Learn what will happen during the tribulation period from beginning to end
Your comments and questions are always welcome. To send comments and questions please click here to go to our main page. Wednesday, 9 October, 2002, 18:44 GMT 19:44 UK The European Union has taken a major step towards expanding into central and Eastern Europe - a move that will, barring last-minute problems, bring 10 new members by 2004. Thirteen years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the European Commission has approved a report judging 10 countries ready for membership. The report also supported Bulgaria and Romania's efforts to join in 2007, but no date has yet been set to start accession talks with Turkey. In an interview with the BBC, Turkish Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurell warned that relations between Ankara and the EU would suffer if the report was ratified. EU governments will take the final decisions on expanding the union at a summit in Brussels later this month, and then at a further summit in Copenhagen in December. END I don't believe this will come to pass, mainly because it's contrary to Bible prophecy. It is generally believed by most Bible scholars that the E.U. will eventually be reduced to ten-nations when the antichrist comes on the scene. Turkey is being considered for inclusion as well. They are presently not among the ten nations under consideration, but the U.S. is putting heavy pressure on the E.U. to include them by 2007. This will not happen, and if it does, it will be short lived. Here's something else that must be considered, it is believed be most Bible scholars that Turkey will be apart of the Russian led coalition that will attack Israel in the last days. I believe when this invasion takes place Israel will be under the protection of the antichrist and his kingdom (E.U.). There is concern among the present EU members that those under consideration will become a financial burden. Statistics show that the proposed countries will increase the union population by 20% but raise its wealth by only 5%. This will prove to be a financial disaster and I do not believe it will come to fruition by the 2004 target date. In light of this announcement, things would have to change dramatically in the near future. I have said many times, I believe that the Lord is going to rapture the church before the antichrist comes on the scene. There will probably be a time period between the rapture and the beginning of the tribulation period. During this timeframe wholesale changes will be made and nations maybe conquered. Of course, it's not out of the question that nations could merge or be absorbed for economic reasons.
The ten nations under consideration are Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
Pastor Malone