It has stood the test of time.
00:00:07.30\00:00:12.06
God's book, the Bible.
00:00:12.06\00:00:17.26
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:17.26\00:00:22.00
It Is Written.
00:00:22.00\00:00:25.43
Sharing hope around the globe.
00:00:25.43\00:00:36.63
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:00:36.63\00:00:39.16
I'm John Bradshaw.
00:00:39.16\00:00:40.30
I'm glad to have you with me.
00:00:40.30\00:00:42.13
The Bible is
full of great stories.
00:00:42.13\00:00:44.70
We can think of the story
of the Exodus, when Moses led
00:00:44.70\00:00:47.03
Israel out of Egyptian
slavery, through the Red Sea
00:00:47.03\00:00:50.03
that was miraculously opened
up by God, then through the
00:00:50.03\00:00:52.86
wilderness for forty years
while God fed them with bread
00:00:52.86\00:00:54.96
from heaven.
00:00:54.96\00:00:56.06
A great, great story.
00:00:56.06\00:00:58.96
In the Bible
there's the story of Joseph.
00:00:58.96\00:01:01.10
Betrayed by his brothers
and sold into slavery in Egypt,
00:01:01.10\00:01:04.66
Joseph made an incredible
rise from languishing in a
00:01:04.66\00:01:06.86
prison cell to being second
person only to Pharaoh in the
00:01:06.86\00:01:08.93
Egyptian government.
00:01:08.93\00:01:11.86
He was reunited with his
family and was responsible
00:01:11.86\00:01:14.33
for getting God's people
AND Egypt through a devastating
00:01:14.33\00:01:17.30
famine.
00:01:17.30\00:01:18.53
High drama, and a
magnificent story.
00:01:18.53\00:01:22.10
We could add to that list
and mention Nehemiah restoring
00:01:22.10\00:01:24.26
Jerusalem and building
the wall of the city while his
00:01:24.26\00:01:27.96
enemies were
trying to ruin his work.
00:01:27.96\00:01:30.30
There's the story of Esther,
who rose from difficulty to
00:01:30.30\00:01:32.53
become the Queen of the
Medo-Persian Empire, married
00:01:32.53\00:01:35.46
to the most powerful man on
the planet - and used by God
00:01:35.46\00:01:38.73
to bring
deliverance to her people.
00:01:38.73\00:01:43.13
Now these stories don't
just exist merely to be good
00:01:43.13\00:01:45.80
stories.
00:01:45.80\00:01:47.06
They're not in the Bible just
to entertain us or as bedtime
00:01:47.06\00:01:49.23
stories for our children.
00:01:49.23\00:01:52.00
The great Bible stories were
carefully preserved and then
00:01:52.00\00:01:56.16
included in the Bible to
teach important lessons -
00:01:56.16\00:01:58.50
lessons about God and about
faith and about prophecy and
00:01:58.50\00:02:01.50
about salvation and
forgiveness and redemption.
00:02:01.50\00:02:04.73
Those stories are in the
Bible to give us hope and
00:02:04.73\00:02:07.53
understanding and insight.
00:02:07.53\00:02:10.30
There's a well-known Bible
story we're going to look at
00:02:10.30\00:02:12.56
today.
00:02:12.56\00:02:13.56
It comes to us from the
times of the prophet Daniel.
00:02:13.56\00:02:17.00
And at the end of our program
today I'm going to tell you
00:02:17.00\00:02:19.50
how you can get a copy of
an important book I've written
00:02:19.50\00:02:22.23
on the subject of the Book
of Revelation, explaining some
00:02:22.23\00:02:24.86
of Revelation's great
prophecies and showing what
00:02:24.86\00:02:28.03
the book of Revelation,
what End-Time Prophecy is REALLY
00:02:28.03\00:02:30.73
all about.
00:02:30.73\00:02:32.00
So make sure you get that
information at the end of the
00:02:32.00\00:02:33.90
program today so we can
get today's free book to you.
00:02:33.90\00:02:37.96
[Music] The book of Daniel
is an enormously important book
00:02:37.96\00:02:43.66
of the Bible, especially
relating to last-day Bible
00:02:43.66\00:02:46.23
prophecy.
00:02:46.23\00:02:47.63
Jesus quoted from
the book of Daniel.
00:02:47.63\00:02:50.10
John borrowed a lot of
imagery from the book of
00:02:50.10\00:02:52.66
Daniel when he was
writing Revelation.
00:02:52.66\00:02:55.80
Daniel was raised in the city
of Jerusalem, but of the 363
00:02:55.80\00:02:59.53
verses in the book of Daniel,
Daniel himself is in Babylon
00:02:59.53\00:03:05.03
or the kingdom of
Babylon for 362 of them.
00:03:05.03\00:03:08.56
And that's significant.
00:03:08.56\00:03:11.73
[Music] In the opening verse
of the book of Daniel God's
00:03:11.73\00:03:15.70
people are attacked - in
fact conquered - by the ruling
00:03:15.70\00:03:18.20
heathen power in the world.
00:03:18.20\00:03:19.80
Stop an think about that.
00:03:19.80\00:03:21.00
That is shocking.
00:03:21.00\00:03:22.86
God's people were intended
to be the recipients of the
00:03:22.86\00:03:25.33
blessings of God, especially
favored by God, kept by the
00:03:25.33\00:03:29.10
providence of God.
00:03:29.10\00:03:30.53
But instead they experienced
70 years of captivity in
00:03:30.53\00:03:34.30
Babylon.
00:03:34.30\00:03:36.16
The prophet Jeremiah
prophesied this would happen,
00:03:36.16\00:03:39.33
and he tells us why in
Jeremiah chapter 25, we'll
00:03:39.33\00:03:43.90
start in verse 4: "And the
LORD has sent to you all His
00:03:43.90\00:03:46.40
servants the prophets, rising
early and sending them, but
00:03:46.40\00:03:49.76
you have not listened nor
inclined your ear to hear.
00:03:49.76\00:03:53.13
They said, 'Repent now
everyone of his evil way and
00:03:53.13\00:03:56.53
his evil doings, and dwell
in the land that the LORD has
00:03:56.53\00:03:59.53
given to you and your
fathers forever and ever.
00:03:59.53\00:04:02.40
Jeremiah 25:4-5
KJV Now notice this.
00:04:02.40\00:04:06.10
Here's what God says
next, Do not go after other gods
00:04:06.10\00:04:09.90
to serve them and worship
them, and do not provoke Me
00:04:09.90\00:04:12.53
to anger with the works
of your hands; and I will not
00:04:12.53\00:04:15.96
harm you.
00:04:15.96\00:04:17.00
Yet you have not listened to
Me," says the LORD, "that you
00:04:17.00\00:04:19.20
might provoke Me to anger
with the works of your hands
00:04:19.20\00:04:21.53
to your own hurt.'Jeremiah
25:6-7 KJV Judah had
00:04:21.53\00:04:26.33
disobeyed God.
00:04:26.33\00:04:27.80
Instead of being faithful
to God they even went so far as
00:04:27.80\00:04:30.86
to serve and worship other gods.
00:04:30.86\00:04:33.13
And that's something God just
couldn't tolerate - when His
00:04:33.13\00:04:36.06
people rejecting Him and
serving other gods, living
00:04:36.06\00:04:38.50
lives of disobedience.
00:04:38.50\00:04:40.03
So, here's what God said.
00:04:40.03\00:04:43.10
Therefore thus says the
LORD of hosts: Because you have
00:04:43.10\00:04:45.90
not heard My words, behold,
I will send and take all the
00:04:45.90\00:04:48.50
families of the north, says
the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar
00:04:48.50\00:04:51.70
the king of Babylon, My
servant, and will bring them
00:04:51.70\00:04:54.43
against this land, against
its inhabitants, and against
00:04:54.43\00:04:57.63
these nations all around,
and will utterly destroy them,
00:04:57.63\00:05:00.93
and make them an
astonishment, a hissing, and
00:05:00.93\00:05:02.90
perpetual desolations.
00:05:02.90\00:05:04.76
Moreover I will take from
them the voice of mirth and
00:05:04.76\00:05:07.63
the voice of gladness, the
voice of the bridegroom and
00:05:07.63\00:05:10.26
the voice of the bride,
the sound of the millstones and
00:05:10.26\00:05:13.53
the light of the lamp.
00:05:13.53\00:05:14.96
And this whole land
shall be a desolation and an
00:05:14.96\00:05:17.60
astonishment, and these
nations shall serve the king
00:05:17.60\00:05:20.60
of Babylon seventy years.
00:05:20.60\00:05:23.00
Jeremiah 25:8-11 KJV
Judah went into captivity
00:05:23.00\00:05:27.33
because of their unfaithfulness
to God - and because they
00:05:27.33\00:05:30.93
rejected the true God
and served and worshiped
00:05:30.93\00:05:35.60
false gods.
00:05:35.60\00:05:36.16
I think it's important
that we notice something here.
00:05:36.16\00:05:38.63
Here's what God did.
00:05:38.63\00:05:39.80
Instead of just cutting
them off forever, God had a plan
00:05:39.80\00:05:42.76
to work with Judah and to
bring His people to the place
00:05:42.76\00:05:46.60
where they would
turn back to Him.
00:05:46.60\00:05:48.43
Even though going into
captivity was tough medicine,
00:05:48.43\00:05:51.43
it was God's mercy on display.
00:05:51.43\00:05:54.63
God had chosen His people
to be a light to the world - in
00:05:54.63\00:05:57.60
fact, Paul said in Acts 13
that the children of Israel
00:05:57.60\00:06:00.53
had been chosen by God to
be a light to the Gentiles,
00:06:00.53\00:06:06.46
meaning, essentially, that
God wanted to use Israel to
00:06:06.46\00:06:08.13
share the knowledge of His
goodness with the whole world
00:06:08.13\00:06:12.36
- including,
ultimately, to you and me.
00:06:12.36\00:06:14.23
If Israel was failing
miserably in staying close to
00:06:14.23\00:06:17.13
God's will, God could hardly
use them as His witnesses to
00:06:17.13\00:06:20.36
the world.
00:06:20.36\00:06:22.43
God didn't give up
on His people easily.
00:06:22.43\00:06:25.83
Speaking of the northern
kingdom of Israel, God said
00:06:25.83\00:06:30.36
in Hosea 11:8, And Ephraim
said, Yet I am become rich, I
00:06:30.36\00:06:37.93
have found me out substance:
in all my labours they shall
00:06:37.93\00:06:41.06
find none iniquity
in me that were sin.
00:06:41.06\00:06:44.50
Hosea 11:8 KJV Now when
we say Judah was sliding into
00:06:44.50\00:06:48.46
sin and apostasy, we're
not talking small-time stuff.
00:06:48.46\00:06:50.13
Jeremiah writes that
there was murder going on, and
00:06:50.13\00:06:52.96
oppression, and
Sabbath-breaking, Baal
00:06:52.96\00:06:56.60
worship - and that was some
seriously bad stuff involving
00:06:56.60\00:06:58.93
terrible immorality
and even child sacrifice.
00:06:58.93\00:07:03.56
God felt he had to resort
to drastic measures to get the
00:07:03.56\00:07:06.20
attention of His people.
00:07:06.20\00:07:08.06
God said, And it shall
come to pass, when seventy years
00:07:08.06\00:07:11.70
are accomplished, that I
will punish the king of Babylon,
00:07:11.70\00:07:14.90
and that nation, saith the
LORD, for their iniquity, and
00:07:14.90\00:07:18.20
the land of the Chaldeans,
and will make it perpetual
00:07:18.20\00:07:21.43
desolations.
00:07:21.43\00:07:23.13
Jeremiah 25:12 So Israel, acting
00:07:23.13\00:07:25.70
like they were doing
nothing wrong, went into
00:07:25.70\00:07:28.63
captivity, with God's
intention being that when
00:07:28.63\00:07:30.66
they came out of captivity
they would have experience or
00:07:30.66\00:07:34.80
would have
experienced a change of heart.
00:07:34.80\00:07:38.20
[Music] And it was while
they were in Babylon that God
00:07:38.20\00:07:40.50
communicated some of the most
remarkable prophecies in the
00:07:40.50\00:07:43.93
Bible to and through a
young man named Daniel.
00:07:43.93\00:07:49.30
We are going to look
at one of those remarkable
00:07:49.30\00:07:51.66
prophecies - one with
immense significance for earth's
00:07:51.66\00:07:55.36
final days - in just a moment.
00:07:55.36\00:08:14.40
If God is supposed to be
all about love, why did my Dad
00:08:14.40\00:08:19.16
die of cancer last year?
00:08:19.16\00:08:22.63
I prayed for him to live.
00:08:22.63\00:08:25.60
I've been struggling with
the idea that maybe God doesn't
00:08:25.60\00:08:30.56
love me.
00:08:30.56\00:08:33.33
That's a serious concern.
00:08:33.33\00:08:35.23
The one thing you can know
for sure is that God is love.
00:08:35.23\00:08:38.93
The Bible says those
very words in 1 John 4.
00:08:38.93\00:08:42.73
John 3:16 - For God
so LOVED the world...
00:08:42.73\00:08:47.63
The situation you've referred
to is very serious - it's
00:08:47.63\00:08:50.20
tragic.
00:08:50.20\00:08:51.20
I'm very sorry.
00:08:51.20\00:08:52.53
In the Bible there were
numerous sad situations.
00:08:52.53\00:08:55.43
John the Baptist lost his life.
00:08:55.43\00:08:58.83
Peter was imprisoned and
was freed by God, but James was
00:08:58.83\00:09:02.50
imprisoned and lost his life.
00:09:02.50\00:09:04.56
Now does that mean God
didn't love or care about those
00:09:04.56\00:09:07.43
people?
00:09:07.43\00:09:09.16
Of course not.
00:09:09.16\00:09:10.83
The sad fact is that
we live in a world of sin.
00:09:10.83\00:09:13.80
When Adam and Eve chose
to come out from under God's
00:09:13.80\00:09:17.63
dominion, sin was
introduced into the world.
00:09:17.63\00:09:20.33
Satan worked in the
human family and introduced all
00:09:20.33\00:09:23.26
kinds of sin.
00:09:23.26\00:09:24.50
Disease is a
result of the sin problem.
00:09:24.50\00:09:30.46
God could have stopped sin
and sickness from happening,
00:09:30.46\00:09:33.43
but only as He took away
people's freedom of choice.
00:09:33.43\00:09:35.30
And what kind of world
would it be if we didn't have
00:09:35.30\00:09:37.56
freedom of choice?
00:09:37.56\00:09:38.93
When humans sinned, God
decided that He would let sin
00:09:38.93\00:09:41.60
run its course - even knowing
that there would be terrible
00:09:41.60\00:09:44.93
consequences.
00:09:44.93\00:09:46.23
However, in the middle of
all of that He has given us the
00:09:46.23\00:09:48.83
opportunity to choose
to follow Him and to be
00:09:48.83\00:09:51.50
ultimately restored.
00:09:51.50\00:09:53.10
Now keep this in mind.
00:09:53.10\00:09:54.60
God knows what
you're going through.
00:09:54.60\00:09:57.43
He lost a Son
because of sin in the world.
00:09:57.43\00:10:01.43
You can be sure God is
familiar with your pain - by
00:10:01.43\00:10:04.76
experience.
00:10:04.76\00:10:06.70
Sin even cost Jesus His life.
00:10:06.70\00:10:09.00
Now, the great news is
that Jesus is coming again.
00:10:09.00\00:10:13.03
There'll be a
resurrection on that day.
00:10:13.03\00:10:15.66
The Bible says the
dead in Christ shall rise.
00:10:15.66\00:10:19.26
And you can look forward to
seeing your father again, and
00:10:19.26\00:10:22.70
knowing that we'll live
together in a world where
00:10:22.70\00:10:25.73
there will be no more sin,
no more death, no more sadness.
00:10:25.73\00:10:29.76
God is going to
make it all okay.
00:10:29.76\00:10:32.60
You can trust Him.
00:10:32.60\00:10:34.00
He DOES love you.
00:10:34.00\00:10:36.73
You can submit your Bible
questions to us here at It Is
00:10:36.73\00:10:39.76
Written by going to our
website: itiswritten.com.
00:10:39.76\00:10:43.03
Hit the QUESTIONS tab and in
a future program -- all going
00:10:43.03\00:10:46.50
well, hopefully -- I'll
be able to answer your Bible
00:10:46.50\00:10:49.36
question.
00:10:49.36\00:10:53.86
If you have a Bible question
for pastor John Bradshaw,
00:10:53.86\00:10:56.96
please write to It Is
Written, Box O, Thousand
00:10:56.96\00:10:59.53
Oaks, California
91359 or visit our website
00:10:59.53\00:11:03.70
itiswritten.com and send
us your questions on-line.
00:11:03.70\00:11:08.90
I'm John Bradshaw -
Thanks for joining me today
00:11:08.90\00:11:10.43
on It Is Written.
00:11:10.43\00:11:11.66
And please be sure to stay
by at the end of this program
00:11:11.66\00:11:13.80
and get today's free gift
book, Revelation Today, which
00:11:13.80\00:11:16.86
will help you get a whole
lot more out of Bible prophecy
00:11:16.86\00:11:18.80
and will help you understand
what the book of Revelation
00:11:18.80\00:11:22.16
is really all about.
00:11:22.16\00:11:23.80
There's a lot more to it
than beasts and horns and images
00:11:23.80\00:11:25.93
and symbols.
00:11:25.93\00:11:26.86
And Revelation Today
will help you see that.
00:11:26.86\00:11:29.00
[Music] When King
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon
00:11:29.00\00:11:33.86
attacked the city of
Jerusalem, many Jews were
00:11:33.86\00:11:36.46
taken captive and marched
across the hot Middle Eastern
00:11:36.46\00:11:39.66
desert to Babylon - situated
in what we would call today
00:11:39.66\00:11:43.46
Iraq.
00:11:43.46\00:11:44.50
Daniel was most likely just
a teenager at the time, a young
00:11:44.50\00:11:46.90
man - you could get
away with calling him a boy.
00:11:46.90\00:11:50.10
And he was separated from his
family and taken to a foreign
00:11:50.10\00:11:52.60
land and immersed in paganism.
00:11:52.60\00:11:56.10
His denomination didn't
have any churches in Babylon, so
00:11:56.10\00:11:58.50
Daniel was really separated
from his upbringing and his
00:11:58.50\00:12:01.20
religious customs.
00:12:01.20\00:12:02.40
And he couldn't worship God
in the manner in which he was
00:12:02.40\00:12:06.53
accustomed.
00:12:06.53\00:12:08.13
As soon as Daniel arrived
in Babylon the challenges came
00:12:08.13\00:12:11.70
at him thick and fast.
00:12:11.70\00:12:13.23
Daniel was challenged on
the basis of his faith in God.
00:12:13.23\00:12:15.33
[Music] So what would he
do when he was tested on the
00:12:15.33\00:12:22.90
principles in which he believed?
00:12:22.90\00:12:24.66
No sooner had Daniel arrived
in Babylon than he was faced
00:12:24.66\00:12:26.06
with a dilemma.
00:12:26.06\00:12:27.00
The King had ordered that
some of the outstanding youth
00:12:27.00\00:12:29.46
that head been brought to
Babylon should be fed with
00:12:29.46\00:12:31.90
food from the royal household
- really a great privilege.
00:12:31.90\00:12:33.50
But to eat the kings
food would have been almost
00:12:33.50\00:12:37.90
certainly for Daniel to eat
unclean food, and he knew God
00:12:37.90\00:12:40.33
didn't want him
eating unclean food.
00:12:40.33\00:12:44.06
On the other hand, to refuse
to eat the food would have
00:12:44.06\00:12:45.40
been to incur the
wrath of the king.
00:12:45.40\00:12:47.26
So Daniel could either eat
the food and dishonor God, or
00:12:47.26\00:12:50.96
not eat the food and dishonor
the king - and maybe, in
00:12:50.96\00:12:57.36
fact, probably definitely
- be severely punished.
00:12:57.36\00:13:00.66
In choosing to honor God,
God honored Daniel and worked it
00:13:00.66\00:13:02.56
out that Daniel could eat
a simple vegetarian diet, and
00:13:02.56\00:13:05.56
as a result Daniel and his
friends Shadrach, Meshach and
00:13:05.56\00:13:08.26
Abednego were blessed by God
with good health and with the
00:13:08.26\00:13:10.76
favor of the
Babylonian officers.
00:13:10.76\00:13:14.96
Daniel learned early in
Babylon that it was better to
00:13:14.96\00:13:17.93
put God first, no
matter what the cost might be.
00:13:17.93\00:13:26.03
[Music] Then in
Daniel chapter two, King
00:13:26.03\00:13:27.96
Nebuchadnezzar had a
remarkable dream where he saw
00:13:27.96\00:13:29.86
a great image.
00:13:29.86\00:13:31.26
The image had a head made
out of gold, its chest and arms
00:13:31.26\00:13:33.86
were of silver, its
mid-section was bronze, its
00:13:33.86\00:13:36.46
legs were made of iron
and its feet were made out of
00:13:36.46\00:13:38.96
iron and clay.
00:13:38.96\00:13:40.73
Ultimately, in answer to
the prayers of Daniel and his
00:13:40.73\00:13:51.96
three friends, God gave
Daniel the interpretation of
00:13:51.96\00:13:55.16
the dream and Daniel
explained it to the king.
00:13:55.16\00:13:58.16
Daniel explained to the king
that the dream was about the
00:13:58.16\00:14:05.83
rising and falling of
kingdoms, and that the
00:14:05.83\00:14:09.53
kingdom of Babylon would
one day be conquered by another
00:14:09.53\00:14:11.60
kingdom.
00:14:11.60\00:14:13.73
Shocking news to the king.
00:14:13.73\00:14:15.66
Daniel told of the time
that a great Rock would come and
00:14:15.66\00:14:21.86
sweep away the
kingdoms of the world.
00:14:21.86\00:14:23.93
In other words, Jesus would
return to the earth and set
00:14:23.93\00:14:25.93
up a kingdom that
would last forever.
00:14:25.93\00:14:30.63
And then in Daniel 3, we
see an important theme develop
00:14:30.63\00:14:35.60
that actually has
prophetic ramifications.
00:14:35.60\00:14:37.90
While Daniel 3 contains
one of the great Bible stories,
00:14:37.90\00:14:42.86
there's an important lesson
in that story that helps us
00:14:42.86\00:14:44.86
to understand the great
spiritual crisis soon to come
00:14:44.86\00:14:46.83
to the world.
00:14:46.83\00:14:47.53
Keep this in mind.
00:14:47.53\00:14:48.83
God's people were
in captivity large part
00:14:48.83\00:14:51.36
because they had
stopped worshiping God.
00:14:51.36\00:14:55.43
And Daniel 3 deals with
this question of worship.
00:14:55.43\00:14:58.06
Daniel himself doesn't appear
in Daniel 3 - we're not told
00:14:58.06\00:15:04.30
where he is but we can
presume he was out of Babylon
00:15:04.30\00:15:05.70
on business for the king.
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.13
By now he has been
promoted by Nebuchadnezzar to a
00:15:07.13\00:15:09.30
position of great authority,
and Daniel isn't mentioned at
00:15:09.30\00:15:13.96
all in chapter 3, at
least not in this story.
00:15:13.96\00:15:15.73
King Nebuchadnezzar had a
statue built like the one he
00:15:15.73\00:15:16.83
saw in his dream, except
unlike the image in his dream
00:15:16.83\00:15:20.30
this image was
made entirely of gold.
00:15:20.30\00:15:27.73
That was Nebuchadnezzar's
way of saying, My kingdom isn't
00:15:27.73\00:15:31.20
passing away not matter
what Daniel's God says!'Imagine
00:15:31.20\00:15:33.86
this!
00:15:33.86\00:15:35.13
The statue was 90 feet
high and made of solid gold.
00:15:35.13\00:15:41.70
Nebuchadnezzar called
everyone who was anyone to
00:15:41.70\00:15:43.36
assemble on the plain of
Dura to inaugurate the image.
00:15:43.36\00:15:45.60
They would bow down
to it - and worship it.
00:15:45.60\00:15:46.66
And Nebuchadnezzar made
clear that anyone who refused to
00:15:46.66\00:15:49.33
worship this image would be
thrown into a fiery furnace.
00:15:49.33\00:15:56.43
Nebuchadnezzar had a lot
of building done while he was
00:15:56.43\00:15:58.36
king - there were kilns
all over Babylon, for building
00:15:58.36\00:16:06.26
bricks, and in Iraq as it was
then there was no shortage of
00:16:06.26\00:16:08.46
fuel to get a
fire burning white hot.
00:16:08.46\00:16:12.96
But Shadrach, Meshach and
Abednego wouldn't bow down to
00:16:12.96\00:16:15.80
the image.
00:16:15.80\00:16:17.03
Even though their lives
were on the line, they wouldn't
00:16:17.03\00:16:19.06
violate their conscience
and they wouldn't dishonor God,
00:16:19.06\00:16:23.26
even though they were
miles from home and even though
00:16:23.26\00:16:25.86
what they were being
asked to do was culturally and
00:16:25.86\00:16:28.83
religiously
acceptable where they were.
00:16:28.83\00:16:32.20
They wouldn't do it.
00:16:32.20\00:16:33.90
To them,
worshiping God was sacred.
00:16:33.90\00:16:36.90
It was important enough
that they would lose their lives
00:16:36.90\00:16:40.06
over it if they had to.
00:16:40.06\00:16:41.83
They wouldn't give
their worship to anyone
00:16:41.83\00:16:45.66
but God.
00:16:45.66\00:16:49.86
And something
incredible happened.
00:16:49.86\00:16:52.43
When they went into that
fiery furnace, Jesus stood
00:16:52.43\00:16:55.46
with them in the
flames and they weren't hurt.
00:16:55.46\00:16:59.36
Their hair wasn't even singed
and they and when they came
00:16:59.36\00:17:03.50
out of the furnace, they
didn't even smell of smoke.
00:17:03.50\00:17:05.56
Nebuchadnezzar said this
in Daniel 3:24 and 25, Did not
00:17:05.56\00:17:14.26
we cast three men bound
into the midst of the fire?
00:17:14.26\00:17:17.86
I see four men loose,
walking in the midst of the
00:17:17.86\00:17:21.70
fire, and they have no hurt;
and the form of the fourth is
00:17:21.70\00:17:24.26
like the Son of God.
00:17:24.26\00:17:28.86
Daniel 3:24, 25 KJV The
pre-incarnate Christ stood
00:17:28.86\00:17:31.06
with them.
00:17:31.06\00:17:32.20
The Son of God came
from heaven to honor these
00:17:32.20\00:17:34.23
faithful young men who
chose to worship God rather than
00:17:34.23\00:17:37.06
compromise and bow down
before an idol - even though
00:17:37.06\00:17:40.43
they might pay for
that with their lives.
00:17:40.43\00:17:44.06
That's courage, isn't it?
00:17:44.06\00:17:45.83
That's faithfulness.
00:17:45.83\00:17:47.16
In the Ten Commandments
God says in the first
00:17:47.16\00:17:49.36
commandment, Thou shalt
have no other gods before me.
00:17:49.36\00:17:52.16
Exodus 20:3, KJV And God says
00:17:52.16\00:17:54.63
in the second commandment,
speaking of idols and images,
00:17:54.63\00:17:58.06
Thou shalt not bow down
thyself to them, nor serve
00:17:58.06\00:18:00.43
them.
00:18:00.43\00:18:02.50
Exodus 20:5 KJV These young
00:18:02.50\00:18:04.86
men understood that.
00:18:04.86\00:18:06.30
Worship was important to them.
00:18:06.30\00:18:08.20
Worshiping God God's
way was important to them.
00:18:08.20\00:18:12.30
There's a great prophetic
connection between what
00:18:12.30\00:18:15.23
happened out there on the
Plain of Dura that day and
00:18:15.23\00:18:17.20
what s going to take place
in the world just before Jesus
00:18:17.20\00:18:22.10
returns.
00:18:22.10\00:18:23.86
We'll look at that next.
00:18:23.86\00:18:28.03
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of
God says It is written 'Man
00:18:28.03\00:18:31.66
shall not live by bread
alone but by every word that
00:18:31.66\00:18:35.36
proceeds out of the mouth
of God'.'Every Word is a one
00:18:35.36\00:18:38.63
minute Bible-based
daily devotional presented by
00:18:38.63\00:18:41.53
Pastor John Bradshaw and
designed especially for busy
00:18:41.53\00:18:44.46
people like you.
00:18:44.46\00:18:47.36
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:18:47.36\00:18:50.26
on-line everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:18:50.26\00:18:54.50
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:18:54.50\00:18:57.23
Watch Every Word.
00:18:57.23\00:18:58.50
You ll be glad you did.
00:18:58.50\00:18:59.40
Here is a
sample: In a courtroom,
00:18:59.40\00:19:09.63
a witness is often
called upon to testify as to
00:19:09.63\00:19:12.33
what he or she has seen.
00:19:12.33\00:19:13.66
Typically, if several
witnesses testify in the same
00:19:13.66\00:19:16.33
way - agreeing on certain
facts - one side or the other
00:19:16.33\00:19:19.16
feels like they've
got a pretty good case.
00:19:19.16\00:19:22.06
Listen to what John
wrote in 1 John 1:1:
00:19:22.06\00:19:23.23
"That which was
from the beginning, which
00:19:23.23\00:19:26.83
we have heard, which we have
seen with our eyes, which we
00:19:26.83\00:19:29.03
have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, of the
00:19:29.03\00:19:31.83
Word of life.'For
John, Jesus was REAL.
00:19:31.83\00:19:33.50
He had seen Him, touched Him.
00:19:33.50\00:19:38.23
What we read in the
Bible is not a myth.
00:19:38.23\00:19:40.10
When it comes to
Jesus, we're reading about
00:19:40.10\00:19:42.63
someone others
saw, knew, & touched...
00:19:42.63\00:19:44.20
If John appeared in
court, he'd be a pretty
00:19:44.20\00:19:47.36
convincing witness.
00:19:47.36\00:19:50.43
You can be convinced today - the
00:19:47.36\00:19:50.43
Christ of the Bible is
real, true, and you can have
00:19:50.43\00:19:54.00
confidence in Him today.
00:19:54.00\00:19:55.73
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:19:55.73\00:19:57.30
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:19:57.30\00:20:01.36
It Is Written is dedicated
to sharing the gospel around the
00:20:01.36\00:20:03.63
world.
00:20:03.63\00:20:05.16
Our dream is to
impact the world for God.
00:20:05.16\00:20:07.53
Our television program is
only one aspect of how we try
00:20:07.53\00:20:10.70
to accomplish that.
00:20:10.70\00:20:12.06
To discover more about It
is Written, I invite you to
00:20:12.06\00:20:14.96
visit our website
itiswritten.com and browse
00:20:14.96\00:20:18.36
the dozens of pages that
describe what we do and how
00:20:18.36\00:20:20.63
we do it.
00:20:20.63\00:20:22.13
Let's get to know
each other a little better.
00:20:22.13\00:20:24.60
Visit our website
itiswritten.com today.
00:20:24.60\00:20:27.86
On It Is Written today
we're looking at the prophetic
00:20:27.86\00:20:29.76
connection between the
experience of the three young
00:20:29.76\00:20:32.06
men in the fiery furnace, and
the prophecies of the Book of
00:20:32.06\00:20:35.36
Revelation - end-time
prophecies that will very
00:20:35.36\00:20:37.76
likely affect most
people watching this program.
00:20:37.76\00:20:40.90
Let's look at the
book of Revelation.
00:20:40.90\00:20:43.20
In Revelation 13, a
beast rises up out of the sea.
00:20:43.20\00:20:46.43
We've mentioned before on It
Is Written that in prophecy a
00:20:46.43\00:20:48.26
beast represents a kingdom.
00:20:48.26\00:20:51.13
If you want Biblical evidence
for that you look in Daniel
00:20:51.13\00:20:53.56
7, where in verse 23 it says,
The fourth beast shall be the
00:20:53.56\00:20:57.06
fourth kingdom on earth.
00:20:57.06\00:20:59.03
Daniel 7:23 KJV That's clear.
00:20:59.03\00:21:01.10
In Revelation, beasts rising
up out of the sea represent
00:21:01.10\00:21:04.26
nations rising up out of
populated parts of the earth.
00:21:04.26\00:21:07.83
So if you want to make a
parallel, in Revelation 13
00:21:07.83\00:21:10.60
you have a kingdom or a
nation, just as you have in
00:21:10.60\00:21:13.60
Daniel 3.
00:21:13.60\00:21:15.43
What does the
nation in Revelation 13 do?
00:21:15.43\00:21:18.43
We read this, Revelation
13:4, it says, And they
00:21:18.43\00:21:24.96
worshipped the dragon
which gave power unto the beast:
00:21:24.96\00:21:27.93
and they worshipped the beast.
00:21:27.93\00:21:30.26
Revelation 13:4, KJV Here's
a kingdom receiving worship -
00:21:30.26\00:21:32.23
worship that only
God should receive.
00:21:32.23\00:21:35.43
Now that's what was
going on in Daniel 3.
00:21:35.43\00:21:37.83
Now there's more on that.
00:21:37.83\00:21:39.43
Revelation 13:8 says, And
all that dwell upon the earth
00:21:39.43\00:21:46.33
shall worship him.
00:21:46.33\00:21:47.83
Revelation 13:8 KJV
And yet it goes further.
00:21:47.83\00:21:49.96
Remember, in Daniel 3 the
king enforced false worship,
00:21:49.96\00:21:54.10
and anyone who wouldn't
cooperate would be sentenced
00:21:54.10\00:21:56.60
to death.
00:21:56.60\00:21:58.50
Now, do we see that
happening in earth's last days?
00:21:58.50\00:22:01.36
Revelation 13:15, And he
had power to give life unto the
00:22:01.36\00:22:07.16
image of the beast, that
the image of the beast should
00:22:07.16\00:22:11.16
both speak, and cause that
as many as would not worship the
00:22:11.16\00:22:14.76
image of the beast should
be killed. Revelation 13:15 KJV
00:22:14.76\00:22:18.90
Now let me ask you -
who should people worship?
00:22:18.90\00:22:21.76
Of course - God.
00:22:21.76\00:22:23.96
Getting away from worshipping
God was what led Israel into
00:22:23.96\00:22:26.40
apostasy in the first place.
00:22:26.40\00:22:28.50
But what's going to happen
in the final days of earth's
00:22:28.50\00:22:30.33
history?
00:22:30.33\00:22:31.33
An IMAGE will be set up
- that's what happened in
00:22:31.33\00:22:34.43
Daniel Chapter 3.
00:22:34.43\00:22:36.03
An image will be set up,
and all will be commanded to
00:22:36.03\00:22:39.93
worship the image.
00:22:39.93\00:22:41.73
Those who don't will be
forced to pay a high price
00:22:41.73\00:22:44.30
for that.
00:22:44.30\00:22:45.86
Those who do worship the
image will receive what the
00:22:45.86\00:22:49.00
Bible calls the Mark of
the Beast and they'll be lost.
00:22:49.00\00:22:51.50
That's an even
higher price to pay.
00:22:51.50\00:22:54.53
In Daniel three, you have
the conflict of the last days
00:22:54.53\00:22:57.23
playing out in microcosm:
a pagan leader establishes an
00:22:57.23\00:23:00.30
image and commands false
worship contrary to the will
00:23:00.30\00:23:03.10
of God.
00:23:03.10\00:23:05.00
In Revelation 13 you have
the same thing, but on a global
00:23:05.00\00:23:07.83
scale: in contradiction to
the word of God, an image is
00:23:07.83\00:23:12.16
set up and false
worship is commanded.
00:23:12.16\00:23:15.50
And what we see in
Daniel is very telling: very few
00:23:15.50\00:23:19.20
opposed the false worship.
00:23:19.20\00:23:21.00
In Revelation 13:8 we read
this, And all that dwell upon
00:23:21.00\00:23:29.00
the earth shall worship him.
00:23:29.00\00:23:31.16
That's Revelation 13:8 KJV
Now here's something to keep
00:23:31.16\00:23:35.16
in mind.
00:23:35.16\00:23:36.13
In John 4:24 Jesus said,
God is a Spirit: and they that
00:23:36.13\00:23:40.33
worship him must worship
him in spirit and in truth.
00:23:40.33\00:23:44.43
John 24:4, KJV
Worshiping God God's way.
00:23:44.43\00:23:48.83
If we'll make the Bible the
basis for our lives we won't
00:23:48.83\00:23:52.30
have to worry about
being on the wrong side of this
00:23:52.30\00:23:53.93
crisis.
00:23:53.93\00:23:54.73
If we've decided to do
what is in harmony with the word
00:23:54.73\00:23:56.70
of God - if God's will is
the basis for everything in our
00:23:56.70\00:24:00.06
lives, if Jesus is living
His life in us - we're going to
00:24:00.06\00:24:03.50
be okay.
00:24:03.50\00:24:05.66
See, the good news is that
God's people triumph in the
00:24:05.66\00:24:07.66
end.
00:24:07.66\00:24:10.10
There's a massive spiritual
battle going on in the world
00:24:10.10\00:24:11.23
today, and there's an
enemy that wants no one to be
00:24:11.23\00:24:12.30
saved.
00:24:12.30\00:24:13.60
But God's people who have
chosen to be faithful to Him
00:24:13.60\00:24:20.70
receive the Seal of God, and
can know that just like Jesus
00:24:20.70\00:24:24.50
stood in the fiery furnace
with Shadrach, Meshach and
00:24:24.50\00:24:27.40
Abednego, He'll do it again
and stand with His people in
00:24:27.40\00:24:32.40
their time of trial.
00:24:32.40\00:24:34.46
The same Jesus who stood
with those three, faithful young
00:24:34.46\00:24:37.30
men says to us today, I
will never leave you or forsake
00:24:37.30\00:24:40.40
you.
00:24:40.40\00:24:41.40
Hebrews 13:5, NKJV Lo, I
am with you always, even unto
00:24:41.40\00:24:43.90
the end of the world.
00:24:43.90\00:24:45.20
Matthew 28:20 KJV But he
that shall endure unto the end,
00:24:45.20\00:24:47.76
the same shall be saved.
00:24:47.76\00:24:48.86
Matthew 24:13 KJV I
hope you'll get the book I'm
00:24:48.86\00:24:53.66
offering you this week.
00:24:53.66\00:24:54.96
It's called Revelation
Today, and it adds a lot of the
00:24:54.96\00:24:57.73
details to the end-time
scenario presented in the
00:24:57.73\00:24:59.93
book of Revelation.
00:24:59.93\00:25:01.36
This little book is going
to help you understand what the
00:25:01.36\00:25:03.66
book of Revelation is really
all about, and untangles the
00:25:03.66\00:25:06.36
end-time prophetic scenario
to let you see how the battle
00:25:06.36\00:25:08.86
between good and
evil ultimately plays out.
00:25:08.86\00:25:10.86
It's good news - God's
people ultimately triumph.
00:25:10.86\00:25:14.56
Jesus stands with His people,
and He'll stand with you.
00:25:14.56\00:25:18.56
Just call or write and
I'll send you Revelation Today .
00:25:18.56\00:25:24.30
There's no cost, no obligation.
00:25:24.30\00:25:26.73
It's absolutely free.
00:25:26.73\00:25:28.20
All you need to do is call
1-800-253-3000, and ask for
00:25:28.20\00:25:31.16
Revelation Today.
00:25:31.16\00:25:32.56
You can call 24 hours a day.
00:25:32.56\00:25:33.73
If the line's busy,
please just keep on trying.
00:25:33.73\00:25:36.56
You can also request
your free copy of Revelation
00:25:36.56\00:25:39.26
Today' by writing to: It
Is Written, Box O, Thousand
00:25:39.26\00:25:41.76
Oaks, CA 91359, and we
will mail a copy to your address
00:25:41.76\00:25:47.20
in North America.
00:25:47.20\00:25:48.73
Please note.
00:25:48.73\00:25:49.90
This free book is
limited to the supply on hand.
00:25:49.90\00:25:54.33
To get it right away you
can download a FREE electronic
00:25:54.33\00:25:55.60
version of the book
Revelation Today from our
00:25:55.60\00:25:57.50
website: itiswritten.com
It Is Written is a faith-based
00:25:57.50\00:26:01.66
ministry made
possible by viewers like you.
00:26:01.66\00:26:04.83
Thank you, for
your kind support.
00:26:04.83\00:26:07.63
Your help makes it possible
for us to share God's good
00:26:07.63\00:26:10.16
news with the world.
00:26:10.16\00:26:10.76
Your tax-deductible gift
can be sent to the address on
00:26:10.76\00:26:12.96
your screen, or you
can support us online at
00:26:12.96\00:26:14.76
itiswritten.com.
00:26:14.76\00:26:16.10
Thank you for
your continued support.
00:26:16.10\00:26:19.70
Our toll-free
number is: 1-800-253-3000.
00:26:19.70\00:26:22.80
And our web
address is: itiswritten.com
00:26:22.80\00:26:28.50
There's a great
spiritual crisis coming.
00:26:28.50\00:26:33.73
God stood with those three
young men, Shadrach, Meshach
00:26:33.73\00:26:36.13
and Abednego when
they stood for him.
00:26:36.13\00:26:37.96
Let's pray together now that
we will follow God, God's way
00:26:37.96\00:26:39.73
and stand for Him today and
tomorrow, knowing that Jesus
00:26:39.73\00:26:42.06
will stand with us.
00:26:42.06\00:26:44.23
Let's pray.
00:26:44.23\00:26:46.80
Our Father in heaven, we
thank you that we can know
00:26:46.80\00:26:49.00
you through faith in your
son Jesus, who died for us to
00:26:49.00\00:26:52.03
take care of our sin debt,
who died for us so that we in
00:26:52.03\00:26:56.23
turn could have faith in him
and receive new hearts and be
00:26:56.23\00:26:58.93
cleaned up of all of our mess.
00:26:58.93\00:27:01.60
We read in the Bible there
are challenging times ahead.
00:27:01.60\00:27:04.60
I know we don't have
to lose sleep about that.
00:27:04.60\00:27:07.06
But I also know that we
need to be making decisions now,
00:27:07.06\00:27:10.93
Lord, that our hearts
are given to you so that as
00:27:10.93\00:27:14.16
Christ lives his life in
us, we can stand for you no
00:27:14.16\00:27:17.16
matter what.
00:27:17.16\00:27:19.50
Thank you that
Jesus stand with us.
00:27:19.50\00:27:23.90
Keep us and bless us, please.
00:27:23.90\00:27:27.63
We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:27:27.63\00:27:29.43
[Music] Thank you
for joining me today.
00:27:29.43\00:27:44.86
I look forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:44.86\00:27:48.40
Until then, please remember:
It is written: Man shall not
00:27:48.40\00:27:50.30
live by bread alone, but by
every word that proceeds from
00:27:50.30\00:27:56.73
the mouth of God.
00:27:56.73\00:27:57.83
[Music]
00:27:57.83\00:28:01.33