Philippe crowned King of Belgium

Philippe of Belgium (Wikipedia)

There is now a new King of Belgium:

July 21, 2013

Belgium’s King Albert II has abdicated his throne after a 20-year reign, in favor of his son Philippe.

In a solemn ceremony at the royal palace on Sunday, the 79-year-old monarch signed the act of abdication in the presence of Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo, who holds the political power in the parliamentary democracy.

Earlier in the day, both Albert and Philippe attended a Catholic ceremony that set off the day of festivities, ahead of the swearing in of Philippe. http://www.voanews.com/content/belgian-king-abdicates-in-favor-of-son/1706045.html

July 21, 2013

In his final address before signing a legislative act to step down, 79-year-old King Albert said his country must remain a “source of inspiration” to Europe…He stressed his wish that Belgium – split between the Dutch-speaking north and the French south – remained united.

Balcony appearance

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In a colourful ceremony topped off by trumpet fanfare and cannon-fire, Philippe took his oath in the country’s three official languages – Dutch, French and German.

In Belgium, although the institution is largely ceremonial, laws need the king’s signature to come into force and, after an election, he appoints mediators to aid the formation of a governing coalition – typically a protracted process…

In the abdication ceremony at the royal palace in Brussels, the former monarch told his son: “You have all the emotional and intellectual qualities to serve our country well.” http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23393963

July 18, 2013

Philippe drew criticism when he entered the political debate in 2004, accusing Vlaams Belang of trying to rip Belgium apart.

“I can assure you that such people will have me to deal with,” he told Story magazine in an interview at the time…

Flemish critics view the 53-year-old Philippe as a French-speaking outsider. He is far less comfortable speaking Dutch than French, although he went to a Dutch-language secondary school after primary education in French.

Winning hearts and minds of the people, as newly crowned Willem Alexander has done in the Netherlands, may also depend on whether Philippe can soften his reserved image.

His wife Mathilde, who is often seen at public events involving children and appears more outgoing than her husband, proved more popular in the opinion poll by VTM and RTL. http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-new-belgium-king-faces-tough-task-of-uniting-a-divided-nation/1704773.html

Some in the past have been critical of Prince Philippe and questioned his ability to lead as his father’s replacement (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/belgian-crown-prince-at-heart-of-royal-scandal-8280136.html). But he is now king.

Prince Philippe has met with Europe’s President Herman Von Rompuy in the past (http://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/video/shotlist/meeting-with-the-prince-philippe-of-belgium) and also has had a lot of involvement in economic matters. I noticed that his father wants Belgium, and presumably Philippe himself, to be a “source of inspiration” to Europe.

The Bible tells of a time when Europe will reorganize and that “kings” will rule and then turn their authority over to the Beast power:

12 “The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have received no kingdom as yet, but they receive authority for one hour as kings with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they will give their power and authority to the beast. (Revelation 17:12-13)

While the above may or may not directly involve King Philippe, it does show that a different type of government is coming to Europe.

Notice that certain Catholic prophecies tell of a time that Europe’s governments will change and that one of their leaders (the Great Monarch) will rise up:

Rudolph Gekner (died 1675): A great prince of the North with a most powerful army will traverse all Europe, uproot all republics, and exterminate all rebels. His sword moved by Divine power will most valiantly defend the Church of Jesus Christ. He will combat on behalf of the true orthodox faith, and shall subdue to his dominion the Mahometan Empire…Peace will come to the world.

Pseudo-Methodius (7^th century):…At that same time the Muslims will be killed and they will know the tribulation…The Lord will give them to the powers of the Christians whose empire will be elevated above all empires…The Roman King (Great Monarch) will show a great indignation against those who will have denied Christ in Egypt or in Arabia.

At least one Catholic writer I saw comment about this said that he felt that the first prophesy meant that the republics in Europe would be replaced with monarchies or something similar. That may be. Or they may still use titles such as president or prime minister. We will see.

The Catholic prophecies about change in Europe are consistent to a degree with biblical ones. Yet the “Great Monarch” many of them speak fondly of seems to be the one warned against as the Beast of Revelation and the King of the North in Daniel 11 (for details, please see the article Who is the King of the North?).

While it is difficult to know at this stage if or how King Philippe may be involved in end time affairs, since Belgium is one of the countries that I believe will support the Beast/Great Monarch power that will rise up in a reorganized Europe, King Philippe may have more involvement than most could now suspect.

More information can be found in the following articles:

Who is the King of the North? Is there one? Do biblical and Roman Catholic prophecies for the Great Monarch point to the same leader? Should he be followed? Who will be the King of the North discussed in Daniel 11? Is a nuclear attack prophesied to happen to the English-speaking peoples of the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand? When do the 1335 days, 1290 days, and 1260 days (the time, times, and half a time) of Daniel 12 begin? When does the Bible show that economic collapse will affect the United States? Here is a link to a video titled: Can You Prove that the Beast to Come is European?
Europa, the Beast, and Revelation Where did Europe get its name? What might Europe have to do with the Book of Revelation? What about “the Beast”? Is an emerging European power “the daughter of Babylon”? What is ahead for Europe?
Might German Baron Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg become the King of the North? Is the German Defense Minister one to watch? What do Catholic, Byzantine, and biblical prophecies suggest?
Germany’s Assyrian Roots Throughout History Are the Germanic peoples descended from Asshur of the Bible? Have there been real Christians in Germanic history? What about the “Holy Roman Empire”? There is also a You-Tube video sermon on this titled Germany’s Biblical Origins.
Germany in Biblical and Catholic Prophecy Does Assyria in the Bible equate to an end time power inhabiting the area of the old Roman Empire? What does prophecy say Germany will do and what does it say will happen to most of the German people?
Catholic Prophecies: Do They Mirror, Highlight, or Contradict Biblical Prophecies? People of all faiths may be surprised to see what various Roman and Orthodox Catholic prophets have been predicting as many of their predictions will be looked to in the 21st century.