One of the most misunderstood Scriptures is where the Apostle Paul said:

 Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you.  For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night. While they are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pangs upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 New American Standard Bible).

The popular interpretation today is that Paul was referring to the world in general and Christ's second coming. In other words, when Paul said "they," he meant the entire unbelieving world. And the "destruction" that would come upon it refers to the second coming of Christ's at the end of the tribulation. 

The problem with this interpretation is, it doesn't follow what has come before. In fact, it's my opinion many of today's popular interpretations of prophecy make this same mistake. It's as if, since the New Testament book of Revelation was written, the Old Testament book of Daniel no longer has relevance. The fact is, you can't correctly understand Revelation apart from Daniel. They need to be studied side by side.

We must keep in mind that Paul was writing to first century Christians. By saying, “you yourselves know full well,” we can infer that Paul was reminding his readers about some commonly accepted view the early church had about prophecy. At this time, the book of Revelation had not yet been written. The main book for the study of prophecy in Paul's day was Daniel. And the fact that Jesus quoted much from Daniel caused the early Christians to take the book and its prophecies very seriously.

Paul was reminding his readers about the passage in Daniel about the coming Roman prince who will make a false seven-year agreement with Israel.  Daniel said:

 “And he (the Antichrist) will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wings of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate” (Daniel 9:27).

Here's my point: Since the prophecies in Daniel are mainly concerned with Israel, the surrounding nations and the Messiah, when Paul said, “While they are saying ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction will come upon them,” Paul was talking about unbelieving Israel and the coming of the one who will cause the destruction -- the Antichrist.

In other words, when the majority of the Israeli people are crying out for some man to come and bring them peace and security, that's when the Antichrist will appear on the scene with his false seven-year agreement.

And, it's my opinion the majority of the Israeli people began crying out in such a way in 1992 when they voted out Yitzhak Shamir and his Greater Israel policies, and voted in Yitzhak Rabin and his peace with security policies. 

This 1992 election marked a daring turning point for Israel in the Middle East peace process. It started Israel down that dangerous road of trading land for peace, leading them to the precarious situation in which they find themselves today. This has set the stage for the coming Antichrist

That's why I believe the EU's "Road Map" peace plan may actually be the road map for the coming Roman prince mentioned in the book of Daniel.

And, the beast of the book of Revelation may be rising from the sea.