It has stood the test of time.
00:00:07.33\00:00:12.16
God's book.
00:00:12.16\00:00:13.73
The Bible.
00:00:13.73\00:00:17.33
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:17.33\00:00:22.10
It Is Written...
00:00:22.10\00:00:25.36
sharing hope around the globe.
00:00:25.36\00:00:37.70
"Yesterday, December 7, 1941, a
date which will live in infamy.
00:00:37.70\00:00:51.73
The United States of America
was suddenly and deliberately
00:00:51.73\00:00:56.50
attacked by naval and air
forces of the Empire of Japan."
00:00:56.50\00:01:05.33
"A day that will live in
infamy," President Franklin
00:01:05.33\00:01:08.36
Roosevelt called it.
00:01:08.36\00:01:10.43
The surprise 1941 attack on
the Pacific Fleet in Hawaii left
00:01:10.43\00:01:14.40
2400 Americans dead.
00:01:14.40\00:01:16.63
Later, it would be discovered
that several opportunities had
00:01:16.63\00:01:20.33
been missed to anticipate
and possibly avoid the attack.
00:01:20.33\00:01:23.96
But basically, we
never saw it coming.
00:01:23.96\00:01:27.46
Fast forward 70 years.
00:01:27.46\00:01:30.10
Journalists said at the time of
the disastrous earthquake that
00:01:30.10\00:01:33.60
hit Japan in early 2011 that one
positive thing was that of all
00:01:33.60\00:01:38.96
countries Japan was probably
best prepared to meet a disaster
00:01:38.96\00:01:43.26
like this.
00:01:43.26\00:01:45.00
Yet a devastating tsunami still
claimed thousands of lives and
00:01:45.00\00:01:49.73
that with the earthquake
still caused massive damage.
00:01:49.73\00:01:53.40
Why?
00:01:53.40\00:01:54.86
Because nobody saw it coming.
00:01:54.86\00:01:57.46
Really, it's impossible
for us to know the future.
00:01:57.46\00:02:01.76
Now there's no shortage
of those who PRETEND to know.
00:02:01.76\00:02:04.36
Psychics, astrologers, and
fortune tellers of every variety
00:02:04.36\00:02:09.53
claim the ability to
preview tomorrow's headlines.
00:02:09.53\00:02:13.06
But they wear the same
blindfolds as everybody else.
00:02:13.06\00:02:16.76
So, is there anyone who
really does know the future?
00:02:16.76\00:02:21.43
The answer...
00:02:21.43\00:02:22.86
is Yes.
00:02:22.86\00:02:24.73
But only one Person.
00:02:24.73\00:02:26.50
Today we're going
Back to the Future...
00:02:26.50\00:02:29.93
You know time travel has
always been popular in Hollywood
00:02:29.93\00:02:32.80
movies.
00:02:32.80\00:02:34.06
Films like the Terminator and
the Back to the Future series
00:02:34.06\00:02:37.36
have sold a lot of tickets.
00:02:37.36\00:02:39.26
But not all time
travel is fantasy.
00:02:39.26\00:02:41.86
Some of it's very real.
00:02:41.86\00:02:43.76
Consider with me the night
an ancient king was transported
00:02:43.76\00:02:47.26
more than 2,500 years into
the future, where he visited not
00:02:47.26\00:02:50.86
only our own time but
the years ahead of us.
00:02:50.86\00:02:55.76
Previewing the future is
the special province of Bible
00:02:55.76\00:02:59.16
prophecy.
00:02:59.16\00:03:00.60
And what makes this form of time
travel so fascinating is that
00:03:00.60\00:03:04.20
the future it brings to
view is 100 percent accurate.
00:03:04.20\00:03:08.46
And that's possible because it's
revealed by the one Person in
00:03:08.46\00:03:12.20
the universe who knows
exactly what the future holds.
00:03:12.20\00:03:16.16
wild guesses of tabloid psychics
or New Age channelers here.
00:03:16.16\00:03:23.96
Bible prophecy has never failed.
00:03:23.96\00:03:26.63
And you know, that's a problem,
a problem for people who claim
00:03:26.63\00:03:31.23
there is no God, or that
the Bible can't be trusted.
00:03:31.23\00:03:34.40
What do people do about
prophecies that you just can't
00:03:34.40\00:03:37.93
be argued against?
00:03:37.93\00:03:39.50
As long as we're all caught
up in this long war between good
00:03:39.50\00:03:42.50
and evil -between Christ and
Satan -it's helpful to know not
00:03:42.50\00:03:45.70
only what has already happened,
but what is yet to come.
00:03:45.70\00:03:49.66
And it's especially encouraging
to know how the war will end
00:03:49.66\00:03:53.20
-and when.
00:03:53.20\00:03:55.00
So today we travel--along with
an ancient amnesiac king--back
00:03:55.00\00:03:59.96
to the future.
00:03:59.96\00:04:01.90
The story -as recorded in the
second chapter of the Bible's
00:04:01.90\00:04:05.36
book of Daniel -begins with a
king who had a vivid dream but
00:04:05.36\00:04:08.36
could remember
what that dream was.
00:04:08.36\00:04:11.53
Let's listen to Daniel tell his
story beginning in Daniel, 2:1:
00:04:11.53\00:04:19.70
"Now in the second year
of Nebuchadnezzar's reign,
00:04:19.70\00:04:22.63
Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; and
his spirit was so troubled that
00:04:22.63\00:04:27.56
his sleep left him."
00:04:27.56\00:04:29.66
(Daniel 2:1) Nebuchadnezzar
was the king who ruled the great
00:04:29.66\00:04:32.16
Babylonian Empire from the
massive walled city of Babylon,
00:04:32.16\00:04:35.50
more than 600
years before Christ.
00:04:35.50\00:04:38.30
The city covered 500 acres
on both sides of the Euphrates
00:04:38.30\00:04:41.33
River.
00:04:41.33\00:04:42.76
The Euphrates flowed under
the walls and through the city.
00:04:42.76\00:04:46.53
Babylon was located in the
area of the world known as the
00:04:46.53\00:04:50.00
Fertile Crescent, in
what we would today call Iraq.
00:04:50.00\00:04:53.30
and had an intricate system of
canals that irrigated lush crop
00:04:53.30\00:04:56.06
lands.
00:04:56.06\00:04:58.40
Nebuchadnezzar is the king
who built the Hanging Gardens of
00:04:58.40\00:05:01.16
Babylon - one of the Seven
Wonders of the Word - he built
00:05:01.16\00:05:04.63
it for his wife At the center
of great Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar
00:05:04.63\00:05:07.26
built a 300 -foot
shrine to the pagan god Marduk.
00:05:07.26\00:05:13.63
He plated the walls and
roof of the building with gold.
00:05:13.63\00:05:16.93
The altar was solid gold, as
were the throne and footstool.
00:05:16.93\00:05:21.40
You know, amnesia can
be a pretty serious thing.
00:05:21.40\00:05:24.66
In just a moment, I'm going to
tell you about a couple of men
00:05:24.66\00:05:27.83
who suffered amnesia, and for
one of them, it was a matter of
00:05:27.83\00:05:31.20
life and death.
00:05:31.20\00:05:36.20
More in a moment.
00:05:36.20\00:05:38.43
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of God
says "It is written 'Man shall
00:05:38.46\00:05:40.93
not live by bread alone but by
every word that proeedeth out of
00:05:40.93\00:05:44.63
the mouth of God'."
00:05:44.63\00:05:47.10
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:05:47.10\00:05:49.46
presented by Pastor John
Bradshaw and designed especially
00:05:49.46\00:05:52.83
for busy people like you.
00:05:52.83\00:05:54.86
Look for Every Word on selected
networks or watch it on-line
00:05:54.86\00:05:58.46
everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:05:58.46\00:06:01.90
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:06:01.90\00:06:04.10
Watch Every Word.
00:06:04.10\00:06:05.53
You'll be glad you did.
00:06:05.53\00:06:10.40
A few years ago I heard a
remarkable radio interview with
00:06:10.40\00:06:13.76
a Christian pastor who
had suffered total amnesia.
00:06:13.76\00:06:18.43
That is, he couldn't remember
who he was, who his family was,
00:06:18.43\00:06:22.70
he didn't remember his wife...
00:06:22.70\00:06:24.66
Even family photos
didn't bring back any memories.
00:06:24.66\00:06:28.53
He had to learn
everything all over again.
00:06:28.53\00:06:32.03
He had to get to
know his own family again.
00:06:32.03\00:06:34.46
He had to get to
know his own wife again.
00:06:34.46\00:06:37.30
Now he said that she even had
to teach him how to kiss again,
00:06:37.30\00:06:40.40
which he
admitted wasn't so bad...
00:06:40.40\00:06:42.83
In the Bible, a powerful king
woke up one morning and couldn't
00:06:42.83\00:06:46.16
remember a dream he'd had.
00:06:46.16\00:06:48.36
Now you've been there - wake up
in the morning, know you had a
00:06:48.36\00:06:50.96
dream, you try in
vain to remember it.
00:06:50.96\00:06:56.06
King Nebuchadnezzar called
together a cabal of advisors and
00:06:56.06\00:06:59.70
asked them to tell
him what he had dreamed.
00:06:59.70\00:07:03.36
The story is recorded in Daniel
chapter 2, and here is how they
00:07:03.36\00:07:06.90
replied: "O king, live forever!
00:07:06.90\00:07:10.83
Tell your servants the
dream, and we will give you the
00:07:10.83\00:07:14.26
interpretation."
00:07:14.26\00:07:15.80
(Daniel 2:4) They figured that
they could analyze the dream and
00:07:15.80\00:07:19.03
make up some sort of
interpretation once they knew
00:07:19.03\00:07:21.40
what the dream was.
00:07:21.40\00:07:24.56
But interpretation wasn't yet
the problem - the first thing
00:07:24.56\00:07:27.46
was to remember the dream!
00:07:27.46\00:07:29.20
King Nebuchadnezzar saw through
what they were trying to do, and
00:07:29.20\00:07:32.36
he was not happy.
00:07:32.36\00:07:34.13
"Tell me the dream," he
demanded, "and then I'll know
00:07:34.13\00:07:37.66
that you can give
me its interpretation."
00:07:37.66\00:07:40.63
That is, you're supposed to
be able see into the future!
00:07:40.63\00:07:43.96
Prove it to me now!
00:07:43.96\00:07:45.60
Tell me what I dreamed.
00:07:45.60\00:07:47.63
But the wise men protested
saying: "There is not a man on
00:07:47.63\00:07:51.46
earth who can tell the king's
matter; therefore no king, lord,
00:07:51.46\00:07:56.06
or ruler has ever asked
such things of any magician,
00:07:56.06\00:08:00.23
astrologer, or Chaldean.
00:08:00.23\00:08:01.76
(Daniel 2:10) "No man on earth
can tell you what you ask" they
00:08:01.76\00:08:05.96
said.
00:08:05.96\00:08:07.70
And they were right about that.
00:08:07.70\00:08:09.26
But Nebuchadnezzar
wouldn't back off.
00:08:09.26\00:08:11.90
He knew his dream was important.
00:08:11.90\00:08:13.40
The kings back then felt that
the gods communicated to them in
00:08:13.40\00:08:16.90
dreams and he wanted
to know what it meant.
00:08:16.90\00:08:20.23
He became so angry that he
decreed that if the wise men
00:08:20.23\00:08:23.90
couldn't tell him his dream
and its interpretation, then all
00:08:23.90\00:08:27.80
wise men in Babylon
should be destroyed!
00:08:27.80\00:08:31.96
Now this was a problem for
Daniel and three of his friends.
00:08:31.96\00:08:35.20
Captives in Babylon, they'd been
identified as gifted in wisdom,
00:08:35.20\00:08:38.80
they had been trained as
servants for the king and were
00:08:38.80\00:08:42.46
recognized as "wise men."
00:08:42.46\00:08:44.60
So Daniel then asked
Nebuchadnezzar himself for time
00:08:44.60\00:08:48.93
so that he could pray.
00:08:48.93\00:08:50.10
With his life on the line,
he had total confidence that God
00:08:50.10\00:08:53.66
would solve the problem.
00:08:53.66\00:08:56.20
In a night vision, God revealed
the dream and its interpretation
00:08:56.20\00:09:00.46
to his servant Daniel, and
Daniel went in to see the king.
00:09:00.46\00:09:04.46
He told him this wasn't
something an astrologer or
00:09:04.46\00:09:07.56
magician could help the king
with, adding, "But there is a
00:09:07.56\00:09:10.96
God in heaven who reveals
secrets, and He has made known
00:09:10.96\00:09:14.60
to King Nebuchadnezzar what
will be in the latter days."
00:09:14.60\00:09:17.60
(Daniel 2:28) NKJV God was very
clear with Daniel that the dream
00:09:17.60\00:09:22.03
the king had dreamed actually
foretold events that would occur
00:09:22.03\00:09:24.53
in the last days
of earth's history.
00:09:24.53\00:09:28.46
The dream began in the days
of Nebuchadnezzar, and it moved
00:09:28.46\00:09:32.73
forward generation after
generation after generation to
00:09:32.73\00:09:36.03
the last days
of earth's history.
00:09:36.03\00:09:40.46
Daniel went on to tell the king
what he had dreamed: "You, O
00:09:40.46\00:09:44.70
king, were watching;
and behold, a great image!
00:09:44.70\00:09:46.86
This great image, whose splendor
was excellent, stood before you;
00:09:46.86\00:09:50.43
and its form was awesome.
00:09:50.43\00:09:52.30
"This image's head was of
fine gold, its chest and arms of
00:09:52.30\00:09:55.33
silver, its belly and thighs of
bronze, "its legs of iron, its
00:09:55.33\00:10:00.33
feet partly of
iron and partly of clay.
00:10:00.33\00:10:05.16
"You watched while a stone
was cut out without hands, which
00:10:05.16\00:10:07.73
struck the image on its feet of
iron and clay, and broke them in
00:10:07.73\00:10:10.63
pieces.
00:10:10.63\00:10:12.63
"Then the iron, the clay, the
bronze, the silver, and the gold
00:10:12.63\00:10:16.53
were crushed together,
and became like chaff from the
00:10:16.53\00:10:22.10
summer threshing floors; the
wind carried them away so that
00:10:22.10\00:10:24.30
no trace of them was found.
00:10:24.30\00:10:25.96
And the stone that struck the
image became a great mountain
00:10:25.96\00:10:31.03
and filled the whole earth."
00:10:31.03\00:10:34.26
(Daniel 2:31-35) You can imagine
the king saying, "Yes, that's
00:10:34.26\00:10:38.70
it!
00:10:38.70\00:10:39.56
That's it!
00:10:39.56\00:10:40.26
That's exactly what I saw!"
00:10:40.26\00:10:42.96
But then he'd have said,
"But Daniel, what does it mean?"
00:10:42.96\00:10:45.16
Now notice how Daniel began the
interpretation: "You, O King,
00:10:45.16\00:10:50.66
are a king of kings .
00:10:50.66\00:10:53.26
you are this head of gold."
00:10:53.26\00:10:56.73
(Daniel 2:37, 38) History books
tell us that the Babylonian
00:10:56.73\00:11:00.60
Empire was the dominant
world power from about 605 B.C.
00:11:00.60\00:11:04.16
to 539 B.C.
00:11:04.16\00:11:06.33
History also tells us that King
Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom was
00:11:06.33\00:11:09.63
drenched with gold.
00:11:09.63\00:11:11.63
In the temple of Marduk alone,
Nebuchadnezzar used 18 tons of
00:11:11.63\00:11:16.20
gold.
00:11:16.20\00:11:18.26
There is no better way for
God to describe the Babylonian
00:11:18.26\00:11:21.43
Empire than by using
the symbolism of gold.
00:11:21.43\00:11:25.83
You can imagine Nebuchadnezzar
was happy with this
00:11:25.83\00:11:28.46
interpretation.
00:11:28.46\00:11:29.73
He liked being the head of gold.
00:11:29.73\00:11:32.26
He wanted the head of gold to
last forever, but that wasn't to
00:11:32.26\00:11:36.06
be, as Daniel explained in verse
39: "But after you shall arise
00:11:36.06\00:11:42.73
another kingdom
inferior to yours;."
00:11:42.73\00:11:47.06
(Daniel 2:39) At the time
Nebuchadnezzar had this dream,
00:11:47.06\00:11:50.56
he was secure as the
world leader, with no reason to
00:11:50.56\00:11:53.36
suspect that that
would ever change.
00:11:53.36\00:11:55.93
But Babylon was to be overthrown
by a kingdom represented in
00:11:55.93\00:11:59.86
Daniel 2:32 as "the
chest and arms of silver."
00:11:59.86\00:12:04.96
Now just a few pages ahead in
your Bible, in Daniel 5:28, the
00:12:04.96\00:12:09.83
next world--ruling power is
referred to as the Medes and the
00:12:09.83\00:12:14.63
Persians.
00:12:14.63\00:12:15.23
Again, a fitting symbol: the two
arms joined at the chest to show
00:12:15.23\00:12:19.96
two kingdoms
-Medes and Persians.
00:12:19.96\00:12:23.70
The Medes and Persians
ruled the world from 538 B.C.
00:12:23.70\00:12:27.03
to 331 B.C.
00:12:27.03\00:12:29.76
The story of how the Babylonians
were overthrown is told in
00:12:29.76\00:12:32.73
Daniel 5.
00:12:32.73\00:12:34.73
King Belshazzar, grandson of
King Nebuchadnezzar, hosted a
00:12:34.73\00:12:38.63
feast for a
thousand of his lords.
00:12:38.63\00:12:41.40
He called for the gold and
silver vessels captured from the
00:12:41.40\00:12:44.23
temple in Jerusalem
to be brought to him.
00:12:44.23\00:12:47.46
From these holy vessels that had
been used in temple services to
00:12:47.46\00:12:50.60
worship the God of
heaven, he drank wine.
00:12:50.60\00:12:54.66
Now in the midst of this drunken
party, a mysterious, bloodless
00:12:54.66\00:12:57.80
hand appeared and wrote words
on the wall: MENE, MENE, TEKEL,
00:12:57.80\00:13:04.30
UPHARSIN.
00:13:04.30\00:13:06.46
The interpretation of these
words, spelled doom for the
00:13:06.46\00:13:09.33
mighty Babylonian Empire.
00:13:09.33\00:13:11.86
Let's read it
from Daniel chapter 5.
00:13:11.86\00:13:16.26
"MENE: God has numbered your
kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL:
00:13:16.26\00:13:20.46
You have been weighed in
the balances, and found wanting;
00:13:20.46\00:13:24.86
PERES: Your kingdom has been
divided, and given to the Medes
00:13:24.86\00:13:31.00
and Persians."
00:13:31.00\00:13:33.66
(Daniel 5:26-28) That very
night, the Medes and Persians
00:13:33.66\00:13:36.76
diverted the Euphrates River
that ran under the massive walls
00:13:36.76\00:13:39.60
of Babylon.
00:13:39.60\00:13:40.96
They marched their armies
straight down the dry riverbed
00:13:40.96\00:13:44.46
and came up inside the city.
00:13:44.46\00:13:46.90
One hundred and fifty years
in advance, Isaiah not only
00:13:46.90\00:13:51.10
foretold, in chapters 44 and
45, exactly how Babylon would be
00:13:51.10\00:13:55.20
overthrown, but he named the
leader of the army who would do
00:13:55.20\00:13:59.80
it -Cyrus.
00:13:59.80\00:14:01.33
They were overtaken in one night
by the Medo-Persian army, led by
00:14:01.33\00:14:05.60
Cyrus, just as the
Bible predicted--just as
00:14:05.60\00:14:10.80
Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream.
00:14:10.80\00:14:13.73
The Medes and Persians ruled the
world for nearly two centuries.
00:14:13.73\00:14:18.76
But Nebuchadnezzar's dream
doesn't end there, and neither
00:14:18.76\00:14:21.66
does history.
00:14:21.66\00:14:23.20
Time marches on, one kingdom
replacing another kingdom, just
00:14:23.20\00:14:27.43
as God foretold in the
dream of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:14:27.43\00:14:32.30
What we're seeing is that God
accurately predicted the rise
00:14:32.30\00:14:35.96
and fall of two
world-ruling kingdoms.
00:14:35.96\00:14:40.13
But what would happen next?
00:14:40.13\00:14:42.03
I'll tell you that just ahead.
00:14:42.03\00:15:00.80
Time for today's Bible question.
00:15:00.80\00:15:02.06
Here it is.
00:15:02.06\00:15:03.03
Can you explain what faith is?
00:15:03.03\00:15:04.16
I'd like to have stronger faith.
00:15:04.16\00:15:07.46
Sure.
00:15:07.46\00:15:08.66
Great question.
00:15:08.66\00:15:09.80
Now, to do this justice
we'd really have to spend a good
00:15:09.80\00:15:12.30
while on the subject.
00:15:12.30\00:15:13.73
But briefly,
here's what faith is.
00:15:13.73\00:15:16.20
Consider this
Bible verse with me.
00:15:16.20\00:15:18.10
Romans 4:21 is talking about
Abraham when it says, "And being
00:15:18.10\00:15:21.03
fully persuaded that, what He
or what God had promised, He was
00:15:21.03\00:15:25.70
able also to perform."
00:15:25.70\00:15:27.43
Abraham believed God could
do what God said He could do.
00:15:27.43\00:15:31.70
And that's faith.
00:15:31.70\00:15:33.63
In the book of Hebrews it says
that faith is the "substance of
00:15:33.63\00:15:36.73
things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen."
00:15:36.73\00:15:40.40
That means you hope for it,
but you believe you have it.
00:15:40.40\00:15:43.60
You don't see it, but you have
evidence for having it anyway.
00:15:43.60\00:15:47.20
By faith.
00:15:47.20\00:15:49.03
Abraham couldn't know that he
was going to father a child in
00:15:49.03\00:15:51.96
his advanced age, or that his
elderly wife would bare a son.
00:15:51.96\00:15:55.83
But God said so, so
Abraham believed it.
00:15:55.83\00:16:00.66
That's faith.
00:16:00.66\00:16:01.66
When you take God at His
word, and you believe it simply
00:16:01.66\00:16:04.16
because God said it, and you
believe God will do what He said
00:16:04.16\00:16:07.76
He will do, simply because
He said He will do it, that's
00:16:07.76\00:16:10.60
faith.
00:16:10.60\00:16:11.30
Simple.
00:16:11.30\00:16:12.63
God said it,
therefore I'll believe it.
00:16:12.63\00:16:15.56
Now, of course, you want to be
careful, careful that you don't
00:16:15.56\00:16:18.70
go off on a tangent.
00:16:18.70\00:16:19.80
There are still a few people who
believe that because it says in
00:16:19.80\00:16:22.70
the Bible that God's people
will be able to take up snakes
00:16:22.70\00:16:26.80
without being harmed, they
ought to go and handle poisonous
00:16:26.80\00:16:28.30
snakes as a sign of their
great faith in God'ds word.
00:16:28.30\00:16:31.00
I might suggest respectfully
that would be mixing up faith
00:16:31.00\00:16:34.60
with presumption.
00:16:34.60\00:16:36.43
But if you will take God's word,
prayerfully, and then believe
00:16:36.43\00:16:40.36
what He says, and if you'll
make that your way of life, your
00:16:40.36\00:16:43.90
faith will grow.
00:16:43.90\00:16:46.20
If you have a question you'd
like answered, please go to
00:16:46.20\00:16:48.60
ItIsWritten.com, click on the
questions tab and submit your
00:16:48.60\00:16:51.06
question.
00:16:51.06\00:16:52.33
My hope is that I'll be able to
answer your Bible question some
00:16:52.33\00:16:54.96
time soon.
00:16:54.96\00:16:57.46
If you have a Bible question
for Pastor John Bradshaw, please
00:16:57.46\00:17:00.66
write to It Is Written, Box O,
Thousand Oaks, California 91359
00:17:00.66\00:17:05.83
or visit our website
itiswritten.com and send us your
00:17:05.83\00:17:09.10
questions on-line.
00:17:09.10\00:17:11.93
In the book of Daniel, the
greatest monarch of his day had
00:17:11.93\00:17:15.00
an impressive dream.
00:17:15.00\00:17:16.50
He dreamed of a huge statue
made from different metals, and
00:17:16.50\00:17:21.53
discovered that it represented
the rise and fall of kingdoms,
00:17:21.53\00:17:24.46
including his own.
00:17:24.46\00:17:26.26
It had a head of gold,
representing Nebuchadnezzar's
00:17:26.26\00:17:29.33
kingdom of Babylon, and
its chest & arms were made of
00:17:29.33\00:17:33.03
silver, representing
the Medo -Persian kingdom.
00:17:33.03\00:17:36.56
Now here's what happened next.
00:17:36.56\00:17:38.30
The next kingdom is described
in Daniel 2:32 as the belly and
00:17:38.30\00:17:42.86
thighs of bronze.
00:17:42.86\00:17:44.46
More than two hundred years in
advance, Daniel actually names
00:17:44.46\00:17:47.93
Greece as this third kingdom,
which overthrew the Medes and
00:17:47.93\00:17:53.36
the Persians.
00:17:53.36\00:17:54.43
Daniel 8:21 is where
you'll read about it.
00:17:54.43\00:17:56.66
Again, the symbol is
appropriate: the Greek army was
00:17:56.66\00:17:59.63
led by Alexander the Great,
a young man who marched his men
00:17:59.63\00:18:03.90
11,000 miles, conquering almost
all of the then -known world
00:18:03.90\00:18:08.83
before he died of
malaria at the age of 33.
00:18:08.83\00:18:12.40
What did Alexander's
men wear into battle?
00:18:12.40\00:18:15.73
Bronze breastplates, bronze
helmets, bronze shields, they
00:18:15.73\00:18:20.10
had bronze swords.
00:18:20.10\00:18:22.20
Once again, God chose a fitting
metaphor to describe the kingdom
00:18:22.20\00:18:26.20
that would rule
the world from 331 B.C.
00:18:26.20\00:18:29.53
to 168 B.C.
00:18:29.53\00:18:32.03
But history doesn't end
with this third kingdom.
00:18:32.03\00:18:35.53
Greece did not
rule the world forever.
00:18:35.53\00:18:39.30
There was a fourth metal after
head of Babylon, the silver of
00:18:39.30\00:18:42.63
the Medes and
Persians, the bronze of Greece.
00:18:42.63\00:18:45.03
The next kingdom is represented
by iron: "And the fourth kingdom
00:18:45.03\00:18:49.50
shall be as strong as iron."
00:18:49.50\00:18:51.23
Daniel 2:40.
00:18:51.23\00:18:53.80
The last kingdom to rule the
entire known world is described
00:18:53.80\00:18:57.26
as iron.
00:18:57.26\00:18:59.40
In 168 B.C.
00:18:59.40\00:19:01.93
the iron monarchy of
Rome overthrew the Greeks.
00:19:01.93\00:19:05.70
Just as legs form the longest
part of the body, Rome had the
00:19:05.70\00:19:09.46
longest reign of
any of the world powers.
00:19:09.46\00:19:13.50
Little by little, Rome rose
to power, fighting many wars and
00:19:13.50\00:19:17.16
enslaving many people.
00:19:17.16\00:19:19.06
By the time Jesus was born, most
of the then -known world was
00:19:19.06\00:19:23.26
under Roman rule.
00:19:23.26\00:19:24.33
You will remember that Joseph
and Mary were on their way to
00:19:24.33\00:19:26.76
pay taxes to the Roman ruler,
Caesar Augustus, when Jesus was
00:19:26.76\00:19:30.73
born.
00:19:30.73\00:19:32.16
For more than 500 years, Rome
appeared to be invincible -her
00:19:32.16\00:19:36.60
flag waving from the British
Isles to the Arabian Gulf, from
00:19:36.60\00:19:40.10
the North Sea to the Sahara
Desert, from the Atlantic to the
00:19:40.10\00:19:43.86
Euphrates and beyond.
00:19:43.86\00:19:46.10
But were the Romans the
last ruling empire of the world?
00:19:46.10\00:19:50.83
What did the Bible predict?
00:19:50.83\00:19:53.16
Here is what Daniel wrote:
"Whereas you saw the feet and
00:19:53.16\00:19:57.16
toes, partly of potter's clay
and partly of iron, the kingdom
00:19:57.16\00:20:00.43
shall be divided."
00:20:00.43\00:20:02.30
(Daniel 2:41) How did
the Roman Empire break up?
00:20:02.30\00:20:05.86
Was it overcome by another world
power as had happened in the
00:20:05.86\00:20:08.86
preceding thousand years?
00:20:08.86\00:20:10.96
If this prophecy is to be right,
it must predict what actually
00:20:10.96\00:20:14.76
happened in history -that
the legs of iron would not be
00:20:14.76\00:20:18.26
succeeded by a
fifth world -ruling power.
00:20:18.26\00:20:22.23
Now history confirms that this
seemingly unconquerable Roman
00:20:22.23\00:20:25.50
Empire crumbled in two ways
-from within and from without.
00:20:25.50\00:20:31.43
Wealth poured into Rome through
taxes collected from all over
00:20:31.43\00:20:35.13
the world.
00:20:35.13\00:20:36.20
The simple Roman life was
replaced with luxury and excess.
00:20:36.20\00:20:40.56
The political world brewed with
corruption, crime infiltrated
00:20:40.56\00:20:44.00
the streets, the work ethic was
lost, immorality was rampant.
00:20:44.00\00:20:49.66
And as the mighty Roman Empire
weakened from within, Rome was
00:20:49.66\00:20:53.73
attacked from without and
divided into ten major tribes.
00:20:53.73\00:20:59.20
Ten is no coincidence.
00:20:59.20\00:21:01.90
The God of the Bible looked down
through the ages of history and
00:21:01.90\00:21:05.10
foresaw this division of ten.
00:21:05.10\00:21:07.53
Therefore, this time period of
history is symbolized by the ten
00:21:07.53\00:21:10.96
toes of Nebuchadnezzar's image.
00:21:10.96\00:21:14.56
These ten tribes were the
Alamanni who settled in what has
00:21:14.56\00:21:18.70
become Germany, the Franks
who settled in France, the Anglo
00:21:18.70\00:21:22.00
-Saxons in England, the
Visigoths in Spain, the Suevi in
00:21:22.00\00:21:25.06
Portugal, the Lombards in
Italy, and the Burgundians in
00:21:25.06\00:21:29.30
Switzerland.
00:21:29.30\00:21:30.66
Originally the Vandals,
Ostrogoths, and Heruli took over
00:21:30.66\00:21:33.83
parts of the Roman Empire, but
they were eventually destroyed.
00:21:33.83\00:21:38.00
Daniel 2:42, 43 predicted
history from the time of the
00:21:38.00\00:21:42.46
downfall of the Roman
Empire to the end of time.
00:21:42.46\00:21:46.70
No matter how many battles
are fought around the world, no
00:21:46.70\00:21:49.70
matter how many Hitlers try to
conquer the world, no matter how
00:21:49.70\00:21:53.20
many Napoleons, no matter how
many Charlemagnes, no matter how
00:21:53.20\00:21:56.93
many times men try to unite the
world as one kingdom, according
00:21:56.93\00:22:01.83
to the Bible
they will not succeed.
00:22:01.83\00:22:05.16
In vain world leaders
seek to conquer the world.
00:22:05.16\00:22:08.86
The Bible says that just as iron
and clay will not mix together,
00:22:08.86\00:22:12.33
so the world will not be
united under one ruler again.
00:22:12.33\00:22:18.76
So where are we living today?
00:22:18.76\00:22:21.46
In the very toenails of history!
00:22:21.46\00:22:23.26
Every part of this prophecy
has come to pass except for one.
00:22:23.26\00:22:27.10
Listen.
00:22:27.10\00:22:29.36
"You watched while a stone
was cut out without hands, which
00:22:29.36\00:22:33.26
struck the image on its feet of
iron and clay, and broke them in
00:22:33.26\00:22:38.26
pieces.
00:22:38.26\00:22:40.10
"And in the days of these kings
the God of heaven will set up a
00:22:40.10\00:22:43.00
kingdom which shall never be
destroyed; ...it shall break in
00:22:43.00\00:22:46.26
pieces and consume all these
kingdoms, and it shall stand
00:22:46.26\00:22:50.30
forever.
00:22:50.30\00:22:52.60
(Daniel 2:34, 44) History has
followed this prophecy like a
00:22:52.60\00:22:58.10
blueprint and
will continue to do so.
00:22:58.10\00:23:01.46
The political workings of
this planet are not random.
00:23:01.46\00:23:05.00
God has been guiding and
controlling all along, and only
00:23:05.00\00:23:08.90
one kingdom remains to
rule the world - God's kingdom.
00:23:08.90\00:23:14.23
That rock, cut out without
hands, is the one kingdom which
00:23:14.23\00:23:19.13
will rule forever.
00:23:19.13\00:23:20.93
John, in in the Book of
Revelation speaks about this
00:23:20.93\00:23:27.13
coming kingdom: "And there were
loud voices in heaven, saying,
00:23:27.13\00:23:29.86
'The kingdoms of this world have
become the kingdoms of our Lord
00:23:29.86\00:23:32.30
and of His Christ, and He
shall reign forever and ever."
00:23:32.30\00:23:35.10
(Revelation 11:15) There's
only one kingdom left to be
00:23:35.10\00:23:38.66
established.
00:23:38.66\00:23:40.03
Soon Jesus Christ, the Messiah,
born in a stable in Bethlehem
00:23:40.03\00:23:44.40
2000 years ago, is
going to visit us again.
00:23:44.40\00:23:48.26
The heavens will depart as
a scroll, and Christ and the
00:23:48.26\00:23:53.73
angels of heaven will descend to
this earth to gather the waiting
00:23:53.73\00:23:55.76
saints of God.
00:23:55.76\00:23:59.36
And as the Bible says, "So
shall we ever be with the Lord."
00:23:59.36\00:24:02.80
today: one, the
Bible can be trusted.
00:24:02.80\00:24:08.93
This prophecy is stunningly
accurate, just like so many
00:24:08.93\00:24:11.40
other prophecies
in the Word of God.
00:24:11.40\00:24:13.70
You can have confidence in
God's Word.nd if the prophecy is
00:24:13.70\00:24:17.03
to be trusted - and we've seen
that it is - then we can know
00:24:17.03\00:24:20.30
that Jesus is coming
back to this world...
00:24:20.30\00:24:25.00
soon.
00:24:25.00\00:24:26.60
Are you ready
for that day, friend?
00:24:26.60\00:24:29.00
Do you know Jesus
Christ personally?
00:24:29.00\00:24:31.83
Have you made a decision to
trust Him, to have faith in Him,
00:24:31.83\00:24:34.36
to accept Him as your Saviour?
00:24:34.36\00:24:39.96
If not, you can choose right now
to allow Jesus to be the very
00:24:39.96\00:24:44.90
centre of your life...
00:24:44.90\00:24:47.20
Let's pray together.
00:24:47.20\00:24:48.73
Our Father in heaven, we
are grateful that your Word is
00:24:48.73\00:24:55.93
certain, and true and sure.
00:24:55.93\00:24:57.33
We are thankful that
Jesus Christ is the Messiah, the
00:24:57.33\00:24:59.63
Savior of the Bible,
the Savior of the world.
00:24:59.63\00:25:02.00
Today, I pray, give us grace to
trust in you, to not just know
00:25:02.00\00:25:05.06
the Bible is certain, but
to believe it and to live that
00:25:05.06\00:25:08.50
belief.
00:25:08.50\00:25:09.20
I pray dear Lord that
Jesus would be the center of our
00:25:09.20\00:25:13.16
lives.
00:25:13.16\00:25:14.96
As our heads are bowed together
I pray that you would take over
00:25:14.96\00:25:18.46
our lives and make them yours.
00:25:18.46\00:25:20.30
Take away our sin
and give us peace.
00:25:20.30\00:25:23.36
Take away our uncertainty
and give us confidence that when
00:25:23.36\00:25:26.93
Jesus comes back to gather
our saints he will gather us and
00:25:26.93\00:25:31.96
take us to be with
him forever and ever.
00:25:31.96\00:25:35.03
Let that day come soon, I pray.
00:25:35.03\00:25:37.23
We thank you today
in Jesus4 name, Amen.
00:25:37.23\00:25:41.83
??????? Perhaps
our program today has
00:25:41.83\00:25:57.73
touched your heart and impressed
you with a personal need for
00:25:57.73\00:26:00.53
deeper Bible study.
00:26:00.53\00:26:02.53
Do you desire to listen to
God and follow where he leads?
00:26:02.53\00:26:06.10
We've got a wonderful resource
that can help you do that in a
00:26:06.10\00:26:08.80
systemic way, the
Discover Bible Guides.
00:26:08.80\00:26:12.20
These study guides will take
you through the essential truths
00:26:12.20\00:26:15.00
taught in Scripture.
00:26:15.00\00:26:16.26
They give you the big
picture showing how it all fits
00:26:16.26\00:26:18.60
together.
00:26:18.60\00:26:19.73
The Discover Bible Guides are a
wonderful way for you to become
00:26:19.73\00:26:23.00
grounded in the Word of God and
to see how Jesus Christ relates
00:26:23.00\00:26:26.50
to all the areas of our lives.
00:26:26.50\00:26:28.63
So please call or write us and
the Discover Bible Guides will
00:26:28.63\00:26:32.00
be on their way to you and
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00:26:35.50\00:26:36.76
For even easier access, you
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00:26:36.76\00:26:40.53
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00:26:40.53\00:26:42.03
Here's the information you need.
00:26:42.03\00:26:43.80
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00:26:49.63\00:26:53.26
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00:27:50.30\00:27:56.10
but by every word that proceeds
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00:27:56.10\00:28:00.53