Welcome to Anchors of Truth live
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
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Well, this is a beautiful cold
night here in southern Illinois.
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And we just welcome
every single one of you,
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because it is warm
here in this auditorium.
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And we're mostly warmed
by the gracious people that
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have come to be with us tonight.
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And by Pastor James Rafferty,
who's going to be our speaker
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in this very
important series entitled,
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Prophetic Insights
Into Current Events.
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Now this is important, because
you know, I've heard a lot of
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people say you can take
the newspaper and your Bible
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and sit down and just
see things being fulfilled.
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I want to tell you something.
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I think that has probably
never been truer than today.
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And we are seeing so many
things fulfilled in prophecy
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right in our
day and in our time.
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And so we're going to
look at those tonight.
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We're going to look at some that
may be and some that may not be.
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And we're going to have what
Pastor James is referring to
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as a prophetic sweep of history.
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Now James Rafferty is
the co-director and speaker
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with Light Bearers Ministry.
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He and Ty Gibson are the primary
founders and movers and shakers
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of that wonderful ministry that
is working around the world.
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Both of them are
favorites here at 3ABN.
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And we know that you
have enjoyed the ministry of
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both of these men.
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David Asscherick has
also worked with them
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and continues to
evangelize around the world.
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David is part of that
three young men who I believe
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God is using in a
very powerful way.
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So we're very happy that
James could be with us tonight.
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Before he comes, we're
going to have some music.
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And then also I want
to offer a word of prayer.
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Shall we bow our heads together.
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Father in heaven, we
Thank You tonight for Jesus.
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We thank You for the
assurance of salvation
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that comes only through
Him and not through anything
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that we can do ourselves,
but what He has done for us.
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And by our claiming it
and allowing Him to live out
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His life within us,
"I'm crucified with Christ,"
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the apostle Paul said.
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"Nevertheless I live; yet
not I, but Christ liveth in me.
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And the life which I now
live in the flesh I live by the
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faith of the Son
of God, who loved me
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and gave Himself for me."
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Father, we thank
You for that experience
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of salvation
through Your Son, Jesus.
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And tonight as we look at
the Word and we look at the
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prophecies of the Word,
we pray that You will send
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Your Holy Spirit to
speak to each of our hearts.
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And we thank You
in the name of our
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Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
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Amen.
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Just before James
Rafferty comes, Celestine Berry
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is going to sing for us,
Make My Life A Prayer To You.
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Make my life a prayer to You;
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I want to do
what You want me to.
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No empty words
and no white lies;
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no token prayers, no compromise.
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I want to shine
the light You gave
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through Your Son
You sent to save us
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from ourselves and our despair.
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It comforts me to
know You're really there.
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But I want to thank You
now for being patient with me.
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Oh it's so hard to see
when my eyes are on me.
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I guess I'll have to trust
and just believe what You say.
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Oh You're coming again,
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coming to take me away.
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I want to die and let
You give Your life to me
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so I might live and
share the hope You gave to me;
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the love that set me free.
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I want to tell
the world out there
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You're not some
fable or fairy tale
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that I've made
up inside my head.
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You're God the Son;
You've risen from the dead.
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Oh I want to thank You
now for being patient with me.
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Oh it's so hard to see
when my eyes are on me.
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I guess I'll have to trust
and just believe what You say.
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Oh You're coming again,
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coming to take me away.
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I want to die and let
You give Your life to me
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so I might live and
share the hope You gave to me.
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I want to share the
love that set me free.
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Amen.
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That was a blessing.
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Well we are going to be studying
Bible prophecy this evening.
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And I'd like you
to open your Bibles to
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the gospel of John chapter 14.
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We're going to look
at a couple of verses
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as we get started tonight.
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And we're going to
go over this series.
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It's going to be
a five part series.
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You know that, right?
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And by the way,
thank you for venturing out
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into the cold this evening.
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It's a blessing
to be here with you.
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I left 80 degrees southern
California to be here with you
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here in Illinois in
February in sub zero weather.
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But praise God.
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It's warm in
here. My heart is warm.
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The Word of God is powerful.
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And no matter what our
environment is around us,
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we can have hope and
courage because we have Jesus,
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who is the center
of Bible prophecy.
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John chapter 14 and verse
29, Christ explains to us here
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what Bible prophecy
is really all about.
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In John 14 and verse 29, He
says, "And now I have told you
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before it come to pass,
that when it come to pass
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you might believe."
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Bible prophecy is a
revelation of events
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that are going to happen
before they come to pass.
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In other words, it's a
revelation of future events.
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Things that Jesus is telling
us before they actually happen.
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Jesus says, "I'm telling you
about things before they happen
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so that when they actually
happen you might believe."
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Now we don't have
much choice but to believe
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in an event once it happens.
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I mean, we see around
us events taking place
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and we can't really deny
that they've actually happened.
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But there's
more to it than this.
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If you just go back one page...
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Well one page in my Bible.
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I don't know how many
pages that is in yours.
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It might just be half a page.
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If you back to John
chapter 13 and verse 19,
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Jesus here gives the same idea,
but a little bit more detail.
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Notice what it says here,
John chapter 13 and verse 19,
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"Now I tell you before it come,
that when it is come to pass,
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you might believe..."
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That's where we left
off in John 14 verse 29.
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"...you might
believe that I am He."
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I want to suggest to you
this evening that Bible prophecy
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is really all about Jesus.
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I thought about this when I was
preparing for these meetings,
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I thought about this question.
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What if we removed
the cross from the Bible?
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What if Calvary was actually
taken out of the Old Testament
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and out of the New Testament?
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What if there was
no Jesus in the Bible?
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Would it make a difference?
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Is it possible that in some
preaching and in some sermons
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nothing would change?
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This might be especially true
when we think of Bible prophecy.
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There is, perhaps, no
other avenue of Bible study
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that seems to contain so much
absence of Jesus than prophecy.
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Especially eschatological
or end time prophecy.
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Think about that.
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When you watch programs
that talk about Revelation,
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talk about prophecy, and
talk about the end of time
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and what's going to happen,
how much of that focuses on,
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how much of that
centers around Jesus?
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You talk about the antichrist
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and the beast and
the mark of the beast.
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You talk about the calamities
that are taking place,
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the economic
situation that's taking place.
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And indeed, we're going
to cover all of these things.
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We're looking tonight at a
sweep of prophetic history.
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Just a broad picture
of what prophetic history
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looks like in the
context of the Bible.
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Tomorrow we're
going to be looking at,
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The Prophetic Rise
of America in Prophecy.
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And then, The
Transformation of America,
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according to Bible prophecy.
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And then, The
Coming Economic Control.
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And finally, How to
Prepare for Final Events.
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So all of this is part
of what God is opening to us
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in Bible prophecy.
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Well I want to say,
that last meeting is probably
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going to be the most important;
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How to Prepare
for Coming Events.
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And we're going to weave
that through the entire series.
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Because I think it is vital for
us, as we open Bible prophecy,
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to recognize that,
primarily, Bible prophecy is
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a development, a revelation,
of truth that helps our hearts
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and our minds to understand
the true identity of who God is.
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The person of Jesus
Christ came to this earth
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to reveal to us the
heart of the Father.
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That's why Jesus said to His
disciples at one point, He said,
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"You know, if you've seen Me..."
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Because Thomas was saying, "Show
us the Father, that'll be good."
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"If you've seen Me,
you've seen..." Who?
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"...the Father."
00:13:06.52\00:13:07.74
And in another place, Jesus
says, "You know, no one has
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actually seen the Father."
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And we struggle with
that at times, because we know
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there have been individuals
who have met the Father,
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or at least have met
God, or have gone to heaven.
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But Jesus says, "No one
has really seen the Father."
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What He means by that primarily
is, "No one truly understands
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the heart and character
of the Father like I do.
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I'm the only one that
has come from the Father.
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I'm the only one
that can actually disclose
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what God is like."
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Now I believe that Bible
prophecy is God's effort,
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and Satan's counter
effort to obscure the Father.
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The character of the
Father, the character of God.
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Who He really is.
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What this world is really
all about, why we're here.
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I mean, we talk about beasts,
and dragons, and judgments,
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and antichrist,
and impending doom.
00:14:00.10\00:14:02.24
And yet, in all this
talk many times we mention
00:14:02.27\00:14:05.74
little about Jesus,
or God's great love.
00:14:05.77\00:14:08.96
This is really not a mystery.
00:14:10.78\00:14:13.73
I mean, the whole idea of being
afraid of prophecy, for example,
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or feeling that prophecy
is something that is scary,
00:14:19.64\00:14:24.31
all of that actually
comes to us from the enemy.
00:14:25.37\00:14:30.81
Someone who doesn't really
want us to know what's going on,
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what's going to happen, and
the events that are coming upon
00:14:33.88\00:14:36.87
the world like an
overwhelming surprise.
00:14:36.90\00:14:39.10
And it's not a mystery,
it's not a mystery at all.
00:14:39.92\00:14:41.57
You see, it has
always been Satan's effort
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to misrepresent and obscure God,
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so that we would be
confused about what He is.
00:14:52.52\00:14:56.22
From Genesis to Revelation
we see this taking place.
00:14:56.25\00:14:59.67
And as we look at this
broad sweep of prophecy,
00:14:59.77\00:15:03.25
we need to think
about it as history.
00:15:03.28\00:15:06.14
Bible prophecy
is really history.
00:15:06.27\00:15:08.21
But it's more than just
history like man's history.
00:15:08.24\00:15:10.41
Bible prophecy is His story.
00:15:10.44\00:15:12.43
H- i-s, His story.
00:15:13.14\00:15:15.74
It's God's story of history.
00:15:15.90\00:15:18.87
It's an accurate
account of history.
00:15:18.90\00:15:21.09
Something that we don't
really find in the world today.
00:15:21.12\00:15:25.00
That's why the Bible is so raw
sometimes, you know, so real.
00:15:25.59\00:15:29.03
Sometimes we think, "Well, why
did God put that in the Bible?"
00:15:29.13\00:15:32.00
Because God is real.
00:15:32.03\00:15:33.27
God is wanting
to be real with us.
00:15:33.72\00:15:36.65
And He wants us to recognize
that we can be real with Him.
00:15:36.68\00:15:39.69
And so He reveals us as we are.
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He reveals actions that
we don't always understand.
00:15:42.76\00:15:46.71
Things that He's doing
that we don't always get.
00:15:46.74\00:15:48.94
But as we discover more
and more of the heart of God
00:15:48.97\00:15:51.42
and we see Him in Bible
prophecy and in the Bible,
00:15:51.45\00:15:55.18
we see Him working
out a will that is always
00:15:55.21\00:15:58.55
intending to be good toward us.
00:15:58.58\00:16:00.59
We get more and
more of the big picture,
00:16:00.62\00:16:02.46
and all the other
pieces come into place.
00:16:02.49\00:16:04.95
Now in order to
understand this broad sweep,
00:16:05.75\00:16:08.98
we've got to all the way
back to the very beginning.
00:16:09.01\00:16:10.69
And that's what I
want to do this evening.
00:16:10.72\00:16:11.76
I want to go all the way
back to the very beginning.
00:16:11.79\00:16:13.25
Because Bible prophecy
is really about uncovering
00:16:13.28\00:16:18.28
the lie about God.
00:16:18.31\00:16:20.61
The deception about God.
00:16:21.30\00:16:23.24
And in the end of time
that deception, that lie,
00:16:23.27\00:16:25.47
is going to become so
overwhelming that we're not
00:16:25.50\00:16:29.02
going to know which
way to go or what to do.
00:16:29.05\00:16:32.14
It was 1984 when I first
started studying Bible prophecy.
00:16:33.20\00:16:36.12
I was, well I was a few
years out of high school.
00:16:36.15\00:16:39.47
I did a lot of pre-college
before and during high school,
00:16:39.50\00:16:44.25
but I never actually
ended up going to college.
00:16:44.28\00:16:46.16
1980 is when I graduated.
00:16:47.22\00:16:48.88
And by 1984, my life
was in pretty much a spiral
00:16:48.91\00:16:52.52
going downward.
00:16:52.55\00:16:53.93
You remember those
years as the years when,
00:16:54.33\00:16:58.10
well communism was a
major threat in the world.
00:16:58.68\00:17:01.47
Remember that?
00:17:01.50\00:17:02.67
I was recently at
the Reagan Museum/Library
00:17:02.70\00:17:06.97
last week in Simi Valley.
00:17:07.35\00:17:08.64
They had the 103rd anniversary
of Ronald Reagan's birthday.
00:17:08.67\00:17:13.21
And I'd never been to
this library museum before.
00:17:13.85\00:17:16.08
It's actually really
something that was intriguing.
00:17:16.11\00:17:20.31
And I'm encouraging,
if you get the chance
00:17:20.34\00:17:21.81
to go there, if
you have opportunity.
00:17:21.84\00:17:23.27
They have Air Force One parked
in there and the helicopter.
00:17:23.30\00:17:26.18
And they all kinds of video
footage from back in the days
00:17:26.21\00:17:30.77
when I was in high school
and moving toward my 20's.
00:17:30.80\00:17:36.35
I was still a teenager
when all of that was going down.
00:17:36.38\00:17:39.66
I accepted Christ
and got serious about God
00:17:39.69\00:17:42.65
when I was 21 years of age.
00:17:42.68\00:17:44.17
But before that
time, I was uncertain about
00:17:44.20\00:17:46.52
anything and everything.
00:17:46.55\00:17:47.63
I just figured that we were all
going to get nuked, you know.
00:17:47.66\00:17:50.57
And as I went through
this museum, this library,
00:17:50.60\00:17:52.97
as I went through and
looked at the video footage,
00:17:53.00\00:17:54.55
I just remembered
reading and watching
00:17:54.58\00:17:57.24
all of this stuff unfold.
00:17:57.27\00:17:59.04
It was just like
going back in memory's lane.
00:17:59.07\00:18:01.98
There it was.
00:18:02.76\00:18:04.05
And there were some
things that they had in there
00:18:04.25\00:18:06.24
that I didn't quite remember and
didn't know about at the time.
00:18:06.27\00:18:09.32
But here, it was
coming out now, you know.
00:18:09.35\00:18:11.31
All of the different
talks and negotiations that
00:18:11.34\00:18:13.21
were taking place.
00:18:13.24\00:18:14.45
And how Ronald Reagan
said, "Take this wall down."
00:18:14.48\00:18:18.73
"Tear this wall down," you know.
00:18:18.76\00:18:20.10
And his writers, the
editors, took that piece
00:18:20.13\00:18:23.21
out of his speech.
00:18:23.24\00:18:24.40
And then he put
it back in again.
00:18:24.68\00:18:25.88
And then they took it out again,
and he put it back in again.
00:18:25.91\00:18:28.29
And what a difference it
made, what an impact it made.
00:18:29.20\00:18:31.36
But I do remember
thinking when he was elected
00:18:31.39\00:18:34.64
that there was no way we were
going to survive for very long.
00:18:35.02\00:18:39.46
He was
challenging the status quo.
00:18:39.82\00:18:43.32
Placing nukes in western
Europe pointed at Russia.
00:18:43.89\00:18:47.43
He was challenging
the power that then was
00:18:47.46\00:18:52.92
controlling much of the world.
00:18:52.95\00:18:54.06
Out numbering us two to one.
00:18:54.09\00:18:55.72
And in that context I just
thought, "Well, what's the use,
00:18:56.81\00:19:00.92
what's the use, what's the
use of even going to college?
00:19:00.95\00:19:05.09
What's the use of
getting an education?
00:19:05.12\00:19:06.73
This whole world is just
going to be blown to bits.
00:19:06.97\00:19:09.29
One false move and it's over.
00:19:09.95\00:19:12.08
Push too far and
it's going to end."
00:19:12.11\00:19:14.12
So that was really a
lot of my motivation.
00:19:14.32\00:19:16.01
I didn't have an understanding
of the Bible at that point.
00:19:16.04\00:19:18.35
And I remember when I first
began to study Bible prophecy.
00:19:18.38\00:19:21.65
And I was, you know,
shown this outline of history
00:19:23.41\00:19:28.93
that specifically directed us in
a completely different channel
00:19:30.07\00:19:36.91
than the one that
I was thinking of,
00:19:36.94\00:19:38.71
and identified end time powers
that were different than the
00:19:39.65\00:19:47.14
ones that were now in place.
00:19:47.17\00:19:48.78
At least in the 1980's.
00:19:49.85\00:19:51.70
I was challenged to the core.
00:19:52.47\00:19:54.30
And it was only as I understood
some of the principles and
00:19:55.29\00:19:57.41
truths that I want
us to look at tonight
00:19:57.44\00:20:00.08
that I had
confidence to believe.
00:20:01.25\00:20:04.50
"Okay, alright.
00:20:05.00\00:20:06.68
If this is accurate, if this
is really the way it's laid out,
00:20:07.06\00:20:11.59
if the Bible can be
trusted, then I believe,
00:20:11.87\00:20:15.29
I have to believe, that
communism is going to fall.
00:20:15.32\00:20:19.78
Communism is
going to be vanquished."
00:20:21.05\00:20:22.75
That was 1984.
00:20:22.78\00:20:24.43
I accepted the Bible
and Bible prophecy as true.
00:20:27.12\00:20:29.87
I gave my heart to Jesus.
00:20:31.28\00:20:32.85
I followed His word.
00:20:33.05\00:20:34.83
I'm making a
long story short now.
00:20:34.86\00:20:36.86
And four years later in 1989,
well five years later in 1989,
00:20:36.89\00:20:42.42
we all were shocked...
00:20:43.10\00:20:45.71
I wouldn't say
every single person,
00:20:45.97\00:20:47.28
but a lot of us were shocked.
00:20:47.31\00:20:48.35
...by the sudden
collapse of the communist power.
00:20:48.38\00:20:51.70
It just happened like
overnight. You remember that?
00:20:51.73\00:20:53.76
I talk to young
people today who weren't even
00:20:55.73\00:20:58.15
alive when that happened.
00:20:58.18\00:20:59.40
And I just think,
"Wow, they missed it all."
00:20:59.43\00:21:02.09
In a sense, we lived through
amazing prophetic history.
00:21:02.12\00:21:07.64
We really did.
00:21:07.84\00:21:09.04
And to think back, as I
went through this library,
00:21:09.94\00:21:12.83
this museum, to think back that
I was living during those days
00:21:12.86\00:21:16.56
when all of this was
coming down, and my faith
00:21:16.59\00:21:19.68
in 1984 took a
complete about turn, about face,
00:21:20.00\00:21:24.32
and started planting
itself on the Word of God.
00:21:24.35\00:21:27.61
And believing, not
because of Reaganomics,
00:21:27.64\00:21:31.01
not because of the challenge
that we were, Americans,
00:21:31.04\00:21:34.50
putting against communism,
but because of Bible prophecy
00:21:34.53\00:21:37.48
that this system
was going to come down.
00:21:37.51\00:21:39.96
That it couldn't
last much longer.
00:21:39.99\00:21:41.89
And then to see that
faith rewarded in 1989.
00:21:42.67\00:21:46.67
It just shot through the roof.
00:21:46.70\00:21:48.23
And this is the
point of Bible prophecy.
00:21:48.99\00:21:51.20
The point of Bible prophecy
is to help us to understand
00:21:51.23\00:21:54.88
events that are
coming before they happen.
00:21:54.91\00:21:58.87
So that when they happen
our faith can be strengthened.
00:22:00.06\00:22:04.71
Now we can't
understand everything.
00:22:05.09\00:22:06.78
And there are some events that
we won't really know in detail
00:22:06.81\00:22:10.18
until they actually happen.
00:22:10.21\00:22:11.42
But there are, according
to the Bible, there are
00:22:11.45\00:22:13.93
a lot of things that God
can reveal to us, that He is
00:22:13.96\00:22:17.39
revealing to us,
before they happen
00:22:17.42\00:22:19.25
so that we won't
be caught by surprise.
00:22:19.49\00:22:21.67
So that when they
happen, we will be prepared
00:22:21.70\00:22:24.56
rather than scared.
00:22:24.59\00:22:26.59
Now can Bible prophecy be scary?
00:22:26.90\00:22:28.28
Yeah,
absolutely. It can be scary.
00:22:28.31\00:22:30.62
But I don't think it can
be one bit scarier than what's
00:22:30.78\00:22:34.12
going on in the world today.
00:22:34.15\00:22:35.40
And I was confused back then.
00:22:36.14\00:22:37.37
I didn't know what my
future was going to be.
00:22:37.40\00:22:39.83
I wasn't even motivated
to participate in anything
00:22:39.86\00:22:44.17
that had me living on this
earth more than 10 or 20 years.
00:22:44.20\00:22:48.58
But today, I'm very motivated.
00:22:48.61\00:22:50.63
Because I know
that I have a Savior,
00:22:51.57\00:22:54.12
and His Word is
sure, and there's a future,
00:22:54.15\00:22:56.76
and there is a hope.
00:22:56.79\00:22:57.90
There is something
that we can look forward to,
00:22:58.25\00:23:00.13
and there is something
that we can do to prepare
00:23:00.16\00:23:01.57
for that future, and there's
something we can do to help
00:23:01.60\00:23:04.19
others prepare for that
future and have that same hope.
00:23:04.22\00:23:06.68
And that's really the bottom
line of what this is all about.
00:23:07.23\00:23:09.39
We go all the way back
now to the book of Genesis,
00:23:11.22\00:23:14.11
and we look here at the
very beginning of creation.
00:23:14.14\00:23:18.00
And everything God created
at the beginning was good.
00:23:18.03\00:23:20.01
And by the way,
Genesis chapter 3 is bookmarked
00:23:20.04\00:23:24.40
by Revelation, specifically
Revelation 21 and 22.
00:23:24.43\00:23:27.70
In Genesis chapters 1
and 2 we begin with creation,
00:23:28.81\00:23:32.85
we're in the garden.
00:23:32.88\00:23:33.91
In Revelation 21 and 22,
we're back in the garden.
00:23:33.94\00:23:36.66
In Genesis 1 and 2,
everything God made was good.
00:23:37.79\00:23:40.86
There was no pain,
there was no suffering,
00:23:40.89\00:23:42.27
there was no death,
there was no sorrow.
00:23:42.30\00:23:43.97
In Revelation 21 and
22, we've been returned
00:23:44.00\00:23:47.05
to that state of being.
00:23:47.08\00:23:48.21
There's a new
heaven, there's a earth.
00:23:48.24\00:23:49.98
There's no more pain,
there's no more sorrow,
00:23:50.10\00:23:51.59
there's no more crying.
00:23:51.62\00:23:52.72
In Genesis chapter 3, a
change took place because...
00:23:55.19\00:23:59.98
Well let's just read the verses.
00:24:00.08\00:24:01.11
Genesis chapter 3,
beginning with verse 1.
00:24:01.14\00:24:02.88
"Now the serpent was more subtle
than any beast of the field
00:24:02.91\00:24:07.00
which the Lord God had made.
00:24:07.03\00:24:08.56
And he said unto the
woman, 'Yea, hath God said,
00:24:08.59\00:24:11.77
"You shall not eat of
every tree of the garden?"'
00:24:11.80\00:24:14.49
And the woman said
unto the serpent," verse 2,
00:24:15.02\00:24:16.88
"'We may eat of the fruit
of the trees of the garden.
00:24:16.91\00:24:19.19
But of the fruit of the
tree which is in the midst
00:24:19.50\00:24:22.10
of the garden, God hath
said, "You shall not eat of it,
00:24:22.13\00:24:25.42
neither shall you
touch it, lest you die."'
00:24:25.45\00:24:27.60
And the serpent said unto the
woman," listen closely to this,
00:24:28.31\00:24:32.35
"You shall not surely die."
00:24:32.55\00:24:37.20
Now what did God say?
00:24:37.69\00:24:38.82
"You will die."
00:24:40.04\00:24:41.07
What did the serpent say?
00:24:41.16\00:24:42.36
The serpent
said, "God is a liar."
00:24:43.51\00:24:46.57
That's what the serpent said.
00:24:47.04\00:24:48.30
"God is a liar."
00:24:48.76\00:24:49.85
And that is why Jesus, in
John chapter 8 and verse 44,
00:24:51.04\00:24:55.49
called the devil
the father of lies.
00:24:55.52\00:24:58.63
Personal question tonight.
00:25:01.86\00:25:03.17
When was the last
time you told a lie?
00:25:04.68\00:25:06.44
Oh I know, we
call them white lies.
00:25:10.81\00:25:12.26
But it's a lie, none the less.
00:25:12.29\00:25:15.53
I remember the first time
that I was ever devastated
00:25:16.22\00:25:19.62
by a white lie.
00:25:20.17\00:25:21.94
I was 9 or 10 years old.
00:25:22.61\00:25:25.65
It was...
00:25:26.92\00:25:28.37
I'm going to give it away now.
00:25:29.30\00:25:30.68
...December 25.
00:25:31.07\00:25:32.71
Do you know where I'm going?
00:25:35.67\00:25:36.85
It was December 25, and I
learned for the first time
00:25:37.40\00:25:41.63
in my life...
00:25:41.66\00:25:43.39
Remember, I'm 9 or 10 years old.
00:25:43.42\00:25:45.73
I learned for the
first time in my life
00:25:45.76\00:25:47.09
that there is no such person...
00:25:47.12\00:25:49.24
I hope there's no young
children watching tonight
00:25:49.66\00:25:52.79
who have never heard this.
00:25:54.01\00:25:56.38
But if there is, I apologize.
00:25:56.97\00:25:59.99
I know it devastated me.
00:26:01.28\00:26:02.70
...there is no such
person as Santa Clause
00:26:03.29\00:26:08.99
living in the north
pole delivering gifts,
00:26:09.61\00:26:11.51
knows who is naughty and nice.
00:26:11.54\00:26:13.00
All counterfeits of
the truth, if you ask me.
00:26:13.20\00:26:14.92
But here's the point.
00:26:14.95\00:26:16.53
My confidence, my
faith, in my mother
00:26:16.56\00:26:24.09
was shaken to the core.
00:26:24.74\00:26:26.25
You might think,
"Well, that's so ridiculous.
00:26:27.59\00:26:29.44
I mean, you know,
you're just a little kid
00:26:29.47\00:26:31.17
and it's no big deal.
00:26:31.20\00:26:32.65
And, you know,
everyone... Nobody..."
00:26:32.68\00:26:34.40
No, my confidence
was shaken to the core.
00:26:34.43\00:26:38.21
I wondered if I could or
should ever trust my mom again.
00:26:39.08\00:26:43.18
In my little kid brain,
that's the way I thought.
00:26:43.21\00:26:45.57
Because I believed it.
00:26:46.95\00:26:48.44
And it wasn't true.
00:26:48.78\00:26:50.18
It was a lie.
00:26:50.21\00:26:51.63
There's no such
thing as a white lie.
00:26:52.92\00:26:56.16
I don't think there is.
00:26:56.67\00:26:57.84
That's my opinion.
00:26:58.04\00:26:59.17
But I want you to
know how serious this is.
00:26:59.86\00:27:03.28
Because when we go to
Genesis chapter 3, we find
00:27:03.31\00:27:06.63
that the whole problem
begins with a lie about God.
00:27:06.66\00:27:11.83
And when we get to
Revelation chapter 22...
00:27:12.37\00:27:16.76
Which by the way,
again, is the answer.
00:27:17.88\00:27:21.21
Or chapter 21, we read
about this beautiful picture of
00:27:22.15\00:27:26.15
the new heaven
and the new earth.
00:27:26.18\00:27:27.59
We read about how
pain and sorrow and death
00:27:27.62\00:27:30.55
is going to be done away with.
00:27:30.58\00:27:31.72
And God is going to
wipe away every tear.
00:27:31.75\00:27:33.74
And then John continues
to describe, in verse 8,
00:27:33.89\00:27:38.87
those who aren't going
to be in the kingdom of God,
00:27:39.16\00:27:42.34
in the city of God.
00:27:42.37\00:27:43.40
And he says, "But the
fearful, and the unbelieving,
00:27:43.43\00:27:46.77
and the
abominable, and the murderers,
00:27:46.80\00:27:48.32
and the
whoremongers, and the sorcerers,
00:27:48.35\00:27:49.75
and the
idolaters, and all liars..."
00:27:49.78\00:27:53.30
Wow.
00:27:55.17\00:27:56.23
Lying is a serious thing.
00:27:58.22\00:27:59.81
Now there are a number
of reasons why we do it.
00:28:00.78\00:28:02.87
And we're going to look at that
as we move through prophecy.
00:28:03.63\00:28:06.28
The number one
reason, I think, for all of us
00:28:06.77\00:28:09.81
is insecurity.
00:28:09.84\00:28:11.15
We're just insecure.
00:28:11.18\00:28:12.61
We are naturally, in
our fallen state, insecure.
00:28:12.64\00:28:16.88
And so we find ourselves in
situations where it's difficult
00:28:17.66\00:28:20.12
for us to take the
onus, the responsibility,
00:28:20.15\00:28:22.27
for whatever it is in
our situation that we need to
00:28:22.30\00:28:24.45
take responsibility for.
00:28:24.48\00:28:25.51
I know that's why I lie.
00:28:25.54\00:28:26.82
And therefore, we
go into default mode.
00:28:32.34\00:28:34.40
And default mode is,
"Umm, yeah, I said that."
00:28:34.43\00:28:40.06
"No, no. No, I didn't do that."
00:28:40.97\00:28:42.53
"Oh, I didn't mean that."
00:28:42.80\00:28:44.10
"Well, that was an accident."
00:28:44.67\00:28:46.00
"Did I really say that?"
00:28:46.03\00:28:47.22
"Yeah, I have it recorded here."
00:28:52.86\00:28:54.26
You know, living in
the world we live in today,
00:28:54.81\00:28:56.66
you have to be careful.
00:28:56.69\00:28:57.89
Because...
00:28:57.92\00:28:59.62
But you really
don't have to be careful
00:29:02.50\00:29:03.98
if you relax and
recognize your fallenness.
00:29:04.01\00:29:08.84
And then put
your trust in Jesus.
00:29:08.87\00:29:11.35
We're getting off
track just a little bit here,
00:29:11.38\00:29:12.80
but this is important.
00:29:12.83\00:29:13.94
We're preparing
for the end of time.
00:29:13.97\00:29:16.41
How important is this?
00:29:16.51\00:29:17.78
When we get into the
midst of current events,
00:29:17.81\00:29:23.44
into Bible
prophecy, we're going to find
00:29:23.77\00:29:26.57
that deception is at
the center of the game plan
00:29:28.41\00:29:32.56
for our ruin.
00:29:32.59\00:29:34.82
Deception.
00:29:34.85\00:29:35.88
And I believe that the only way
that we're going to recognize
00:29:36.58\00:29:40.64
that deception, we're going
to be able to identify that
00:29:40.67\00:29:43.18
deception completely and
totally, is if we ourselves
00:29:43.21\00:29:46.67
are genuinely
connected with the truth.
00:29:46.70\00:29:51.29
And that we will shed
every fiber of dishonesty,
00:29:51.49\00:29:56.91
falsehood, and
lying from our being.
00:29:56.94\00:29:58.62
If we would be 100% honest
with ourselves and with others
00:29:59.43\00:30:02.16
and just shed that,
we'll recognize deception
00:30:02.19\00:30:04.43
as soon as it pulls
its head around the corner.
00:30:04.46\00:30:07.36
"Whoop, no, no."
00:30:07.39\00:30:09.24
And that is one of the ways
God longs for us to prepare.
00:30:11.16\00:30:15.07
Now, here's the devil
coming to us, Eve specifically,
00:30:15.10\00:30:20.00
in the garden of Eden.
00:30:20.03\00:30:21.06
"You won't surely die."
00:30:21.09\00:30:22.12
Lie.
00:30:22.15\00:30:23.18
"For God knows that in
the day you eat thereof,
00:30:23.87\00:30:27.25
your eyes shall be opened,
and you shall be as gods,
00:30:27.28\00:30:30.57
knowing good and evil."
00:30:30.60\00:30:32.81
Okay, so first of all, he lies.
00:30:32.84\00:30:35.17
And then the second
thing he says basically is,
00:30:35.20\00:30:37.73
"God is withholding
something from you."
00:30:37.76\00:30:40.48
Now think about this.
00:30:40.72\00:30:41.75
"God is withholding
something from you."
00:30:41.78\00:30:42.96
So that means that God is what?
00:30:42.99\00:30:44.99
Selfish.
00:30:46.31\00:30:47.43
Self-centered.
00:30:48.17\00:30:49.57
"God knows that if you..."
00:30:50.02\00:30:51.47
And then he goes on to
say, "You'll be like Him.
00:30:56.92\00:30:59.53
And obviously, God doesn't
want you to be like Him."
00:30:59.56\00:31:02.62
Ehnk.
00:31:03.52\00:31:04.63
We were made in His image.
00:31:04.83\00:31:06.22
We were made in
the image of God.
00:31:06.25\00:31:07.55
He wants, He longs
for us to be like Him.
00:31:07.58\00:31:09.72
So you've got lies, you've got
deception, you've got self...
00:31:11.35\00:31:14.45
You've got God
being misrepresented.
00:31:14.48\00:31:16.92
Completely misrepresented.
00:31:17.02\00:31:18.82
Now why have we gone all the
way back to the book of Genesis?
00:31:18.85\00:31:21.94
Well the reason is because
it's really important for us to
00:31:23.16\00:31:26.85
recognize a principle that
God has allowed in the context
00:31:26.88\00:31:31.43
of the story, history,
that plays into Bible history.
00:31:31.46\00:31:35.47
And that principle
is... Or prophetic history.
00:31:35.50\00:31:38.01
And that principle is the
principle that's based on love.
00:31:38.04\00:31:40.96
And that is the
principle of freedom.
00:31:40.99\00:31:42.42
We could ask the
question, well why did God allow
00:31:42.73\00:31:45.06
Adam and Eve to be deceived?
00:31:45.09\00:31:46.39
Why did He allow Satan
to go in there and just...
00:31:46.42\00:31:48.15
Why didn't He just pop in there
and say, "Hey, wait a minute.
00:31:48.18\00:31:50.12
Don't listen to him.
00:31:50.15\00:31:51.18
Stop right there."
00:31:51.68\00:31:52.90
Because God is love.
00:31:54.40\00:31:55.88
And love requires freedom.
00:31:56.24\00:32:00.05
Which comes with risk.
00:32:00.08\00:32:01.72
God has to allow
freedom as the very foundation
00:32:03.03\00:32:06.43
of His government of love.
00:32:06.86\00:32:09.49
If God jumped in,
jumped in, jumped in,
00:32:10.01\00:32:12.50
every moment of every time
in our lives whenever we were
00:32:12.61\00:32:16.72
faced with a choice or
decision, we wouldn't be free.
00:32:16.75\00:32:19.29
If God said, "Don't do
this," "Don't do this,"
00:32:19.32\00:32:20.47
"Don't do this,"
"Don't do this..."
00:32:20.50\00:32:21.53
I'm sure you've had people
like that in your lives, right?
00:32:21.56\00:32:23.54
They're just control freaks and
they just want to make sure...
00:32:24.42\00:32:27.14
Well, I have to
be honest with you.
00:32:27.20\00:32:29.51
As a parent of two, one of
them is still a teenager now,
00:32:30.26\00:32:32.95
16 and a girl, and
the other who is 21,
00:32:32.98\00:32:36.25
I can relate to
being a control freak.
00:32:36.28\00:32:39.25
Okay.
00:32:39.28\00:32:40.52
And it is very difficult to
love somebody, to love people,
00:32:41.83\00:32:46.47
and not want to
step in and control.
00:32:46.50\00:32:49.20
And you know, God is perfect.
00:32:49.23\00:32:50.52
He knows exactly what
is the best thing to do and
00:32:50.55\00:32:52.85
what options aren't good.
00:32:52.88\00:32:53.94
I'm an erring parent.
00:32:53.97\00:32:55.31
And I don't always
have the best options.
00:32:55.34\00:32:57.26
And yet I want to control.
00:32:57.93\00:32:59.33
And yet, I know the loving
thing to do is to leave room
00:32:59.96\00:33:03.74
for that
freedom, for that choice.
00:33:03.77\00:33:06.16
That's what God did.
00:33:06.19\00:33:07.22
Now, we believed
the lie about God.
00:33:07.25\00:33:12.63
And we still
believe the lie about God.
00:33:13.07\00:33:15.73
We've concluded that
God cannot be trusted,
00:33:15.76\00:33:17.50
that He's selfish,
that He's looking out for
00:33:17.53\00:33:18.82
His own best interest.
00:33:18.85\00:33:20.23
And the fact that we
think this way is evident
00:33:20.43\00:33:22.67
in our reaction to Him.
00:33:22.70\00:33:23.87
History records us as hiding
from God, being afraid of God.
00:33:23.90\00:33:28.98
And when God comes to
us, when we disobey His voice
00:33:29.01\00:33:32.93
and He comes to us, history
shows what our response is
00:33:33.03\00:33:37.35
we've developed this
tendency to point the finger.
00:33:37.38\00:33:40.65
You know, God came
to Adam and He said,
00:33:40.89\00:33:42.17
"Hey Adam, what happened?"
00:33:42.20\00:33:43.23
And Adam said, "It was her."
00:33:43.26\00:33:44.46
And God went to Eve and said,
"Eve, what's your take on this?"
00:33:45.37\00:33:48.66
"It was the serpent."
00:33:48.69\00:33:50.24
And we've been
pointing the finger ever since.
00:33:50.84\00:33:52.62
That's our tendency,
that's our natural inclination,
00:33:52.94\00:33:56.39
if you will.
00:33:56.42\00:33:57.46
We want to avoid
blame and responsibility.
00:33:57.64\00:34:01.39
Now this reveals our insecurity.
00:34:02.13\00:34:04.37
We're insecure.
00:34:04.40\00:34:05.43
Our very natures have
been shaken to the core.
00:34:06.09\00:34:08.86
We now stand before each other
as emotional insecure creatures
00:34:10.47\00:34:15.21
who have lost the sense of
our origins in the image of God.
00:34:15.24\00:34:19.73
What does that origin look like?
00:34:19.91\00:34:21.71
What does the
image of God look like?
00:34:21.74\00:34:23.64
The image of God
is the image of love.
00:34:24.53\00:34:26.75
Love, 1 Corinthians 13,
that suffers long and is kind,
00:34:26.78\00:34:33.32
that does not envy,
that does not parade itself,
00:34:33.95\00:34:37.74
is not puffed up,
does not behave rudely,
00:34:37.77\00:34:42.66
seeks not its own, is not easily
provoked, thinks zero evil;
00:34:43.49\00:34:52.98
rejoice not in iniquity,
but rejoices in the truth.
00:34:53.42\00:34:56.05
Bears how many
things? All things.
00:34:56.08\00:34:59.09
Believes how many
things? All things.
00:34:59.12\00:35:01.33
And here's the big one.
00:35:01.36\00:35:02.66
Hopes all things.
00:35:04.09\00:35:06.58
Endures all things.
00:35:06.99\00:35:08.80
A love that never fails.
00:35:08.83\00:35:12.88
This love is our lost identity.
00:35:14.13\00:35:18.09
And by the grace of God, it
will be our recovered destiny.
00:35:18.41\00:35:23.04
If you just want to take
a one liner home tonight,
00:35:24.69\00:35:26.32
this is the one liner.
00:35:26.35\00:35:27.47
Our lost identity is
our recovered destiny.
00:35:28.11\00:35:32.34
Our lost identity is
our recovered destiny
00:35:32.95\00:35:35.65
in Jesus Christ.
00:35:35.68\00:35:37.13
And that, basically, is
the essence of Bible prophecy.
00:35:37.58\00:35:43.18
That's what Bible
prophecy is all about.
00:35:43.38\00:35:44.95
Look now, fast
forward with me to...
00:35:44.98\00:35:47.37
Well before we go
there, just one quick look at
00:35:47.40\00:35:51.07
Genesis 3:15.
00:35:51.10\00:35:52.37
What does God do?
00:35:52.55\00:35:53.58
What is the
remedy to our fallenness?
00:35:53.61\00:35:55.21
God says in Genesis 3:15,
"I will put enmity between
00:35:55.24\00:35:59.66
thee and the woman,
between thy seed and her seed;
00:35:59.69\00:36:03.22
it shall bruise thy head,
and thou shalt bruise his heel."
00:36:03.25\00:36:05.37
God here is speaking to us
and to the serpent, to Satan.
00:36:05.40\00:36:10.33
And He's saying, "I'm going to
put hatred between the serpent
00:36:10.36\00:36:13.09
and humankind.
00:36:13.29\00:36:14.91
I'm going to
separate you from them.
00:36:15.55\00:36:19.77
I'm going to allow them
to develop hatred for you.
00:36:19.80\00:36:23.05
Yes, you're going
to bruise the heel,
00:36:23.35\00:36:26.12
but He's going to crush,"
pointing forward to the Messiah,
00:36:26.50\00:36:31.37
to Jesus, to the Son of God,
"He's going to crush your head."
00:36:31.40\00:36:34.21
Friends, this is the
first prophecy of the Bible.
00:36:35.66\00:36:39.75
And I want you to notice
something really powerful.
00:36:40.78\00:36:42.71
The first prophecy of the
Bible centers in Jesus Christ.
00:36:43.41\00:36:48.20
Bible prophecy
centers in Jesus Christ.
00:36:48.97\00:36:52.77
Everything that we find
in the Old and New Testament
00:36:52.80\00:36:56.82
that we label, "Bible prophecy,"
centers in Jesus Christ.
00:36:57.05\00:37:00.95
Because Genesis lays
the foundation for this.
00:37:00.98\00:37:02.74
Genesis lays the
foundation for all Bible truth.
00:37:02.77\00:37:05.89
And this particular
Bible prophecy is directing us
00:37:06.19\00:37:11.66
to put our hope in Jesus.
00:37:11.69\00:37:13.68
That's what all
Bible prophecy does.
00:37:13.78\00:37:15.12
Fast forward with me
to the book of Daniel.
00:37:15.15\00:37:17.24
Daniel chapter 1.
00:37:17.27\00:37:18.64
Now this is a
strange prophecy in a sense.
00:37:19.30\00:37:21.97
But I want you to look at
a couple things with me here
00:37:22.07\00:37:24.40
that I hope will help us to
understand the heart of God.
00:37:25.75\00:37:29.97
Now that's the
picture we want to find as
00:37:30.00\00:37:31.86
we look at Bible prophecy.
00:37:31.89\00:37:32.92
We want to look for the
heart of God in all of this.
00:37:32.95\00:37:37.05
Daniel chapter 1, and let's just
read here a couple of verses
00:37:37.51\00:37:42.27
in Daniel 1.
00:37:42.30\00:37:43.52
"In the third year of the
reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah
00:37:44.04\00:37:47.34
came Nebuchadnezzar king
of Babylon unto Jerusalem,
00:37:47.37\00:37:50.40
and besieged it."
00:37:50.43\00:37:51.68
Alright, so basically we've
got God's people, Jerusalem.
00:37:51.71\00:37:55.44
Judah and I think Benjamin
are the last two tribes.
00:37:55.80\00:37:58.56
Israel has already
gone into captivity.
00:37:58.59\00:38:00.27
And they're holding out,
but their apostasy gets worse
00:38:00.53\00:38:02.88
and worse and worse and worse.
00:38:02.91\00:38:04.16
And Jeremiah predicted this,
00:38:04.19\00:38:05.97
and Isaiah
predicted this, and Ezekiel.
00:38:06.00\00:38:07.86
So you've got a lot of
warning that God has given.
00:38:07.89\00:38:11.22
And finally, it comes
down to the place where
00:38:11.25\00:38:13.38
Jerusalem is being
besieged by Nebuchadnezzar.
00:38:13.93\00:38:16.13
The armies of the
north, the king of the north.
00:38:16.16\00:38:18.38
Not that he's in the north.
00:38:18.41\00:38:19.75
He's actually east, but
he comes down from the north
00:38:19.78\00:38:22.57
as he seeks to invade Jerusalem.
00:38:22.60\00:38:24.41
Now, notice verse 2.
00:38:24.44\00:38:26.66
This is the unusual part.
00:38:27.41\00:38:28.87
"And the Lord gave Jehoiakim
king of Judah into his hand,
00:38:30.14\00:38:36.11
with part of the
vessels of the house of God,
00:38:36.69\00:38:39.89
which he carried
into the land of Shinar
00:38:39.92\00:38:42.05
into the house of his god.
00:38:42.08\00:38:43.36
And he brought the vessels into
the treasure house of his god."
00:38:43.39\00:38:45.95
What?
00:38:49.86\00:38:50.91
This is Jerusalem.
00:38:52.05\00:38:54.16
These are God's people.
00:38:54.19\00:38:55.37
The chosen ones.
00:38:56.62\00:38:58.12
The enemy comes, surrounds them.
00:38:59.15\00:39:02.25
Isn't God
suppose to deliver them?
00:39:03.34\00:39:05.16
It says God gave them.
00:39:06.78\00:39:09.04
Maybe God could at least
just ignore the situation.
00:39:09.07\00:39:11.52
He could just step out of
it and say, "Well, you know,
00:39:11.55\00:39:13.07
I'm going to let you..."
00:39:13.10\00:39:14.13
God gave them.
00:39:14.16\00:39:15.63
And not only that, but it says
that there were the very things
00:39:16.74\00:39:20.32
that were part of His
worship, His Sanctuary.
00:39:20.35\00:39:24.40
The vessels of the house of God.
00:39:24.43\00:39:27.40
Not only were they
given over to Nebuchadnezzar,
00:39:28.49\00:39:30.28
but God allowed them
to carry it into Shinar,
00:39:30.31\00:39:33.06
to be carried into
Babylon, to be carried into the
00:39:33.09\00:39:35.30
house of his gods
and paraded there.
00:39:35.33\00:39:38.23
This idea is this.
00:39:39.07\00:39:40.58
"Our gods are
better than your God."
00:39:42.99\00:39:44.93
"Our gods are
stronger than your God."
00:39:45.71\00:39:47.42
I mean, really
when you think about it,
00:39:48.90\00:39:51.21
from a purely secular,
non-religious perhaps...
00:39:52.05\00:39:56.73
There was a lot of
religion here on both sides.
00:39:57.14\00:39:59.38
...mindset, you
realize that God has just been
00:39:59.80\00:40:03.71
humbled in the dust.
00:40:03.74\00:40:05.51
God has.
00:40:05.75\00:40:06.93
Sometimes when we
read this, we think,
00:40:07.27\00:40:08.34
"Oh, God's people have
been humbled in the dust."
00:40:08.37\00:40:10.21
No, God has been
humbled in the dust.
00:40:10.24\00:40:11.64
Because if you read
carefully the rest of Daniel,
00:40:11.67\00:40:14.11
especially Daniel
chapter 9, and you look at the
00:40:14.14\00:40:15.95
history of God's people,
specifically Moses delivering
00:40:15.98\00:40:19.09
his people through
God's power out of Egypt,
00:40:19.12\00:40:21.33
the whole focus is God.
00:40:21.36\00:40:23.89
What happens to God's
people happens to God.
00:40:23.92\00:40:26.45
How God's people fail
or are victorious is a
00:40:27.27\00:40:30.53
direct reflection upon God.
00:40:30.56\00:40:32.09
And it's the
same today, isn't it?
00:40:32.12\00:40:34.04
You're a Christian,
you're a follower of God.
00:40:34.97\00:40:36.42
So explain this, explain that.
00:40:36.45\00:40:40.19
Explain why it is that
you are the way you are,
00:40:40.22\00:40:42.85
that these things
are happening to you.
00:40:42.88\00:40:44.43
You've been defeated.
00:40:46.68\00:40:48.01
The vessels have been taken.
00:40:48.04\00:40:49.40
"Is your God
really such a great God?
00:40:49.63\00:40:52.78
Maybe you've been
mistaken about your God.
00:40:52.81\00:40:55.08
Maybe He's not
so great after all."
00:40:55.47\00:40:57.10
Could I suggest that
this intentional humbling
00:40:59.53\00:41:04.97
of God through His
people is the way of the cross?
00:41:05.52\00:41:10.40
That right at the very
onset of the book of Daniel
00:41:13.20\00:41:17.37
we have a picture of the self
sacrificing humility of God.
00:41:17.67\00:41:23.05
And that He does this
primarily to reach the hearts
00:41:25.51\00:41:33.00
of fallen humanity.
00:41:33.45\00:41:35.08
It's not His number one choice
to do it this particular way.
00:41:36.27\00:41:40.17
But according to
Jeremiah chapter 24 and verse 6,
00:41:40.41\00:41:43.17
this was for His people's good.
00:41:43.99\00:41:45.89
That's what
we're told primarily.
00:41:46.65\00:41:48.19
And He also wanted
to reach somebody else,
00:41:48.22\00:41:51.18
or a few other people.
00:41:51.21\00:41:52.54
You see, the Bible
teaches us that God is not
00:41:53.06\00:41:55.99
exclusive, He's inclusive.
00:41:58.31\00:42:00.40
"God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son."
00:42:00.89\00:42:03.72
And His people sometimes
too often fail to reveal
00:42:04.54\00:42:11.61
that attitude of inclusiveness.
00:42:11.64\00:42:14.06
Sometimes we get very exclusive.
00:42:14.09\00:42:15.41
We're in our own little click,
we're in our own little church,
00:42:15.44\00:42:17.73
we're in our own little group,
00:42:17.76\00:42:18.79
we're in our own
little sub-group.
00:42:18.82\00:42:19.95
And we think we're
better than other people.
00:42:20.42\00:42:22.48
And we forget that God loves
the whole entire human race.
00:42:22.64\00:42:27.27
He loves them with
an everlasting love.
00:42:27.82\00:42:29.82
And His ideal, His
longing, His desire, is that we
00:42:29.85\00:42:33.62
would be vessels through
which that love could flow out
00:42:33.65\00:42:35.85
to the entire world.
00:42:35.88\00:42:37.73
I forget this much more often
than I would like to admit.
00:42:38.36\00:42:42.65
But I think it's good for all
of us to recognize that we've
00:42:48.30\00:42:52.48
fallen short of
the glory of God.
00:42:52.51\00:42:54.63
We fail to be the instruments
that God wants us to be.
00:42:54.93\00:42:58.16
Daniel saw this and God used
him in a mighty powerful way.
00:42:59.21\00:43:03.21
In fact, it's so beautiful when
you look at the picture here.
00:43:04.27\00:43:06.58
Because it opens up with
this picture of captivity,
00:43:06.61\00:43:10.39
this humbling of God in
the sight of the nations.
00:43:10.42\00:43:12.79
And then there's this dream.
00:43:12.82\00:43:15.35
I mean, God could have
accomplished His purpose
00:43:15.57\00:43:17.49
in so many different ways.
00:43:17.52\00:43:18.64
And He gives this
king, this heathen king,
00:43:18.67\00:43:20.72
this terror of
a king, a dream...
00:43:20.75\00:43:24.31
...that he can't remember.
00:43:24.94\00:43:26.12
A dream.
00:43:28.57\00:43:29.77
That's how God is going to work.
00:43:30.09\00:43:31.71
He's going to humble Himself
and He's going to be exalted.
00:43:33.24\00:43:35.59
It's all about
Philippians chapter 2.
00:43:35.62\00:43:37.36
You know, it talks
there, it outlines there
00:43:37.39\00:43:38.79
if you want to read
those verses sometime.
00:43:38.82\00:43:40.38
Not right now.
00:43:40.41\00:43:41.45
Philippians verses
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10
00:43:41.48\00:43:44.64
about how Jesus was equal with
God and yet He didn't consider
00:43:44.67\00:43:48.10
it something to be
held onto, equal with God.
00:43:48.13\00:43:50.67
But He humbled Himself.
00:43:50.70\00:43:51.73
He became a man and
He became a servant.
00:43:51.76\00:43:53.99
And there are these
seven steps that He takes
00:43:54.02\00:43:56.07
all the way down to death,
even the death of the cross.
00:43:56.10\00:43:58.68
And then it says
God highly exalts Him.
00:43:58.80\00:44:01.34
And that's what we see
taking place here in Daniel.
00:44:01.47\00:44:03.47
The essence of the cross, the
essence of the love of Christ
00:44:03.50\00:44:06.87
is revealed here
in Daniel chapter 2.
00:44:06.90\00:44:09.20
When this dream
comes to a heathen king
00:44:09.52\00:44:12.00
and he can't remember it.
00:44:12.03\00:44:13.06
And Daniel, of course,
is put on the chopping block
00:44:13.09\00:44:16.96
along with the rest of
the wise men of Babylon.
00:44:16.99\00:44:18.71
And it's
interesting how Daniel prays.
00:44:18.74\00:44:20.57
How Daniel responds.
00:44:20.60\00:44:23.02
He basically says,
"Could you give me some time?"
00:44:23.05\00:44:26.66
He says this to the
king's guard, Arioch.
00:44:26.69\00:44:32.27
"Could you give me some
time to pray about this?"
00:44:32.30\00:44:36.31
Prayer is so powerful, isn't it?
00:44:40.85\00:44:42.37
"Could you give me some
time to pray about this?"
00:44:45.36\00:44:47.69
And he goes in to his
friends and he says to them,
00:44:47.93\00:44:51.52
in verse 17 of Daniel 2,
he says to his companions,
00:44:51.55\00:44:55.38
"We need to desire," verse 18,
"mercies of the God of heaven
00:44:55.58\00:44:58.57
concerning this secret, so
that we would not perish with
00:44:58.60\00:45:01.27
the rest of the
wise men of Babylon."
00:45:01.30\00:45:02.86
And then he goes
into this prayer time and
00:45:02.89\00:45:04.87
the secret is revealed to him.
00:45:04.90\00:45:06.25
And he starts praising
the Lord and thanking God.
00:45:06.28\00:45:08.30
And then he comes out.
00:45:08.33\00:45:09.43
And as he comes out
of that prayer session,
00:45:09.46\00:45:11.76
he says, "I have..."
00:45:11.79\00:45:15.63
Let me just read the
verse to you right here.
00:45:15.66\00:45:17.35
Daniel chapter 2 and verse 24.
00:45:17.38\00:45:19.67
"Therefore Daniel went in
unto Arioch, whom the king had
00:45:20.81\00:45:24.33
ordained to destroy
the wise men of Babylon.
00:45:24.36\00:45:26.76
And he went and
he said unto him,
00:45:26.79\00:45:28.77
'Destroy not the
wise men of Babylon.'"
00:45:28.80\00:45:34.38
I love that.
00:45:34.41\00:45:35.55
That is so
beautiful, it is so powerful.
00:45:35.58\00:45:37.24
He doesn't say,
"I've figured it out.
00:45:37.34\00:45:39.24
I've got the answer.
00:45:39.27\00:45:40.43
Bring me into the king.
00:45:40.46\00:45:42.45
Who cares about
the rest of those guys.
00:45:42.48\00:45:44.17
Just me and my
friends, we're going to..."
00:45:44.20\00:45:46.44
No, he says,
"Don't destroy them."
00:45:46.54\00:45:48.28
You know, prayer changes us.
00:45:48.31\00:45:50.64
Powerfully changes us.
00:45:50.67\00:45:52.68
I wonder if when
Daniel was in that dream
00:45:53.87\00:45:55.70
if he saw the whole picture.
00:45:55.73\00:45:56.76
If he saw how God had
led, you know, with His desire
00:45:56.79\00:45:59.93
for them to do
captive evangelism.
00:45:59.96\00:46:01.52
And this was it, this
was what God was purposing.
00:46:01.55\00:46:05.27
God wanted His people to
bring the message of His love
00:46:05.30\00:46:08.75
to Babylon.
00:46:08.78\00:46:10.28
God has people in Babylon.
00:46:10.77\00:46:12.54
He's always had
people in Babylon.
00:46:12.57\00:46:14.29
And Nebuchadnezzar
was one of those people.
00:46:14.32\00:46:16.19
And he sat on the
front row that night
00:46:16.22\00:46:18.36
in that Daniel seminar.
00:46:19.15\00:46:21.52
He was the first one to
attend a Daniel seminar.
00:46:22.64\00:46:25.40
And he sat on the front
row and Daniel explained the
00:46:25.60\00:46:27.57
whole dream and what it meant.
00:46:27.60\00:46:30.29
"You are this head of gold."
00:46:30.39\00:46:31.81
He saw an image all of gold.
00:46:31.84\00:46:32.99
Well, he saw an
image with a golden head.
00:46:33.02\00:46:34.83
Excuse me, I almost
transitioned to chapter 3 there.
00:46:34.86\00:46:39.04
He saw an image of four
different types of metal;
00:46:39.07\00:46:42.37
gold, silver, brass, iron,
and clay and iron in the feet.
00:46:42.40\00:46:47.76
And these four different types
of metal through this image
00:46:48.31\00:46:51.36
represented four
kingdoms, successive kingdoms.
00:46:51.39\00:46:54.13
Babylon being the
first, the head of gold.
00:46:54.47\00:46:56.44
Then Medo-Persia, the silver.
00:46:56.47\00:46:58.03
Then brass, Greece.
00:46:58.06\00:46:59.85
And then Rome, the iron.
00:46:59.88\00:47:03.75
And then the iron and
clay mingled in the feet,
00:47:03.95\00:47:05.96
the ten kingdoms
that came out of Europe.
00:47:05.99\00:47:07.98
And then a stone taken out
of the mountain without hands
00:47:08.01\00:47:11.03
hits the image at the
feet and crushes it to powder.
00:47:11.06\00:47:14.14
And that stone
fills the whole earth.
00:47:14.17\00:47:15.65
Daniel was shown,
Nebuchadnezzar was given,
00:47:15.68\00:47:18.26
an overview, a
sweep, of prophetic history
00:47:18.29\00:47:21.92
from beginning to end.
00:47:21.95\00:47:23.13
When I say beginning to
end, I mean from his time.
00:47:23.89\00:47:25.89
From Babylonian time.
00:47:25.92\00:47:28.04
From the time of Nebuchadnezzar
all the way down to the
00:47:28.07\00:47:30.80
return of Jesus Christ.
00:47:30.83\00:47:32.46
This is what the king was given.
00:47:32.85\00:47:33.88
He believed it. It was
just overwhelming to him.
00:47:33.91\00:47:35.40
He fell off his chair and said,
"Daniel, this is fantastic.
00:47:35.43\00:47:41.00
This is amazing.
00:47:41.37\00:47:43.07
Your God is the God of gods.
00:47:43.10\00:47:44.57
I want to join your church."
00:47:45.17\00:47:46.47
Didn't last long, he
was out by chapter 3.
00:47:47.59\00:47:49.49
But he came
back in at chapter 4.
00:47:49.52\00:47:51.29
The point is that
Daniel's book powerfully reveals
00:47:55.59\00:48:01.73
prophetic history
before it takes place.
00:48:02.24\00:48:05.10
We look back now
and we say, "Wait, wait.
00:48:05.13\00:48:07.24
There was Babylon, and
then there was Medo-Persia,
00:48:07.27\00:48:09.18
and then there was Greece,
and then there was Rome."
00:48:09.21\00:48:10.76
We remember, we know
about all of these kingdoms.
00:48:10.79\00:48:15.78
Alexander the Great,
then his four generals.
00:48:15.95\00:48:19.04
We know about
Rome and the Caesars.
00:48:19.27\00:48:21.45
And Augustus Caesar.
00:48:21.48\00:48:22.78
But here's the point.
00:48:22.81\00:48:24.05
All these kingdoms
reveal God's plan to us.
00:48:24.16\00:48:29.60
He's the center of all this.
00:48:29.63\00:48:31.10
Now, there's a lot of history,
there's a lot of detail history,
00:48:31.13\00:48:34.29
that isn't covered in the Bible.
00:48:34.32\00:48:35.75
If God was to cover all
of it, I don't know that I'd
00:48:37.72\00:48:40.12
be able to carry it
around under my arm.
00:48:40.15\00:48:42.83
There'd be a lot.
00:48:43.60\00:48:44.63
But it also reminds
us of something else that
00:48:46.34\00:48:48.07
I think is very significant.
00:48:48.10\00:48:49.23
And that is, sometimes
when we look at Bible prophecy,
00:48:49.26\00:48:52.82
we conclude that God is
in control of everything
00:48:53.84\00:48:57.48
that happens on planet earth.
00:48:57.90\00:48:59.50
But we need to
recognize that doesn't mean that
00:49:02.31\00:49:05.61
everything that happens on
planet earth is God's will.
00:49:05.64\00:49:08.88
You understand what I'm saying?
00:49:09.40\00:49:10.57
The Bible tells us
that God overrules,
00:49:12.44\00:49:15.35
that He brings good out of evil.
00:49:15.38\00:49:17.50
Praise God.
00:49:17.73\00:49:18.98
All things work
together for good.
00:49:19.88\00:49:22.10
And that's why Bible
prophecy is so significant.
00:49:22.13\00:49:24.38
Because Bible prophecy tells us
that as kingdoms rise and fall
00:49:24.41\00:49:28.00
in this world, God has a plan.
00:49:28.03\00:49:29.59
And here is God's plan.
00:49:29.62\00:49:30.83
And in the center of
that plan is the Messiah.
00:49:30.86\00:49:32.73
That's when you come
down through Bible prophecy
00:49:32.76\00:49:34.79
you see these
elements that are predictive.
00:49:34.82\00:49:38.59
For example, in Daniel chapter
9 you have the prediction
00:49:38.62\00:49:47.60
of a Messiah
that's going to come.
00:49:47.97\00:49:51.17
It says in Daniel
chapter 9 and verse 24,
00:49:51.44\00:49:53.48
"Seventy weeks are
determined upon thy people
00:49:53.51\00:49:55.10
and upon thy holy city,
to finish the transgression,
00:49:55.13\00:49:57.39
to make an end of
sins, to make reconciliation
00:49:57.42\00:49:59.44
for iniquity, to bring in
everlasting righteousness,
00:49:59.47\00:50:01.83
to seal up the
vision and prophecy,
00:50:01.86\00:50:03.61
and to anoint the most Holy."
00:50:03.64\00:50:05.37
Seventy weeks; four
hundred and ninety years.
00:50:08.04\00:50:10.36
And sin and iniquity
and transgression were to be
00:50:10.58\00:50:13.33
done away with.
00:50:13.36\00:50:14.70
You might think at first, "Well
wow, that's really something.
00:50:15.34\00:50:18.18
How are they going to do that?"
00:50:18.21\00:50:19.41
Well, they
aren't going to do that.
00:50:19.98\00:50:21.27
That's why in the
very next verse it says,
00:50:21.30\00:50:23.11
in verse 25 it says,
"Know therefore and understand,
00:50:23.14\00:50:25.70
that from the going forth of
the commandment to restore and
00:50:25.73\00:50:28.88
rebuild Jerusalem
unto Messiah the Prince..."
00:50:28.91\00:50:31.82
That's talking about Jesus.
00:50:32.34\00:50:33.79
The anointed One,
Messiah, the Prince.
00:50:33.99\00:50:35.73
"...shall be seven weeks,
and threescore and two weeks."
00:50:35.76\00:50:39.15
"Seven weeks, and
threescore and two weeks."
00:50:40.82\00:50:42.36
A score is 20,
so threescore is 60.
00:50:42.39\00:50:44.20
Seven weeks is 67,
and two weeks is 69.
00:50:44.23\00:50:47.94
The people of God in
this prophecy were given
00:50:49.02\00:50:53.01
70 weeks to do away with sin,
iniquity, and transgression.
00:50:53.04\00:50:56.81
But the fact of the
matter is that it doesn't matter
00:50:58.95\00:51:00.86
how much time we're given.
00:51:00.89\00:51:02.27
We could be given eternity
and we will never be able
00:51:03.20\00:51:05.99
to do away with sin,
iniquity, and transgression.
00:51:06.02\00:51:08.31
That's just a fact.
00:51:08.59\00:51:09.70
We are lost, lost, lost.
00:51:10.07\00:51:12.01
And so the next verse explains.
00:51:12.04\00:51:13.93
Now wait a minute,
before you get yourselves
00:51:13.96\00:51:16.96
all in a conniption or think
that you're going to accomplish
00:51:16.99\00:51:20.10
this somehow by
yourselves, before you do that,
00:51:20.13\00:51:21.99
hold on just a second.
00:51:22.02\00:51:23.08
Know and
understand that in 69 weeks...
00:51:23.11\00:51:27.10
You've got 70 weeks.
00:51:27.13\00:51:28.16
...in 69 weeks,
Messiah is going to come.
00:51:28.19\00:51:30.75
See, the prophecy is not just
about a date that starts here
00:51:33.64\00:51:37.24
and ends here.
00:51:37.27\00:51:38.44
The prophecy centers in a
Person who is a Deliverer,
00:51:38.47\00:51:41.80
who is the
Messiah, who is the Savior.
00:51:41.83\00:51:43.95
The One who can take care of sin
and iniquity and transgression.
00:51:43.98\00:51:47.26
The whole book of Daniel brings
us to this beautiful conclusion,
00:51:49.13\00:51:53.24
this picture, this
unveiling of the Messiah.
00:51:53.57\00:51:56.48
And He's going to
come. He's going to come.
00:51:57.79\00:51:59.82
When the decree goes
forth, from that time
00:51:59.85\00:52:01.49
there's going to be 483 years.
00:52:01.52\00:52:02.98
Because you've only got 490.
00:52:03.01\00:52:04.16
So in 483 years,
He's going to come.
00:52:04.19\00:52:05.74
And Jesus Christ Himself
is going to do away with sin
00:52:05.77\00:52:08.72
and transgression and iniquity.
00:52:08.75\00:52:10.02
He's going to
live a perfect life.
00:52:10.05\00:52:11.82
He's going to die
the death of the cross
00:52:13.35\00:52:15.76
for your sins and mine.
00:52:15.79\00:52:17.17
He's going to save His
people from their sins.
00:52:19.17\00:52:22.13
And that salvation, that
good news, is to be given
00:52:22.16\00:52:25.60
to the entire world.
00:52:25.63\00:52:26.95
See, this is the
center of Bible prophecy.
00:52:27.31\00:52:29.57
Nothing else will do.
00:52:29.99\00:52:31.97
And of course Satan
understands that, he knows that.
00:52:32.53\00:52:34.52
He's still trying to obscure,
he's still trying to stop,
00:52:34.55\00:52:36.24
he's still trying to hinder.
00:52:36.27\00:52:37.98
And so in Daniel
chapter 10, Daniel is praying.
00:52:38.01\00:52:41.88
He wants to
understand this prophecy and
00:52:41.91\00:52:43.12
he's praying earnestly,
"Please Lord, help me."
00:52:43.15\00:52:44.91
He's fasting for three weeks.
00:52:44.94\00:52:46.06
"Help me to understand
this prophecy, I don't get it."
00:52:46.09\00:52:47.95
And Gabriel comes to
him three weeks later.
00:52:48.05\00:52:49.93
It's not that his
prayer wasn't heard.
00:52:49.96\00:52:51.13
It was heard immediately.
00:52:51.16\00:52:52.60
But there's a
conflict taking place.
00:52:52.87\00:52:54.24
Friends, there
are times when we pray
00:52:54.27\00:52:55.89
and we wonder,
"Why isn't God hearing?
00:52:57.08\00:52:58.99
Why isn't God answering?"
00:52:59.02\00:53:00.05
God hears our prayers.
00:53:00.08\00:53:02.32
But working out the
answer to those prayers
00:53:02.46\00:53:04.28
sometimes takes time.
00:53:04.31\00:53:05.34
Why? Because of the prince
of the powers of this world.
00:53:05.37\00:53:08.22
See, Satan has
studied Bible prophecy.
00:53:08.80\00:53:11.39
We're going to look
at that in more detail
00:53:11.72\00:53:13.77
as we continue this series.
00:53:13.80\00:53:15.14
And he knows what
has been predicted.
00:53:15.77\00:53:18.68
And he's going to do
everything he can to obscure it.
00:53:18.71\00:53:20.46
So right here in
Daniel chapter 10, you have
00:53:20.49\00:53:24.39
the kings of Medo-Persia
that are, according to
00:53:24.68\00:53:28.09
Bible prophecy,
needing to put forth a decree
00:53:28.12\00:53:31.26
that begins at a
certain time and ends with
00:53:31.46\00:53:35.18
the coming of the Messiah.
00:53:35.21\00:53:36.49
And you know what
Satan's trying to do?
00:53:37.29\00:53:38.61
He's trying to stop
that decree from going forth.
00:53:39.37\00:53:41.46
And so Gabriel is
explaining that he was having a
00:53:44.31\00:53:47.33
difficult time prevailing.
00:53:47.36\00:53:48.67
Because we're free human agents.
00:53:48.70\00:53:49.98
And that king of Persia,
Medo-Persia, these people
00:53:50.01\00:53:53.53
can be
influenced by good and bad.
00:53:53.56\00:53:55.18
So he's having a
hard time influencing him
00:53:55.21\00:53:57.73
to make this decree, to
go in the right direction,
00:53:57.76\00:53:59.52
until Michael comes.
00:53:59.55\00:54:01.48
You know who Michael is?
00:54:01.51\00:54:02.84
He's that great
Prince which stands for the
00:54:04.32\00:54:05.81
children of thy people.
00:54:05.84\00:54:06.97
Michael is another name
for Jesus, the Deliverer.
00:54:07.00\00:54:11.22
Don't be confused about that.
00:54:12.52\00:54:14.97
Jesus became a Man, doesn't
mean He's a created being.
00:54:15.00\00:54:17.25
He's God.
00:54:17.28\00:54:18.33
Always will be, always has been.
00:54:18.67\00:54:19.75
God came, the Holy Spirit
came in the form of a dove.
00:54:19.78\00:54:22.57
That doesn't mean He's a dove.
00:54:22.60\00:54:23.63
He's a creature.
00:54:23.66\00:54:25.51
God is God.
00:54:25.54\00:54:26.89
He showed up to talk to Moses
in the form of a burning bush.
00:54:26.92\00:54:29.99
That doesn't mean
He's a burning bush.
00:54:30.02\00:54:31.60
God is God.
00:54:31.63\00:54:32.82
And He can come in that
form and this form, and He does.
00:54:32.98\00:54:35.44
But notice this, when
Michael comes to Gabriel,
00:54:35.98\00:54:40.37
He comes to help
persuade the kings of this world
00:54:40.40\00:54:46.45
to initiate a decree
that will end in His death.
00:54:46.48\00:54:51.78
That's the point.
00:54:54.34\00:54:55.46
That's the point
of Bible prophecy.
00:54:55.92\00:54:57.70
It's to point us
to who God really is,
00:54:58.49\00:55:00.59
to what He's really like.
00:55:00.62\00:55:01.97
To His heart that has been
obscured and misrepresented
00:55:02.44\00:55:06.27
from the beginning to the end.
00:55:06.44\00:55:08.60
To uncover the lie, to uncover
the deception, about God.
00:55:08.63\00:55:13.63
Think about it, just
think about it as we close here.
00:55:14.26\00:55:16.16
Just think about
this for a second.
00:55:16.19\00:55:18.08
The last book of the Bible, the
last message of the Word of God,
00:55:20.22\00:55:24.98
the last part of the
canon that was placed in there,
00:55:25.01\00:55:28.48
is a prophetic book.
00:55:29.06\00:55:30.59
We're agreed with that, right?
00:55:31.20\00:55:32.39
It's called,
The Revelation of...
00:55:32.91\00:55:37.47
...of Jesus Christ.
00:55:39.26\00:55:40.72
Now, I just would throw
it out just for an estimate.
00:55:41.07\00:55:43.78
I've travelled the
world preaching on Daniel and
00:55:43.81\00:55:45.89
Revelation,
preaching on prophecy.
00:55:45.92\00:55:47.27
How many people do
you think in this world,
00:55:47.40\00:55:49.05
Christian people, have never
read the book of Revelation?
00:55:49.08\00:55:52.50
I had a class
recently, an ARISE class.
00:55:54.22\00:55:56.05
One third of the students never
read the book of Revelation.
00:55:56.08\00:55:58.22
Do you know why?
00:55:58.89\00:55:59.98
Because Satan has
represented that book
00:56:01.59\00:56:04.84
as a book that is scary.
00:56:05.37\00:56:07.57
A book of doom and gloom.
00:56:07.66\00:56:10.07
A book that is to be feared.
00:56:10.19\00:56:11.61
God has placed a three-fold
blessing on that book.
00:56:11.64\00:56:13.76
Are we still believing the lie?
00:56:14.43\00:56:16.34
Are our hearts still
believing Satan instead of God?
00:56:19.26\00:56:24.04
I believe through this series
we're going to find that there's
00:56:24.79\00:56:27.36
something
powerful in Bible prophecy,
00:56:27.39\00:56:30.15
something powerful in
the book of Revelation.
00:56:30.18\00:56:32.13
Not something in
the sense of events.
00:56:32.16\00:56:33.88
Because there's
definitely events, definitely.
00:56:33.91\00:56:36.39
But something in the
sense of a revelation of Jesus,
00:56:36.64\00:56:41.86
of the person of God, that
is going to change our lives
00:56:42.03\00:56:46.52
and our hearts...
00:56:46.55\00:56:47.76
...so that our lost identity
will be our recovered destiny;
00:56:49.64\00:56:56.44
the image of God.
00:56:56.47\00:56:57.72
Let's pray together.
00:56:57.75\00:56:58.81
Father in heaven, I just
want to thank You this evening
00:56:58.84\00:57:00.55
for Your Word, and especially
for the prophetic word
00:57:00.58\00:57:04.90
that has guided and directed
so may of the events of history
00:57:04.93\00:57:08.85
and has given us hope amidst
all of the deceptions, the lies.
00:57:09.16\00:57:13.62
Father, as we move into
this series and look at the
00:57:13.65\00:57:17.39
prophetic sweep of history,
we want to recognize that
00:57:17.42\00:57:20.81
the center of that is Jesus.
00:57:20.84\00:57:22.15
And that this is
where our hope centers.
00:57:22.18\00:57:25.08
Father, lead and guide our
minds throughout this series.
00:57:25.69\00:57:29.58
Help us to unveil Christ.
00:57:30.35\00:57:33.74