David Miliband, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's new Foreign Secretary, has stated that he sees the European Union as a "model power" which should be replicated around the world. He made the comments at a meeting at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, in what was his first major speech on Britain's relations with Europe. Miliband said he believed that enlargement of the European Union was its greatest tool for promoting stability in the world, and that the EU should consider extending its single market to bordering nations in the Middle East and North Africa. He also lamented the EU's lack of combat-readiness, and called on the bloc to improve its military capabilities to enable it to intervene in conflict situations around the world.

Quote: ""The EU will never be a superpower, but could be a model power of regional cooperation," he said in a speech prepared for delivery in the Belgium city of Bruges, where Britain's then prime minister Margaret Thatcher argued in 1988 against a European federalist superstate. "For success, the EU must be open to ideas, trade and people ... and it must be able to deploy soft and hard power to promote democracy and tackle conflicts beyond its borders," he said. The call for the EU to be ready to flex its military muscles is likely to go down well in Paris, which will make EU defence a key theme of its EU presidency in the second half of next year.

Of course the Scriptures state that Daniel's fourth beast would be different from all the other world empires that had come before it. The European Union is a supranational power. It came into being not through popular vote, but through the will of politicians who sold our sovereignty to the global elite. Europe's leaders are not elected by the people but are appointed by state governments, and remain completely unaccountable to those selfsame governments, yet they have the authority to dictate law to member nations. As we saw recently with the new EU Constitution, the European Union now has its own legal identity on the world stage and can establish its own relations with foreign powers. No wonder they are wanting to replicate this model across the whole earth. Daniel's prophecy also states the last world empire would engulf the whole world, and that may be what we are witnessing today. Praise God that the kingdoms of this world are destined to become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ (Revelation 12:10).

Daniel 7:23-27
Thus he said, The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom upon earth, which shall be diverse from all kingdoms, and shall devour the whole earth, and shall tread it down, and break it in pieces. And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings. And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end. And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. 

Are you a citizen of God's kingdom? To become a citizen of this kingdom, you must first have a relationship with its King, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 49:7
Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.

He was the one who was despised by men (Isaiah 53:3), He was the one that was abhorred by the nation of Israel (Matthew 27:25). He was the servant of rulers that shall one day be worshipped by kings. Through faith in Him and His sacrifice on the cross, He provides for you a place in His kingdom (Luke 23:42). Trust in Him for salvation today.

Isaiah 52:13-15
Behold, my servant (Jesus Christ) shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high. As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men (His crucifixion):  So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Source Reuters