European Union

EU stands for the European Union. The European Union, previously known as the European Economic Community (or EEC) was established in 1957 by two treaties signed in Rome.

When the EU was formed, the idea was to unite Europe as “one entity” economically, politically and socially. It had six original Member States - Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands but as it has expanded and grown it now includes Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Finland, France, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Netherlands, United Kingdom.

To many that teach on Bible prophecy, the formation of the EU presented itself much like the revived Roman Empire of old. After all these treaties were for peace and unity, signed in what was once the capital city of the ancient Roman Empire. Not only that, the stated goal of the ECC, (EU) was to “foster peace and inter-governmental cooperation in foreign affairs.” It was a little suspicious.

Since this time, European nations have combined military forces and have even sent their multinational troops to work together. they have cooperated in faraway places like the Congo and closer to home in Bosnia after the Bosnia- Herzegovina War. Now the EU even has a common currency they introduced to the world at large in 1999, the Euro. In the fifty years since their inception, they have come a long way and they stand, on most issues, united.

The motto of the European Union is: “In varietate concordia,” meaning, “united in diversity” and the believe they stand together with the determination to build a better world based upon pillars or principals that everyone can agree upon. It's like a new and improved Roman flavored empire. The EU now shares a common market, a common currency, common agricultural policies, a common foreign and security policy as well as a common judicial system. Amazingly they have come together in all of this almost miraculously; having done it all without “a” leader.

Yes, they have done it all without a single Charlemagne. There was no Mussolini, no Napoloen Bonaparte, to lead them or enforce any rule. All these nations have united through the cooperation of their current leaders.

Victor Hugo may have had it right when he said, "A day will come when all the nations of this continent, without losing their distinct qualities or their glorious individuality, will fuse together in a higher unity and form the European brotherhood." But then again, he could have just been reading his Bible.