Let's pray. Our Father,
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we thank you so
much for Your holy Word.
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It would be a terrible thing
to be in this world without
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any guidance from You.
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We just ask that as
we open Your holy Word
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and study this
marvelous prophecy of Daniel 2
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that Your Holy
Spirit will be with us
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and help us understand
that we're living at the very
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last moment of time.
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Help us to commit our lives
to Jesus fully and completely
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that we might be ready
for His glorious coming.
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And we thank you
for hearing our prayer.
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For we ask it in
Jesus' name, Amen.
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We want to begin our study
today in the book of Genesis
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chapter 1 and verse 28.
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Genesis chapter 1 and verse 28.
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And I'm going to
underline two ideas that we find
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in this verse... which
we have underlined before.
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But we're going to look at this
from a different perspective
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in our study today.
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Here God is creating man
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and notice what
He says... verse 28:
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Two ideas. First of
all man was given dominion
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and secondly, the
territory of his dominion was
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everything
relating to planet earth.
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In other words, God
expected Adam and Eve
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to reproduce, to fill
the earth with a holy race,
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and that God's kingdom would
spread all across the earth.
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But then sin
came into the world.
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Notice what we find in
the gospel of Luke chapter 4.
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The gospel of Luke
chapter 4. We read this before,
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but let's read it again.
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And beginning with verse 5.
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The devil takes
Jesus to a high mountain,
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and I want you to notice
what the devil shows Jesus.
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It says in verse 5:
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You can imagine the
broad sweep of human history
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that the devil shows Jesus.
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And then notice
what he says in verse 6:
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Do you notice in this
passage that at this point
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the devil has stolen
the kingdoms of this world?
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Because he's offering them to
Jesus and he's saying that they
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have been given over to him.
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And we understand that it
was Adam that gave the kingdoms
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over to Satan. And
so you have the kingdom
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going from Adam to Satan...
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sitting on the throne
and exercising dominion
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because the devil usurped
or stole the position of Adam.
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In fact, the reason why
Jesus came to this world
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was to recover the throne
and to recover the territory.
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Jesus had to come to this world
to live a life without sin.
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He had to gain the
victory where Adam failed.
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And He came to this
world to die for sin
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to pay for all of our sins
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so that Jesus could
restore the throne to man
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and could restore the earth
and the kingdoms of the world
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to man. And we know that
Jesus gained the victory.
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I want you to notice what
happened as a result of the
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victory of Christ.
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We find it in the
gospel of John chapter 12.
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The gospel of John chapter
12 and I would like to begin
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reading at verse 31.
John 12 and verse 31.
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Here Jesus says...
This was, by the way,
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a couple of days before
the death of Christ. He says:
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Who was the ruler of the
world up till this point?
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The devil. And what does
Jesus say He's going to do?
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He's saying: "I am
going to cast him out. "
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In other words, he's not
going to be the ruler any more.
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Now what great event led
Jesus to remove the kingdom
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at least legally
from the hands of Satan?
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Not empirically...
because the devil still controls
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most of the
nations of the world.
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But legally Jesus
gained this earth back
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when He won over Satan, when
He lived a life without sin,
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and when He paid for
all the sins of the world,
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Jesus legally - in God's court
of law - won the world back.
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And it's only a matter
of time until He empirically
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and actually
takes control of it.
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Now what event gave
the world back to Jesus
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as the second Adam, the repre-
sentative of the human race?
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Notice verse 32:
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So what was the event that
led to the victory of Jesus
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over the devil and
Jesus casting out the devil
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as the ruler of this world
and Jesus recovering the throne
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of the world and this earth?
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It was the death
of Jesus on the cross.
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When Jesus said
"It is finished! "
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the kingdoms now
belonged once again to Jesus.
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Jesus had recovered
them from the hands of Satan.
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In fact, this is the picture
that we find in Revelation
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chapter 12 and verse 12.
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Revelation
chapter 12 and verse 12.
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And by the way, in our next
lecture we're going to study
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Revelation 12. That
will be our chapter.
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We'll go through it
with a fine-tooth comb.
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Now notice Revelation
chapter 12 and verse 12:
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This is speaking
about the victory of Jesus
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over Satan at the cross.
And I'm going to read verse 10
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and then I'm going to
read verse 12. It says:
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"Then I heard a loud
voice saying in heaven
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'Now salvation and strength
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and the kingdom of our God
and the power of His Christ
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has come. For the
accuser of our brethren
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who accused them
before our God day and night
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has been cast down. ' "
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Now if we read this
in the light of John 12
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we know where he was cast down.
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He was cast down at the cross!
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And so this is the hymn that
the heavenly beings are singing
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in consequence of
what Jesus has won.
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They're singing.
Notice: "The kingdom of God and
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the power of His Christ
have come for the accuser of our
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brethren who accused them
before our God day and night
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has been cast down.
" And then in verse 12:
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You see, before
Jesus died on the cross
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whenever there was a
meeting in heaven the devil went
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as the representative
from planet earth.
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You find that, for
example, in the book of Job.
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Actually, Adam should
have been in that meeting
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but the devil went because
he had taken over the kingship
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of the world. But
now we find John saying:
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What has angered the devil?
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The fact that the kingdoms
of the world have now been
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taken over by whom? By Jesus.
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Now in our lecture
today we are going to study
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the battle for the kingship
of the world as it's been
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manifested from the
times of the prophet Daniel
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to the conclusion of the
great controversy between
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good and evil. Even though Jesus
has legally gained the victory
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over Satan, even though
Jesus, in God's court of law,
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has the title to this earth
He has won, still there are
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conflicts between
kingdoms in this world.
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The devil has come
down with great wrath.
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There still is the final battle
that is going to take place
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where Jesus is actually -
empirically - going to take over
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the rulership of this world.
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And we want to study the
battle that has been going on
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between Christ and Satan
in the history of the kingdoms
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of the world from the days
of Daniel until the very end
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of time. Now before we get into
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the study of Daniel 2
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which will be our key chapter
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we need to say something
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about the great prophecies
of Daniel and Revelation.
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They function on the basis
of a method which is called -
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I call it anyway - the
historical flow method.
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Basically, the historical
flow method teaches that these
00:11:09.56\00:11:13.57
prophecies begin their
fulfillment in the day in which
00:11:13.67\00:11:17.31
the prophet was writing.
00:11:17.41\00:11:19.21
And then those prophecies
are fulfilled in sequence
00:11:19.97\00:11:24.01
and they culminate with
the setting up of Christ's
00:11:24.41\00:11:28.52
everlasting kingdom. Now
it's very important to realize
00:11:28.62\00:11:32.22
that in between the
time when the prophet wrote
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and when Jesus
sets up His kingdom
00:11:35.26\00:11:37.19
there are no
gaps in the sequence.
00:11:37.39\00:11:40.36
There are no parentheses.
00:11:40.56\00:11:42.76
In other words, there is
a flow of continued events
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one kingdom
falling, the other rising
00:11:47.67\00:11:50.31
that kingdom
falling, the other rising
00:11:50.51\00:11:52.24
without any gaps in between
from the days of the prophet
00:11:52.27\00:11:56.14
until the second coming of
Christ to set up His everlasting
00:11:56.34\00:12:01.22
kingdom. This is what is
called the historical method
00:12:01.32\00:12:05.45
or the historical flow method.
00:12:05.55\00:12:07.16
The reason I call it
the historical flow method
00:12:07.36\00:12:09.16
is because
history flows continuously
00:12:09.36\00:12:12.79
without interruptions or gaps.
00:12:12.99\00:12:15.23
Now this is a beautiful
way of interpreting prophecy
00:12:15.53\00:12:17.80
because you can
know exactly where we are
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in the course of
history at this very moment
00:12:20.84\00:12:23.34
by looking at the sequence
of events that have taken place
00:12:23.64\00:12:27.11
from the time
that the prophet wrote.
00:12:27.31\00:12:29.18
And so if you follow the
line of events in Daniel 2
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you can know
exactly where we are now
00:12:33.38\00:12:35.85
in the flow of human history.
00:12:36.05\00:12:38.29
Now let's turn in our
Bibles to Daniel chapter 2
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and examine this story.
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And allow me to
say that many times
00:12:43.93\00:12:46.06
preachers are so
anxious to get to the moment of
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talking about the great
image of Daniel chapter 2
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or the great
statue of Daniel chapter 2
00:12:53.97\00:12:56.37
that they just very
briefly pass over the first half
00:12:56.67\00:13:00.88
of the chapter. But there
are some very important points
00:13:00.98\00:13:04.28
in the first half of the
chapter that I want to deal with
00:13:04.48\00:13:07.15
before we talk about that
great image which Nebuchadnezzar
00:13:07.35\00:13:10.82
saw in his dream.
00:13:10.92\00:13:12.25
Now go with me to
Daniel chapter 2 and verse 29
00:13:12.45\00:13:15.79
and let's notice
something very interesting here.
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Daniel 2 and verse 29.
00:13:19.19\00:13:21.46
Here Daniel says
to Nebuchadnezzar:
00:13:22.46\00:13:25.50
Now if you notice here
that Nebuchadnezzar was thinking
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about the future of his
kingdom when he went to bed.
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Let me ask you: is
God able to read thoughts?
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How do we know He is able
to read thoughts in this story?
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Because Daniel is saying:
"Thoughts arose in your head
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about what was going to be
the future of your kingdom. "
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And who knew
what he was thinking?
00:14:07.84\00:14:10.05
God did! And so God, know-
ing what the king is thinking,
00:14:10.25\00:14:14.52
gives him a dream
to answer his concerns.
00:14:14.72\00:14:18.39
And so we find from the
beginning of the story of
00:14:18.69\00:14:21.12
Daniel 2 when
Nebuchadnezzar goes to bed
00:14:21.22\00:14:23.76
God knows what he's thinking
and God is going to answer
00:14:23.96\00:14:28.00
his concerns.
00:14:28.20\00:14:30.53
God is able to read the
mind because Nebuchadnezzar
00:14:30.83\00:14:35.24
thought this, and God gave
him a dream in his thoughts.
00:14:35.27\00:14:39.54
Now it's interesting...
We are told in the story that
00:14:39.94\00:14:43.14
after God gave him this dream
00:14:43.24\00:14:45.75
when Nebuchadnezzar
woke up he forgot the dream.
00:14:45.95\00:14:49.88
Do you think it was an accident
that he forgot the dream?
00:14:50.89\00:14:53.72
Who do you suppose led
Nebuchadnezzar to forget
00:14:54.26\00:14:58.23
the dream? Well... God
knew what he was thinking.
00:14:58.33\00:15:02.46
God gave the dream.
00:15:02.66\00:15:04.40
And so now, undoubtedly,
when Nebuchadnezzar wakes up
00:15:04.60\00:15:08.60
and forgets the dream you
might call this some type of
00:15:08.80\00:15:13.27
divinely-induced amnesia.
00:15:13.38\00:15:16.61
In other words, it's God that
leads him to forget his dream.
00:15:17.01\00:15:20.82
And you say: "Why
would God give him a dream
00:15:21.02\00:15:23.05
and then God lead him
to forget the dream? "
00:15:23.25\00:15:26.55
There was a very good reason.
00:15:26.86\00:15:29.22
And the reason is very simple.
00:15:29.72\00:15:31.69
God knew that when
Nebuchadnezzar woke up
00:15:32.09\00:15:35.83
he was going to call the
astrologers, the magicians,
00:15:36.33\00:15:41.40
the individuals who claimed
to have communion with the gods,
00:15:41.70\00:15:46.37
to come and tell the king his
dream and what the dream meant.
00:15:46.47\00:15:51.55
Now notice Daniel
chapter 2 and verse 10.
00:15:51.85\00:15:56.18
Daniel chapter 2 and verse 10.
00:15:56.38\00:15:59.52
Do you notice
here what God is doing?
00:16:20.74\00:16:22.88
God is unmasking these
methods as totally incapable
00:16:23.38\00:16:28.75
of revealing the
dream and its meaning.
00:16:28.85\00:16:31.05
In other words, the reason
why God led Nebuchadnezzar
00:16:31.35\00:16:35.82
to forget this dream is because
He knew that Nebuchadnezzar
00:16:35.92\00:16:39.16
was going to call
all of these charlatans
00:16:39.26\00:16:41.90
and they were not going
to be able to tell the dream.
00:16:42.10\00:16:44.03
And in this way God would reveal
that the religion of Babylon
00:16:44.23\00:16:48.47
was bankrupt.
00:16:48.67\00:16:51.01
Are you
understanding what I'm saying?
00:16:51.41\00:16:53.24
God is actually
taking this opportunity
00:16:53.54\00:16:55.84
to show that these
methods simply do not work.
00:16:56.04\00:16:59.78
By the way, we see very
clearly here that the devil
00:17:00.08\00:17:02.85
is not able to read the mind.
00:17:03.05\00:17:04.99
Do you think the devil was
dying to whisper in the ear
00:17:05.39\00:17:09.52
of the astrologers and the
magicians what the dream was?
00:17:09.72\00:17:13.29
Oh, it was to his
advantage to do it.
00:17:14.20\00:17:16.26
Tell them: "this is the dream"
so that then they would tell
00:17:16.36\00:17:19.23
the dream and people would say:
"See, the religion of Babylon
00:17:19.33\00:17:22.04
works. You can
consult the stars;
00:17:22.14\00:17:24.04
you can consult the magicians;
you can consult the astrologers
00:17:24.14\00:17:28.34
because look, they
told the king his dream. "
00:17:28.54\00:17:30.95
But the fact is, the devil was
not able to tell them the dream
00:17:31.11\00:17:34.68
because the devil was not able
00:17:34.72\00:17:36.38
to read
Nebuchadnezzar's thoughts.
00:17:36.48\00:17:39.15
Who is in control in this story?
00:17:39.55\00:17:41.36
In control in this story is God.
00:17:41.76\00:17:44.66
And by the way I'm
not going to take the time
00:17:45.06\00:17:46.96
to read Deuteronomy 18.
You can do it at your leisure.
00:17:47.16\00:17:50.27
It's on your list of texts.
00:17:50.47\00:17:51.80
Deuteronomy 18
verses 9-12 has a long list
00:17:51.83\00:17:54.80
of occult
practices which God forbids.
00:17:55.00\00:17:58.14
Among those
practices is astrology,
00:17:59.34\00:18:02.24
channeling... that is, trying
to communicate with the dead,
00:18:02.64\00:18:06.68
also the idea of
consulting the crystal ball,
00:18:07.68\00:18:12.19
going to psychics.
00:18:12.49\00:18:14.72
All of these methods
are forbidden by God.
00:18:14.96\00:18:18.36
In fact, He says there
in Deuteronomy chapter 18
00:18:18.56\00:18:20.80
that whoever practices these
methods to discover what God
00:18:21.00\00:18:24.80
has in store for the future
00:18:25.00\00:18:27.00
is to be taken out
00:18:27.20\00:18:28.54
and is to be put to death.
00:18:28.57\00:18:30.97
And so these individuals were
00:18:31.47\00:18:32.81
not able to tell the king
00:18:32.84\00:18:34.51
his dream.
00:18:34.71\00:18:36.64
In fact, when the king comes
00:18:37.01\00:18:39.41
and he tells these
men: "I want you to tell me
00:18:40.45\00:18:43.28
the dream and I want you
to tell me the interpretation
00:18:43.49\00:18:46.72
of the dream, " I want
you to notice what they say
00:18:46.82\00:18:50.19
in Daniel
chapter 2 and verse 11.
00:18:50.39\00:18:53.26
Daniel chapter 2 and verse 11.
00:18:53.60\00:18:55.86
Remember, these were the
individuals who claimed to be
00:18:55.96\00:18:58.03
able to communicate with the
gods. Now they're going to admit
00:18:58.13\00:19:01.27
"our religion is bankrupt. "
00:19:01.47\00:19:03.27
Chapter 2 and verse 11 says:
00:19:04.11\00:19:05.87
In other words: "The
gods... they keep secrets. "
00:19:22.02\00:19:25.33
"They don't care about
us who dwell in the flesh. "
00:19:25.83\00:19:29.06
"Only the gods who don't
inhabit in flesh could actually
00:19:29.36\00:19:34.14
reveal these secrets. "
00:19:34.34\00:19:35.67
Now let me ask you: is
this in contrast to the
00:19:35.74\00:19:38.11
God of the Bible?
00:19:38.21\00:19:39.54
You know, there's a
verse in the gospel of John
00:19:39.74\00:19:42.21
which is the exact
antithesis to this.
00:19:42.41\00:19:44.95
John 1 verse 14.
00:19:45.15\00:19:47.22
It says: "The Word
was made... " What?
00:19:47.42\00:19:51.15
"was made flesh. "
00:19:51.35\00:19:53.56
The Bible tells us that
God is a God who communicates.
00:20:05.10\00:20:08.74
He even takes human
flesh to communicate God to us.
00:20:08.94\00:20:13.17
What a contrast with
these gods of the Babylonians.
00:20:13.48\00:20:16.75
They don't dwell with
flesh. They don't care to reveal
00:20:16.95\00:20:20.62
what's going to happen
in the future or dreams
00:20:20.82\00:20:22.88
or the interpretation of dreams.
00:20:23.08\00:20:25.05
What a difference between
them and the God of the Bible.
00:20:25.25\00:20:29.02
Now I want you to notice that
there's a play and a counterplay
00:20:29.82\00:20:32.96
of events here
in Daniel chapter 2.
00:20:33.16\00:20:34.86
When Nebuchadnezzar brings
these men and they're not able
00:20:36.03\00:20:40.04
to tell the king his dream
much less what the dream means
00:20:40.24\00:20:44.24
what does Nebuchadnezzar do?
00:20:44.54\00:20:46.84
He commands that all
of the wise men in Babylon
00:20:47.81\00:20:52.61
be what? Be slain.
00:20:52.81\00:20:55.68
Go with me to Daniel chapter 2.
Daniel chapter 2 because there's
00:20:55.98\00:20:59.52
a very important point here.
00:20:59.62\00:21:01.19
Daniel chapter 2
and verses 12 and 13.
00:21:01.39\00:21:05.63
Daniel 2:12-3.
00:21:05.83\00:21:07.96
"For this reason the king
was angry and very furious
00:21:08.90\00:21:12.23
and gave the command to destroy
all the wise men of Babylon. "
00:21:12.63\00:21:17.67
Nebuchadnezzar is saying
that his religion is bankrupt.
00:21:17.97\00:21:20.51
"So you guys...
what do I pay you for?
00:21:21.51\00:21:24.61
I mean, you have no
communion with the gods.
00:21:24.81\00:21:27.48
Be real. " Now why?
Who's acting on the mind
00:21:27.58\00:21:31.55
of Nebuchadnezzar
to kill these wise men?
00:21:31.65\00:21:33.96
It's Satan.
Why? Notice verse 13:
00:21:35.06\00:21:38.46
So what is the devil
doing? He's saying: "Ah-ha!
00:21:51.24\00:21:53.54
You unmasked my
astrologers and my magicians
00:21:53.94\00:21:59.85
and you showed that the
religion of Babylon is bankrupt.
00:22:00.05\00:22:02.72
OK, I'll take second
best. Now I'll use your method
00:22:02.92\00:22:06.79
and I'm going to have Daniel
and his three friends killed...
00:22:06.99\00:22:10.83
your servants. " What
is the devil trying to do?
00:22:11.13\00:22:14.06
He wants to destroy
Daniel and his three friends.
00:22:14.93\00:22:16.87
Why do you suppose he
wanted to destroy Daniel
00:22:17.07\00:22:18.60
and his three friends?
Because in Daniel chapter 1
00:22:18.70\00:22:22.50
the devil had seen how
Daniel and his three friends
00:22:22.60\00:22:25.04
were faithful to
God in matters of diet.
00:22:25.24\00:22:28.94
And when the devil saw
that they said: "We will not eat
00:22:30.25\00:22:33.85
the food which is forbidden
by God that the king serves us.
00:22:34.15\00:22:37.32
We will not drink his
wine. " The devil says: "Oh-oh,
00:22:37.52\00:22:42.06
these are a potential problem.
00:22:42.36\00:22:44.63
I can't have them around. "
00:22:46.09\00:22:48.13
And so the devil
influences Nebuchadnezzar
00:22:48.43\00:22:51.23
to kill all of the wise
men in the hopes that Daniel
00:22:51.43\00:22:55.20
and his friends
will also be what?
00:22:55.30\00:22:57.94
Will also be killed.
00:22:58.14\00:22:59.77
But you know God
always laughs last
00:22:59.97\00:23:02.84
because by the very
act of Nebuchadnezzar
00:23:03.24\00:23:07.15
sending out a
decree to kill the wise men
00:23:07.55\00:23:10.59
that very act brings Daniel
to prominence in the kingdom.
00:23:10.79\00:23:15.82
Do you see that there's a
play and counterplay of things
00:23:16.36\00:23:19.39
that are happening here?
You see, it's like a tug-of-war
00:23:19.49\00:23:22.86
in the background.
00:23:23.06\00:23:24.50
What's happening in
Daniel 2 on the level of history
00:23:24.70\00:23:29.30
on the level of
events that can be seen
00:23:29.50\00:23:31.54
is only a
reflection of certain movements
00:23:31.74\00:23:35.48
that are taking place in the
invisible world between Christ
00:23:35.71\00:23:39.28
and Satan. God
working to save Nebuchadnezzar
00:23:39.38\00:23:43.99
and save Babylon and the
devil seeking to destroy.
00:23:44.19\00:23:48.22
And then of
course the Bible tells us
00:23:49.12\00:23:51.16
that Daniel finally
came before the king.
00:23:51.56\00:23:54.50
And by the way, we all
know that text in Amos chapter 3
00:23:54.70\00:23:57.37
and verse 7 where it says that:
00:23:57.57\00:24:00.57
So is God a God
who reveals secrets?
00:24:09.24\00:24:12.31
What did the gods of Babylon do?
00:24:13.21\00:24:15.12
They concealed secrets.
00:24:15.32\00:24:17.25
You see, the gods of the pagans
were gods that were capricious.
00:24:17.55\00:24:21.59
They enjoyed partying.
00:24:21.79\00:24:23.12
You know you read stories
about them partying up there
00:24:23.16\00:24:26.33
and not being concerned at all
00:24:26.53\00:24:27.86
about what's
happening on planet earth.
00:24:27.90\00:24:29.60
But the God of the Bible
is a God who wants to reveal
00:24:29.90\00:24:33.03
the future; He wants
to reveal His secrets.
00:24:33.13\00:24:36.07
And so we notice in Daniel
chapter 2- if you'll go with me
00:24:36.47\00:24:40.08
there - Daniel chapter 2
and beginning in verse 17.
00:24:40.18\00:24:43.75
Do you see what's going on here?
00:25:11.14\00:25:12.77
The devil wants
to get rid of them.
00:25:13.17\00:25:14.91
Then it says in verse 19:
"Then the secret was revealed
00:25:16.14\00:25:19.31
to Daniel in a night vision.
00:25:19.51\00:25:22.28
So Daniel blessed
the God of heaven. "
00:25:22.48\00:25:25.92
Do you notice here what
method God used to communicate
00:25:26.22\00:25:29.89
His will to Daniel.
It wasn't a crystal ball.
00:25:30.09\00:25:33.56
It wasn't his
sign of the zodiac.
00:25:34.66\00:25:37.17
It wasn't going to a psychic.
00:25:37.57\00:25:40.00
It wasn't
reading a crystal ball.
00:25:40.30\00:25:42.60
It wasn't going to a channeller.
00:25:42.80\00:25:45.17
It wasn't going
to a palm reader.
00:25:45.47\00:25:47.51
The Bible tells us that
Daniel went directly in prayer
00:25:48.84\00:25:52.31
to the God of
heaven, and the God of heaven
00:25:52.51\00:25:55.35
revealed the secret to Daniel.
00:25:55.55\00:25:59.02
Now if Daniel had been one
of those television evangelists
00:25:59.42\00:26:03.93
today he probably would
have taken all of the credit
00:26:04.13\00:26:06.13
for this great
miracle that had taken place.
00:26:06.43\00:26:09.16
But when he goes before the king
00:26:09.46\00:26:11.00
I want you to
notice what he says
00:26:11.20\00:26:13.47
in Daniel chapter 2
and verses 27 and 28.
00:26:13.67\00:26:17.41
Daniel chapter 2
verses 27 and 28.
00:26:17.71\00:26:21.34
"Daniel answered in the
presence of the king and said:
00:26:21.64\00:26:24.45
'The secret which the
king has demanded the wise men,
00:26:24.65\00:26:27.95
the astrologers, the magicians,
and the soothsayers cannot
00:26:28.05\00:26:32.69
declare to the king.
But there is a God in heaven
00:26:32.89\00:26:36.83
who reveals secrets,
and He has made known to
00:26:37.23\00:26:42.20
King Nebuchadnezzar what
will be in the latter days.
00:26:42.40\00:26:45.97
Your dream and the visions
of your head upon your bed
00:26:46.17\00:26:51.27
were these. ' "
00:26:51.47\00:26:54.18
And then Daniel
tells the king his dream.
00:26:54.28\00:26:58.81
Now let's notice that
dream in Daniel chapter 2
00:26:59.51\00:27:02.72
and verses 31 to 35.
00:27:02.92\00:27:05.45
I want this to be very
clear in our minds the sequence
00:27:05.75\00:27:08.52
that we have in
Daniel 2 and verses 31 to 35.
00:27:08.72\00:27:13.13
It says here in verse 31:
00:27:13.53\00:27:16.40
"You, O king, were watching.
And behold a great image.
00:27:16.60\00:27:22.57
This great image
whose splendor was excellent
00:27:24.37\00:27:27.74
stood before you and
its form was awesome... "
00:27:27.94\00:27:32.21
You notice that?
Gold, silver, bronze, iron.
00:27:57.07\00:28:01.84
Do you notice that the
value of the metal deteriorates
00:28:01.94\00:28:05.21
as you go from
Daniel's day till the end?
00:28:05.41\00:28:08.72
So much for the idea
that history is moving toward
00:28:09.02\00:28:10.79
the golden age. God
would have put the statue
00:28:10.89\00:28:14.59
upside down if that was true.
00:28:14.69\00:28:16.19
But history is degenerating,
00:28:17.33\00:28:19.56
shown by the
devaluation of the metals.
00:28:19.86\00:28:22.70
And then it says in verse 34:
00:28:23.00\00:28:25.23
"Then the iron, the clay, the
bronze, the silver and the gold
00:28:35.51\00:28:39.51
were crushed together
and became like the chaff
00:28:39.71\00:28:42.85
from the summer
threshing floors.
00:28:43.05\00:28:44.85
The wind carried them away
so that no trace of them was
00:28:45.05\00:28:48.12
found. And the stone
that struck the image
00:28:48.22\00:28:50.73
became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth. "
00:28:50.93\00:28:55.76
Gold, silver, bronze, iron,
00:28:56.90\00:29:01.30
iron and clay. Then a stone
00:29:01.60\00:29:04.67
cut out from a mountain
00:29:04.77\00:29:06.11
comes down. Strikes the image
00:29:06.14\00:29:08.71
on the feet.
Totally demolishes it,
00:29:08.81\00:29:11.28
and the stone becomes a mountain
00:29:11.38\00:29:14.08
that fills the whole earth.
00:29:14.28\00:29:16.48
That was the dream that
Nebuchadnezzar received.
00:29:16.79\00:29:21.22
Now Daniel also gave the
interpretation of the dream.
00:29:22.12\00:29:26.96
That is, he not only
told the king the dream
00:29:27.20\00:29:29.83
but he told him
what the dream meant.
00:29:30.03\00:29:32.47
By the way, the Bible teaches
that God is able to tell the end
00:29:32.77\00:29:36.34
from the beginning.
Isaiah 46:9-10 tells us
00:29:36.44\00:29:40.21
that God knows the
end from the beginning.
00:29:40.41\00:29:42.14
And this is an example -
a clear, Biblical example -
00:29:42.34\00:29:45.25
of God being able to
predict with absolute precision
00:29:45.45\00:29:49.98
events which were going to take
place hundreds and thousands
00:29:50.22\00:29:54.16
of years after
they were written.
00:29:54.26\00:29:57.03
Now let's notice the
interpretation of this dream
00:29:57.73\00:30:01.73
as we find it in Daniel
chapter 2 and beginning at
00:30:02.06\00:30:05.67
verse 37. Daniel
chapter 2 and verse 37.
00:30:05.77\00:30:11.11
Here comes the interpretation
or the meaning of the dream.
00:30:11.41\00:30:15.01
It says:
00:30:15.41\00:30:16.75
Why? Because he
had better armies?
00:30:20.62\00:30:22.68
Because he was a wiser warrior?
00:30:23.08\00:30:25.45
Because he had better weapons?
00:30:25.75\00:30:28.22
Is that why Nebuchadnezzar
was a king of kings?
00:30:28.72\00:30:31.59
Absolutely not. Notice
what it continues saying:
00:30:31.79\00:30:34.30
Why was Nebuchadnezzar king?
00:30:57.75\00:30:59.15
Because God placed him as king.
00:30:59.45\00:31:02.26
In verse 21 it says
that God places kings
00:31:02.56\00:31:05.93
and God removes kings.
So who is really in control
00:31:06.13\00:31:09.86
of human history? Who
is really in control is God
00:31:10.07\00:31:13.40
sitting on His throne in
a serene and calm eternity
00:31:13.60\00:31:19.31
guiding the
events of planet earth.
00:31:19.61\00:31:22.44
And then the last
part of verse 38 says:
00:31:22.94\00:31:26.92
"You are this head of gold. "
00:31:27.12\00:31:31.79
What is the head of
gold? Nebuchadnezzar.
00:31:32.39\00:31:35.89
Now we need to
understand that when it says:
00:31:36.19\00:31:38.23
"You are the head of gold"
it's talking not only about
00:31:38.43\00:31:40.80
Nebuchadnezzar it's
talking about his kingdom.
00:31:40.90\00:31:43.03
Because a king has a kingdom.
00:31:43.13\00:31:45.70
And by the way, that's
reflected in the next verse
00:31:45.90\00:31:48.44
where it says that after
him would arise another kingdom.
00:31:48.54\00:31:51.47
See? After you will
arise another kingdom.
00:31:51.77\00:31:54.94
You can't have another kingdom
unless Nebuchadnezzar's...
00:31:55.84\00:31:58.71
unless
Nebuchadnezzar had a kingdom.
00:31:58.81\00:32:00.65
Are you
following what I'm saying?
00:32:01.05\00:32:02.38
And so the Lord
says: "You or your kingdom
00:32:02.68\00:32:06.96
is the head of gold. "
Now what kingdom was that?
00:32:07.16\00:32:09.09
Babylon. By the
way, Babylon existed
00:32:10.13\00:32:13.50
from the year 605 BC
00:32:13.70\00:32:17.73
to the year 539 BC.
00:32:18.13\00:32:22.54
That was the period of dominion
of the Babylonian Empire.
00:32:22.84\00:32:26.11
So Babylon did
arise and did rule
00:32:26.61\00:32:29.98
the way this prophecy said.
00:32:30.18\00:32:31.98
But now notice verse 39.
00:32:32.28\00:32:34.95
Do you notice that the
devaluation of the metals
00:32:45.66\00:32:48.73
does mean that kingdoms
are going to be inferior?
00:32:48.93\00:32:51.43
Particularly when it
comes to moral quality.
00:32:51.63\00:32:55.10
Now notice it says
once again in verse 39:
00:32:56.04\00:33:00.11
"But after you shall
arise another kingdom
00:33:00.31\00:33:03.58
inferior to yours. "
00:33:03.81\00:33:06.21
Now let me ask
you: which kingdom rose
00:33:06.51\00:33:09.18
after the kingdom of Babylon?
00:33:09.38\00:33:11.29
All you have to do
is read history books.
00:33:11.79\00:33:14.06
It was the kingdom of
the Medes and Persians.
00:33:14.26\00:33:16.83
By the way, you don't even
have to read history books.
00:33:17.13\00:33:18.69
All you have to
do is read Daniel 5.
00:33:18.99\00:33:21.16
Daniel 5 speaks about
the handwriting on the wall
00:33:21.56\00:33:24.40
when Belshazzar
was king in Babylon.
00:33:24.60\00:33:26.53
And it very clearly says:
"The kingdom is taken from you"
00:33:27.30\00:33:30.37
from Babylon "and is given
00:33:30.57\00:33:32.94
to the Medes and Persians.
" All you need is Daniel.
00:33:33.14\00:33:35.94
You don't even
have to go to history
00:33:36.24\00:33:38.15
because the Medes and
Persians are mentioned by name.
00:33:38.45\00:33:40.85
But of course history
backs up what scripture says.
00:33:41.05\00:33:44.65
By the way, the Medes and
Persians ruled from the year
00:33:44.85\00:33:48.19
539 BC to the year 331 BC.
00:33:48.49\00:33:52.93
And then I want you to
notice how this story continues.
00:33:53.86\00:33:57.07
It says there in
Daniel chapter 2 and verse 39
00:33:57.37\00:34:01.10
once again: "But after you
shall arise another kingdom
00:34:01.30\00:34:03.94
inferior to
yours. " And now notice:
00:34:04.17\00:34:06.91
Now let me ask you:
what was that third kingdom
00:34:14.45\00:34:16.62
which overcame and gained
the victory over Medo-Persia?
00:34:16.82\00:34:20.86
You read history
books and it's Greece.
00:34:21.96\00:34:23.63
But you don't even
need the history books
00:34:23.83\00:34:25.46
because if you go
to Daniel chapter 8
00:34:25.66\00:34:28.50
which we're not going to
study in this series by the way
00:34:28.70\00:34:31.00
but I've preached
on this in other venues
00:34:31.20\00:34:34.14
but in Daniel chapter 8 the
Medes and Persians are mentioned
00:34:34.40\00:34:37.54
by name and then the kingdom
of Greece is mentioned by name
00:34:37.64\00:34:43.01
as following the
Medes and Persians.
00:34:43.31\00:34:44.78
So in Daniel
chapter 2 and chapter 8
00:34:45.18\00:34:48.72
you have these three
kingdoms mentioned by name:
00:34:48.92\00:34:51.62
Babylon,
Medo-Persia, and Greece.
00:34:51.82\00:34:55.26
There's no doubt that
these are these three kingdoms.
00:34:55.56\00:34:58.09
The first Babylon,
the second Medo-Persia,
00:34:58.39\00:35:00.76
and the third Greece.
But that's not all the story.
00:35:00.96\00:35:03.77
Notice verse 40. It says:
00:35:04.17\00:35:06.94
Now what empire
overcame the kingdom of Greece?
00:35:27.22\00:35:31.96
It was Rome.
00:35:32.26\00:35:33.73
History will tell you that.
00:35:33.93\00:35:35.26
Now Rome is not mentioned in
00:35:35.30\00:35:36.63
this prophecy, but by knowing
00:35:36.67\00:35:38.00
that the first is Babylon,
the second is Medo-Persia,
00:35:38.03\00:35:40.20
and the third is Greece
you know that the fourth one
00:35:40.30\00:35:42.37
has to be Rome.
00:35:42.47\00:35:43.84
Because you have a chain of
powers that are being mentioned
00:35:44.07\00:35:47.48
in this prophecy. By
the way, the great historian
00:35:47.68\00:35:51.25
of the Roman
Empire, Edward Gibbon,
00:35:51.45\00:35:54.08
wrote a series of volumes
called The Decline and Fall
00:35:54.28\00:35:57.45
of the Roman
Empire. I have that set.
00:35:57.55\00:35:59.45
I think it's probably
seven or eight volumes.
00:35:59.65\00:36:01.69
He called Rome "the
iron monarchy of Rome. "
00:36:02.52\00:36:08.06
And those of you who
have seen movies of Rome
00:36:08.30\00:36:10.87
know how they just
totally trampled on any army
00:36:11.23\00:36:17.17
that they came in contact with
00:36:17.27\00:36:18.71
and their weapons
were made of iron.
00:36:18.94\00:36:21.64
They destroyed mercilessly
when they went to battle.
00:36:21.84\00:36:25.61
And so this fourth
kingdom is the kingdom of Rome.
00:36:25.81\00:36:29.52
But now I want you to notice
that something very interesting
00:36:29.92\00:36:32.79
happens. Verse 41:
00:36:32.99\00:36:34.89
What kingdom shall be divided?
00:36:49.97\00:36:51.37
The fourth, right?
00:36:52.47\00:36:54.01
Let me ask you: does
Rome continue in the feet?
00:37:01.72\00:37:05.65
You tell me. Does
Rome continue in the feet?
00:37:06.79\00:37:08.36
How do we know that?
00:37:08.66\00:37:10.06
Because the legs are of
iron and the iron is Rome.
00:37:10.36\00:37:15.26
So if the feet have
iron, Rome must what?
00:37:15.56\00:37:19.83
Must continue in the feet,
but how does Rome continue?
00:37:20.14\00:37:24.51
In a what? In a
divided state it says here.
00:37:24.71\00:37:29.21
In a divided state.
And I want you to notice
00:37:29.44\00:37:32.11
that not only do
you have Rome divided...
00:37:32.31\00:37:34.72
You know, it could have
been illustrated by saying
00:37:34.92\00:37:36.79
the feet are also of
iron and they have ten toes
00:37:36.99\00:37:39.09
and that means ten kingdoms.
00:37:39.29\00:37:40.62
But this kingdom was going
to be different than all of the
00:37:40.66\00:37:43.53
other kingdoms also.
00:37:43.63\00:37:45.09
It was going to be divided
in ten, but it was going to be
00:37:45.29\00:37:47.70
different because it was
not composed only of iron
00:37:47.80\00:37:50.77
but it was mixed with
what? It was mixed with clay.
00:37:50.97\00:37:54.87
Was it still going to
be a Roman kingdom? Yes.
00:37:56.40\00:38:00.11
Was it going to be a different
kind of Roman kingdom? Yes.
00:38:00.34\00:38:04.68
Was it going to be an
amalgamated Roman kingdom?
00:38:04.98\00:38:08.68
Was it going to
have two substances mixed
00:38:09.08\00:38:12.39
which really
should not be mixed?
00:38:12.59\00:38:14.59
What person in his
right mind would build a house
00:38:14.99\00:38:18.66
on a foundation of
iron mixed with clay?
00:38:18.76\00:38:21.56
There is a
certain unity in Daniel 2
00:38:25.63\00:38:28.27
of the iron and the clay.
00:38:28.47\00:38:29.84
But they should
not exist together.
00:38:30.14\00:38:32.54
They're brought
together, two elements.
00:38:32.94\00:38:35.24
It is a role
that is amalgamated.
00:38:35.54\00:38:37.45
The iron of Rome - the
political power of Rome -
00:38:38.61\00:38:41.38
continues, but there is another
substance which is added to the
00:38:41.58\00:38:44.82
iron which is the clay.
00:38:44.92\00:38:47.26
Now what does this mixture
of iron and clay represent?
00:38:47.56\00:38:50.16
Well let me say first
of all that when Rome...
00:38:50.36\00:38:53.46
when the Roman Empire
fell in the year 476 AD
00:38:53.66\00:38:56.36
the last emperor
was Romulus Augustulus.
00:38:56.56\00:38:59.73
That's a mouthful.
00:38:59.93\00:39:01.27
You know, he was deposed
and there were no more emperors
00:39:01.54\00:39:04.47
of Rome. In fact, the
Barbarians were invading from
00:39:04.57\00:39:07.48
the northern sector of
the empire. And they came
00:39:07.71\00:39:09.91
and they carved up what had
been the territory of the Roman
00:39:10.11\00:39:12.95
Empire. And those
kingdoms which they established
00:39:13.05\00:39:17.42
carving up what had been Rome
00:39:17.45\00:39:19.59
are the present
countries in Europe.
00:39:19.79\00:39:23.53
Do you know that the Roman
Empire... there was 1 language
00:39:23.73\00:39:27.10
and there was one
culture all over the Empire?
00:39:27.30\00:39:30.80
But when Rome was
divided now you have French and
00:39:31.00\00:39:34.60
you have German
and you have Spanish
00:39:34.80\00:39:37.51
and you have Portuguese... all
of these different languages.
00:39:37.67\00:39:40.31
Because what had
been the Roman Empire
00:39:40.51\00:39:42.48
was divided into 10 kingdoms.
00:39:42.68\00:39:47.32
Now what is this
mixture of iron and clay?
00:39:47.55\00:39:50.69
We're going to have
to go very quickly here.
00:39:51.79\00:39:53.59
Go with me to
Jeremiah chapter 18.
00:39:53.79\00:39:56.06
We have to allow
scripture to explain scripture.
00:39:56.26\00:39:59.49
Jeremiah chapter 18 and
I want to read verses 1-6.
00:39:59.83\00:40:04.80
By the way, we're dealing
with symbols here, are we not?
00:40:05.10\00:40:07.44
Let me ask you:
is the gold a symbol?
00:40:07.87\00:40:10.01
Is it a symbol?
00:40:10.41\00:40:12.01
Is the silver a symbol?
00:40:12.41\00:40:14.71
Is the bronze a symbol?
00:40:15.11\00:40:17.05
Is the iron a symbol?
00:40:17.85\00:40:19.61
Is the stone a symbol?
00:40:20.62\00:40:22.75
Is the mountain a symbol?
00:40:23.05\00:40:25.29
So must the clay
also be a symbol?
00:40:25.59\00:40:28.32
It must represent
something beyond literal clay.
00:40:28.62\00:40:32.69
Now the question is: what
does clay represent in scripture
00:40:32.89\00:40:36.60
so that we can understand what
the mixture of iron and clay is?
00:40:36.80\00:40:39.87
Jeremiah 18:1-6. It says:
00:40:40.20\00:40:45.57
By the way, did you
notice that in Daniel chapter 2
00:41:07.93\00:41:11.43
this was not just any kind
of clay. It was potter's clay.
00:41:11.63\00:41:14.80
Potter's clay. So if you want
to know what potter's clay means
00:41:15.97\00:41:19.07
you have to go to other
passages in scripture that
00:41:19.27\00:41:21.44
speak about potter's clay,
and that's what we're doing.
00:41:21.54\00:41:23.71
Now notice what it
continues saying. Verse 4:
00:41:24.01\00:41:27.15
"And the vessel that he made
of clay was marred in the hand
00:41:27.35\00:41:30.25
of the potter. " By the way,
that represents the Babylonian
00:41:30.35\00:41:33.25
captivity. When Nebuchadnezzar
came and took them captive
00:41:33.36\00:41:36.56
Israel was
shattered. But now notice:
00:41:36.66\00:41:39.39
In other words, he
brought Israel back to her land.
00:41:46.74\00:41:49.24
Now you say: "Is this
the right interpretation? "
00:41:49.54\00:41:51.11
Let's continue reading.
00:41:51.31\00:41:53.27
"Then the Word of the
Lord came to me saying:
00:41:53.31\00:41:55.94
'O house of Israel can
I not do with you... ' "
00:41:56.24\00:42:02.18
What did the potter
represent in the Old Testament?
00:42:14.76\00:42:17.30
It represented God's people.
00:42:18.33\00:42:21.17
God's Old Testament church.
00:42:21.47\00:42:23.61
Israel. Is that
clear in your mind?
00:42:23.91\00:42:27.18
Now, let's go to
Isaiah 64 and verse 8.
00:42:27.48\00:42:32.71
Isaiah chapter 64 and verse 8.
00:42:33.01\00:42:36.52
This is another text
which mentions potter's clay.
00:42:36.82\00:42:41.46
It's referring to creation.
00:42:41.76\00:42:43.46
Isaiah 64 and verse 8 says this:
00:42:43.89\00:42:47.30
So what is composed of
clay according to this text?
00:43:06.51\00:43:10.19
Our what? What's
composed of clay?
00:43:10.59\00:43:14.42
Our what? Our body, right?
00:43:14.62\00:43:18.06
Who formed the body out of clay?
00:43:19.03\00:43:21.23
God did. He's the
Father; He's the Potter.
00:43:22.20\00:43:26.80
We are the Potter's
what? Clay... and He formed us.
00:43:27.00\00:43:31.34
Now go with me to
Genesis chapter 2 and verse 7
00:43:31.67\00:43:34.31
and notice something
very interesting here
00:43:34.51\00:43:36.38
referring to
the creation of man.
00:43:36.58\00:43:38.81
Genesis chapter 2 and verse 7.
00:43:39.01\00:43:41.88
Here it says:
00:43:43.15\00:43:44.62
Isaiah 64 explains that
the dust was really what?
00:43:48.59\00:43:51.36
It was clay.
00:43:51.66\00:43:54.00
The body became
animated. Can I say it that way?
00:44:14.12\00:44:17.62
So the body made of
clay by the Potter - God -
00:44:18.12\00:44:21.79
plus the breath
that goes into the body
00:44:22.09\00:44:24.99
animates the members of the body
00:44:25.29\00:44:27.26
so that they can all
fulfill their function.
00:44:27.46\00:44:29.56
Are you with me or not?
00:44:29.76\00:44:31.10
And of course, Israel
is compared with the clay
00:44:31.27\00:44:34.47
because Israel is
God's spiritual body in the
00:44:34.57\00:44:37.21
Old Testament. They are God's
church in the Old Testament.
00:44:37.31\00:44:39.74
Are you following me or not?
00:44:40.04\00:44:41.38
So it can be said
physically about man
00:44:41.54\00:44:44.55
that man's body
was formed out of clay,
00:44:44.75\00:44:47.05
God breathed into his
nostrils the breath of life,
00:44:47.35\00:44:50.19
can also be said of Israel.
Because God also formed Israel
00:44:50.39\00:44:54.09
spiritually speaking out of clay
00:44:54.29\00:44:56.19
and then God gave them
what? God gave them life
00:44:56.39\00:45:00.06
so that that could function
as His people, as His church.
00:45:00.36\00:45:04.70
Now we have one more link
that we need to take a look at,
00:45:05.10\00:45:07.24
and that is in
the New Testament.
00:45:07.64\00:45:10.77
Go with me to
Colossians chapter 1.
00:45:10.97\00:45:13.81
Colossians chapter 1
and let's read verse 18.
00:45:14.11\00:45:17.98
Colossians 1 and verse 18.
00:45:18.28\00:45:20.38
Very interesting verse.
It's speaking about God's
00:45:20.68\00:45:24.79
New Testament church.
00:45:24.99\00:45:26.32
No longer is it
talking about Israel.
00:45:26.52\00:45:28.19
It's talking about
the New Testament church.
00:45:28.39\00:45:29.99
It says there is Colossians
chapter 1 and verse 18
00:45:30.19\00:45:34.13
the following:
00:45:34.23\00:45:35.56
Who formed the
church? Who formed the church?
00:45:43.20\00:45:48.44
Jesus says: "You are Peter...
00:45:48.84\00:45:53.72
and upon this rock I
will build My church. "
00:45:53.92\00:45:59.92
So who formed the church?
Who chose the first disciples?
00:46:00.32\00:46:03.53
Who evangelized the first people
that became the nucleus of
00:46:03.73\00:46:06.46
the church? Jesus did.
Did Jesus form the church?
00:46:06.56\00:46:10.53
Yes He did. He
formed the church.
00:46:10.83\00:46:12.90
But let me ask you:
when He formed the church
00:46:13.20\00:46:15.07
what needed to happen
so the church could begin
00:46:15.47\00:46:17.51
to function?
00:46:17.61\00:46:19.21
Do you remember what happened
on the Day of Pentecost?
00:46:21.11\00:46:23.88
They were all gathered
together in one accord.
00:46:24.95\00:46:27.55
Had the body all come together?
00:46:27.95\00:46:30.05
Had the body
been formed by Jesus?
00:46:30.35\00:46:32.52
Oh yes it had.
But what was lacking?
00:46:32.82\00:46:35.22
The breath of life.
00:46:35.52\00:46:37.39
And so what did God do
on the Day of Pentecost?
00:46:37.69\00:46:40.13
He breathed
into the church what?
00:46:40.43\00:46:42.93
The Holy Spirit...
the breath of life.
00:46:43.13\00:46:45.00
Let me ask you: did
the church now stand up
00:46:45.10\00:46:47.44
and all of the parts of the body
according to the apostle Paul
00:46:47.64\00:46:50.81
in I Corinthians 12... Did
all of the parts of the body
00:46:51.01\00:46:53.68
begin to function? Absolutely!
00:46:53.88\00:46:56.81
And so what does
the clay represent?
00:46:57.51\00:47:00.78
Tell me. What does
the clay represent?
00:47:02.12\00:47:03.82
It represents the church.
00:47:04.75\00:47:07.22
Because as the body
of man was made by clay
00:47:07.52\00:47:10.16
the church which is the
body of Christ is made with
00:47:10.46\00:47:13.63
spiritual clay.
00:47:13.73\00:47:15.56
As man received the breath of
00:47:15.76\00:47:17.33
life in order to physically live
00:47:17.53\00:47:19.43
the church received the spirit
00:47:19.63\00:47:20.97
of life on the Day of Pentecost.
00:47:21.00\00:47:22.80
As Adam's
members began functioning
00:47:22.90\00:47:25.17
when his body was animated
by the spirit or the breath
00:47:25.27\00:47:27.98
that came from God, the
church now becomes animated
00:47:28.11\00:47:30.71
when it receives the breath
of life on the Day of Pentecost.
00:47:30.91\00:47:35.72
And so the clay that
formed the body of man
00:47:36.08\00:47:38.69
is symbolic of
spiritual clay of which Jesus
00:47:38.89\00:47:42.49
formed what? The church.
00:47:42.69\00:47:44.96
Are you following me or not?
00:47:45.99\00:47:47.56
So let me ask you then -
going back to Daniel chapter 2-
00:47:47.86\00:47:52.17
what kind of Rome are
we talking about here?
00:47:53.54\00:47:57.31
Are we talking only about
an Empire, a political Empire
00:47:57.61\00:48:01.38
of Rome? Or are we talking
about a different kind of Rome?
00:48:01.48\00:48:06.01
Are we talking about a
Rome that is a political power
00:48:07.38\00:48:10.35
but also is
mixed with the church?
00:48:10.55\00:48:13.46
Are you following me or not?
00:48:14.82\00:48:16.46
Is anybody alive out there?
00:48:16.66\00:48:18.29
Have you received the
spirit of life? Praise the Lord!
00:48:18.49\00:48:21.50
Come on... animate me, folks.
00:48:21.70\00:48:23.47
Good to hear those amens.
00:48:27.50\00:48:29.10
Now are you
following what I'm saying?
00:48:30.51\00:48:32.57
The iron is the
political power of Rome.
00:48:32.97\00:48:35.88
That's the fourth kingdom.
00:48:36.28\00:48:37.98
But now an added element...
the clay... comes into play
00:48:38.28\00:48:43.15
and the clay
represents the church.
00:48:44.19\00:48:46.49
Which means that after
the fall of the Roman Empire
00:48:46.69\00:48:48.96
the empire was going to
continue in a divided state
00:48:49.16\00:48:52.49
but it was going
to be a union of what?
00:48:52.69\00:48:55.66
Of church and state.
00:48:55.86\00:48:58.13
Is that historically true?
00:48:59.60\00:49:02.10
I want you to remember
when we're studying because
00:49:02.40\00:49:05.77
this is the
skeleton of Bible prophecy.
00:49:05.97\00:49:08.84
Everything else is built on it.
00:49:09.04\00:49:11.61
You know, the reason why
there are so many jellyfish
00:49:11.81\00:49:15.38
interpretations of Bible
prophecy is because those
00:49:15.48\00:49:18.29
interpretations
have no backbone.
00:49:18.39\00:49:20.49
It has no structure.
This is the key prophecy.
00:49:21.39\00:49:24.76
This is the
backbone of prophecy.
00:49:25.06\00:49:27.00
If we understand this
prophecy, all of the others
00:49:27.20\00:49:29.33
fit within its
sequence and its structure.
00:49:29.53\00:49:32.33
So there was going to be
a kingdom which would unite
00:49:33.60\00:49:38.74
church and state.
00:49:38.94\00:49:40.74
But now we come
to the best part.
00:49:40.94\00:49:42.44
There's a stone.
Who is that stone?
00:49:43.55\00:49:47.68
Go with me to
Matthew chapter 21.
00:49:47.98\00:49:50.29
Matthew chapter 21.
00:49:50.49\00:49:52.42
Let's see who that stone
is, the stone that crushes
00:49:53.72\00:49:56.89
and destroys, particularly
those who reject it.
00:49:57.09\00:50:02.20
It says in Matthew 21
and verses 42 and 44...
00:50:02.50\00:50:06.40
Matthew chapter 21 and
verse 42 we find these words:
00:50:06.43\00:50:10.71
"Jesus said to them:
'Have you never read in the
00:50:11.01\00:50:13.21
scriptures the stone
which the builders rejected
00:50:13.31\00:50:16.81
has become the
Chief Cornerstone.
00:50:17.05\00:50:19.41
This is the Lord's doing and it
is marvelous in your eyes. ' "
00:50:19.61\00:50:22.48
Verse 44:
00:50:22.68\00:50:24.42
Is that what
happened in Daniel chapter 2?
00:50:33.90\00:50:35.76
See, you can accept Jesus
and have your heart broken
00:50:36.06\00:50:39.40
or converted. And if you don't,
00:50:39.70\00:50:42.84
the stone will fall
upon you and crush you.
00:50:43.04\00:50:45.64
That's a very strong warning
that God gives in scripture.
00:50:46.17\00:50:49.11
And so who is this stone?
00:50:51.11\00:50:52.81
The stone is Jesus. By
the way, did you notice
00:50:53.11\00:50:55.85
that in Daniel 2:34 it
says that this stone was cut out
00:50:56.05\00:50:59.45
without hands?
00:50:59.65\00:51:01.92
What does that mean it
was "cut out without hands? "
00:51:03.39\00:51:06.76
Go with me to
Hebrews 9 verse 11.
00:51:07.36\00:51:09.40
Let's notice that
expression "without hands. "
00:51:09.60\00:51:11.70
Hebrews chapter 9 and verse 11.
00:51:12.10\00:51:15.57
It's not speaking about the
stone, but it's speaking about
00:51:15.87\00:51:18.31
the sanctuary. And
it's the same expression.
00:51:18.41\00:51:20.54
So we can determine
what this expression means
00:51:20.68\00:51:23.11
by reading
Hebrews 9 and verse 11.
00:51:23.31\00:51:25.68
It says here:
00:51:26.11\00:51:27.52
Why is the stone
made without hands?
00:51:51.94\00:51:54.61
Because it is a stone that
was not made in this world.
00:51:54.91\00:51:58.88
It was a stone - a
supernatural stone -
00:51:59.21\00:52:02.45
that comes from the other world.
00:52:02.65\00:52:04.55
Now the question
is: who is this stone?
00:52:04.85\00:52:07.32
The stone is Jesus. By
the way, did you notice
00:52:07.52\00:52:10.26
that the stone is
cut out of the mountain?
00:52:10.46\00:52:12.29
We read that the stone
is cut out of the mountain.
00:52:14.60\00:52:17.60
Taken out of the
mountain and then it comes
00:52:17.90\00:52:20.20
and it crushes the
image. And I would add that
00:52:20.40\00:52:23.44
afterwards the stone is taken
and put back in the mountain.
00:52:23.54\00:52:26.07
Even though the
prophecy doesn't say so.
00:52:26.37\00:52:28.31
What is this idea of the stone
being cut out of a mountain?
00:52:28.61\00:52:31.41
Which mountain?
00:52:31.71\00:52:33.05
We need to allow scripture
to interpret scripture.
00:52:33.42\00:52:35.88
Go with me to I Peter
chapter 2 and verse 6.
00:52:35.98\00:52:38.09
I Peter chapter 2 and verse 6.
00:52:38.29\00:52:40.52
Here we find an explanation
of which mountain is being
00:52:40.82\00:52:43.36
spoken about and what
cutting out the stone means.
00:52:43.56\00:52:46.66
It says in I Peter
chapter 2 and verse 6:
00:52:46.90\00:52:49.76
What did God put in Mt. Zion?
00:53:14.82\00:53:16.96
A precious stone.
00:53:17.39\00:53:19.39
Who is that stone? It's Jesus.
00:53:19.69\00:53:22.00
So what does it mean
when it says that the stone
00:53:22.20\00:53:24.33
will be taken out of Mt. Zion
00:53:24.53\00:53:26.20
and will come down
and smash the image?
00:53:26.40\00:53:28.67
It must be referring to
the fact that Jesus is going to
00:53:28.87\00:53:31.44
leave Mt. Zion someday -
00:53:31.54\00:53:33.51
that stone, that precious
00:53:33.71\00:53:35.24
stone - and is going to come
00:53:35.34\00:53:36.78
down to this earth
00:53:36.88\00:53:38.21
and He's going to destroy
00:53:38.25\00:53:39.58
the kingdoms of the world
00:53:39.68\00:53:41.72
and He's going to establish
a kingdom which shall never
00:53:41.92\00:53:45.19
be destroyed.
00:53:45.39\00:53:47.12
Now, let's go to the climax:
00:53:47.62\00:53:51.66
Daniel chapter 2 and verse 44.
00:53:51.96\00:53:54.73
This is what we're
looking forward to.
00:53:55.06\00:53:57.40
Daniel chapter 2 and verse 44.
00:53:57.60\00:54:00.44
It says here:
00:54:00.84\00:54:02.30
By the way, the
mountain in scripture represents
00:54:23.83\00:54:26.26
a kingdom. Babylon in
Jeremiah 51 verse 25 is
00:54:26.46\00:54:30.53
called a mountain, a kingdom.
00:54:30.63\00:54:33.23
Zion is the place
where God's kingdom is found.
00:54:33.44\00:54:36.91
Revelation 17 speaks about
seven mountains which represent
00:54:37.21\00:54:41.54
seven kings or kingdoms.
00:54:41.74\00:54:43.58
In other words,
mountains represent kingdoms.
00:54:43.68\00:54:45.55
So if this stone is going
to come and destroy all of the
00:54:45.85\00:54:50.15
kingdoms of the world and
then this stone is going to
00:54:50.35\00:54:52.92
become a mountain, it
means that it's going to
00:54:53.02\00:54:56.12
become a world wide
what? A world-wide kingdom
00:54:56.32\00:55:00.66
which will never be destroyed.
00:55:00.86\00:55:03.57
Now I want you to notice
00:55:03.87\00:55:06.33
Daniel chapter 7
and verses 26 and 27.
00:55:06.53\00:55:12.47
Referring also to this
same fact, Daniel 7:26-27.
00:55:12.87\00:55:17.88
It says: "But the court shall
be seated, and they shall take
00:55:18.08\00:55:21.32
away his dominion. " This is
talking about the little horn
00:55:21.52\00:55:23.99
which comes up
among the ten kingdoms.
00:55:24.19\00:55:26.32
We'll discuss it later on.
00:55:26.42\00:55:27.76
"To consume and
destroy forever. "
00:55:27.79\00:55:29.96
That's what we're
looking forward to.
00:55:48.74\00:55:51.15
And then, of
course, as prophecy says
00:55:51.65\00:55:54.25
"the meek will
inherit the earth. "
00:55:54.55\00:55:59.65
And Jesus once again
will restore the kingdom
00:56:00.16\00:56:02.76
to man that was lost
at the very beginning.
00:56:02.96\00:56:07.56
And we will live in a
new heavens and a new earth
00:56:07.86\00:56:11.37
where righteousness dwells.
00:56:11.67\00:56:14.24
Now allow me to mention
some lessons from this chapter
00:56:15.50\00:56:18.34
in closing. Lesson number one:
00:56:18.54\00:56:20.91
the world is not
spiraling out of control.
00:56:22.24\00:56:25.41
God knows
exactly what's happening.
00:56:26.58\00:56:29.15
He has revealed the
end from the beginning.
00:56:29.45\00:56:31.92
Everything has
happened the way He said.
00:56:33.19\00:56:35.69
He's in control
of human history.
00:56:35.99\00:56:38.89
We have nothing to fear.
00:56:39.09\00:56:41.10
By the way, if history
was declared by God so long
00:56:41.40\00:56:44.83
in advance, if all of
the events of Daniel 2
00:56:45.03\00:56:48.17
have taken place:
Babylon, Medo-Persia,
00:56:48.37\00:56:51.14
Greece, Rome, the
ten divisions of Rome,
00:56:51.34\00:56:54.41
the mixture of the iron
and the clay which we'll talk
00:56:54.61\00:56:56.44
more about in Daniel 7,
what makes you think that
00:56:56.54\00:56:58.88
the last event
isn't going to take place?
00:56:59.08\00:57:00.85
If everything has taken
place just the way God said,
00:57:02.78\00:57:05.12
we know that the last
event will take place.
00:57:05.32\00:57:07.29
And by the way, it's very soon
00:57:07.59\00:57:10.33
because we are presently living
in the toenails of the image.
00:57:10.73\00:57:15.73
The toes are the last part
and then Jesus will establish
00:57:16.70\00:57:21.67
His everlasting kingdom
where righteousness dwells.
00:57:21.87\00:57:26.11