Hello, and I'm very
pleased to be with you today.
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We have some very serious things
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to talk about together.
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And I'm very glad
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to be able to
welcome each one of you,
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to those of you
who are in the studio,
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and those who may be
anywhere in the world
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who seems to be
watching this program today.
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Welcome.
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I'd like to introduce you
to first of all our prayer,
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and then we'll follow.
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And let's bow our heads.
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Our loving Father in heaven,
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we thank You for
the wonderful privilege,
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we always have
to open Your Word.
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We thank You for its
clarity, for its power.
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We thank You for
its revelation of Jesus.
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And I pray that this morning,
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the Holy Spirit
particularly may be present
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in this gathering,
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that He will bless me and
give me the words to speak
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that You would have spoken.
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And may He guide us
today into all truth
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is my prayer in
Jesus' precious name.
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Some of you who are watching
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may remember seeing
Keepers of the Flame,
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which was recorded I hate to say
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more than 30 years ago.
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But I was only
thinking the other day
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that in that program,
we spoke about some things
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that were going to
happen in the future.
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And as I look
back over 30 years,
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and more
recently to recent times,
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I realized that those
things that we talked about
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would happen in the
future have happened.
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And that's the way it
is with Bible prophecy.
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And so today I make no
apology for opening God's Word
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and particularly the
prophetic parts of it
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to guide us
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into God's last
message to the world,
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a most important topic.
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According to a report
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that was published by the Center
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for the Study of
Global Christianity,
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located in the Gordon
Conwell Theological Seminary,
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in mid 2014.
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Now this is
going to surprise you,
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I hope it will even shock you
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that in mid 2014,
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there were over 45,000
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different
Christian denominations
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and Christian
groups in the world.
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Now think about that, 45,000.
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Each group thinking
that they were right
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and separated
from everybody else.
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But that report also said
that the number was increasing
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at the rate of 2.2
denominations or groups
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every day since 2014.
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Which means and I
have to calculate this out
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that by mid 2020,
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the number would be 49, 818
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different groups
within Christendom,
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within the Christian Church.
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Among the total
number of Christians
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that are in the world,
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which they tell us is two
and a half billion people.
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Over 49,000 religious
groups with different beliefs
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that have separated them
from what other people believe.
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Let me give you a
few illustrations.
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You know many people,
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many Christians are divided
into what happens when we die.
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Some believe that
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the spirit goes
straight to heaven, or to hell,
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or to purgatory when they die.
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But there are
other many, many people
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who believe that when you die,
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you sleep in the grave
until the resurrection.
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But then what about
those who keep holy,
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a special day in the week.
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There are some
who keep Saturday,
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the seventh day of the week.
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But there are
many, many more millions
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who keep holy day as Sunday,
the first day of the week.
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Some say concerning baptism,
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that they baptized little babies
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as soon as they're born,
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they're sprinkled with water.
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But there are others
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who believe that
baptism is only for adults.
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And they can act by faith
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when they choose
Jesus as their Savior.
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And when they're baptized,
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not just sprinkled
with a little water,
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but baptized
completely under the water.
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There are over 1
billion people who believe today
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that Mary and the
saints are the mediators
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between sinners and God.
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But there are
many millions of people
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who believe that
Jesus is the only mediator,
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who stands between us and God.
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I read a recent report
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entitled The
American Worldwide Inventory.
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And they were
reporting that 68% of Christians
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no longer believe that
Jesus is the path of salvation.
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And instead, they believe that
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just being a good
person is sufficient.
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And they also
reported that 59% believe that
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the Bible is not God's
true and authoritative word.
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Clearly, dear friends,
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these and many other examples
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that I could
give you this morning,
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present a very confusing picture
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of what is truth
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for those who are seeking it.
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Can all these teachings
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that I've just
mentioned and many more,
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can they all be true
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when they contradict each other?
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Is the Bible so
confused that it doesn't reveal
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what is truth?
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Or has God
provided a clear answer
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to that question?
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I remember 2
Timothy 3:16, which says,
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"All scripture,
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all scripture is given
by inspiration of God."
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And I think of
the words of Jesus
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when that, one in
that wonderful prayer
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that He prayed
in John Chapter 17,
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where He addressed
His Father and said,
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Your Word, the
Bible is truth, is truth.
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And then the words of Jesus,
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remember what He
said in John Chapter 14.
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I am the way, the
truth and the life.
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If God is the
author of the Bible,
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and what He's written as truth,
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does the Bible give
us a clear direction
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through the maze
of conflicting ideas
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that we see in the world today?
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Has God revealed a
message that is true,
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and that will guide us
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through all a
multitude of confusing ideas,
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and prepare us
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for the second coming of Christ?
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This question becomes
more urgent and essential.
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In view of the many
warnings the Bible gives us,
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that in the days
just before Jesus comes,
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there going to be
days of great deception.
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And when I'm
deceived at something,
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I believe, to be right
when it is really wrong.
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Think of these texts.
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First of all, in Matthew 24:3,
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the disciples
are coming to Jesus.
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And they're asking him
a very important question.
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In verse 3,
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"Now as He sat on
the Mount of Olives,
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the disciples came to
Him privately, saying,
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'Tell us, when
will these things be?' "
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Now Jesus had just
spoken about His second coming,
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and the end of the world?
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And the disciples
came with that question,
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when's this going to happen?
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And what will be
the sign of Your coming
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and of the end of the age?
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I was interested to read again,
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how did Jesus
answer that question?
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Well, Jesus
answered and said to them,
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"There are many,
take heed to yourselves,
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for many will come in My name,
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saying, 'I am Christ,'
and I will deceive many.'"
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Jesus is warning us
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that the last days would
be a time of great confusion.
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Many would make great
claims that would not be true.
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Then He says in verse 11,
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"Then many false prophets
will rise up and deceive,"
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notice that word, "many."
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And then in verse 24,
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"For false
christs and false prophets
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will rise and show great
signs and wonders, miracles,"
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why?
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"To deceive, if
possible, the very elect."
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And when Jesus said that
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He was referring to that
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these deceptions
would be so powerful,
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that even God's people run
the risk of being deceived.
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These are warnings
that the Bible gives us.
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And listen to the words
that the Apostle Paul wrote.
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"Now the spirit expressly says,
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the Holy Spirit
that in latter times,"
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that is in the last
days of earth's history,
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"some will
depart from the faith,
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giving heed to deceiving spirits
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and to the doctrines of demons."
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For these reasons, dear friends,
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during this series
of eight presentations,
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we're going to open the Bible.
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And I'm going to
put on the screen
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a prophetic chart.
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And all that you see,
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and all that you
will see on this chart
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is based upon Bible prophecy,
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where the Lord is
revealing in His Word,
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the future, particularly,
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as it reveals the last message
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God is ever going
to send to this world.
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Because if Jesus is coming soon,
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and I believe that He is.
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It's a God of love, who says,
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"I'm going to send a
warning to the world,
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that they can be ready
for that wonderful day."
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As we view this
prophetic outline,
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I, and as we deal
with the foundation today
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provided by Bible prophecy,
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I remember these words.
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And I want you to
remember these words too,
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the words of
Jesus when He said this.
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"And now I have
told you before it comes,
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that when it does come
to pass, you may believe."
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What's the
purpose of Bible prophecy?
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And after all,
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the Bible is
filled with hundreds
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and hundreds of
Bible prophecies,
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predictions of the future.
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But why are they written?
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Because God loves you.
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And He wants you to have faith,
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and He wants you to
believe in His Word.
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He wants you to
believe that God exists.
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Why?
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Ultimately, because He wants you
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to be with Him in His Kingdom.
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So let's turn to
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one of the Bible's
greatest books of prophecy.
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And incidentally, one
of Jesus' favorite books.
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Why do I say that?
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Because it's the only
book in the Old Testament
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that Jesus ever quotes
by name, the Book of Daniel,
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and He takes His favorite
title from the Book of Daniel.
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Jesus used to love
to refer to Himself
00:11:13.47\00:11:15.74
as the Son of Man.
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And that's taken
from the Book of Daniel.
00:11:17.54\00:11:20.11
But Daniel is
also a unique book,
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because in no other book,
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and there are 66
books in the Bible,
00:11:24.95\00:11:27.35
but in no other book
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is the author told
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at the end of writing the book,
00:11:31.22\00:11:33.89
the words of Daniel 12:4.
00:11:33.92\00:11:40.60
"But thou,
Daniel, but you, Daniel,
00:11:40.63\00:11:43.63
shut up the words,
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and seal the book
until a particular time."
00:11:45.20\00:11:49.50
Now I want you to
notice these words.
00:11:49.54\00:11:51.71
Now, remember, as I said,
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this is the only
book in the Bible
00:11:53.14\00:11:54.68
where the author is told that,
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shut up your Book of
Daniel, that you have written,
00:11:56.68\00:11:58.68
particularly a proportion
of the Book of Daniel,
00:11:58.71\00:12:01.05
that deals with prophecy,
00:12:01.08\00:12:02.85
and seal it up
until the time of the end,
00:12:02.88\00:12:09.52
the time of the end.
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There are two expressions
00:12:12.49\00:12:13.83
that I want to just
clarify in your thinking,
00:12:13.86\00:12:15.33
first of all, today.
00:12:15.36\00:12:16.73
There are two expressions like
00:12:16.77\00:12:18.13
the end of time,
and the time of the end.
00:12:18.17\00:12:21.80
What's the
difference between those two?
00:12:21.84\00:12:24.01
The end of time is
referring to that event
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that comes when time
ends and eternity begins.
00:12:28.34\00:12:33.68
It's really the time
00:12:33.72\00:12:35.05
that we refer to as the
second coming of Christ.
00:12:35.08\00:12:39.12
When Jesus comes,
ends human history,
00:12:39.15\00:12:42.86
and then eternity begins.
00:12:42.89\00:12:45.09
So the end of time is
the second coming of Christ.
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The time of the end,
00:12:48.40\00:12:50.00
it's a period of time
before the end of time.
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It's a period of time
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that leads up to the
second coming of Christ.
00:12:55.90\00:12:59.21
And the strange thing is
00:12:59.24\00:13:00.58
that I want to
remind you of this morning,
00:13:00.61\00:13:02.18
is that the Book of Daniel
was to be closed up, sealed,
00:13:02.21\00:13:05.58
particularly a
particular portion
00:13:05.61\00:13:07.12
of the Book of Daniel
00:13:07.15\00:13:08.48
that deals with prophecy
was to be closed up, sealed,
00:13:08.52\00:13:11.59
not really understood
until the time of the end,
00:13:11.62\00:13:16.99
which means that when
that time of the end comes,
00:13:17.03\00:13:22.00
the little Book of Daniel
00:13:22.03\00:13:23.37
is going to have
great significance,
00:13:23.40\00:13:25.73
particularly the
prophecies in that book.
00:13:25.77\00:13:29.14
So when would this
time of the end begin?
00:13:29.17\00:13:31.67
It's most important
today that we understand that.
00:13:31.71\00:13:35.31
So when does it really begin?
00:13:35.34\00:13:36.75
Well, in the
Book of Daniel 12:4,
00:13:36.78\00:13:39.78
we've just read seal of
book until the time of the end.
00:13:39.81\00:13:44.45
If you look at
that verse in scripture,
00:13:44.49\00:13:46.92
you'll find that
straight after it,
00:13:46.96\00:13:49.09
there is a conversation
between two heavenly beings,
00:13:49.12\00:13:52.19
two angels in conversation.
00:13:52.23\00:13:55.06
They are talking with
a man clothed in linen.
00:13:55.10\00:13:59.93
And that man clothed in
linen who looks like a man.
00:13:59.97\00:14:03.81
In Daniel Chapter 10,
it identifies Him as Jesus.
00:14:03.84\00:14:07.61
You say, Well, how come
Jesus in the Book of Daniel
00:14:07.64\00:14:10.11
500 years before Jesus was born,
00:14:10.15\00:14:12.75
because we know today,
00:14:12.78\00:14:14.12
of course, that
Jesus has always existed.
00:14:14.15\00:14:17.15
And He existed in
Old Testament times,
00:14:17.19\00:14:20.06
and sometimes appeared in
the Old Testament stories.
00:14:20.09\00:14:24.23
And so there's Jesus
present in this conversation,
00:14:24.26\00:14:27.93
and you'll notice
it says in Daniel 12:6,
00:14:27.96\00:14:31.00
"And one said, one
of those two angels
00:14:31.03\00:14:33.60
said to the man
clothed in linen,
00:14:33.64\00:14:36.34
who was above the
waters of the river,
00:14:36.37\00:14:39.17
'How long shall the fulfillment
of these wonders be?' "
00:14:39.21\00:14:42.54
In other words,
they were asking,
00:14:42.58\00:14:43.91
they've just
heard, the word said,
00:14:43.95\00:14:46.31
closed up the book
until the time of the end.
00:14:46.35\00:14:49.05
And so the question
is, with all the wonders
00:14:49.08\00:14:51.19
we've just described
in the Book of Daniel,
00:14:51.22\00:14:53.59
how long will it be
before the time of the end comes
00:14:53.62\00:14:56.79
and the fulfillment
of all these wonders.
00:14:56.83\00:14:59.16
And I want you to
notice the answer in verse 7.
00:14:59.19\00:15:02.86
"Then I heard the
man clothed in linen,"
00:15:02.90\00:15:05.23
that's Jesus, remember,
00:15:05.27\00:15:06.97
"who was above the
waters of the river,
00:15:07.00\00:15:08.90
when he held up his right hand
and his left hand to heaven,
00:15:08.94\00:15:12.31
and swore by Him
who lives forever."
00:15:12.34\00:15:14.68
So he's taking an oath on this,
the answer is so important.
00:15:14.71\00:15:18.41
"That it shall be for a
time and times and half a time."
00:15:18.45\00:15:25.39
Strange words.
00:15:25.42\00:15:26.92
Obviously, it's
referring to a period of time,
00:15:26.96\00:15:29.82
but using strange words,
00:15:29.86\00:15:31.79
that the time of
the end will come
00:15:31.83\00:15:33.90
at the end of the time,
times and half a time period.
00:15:33.93\00:15:40.80
Now, I need to point out to you
00:15:40.84\00:15:42.17
that this is the second
time in the Book of Daniel,
00:15:42.20\00:15:45.17
that those words are used.
00:15:45.21\00:15:47.31
So I want to go
back to the first time
00:15:47.34\00:15:49.81
where we read time,
times and half a time
00:15:49.84\00:15:53.62
to see if we can get any close
to an answer to that question.
00:15:53.65\00:15:59.12
Well, let's
look at it, Daniel 7,
00:15:59.15\00:16:01.96
here is the first time
that that expression is found.
00:16:01.99\00:16:04.79
But I want you to
notice how it's worded.
00:16:04.83\00:16:07.23
He referring to
some particular kingdom,
00:16:07.26\00:16:11.50
represented by a person,
00:16:11.53\00:16:13.57
"He shall
persecute the saints, "
00:16:13.60\00:16:15.77
notice the words,
00:16:15.80\00:16:17.91
"of the Most High,
00:16:17.94\00:16:19.31
then the saints shall
be given into his hand,"
00:16:19.34\00:16:22.51
for how long?
00:16:22.54\00:16:24.51
"Persecution,
00:16:24.55\00:16:25.88
and the saints will
be given into his hand
00:16:25.91\00:16:27.78
for a time and
times, and half a time."
00:16:27.82\00:16:32.62
Well, remember,
00:16:32.65\00:16:33.99
if we can find
out when this period,
00:16:34.02\00:16:36.19
how long that period is.
00:16:36.22\00:16:38.33
And if we can find
that when the period begins,
00:16:38.36\00:16:41.00
then we can find
out when it ends.
00:16:41.03\00:16:43.16
And when it ends,
00:16:43.20\00:16:44.53
it's the beginning
of the time of the end.
00:16:44.57\00:16:47.87
That's why it's
important to see the answer.
00:16:47.90\00:16:51.07
And you might say,
00:16:51.11\00:16:52.44
"Well, those are strange words,
00:16:52.47\00:16:53.81
how can we ever
find the answer?"
00:16:53.84\00:16:55.18
Because always remember,
the Bible provides an answer.
00:16:55.21\00:16:58.98
In Bible prophecy,
00:16:59.01\00:17:00.35
if there's some things
that we don't understand,
00:17:00.38\00:17:02.55
God provides
somewhere in the scriptures
00:17:02.58\00:17:04.52
the clue, the key if you like,
00:17:04.55\00:17:06.99
as to when that period
of time may be fulfilled.
00:17:07.02\00:17:12.86
So let's go to the only book.
00:17:12.89\00:17:15.06
And again, this is one of these
statements like the only book,
00:17:15.10\00:17:18.77
the only book in the Bible.
00:17:18.80\00:17:21.50
And this is a
surprising thing for me to say.
00:17:21.54\00:17:24.17
The only book in
the whole of the Bible
00:17:24.21\00:17:26.11
that pronounces
a special blessing
00:17:26.14\00:17:28.78
on those who read the book,
00:17:28.81\00:17:30.98
and those who
keep in their hearts
00:17:31.01\00:17:33.58
the things that
are written in the book
00:17:33.62\00:17:36.08
is the Book of Revelation.
00:17:36.12\00:17:38.12
Many people
today think the Bible,
00:17:38.15\00:17:39.59
the Book of
Revelation is a confusing book.
00:17:39.62\00:17:42.36
But here it's the only blessing,
00:17:42.39\00:17:43.96
read it,
Revelation 1:3, sometime,
00:17:43.99\00:17:47.13
a blessing on those
00:17:47.16\00:17:48.50
who read the Book of Revelation.
00:17:48.53\00:17:50.30
So let's claim
that blessing today.
00:17:50.33\00:17:52.60
And we're going to
turn to a particular chapter
00:17:52.63\00:17:55.27
in the Book of
Revelation Chapter 12.
00:17:55.30\00:17:58.97
Chapter 12 is an
interesting chapter.
00:17:59.01\00:18:00.54
It's a prophecy.
00:18:00.58\00:18:01.91
It's one of the
visions that John received
00:18:01.94\00:18:03.91
in writing the
Book of Revelation.
00:18:03.95\00:18:05.98
And in writing this up,
00:18:06.01\00:18:07.72
he wrote that the
woman in that chapter
00:18:07.75\00:18:12.39
was really a
symbol of God's Church,
00:18:12.42\00:18:14.66
you'll find that often
mentioned in Scripture.
00:18:14.69\00:18:17.49
And here is
this beautiful woman,
00:18:17.53\00:18:19.86
clothed with the
sun, standing on the moon,
00:18:19.89\00:18:21.70
a crown of 12 stars.
00:18:21.73\00:18:23.83
The church symbolized
as a woman who is pregnant.
00:18:23.87\00:18:29.54
Let's have a look at this text.
00:18:29.57\00:18:32.37
In verse 13,
00:18:32.41\00:18:33.74
it says about this
woman, she's pregnant,
00:18:33.78\00:18:35.94
she's about to
give birth to Jesus.
00:18:35.98\00:18:38.25
If you read the
chapter, Revelation 12:5,
00:18:38.28\00:18:42.62
but down in verse 13 and 14,
00:18:42.65\00:18:45.05
as it continues to unfold
00:18:45.09\00:18:46.55
the future of
the Christian Church.
00:18:46.59\00:18:48.56
It says,
00:18:48.59\00:18:49.92
"When the dragon saw that
he'd been cast to the earth,
00:18:49.96\00:18:51.89
he persecuted the woman
who gave birth to the child,
00:18:51.93\00:18:56.67
to the male child, to Jesus."
00:18:56.70\00:18:59.27
So this is some
time after Jesus is born.
00:18:59.30\00:19:02.27
Here is a picture of the dragon.
00:19:02.30\00:19:04.97
And that chapter tells us that
the dragon represents Satan,
00:19:05.01\00:19:08.78
the devil,
00:19:08.81\00:19:10.15
that he persecuted the church,
00:19:10.18\00:19:12.48
and he gave
00:19:12.51\00:19:13.85
that had given
birth to the male child.
00:19:13.88\00:19:16.02
And then in verses 13, it says,
00:19:16.05\00:19:18.85
"But the woman
after that persecution
00:19:18.89\00:19:21.99
was given a two
wings of a great eagle,
00:19:22.02\00:19:24.73
that she might fly
into the wilderness
00:19:24.76\00:19:27.06
to her place,
00:19:27.10\00:19:28.43
where she is
nourished for a time and times
00:19:28.46\00:19:31.13
and half a time,
00:19:31.17\00:19:33.00
from the face of the serpent."
00:19:33.03\00:19:34.84
So here we find
in Revelation 12,
00:19:34.87\00:19:37.87
a picture of the
church being persecuted
00:19:37.91\00:19:41.34
for a time,
times and half a time.
00:19:41.38\00:19:43.65
In Daniel Chapter 7,
00:19:43.68\00:19:45.18
that verse we read a moment ago,
00:19:45.21\00:19:46.92
it's describing a power
00:19:46.95\00:19:48.42
that would be
doing the persecuting.
00:19:48.45\00:19:51.69
But notice, it's
the same period of time,
00:19:51.72\00:19:54.82
a time, times, and half a time.
00:19:54.86\00:19:58.39
Well, how do we
know you might say?
00:19:58.43\00:20:00.10
Well, we're
still none the wiser.
00:20:00.13\00:20:01.66
It's still a time,
times and half a time.
00:20:01.70\00:20:04.67
Well, have a look at this verse.
00:20:04.70\00:20:08.97
Because it refers to that
time, times and half a time
00:20:09.00\00:20:13.44
as a period of 1260 days.
00:20:13.48\00:20:19.08
Because I read in
Revelation Chapter 12,
00:20:19.11\00:20:22.28
and where it
describes it in verse 6,
00:20:22.32\00:20:25.09
"Then the woman
fled into the wilderness,
00:20:25.12\00:20:27.72
where she has a
place prepared by God
00:20:27.76\00:20:29.69
that they should have
feed her there for 1260 days."
00:20:29.72\00:20:34.53
A little later in the chapter,
00:20:34.56\00:20:35.90
it says that 1260 days
00:20:35.93\00:20:37.53
is equivalent to a
time, times and half a time.
00:20:37.57\00:20:41.14
And if we remember
the Bible principle,
00:20:41.17\00:20:43.37
that in Bible prophecy,
one day stands for one year.
00:20:43.41\00:20:48.21
This is referring to
a period of persecution
00:20:48.24\00:20:51.05
of 1260 years.
00:20:51.08\00:20:56.22
And when that ends,
00:20:56.25\00:20:59.02
it's the beginning
of the time at the end.
00:20:59.05\00:21:02.56
Well, how do we understand
00:21:02.59\00:21:04.29
what that time
period is 1260 years,
00:21:04.33\00:21:08.36
when did it begin?
00:21:08.40\00:21:09.73
Now in order to do this,
00:21:09.76\00:21:11.10
I need to do
something very quickly
00:21:11.13\00:21:12.47
to revise and review with you
00:21:12.50\00:21:14.94
two chapters in
the Book of Daniel.
00:21:14.97\00:21:17.57
First of all, Daniel Chapter 2.
00:21:17.61\00:21:20.11
Now in Daniel Chapter 2,
you see there on the screen,
00:21:20.14\00:21:23.85
a great image.
00:21:23.88\00:21:26.48
And in Daniel Chapter 2,
00:21:26.51\00:21:27.85
this amazing prophecy
00:21:27.88\00:21:30.32
actually foretells,
00:21:30.35\00:21:31.75
and listen to this,
00:21:31.79\00:21:33.12
world history for two
and a half thousand years.
00:21:33.15\00:21:36.76
The one chapter.
00:21:36.79\00:21:38.13
Or it's not going
into a lot of great detail,
00:21:38.16\00:21:40.26
but the detail it
gives us really confirms that
00:21:40.30\00:21:43.63
God is in control of the world.
00:21:43.67\00:21:46.03
And that's a message
we need to hear today,
00:21:46.07\00:21:48.67
God is still in control.
00:21:48.70\00:21:50.51
And in Daniel 2,
00:21:50.54\00:21:51.87
you'll notice that the
image has a head of gold,
00:21:51.91\00:21:56.11
breast and arms of
silver, thighs of brass, bronze,
00:21:56.14\00:22:00.28
legs of iron,
00:22:00.32\00:22:01.85
and feet and toes, part of iron,
00:22:01.88\00:22:04.79
part of clay.
00:22:04.82\00:22:06.49
If you read the whole chapter,
00:22:06.52\00:22:07.86
it goes on to say
00:22:07.89\00:22:09.42
that these four metals
represent four kingdoms
00:22:09.46\00:22:13.66
that are going to
rise in the world.
00:22:13.70\00:22:15.70
This was given way back
nearly 600 years before Christ.
00:22:15.73\00:22:19.63
And in this amazing prophecy,
00:22:19.67\00:22:21.77
it's foretelling
that in the future,
00:22:21.80\00:22:23.67
there's going to be
four great world kingdoms.
00:22:23.71\00:22:26.94
And then after
the fourth kingdom,
00:22:26.98\00:22:29.94
it's not going to be
followed by a fifth or sixth,
00:22:29.98\00:22:33.38
it's going to be
divided up into 10 divisions,
00:22:33.42\00:22:38.05
10 divisions.
00:22:38.09\00:22:39.72
And in the days of
those 10 divisions,
00:22:39.75\00:22:42.99
Jesus is going to set up
His kingdom on the earth,
00:22:43.02\00:22:46.73
the second coming of Christ.
00:22:46.76\00:22:49.06
Now, Daniel actually
interprets what that means.
00:22:49.10\00:22:52.57
He tells us in Daniel Chapter 2,
00:22:52.60\00:22:54.54
that the four
metals, listen to this,
00:22:54.57\00:22:56.77
represent four world kingdoms
00:22:56.81\00:22:59.77
that are going to
come on the earth,
00:22:59.81\00:23:01.41
a head of gold.
00:23:01.44\00:23:03.24
And since Daniel is
talking to Nebuchadnezzar,
00:23:03.28\00:23:06.25
who's king of Babylon, to
Nebuchadnezzar's surprise,
00:23:06.28\00:23:10.45
Daniel turns to him and says,
00:23:10.49\00:23:11.82
"You're the head of
gold. You're the first kingdom.
00:23:11.85\00:23:14.56
Then after you,
there'll be a second kingdom
00:23:14.59\00:23:16.66
represented by the silver,
00:23:16.69\00:23:18.06
and then the third kingdom,
represented by the bronze,
00:23:18.09\00:23:20.83
and a fourth
kingdom, the iron legs
00:23:20.86\00:23:23.53
will be as strong
as iron in the world."
00:23:23.57\00:23:27.40
But then what
happened to the fourth kingdom?
00:23:27.44\00:23:29.24
Was it going to be
conquered by fifth?
00:23:29.27\00:23:31.04
No, the remarkable
thing in this chapter
00:23:31.07\00:23:33.14
is that the fourth one
00:23:33.17\00:23:34.58
is going to be
followed by a period of division
00:23:34.61\00:23:38.58
into 10 smaller
divisions, the feet and toes.
00:23:38.61\00:23:42.82
And then it says
00:23:42.85\00:23:44.45
that in the days of
the feet and the toes,
00:23:44.49\00:23:48.29
a stone is going to come.
00:23:48.32\00:23:51.53
And it's going
to strike that image
00:23:51.56\00:23:54.36
on the feet and the toes,
00:23:54.40\00:23:57.37
and notice,
00:23:57.40\00:23:59.73
the whole image
will be destroyed.
00:23:59.77\00:24:03.10
And the Bible tells us that
00:24:03.14\00:24:04.84
that stone is the
second coming of Jesus,
00:24:04.87\00:24:08.01
setting up in His kingdom,
00:24:08.04\00:24:10.58
and it will
become a great mountain
00:24:10.61\00:24:12.41
that fills the whole earth.
00:24:12.45\00:24:14.38
Now remembering that
00:24:14.42\00:24:15.75
I'm going to then
very quickly go to Daniel,
00:24:15.78\00:24:18.12
and we're going to
look at Daniel Chapter 7,
00:24:18.15\00:24:20.62
because that was the chapter
00:24:20.66\00:24:22.06
where it said that he
shall persecute God's people
00:24:22.09\00:24:25.29
for a time,
times and half a time.
00:24:25.33\00:24:27.70
So we need to look a
little bit more closely
00:24:27.73\00:24:29.96
at Daniel Chapter 7.
00:24:30.00\00:24:32.03
Daniel 7.
00:24:32.07\00:24:33.40
And can I just remind
you of this principle,
00:24:33.44\00:24:35.47
that in the Book of
Daniel there are four visions,
00:24:35.50\00:24:40.44
and the
relationship between each vision
00:24:40.48\00:24:43.28
is that the second one
00:24:43.31\00:24:45.41
gives more detail
than the first one,
00:24:45.45\00:24:48.62
and the third one
00:24:48.65\00:24:49.98
gives more detail
than the second one,
00:24:50.02\00:24:52.75
and so on with the fourth one,
00:24:52.79\00:24:54.42
it gives, this covers
the same period of time.
00:24:54.46\00:24:57.16
They all cover the
same period of time,
00:24:57.19\00:24:58.99
but in greater detail.
00:24:59.03\00:25:01.06
Now I've just referred
you to the first vision,
00:25:01.10\00:25:02.83
Daniel Chapter 2.
00:25:02.86\00:25:04.47
When we go to the second vision,
00:25:04.50\00:25:06.30
notice more detail that
is given in this chapter.
00:25:06.33\00:25:09.80
In Daniel 7, it tells us
00:25:09.84\00:25:11.67
that it was given in
the reign of Belshazzar,
00:25:11.71\00:25:14.98
the grandson of Nebuchadnezzar,
00:25:15.01\00:25:16.91
and round about 550
years before Christ,
00:25:16.95\00:25:20.52
this vision is given.
00:25:20.55\00:25:22.08
And in this vision he sees
00:25:22.12\00:25:24.45
and let me just remind
you of it in Daniel 7:4.
00:25:24.49\00:25:29.09
You'll see there
00:25:29.12\00:25:30.46
the great image of four beasts,
00:25:30.49\00:25:33.36
the first is like a lion,
having two wings of an eagle.
00:25:33.40\00:25:40.14
And that's
equivalent to the head of gold.
00:25:40.17\00:25:43.30
Because
remember, it's more detail.
00:25:43.34\00:25:45.34
Now, Daniel is describing
00:25:45.37\00:25:47.51
the first of
those four kingdoms,
00:25:47.54\00:25:49.31
Babylon, equivalent
to the head of gold.
00:25:49.34\00:25:53.82
And then there was to
be a great significance
00:25:53.85\00:25:56.99
to the book in terms of Babylon
00:25:57.02\00:25:59.35
being the ruler of the world.
00:25:59.39\00:26:01.02
I had the
privilege some years ago
00:26:01.06\00:26:02.76
of visiting the
Pergamon Museum in Berlin.
00:26:02.79\00:26:06.53
And what they've done
there, as you see on the screen,
00:26:06.56\00:26:09.50
they've taken the bricks
00:26:09.53\00:26:11.17
that were once the gates,
the main gate into Babylon,
00:26:11.20\00:26:15.14
they've taken the bricks,
00:26:15.17\00:26:16.50
and they've made that beautiful
reconstruction of the wall
00:26:16.54\00:26:19.97
that once entered
into the city of Babylon.
00:26:20.01\00:26:22.61
And what I was
interested to notice is that
00:26:22.64\00:26:24.41
along the wall, they had lions.
00:26:24.45\00:26:27.72
You can see them there,
00:26:27.75\00:26:29.72
made out of the tiles
in the entryway to Babylon.
00:26:29.75\00:26:33.86
Significant that
God uses the lion
00:26:33.89\00:26:36.02
as a symbol of Babylon.
00:26:36.06\00:26:37.83
But then there was to
be a Medo-Persian kingdom,
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.36
represented by a bear.
00:26:40.40\00:26:42.86
And this was a
very powerful kingdom,
00:26:42.90\00:26:45.97
that was to conquer
the kingdom of Babylon,
00:26:46.00\00:26:49.40
the
Medo-Persian, a dual kingdom.
00:26:49.44\00:26:52.27
And then there was
to be a Greek Empire,
00:26:52.31\00:26:54.98
the third kingdom of bronze.
00:26:55.01\00:26:56.61
You'll notice the
equivalents there on the screen.
00:26:56.64\00:26:59.38
There's the bronze thighs,
00:26:59.41\00:27:01.72
and then also the
bronze representing
00:27:01.75\00:27:06.42
this third kingdom of Greece.
00:27:06.45\00:27:08.26
Then after it, you
remember the legs of iron,
00:27:08.29\00:27:11.39
there was to come
the iron monarchy,
00:27:11.43\00:27:13.29
as it's sometimes
called in history,
00:27:13.33\00:27:15.16
the iron monarchy of Rome,
00:27:15.20\00:27:16.97
the great Roman
Empire was to conquer Greece.
00:27:17.00\00:27:20.80
And there you
see the equivalent.
00:27:20.84\00:27:22.77
But in Daniel 7,
00:27:22.80\00:27:24.41
the fourth beast is
an ugly looking beast.
00:27:24.44\00:27:27.18
Whereas I've
always been interested
00:27:27.21\00:27:28.91
that the first was like a lion,
the second one was like a bear.
00:27:28.94\00:27:32.91
The third one was
like a leopard though,
00:27:32.95\00:27:34.92
not like a leopard
that we normally see
00:27:34.95\00:27:36.69
because it had four heads.
00:27:36.72\00:27:38.35
And then comes
this terrible beast,
00:27:38.39\00:27:41.12
with 10 horns on his head,
representing the Roman Empire.
00:27:41.16\00:27:47.96
And then it was to be divided up
00:27:48.00\00:27:50.20
into 10 divisions.
00:27:50.23\00:27:52.37
The Bible tells us
in Daniel Chapter 7,
00:27:52.40\00:27:54.50
that the horns
represent kingdoms
00:27:54.54\00:27:57.04
that would break away
00:27:57.07\00:27:58.41
and follow the Roman
Empire when it broke up.
00:27:58.44\00:28:02.08
You remember I mentioned before
00:28:02.11\00:28:03.45
that the Roman
Empire wasn't conquered
00:28:03.48\00:28:04.88
by another world empire.
00:28:04.91\00:28:06.78
It was divided up
00:28:06.82\00:28:08.15
into what we call
today, dear friends,
00:28:08.18\00:28:11.09
the nations of Europe.
00:28:11.12\00:28:13.15
And that those
nations would remain divided,
00:28:13.19\00:28:15.62
even though some people
would attempt to unite them,
00:28:15.66\00:28:18.03
which is interesting.
00:28:18.06\00:28:19.66
until Jesus comes.
00:28:19.69\00:28:22.23
And at the end of
the vision of Daniel 7,
00:28:22.26\00:28:24.93
we see a beautiful picture
00:28:24.97\00:28:27.34
of what Jesus is
going to do in the future
00:28:27.37\00:28:31.31
with His second
coming of Christ.
00:28:31.34\00:28:34.58
Then, of course, they
would be out of the 10 horns,
00:28:34.61\00:28:38.71
it describes the rise,
00:28:38.75\00:28:40.28
and let me read this
to you in Daniel 7:8,
00:28:40.32\00:28:44.05
"That I was
considering the horns,
00:28:44.09\00:28:46.22
and there was
another horn, a little one,
00:28:46.25\00:28:49.16
coming up among them,
00:28:49.19\00:28:50.83
before whom three
of the first horns
00:28:50.86\00:28:53.80
were plucked out by the roots."
00:28:53.83\00:28:55.76
Now remember, I'm
giving you a lot more detail
00:28:55.80\00:28:57.63
when we read in
Daniel Chapter 2.
00:28:57.67\00:29:00.30
But here it's describing that
00:29:00.34\00:29:01.67
out of those 10
divisions of Western Europe,
00:29:01.70\00:29:05.51
Europe, as we call it today,
00:29:05.54\00:29:07.34
they would arise a
horn, a little horn,
00:29:07.38\00:29:11.51
which is
identified as another kingdom,
00:29:11.55\00:29:13.82
that would rise up among the 10
00:29:13.85\00:29:16.02
and push three of
the first kingdoms
00:29:16.05\00:29:20.02
up out by the roots.
00:29:20.06\00:29:22.59
And so here is this
little horn growing up,
00:29:22.62\00:29:25.83
and that little horn
00:29:25.86\00:29:27.60
would do very
serious things in the world.
00:29:27.63\00:29:30.83
In fact, the
rest of the chapter,
00:29:30.87\00:29:32.37
dear friends, focuses
upon that little horn.
00:29:32.40\00:29:35.57
Now, you'll
understand why I'm saying this,
00:29:35.60\00:29:38.01
as we consider
the rest of history,
00:29:38.04\00:29:41.71
the marvelous predictions
that are in this chapter.
00:29:41.74\00:29:45.15
Because this little horn
00:29:45.18\00:29:46.61
would arise among
the nations of Europe.
00:29:46.65\00:29:49.12
It would be another
kingdom that would rise up
00:29:49.15\00:29:51.59
and it would become
00:29:51.62\00:29:52.95
the major focus of the prophecy,
00:29:52.99\00:29:54.72
and the major
influence in European affairs
00:29:54.76\00:29:58.03
for well over...
00:29:58.06\00:30:00.06
Well, nearly 2000 years.
00:30:00.10\00:30:02.83
So what kingdom I ask you
00:30:02.86\00:30:05.13
is referred to by the
symbol of this little horn?
00:30:05.17\00:30:10.14
Let's have a look at
what the Bible gives us.
00:30:10.17\00:30:13.34
It gives us actually nine
identifying characteristics.
00:30:13.38\00:30:18.25
Let's have a look at them.
00:30:18.28\00:30:20.38
First of all in verses,
00:30:20.42\00:30:21.75
and I'm not going
to read these verses.
00:30:21.78\00:30:23.28
But if you're taking notes,
00:30:23.32\00:30:24.75
you may like to jot
this and read it afterwards,
00:30:24.79\00:30:27.16
because it's amazingly written
as a prophecy of the future
00:30:27.19\00:30:31.83
that reaches down to our day.
00:30:31.86\00:30:33.86
This little horn would
arise out of the fourth beast,
00:30:33.90\00:30:37.23
out of the Roman Empire.
00:30:37.27\00:30:39.47
It rose to
prominence after the 10 horns.
00:30:39.50\00:30:44.37
It was little at first,
00:30:44.41\00:30:46.57
but it became the
greatest of the horns.
00:30:46.61\00:30:49.24
Keep that in mind.
00:30:49.28\00:30:50.61
And remember, a horn represents
as the Bible tells us,
00:30:50.65\00:30:54.02
a kingdom that grows
out of the Roman Empire.
00:30:54.05\00:30:58.05
Then it was to be different
from all the other kingdoms.
00:30:58.09\00:31:01.89
Then two, three
kingdoms were to be uprooted
00:31:01.92\00:31:06.90
as it rose to power,
00:31:06.93\00:31:09.06
as it gained more
influence in world affairs.
00:31:09.10\00:31:12.17
It had a mouth
00:31:12.20\00:31:13.70
speaking boastful
words against God.
00:31:13.74\00:31:17.84
It was to make war
00:31:17.87\00:31:19.71
and prevail
against God's people.
00:31:19.74\00:31:22.61
A tragic aspect of
this little horn power,
00:31:22.64\00:31:25.71
that it would
make war on the saints,
00:31:25.75\00:31:27.62
you'll remember,
as we read earlier.
00:31:27.65\00:31:30.42
It was to think to
change God's times and law,
00:31:30.45\00:31:36.83
God's law,
00:31:36.86\00:31:38.19
this power
would think to change.
00:31:38.23\00:31:40.23
It was the persecute for a time,
00:31:40.26\00:31:42.10
there it is,
00:31:42.13\00:31:43.47
and a times and half a time.
00:31:43.50\00:31:46.03
This is this same
little horn power.
00:31:46.07\00:31:51.07
Well, let's now
identify what power in history,
00:31:51.11\00:31:57.25
what power in
history has been fulfilled
00:31:57.28\00:32:01.25
in the
descriptions of this power.
00:32:01.28\00:32:06.09
Dear friends, there is only one,
00:32:06.12\00:32:08.62
only one in the world.
00:32:08.66\00:32:11.09
And the only one in the world
00:32:11.13\00:32:12.46
that fulfills all of
those nine characteristics
00:32:12.49\00:32:15.96
is the church of Rome.
00:32:16.00\00:32:20.17
Now, having said
that, my dear friends,
00:32:20.20\00:32:22.20
I really want to say
something very important.
00:32:22.24\00:32:26.47
God here is predicting
the rise of a religious system
00:32:26.51\00:32:31.78
that would begin well,
please notice those words,
00:32:31.81\00:32:35.68
that would begin
well, because after all,
00:32:35.72\00:32:38.42
the Apostle Paul wrote
00:32:38.45\00:32:39.92
one of the major
books of the New Testament
00:32:39.95\00:32:42.46
to the church in Rome.
00:32:42.49\00:32:44.29
It's the Book of Romans.
00:32:44.33\00:32:46.83
But afterwards,
00:32:46.86\00:32:48.20
it would begin to change
and accept and teach doctrines
00:32:48.23\00:32:52.30
that were no longer
found in the Word of God.
00:32:52.33\00:32:56.07
Let me make
something very clear,
00:32:56.10\00:32:57.81
dear friends, today,
00:32:57.84\00:32:59.47
God here is not condemning
00:32:59.51\00:33:02.04
faithful members of this church.
00:33:02.08\00:33:03.95
Please notice that.
00:33:03.98\00:33:06.25
People who love the Lord
00:33:06.28\00:33:08.22
and live up to all that
they believe to be right.
00:33:08.25\00:33:11.65
God rather is describing
a system of organization.
00:33:11.69\00:33:15.02
If you like, a
hierarchy of power
00:33:15.06\00:33:18.29
that would
eventually come to dominate,
00:33:18.33\00:33:20.73
listen to my words, the world.
00:33:20.76\00:33:25.03
I can say to you today
00:33:25.07\00:33:26.90
that I've met many
wonderful Christians,
00:33:26.94\00:33:30.31
wonderful Roman
Catholics in my life,
00:33:30.34\00:33:33.34
who can put other
Christians to shame
00:33:33.38\00:33:36.11
by their love for Jesus
00:33:36.14\00:33:38.01
and their commitment to service.
00:33:38.05\00:33:39.45
I think of Mother Teresa,
00:33:39.48\00:33:41.35
and the blessing
she was in India.
00:33:41.38\00:33:44.65
But I also have thought
00:33:44.69\00:33:46.12
very much of how
Jesus had to react
00:33:46.15\00:33:49.22
to a religious
organization in His day,
00:33:49.26\00:33:53.13
that was doing a lot of damage
00:33:53.16\00:33:55.23
to what Jesus
was trying to teach.
00:33:55.26\00:33:58.13
And I'm referring, of
course, to the Pharisees.
00:33:58.17\00:34:01.44
They were a religious group
00:34:01.47\00:34:02.97
that appears a lot in the
story of Jesus in the gospels.
00:34:03.00\00:34:07.31
But Jesus in Matthew Chapter 23,
00:34:07.34\00:34:09.81
there's a whole chapter there,
00:34:09.84\00:34:11.48
where He condemns
these religious leaders,
00:34:11.51\00:34:15.12
condemns them,
00:34:15.15\00:34:16.52
because even though they were
00:34:16.55\00:34:17.89
some of the most
religious people of the time,
00:34:17.92\00:34:20.96
they were far away
from teaching the truth
00:34:20.99\00:34:24.09
of the principles of God.
00:34:24.13\00:34:27.50
And if you read the
gospels, dear friends,
00:34:27.53\00:34:29.66
it was the Pharisees
00:34:29.70\00:34:31.63
that led the
people to crucify Jesus,
00:34:31.67\00:34:36.04
a religious organization,
00:34:36.07\00:34:37.77
believing in God and
yet crucifying Jesus.
00:34:37.81\00:34:42.51
And I read in
Matthew Chapter 23,
00:34:42.54\00:34:44.65
where He's talking
to the religious leaders
00:34:44.68\00:34:46.31
of this religious group
00:34:46.35\00:34:47.85
that were so
powerful in His day.
00:34:47.88\00:34:50.09
He calls them
hypocrites seven times.
00:34:50.12\00:34:52.99
He calls them blind five times.
00:34:53.02\00:34:55.46
He calls them serpents twice.
00:34:55.49\00:34:57.39
He calls them a brood of vipers.
00:34:57.43\00:35:01.30
And yet, dear friends,
and please remember this.
00:35:01.33\00:35:04.50
Jesus loved
individual Pharisees.
00:35:04.53\00:35:08.50
After all, Simon, the
Pharisee in the New Testament,
00:35:08.54\00:35:13.38
Nicodemus, the Pharisee,
and let me merely remind you,
00:35:13.41\00:35:18.31
the Apostle Paul,
00:35:18.35\00:35:20.42
who does such wonderful things
00:35:20.45\00:35:22.12
and writes so many
books of the New Testament,
00:35:22.15\00:35:24.72
he once was a Pharisee.
00:35:24.75\00:35:26.96
I want you to remember that.
00:35:26.99\00:35:29.46
Why did all the
reformers of the 16th century,
00:35:29.49\00:35:33.46
and scores of
other Bible students
00:35:33.50\00:35:35.23
down through time,
00:35:35.26\00:35:37.07
identify the Church of
Rome as the little horn?
00:35:37.10\00:35:42.94
Why?
00:35:42.97\00:35:44.47
I want to just put on the screen
00:35:44.51\00:35:45.94
very quickly,
00:35:45.97\00:35:47.38
those nine characteristics
00:35:47.41\00:35:49.51
that identify who the
little horn represents.
00:35:49.54\00:35:53.25
And I want you to see
00:35:53.28\00:35:54.62
how they can only point to
one power in human history.
00:35:54.65\00:35:59.55
Let's have a look at them.
00:35:59.59\00:36:02.56
In identifying the little horn,
00:36:02.59\00:36:04.86
first of all, it arose
out of the fourth beast.
00:36:04.89\00:36:08.56
Remember, we read
that, not in the east,
00:36:08.60\00:36:12.50
not in the United
States, not in Australia,
00:36:12.53\00:36:15.84
but arose out of
the Roman Empire,
00:36:15.87\00:36:18.27
the fourth beast,
00:36:18.31\00:36:19.64
we must remember that.
00:36:19.67\00:36:21.48
This power is called
the Roman Catholic Church.
00:36:21.51\00:36:26.82
The official
language of the church
00:36:26.85\00:36:28.38
and to literary
very recently, is Latin,
00:36:28.42\00:36:31.72
the language of
the Roman Empire.
00:36:31.75\00:36:35.72
They use Roman
numerals in their documents.
00:36:35.76\00:36:40.46
Their headquarters
are in the city of Rome,
00:36:40.50\00:36:43.83
the ancient headquarters
for the Roman Empire.
00:36:43.87\00:36:47.57
Then it was to
rise to prominence
00:36:47.60\00:36:51.17
after the 10 horns,
00:36:51.21\00:36:53.54
so that power, remember,
00:36:53.58\00:36:54.91
was to be divided
up into 10 kingdoms,
00:36:54.94\00:36:57.01
the kingdoms of
Europe, and it would rise,
00:36:57.05\00:36:59.48
not rise into prominence
00:36:59.51\00:37:01.22
until after those divisions
00:37:01.25\00:37:03.49
had been established
in Europe, 476 years,
00:37:03.52\00:37:08.02
476 AD is the year for
the last Roman Emperor.
00:37:08.06\00:37:13.09
And then you see the divisions
into Europe being established.
00:37:13.13\00:37:17.10
There was a
Christian Church in Rome
00:37:17.13\00:37:18.47
from the first century.
00:37:18.50\00:37:19.90
But gradually as the
power of the emperors weakened,
00:37:19.93\00:37:23.81
the Bishop of Rome rose up
00:37:23.84\00:37:25.67
and asserted more and
more influence in Europe.
00:37:25.71\00:37:30.15
I want you to
look at these words
00:37:30.18\00:37:31.51
written by Carl Eckhardt.
00:37:31.55\00:37:34.95
"Under the Roman Empire,
00:37:34.98\00:37:37.09
the popes had
no temporal power."
00:37:37.12\00:37:39.32
Notice that.
00:37:39.35\00:37:40.69
"But when the Roman
Empire had disintegrated,
00:37:40.72\00:37:43.22
notice those words,
00:37:43.26\00:37:44.59
"And its place had been taken
00:37:44.63\00:37:45.96
by a number of rude
barbarous kingdoms,"
00:37:45.99\00:37:48.13
notice those words,
00:37:48.16\00:37:50.03
"the Roman Catholic Church
00:37:50.07\00:37:51.40
not only became
independent of the state,
00:37:51.43\00:37:55.34
states in religious affairs,
00:37:55.37\00:37:57.74
but dominated
secular affairs as well."
00:37:57.77\00:38:03.78
Well, it rose to
prominence after the horns.
00:38:03.81\00:38:07.35
And notice it was little,
00:38:07.38\00:38:08.75
remember we said that
it was little at first
00:38:08.78\00:38:10.52
would become the
greatest of the horns.
00:38:10.55\00:38:13.86
Dear friends,
00:38:13.89\00:38:15.22
we've just noticed
the quotation there
00:38:15.26\00:38:16.96
that fulfills this prediction
that it was started small,
00:38:16.99\00:38:21.53
but it soon
became very influential.
00:38:21.56\00:38:24.73
If you know anything
00:38:24.77\00:38:26.10
about the history
of the Middle Ages,
00:38:26.13\00:38:27.47
as we call them,
00:38:27.50\00:38:28.84
we will, we would know
of the tremendous power
00:38:28.87\00:38:31.64
and the influence
00:38:31.67\00:38:33.01
of the Bishop of
Rome in secular affairs,
00:38:33.04\00:38:35.84
sometimes bringing
kings to their knees.
00:38:35.88\00:38:39.51
It would be little,
00:38:39.55\00:38:41.32
but then it would become
00:38:41.35\00:38:43.12
the greatest of all
the kingdoms of Europe
00:38:43.15\00:38:45.82
in its influence.
00:38:45.85\00:38:48.06
Then number four,
00:38:48.09\00:38:49.62
it was to be different
from all the other kingdoms.
00:38:49.66\00:38:53.23
All the other kingdoms
were political kingdoms.
00:38:53.26\00:38:56.73
England, and
France, and Germany,
00:38:56.77\00:38:58.43
and those nations
00:38:58.47\00:38:59.80
that trace their
origin back there.
00:38:59.83\00:39:02.04
But this power
was to be a religious
00:39:02.07\00:39:04.81
and a political organization.
00:39:04.84\00:39:07.91
And certainly
history bears that out.
00:39:07.94\00:39:10.65
But then also it was
to uproot three kingdoms
00:39:10.68\00:39:15.92
as it rose to power.
00:39:15.95\00:39:17.65
A remarkable
little detail, did it?
00:39:17.69\00:39:21.02
As the Bishop of
Rome rose to power
00:39:21.06\00:39:22.86
and influence in Europe,
00:39:22.89\00:39:24.63
three of the first 10 kingdoms
00:39:24.66\00:39:27.66
opposed the rise
of the Bishop of Rome.
00:39:27.70\00:39:32.13
They did so because they were
what we call Arian in belief.
00:39:32.17\00:39:35.80
They believe that Jesus
was only a created being,
00:39:35.84\00:39:40.01
whereas the Bible teaches
that He's always existed.
00:39:40.04\00:39:43.68
And because of that,
00:39:43.71\00:39:45.18
they were opposed
by the church of Rome.
00:39:45.21\00:39:48.52
And so gradually,
00:39:48.55\00:39:49.88
the Bishop of Rome used
his influence with the emperor
00:39:49.92\00:39:52.59
to destroy those three kingdoms,
00:39:52.62\00:39:55.52
and you will find that
00:39:55.56\00:39:56.89
they are finally
removed from history.
00:39:56.93\00:39:59.06
Who were they?
00:39:59.09\00:40:00.43
And when were they uprooted?
00:40:00.46\00:40:03.50
The Heruli in 493,
00:40:03.53\00:40:06.53
the Vandals
00:40:06.57\00:40:07.90
from which we get
the word vandalism
00:40:07.94\00:40:09.64
because they were
such a cruel people in 534,
00:40:09.67\00:40:13.81
and the Ostrogoths were
finally removed from Rome
00:40:13.84\00:40:17.91
in 538 AD,
00:40:17.95\00:40:23.82
in 538 AD.
00:40:23.85\00:40:27.09
Well, there had been a
decree by the Emperor Justinian,
00:40:27.12\00:40:30.86
five years earlier in 533,
00:40:30.89\00:40:34.16
that the Bishop of Rome
00:40:34.20\00:40:35.53
was now to be the
head of all the churches.
00:40:35.56\00:40:38.70
Notice those words.
00:40:38.73\00:40:40.14
But that
couldn't go into effect,
00:40:40.17\00:40:41.70
so long as the Ostrogoths
00:40:41.74\00:40:43.57
were still
occupying the city of Rome.
00:40:43.61\00:40:45.94
When they were removed in 538,
00:40:45.97\00:40:48.71
it meant that now
the Bishop of Rome
00:40:48.74\00:40:50.71
was the leading
kingdom in Europe
00:40:50.75\00:40:53.68
that was to grow in
its power and influence
00:40:53.72\00:40:56.99
over the next 1000 years.
00:40:57.02\00:40:59.72
Yes, but then
let's look at number six.
00:40:59.75\00:41:03.46
It would speak great things
00:41:03.49\00:41:06.06
and boastful words against God.
00:41:06.09\00:41:11.50
Look at this.
00:41:11.53\00:41:13.40
Lucius Ferraris,
00:41:13.44\00:41:14.87
an 18th century
Roman Catholic divine,
00:41:14.90\00:41:18.24
wrote in a very
encyclopedia kind of work
00:41:18.27\00:41:20.98
called Prompta Bibliotheca.
00:41:21.01\00:41:23.68
"The pope is of so great dignity
00:41:23.71\00:41:26.68
and exalted that
he is not a mere man,
00:41:26.72\00:41:31.15
but as it were God,
and the vicar of God."
00:41:31.19\00:41:36.49
Boastful words, boastful words.
00:41:36.52\00:41:40.20
And then in a
letter that Pope Leo XIII,
00:41:40.23\00:41:43.70
wrote in June, 1894.
00:41:43.73\00:41:47.04
He wrote these words,
00:41:47.07\00:41:48.70
"We, the pope,
00:41:48.74\00:41:51.04
hold upon this earth
the place of God Almighty.
00:41:51.07\00:41:55.41
Hence, the pope is
crowned with a triple crown,
00:41:55.44\00:41:58.48
as king of heaven and of earth,
and of the lower regions."
00:41:58.51\00:42:03.28
Great words for
a mere man to say.
00:42:03.32\00:42:07.82
But then it was to make
war against God's people,
00:42:07.86\00:42:13.96
and speak such boastful words.
00:42:14.00\00:42:17.80
I don't like speaking
very much about this one,
00:42:17.83\00:42:20.67
I must confess, dear friends.
00:42:20.70\00:42:23.84
Because if you've
ever heard of the actions
00:42:23.87\00:42:25.51
of the Inquisition,
00:42:25.54\00:42:28.14
and the burning of heretics,
00:42:28.18\00:42:31.48
over the hundreds of years
00:42:31.51\00:42:33.25
of the Church of
Rome's existence,
00:42:33.28\00:42:36.62
there's a tragic
fulfillment of this prediction.
00:42:36.65\00:42:40.06
In fact, look at these words
00:42:40.09\00:42:41.79
written by the historian, Lecky.
00:42:41.82\00:42:44.93
When he says,
00:42:44.96\00:42:46.29
"The Church of Rome has
shed more innocent blood
00:42:46.33\00:42:50.70
than any other institution
00:42:50.73\00:42:54.00
that has ever
existed among mankind."
00:42:54.04\00:42:59.81
That really
moves me, dear friends,
00:42:59.84\00:43:02.44
to think that a church
claiming to be God's church
00:43:02.48\00:43:05.98
would execute
and burn at the stake
00:43:06.01\00:43:09.62
when they're still alive.
00:43:09.65\00:43:12.25
Do you know how many,
00:43:12.29\00:43:13.96
the lowest recommendation
00:43:13.99\00:43:15.32
that I've ever read
in history is 50 million.
00:43:15.36\00:43:18.69
The highest number I've
ever read is 120 million.
00:43:18.73\00:43:23.57
But 50 million
00:43:23.60\00:43:25.37
men, women and
children burned at the stake,
00:43:25.40\00:43:28.10
sent to a cruel death.
00:43:28.14\00:43:32.17
I want to take you
very quickly to Oxford.
00:43:32.21\00:43:34.84
In Oxford in England, we
have the Martyrs' Memorial.
00:43:34.88\00:43:41.02
And you'll notice
it there on the screen,
00:43:41.05\00:43:42.75
a very impressive monument.
00:43:42.78\00:43:45.12
And there are the
pictures of the three men
00:43:45.15\00:43:48.02
who were burned at
the stake near this spot,
00:43:48.06\00:43:51.89
back in 1555 and 1556.
00:43:51.93\00:43:55.43
And you'll notice that
00:43:55.46\00:43:56.80
on one of the
sides of the memorial,
00:43:56.83\00:43:59.10
there is the words
that are written to explain
00:43:59.13\00:44:02.04
what the monument is all about.
00:44:02.07\00:44:04.01
And here are these
words, listen, read them,
00:44:04.04\00:44:06.91
"To the Glory of God,
00:44:06.94\00:44:08.28
and in grateful
commemoration of His servants,
00:44:08.31\00:44:11.01
Thomas Cranmer,
Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer,
00:44:11.05\00:44:15.28
Prelates, in other words,
00:44:15.32\00:44:17.32
leaders of the
Church of England,
00:44:17.35\00:44:19.82
who near this spot yielded
their bodies to be burned,
00:44:19.85\00:44:23.56
bearing witness
to the sacred truths
00:44:23.59\00:44:25.79
which they had
affirmed and maintained
00:44:25.83\00:44:28.36
against the errors
of the Church of Rome,
00:44:28.40\00:44:31.17
and rejoicing that to them
00:44:31.20\00:44:33.10
it was given not
only to believe in Christ,
00:44:33.13\00:44:36.24
but also to suffer for His sake,
00:44:36.27\00:44:39.37
this monument was
erected by public subscription."
00:44:39.41\00:44:42.58
Notice that, dear friends,
00:44:42.61\00:44:44.15
and just after I
took these photographs,
00:44:44.18\00:44:46.61
I walked into
Broad Street very nearby.
00:44:46.65\00:44:50.55
And there I read this sign
00:44:50.59\00:44:54.62
that on the cross in
the middle of Broad Street,
00:44:54.66\00:44:57.53
and there it is,
00:44:57.56\00:44:59.53
and I stood on that
cross, dear friends,
00:44:59.56\00:45:02.00
in the middle of the street,
00:45:02.03\00:45:04.60
and thought of all
00:45:04.63\00:45:06.00
that had happened
right there at that spot,
00:45:06.03\00:45:08.90
where Nicholas, Hugh Latimer,
00:45:08.94\00:45:11.74
one time Bishop of Worcester,
00:45:11.77\00:45:13.78
Nicholas
Ridley, Bishop of London
00:45:13.81\00:45:15.48
and Thomas Cranmer,
Archbishop of Canterbury,
00:45:15.51\00:45:19.28
was burned for their
faith in 1555 and 1556.
00:45:19.31\00:45:25.45
Oh, dear friends,
00:45:25.49\00:45:26.82
it would make war on the saints,
00:45:26.86\00:45:28.92
and prevail against them.
00:45:28.96\00:45:31.06
Then it would
also think to change
00:45:31.09\00:45:33.23
God's times and laws.
00:45:33.26\00:45:35.86
In that same work
that we noticed before,
00:45:35.90\00:45:38.83
we have these words.
00:45:38.87\00:45:40.44
"The pope is of
so great authority
00:45:40.47\00:45:43.61
that he can modify,
and that means change,
00:45:43.64\00:45:47.38
explain, or
interpret even divine laws."
00:45:47.41\00:45:53.72
And then, dear friends, finally,
00:45:53.75\00:45:56.65
it was to think to
change God's times and laws.
00:45:56.69\00:46:00.06
It claims that it has done that.
00:46:00.09\00:46:02.39
In fact, in Roman
Catholic Catechisms,
00:46:02.42\00:46:04.36
they've put the
second commandment
00:46:04.39\00:46:06.26
of the 10 God's
law with the first
00:46:06.29\00:46:09.20
and then they've
completely changed
00:46:09.23\00:46:10.77
the fourth commandment.
00:46:10.80\00:46:12.47
And we'll talk more about
that in a later presentation.
00:46:12.50\00:46:15.90
And then they've divided
00:46:15.94\00:46:17.27
the 10th commandment into two
00:46:17.31\00:46:18.64
to make up 10 commandments.
00:46:18.67\00:46:20.91
But they would think
to change God's holy law.
00:46:20.94\00:46:24.51
And prophecy says,
00:46:24.55\00:46:25.88
and you can read
it in any Catechism,
00:46:25.91\00:46:28.25
change particularly
the fourth commandment.
00:46:28.28\00:46:31.62
And then finally, it
would persecute the saints.
00:46:31.65\00:46:36.62
And then, for a time,
and times and half a time.
00:46:36.66\00:46:42.53
When would this period begin?
00:46:42.56\00:46:46.37
You remember the
time, times and half a time
00:46:46.40\00:46:48.17
was 1260 years.
00:46:48.20\00:46:50.71
When did it begin?
00:46:50.74\00:46:52.81
It began when those
three horns were uprooted,
00:46:52.84\00:46:56.95
who were opposing its rise.
00:46:56.98\00:46:59.11
Once they were out
of the way as it were,
00:46:59.15\00:47:01.52
then that little horn
00:47:01.55\00:47:02.88
could become
greater and greater in power
00:47:02.92\00:47:05.19
in European affairs,
00:47:05.22\00:47:06.92
which history
bears to be so true.
00:47:06.96\00:47:10.83
And we know
00:47:10.86\00:47:12.19
when that little last of
those horns were uprooted.
00:47:12.23\00:47:14.66
Do you remember the year?
00:47:14.70\00:47:16.16
538 AD.
00:47:16.20\00:47:20.24
That was when its power
was finally established,
00:47:20.27\00:47:23.81
having removed the
last of those three horns.
00:47:23.84\00:47:27.74
March, 538 is the year.
00:47:27.78\00:47:32.35
If we add 1260 years to 538,
00:47:32.38\00:47:36.99
what year do we come to?
00:47:37.02\00:47:39.85
1798.
00:47:39.89\00:47:44.09
1798.
00:47:44.13\00:47:47.00
And you remember,
00:47:47.03\00:47:48.36
and I know you might be thinking
00:47:48.40\00:47:49.73
I've taken quite a
while to establish this.
00:47:49.76\00:47:52.00
But I wanted you to
see this in Scripture,
00:47:52.03\00:47:54.67
because the Bible
is to be the source
00:47:54.70\00:47:56.84
that guides us
through the confusion
00:47:56.87\00:47:58.37
of the last days.
00:47:58.41\00:48:00.48
And in 1798, if
this prediction is true,
00:48:00.51\00:48:03.71
as I have
explained it to you today,
00:48:03.75\00:48:06.41
then something
should have happened in 1798
00:48:06.45\00:48:12.52
to bring this great church
00:48:12.55\00:48:14.62
power and
organization to an end,
00:48:14.66\00:48:18.26
at least temporarily.
00:48:18.29\00:48:21.10
And did it?
00:48:21.13\00:48:22.66
Did it?
00:48:22.70\00:48:25.43
Let's have a look.
00:48:25.47\00:48:27.30
538 down to 1798.
00:48:27.34\00:48:32.01
What happened in 1798?
00:48:32.04\00:48:36.04
Dear friends, right on time,
00:48:36.08\00:48:40.35
1260 years after 538,
00:48:40.38\00:48:43.25
right on time in February, 1798,
00:48:43.28\00:48:49.09
the French
revolutionary government
00:48:49.12\00:48:51.06
and if you know
anything about history,
00:48:51.09\00:48:52.93
you know that the 1790s
00:48:52.96\00:48:54.50
was the time of the
Great French Revolution
00:48:54.53\00:48:57.23
when they were rebelling
against anybody in authority.
00:48:57.27\00:49:01.30
And the French
government decided that
00:49:01.34\00:49:02.97
the Church of
Rome was in opposition
00:49:03.00\00:49:05.71
to all that the
French government
00:49:05.74\00:49:07.18
was now trying to establish.
00:49:07.21\00:49:09.41
And so they sent
a French general,
00:49:09.44\00:49:11.31
General Berthier is his name.
00:49:11.35\00:49:13.88
There he is down to Rome
00:49:13.92\00:49:18.35
to take the
reigning pope prisoner,
00:49:18.39\00:49:22.62
Pius VI.
00:49:22.66\00:49:26.36
And they took him in
prison into imprisonment.
00:49:26.39\00:49:30.47
And in February,
00:49:30.50\00:49:32.40
they proclaimed a Roman Republic
00:49:32.43\00:49:35.27
and that the power
and authority of the pope
00:49:35.30\00:49:37.81
was at an end.
00:49:37.84\00:49:39.81
Please notice
this, a remarkable event,
00:49:39.84\00:49:42.78
exactly 1260 years
after the beginning.
00:49:42.81\00:49:47.35
And on February the 20th,
after taking the pope prisoner,
00:49:47.38\00:49:51.39
they took him on a long
journey to France, Valence,
00:49:51.42\00:49:55.99
the city of Valence,
00:49:56.02\00:49:57.73
where he died
the following year.
00:49:57.76\00:50:00.33
And Napoleon said,
00:50:00.36\00:50:02.03
"There will be no
more popes elected."
00:50:02.06\00:50:06.40
Can I just hasten to say,
00:50:06.43\00:50:08.77
he wasn't the
student of Bible prophecy.
00:50:08.80\00:50:11.94
Because as I'll show
you in a future presentation
00:50:11.97\00:50:15.58
that was only temporary.
00:50:15.61\00:50:18.01
Much greater things remained
for the Church of Rome to do
00:50:18.05\00:50:23.22
that will feature
00:50:23.25\00:50:24.59
in God's last
message to the world.
00:50:24.62\00:50:28.42
And as we'll learn
more about that as we go.
00:50:28.46\00:50:33.06
But there I had a visit
00:50:33.09\00:50:35.50
to the Vatican
Museum some time ago.
00:50:35.53\00:50:38.50
And as I was walking down
the corridor, I looked up,
00:50:38.53\00:50:41.84
and to my
amazement I saw that painting
00:50:41.87\00:50:44.04
that you see on the wall.
00:50:44.07\00:50:46.68
It was just above the door,
and I walked through the door,
00:50:46.71\00:50:48.91
but before I
walked through the door,
00:50:48.94\00:50:50.81
I took a
photograph of the painting.
00:50:50.85\00:50:52.65
Why did I take the
photograph of the painting?
00:50:52.68\00:50:55.52
Because that was
there to commemorate.
00:50:55.55\00:50:57.65
And this surprised me that
it was in the Vatican Museum.
00:50:57.69\00:51:01.16
This was there to
commemorate, you see the pope,
00:51:01.19\00:51:04.16
and General Berthier and others,
00:51:04.19\00:51:07.13
he's saying goodbye to Rome,
00:51:07.16\00:51:09.16
he's being led to the
chariot on the right hand side.
00:51:09.20\00:51:12.80
And there he's going
to be taken to France,
00:51:12.83\00:51:15.34
a long journey in
those days for an old man.
00:51:15.37\00:51:18.41
And he died, as I said in 1799.
00:51:18.44\00:51:22.44
Notice these
words of the historian,
00:51:22.48\00:51:25.91
George Trevor,
00:51:25.95\00:51:27.28
in his book,
00:51:27.32\00:51:28.65
Rome from the fall
of the Western Empire.
00:51:28.68\00:51:30.72
A remarkable statement,
00:51:30.75\00:51:32.59
talking about
the events of 1798,
00:51:32.62\00:51:35.42
"The papacy,
00:51:35.46\00:51:36.79
the rule of the Church of Rome,
00:51:36.83\00:51:38.19
was extinct,
00:51:38.23\00:51:40.40
not a vestige of
its existence remained,
00:51:40.43\00:51:43.20
and among all the
Roman Catholic powers,
00:51:43.23\00:51:45.63
not a finger was
stirred in its defense.
00:51:45.67\00:51:49.50
The Eternal City
had no longer prince
00:51:49.54\00:51:52.74
or pontiff,
00:51:52.77\00:51:54.38
its bishop was a dying captive
in foreign lands in France,
00:51:54.41\00:51:59.48
and the decree
was already announced
00:51:59.51\00:52:02.78
by Napoleon,
00:52:02.82\00:52:04.65
that no successor would
be allowed in his place."
00:52:04.69\00:52:10.83
A remarkable fulfillment
00:52:10.86\00:52:13.13
right on time at the
end of the 1260 years.
00:52:13.16\00:52:18.83
That brings us, dear
friends, can I remind you,
00:52:18.87\00:52:21.00
as we come to a close today,
00:52:21.04\00:52:23.84
that the 1260
years ending in 1798,
00:52:23.87\00:52:28.34
was the beginning of the
time of the end for the world.
00:52:28.38\00:52:34.65
And just as Jesus
revealed in the Book of Daniel,
00:52:34.68\00:52:38.02
that at the end
of the 1260 years,
00:52:38.05\00:52:41.92
the time of the end would begin.
00:52:41.96\00:52:44.23
And the great
events, the Bible predicts,
00:52:44.26\00:52:47.03
in the time of the end,
00:52:47.06\00:52:48.80
that we're going to
deal with in our next program
00:52:48.83\00:52:51.73
will take place.
00:52:51.77\00:52:54.40
Dear friends,
00:52:54.44\00:52:55.77
the Book of
Daniel was to be opened,
00:52:55.80\00:52:58.34
particularly prophecies
in the Book of Daniel,
00:52:58.37\00:53:01.24
in the time of the end.
00:53:01.28\00:53:03.58
And in our next presentation,
00:53:03.61\00:53:05.01
we're going to look at
one of Daniel's prophecies,
00:53:05.05\00:53:08.58
where Daniel actually says,
00:53:08.62\00:53:10.39
this one is to be fulfilled
in the time of the end.
00:53:10.42\00:53:15.89
This is the longest
time prophecy in the Bible.
00:53:15.92\00:53:19.73
And it's this prophecy,
00:53:19.76\00:53:21.86
included in the
explanation predicts,
00:53:21.90\00:53:24.73
and this to me is amazing.
00:53:24.77\00:53:27.30
It's this prophecy that predicts
00:53:27.34\00:53:29.27
the very year
500 years in advance
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when Jesus would
appear in the world.
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It's a remarkable prediction.
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Imagine myself trying
to giving a prophecy now,
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and saying
what's going to happen
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in the year 2500.
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The future, as you know, is
close to you, even tomorrow,
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we may think what
we're going to do,
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but we may not do it
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because of other
series of events.
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But let alone predict
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what's going to
happen one year in time,
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or 10 years in
time on the very year.
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But I'm going to show
you in our next presentation,
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and unfold that
remarkable prophecy in Daniel,
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that not only
fixes the very time
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when Jesus would appear,
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but fixes the very
time, the very year
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when God is going to give
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His last warning
message to the world.
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That's why I've spent this time
together with you this morning.
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laying that foundation,
because in this wonderful book,
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pointing to the time of the end,
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1798.
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You and I have been
living in the time of the end
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for quite a long period of time.
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But because it's
the time of the end,
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we know that when
that time it finishes,
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Jesus is going to
come, a wonderful hope.
00:54:48.52\00:54:52.95
And I believe that
in this world today
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filled with so much pandemic,
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so much disease,
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where people are afraid
of what the future holds.
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I'm reminded of
those words of Jesus
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when he said
that in the last days,
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men's hearts will be
failing them for fear
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as they look at the things
that are coming on the earth.
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Is that a
condition of the world today?
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It certainly is.
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And it's so wonderful
that the Bible gives us a hope,
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a blessed hope
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that all the
troubles in this world
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are going to be finished
when God sets up that kingdom.
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You remember the stone
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that smoke the image
on the feet and toes.
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In Daniel Chapter
7, Daniel describes
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and I don't think
we read the text that
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in at the end of this
reign of this little horn,
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Jesus is going to come
in power and great glory.
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Bring the world to an end. Yes.
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But He's going to
bring it to an end,
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only to
establish a brand new world
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where there'll be no
more pain, no more death.
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We're going to
live forever with Jesus.
00:55:55.32\00:55:57.95
I can't think of a
more wonderful hope
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that is in front of us all.
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So I would urge
you to come next time
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for our next presentation.
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Those of you who are listening
in another parts of the world,
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I hope you'll tune into
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as well look at this
longest time prophecy
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that fixes the very year
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when God's last warning message
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is going to be
presented to the world.
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So come.
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Let us bow our
heads in a word of prayer.
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Our loving Father in heaven,
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we thank You so much
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for what You've
written in Your Word.
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Help us to know
and to understand that
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it is only because
You love us so much.
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Each one of us no
matter what we've done
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or how bad sinners we've been,
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that You love us so much
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that this message
is given in the Word
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that each one of
us might take notice
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to believe in You
and believe in God
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as Jesus reminded us,
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"I've told you things
before they come to pass
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that when they come to
pass, you may believe."
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Help us, dear Father,
00:57:06.62\00:57:07.96
to believe, to trust Your Word,
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and we thank You for it
in Jesus' precious name.
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Amen.
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