of the Roman Empire -- the very thing we are seeing today as the European Union draws in the nations surrounding it. A map of the European Union looks very much like a map of the Roman Empire. And one of the European Union's key objectives is to bring peace to the Mideast.

The Newsweek article sees significance in Europe's current integration, calling it "nothing less than a single community of nations, rich and poor, Muslim and Christian, striving together for a better future in which post-colonial animosities can be forgotten." It quotes Jean-Louis Guigou, head of the Economic Forecasting Institute of the Mediterranean World, saying, "This is the great work of the century."

Not only is the integration important, it's also inevitable, according the article, which concludes: "You don't need a postdoc in Mediterranean studies to see that if Europe won't cement its friendships in the region, others will." (In other words, the region's oil is coveted by the world.)

Of course, Newsweek and other secular media don't grasp the prophetic significance of the European Union. They don't see that it's not only the great work of the century, but it's also the culmination of Satan's work through the centuries -- a world empire from which he can launch his greatest assault on Christ's people. Many Christians don't either. That's what makes the community here at FP so important.

Since 2002, this site has been documenting the revival of the Roman Empire and a powerful office that has emerged within it -- the office of High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy that looks like a perfect match to the office the Antichrist will hold. Read why here. This office is currently held by Javier Solana, who, interestingly, has become the world's primary peace negotiator in the Mideast

FP has also reported on Solana's possible signing of the "covenant with many" (the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership for Peace) and his strengthening of this covenant for a period of seven years through the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (which went into effect Jan. 1). If this is really the strengthening of the covenant spoken of in Daniel 9:27, then that means the world has now entered the "70th week of Daniel," the final seven years before Christ's return. Read why here.

Since my dad died on June 13, over 150 new people have joined the FP discussion board -- people from across the States and all over the world, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Germany and even Indonesia. FP has also continued to send out free DVDs and CDs documenting the news. This is exciting. It means the information my dad reported on is still getting out. It also means there's a growing community of Christians who can discuss the prophetic significance of the news and, most importantly, can spur each to win souls to Christ before He returns.

Since my dad died, we've also seen some developments, including the reintroduction of the failed European Union Constitution as the "Reform Treaty" -- which creates a more powerful European Union with a more powerful foreign minister at its head (a position Javier Solana is a shoe-in for). We've also seen Mideast peace negotiations pick up pace ahead of President Bush's international conference in November. 

My dad would be so pleased to know we're "staying tuned."