Heavenly Father,
00:00:10.84\00:00:13.31
tonight we find ourselves
00:00:13.34\00:00:14.88
coming together to
study the Book of Daniel.
00:00:14.91\00:00:19.28
Father, we come
here just as we are.
00:00:19.31\00:00:22.18
We don't hide our mistakes.
00:00:22.22\00:00:24.42
We don't hide our weaknesses.
00:00:24.45\00:00:26.86
But we need to see
a picture of Jesus.
00:00:26.89\00:00:30.03
As we open up
Your prophetic Word,
00:00:30.06\00:00:32.09
we are asking for hope,
00:00:32.13\00:00:34.03
we are asking for encouragement,
00:00:34.06\00:00:36.36
we are asking for the answers
00:00:36.40\00:00:38.10
that we know Your Word gives us.
00:00:38.13\00:00:40.80
So we pray for the Holy Spirit.
00:00:40.84\00:00:43.10
We ask the Holy
Spirit to be our teacher,
00:00:43.14\00:00:46.07
and to give us ears to hear.
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This is our
prayer in Jesus name.
00:00:48.34\00:00:51.15
Amen. Amen.
00:00:51.18\00:00:53.28
Throughout the
Bible, there are literally
00:00:53.31\00:00:56.05
hundreds of different prophecies
00:00:56.08\00:00:58.22
that have
foretold future events.
00:00:58.25\00:01:00.89
And when you compare
the prophecies of the Bible
00:01:00.92\00:01:03.99
with history, you
discover very quickly
00:01:04.03\00:01:06.63
that the prophecies of the Bible
00:01:06.66\00:01:08.66
have never, ever failed.
00:01:08.70\00:01:10.77
In fact, prophecy is there
00:01:10.80\00:01:12.97
in order to strengthen
our faith in the Word of God
00:01:13.00\00:01:16.20
and to show us that
we can trust the Bible.
00:01:16.24\00:01:19.74
That's why Peter has said
that prophecy is like a light
00:01:19.77\00:01:24.11
that shines in a dark place.
00:01:24.15\00:01:26.61
It helps us to
understand the past,
00:01:26.65\00:01:29.45
it makes clear the
present, and it helps us
00:01:29.48\00:01:32.25
to understand the future.
00:01:32.29\00:01:34.39
So tonight, we're
going to take a look
00:01:34.42\00:01:36.73
at a very specific prophecy
00:01:36.76\00:01:38.79
in the Book of Daniel.
00:01:38.83\00:01:40.30
It is known as
the 70 Weeks Prophecy.
00:01:40.33\00:01:44.57
And it's really one
of the most dramatic ones
00:01:44.60\00:01:46.63
you will find in
the Old Testament.
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And here's why.
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This prophecy
pinpoints the exact time period
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when Jesus would
come as the Messiah,
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the first time
and it pins points
00:01:57.21\00:01:59.71
the every time
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when He would die
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on the cross of
Calvary for our sins.
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There is no other prophecy
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that I know of
in the Old Testament
00:02:06.29\00:02:08.09
that uplifts Jesus Christ more,
00:02:08.12\00:02:10.93
and unmistakably identifies
Him as the Son of God.
00:02:10.96\00:02:15.36
So I want to invite
you to take your Bibles
00:02:15.40\00:02:17.47
and go ahead and
turn with me to Daniel 9,
00:02:17.50\00:02:21.24
because we're going to
be there for quite a while.
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You want to go to Daniel 9,
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so Daniel 9.
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Now, before I start reading,
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I actually want to
give you the background
00:02:32.21\00:02:34.18
of what is happening
00:02:34.22\00:02:35.72
during this period
of earth's history.
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Because if we wanna understand
a prophecy in the Bible,
00:02:37.95\00:02:41.06
it's always good
to get its context.
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Can you say amen?
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Here in Chapter 9, it's
somewhere around 500 BC.
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The Jewish nation
and the Prophet Daniel
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are living in
captivity to the Persian Empire.
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What empire did I say?
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Persian. Persian Empire.
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You see, years before that
God had spoken through Jeremiah
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and many of the other prophets,
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warning the nation of Israel
00:03:07.38\00:03:09.12
that if they
continue to be unfaithful,
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if they continue
to worship other gods
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and get involved
in sexual immorality
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with other nations,
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that in order to wake them up,
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God would allow a foreign power
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to conquer them and
to take them captive.
00:03:22.63\00:03:25.83
And unfortunately, in 586 BC,
that's exactly what happened.
00:03:25.87\00:03:31.24
King Nebuchadnezzar
and the Kingdom of Babylon
00:03:31.27\00:03:34.91
came down from the
North and conquered
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and besieged the
city of Jerusalem,
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partially destroyed it
and tore down the walls.
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And they took many
of the people captive,
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as you can see in the
picture on the screen above me.
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And one of the men
who was taken captive
00:03:50.26\00:03:52.43
was the Prophet Daniel,
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who was probably just
a teenager at that time.
00:03:54.13\00:03:57.87
So, now you fast
forward a few years,
00:03:57.90\00:04:00.30
probably 70 years,
00:04:00.34\00:04:01.70
and Persia has
now conquered Babylon.
00:04:01.74\00:04:04.77
They are the
dominant power in the world.
00:04:04.81\00:04:07.21
So the Jewish people are now
00:04:07.24\00:04:09.64
living in captivity
to the Persian nation.
00:04:09.68\00:04:13.45
And Chapter 9 opens up
00:04:13.48\00:04:16.02
with one of the
most sincere prayers
00:04:16.05\00:04:17.92
you will ever see
or hear in the Bible.
00:04:17.95\00:04:21.06
Daniel is
praying for his people.
00:04:21.09\00:04:24.89
Daniel is praying and asking,
00:04:24.93\00:04:26.83
"O Lord, when
will You deliver us?
00:04:26.86\00:04:30.07
When will You save us
00:04:30.10\00:04:31.53
and allow us to
go back to Jerusalem?
00:04:31.57\00:04:34.34
When can we rebuild our city
00:04:34.37\00:04:36.30
and rebuild our
walls and be free again?"
00:04:36.34\00:04:39.27
And Daniel
confesses the unfaithfulness
00:04:39.31\00:04:42.11
of his people.
00:04:42.14\00:04:43.48
I want you to pick it up now.
00:04:43.51\00:04:44.85
I'd like to read verses 4-6,
00:04:44.88\00:04:47.22
so that you can get a
picture of the humility
00:04:47.25\00:04:50.15
that you see in
Daniel's character.
00:04:50.19\00:04:52.55
Daniel 9:4,
00:04:52.59\00:04:55.89
the Bible says,
00:04:55.92\00:04:58.23
"And I prayed
to the Lord my God,
00:04:58.26\00:05:01.53
and made
confession, and said, 'O Lord,
00:05:01.56\00:05:05.53
great and awesome God,
00:05:05.57\00:05:08.20
who keeps His covenant
00:05:08.24\00:05:09.74
and mercy with
those who love Him,
00:05:09.77\00:05:12.04
and with those who
keep His commandments.'
00:05:12.07\00:05:14.28
" Now notice verse
5, "We have," what?
00:05:14.31\00:05:18.11
"Sinned and committed iniquity,
00:05:18.15\00:05:21.18
we have done
wickedly and rebelled,
00:05:21.22\00:05:23.52
even by departing
from Your precepts
00:05:23.55\00:05:26.12
and Your judgments.
00:05:26.15\00:05:27.62
Neither have we heeded
Your servants the prophets,
00:05:27.66\00:05:30.73
who spoke in Your name to
our kings and our princes,
00:05:30.76\00:05:34.33
to our fathers
00:05:34.36\00:05:35.70
and all the people of the land."
00:05:35.73\00:05:38.90
Do you sense Daniel's sincerity?
00:05:38.93\00:05:41.44
Yes or no.
00:05:41.47\00:05:42.87
Now, I want you
to notice something
00:05:42.90\00:05:44.24
in this prayer.
00:05:44.27\00:05:45.61
Daniel does not have a
judgmental critical attitude
00:05:45.64\00:05:49.68
toward his people.
00:05:49.71\00:05:51.11
He does not come across it
in a holier than thou manner
00:05:51.15\00:05:54.88
because the truth is,
00:05:54.92\00:05:56.25
Daniel's not the
one that was unfaithful.
00:05:56.28\00:05:58.32
He's living in captivity
because of the faithfulness
00:05:58.35\00:06:01.56
of other people
in the Jewish nation,
00:06:01.59\00:06:04.19
but Daniel
doesn't cop an attitude.
00:06:04.23\00:06:06.80
He doesn't say, "Oh,
Lord, these wicked people,
00:06:06.83\00:06:09.76
and these
unfaithful rulers of ours,
00:06:09.80\00:06:11.83
they've caused
all this to happen.
00:06:11.87\00:06:13.44
But Oh, Lord, I
have been faithful."
00:06:13.47\00:06:15.97
He doesn't do that.
00:06:16.00\00:06:17.61
You notice the
pronoun that Daniel uses.
00:06:17.64\00:06:20.98
He says, "We have sinned.
00:06:21.01\00:06:23.78
We have rebelled."
00:06:23.81\00:06:25.95
He puts himself right
there with his people,
00:06:25.98\00:06:29.25
the nation of Israel.
00:06:29.28\00:06:30.82
And you see the
humility of Daniel,
00:06:30.85\00:06:33.19
that's why God could use him.
00:06:33.22\00:06:34.89
Can you say amen?
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And it's really a lesson for us.
00:06:36.29\00:06:38.29
I mean, sometimes we see people
00:06:38.33\00:06:40.10
who are not acting properly
in church or in our families,
00:06:40.13\00:06:44.87
or maybe our neighborhoods,
00:06:44.90\00:06:46.23
and we're sometimes
00:06:46.27\00:06:47.60
tempted to have
that judgmental attitude,
00:06:47.64\00:06:49.94
that holier than thou attitude.
00:06:49.97\00:06:51.97
You know, like the
Pharisees who said,
00:06:52.01\00:06:53.34
"Oh, Lord, I thank You
00:06:53.38\00:06:54.71
that I'm not like this
tax collector publican."
00:06:54.74\00:06:57.88
But what God would want us to do
00:06:57.91\00:06:59.91
is to have the
attitude of gentleness
00:06:59.95\00:07:02.35
and humility to remember.
00:07:02.38\00:07:04.79
Yes, that person
may be struggling.
00:07:04.82\00:07:07.62
But you know what?
00:07:07.66\00:07:08.99
We have our own
issues, don't we?
00:07:09.02\00:07:11.06
Why look for the log
in someone else's eye,
00:07:11.09\00:07:14.16
when there is a speck in my own.
00:07:14.20\00:07:16.36
God can always use a
humble and a gentle attitude.
00:07:16.40\00:07:21.10
Can you say amen?
That's what you see in Daniel.
00:07:21.14\00:07:23.74
Daniel then ends
the prayer in verse 19,
00:07:23.77\00:07:26.61
where he says,
with much emotion,
00:07:26.64\00:07:29.14
"O Lord, hear!
00:07:29.18\00:07:31.45
O Lord, forgive!
00:07:31.48\00:07:33.78
O Lord, listen and act!
00:07:33.82\00:07:36.42
Do not delay for Your own sake,
00:07:36.45\00:07:38.85
my God, for Your city
00:07:38.89\00:07:41.32
and Your people are
called by Your name."
00:07:41.36\00:07:45.36
That's the
sincerity of Daniel's prayer.
00:07:45.39\00:07:48.06
And then what you notice
is right away in verses 20-21,
00:07:48.10\00:07:52.73
God hears that prayer,
00:07:52.77\00:07:55.44
and He sends the Angel Gabriel
00:07:55.47\00:07:58.54
to give Daniel a
prophecy of hope.
00:07:58.57\00:08:02.44
So let's pick it up now
beginning in verses 21-23.
00:08:02.48\00:08:07.15
Notice what Daniel writes.
00:08:07.18\00:08:08.98
Verse 21, the Bible says,
00:08:09.02\00:08:12.25
"Yes, while I was
speaking in prayer,
00:08:12.29\00:08:15.72
the man Gabriel,
00:08:15.76\00:08:17.99
whom I had seen in the
vision at the beginning,
00:08:18.03\00:08:21.20
being caused to fly swiftly,
00:08:21.23\00:08:23.90
reached me about the
time of the evening offering.
00:08:23.93\00:08:27.80
And he informed me,
and he talked with me,
00:08:27.84\00:08:31.67
and he said, 'O Daniel,
00:08:31.71\00:08:33.91
I have now come forth
00:08:33.94\00:08:35.38
to give you skill to understand.
00:08:35.41\00:08:38.51
At the beginning
of your supplications
00:08:38.55\00:08:40.78
the command went out,
and I have come to tell you,
00:08:40.82\00:08:44.19
for you are..."
00:08:44.22\00:08:45.72
What's that next phrase?
00:08:45.75\00:08:47.46
"Greatly beloved,
therefore consider the matter,
00:08:47.49\00:08:52.79
and understand the vision.'
00:08:52.83\00:08:55.16
" I have got to stop there.
00:08:55.20\00:08:56.70
Before we jump
into the prophecy,
00:08:56.73\00:08:59.13
there is some
really neat messages,
00:08:59.17\00:09:01.77
lessons in that passage.
00:09:01.80\00:09:03.14
Notice, at first it
almost appears like,
00:09:03.17\00:09:07.14
wow, Daniel praise
one prayer and boom,
00:09:07.18\00:09:09.54
the angel Gabriel was
there to answer his prayer.
00:09:09.58\00:09:12.98
And we might be
tempted to think, boy,
00:09:13.01\00:09:15.15
I wish it
happened like that for me.
00:09:15.18\00:09:17.85
Because I can tell you
when I pray about something,
00:09:17.89\00:09:21.06
very rarely, in
fact, never has an angel
00:09:21.09\00:09:23.12
just appeared in the
spot to answer my prayers.
00:09:23.16\00:09:25.53
Has that ever
happened to anyone here?
00:09:25.56\00:09:27.46
It rarely happens that way.
00:09:27.50\00:09:29.76
But you have to
understand something.
00:09:29.80\00:09:32.10
Do you think
this is the first time
00:09:32.13\00:09:33.87
Daniel prayed that
prayer for his people?
00:09:33.90\00:09:36.71
I highly doubt it.
00:09:36.74\00:09:38.07
Daniel had been in captivity
almost 70 years by then.
00:09:38.11\00:09:41.91
Daniel prayed that
prayer probably every day,
00:09:41.94\00:09:45.11
every week, every
month, year after year,
00:09:45.15\00:09:48.38
he was persistent.
00:09:48.42\00:09:50.62
And see that's the lesson
God wants to teach us so often,
00:09:50.65\00:09:54.09
you know, we may pray
about something one time
00:09:54.12\00:09:56.52
and then forget about it.
00:09:56.56\00:09:58.23
Of course, God
hears those prayers,
00:09:58.26\00:10:01.10
but think about your children,
00:10:01.13\00:10:02.86
you take a walk
through Toys 'R' Us.
00:10:02.90\00:10:05.13
And for those who
may watch this video,
00:10:05.17\00:10:06.70
perhaps from another country
00:10:06.74\00:10:08.07
Toys 'R' Us is a
very big toy store here
00:10:08.10\00:10:10.44
in the United States.
00:10:10.47\00:10:11.94
And your child
sees that special toy
00:10:11.97\00:10:14.68
that Hasbro has made
00:10:14.71\00:10:16.61
and seen the
commercial on television,
00:10:16.64\00:10:18.11
they want that toy.
00:10:18.15\00:10:19.91
Now, if they only bug you
00:10:19.95\00:10:21.62
about it for three or four days,
00:10:21.65\00:10:23.18
and then you never
hear about it again.
00:10:23.22\00:10:25.35
You know, it's
just a passing fad.
00:10:25.39\00:10:27.69
But if they bring it up
over and over and over again
00:10:27.72\00:10:31.93
over a period of
weeks and months,
00:10:31.96\00:10:33.93
you know,
they're serious about it.
00:10:33.96\00:10:36.33
In a sense, that's how God wants
00:10:36.36\00:10:37.83
our prayers to be
consistent and persistent.
00:10:37.87\00:10:41.77
Not that we have to convince God
00:10:41.80\00:10:43.84
to hear and answer our prayers.
00:10:43.87\00:10:46.07
But God knows, the
more persistent we are,
00:10:46.11\00:10:50.51
the more we
daily bow before Him,
00:10:50.55\00:10:53.11
it is going to strengthen
our personal relationship
00:10:53.15\00:10:55.98
with Christ.
00:10:56.02\00:10:57.35
So God wants us
to be persistent,
00:10:57.39\00:10:59.39
just like Daniel was
in praying for his people.
00:10:59.42\00:11:03.46
The other thing you see
here, notice the angel says,
00:11:03.49\00:11:06.70
"Daniel, your
prayers have been heard,
00:11:06.73\00:11:08.76
you are greatly beloved."
00:11:08.80\00:11:11.73
What would that be like?
00:11:11.77\00:11:13.94
To hear one of God's angels say,
00:11:13.97\00:11:15.87
"You, Perry or Mark
or Bob or Christine,
00:11:15.90\00:11:20.18
you are greatly beloved,
00:11:20.21\00:11:22.38
your name is known in heaven."
00:11:22.41\00:11:25.61
How many people think
that would be awesome?
00:11:25.65\00:11:27.08
Can I see your hands?
00:11:27.12\00:11:28.65
Well, I got good news for you.
00:11:28.68\00:11:30.02
God's already
said that about you.
00:11:30.05\00:11:31.75
You say, really,
00:11:31.79\00:11:33.12
what book of the Bible is it in?
00:11:33.15\00:11:34.62
It's on the cross of Calvary.
00:11:34.66\00:11:36.66
Because when God sent His Son,
00:11:36.69\00:11:39.16
Jesus Christ to die on Calvary,
to give you His righteousness,
00:11:39.19\00:11:44.13
that was God
saying to you and me,
00:11:44.17\00:11:46.43
you are greatly
beloved, in my sight, amen?
00:11:46.47\00:11:49.34
Amen.
00:11:49.37\00:11:50.71
Now, the angel begins
to give Daniel a prophecy
00:11:50.74\00:11:54.31
that will answer his questions.
00:11:54.34\00:11:56.51
What's gonna happen
to his Jewish people?
00:11:56.54\00:11:59.35
What does the future hold?
00:11:59.38\00:12:01.68
So let's pick it up,
beginning in verse 24.
00:12:01.72\00:12:05.79
And right now I'm
kind of gonna turn this
00:12:05.82\00:12:07.92
into slow gear,
00:12:07.96\00:12:09.42
because we're gonna go
00:12:09.46\00:12:10.79
through this
one verse at a time.
00:12:10.83\00:12:13.66
Daniel 9:24, the
angel is speaking.
00:12:13.70\00:12:18.67
The Bible says,
"Seventy weeks are determined
00:12:18.70\00:12:23.87
for your people
00:12:23.91\00:12:25.74
and for your holy city,
to finish the transgression,
00:12:25.77\00:12:30.68
to make an end of sins,
00:12:30.71\00:12:33.25
to make
reconciliation for iniquity,
00:12:33.28\00:12:36.22
to bring in
everlasting righteousness,
00:12:36.25\00:12:38.75
to seal up vision and prophecy,
and to anoint the Most Holy."
00:12:38.79\00:12:44.13
Now, we have to stop there.
00:12:44.16\00:12:45.83
Obviously, you see
00:12:45.86\00:12:47.20
where they get
the 70 weeks from?
00:12:47.23\00:12:48.90
It's the angel
says, "Seventy weeks
00:12:48.93\00:12:50.80
are determined for your people,
Daniel, and the holy city."
00:12:50.83\00:12:54.64
So let's answer
a simple question.
00:12:54.67\00:12:56.94
If Daniel is a Jew,
00:12:56.97\00:12:59.94
what people is the
angel talking about?
00:12:59.97\00:13:03.55
The Jewish nation, Israel,
and what is the holy city?
00:13:03.58\00:13:07.88
Jerusalem.
00:13:07.92\00:13:09.25
So, whatever these
70 weeks are about,
00:13:09.28\00:13:12.15
we know that it
has something to do
00:13:12.19\00:13:14.26
with the Jewish nation and
the holy city of Jerusalem.
00:13:14.29\00:13:19.09
If that makes
sense, could you say amen?
00:13:19.13\00:13:21.26
Angel clearly outlines that.
00:13:21.30\00:13:23.57
But now the question is, well,
00:13:23.60\00:13:25.50
what's supposed to
happen during those 70 weeks?
00:13:25.53\00:13:29.70
We notice what
verse 24, it says.
00:13:29.74\00:13:31.44
We have outlined
this on the screen.
00:13:31.47\00:13:33.51
During the 70 weeks
00:13:33.54\00:13:34.88
they are to finish
their transgression,
00:13:34.91\00:13:37.45
make an end of sins,
so that God can bring
00:13:37.48\00:13:40.55
in everlasting righteousness
to seal up vision and prophecy.
00:13:40.58\00:13:45.45
You say, "Well, great,
well, what does that mean?"
00:13:45.49\00:13:48.22
You have to keep in mind.
00:13:48.26\00:13:50.29
Did God have a purpose
for the nation of Israel?
00:13:50.33\00:13:53.26
Yes or no?
00:13:53.29\00:13:54.63
He did.
00:13:54.66\00:13:56.00
His purpose for them was
to be a light to the world.
00:13:56.03\00:13:58.67
God wanted to have a nation
00:13:58.70\00:14:00.54
or a people that would
live according to His laws.
00:14:00.57\00:14:04.14
Live according to His principles
00:14:04.17\00:14:06.07
and His commands,
00:14:06.11\00:14:07.54
so that they could be an example
00:14:07.58\00:14:09.18
to the rest of the pagan world.
00:14:09.21\00:14:11.51
What a blessing it is
00:14:11.55\00:14:12.88
to serve the true God of heaven.
00:14:12.91\00:14:15.92
And His purpose was
that when the Messiah came
00:14:15.95\00:14:19.22
that Israel would
accept Christ as their Messiah.
00:14:19.25\00:14:22.29
And they would be the ones
00:14:22.32\00:14:24.09
that take the
gospel to the world
00:14:24.13\00:14:26.36
and introduce people to Jesus.
00:14:26.39\00:14:28.56
That was God's
original plan for Israel.
00:14:28.60\00:14:32.30
But there's a
problem because right now
00:14:32.33\00:14:35.14
Israel is living in apostasy.
00:14:35.17\00:14:37.91
They've been
worshipping foreign gods,
00:14:37.94\00:14:40.51
they've been ignoring
the commandments of the Lord.
00:14:40.54\00:14:42.98
They've become like
the other pagan nations.
00:14:43.01\00:14:45.58
That's why they're in captivity.
00:14:45.61\00:14:48.02
And you see God wants
to bring the Messiah Jesus.
00:14:48.05\00:14:52.55
But He can't do that
00:14:52.59\00:14:54.39
while Israel is
living in unfaithfulness.
00:14:54.42\00:14:57.33
So in a real sense,
the rest of the pagan world
00:14:57.36\00:15:00.63
is having to wait
for the Messiah to come.
00:15:00.66\00:15:03.77
And so God is basically
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.37
saying to the Jewish
nation and to Daniel,
00:15:05.40\00:15:08.04
"I'm giving your
people 70 weeks of probation,
00:15:08.07\00:15:12.77
70 weeks to start keeping
00:15:12.81\00:15:14.74
your end of the
covenant to the faithful
00:15:14.78\00:15:17.91
so that you will be
a light to the world
00:15:17.95\00:15:19.91
and I can bring the Messiah."
00:15:19.95\00:15:22.18
Does that make sense?
00:15:22.22\00:15:23.75
That's what the
70 weeks are for.
00:15:23.79\00:15:26.92
You say, "Okay, I
can understand that."
00:15:26.96\00:15:29.29
But now let's go
a little farther.
00:15:29.32\00:15:31.36
This is where I
need to introduce you
00:15:31.39\00:15:33.46
to that prophetic
principle of interpretation
00:15:33.50\00:15:36.93
known as a day for a year.
00:15:36.97\00:15:39.70
In the symbolic
portions of Bible prophecy,
00:15:39.73\00:15:43.17
there is a principle
that almost all scholars
00:15:43.20\00:15:45.47
of various
denominations agree upon.
00:15:45.51\00:15:47.74
And that is, one
day symbolizes one year.
00:15:47.78\00:15:52.41
I want you to say that with
me, one day symbolizes what?
00:15:52.45\00:15:56.18
One year. One year.
00:15:56.22\00:15:57.55
Now that's only in
the symbolic portions
00:15:57.59\00:16:00.12
of prophecy,
00:16:00.16\00:16:01.49
that's not referring
to the narrative portions
00:16:01.52\00:16:03.32
of Scripture.
00:16:03.36\00:16:04.69
You say, "Well,
what's a narrative?"
00:16:04.73\00:16:06.06
That means, the stories.
00:16:06.09\00:16:07.43
In other words, when
it says the King David
00:16:07.46\00:16:08.80
ruled for 33 years, that
literally means 33 years,
00:16:08.83\00:16:12.03
you know, 24 hour days.
00:16:12.07\00:16:13.84
The seven days of creation,
00:16:13.87\00:16:15.77
that literally
means 7x24 hour days.
00:16:15.80\00:16:19.11
It's only in prophecy,
when there's a beginning date
00:16:19.14\00:16:23.11
and an ending date
00:16:23.14\00:16:24.48
that you apply the
principle a day for a year.
00:16:24.51\00:16:27.42
Now, real quick, I
just want to show you
00:16:27.45\00:16:29.08
where scholars get
this from the Bible.
00:16:29.12\00:16:31.05
I'm not gonna spend a
whole lot of time on it.
00:16:31.09\00:16:33.49
But you remember that story
00:16:33.52\00:16:34.86
when Moses and the Israelites
00:16:34.89\00:16:36.56
were on the border
of the Promised Land,
00:16:36.59\00:16:38.76
they had been
wandering in the wilderness.
00:16:38.79\00:16:40.63
And so Moses sent how many spies
00:16:40.66\00:16:43.33
to go into the
Promised Land and check it out?
00:16:43.37\00:16:45.57
Do you remember?
00:16:45.60\00:16:46.94
They sent 12 spies,
and their job was to go
00:16:46.97\00:16:50.01
throughout the land,
00:16:50.04\00:16:51.37
see what it looked like
and what were the people like
00:16:51.41\00:16:53.78
they were going
to have to conquer.
00:16:53.81\00:16:55.81
And after they spent 40
days spying out the land,
00:16:55.84\00:16:59.38
they came back
and presented a report
00:16:59.41\00:17:01.92
to the rest of the
encampment of Israel.
00:17:01.95\00:17:04.29
And 10 of them
presented what kind of report?
00:17:04.32\00:17:07.59
A bad one.
00:17:07.62\00:17:08.96
"Oh, we'll never
conquer this land.
00:17:08.99\00:17:11.59
It's a beautiful, glorious land.
00:17:11.63\00:17:14.06
But the people are tall.
00:17:14.10\00:17:15.93
They're like giants.
00:17:15.96\00:17:17.30
They're mighty warriors."
00:17:17.33\00:17:19.00
And they started to say,
00:17:19.03\00:17:20.37
"Oh, we should have
never listened to Moses.
00:17:20.40\00:17:23.14
We should have stayed in Israel
00:17:23.17\00:17:24.77
where we had been better off."
00:17:24.81\00:17:26.61
And they forgot
everything God had done for them
00:17:26.64\00:17:29.84
as they wander
through the wilderness,
00:17:29.88\00:17:31.38
all those miracles.
00:17:31.41\00:17:33.42
And there were only
two who gave a faith report
00:17:33.45\00:17:36.38
and encouraged
the people, listen,
00:17:36.42\00:17:37.95
God brought us this far,
00:17:37.99\00:17:39.39
by His power we
can take this land.
00:17:39.42\00:17:41.82
Remember who those two were?
00:17:41.86\00:17:44.03
Caleb and Joshua, but you
know who the people listened to?
00:17:44.06\00:17:48.80
The majority.
00:17:48.83\00:17:50.27
See, the majority
is not always right.
00:17:50.30\00:17:52.40
And they listened
to those ten and said,
00:17:52.43\00:17:54.34
oh, they were
ready to stone Moses.
00:17:54.37\00:17:56.74
And God finally
said, "You know what,
00:17:56.77\00:17:58.54
after all that I
have done for you,
00:17:58.57\00:18:01.11
and you still don't trust Me."
00:18:01.14\00:18:03.08
God says to them,
right here in Numbers 14:34,
00:18:03.11\00:18:06.41
"According to the
number of the days
00:18:06.45\00:18:08.75
in which you spied
out the land, forty days,
00:18:08.78\00:18:12.09
for each day you
shall bear your guilt,"
00:18:12.12\00:18:15.09
how long?
00:18:15.12\00:18:16.46
"One year, namely forty years,
00:18:16.49\00:18:18.79
and you shall
know My rejection."
00:18:18.83\00:18:20.76
In other words, for
every day they spent
00:18:20.80\00:18:23.60
complaining against God
as they spied out the land
00:18:23.63\00:18:26.37
that was 40 days, they
would spend another year
00:18:26.40\00:18:29.24
wandering in the wilderness,
which ended up being 40 years.
00:18:29.27\00:18:32.74
That's one of the verses
00:18:32.77\00:18:34.11
that present the day
for a year principle.
00:18:34.14\00:18:36.98
And you see the same thing
00:18:37.01\00:18:38.35
even in Ezekiel 4:6.
00:18:38.38\00:18:42.85
So now, if we apply the day
00:18:42.88\00:18:46.12
for a year principle to
the 70 weeks, guess what,
00:18:46.15\00:18:49.69
we have to do a
little calculation.
00:18:49.72\00:18:51.76
I bet you never knew
00:18:51.79\00:18:53.13
when you did your
math class in high school,
00:18:53.16\00:18:55.23
that this will become helpful
00:18:55.26\00:18:56.63
when you study the
prophecies of the Bible.
00:18:56.67\00:18:59.23
So here's what we have do.
00:18:59.27\00:19:01.60
How many days are in one week?
00:19:01.64\00:19:04.47
Seven.
00:19:04.51\00:19:05.84
So if I want to
know how many days
00:19:05.87\00:19:07.38
are in a 70 week period,
00:19:07.41\00:19:08.94
what must I do?
00:19:08.98\00:19:10.75
70x7, when you do
that, it equals 490.
00:19:10.78\00:19:15.82
So those 490 days
in a 70 week period.
00:19:15.85\00:19:19.85
But when I apply the
day for a year principle,
00:19:19.89\00:19:23.46
it's not really 490
days, it's 490 what?
00:19:23.49\00:19:28.13
Years.
00:19:28.16\00:19:29.50
So God is saying to Israel,
00:19:29.53\00:19:31.50
I'm giving you 490 years
to start being faithful to Me.
00:19:31.53\00:19:36.47
Keep my laws and commands,
be a light to the world.
00:19:36.50\00:19:40.24
But after the 490 years,
00:19:40.28\00:19:42.94
if you have not kept
your end of the covenant,
00:19:42.98\00:19:45.61
if you have rejected the Messiah
00:19:45.65\00:19:48.05
when He comes, God is saying,
00:19:48.08\00:19:50.29
"I'm going to have to
go on a different path
00:19:50.32\00:19:53.22
to take the
gospel to the world."
00:19:53.25\00:19:56.52
So God is giving
Israel 490 years.
00:19:56.56\00:20:01.06
Now, we
understand that thus far,
00:20:01.10\00:20:02.53
70 weeks or 490 years.
00:20:02.56\00:20:06.17
But here's the question.
00:20:06.20\00:20:07.74
We're still missing
something important,
00:20:07.77\00:20:09.50
and what is that?
00:20:09.54\00:20:11.44
A starting date.
00:20:11.47\00:20:12.81
Well, when does
the 70 weeks begin?
00:20:12.84\00:20:15.04
When are we supposed
to start this 490 years?
00:20:15.08\00:20:18.31
Now we got to go to verse 25,
00:20:18.35\00:20:20.42
and the
prophecy gives us a clue.
00:20:20.45\00:20:23.89
Verse 25 of Chapter 9 in Daniel.
00:20:23.92\00:20:28.46
The Bible says, and
this is the angel speaking,
00:20:28.49\00:20:31.89
"Know therefore and understand,
00:20:31.93\00:20:34.66
that from the going
forth of the command to restore
00:20:34.70\00:20:38.70
and build Jerusalem
until Messiah the Prince..."
00:20:38.73\00:20:43.30
Now, I'm gonna stop there
00:20:43.34\00:20:44.67
and I know it's only
halfway through the verse.
00:20:44.71\00:20:46.31
We're gonna break that
verse up into two here,
00:20:46.34\00:20:48.91
because there's a lot in it.
00:20:48.94\00:20:50.61
Notice the angel has said
00:20:50.65\00:20:52.98
that the beginning
date of this prophecy
00:20:53.01\00:20:56.25
is when a command goes forth
00:20:56.28\00:20:59.35
to restore and build Jerusalem.
00:20:59.39\00:21:01.52
Did you catch that?
00:21:01.56\00:21:02.89
In other words,
when the Persian Empire
00:21:02.92\00:21:04.99
puts forth a decree
that allows the Jews
00:21:05.03\00:21:07.83
to go back to their
homeland in Jerusalem,
00:21:07.86\00:21:10.37
rebuild their
city, their wall, etc.,
00:21:10.40\00:21:13.03
whenever Persia
orders that decree,
00:21:13.07\00:21:15.44
that's the beginning
date for this prophecy.
00:21:15.47\00:21:18.61
So the question
is, did Persia do that,
00:21:18.64\00:21:21.64
and if so, what was the date?
00:21:21.68\00:21:24.78
And when you go back in history,
00:21:24.81\00:21:26.82
you know what you find?
00:21:26.85\00:21:28.95
There are
actually multiple dates.
00:21:28.98\00:21:31.82
You say, "Oh, great, which one?"
00:21:31.85\00:21:34.02
Cyrus made one in 537,
Darius made one in 520,
00:21:34.06\00:21:38.53
Artaxerxes made one in 457.
00:21:38.56\00:21:41.66
Now, I suppose we could
vote and do the majority rules,
00:21:41.70\00:21:44.83
but that won't necessarily
mean that we have the truth.
00:21:44.87\00:21:48.17
We could, I
suppose, flip a coin,
00:21:48.20\00:21:52.11
but the best way to
do it is by the Bible.
00:21:52.14\00:21:55.34
So let me ask you a question.
00:21:55.38\00:21:58.05
The one we
actually want is Artaxerxes
00:21:58.08\00:22:00.82
because if Cyrus'
decree was powerful enough.
00:22:00.85\00:22:03.89
Would you need a
second one by Darius?
00:22:03.92\00:22:06.05
No.
00:22:06.09\00:22:07.42
If Darius' decree
was powerful enough,
00:22:07.46\00:22:09.09
would you have
needed Artaxerxes?
00:22:09.12\00:22:11.23
Artaxerxes decree is the one
00:22:11.26\00:22:13.80
that allowed any Jew who
wanted in the Persian realm
00:22:13.83\00:22:17.63
to go back to
Jerusalem, gave them permission
00:22:17.67\00:22:20.44
to rebuild the city,
rebuild the torn down wall
00:22:20.47\00:22:24.01
as well as the
temple and even begin
00:22:24.04\00:22:26.74
their own civil
government again,
00:22:26.78\00:22:28.91
it gave them a
large measure of freedom.
00:22:28.94\00:22:32.01
Now they were
still under Persian rule,
00:22:32.05\00:22:34.95
but they were given
much of their freedoms back,
00:22:34.98\00:22:37.42
and Artaxerxes'
decree is the one
00:22:37.45\00:22:40.36
that is recorded almost
word for word in the Bible.
00:22:40.39\00:22:44.33
If you were to
read Ezra Chapter 7,
00:22:44.36\00:22:46.39
I'm not gonna do that right now.
00:22:46.43\00:22:48.10
But in Ezra Chapter 7,
00:22:48.13\00:22:49.46
you can read Artaxerxes'
decree in the Word of God.
00:22:49.50\00:22:52.70
And what's
amazing is, do you think
00:22:52.73\00:22:55.00
it would cost money for
all those people to go back
00:22:55.04\00:22:57.37
and rebuild their
city, what do you think?
00:22:57.41\00:22:59.77
Yeah.
00:22:59.81\00:23:01.14
You know, who paid for it?
00:23:01.18\00:23:03.04
Artaxerxes.
00:23:03.08\00:23:04.51
Now you tell me
00:23:04.55\00:23:05.88
if that's not a
miracle from God,
00:23:05.91\00:23:08.05
that the Persian king
gives them permission,
00:23:08.08\00:23:10.82
and he finances the trip.
00:23:10.85\00:23:13.86
That is a
fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
00:23:13.89\00:23:17.89
So Artaxerxes is
the decree we want,
00:23:17.93\00:23:20.30
that's 457 B.C.
00:23:20.33\00:23:22.23
So now what we have to do,
00:23:22.26\00:23:23.90
and you can
either look at the chart
00:23:23.93\00:23:25.30
on the screen here,
00:23:25.33\00:23:26.67
or you can look at the one
00:23:26.70\00:23:28.04
that you have in your hands.
00:23:28.07\00:23:29.80
If 457 is the beginning date,
00:23:29.84\00:23:33.07
if I add 490 years to 457 B.C.,
00:23:33.11\00:23:38.38
it's going to tell
me when the 70 weeks
00:23:38.41\00:23:41.88
or the 490 years has
ended when probation is done
00:23:41.92\00:23:46.25
for the Jewish nation.
00:23:46.29\00:23:47.62
And if you do the addition,
00:23:47.66\00:23:49.36
do you know what
year you come to?
00:23:49.39\00:23:52.09
Of course, I have
it on the screen there.
00:23:52.13\00:23:54.66
34 A.D.
00:23:54.70\00:23:58.77
God is saying by 34 A.D.,
00:23:58.80\00:24:03.41
if my Jewish people
00:24:03.44\00:24:05.44
have not kept their
end of the covenant,
00:24:05.47\00:24:07.84
if they have not
accepted their Messiah,
00:24:07.88\00:24:11.08
God is saying, I'm
going to have to go
00:24:11.11\00:24:13.18
on a different path
00:24:13.21\00:24:15.08
to take the gospel to the world.
00:24:15.12\00:24:17.32
So the Jewish nation has
00:24:17.35\00:24:19.12
until 34 A.D.
00:24:19.15\00:24:23.26
And do you know
what happened in 34 A.D.
00:24:23.29\00:24:26.70
that sealed the
Jewish nation's rejection
00:24:26.73\00:24:30.40
of the gospel,
00:24:30.43\00:24:32.37
of the covenant and
of the Messiah Jesus?
00:24:32.40\00:24:37.31
In 34 A.D.,
00:24:37.34\00:24:39.31
the first
Christian martyr was stoned
00:24:39.34\00:24:43.35
at Jerusalem or
just outside the gates
00:24:43.38\00:24:45.41
of Jerusalem.
00:24:45.45\00:24:46.78
It was Stephen.
00:24:46.82\00:24:49.45
I want to read this to
you from the scriptures.
00:24:49.48\00:24:51.12
It comes from Acts 7:54.
00:24:51.15\00:24:55.42
Now this is somewhat lengthy,
00:24:55.46\00:24:56.86
but I just want to
read the Bible's description
00:24:56.89\00:24:58.99
of what happened at
the end of this 70 weeks.
00:24:59.03\00:25:02.73
The Bible says, "When
they heard these things
00:25:02.76\00:25:06.90
they were cut to the heart,
00:25:06.94\00:25:09.00
and they gnashed at
him with their teeth."
00:25:09.04\00:25:11.77
You see, Stephen was
preaching a burning sermon,
00:25:11.81\00:25:15.04
showing from the scriptures,
00:25:15.08\00:25:17.08
and from the Old
Testament prophecies
00:25:17.11\00:25:18.98
that this Jesus
who was crucified
00:25:19.01\00:25:21.22
was the Son of God.
00:25:21.25\00:25:22.58
And it says, when
they heard these things,
00:25:22.62\00:25:23.95
they were cut to the heart.
00:25:23.99\00:25:25.32
Now, if you're cut to
the heart with something,
00:25:25.35\00:25:26.92
what does that mean?
00:25:26.96\00:25:29.32
You're convicted.
00:25:29.36\00:25:30.86
And this is their response.
00:25:30.89\00:25:32.89
"They gnashed at
him with their teeth.
00:25:32.93\00:25:35.83
But he, being full
of the Holy Spirit,
00:25:35.86\00:25:39.13
gazed into heaven
and saw the glory of God,
00:25:39.17\00:25:42.70
and Jesus standing at
the right hand of God,
00:25:42.74\00:25:45.87
and said, 'Look!
00:25:45.91\00:25:47.48
I see the heavens
opened and the Son of Man
00:25:47.51\00:25:50.85
standing at the
right hand of God!'
00:25:50.88\00:25:53.92
" He was
equating Jesus with God.
00:25:53.95\00:25:56.62
Of course, we
know that to be true,
00:25:56.65\00:25:59.02
but the Jewish
leaders and nations
00:25:59.05\00:26:00.72
did not want to hear that.
00:26:00.76\00:26:02.76
The Bible goes on to
say, "Then they cried at him
00:26:02.79\00:26:05.93
with a loud
voice," and did what?
00:26:05.96\00:26:08.56
"Stopped their ears, and
ran at him with one accord,
00:26:08.60\00:26:12.73
and they cast
him out of the city
00:26:12.77\00:26:14.64
and stoned him."
00:26:14.67\00:26:16.71
Now notice,
00:26:16.74\00:26:18.07
"At that time a
great persecution arose
00:26:18.11\00:26:22.64
against the church,"
which was in what city?
00:26:22.68\00:26:25.95
What's this prophecy about?
00:26:25.98\00:26:27.75
"Jerusalem.
00:26:27.78\00:26:29.12
And they were scattered
00:26:29.15\00:26:30.49
throughout the
regions of Judea and Samaria,
00:26:30.52\00:26:33.29
except the apostles.
00:26:33.32\00:26:34.72
As for Saul, he
made havoc of the church,
00:26:34.76\00:26:37.69
entering every house, and
dragging off men and women,
00:26:37.73\00:26:41.06
committing them to prison.
00:26:41.10\00:26:43.00
Therefore those
who were scattered
00:26:43.03\00:26:44.87
went everywhere
preaching the word."
00:26:44.90\00:26:48.80
You see, the Bible
was describing for us
00:26:48.84\00:26:50.94
what happened at
this time period.
00:26:50.97\00:26:54.64
For years, they had listened
about the preaching of Jesus.
00:26:54.68\00:26:58.35
They had seen Jesus,
they had watched His miracles
00:26:58.38\00:27:01.25
even after He died on the cross.
00:27:01.28\00:27:03.85
The Bible tells us
00:27:03.89\00:27:05.22
the apostles still
mainly stayed in Jerusalem
00:27:05.25\00:27:08.06
trying to reach
their own people.
00:27:08.09\00:27:10.46
But by 34 A.D., unfortunately,
00:27:10.49\00:27:13.73
Israel was so tired of
hearing the gospel message
00:27:13.76\00:27:16.87
about Jesus,
00:27:16.90\00:27:18.67
that now they started killing
and stoning the Christians.
00:27:18.70\00:27:23.64
And when Stephen was
stoned, it says at that time,
00:27:23.67\00:27:27.81
a great persecution broke out
in Jerusalem, led by what man?
00:27:27.84\00:27:33.42
Saul, who would
later become Paul,
00:27:33.45\00:27:35.58
and Saul literally
went outside of Jerusalem
00:27:35.62\00:27:38.82
to all the different
cities to drag believers back
00:27:38.85\00:27:41.92
to their death.
00:27:41.96\00:27:43.83
And so at that
point, it broke God's heart.
00:27:43.86\00:27:48.43
But His own people
had rejected His covenant.
00:27:48.46\00:27:52.17
They had rejected their
Messiah and their savior.
00:27:52.20\00:27:55.60
And even though
00:27:55.64\00:27:56.97
it was not part of
God's original plan,
00:27:57.01\00:27:59.97
God knew that if the
rest of the pagan world
00:28:00.01\00:28:02.54
was to be saved,
00:28:02.58\00:28:04.88
He was going to have
to go to a different plan
00:28:04.91\00:28:07.78
to introduce Jesus to the world.
00:28:07.82\00:28:09.92
And that's where
00:28:09.95\00:28:11.29
He started using
the Christian church
00:28:11.32\00:28:13.69
to take the gospel all over
00:28:13.72\00:28:15.89
the then known world.
00:28:15.92\00:28:19.09
In fact, Jesus
even alludes to this
00:28:19.13\00:28:21.36
as sad as it is,
00:28:21.40\00:28:22.76
if you read Matthew 21:43.
00:28:22.80\00:28:26.10
During the last week
of Jesus' life on earth,
00:28:26.13\00:28:30.04
He spent a lot of time in
00:28:30.07\00:28:32.21
and around the
temple at Jerusalem
00:28:32.24\00:28:34.28
because the
Passover feast was going on.
00:28:34.31\00:28:36.88
And in a
controversy and conflict
00:28:36.91\00:28:39.58
with the Jewish
leaders and rulers,
00:28:39.61\00:28:41.68
Jesus made this statement,
00:28:41.72\00:28:43.99
He said,
"Therefore I say to you,
00:28:44.02\00:28:47.92
the kingdom of God
will be taken from you
00:28:47.96\00:28:52.09
and given to a nation
bearing the fruits of it."
00:28:52.13\00:28:56.43
Now, Jesus didn't
say that with anger.
00:28:56.46\00:28:58.83
I'm sure He said that
with tears in His eyes.
00:28:58.87\00:29:02.34
He knew that
Israel had rejected Him.
00:29:02.37\00:29:06.11
Oh, yes, there were a
few who believed in Him.
00:29:06.14\00:29:09.18
But overall, the
leaders, the Pharisees,
00:29:09.21\00:29:12.11
the government rulers
had rejected their Messiah,
00:29:12.15\00:29:15.18
He knew they were
gonna nail Him to the cross,
00:29:15.22\00:29:17.82
He knew they were gonna
00:29:17.85\00:29:19.19
persecute His
disciples afterwards.
00:29:19.22\00:29:22.72
And Jesus said to
them, "The kingdom of God,
00:29:22.76\00:29:24.86
the gospel is gonna be
given to another people."
00:29:24.89\00:29:28.86
That other people will
be the Christian church
00:29:28.90\00:29:32.13
made up of all different nations
00:29:32.17\00:29:34.04
from around the world.
00:29:34.07\00:29:36.10
Because later on
Jesus said to them,
00:29:36.14\00:29:37.77
when He walked out of
the temple courts that day,
00:29:37.81\00:29:40.24
remember the words He uttered?
00:29:40.28\00:29:42.38
He said, "Your
house is left unto you,"
00:29:42.41\00:29:44.88
what?
00:29:44.91\00:29:46.25
Desolate.
00:29:46.28\00:29:47.62
And the Spirit of God departed
from the temple in Jerusalem.
00:29:47.65\00:29:51.69
That's why Paul wrote
00:29:51.72\00:29:53.09
what he did
after his conversion,
00:29:53.12\00:29:55.16
and he began to
understand things better.
00:29:55.19\00:29:57.26
In Galatians 3:28, Paul wrote,
00:29:57.29\00:30:00.00
"There is neither Jew nor Greek,
00:30:00.03\00:30:02.30
there is neither slave nor free,
00:30:02.33\00:30:04.50
there is
neither male nor female,
00:30:04.53\00:30:07.10
for you are all one in, who?
00:30:07.14\00:30:10.14
Christ Jesus."
00:30:10.17\00:30:11.51
And in verse 29,
00:30:11.54\00:30:12.87
He says something
important we normally pass by,
00:30:12.91\00:30:15.74
He said, "If you are
Christ's, then you are," what?
00:30:15.78\00:30:21.08
"Abraham's seed,
00:30:21.12\00:30:22.92
and heirs
according to the promise."
00:30:22.95\00:30:25.79
Do you
understand what that saying?
00:30:25.82\00:30:28.12
That saying to be part
of God's chosen people.
00:30:28.16\00:30:30.46
You don't have to be a literal,
00:30:30.49\00:30:32.29
ethnic Jew that's
born in Jerusalem.
00:30:32.33\00:30:35.13
If you accept Jesus
Christ as your Savior,
00:30:35.16\00:30:38.30
you are Abraham's seed.
00:30:38.33\00:30:39.97
That's what Paul is saying.
00:30:40.00\00:30:41.34
You are what's
called a spiritual Jew,
00:30:41.37\00:30:44.31
not a literal one
born ethnically in Israel.
00:30:44.34\00:30:48.04
But anyone who
accepts Christ as Savior
00:30:48.08\00:30:51.58
can receive all the promises
00:30:51.61\00:30:53.92
made to Israel in
the Old Testament.
00:30:53.95\00:30:56.82
You see, the
covenant is not gone,
00:30:56.85\00:30:58.62
God is still gonna
fulfill those promises,
00:30:58.65\00:31:01.06
but it's not gonna
be too literal Israel,
00:31:01.09\00:31:04.03
it's gonna be to
spiritual Israel,
00:31:04.06\00:31:06.39
all those who
have chosen to accept
00:31:06.43\00:31:08.40
Jesus Christ as their Savior.
00:31:08.43\00:31:10.83
That means, it
could be Americans,
00:31:10.87\00:31:12.87
it can be Russians, it
can be people from Finland,
00:31:12.90\00:31:16.00
it doesn't matter
what language you speak.
00:31:16.04\00:31:18.47
It doesn't matter
the color of your skin.
00:31:18.51\00:31:21.24
It doesn't matter
what country you're from.
00:31:21.28\00:31:23.41
If you belong to
Christ, you are Abraham's seed.
00:31:23.45\00:31:27.68
And all those
promises made to Abraham
00:31:27.72\00:31:30.49
will be fulfilled to
God's Christian people today.
00:31:30.52\00:31:33.96
Can somebody say amen? Amen.
00:31:33.99\00:31:36.62
Now just to make sure
we don't misunderstand.
00:31:36.66\00:31:39.39
Sometimes we get an
attitude with the Jewish nation
00:31:39.43\00:31:41.70
and say, "Well, if
I had lived back then,
00:31:41.73\00:31:43.33
I certainly wouldn't
have crucified Jesus."
00:31:43.37\00:31:46.27
We need to make
sure we don't have
00:31:46.30\00:31:47.80
a holier than thou attitude,
00:31:47.84\00:31:49.74
because that kind of attitude
00:31:49.77\00:31:51.57
is also what
started anti-Semitism,
00:31:51.61\00:31:54.41
particularly
during World War II.
00:31:54.44\00:31:57.15
Yes, the Jewish
nation made a mistake.
00:31:57.18\00:32:00.48
But can you and
I sit here and say
00:32:00.52\00:32:02.05
we've never made a mistake?
00:32:02.08\00:32:04.82
There are
Protestant churches today
00:32:04.85\00:32:07.26
that have made mistakes
00:32:07.29\00:32:08.62
and wish they could
do things different.
00:32:08.66\00:32:10.63
I'll give you one example.
00:32:10.66\00:32:11.99
I don't wanna get
too far off track.
00:32:12.03\00:32:13.50
You know, 50, 60 years
ago was the civil rights era.
00:32:13.53\00:32:17.10
And they were
Protestant churches
00:32:17.13\00:32:18.67
who claim to follow the Bible,
who would turn a person away
00:32:18.70\00:32:22.20
from their church
00:32:22.24\00:32:23.57
because they were a
different color of skin.
00:32:23.61\00:32:26.71
Or they would say, sorry,
you've got to sit on the floor,
00:32:26.74\00:32:29.71
because we're the superior race,
00:32:29.74\00:32:31.71
or you've got to go to
the church down the street.
00:32:31.75\00:32:35.22
Was that according to the Bible?
00:32:35.25\00:32:37.19
No.
00:32:37.22\00:32:38.55
Does that believe
in what the Bible says,
00:32:38.59\00:32:39.95
all men are created equal?
00:32:39.99\00:32:42.06
That was a mistake that
Protestant churches made.
00:32:42.09\00:32:45.96
Many of us wish we
could take that history
00:32:45.99\00:32:47.96
and do away with it, and
they've repented of that.
00:32:48.00\00:32:50.80
So we have to
understand no nation is perfect.
00:32:50.83\00:32:53.80
No church is perfect.
00:32:53.84\00:32:56.40
In fact, in Romans 11,
00:32:56.44\00:32:57.77
it says that God's Jewish people
00:32:57.81\00:32:59.44
can be grafted back in again.
00:32:59.47\00:33:01.61
That is they accept
Jesus Christ as their Savior.
00:33:01.64\00:33:04.51
The promises are
available to them once again.
00:33:04.55\00:33:08.08
And you see
that happening today?
00:33:08.12\00:33:09.78
It's in the
Messianic Jewish movement,
00:33:09.82\00:33:12.05
that many Jews
today are seeing that
00:33:12.09\00:33:14.96
their
forefathers made a mistake.
00:33:14.99\00:33:16.89
And they are now
choosing to accept
00:33:16.93\00:33:18.79
and follow Jesus
Christ as their Savior,
00:33:18.83\00:33:21.26
because we're
all one in His name.
00:33:21.30\00:33:23.30
Amen.
00:33:23.33\00:33:24.67
So that's what you see
going on in this prophecy.
00:33:24.70\00:33:27.60
But now, we need
to go a little farther
00:33:27.64\00:33:31.81
because in verse 25,
it's going to talk about
00:33:31.84\00:33:34.94
a 69 week period.
00:33:34.98\00:33:36.58
Now this whole prophecy
covers what time period?
00:33:36.61\00:33:39.38
Seventy weeks.
00:33:39.41\00:33:40.98
But in verse 25, the angel says
00:33:41.02\00:33:44.12
something important
will happen after 69 weeks.
00:33:44.15\00:33:48.22
Let's pick it up
again in verse 25.
00:33:48.26\00:33:51.59
The Bible says, "Know
therefore and understand,
00:33:51.63\00:33:55.86
that from the going
forth of the command
00:33:55.90\00:33:58.77
to restore and build Jerusalem
00:33:58.80\00:34:01.97
until Messiah the Prince,
00:34:02.00\00:34:05.14
there shall be seven
weeks and sixty-two weeks,
00:34:05.17\00:34:08.81
the street shall be built again,
00:34:08.84\00:34:10.98
and the wall, even
in troublesome times."
00:34:11.01\00:34:14.28
Now I'm gonna stop there,
00:34:14.32\00:34:15.65
because depending
00:34:15.68\00:34:17.02
what version of
the Bible you have,
00:34:17.05\00:34:18.39
it's worded differently,
00:34:18.42\00:34:19.75
but it all actually
calculates to the same.
00:34:19.79\00:34:21.72
Notice it says that in 69 weeks
00:34:21.76\00:34:25.09
from the
beginning of this prophecy,
00:34:25.13\00:34:26.70
who's going to come?
00:34:26.73\00:34:29.16
Messiah, the Prince will begin
00:34:29.20\00:34:31.60
His ministry on this earth,
His coming the first time,
00:34:31.63\00:34:34.77
not the second time.
00:34:34.80\00:34:36.74
Now, I wanna put
something on the screen.
00:34:36.77\00:34:38.97
If you're using
the King James Version,
00:34:39.01\00:34:41.48
it says seven weeks
threescore and two weeks.
00:34:41.51\00:34:44.71
If you add all
that up, it's 69 weeks.
00:34:44.75\00:34:48.25
The New King James
version that I'm using says,
00:34:48.28\00:34:50.72
7 weeks and 62 weeks.
00:34:50.75\00:34:52.15
Well, what 62
plus 7? Sixty nine.
00:34:52.19\00:34:55.62
So it doesn't matter
00:34:55.66\00:34:56.99
what version of
the Bible you use,
00:34:57.03\00:34:58.43
it all equals 69 weeks.
00:34:58.46\00:35:01.56
So now we've got to apply
the day for a year principle.
00:35:01.60\00:35:05.30
How many days are in one week?
00:35:05.33\00:35:07.17
Seven.
00:35:07.20\00:35:08.54
So if I want to know how
many days are in 69 weeks,
00:35:08.57\00:35:11.37
what must I do?
00:35:11.41\00:35:13.61
69 time 7.
00:35:13.64\00:35:15.81
When you do that calculation,
00:35:15.84\00:35:17.98
there's 483 days
in a 69 week period,
00:35:18.01\00:35:22.92
apply the year
for a day principle,
00:35:22.95\00:35:25.55
and what it's saying is,
00:35:25.59\00:35:27.92
in 483 years
00:35:27.96\00:35:31.46
from the
beginning of this prophecy,
00:35:31.49\00:35:33.66
Messiah, the Prince will
come and begin His ministry.
00:35:33.70\00:35:39.43
You say, wow!
00:35:39.47\00:35:41.70
Was it fulfilled?
00:35:41.74\00:35:43.64
It was because if you add
00:35:43.67\00:35:46.31
483 years to 457 B.C.,
00:35:46.34\00:35:50.51
do you know what
year you come to?
00:35:50.55\00:35:53.31
27 A.D.
00:35:53.35\00:35:57.55
You say, "Well, what
happened in 27 A.D.?"
00:35:57.59\00:36:00.82
According to the scriptures,
00:36:00.86\00:36:02.62
that's when Jesus
came to the River Jordan
00:36:02.66\00:36:05.93
to be baptized
by John the Baptist.
00:36:05.96\00:36:08.36
That's when He began
00:36:08.40\00:36:10.33
his public
ministry on this earth.
00:36:10.37\00:36:13.40
Because think about it.
00:36:13.44\00:36:14.77
Before He was baptized by John,
00:36:14.80\00:36:17.37
He never once preached a sermon,
00:36:17.41\00:36:19.71
never proclaimed
Himself the Son of God,
00:36:19.74\00:36:22.04
never healed
anybody, never did a miracle.
00:36:22.08\00:36:25.21
He waited until
00:36:25.25\00:36:26.58
He was baptized in 27 A.D., why?
00:36:26.61\00:36:30.59
Because Jesus
knew this prophecy.
00:36:30.62\00:36:33.52
Jesus was a
student of Bible prophecy.
00:36:33.56\00:36:36.16
Can you say amen?
00:36:36.19\00:36:37.53
And he knew the Messiah
was not supposed to come
00:36:37.56\00:36:40.36
until 27 A.D.
00:36:40.40\00:36:42.86
And that doesn't
mean when He was born.
00:36:42.90\00:36:44.60
That means when He
would publicly begin
00:36:44.63\00:36:46.37
His ministry of proclaiming
Himself as a Messiah.
00:36:46.40\00:36:50.11
Now some may ask the question,
00:36:50.14\00:36:52.01
how do you know it was 27 A.D.?
00:36:52.04\00:36:54.74
Let me show you
something awesome.
00:36:54.78\00:36:57.68
In Luke 3:1, it says
that Jesus was baptized
00:36:57.71\00:37:02.08
in the 15th year
of Tiberias Caesar.
00:37:02.12\00:37:05.42
He was the Roman
Emperor at the time.
00:37:05.45\00:37:08.32
And if you go back to
the secular history books,
00:37:08.36\00:37:11.43
just take a guess
00:37:11.46\00:37:13.33
as to when the 15th
year of Tiberias Caesar was?
00:37:13.36\00:37:17.57
27 A.D.
00:37:17.60\00:37:22.30
Jesus came right on time.
00:37:22.34\00:37:27.71
That's why Jesus
always said things like,
00:37:27.74\00:37:30.25
"My time has not yet come.
00:37:30.28\00:37:31.61
My time has not yet come."
00:37:31.65\00:37:32.98
What time?
00:37:33.01\00:37:34.35
He was referring
to this prophecy.
00:37:34.38\00:37:36.28
He knew
00:37:36.32\00:37:37.75
when He was
supposed to come forth
00:37:37.79\00:37:39.65
and begin His
ministry, just like Daniel said.
00:37:39.69\00:37:43.93
This was
prophesied hundreds of years
00:37:43.96\00:37:46.56
before Jesus was ever born.
00:37:46.59\00:37:49.76
This gives us the
confidence that Jesus Christ,
00:37:49.80\00:37:53.94
this man of Nazareth
00:37:53.97\00:37:55.30
that history
says died on a cross.
00:37:55.34\00:37:57.84
He is certainly
the prophesied Messiah
00:37:57.87\00:38:01.01
of the Old Testament,
00:38:01.04\00:38:02.74
there is no doubt about it.
00:38:02.78\00:38:05.01
He came right on time.
00:38:05.05\00:38:09.58
But now, if this
is a 70 week prophecy,
00:38:09.62\00:38:14.82
and the first part
talks about 69 weeks,
00:38:14.86\00:38:17.06
how many weeks do we have left?
00:38:17.09\00:38:19.39
One week.
00:38:19.43\00:38:20.76
So, let's talk
about that for a second.
00:38:20.80\00:38:22.83
Actually, let me read
you something in verse 26.
00:38:22.86\00:38:26.37
In verse 26, it says,
00:38:26.40\00:38:29.20
"After the sixty-two
weeks Messiah shall be cut off,
00:38:29.24\00:38:32.91
but not for Himself,
and the people of the prince
00:38:32.94\00:38:36.11
who is to come
shall destroy the city
00:38:36.14\00:38:38.35
and the sanctuary."
00:38:38.38\00:38:39.71
You say, "What is
that referring to?"
00:38:39.75\00:38:41.15
It saying sometime
after the 62 weeks,
00:38:41.18\00:38:43.39
Messiah will be cut off.
00:38:43.42\00:38:45.49
That's referring
to His crucifixion
00:38:45.52\00:38:47.62
on the cross that
Israel would reject Him.
00:38:47.66\00:38:50.43
And where it talks
about the people of the Prince
00:38:50.46\00:38:52.86
destroying the
city and the sanctuary,
00:38:52.89\00:38:55.36
this is referring
to the Roman armies
00:38:55.40\00:38:58.13
who would come into Jerusalem,
years down the road in 70 A.D.,
00:38:58.17\00:39:02.20
destroy the city of Jerusalem
00:39:02.24\00:39:04.34
and tear apart that Holy Temple.
00:39:04.37\00:39:07.21
Because remember,
00:39:07.24\00:39:08.58
that was part of the retribution
00:39:08.61\00:39:11.95
of rejecting their Savior.
00:39:11.98\00:39:13.98
Jesus said, "Your house is left
00:39:14.02\00:39:15.35
unto you desolate."
00:39:15.38\00:39:16.72
In fact, He said,
00:39:16.75\00:39:18.09
"There will not be one
stone left upon another."
00:39:18.12\00:39:20.09
And do you know
00:39:20.12\00:39:21.46
when Rome destroyed that temple,
00:39:21.49\00:39:23.83
they started a
fire inside of it,
00:39:23.86\00:39:26.36
and it burned
that gold and melted it
00:39:26.39\00:39:28.83
so that it got in
between the cracks
00:39:28.86\00:39:30.60
of those huge stones.
00:39:30.63\00:39:32.13
And those Roman
soldiers wanted that gold.
00:39:32.17\00:39:34.84
So you know what they did?
00:39:34.87\00:39:36.60
They tore that temple apart,
00:39:36.64\00:39:38.81
rock by rock to get
that gold until literally,
00:39:38.84\00:39:43.14
there was not one
stone left upon another.
00:39:43.18\00:39:48.12
But now let's focus on verse 27.
00:39:48.15\00:39:50.92
Because now we're gonna come
00:39:50.95\00:39:52.29
to the last week
of this prophecy.
00:39:52.32\00:39:54.99
Now let me ask you a question.
00:39:55.02\00:39:57.63
How many days are in a week?
00:39:57.66\00:40:00.83
Seven. Seven.
00:40:00.86\00:40:02.20
And if we apply the
day for a year principle,
00:40:02.23\00:40:04.07
this is talking about
00:40:04.10\00:40:05.43
a seven year
period this last week.
00:40:05.47\00:40:08.17
This last week has been
00:40:08.20\00:40:09.67
a source of controversy
in the Christian world
00:40:09.70\00:40:12.47
because there are
different doctrines
00:40:12.51\00:40:13.84
that surround it.
00:40:13.88\00:40:15.21
But let's go back
to the Word of God
00:40:15.24\00:40:17.35
and let the
scriptures give us the answer.
00:40:17.38\00:40:20.42
Let's read verse 27.
00:40:20.45\00:40:23.55
The Bible says,
00:40:23.59\00:40:26.02
"Then he shall
confirm a covenant with many,"
00:40:26.05\00:40:29.92
for how long?
00:40:29.96\00:40:31.29
"One week, but in
the middle of the week,
00:40:31.33\00:40:34.56
He shall bring an end
to sacrifice and offering."
00:40:34.60\00:40:38.67
Now I'm gonna stop there.
00:40:38.70\00:40:41.10
The big question is this.
00:40:41.14\00:40:44.84
Who is the "He?"
00:40:44.87\00:40:47.94
Who's the "He" that
confirms this covenant?
00:40:47.98\00:40:50.21
Who's the "He"
00:40:50.25\00:40:51.58
that brings an end to
sacrifice and offering?
00:40:51.61\00:40:55.78
Now let me ask you something.
00:40:55.82\00:40:57.89
Who is this whole
prophecy centered around?
00:40:57.92\00:41:01.22
You tell me. Jesus Christ.
00:41:01.26\00:41:04.33
It prophesized
when He would come
00:41:04.36\00:41:06.06
and begin His ministry,
00:41:06.09\00:41:07.50
it talks about
Messiah, The Prince.
00:41:07.53\00:41:09.83
So the "He" in verse
27, is clearly Jesus.
00:41:09.86\00:41:14.87
Now, sometimes
popular theology says,
00:41:14.90\00:41:17.37
"Oh, that's antichrist."
00:41:17.41\00:41:19.67
But when you
look at the context,
00:41:19.71\00:41:21.61
clearly this is
talking about Jesus.
00:41:21.64\00:41:24.75
And you know what's amazing?
00:41:24.78\00:41:26.72
When Jesus was on this earth,
00:41:26.75\00:41:28.22
He mainly worked
for His Jewish people,
00:41:28.25\00:41:30.75
because He knew it
wasn't until 34 A.D.,
00:41:30.79\00:41:35.06
that the nation
would reject that covenant.
00:41:35.09\00:41:37.99
And in verse 27,
when it says that,
00:41:38.03\00:41:41.03
"The He whoever He is,
00:41:41.06\00:41:43.47
it says in the
middle of the week,
00:41:43.50\00:41:45.27
He brings an end to
sacrifice and offering."
00:41:45.30\00:41:48.30
Do you know what
happened in the middle
00:41:48.34\00:41:50.11
of that 7 year period,
from 27 A.D., to 34 A.D.?
00:41:50.14\00:41:55.18
Jesus was crucified
00:41:55.21\00:41:57.25
on the cross of
Calvary around 31 A.D.,
00:41:57.28\00:42:01.42
right in the middle
00:42:01.45\00:42:03.25
of that 7 year
period that last week.
00:42:03.28\00:42:06.62
And when Jesus died,
00:42:06.65\00:42:09.12
He put an end to
the entire sacrificial
00:42:09.16\00:42:12.63
and offering system.
00:42:12.66\00:42:14.40
Because remember,
00:42:14.43\00:42:15.76
God had
instituted sacrificing lambs,
00:42:15.80\00:42:18.03
and goats, and doves.
00:42:18.07\00:42:19.80
All that was to
point forward to what?
00:42:19.83\00:42:22.77
Jesus Christ,
the real Lamb of God.
00:42:22.80\00:42:25.24
So now that Jesus has died,
00:42:25.27\00:42:27.84
that system is
no longer necessary.
00:42:27.88\00:42:31.38
That's why Hebrew said,
00:42:31.41\00:42:32.75
"We don't put our faith
00:42:32.78\00:42:34.12
in the blood of lambs and goats,
00:42:34.15\00:42:35.48
but in Jesus Christ Himself."
00:42:35.52\00:42:38.39
And that's why Matthew 27:51,
00:42:38.42\00:42:40.42
says that, when
Jesus died on the cross,
00:42:40.46\00:42:42.89
the veil in the temple
that separated the holy
00:42:42.92\00:42:45.96
from the most holy
place, it was torn into
00:42:45.99\00:42:48.33
from the top to
the bottom signifying
00:42:48.36\00:42:51.43
that this system of
sacrifices is now done away with
00:42:51.47\00:42:55.54
because the true
Lamb of God has died
00:42:55.57\00:42:58.67
for the sins of the world.
00:42:58.71\00:43:01.44
The He is Jesus.
00:43:01.48\00:43:04.15
The prophecy tells us
when Messiah would come.
00:43:04.18\00:43:07.05
The prophecy tells us
00:43:07.08\00:43:08.42
when Messiah would be
crucified on the cross.
00:43:08.45\00:43:11.95
Jesus came and
died right on time.
00:43:11.99\00:43:17.36
I mean, think about it.
00:43:17.39\00:43:18.96
Why did Jesus allow Himself
00:43:18.99\00:43:20.80
to be taken to
the cross in 31 A.D.?
00:43:20.83\00:43:23.43
Did they tried to
kill Him before that?
00:43:23.47\00:43:25.93
Yeah, they wanted to stone Him,
00:43:25.97\00:43:27.30
they tried to
push Him off a cliff.
00:43:27.34\00:43:28.67
What did Jesus always say?
00:43:28.70\00:43:30.04
My time has not yet come.
00:43:30.07\00:43:31.41
My time has not yet come.
00:43:31.44\00:43:32.77
What time?
00:43:32.81\00:43:34.14
The time of His
prophecy, He knew,
00:43:34.18\00:43:36.34
He was not to die on the cross
00:43:36.38\00:43:37.71
till around 31 A.D.
00:43:37.75\00:43:42.82
Now, I do have to address this.
00:43:42.85\00:43:44.25
I don't wanna spend
a lot of time on it.
00:43:44.29\00:43:46.15
But it may raise a
question in your mind
00:43:46.19\00:43:48.02
because you may ask.
00:43:48.06\00:43:50.03
Well, I've always
heard that that last week
00:43:50.06\00:43:52.56
that seven year period
represents something else.
00:43:52.59\00:43:56.06
Because see one of
the popular doctrines
00:43:56.10\00:43:58.47
that is in the
Christian world today says,
00:43:58.50\00:44:01.20
that that 7 year
period is broken off
00:44:01.24\00:44:04.77
from the prophecy in
Daniel, and thrown 2000 years
00:44:04.81\00:44:09.04
into an ambiguous
future at the end of time.
00:44:09.08\00:44:12.15
And at the
beginning of the seven years,
00:44:12.18\00:44:13.88
that's a secret
rapture of God's saints,
00:44:13.92\00:44:16.48
that they He who comes
in the middle is antichrist.
00:44:16.52\00:44:19.95
And then at the
end of the seven years,
00:44:19.99\00:44:21.76
that's the coming Kingdom of God
00:44:21.79\00:44:23.36
where people will
have a second chance.
00:44:23.39\00:44:26.73
And here's what's
always important to do
00:44:26.76\00:44:28.46
if you forget anything,
remember this principle.
00:44:28.50\00:44:31.17
We never base a doctrine
on that which is popular.
00:44:31.20\00:44:36.20
We never base it
on how many books
00:44:36.24\00:44:38.31
has been written about it,
00:44:38.34\00:44:39.67
you always base
a teaching on what?
00:44:39.71\00:44:42.88
What the Word of God says.
00:44:42.91\00:44:45.61
And clearly the
Word of God tells us
00:44:45.65\00:44:48.38
that last seven years
is not to be broken away
00:44:48.42\00:44:51.42
from the prophecy.
00:44:51.45\00:44:52.79
It's part of uplifting Jesus.
00:44:52.82\00:44:55.32
And it's amazing to me
00:44:55.36\00:44:57.03
that we can take a prophecy
that completely glorifies Jesus
00:44:57.06\00:45:01.20
as the savior of world
twisted and change it around.
00:45:01.23\00:45:04.33
And now instead
of uplifting Jesus,
00:45:04.37\00:45:06.37
we're uplifting antichrist.
00:45:06.40\00:45:09.10
Any prophecy, any
doctrine that throws
00:45:09.14\00:45:11.51
Jesus out the door and
starts to uplift antichrist
00:45:11.54\00:45:15.18
ought to raise a
red flag in our minds?
00:45:15.21\00:45:19.65
You see, well,
let's just look into this
00:45:19.68\00:45:21.02
a little bit farther
00:45:21.05\00:45:22.38
because you
know, that's only fair.
00:45:22.42\00:45:23.75
It's not fair to
only look at one side
00:45:23.79\00:45:25.52
and then ignore the other.
00:45:25.55\00:45:26.89
So let's look at some things.
00:45:26.92\00:45:28.82
The idea of a secret rapture
theory basically says this,
00:45:28.86\00:45:32.76
"Jesus will come secretly
00:45:32.79\00:45:34.53
and snatch away only the saints.
00:45:34.56\00:45:36.83
After that is seven
years of tribulation.
00:45:36.87\00:45:39.73
In the middle of
those seven years
00:45:39.77\00:45:41.10
antichrist appears.
00:45:41.14\00:45:43.17
And during the seven years,
00:45:43.20\00:45:44.54
those who missed that rapture
00:45:44.57\00:45:46.21
have a second chance
to get right with God."
00:45:46.24\00:45:50.08
The question we have to ask is,
00:45:50.11\00:45:52.15
is that according to
what the Bible teaches?
00:45:52.18\00:45:55.48
I'm gonna give you
a polite challenge.
00:45:55.52\00:45:58.72
Do you know that
00:45:58.75\00:46:00.32
there is absolutely
no place in the Bible
00:46:00.36\00:46:02.76
that uses the phrase
seven year tribulation?
00:46:02.79\00:46:07.20
Get a Concordance
and try to look up
00:46:07.23\00:46:09.43
seven year tribulation,
you won't find it anywhere
00:46:09.46\00:46:11.93
from Genesis to Revelation.
00:46:11.97\00:46:14.00
You say, "Well, really,
where does it come from?"
00:46:14.04\00:46:16.10
It comes from taking
00:46:16.14\00:46:17.47
the last seven
years of this prophecy
00:46:17.51\00:46:19.61
and breaking it
off into the future.
00:46:19.64\00:46:22.71
But you will never find
that term used in the Bible.
00:46:22.74\00:46:27.15
Is it really? Where
did it come from then?
00:46:27.18\00:46:29.78
I just wanna briefly
give you the history,
00:46:29.82\00:46:31.85
I don't wanna go
into too much detail.
00:46:31.89\00:46:33.62
But if something is
not based in the Bible,
00:46:33.66\00:46:35.89
it might be
important to understand,
00:46:35.92\00:46:37.63
where is the source of it?
00:46:37.66\00:46:39.93
It actually comes all the way
00:46:39.96\00:46:41.43
back from around the 1500s
00:46:41.46\00:46:43.20
when the
Reformation is going on,
00:46:43.23\00:46:45.00
and we're gonna talk
about that later in the seminar
00:46:45.03\00:46:47.84
because I believe the
Reformation is symbolized
00:46:47.87\00:46:49.97
in parts of the
Book of Revelation.
00:46:50.01\00:46:52.21
Martin Luther and the reformers
00:46:52.24\00:46:54.51
were preaching that
people can come to Jesus
00:46:54.54\00:46:56.88
directly for salvation,
00:46:56.91\00:46:58.65
that it's not necessary to
do indulgences, and penances,
00:46:58.68\00:47:01.92
and things like that.
00:47:01.95\00:47:03.45
And since Rome
was the persecuting
00:47:03.49\00:47:05.39
power of those
days, unfortunately,
00:47:05.42\00:47:08.26
the reformers were preaching
that Rome is the antichrist
00:47:08.29\00:47:11.43
and beast of Revelation 13.
00:47:11.46\00:47:13.90
And see that
made the Reformation
00:47:13.93\00:47:15.66
gained steam at that
time, because you know,
00:47:15.70\00:47:18.40
Rome was persecuting
those who wanted to follow
00:47:18.43\00:47:21.17
or even translate the Bible.
00:47:21.20\00:47:23.10
So what Rome did at that time,
00:47:23.14\00:47:25.37
and I'm not
saying this to be down
00:47:25.41\00:47:27.01
on any
particular group of people,
00:47:27.04\00:47:28.81
I don't believe
that God is pleased
00:47:28.84\00:47:30.91
when we speak of
others in a denigrating way.
00:47:30.95\00:47:33.58
This is only to show
what has happened in history
00:47:33.62\00:47:36.99
and how Bible
prophecy has been fulfilled.
00:47:37.02\00:47:39.72
What Rome did
00:47:39.75\00:47:41.09
is they
commissioned a Jesuit scholar
00:47:41.12\00:47:43.06
named Francisco Ribera.
00:47:43.09\00:47:45.43
Then they said to him,
listen, we need you to come up
00:47:45.46\00:47:48.13
with a different
interpretation about antichrist.
00:47:48.16\00:47:51.10
Luther and the
reformers are saying that,
00:47:51.13\00:47:53.34
you know, we're the
beast of Revelation 13,
00:47:53.37\00:47:55.60
and people are
following them and believe them
00:47:55.64\00:47:58.21
come up with a
different interpretation.
00:47:58.24\00:48:00.28
And so Francisco
Ribera wrote a commentary
00:48:00.31\00:48:03.85
that said
antichrist would be one person
00:48:03.88\00:48:06.85
who only rises
at the end of time.
00:48:06.88\00:48:09.98
And that was the beginning
of what was known as futurism.
00:48:10.02\00:48:14.49
As time passed,
00:48:14.52\00:48:16.32
another Jesuit
named Manuel Lacunza,
00:48:16.36\00:48:19.26
he wrote a manuscript called,
00:48:19.29\00:48:20.83
"The Coming of the
Messiah in Glory and Majesty."
00:48:20.86\00:48:23.67
He started writing about
antichrist being one person
00:48:23.70\00:48:26.80
at the end of time.
00:48:26.84\00:48:28.20
His manuscripts were
published in different countries
00:48:28.24\00:48:30.81
in various parts of the world.
00:48:30.84\00:48:32.77
And what eventually happened
is a protestant preacher
00:48:32.81\00:48:35.88
named Edward Irving,
00:48:35.91\00:48:37.38
a very popular
preacher in the 1800s.
00:48:37.41\00:48:40.48
He translated
Lacunza's work into English
00:48:40.52\00:48:44.69
and a book that has
a rather long title.
00:48:44.72\00:48:47.32
They gave him
long titles back then,
00:48:47.36\00:48:49.39
it was called "The
Coming of Messiah in Glory
00:48:49.42\00:48:52.09
and Majesty with a
Preliminary Discourse."
00:48:52.13\00:48:55.13
And so now, Edward Irving
00:48:55.16\00:48:57.27
start to preach
this in the 1800s.
00:48:57.30\00:48:59.87
Then John Nelson Darby,
another popular preacher
00:48:59.90\00:49:03.81
puts together the
secret rapture theory
00:49:03.84\00:49:06.01
and starts to teach it.
00:49:06.04\00:49:07.41
And eventually it made its way
00:49:07.44\00:49:09.61
into the
Scofield Reference Bible
00:49:09.64\00:49:11.68
into the
footnotes of that Bible.
00:49:11.71\00:49:13.58
And it has become
popular ever since.
00:49:13.62\00:49:17.12
But the truth
is, before the 1800s,
00:49:17.15\00:49:21.02
the idea of a
rapture or snatching away,
00:49:21.06\00:49:25.09
was never taught by
any Protestant Church.
00:49:25.13\00:49:29.93
It's actually a new
theory that's only developed
00:49:29.96\00:49:32.53
in the last 200 years,
00:49:32.57\00:49:34.90
it goes all the way back
to Rome in the reformation,
00:49:34.94\00:49:38.01
to take the heat off
of them at that time.
00:49:38.04\00:49:41.04
And when you
realize it's simply comes
00:49:41.08\00:49:43.21
from man's theories,
00:49:43.24\00:49:45.11
and it doesn't come
from the Word of God,
00:49:45.15\00:49:48.48
it should raise a
little red flag in our minds.
00:49:48.52\00:49:51.15
Because if you were here,
00:49:51.19\00:49:52.52
when we studied the
second coming of Jesus,
00:49:52.55\00:49:54.09
we did that I think
it was last Sunday night.
00:49:54.12\00:49:56.89
You remember what we learned?
00:49:56.93\00:49:58.36
All the verses said that
we'll see Jesus in the clouds
00:49:58.39\00:50:02.26
that He comes with
power and great glory.
00:50:02.30\00:50:05.07
Trumpets are blowing,
00:50:05.10\00:50:06.57
tribes of the
earth are mourning,
00:50:06.60\00:50:08.57
the Lord descends with a shout,
00:50:08.60\00:50:10.84
the voice of the
archangel was heard,
00:50:10.87\00:50:12.54
the dead in Christ rise,
the sky recedes as a scroll.
00:50:12.57\00:50:16.54
Mountains and islands are
moved out of their places.
00:50:16.58\00:50:20.02
Does that sound like
something that would be sacred?
00:50:20.05\00:50:23.05
Not according
to the Word of God?
00:50:23.08\00:50:25.75
You see, where does that idea
00:50:25.79\00:50:27.26
come from then?
00:50:27.29\00:50:28.79
I'm just gonna show
you two things in the Bible
00:50:28.82\00:50:31.56
that are sometimes
taken out of context.
00:50:31.59\00:50:33.70
And I do wanna spend
just a few minutes on this,
00:50:33.73\00:50:36.56
because it illustrates
an important principle.
00:50:36.60\00:50:39.73
You never take a
verse out of its context
00:50:39.77\00:50:43.04
and build a doctrine around it.
00:50:43.07\00:50:45.24
Let me give you an example.
00:50:45.27\00:50:47.08
2 Peter 3:10, the Bible says,
00:50:47.11\00:50:52.41
"But the day of the
Lord will come as a,"
00:50:52.45\00:50:54.48
what?
00:50:54.52\00:50:55.85
"Thief in the night."
00:50:55.88\00:50:57.22
Now if I just took
that part of the verse,
00:50:57.25\00:50:58.75
honestly that almost
does make it sound like
00:50:58.79\00:51:00.69
it's kind of secret.
00:51:00.72\00:51:02.52
But if I read the
rest of the verse,
00:51:02.56\00:51:05.56
instead of just
taking half a verse
00:51:05.59\00:51:07.53
out of its
context, it clarifies it.
00:51:07.56\00:51:09.83
Because the rest
of the verse says,
00:51:09.86\00:51:12.13
"In which the heavens
will pass away with," what?
00:51:12.17\00:51:15.47
"A great noise, and
the elements will melt
00:51:15.50\00:51:18.57
with fervent heat,
both the earth and the works
00:51:18.61\00:51:21.28
that are in it
will be burned up."
00:51:21.31\00:51:25.31
I say, okay, but what
about in Matthew 24:40?
00:51:25.35\00:51:28.12
What about that
phrase that says,
00:51:28.15\00:51:29.98
"Then two men will be
in the field: one is taken,
00:51:30.02\00:51:33.39
the other's left.
00:51:33.42\00:51:34.76
Two women will be
grinding at the mill:
00:51:34.79\00:51:36.69
one is taken and
the other's left."
00:51:36.73\00:51:40.23
If I just take that two verses,
00:51:40.26\00:51:42.80
I can see how a
sincere person would think,
00:51:42.83\00:51:45.17
wow, that must be sacred.
00:51:45.20\00:51:47.00
But remember, you
always have to read
00:51:47.04\00:51:49.70
the verses before
and the verses after
00:51:49.74\00:51:52.31
to get the context.
00:51:52.34\00:51:54.08
So let's do that and
see what it's really saying.
00:51:54.11\00:51:56.51
Let's start in verse 36.
00:51:56.54\00:51:59.11
Jesus says, "But of that day
00:51:59.15\00:52:02.22
and hour no one knows,
not even the angels of heaven,
00:52:02.25\00:52:05.75
but My Father only."
00:52:05.79\00:52:07.12
Now notice what he says.
00:52:07.16\00:52:08.82
"But as the days of Noah were,
00:52:08.86\00:52:11.56
so also will be the
coming of the Son of Man.
00:52:11.59\00:52:15.43
For as in the
days before the flood,
00:52:15.46\00:52:17.93
they were eating and drinking,
00:52:17.97\00:52:20.04
marrying and giving in marriage,
00:52:20.07\00:52:23.34
until the day that
Noah entered the ark,
00:52:23.37\00:52:26.71
and did not know
until the flood came
00:52:26.74\00:52:29.38
and took them all away,
00:52:29.41\00:52:31.45
so also will the
coming of the Son of Man be.
00:52:31.48\00:52:34.98
Then two men
will be in the field:
00:52:35.02\00:52:37.82
one will be taken
and the other left.
00:52:37.85\00:52:39.79
Two women will be
grinding at the mill:
00:52:39.82\00:52:42.12
one will be taken
and the other left."
00:52:42.16\00:52:44.79
And then Jesus
summarizes, "Watch therefore,
00:52:44.83\00:52:48.26
for you do not know what
hour your Lord is coming."
00:52:48.30\00:52:52.37
You see Jesus is comparing
His coming to the time of Noah,
00:52:52.40\00:52:55.77
now think about that.
00:52:55.80\00:52:57.81
When Noah preached,
that a flood was coming
00:52:57.84\00:53:00.51
and build the ark,
how long did he preach?
00:53:00.54\00:53:03.14
Was there any secret about that?
00:53:03.18\00:53:04.85
He preached it for 120 years.
00:53:04.88\00:53:07.18
And so when the
flood finally came,
00:53:07.22\00:53:10.62
did everybody know when
the rain started coming?
00:53:10.65\00:53:13.29
Sure, that wasn't hidden.
00:53:13.32\00:53:14.66
And so what does it say?
00:53:14.69\00:53:16.59
Some were on the
ark and they were saved,
00:53:16.62\00:53:20.10
those who were left
behind, what happened?
00:53:20.13\00:53:23.93
They perished.
00:53:23.97\00:53:25.63
There was no second
chance, they perished.
00:53:25.67\00:53:29.14
And so when you realize that
the Bible is using that term,
00:53:29.17\00:53:32.54
two men will be in
the field, one is taken,
00:53:32.57\00:53:34.34
they're meeting
the Lord in the air,
00:53:34.38\00:53:35.71
the other's left
behind to perish.
00:53:35.74\00:53:38.45
It's comparing it
to the time of Noah.
00:53:38.48\00:53:41.98
And that's why Jesus says,
00:53:42.02\00:53:43.85
"Watch therefore
because you don't know
00:53:43.89\00:53:46.69
what hour He's coming."
00:53:46.72\00:53:48.06
It's not that it's secret.
00:53:48.09\00:53:50.23
He knows that
the world will not be
00:53:50.26\00:53:52.33
paying attention and for some,
00:53:52.36\00:53:55.23
it will come unexpectedly.
00:53:55.26\00:53:59.83
You see, the
reason, the rapture theory
00:53:59.87\00:54:02.47
as wonderful as it may sound,
00:54:02.50\00:54:03.91
the reason it could
be dangerous is this.
00:54:03.94\00:54:06.21
Because I've heard people
say, "Well, you know what?
00:54:06.24\00:54:08.91
I'm just going to wait
00:54:08.94\00:54:10.28
until people are
suddenly snatched away
00:54:10.31\00:54:12.31
and planes crash and
cars drive into a ditch.
00:54:12.35\00:54:15.32
Then when I see that happen,
00:54:15.35\00:54:17.05
then I'll get serious with God."
00:54:17.09\00:54:20.66
So you can cause
people to be lackadaisical
00:54:20.69\00:54:23.02
about their
relationship with Christ.
00:54:23.06\00:54:25.06
Because if I live my
life, delaying my decision,
00:54:25.09\00:54:29.23
because I think a
second chance is coming,
00:54:29.26\00:54:32.60
but when Jesus comes,
00:54:32.63\00:54:33.97
I find out there
is no second chance
00:54:34.00\00:54:35.74
what's gonna happen to me.
00:54:35.77\00:54:37.91
I will be lost. My
second chance is now.
00:54:37.94\00:54:42.84
Our second chance was the cross.
00:54:42.88\00:54:45.31
That's why Jesus said
or Hebrews said today,
00:54:45.35\00:54:48.58
if you hear His voice,
do not harden your heart.
00:54:48.62\00:54:53.82
You see, folks,
00:54:53.86\00:54:55.19
this is the most
glorious prophecy
00:54:55.22\00:54:56.73
in the Old Testament.
00:54:56.76\00:54:58.49
It prophesized
when Jesus would begin
00:54:58.53\00:55:00.50
His ministry and
Messiah would come.
00:55:00.53\00:55:03.26
It prophesied when He
would die on the cross.
00:55:03.30\00:55:05.47
It tells us that Jesus came
00:55:05.50\00:55:08.67
right on time.
00:55:08.70\00:55:12.51
That's why John
wrote, "But these are written
00:55:12.54\00:55:16.51
that you may believe
that Jesus is the Christ,
00:55:16.54\00:55:19.78
the Son of God,
and that by believing
00:55:19.81\00:55:23.08
you may have life in His name.
00:55:23.12\00:55:26.69
Amen.
00:55:26.72\00:55:28.06
Friends, I don't know
what your life has been like.
00:55:28.09\00:55:31.16
I don't know what
tragedies have come your way.
00:55:31.19\00:55:34.86
I don't know what
path life has taken you on.
00:55:34.90\00:55:38.67
In your life
right now and in mind,
00:55:38.70\00:55:40.44
you may be struggling with guilt
00:55:40.47\00:55:41.94
because of the past.
00:55:41.97\00:55:44.11
You may be struggling
with a sense of unworthiness
00:55:44.14\00:55:46.47
because you can't change
the choices that you've made.
00:55:46.51\00:55:50.51
You may be
struggling and you may feel
00:55:50.55\00:55:52.38
enslaved by addictions.
00:55:52.41\00:55:53.88
You may feel trapped by
habits and you begin to wonder
00:55:53.92\00:55:56.69
can Jesus really love me?
00:55:56.72\00:55:59.39
Can I truly be saved?
00:55:59.42\00:56:02.22
But this prophecy
tells me there is a savior.
00:56:02.26\00:56:06.13
This prophecy tells
me there is a substitute.
00:56:06.16\00:56:09.86
That there is someone
who trod this earth for 33
00:56:09.90\00:56:13.47
and a half years,
00:56:13.50\00:56:15.67
that there is
someone who loves me,
00:56:15.70\00:56:18.51
who died for me
that there is a redeemer
00:56:18.54\00:56:21.61
who will take His righteousness
and put it my record book.
00:56:21.64\00:56:27.25
It says, He was
wounded for our transgressions,
00:56:27.28\00:56:30.62
by His stripes we are healed.
00:56:30.65\00:56:35.12
And so whatever
your struggles may be,
00:56:35.16\00:56:37.69
Jesus just invites you to come.
00:56:37.73\00:56:41.36
That's why the
Book of Revelation
00:56:41.40\00:56:43.03
ends with this invitation.
00:56:43.06\00:56:44.93
Jesus says, "Let
him who thirsts come,
00:56:44.97\00:56:49.47
and whoever desires,
00:56:49.50\00:56:51.51
let him take the
water of life freely."
00:56:51.54\00:56:56.58
Whatever's going on in
your world, in your life,
00:56:56.61\00:56:59.41
Jesus says,
"Come to Me as you are,
00:56:59.45\00:57:01.92
I will forgive you.
00:57:01.95\00:57:03.72
I will cleanse you.
00:57:03.75\00:57:05.69
I will change and transform you.
00:57:05.72\00:57:08.76
I will make you free."
00:57:08.79\00:57:11.53
All we have to do
00:57:11.56\00:57:13.80
is simply come tonight.
00:57:13.83\00:57:18.47
If you're willing to say
in your heart, Lord Jesus,
00:57:18.50\00:57:20.80
I believe that You
are the Son of God.
00:57:20.84\00:57:24.47
And I want to
spend eternity with You.
00:57:24.51\00:57:27.68
I'd like to invite you
to stand with me as I pray.
00:57:27.71\00:57:31.15
In your heart, if you can say,
00:57:31.18\00:57:32.58
I believe Jesus is
the prophesied Son of God,
00:57:32.61\00:57:35.58
and I desire to be
in heaven with Him.
00:57:35.62\00:57:39.15
I invite you to stand
as we close in prayer.
00:57:39.19\00:57:44.73
Heavenly Father, we are excited
00:57:44.76\00:57:47.80
about the
prophecies of Your Word.
00:57:47.83\00:57:51.07
We are awed that You
would love us so much
00:57:51.10\00:57:54.47
that You would
predict when Jesus would come
00:57:54.50\00:57:56.64
so that we could identify Him.
00:57:56.67\00:57:59.94
But the most of
all, You would invite us
00:57:59.97\00:58:02.34
to come as sinful
as our life may be.
00:58:02.38\00:58:06.11
Thank You, Lord,
for sending Jesus.
00:58:06.15\00:58:09.52
And whatever
decisions we need to make,
00:58:09.55\00:58:12.19
we pray that You
would give us the power
00:58:12.22\00:58:14.42
and the courage
to follow the Messiah
00:58:14.46\00:58:17.26
with all of our heart,
00:58:17.29\00:58:18.86
and all of our soul,
and all of our minds.
00:58:18.89\00:58:22.26
These things we ask
and pray in Jesus' name.
00:58:22.30\00:58:27.10
Amen. Amen.
00:58:27.14\00:58:28.47