The Mediterranean Union: Another Roman Empire?
A commentary by Tom Robinson
Good News senior writer, St. Louis, Missouri
A media firestorm raged as Barack Obama was greeted in the Middle
East and Europe as a political superstar last week—but a potentially
far more important development in that part of the world the week
before garnered little attention.
On July 13, leaders of 43 countries surrounding the Mediterranean
(from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East) joined together
in Paris to launch a new regional union—the Mediterranean
Union or, as it's now officially called, the Union for the
Mediterranean. "It brought together around one table for the
first time dignitaries of such rival nations as Israel and Syria,
Algeria and Morocco, Turkey and Greece" (Associated Press).
This was a dream come true for French president Nicolas Sarkozy,
who championed the creation of the bloc upon assuming office just
last year. Sarkozy chaired the meeting jointly with Egyptian President
Hosni Mubarak—the two serving as interim presidents together,
as the union is to operate under a co-presidency of north and south.
The union goes beyond the stalled 1995 Barcelona Process, in which
the European Union and many of its neighbors to the south and southeast
formed the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership to promote regional stability
and prosperity.
Sarkozy proposed his union with grander aims—as "a means
to end all hatreds, to make way for a great dream of peace and a
great dream of civilization." Yet he initially limited it
to nations bordering the Mediterranean with the intent of enhancing
France's status.
Germany and other northern EU states, however, were outraged at
being cut out of this bloc that would take on a European character
and use European funds. In pushing forward with the new union, Sarkozy
was ultimately pressured into inscribing it within the EU framework
of the Barcelona Process.
For wider acceptance the initiative has been scaled back, so touchy
issues like immigration have given way to projects on solar energy,
marine pollution, and antiterrorism coordination. But it's
a start, and major issues will likely follow.
Some consider Sarkozy's plan to have faltered. But if that's
so, we must wonder why so many heads of state gathered to launch
the union, including Arab leaders sitting down at the same table
with Israel's prime minister. This was certainly a diplomatic
coup.
Notably absent was Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi, who did
send a representative. Angry that original plans for only a few
southern European and North African states were changed to include
the whole EU and the Middle East, including Israel (making it dangerous
for him to support), Gaddafi boycotted the meeting, saying, "We
shall have another Roman Empire and imperialist design" (quoted
in The Daily Telegraph, July 10).
Indeed, you too may find that the map of this new union looks uncomfortably
like the one in the back of your Bible of the ancient Roman Empire.
That empire likewise surrounded the Mediterranean—the Romans
taking pride in referring to it as Mare Nostrum, "Our
Sea."
Frankly, Gaddafi in this case is exactly right. Another Roman Empire
is indeed where things are headed even though most of the participants
are themselves blind to it.
Bible prophecy reveals that the Roman Empire—the fourth in
a succession of ancient empires—will be resurrected in the
last days (see Daniel 2; 7; Revelation 13; 17). We have long seen
this coming together in the increasing political integration of
the European Union, which began with the Treaty of Rome in 1957.
But in the past few years, integration has really picked up speed.
And now we have a larger union encompassing the breadth of the ancient
Roman Empire and then some.
Of further interest is the north-south co-presidency of the new
union. A lengthy prophecy in Daniel 11 details the historical struggle
in the Middle East between powers to the north and south of the
land of Israel. The "king of the South" of the end time
will attack the "king of the North," the ruler of Europe
who will retaliate and occupy parts of North Africa and the Middle
East, including Israel (verses 40-45). While North and South here
are often thought to be separate political entities entirely, they
could initially be participants in some sort of union who turn against
one another.
In any case, those who place their hope in this union to bring
peace to the Middle East and even the world will be sorely disappointed.
For prophecy speaks to this as well, warning us of a time of false
peace to be followed by the worst period in human history.
  To learn more about what the Bible says will happen in Europe and
the Middle East in the years to come, be sure to read our free booklets The
Middle East in Bible Prophecy and The
Book of Revelation Unveiled.
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