It has stood the test of time.
00:00:06.93\00:00:09.03
God's Book, the Bible.
00:00:11.80\00:00:17.20
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:17.20\00:00:22.00
It Is Written ...
00:00:22.00\00:00:25.03
sharing hope around the globe.
00:00:25.03\00:00:28.23
"Yesterday, December 7,
1941, a day which will live in
00:00:35.40\00:00:48.20
infamy, the United States
of America was suddenly and
00:00:48.20\00:00:55.00
deliberately attacked by
naval and air forces of the
00:00:55.00\00:01:01.73
Empire of Japan."
00:01:01.73\00:01:03.96
A day that will live in
infamy, President Franklin
00:01:03.96\00:01:08.03
Roosevelt called it.
00:01:08.03\00:01:09.73
The surprise 1941 attack
on the Pacific Fleet in Hawaii
00:01:09.73\00:01:13.36
left 2,400 Americans dead.
00:01:13.36\00:01:18.03
Now later, it was discovered
that several opportunities
00:01:18.03\00:01:21.53
had been missed to anticipate
and possibly avoid the
00:01:21.53\00:01:25.50
attack.
00:01:25.50\00:01:27.06
But basically, we
never saw it coming.
00:01:27.06\00:01:30.53
Now fast forward seven years.
00:01:30.53\00:01:32.66
Journalists said at the time
of the disastrous earthquake
00:01:32.66\00:01:35.46
that hit Japan in early
2011 that one positive thing was
00:01:35.46\00:01:40.26
that of all countries,
Japan was probably the best
00:01:40.26\00:01:43.46
prepared to meet a
disaster like that one.
00:01:43.46\00:01:46.50
Yet that devastating Tsunami
still claimed thousands of
00:01:46.50\00:01:49.96
lives and caused massive damage.
00:01:49.96\00:01:52.76
Why was that?
00:01:52.76\00:01:54.46
Because nobody saw it coming.
00:01:54.46\00:01:57.43
It's impossible for
us to know the future.
00:01:57.43\00:01:59.63
Now, there is no shortage of
those who pretend to know the
00:01:59.63\00:02:04.73
future.
00:02:04.73\00:02:05.80
Psychics, astrologers and
fortune tellers claim that
00:02:05.80\00:02:09.73
they have the ability to
preview tomorrow's headlines.
00:02:09.73\00:02:13.30
But the truth is, they
wear the same blindfolds as
00:02:13.30\00:02:17.86
everybody else.
00:02:17.86\00:02:19.46
So, is there anyone who
really does know the future?
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The answer is: Yes there is.
00:02:23.03\00:02:26.16
But only one person.
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Today, we are
going back to the future.
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Time travel has always been
popular in Hollywood movies.
00:02:32.70\00:02:36.00
The Back to the Future
trilogy in the 1980's sold
00:02:36.00\00:02:38.66
almost a billion dollar's
worth of tickets worldwide.
00:02:38.66\00:02:42.46
And who hasn't dreamed of
being able to travel through
00:02:42.46\00:02:45.13
time?
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When Ias a kid growing
up, Doctor Who was big on
00:02:46.46\00:02:49.33
television.
00:02:49.33\00:02:50.33
Not that I liked it.
00:02:50.33\00:02:51.33
The story of a British
Time Lord who traveled through
00:02:51.33\00:02:54.06
time and something
called the "Tardis."
00:02:54.06\00:02:57.13
Funny how some
things don't change.
00:02:57.13\00:02:59.30
That show is still big on
television all these years
00:02:59.30\00:03:01.36
later.
00:03:01.36\00:03:02.36
But not all time
travel is fantasy.
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Some of it is very real.
00:03:05.23\00:03:08.20
Let's consider the night an
ancient king was transported
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more than 2500 years into
the future where he visited not
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only our time but
the years ahead of us.
00:03:16.73\00:03:21.40
Previewing the future is
the special province of Bible
00:03:21.40\00:03:24.90
Prophecy and what makes
this form of time travel so
00:03:24.90\00:03:28.26
fascinating is that the
future it brings to view is
00:03:28.26\00:03:31.93
100% accurate and that is
because it's revealed by the
00:03:31.93\00:03:37.23
one person in the universe
who knows exactly what the
00:03:37.23\00:03:42.50
future holds.
00:03:42.50\00:03:44.06
We are not talking about
the wild guesses of tabloid
00:03:44.06\00:03:47.03
psychics or new age channelers.
00:03:47.03\00:03:50.16
Bible prophecy has never failed.
00:03:50.16\00:03:53.13
And you know, that's a
problem for people who claim
00:03:53.13\00:03:55.96
that there is no God or that
the Bible cannot be trusted.
00:03:55.96\00:04:00.20
What do people do about
prophecies that you just
00:04:00.20\00:04:04.16
cannot argue against?
00:04:04.16\00:04:06.50
As long as we are all caught
up in this long war between
00:04:06.50\00:04:09.70
good and evil, between Christ
and Satan, it is helpful to
00:04:09.70\00:04:13.30
know not only what has
already happened, but what is
00:04:13.30\00:04:16.66
yet to come and it is
especially encouraging to
00:04:16.66\00:04:19.63
know how the war
will end and when.
00:04:19.63\00:04:23.70
So today, we travel
along with an ancient amnesiac
00:04:23.70\00:04:27.43
king, back to the future.
00:04:27.43\00:04:30.66
The story, as recorded in the
second chapter of the Bible's
00:04:30.66\00:04:33.76
Book of Daniel begins with
a King who had a vivid dream
00:04:33.76\00:04:38.50
but he could not
remember what that dream was.
00:04:38.50\00:04:41.13
Let's listen to Daniel tell
his story beginning in Daniel
00:04:41.13\00:04:44.93
2:1.
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"Now in the second year
of Nebuchadnezzar's reign,
00:04:45.93\00:04:50.13
Nebuchadnezzar had a
dream and his spirit was so
00:04:50.13\00:04:53.50
troubled that
his sleep left him."
00:04:53.50\00:04:56.83
Nebuchadnezzar was the
King who ruled the great
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Babylonian empire from
the massive walled city of
00:04:59.26\00:05:02.46
Babylon, more than 600 years
before the Birth of Christ.
00:05:02.46\00:05:05.90
The City covered 500 acres
on both sides of the Euphrates
00:05:05.90\00:05:09.50
river.
00:05:09.50\00:05:10.53
The river flowed under the
walls and through the city.
00:05:10.53\00:05:14.03
Babylon was located in
the area of the world known as
00:05:14.03\00:05:16.53
the Fertile Crescent.
00:05:16.53\00:05:18.33
It had an intricate system
of canals that irrigated lush
00:05:18.33\00:05:21.30
croplands.
00:05:21.30\00:05:22.30
Nebuchadnezzar built the
hanging gardens of Babylon,
00:05:22.30\00:05:24.93
one of the Seven
Wonders of the World.
00:05:24.93\00:05:28.20
He built them for his wife.
00:05:28.20\00:05:30.26
At the center of great
Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar built
00:05:30.26\00:05:34.50
a 300 foot shrine to
the pagan God Marduk.
00:05:34.50\00:05:39.43
He plated the walls and
roof of the building with gold.
00:05:39.43\00:05:44.06
The altar was solid
gold, as were the throne and
00:05:44.06\00:05:46.06
footstool.
00:05:46.06\00:05:47.06
It was magnificent.
00:05:47.06\00:05:49.26
But this king is perhaps
history's most famous and
00:05:49.26\00:05:51.70
significant amnesiac.
00:05:51.70\00:05:54.46
You know, amnesia can
be a pretty serious thing.
00:05:54.46\00:05:56.66
In just a moment, a man for
whom amnesia was a matter of
00:05:56.66\00:06:01.43
life and death.
00:06:01.43\00:06:03.23
Don't go away.
00:06:03.23\00:06:04.23
I'll be right back.
00:06:04.23\00:06:06.23
In Matthew 4:4, the Word of
God says: It Is Written, man
00:06:07.83\00:06:11.66
shall not live by bread
alone but by ever word that
00:06:11.66\00:06:15.40
proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:06:15.40\00:06:17.46
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:06:17.46\00:06:20.66
presented by pastor
John Bradshaw and designed
00:06:20.66\00:06:23.50
especially for
busy people like you.
00:06:23.50\00:06:26.60
Look for Every Word on
selected networks or watch it
00:06:26.60\00:06:31.66
on-line everyday on our
website, itiswritten.com.
00:06:31.66\00:06:34.73
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:06:34.73\00:06:37.80
Watch Every Word.
00:06:37.80\00:06:38.83
You'll be glad you did.
00:06:38.83\00:06:41.60
Thanks for joining
me on It Is Written.
00:06:41.60\00:06:43.80
A few years ago I heard a
remarkable radio interview
00:06:43.80\00:06:46.93
with a pastor who had
suffered total amnesia.
00:06:46.93\00:06:51.13
He couldn't remember anything.
00:06:51.13\00:06:53.13
He couldn't remember who he
was, he couldn't remember who
00:06:53.13\00:06:55.36
his family was, he
didn't remember his wife...
00:06:55.36\00:06:57.76
Even family photos
didn't bring back any memories.
00:06:57.76\00:07:00.86
He had to learn
everything all over again.
00:07:00.86\00:07:04.80
He had to get to
know his own family.
00:07:04.80\00:07:06.90
He had to get to
know his own wife again.
00:07:06.90\00:07:09.40
And he said that she even
had to teach him how to kiss,
00:07:09.40\00:07:12.00
which he said wasn't too bad...
00:07:12.00\00:07:15.76
In the Bible, a powerful
king woke up one morning and
00:07:15.76\00:07:20.03
couldn't
remember a dream he'd had.
00:07:20.03\00:07:22.03
You've been there - waking
up in the morning, knowing that
00:07:22.03\00:07:24.76
you had a dream and the
harder you try to recall it
00:07:24.76\00:07:27.66
the further away
from you it gets.
00:07:27.66\00:07:30.10
King Nebuchadnezzar
called together a phalanx of
00:07:30.10\00:07:32.20
advisors and asked them to
tell him what he had dreamed.
00:07:32.20\00:07:36.33
The story is recorded in
Daniel chapter 2, and here is
00:07:36.33\00:07:39.63
how they replied:
"O king, live forever!
00:07:39.63\00:07:44.86
Tell your servants the
d2úam, and we will give you the
00:07:44.86\00:07:47.90
interpretation."
00:07:47.90\00:07:49.16
Daniel 2:4 NKJV They figured
they could analyze the dream
00:07:49.16\00:07:52.53
and make up some sort of
interpretation once they knew
00:07:52.53\00:07:55.60
what the dream was.
00:07:55.60\00:07:57.20
But interpretation wasn't yet
the problem - the first thing
00:07:57.20\00:08:01.80
was to remember it!
00:08:01.80\00:08:03.46
King Nebuchadnezzar saw
through what they were trying
00:08:03.46\00:08:06.76
to do, and was not happy.
00:08:06.76\00:08:09.33
"Tell me the dream," he
demanded, "and then I'll know
00:08:09.33\00:08:12.30
that you can give
me its interpretation."
00:08:12.30\00:08:14.80
That is, you're supposed to
be able see into the future!
00:08:14.80\00:08:17.40
Prove it to me now!
00:08:17.40\00:08:18.60
Tell me what I dreamed.
00:08:18.60\00:08:20.96
But the wise men protested
saying: "There is not a man
00:08:20.96\00:08:24.53
on earth who can tell the
king's matter; therefore no
00:08:24.53\00:08:28.06
king, lord, or ruler has
ever asked such things of any
00:08:28.06\00:08:33.03
magician,
astrologer, or Chaldean.
00:08:33.03\00:08:35.70
Daniel 2:10 NKJV "No man
on earth who can do what you
00:08:35.70\00:08:40.60
ask" they said.
00:08:40.60\00:08:41.60
And they were right about that.
00:08:41.60\00:08:43.90
But Nebuchadnezzar
wasn't about to back off.
00:08:43.90\00:08:46.43
He knew his dream was
important, and he wanted to
00:08:46.43\00:08:49.03
know what it meant.
00:08:49.03\00:08:50.40
He became so angry that he
decreed that if the wise men
00:08:50.40\00:08:53.66
couldn't tell him his dream
and its interpretation, then
00:08:53.66\00:08:57.13
the wise men in
Babylon would be destroyed!
00:08:57.13\00:09:01.23
Now this was a problem for
prophet Daniel and three of
00:09:01.23\00:09:04.86
his friends.
00:09:04.86\00:09:05.86
Shortly after they arrived
captive in Babylon, they'd
00:09:05.86\00:09:09.26
been identified as gifted
in wisdom, they were trained as
00:09:09.26\00:09:13.10
servants for the king and
they were recognized as "wise
00:09:13.10\00:09:16.60
men."
00:09:16.60\00:09:17.60
So the death
sentence fell on them too.
00:09:17.60\00:09:21.03
Now Daniel then asked
Nebuchadnezzar himself for
00:09:21.03\00:09:23.63
time so that he could pray.
00:09:23.63\00:09:25.10
He had absolute confidence
that God would solve the
00:09:25.10\00:09:29.53
problem.
00:09:29.53\00:09:30.56
In a night vision, God
revealed the dream and its
00:09:30.56\00:09:34.53
interpretation to his servant
Daniel, and Daniel went in to
00:09:34.53\00:09:37.83
see the king.
00:09:37.83\00:09:39.30
He told him this wasn't
something an astrologer or
00:09:39.30\00:09:41.83
magician could help the king
with, and he said to the king
00:09:41.83\00:09:45.23
this, "But there is a God
in heaven who reveals secrets,
00:09:45.23\00:09:50.83
and He has made known to
King Nebuchadnezzar what will be
00:09:50.83\00:09:55.10
in the latter days."
00:09:55.10\00:09:56.90
Daniel 2:28 NKJV God was
very clear with Daniel that the
00:09:56.90\00:10:00.93
king's dream actually
foretold events that would
00:10:00.93\00:10:05.03
occur in the last
days of earth's history.
00:10:05.03\00:10:07.76
The dream began in the
days of Nebuchadnezzar, and it
00:10:07.76\00:10:10.26
moved forward generation
after generation after
00:10:10.26\00:10:13.73
generation to the last
days of earth's history.
00:10:13.73\00:10:17.90
Daniel went on to tell
the king what he had dreamed:
00:10:17.90\00:10:22.03
"You, O king, were watching;
and behold, a great image!
00:10:22.03\00:10:26.16
This great image, whose
splendor was excellent, stood
00:10:26.16\00:10:29.30
before you; and
its form was awesome.
00:10:29.30\00:10:33.10
"This image's head was of
fine gold, its chest and arms
00:10:33.10\00:10:36.60
of silver, its belly and
thighs of bronze, "its legs
00:10:36.60\00:10:40.70
of iron, its feet partly
of iron and partly of clay.
00:10:40.70\00:10:45.86
"You watched while a
stone was cut out without hands,
00:10:45.86\00:10:48.96
which struck the image on
its feet of iron and clay, and
00:10:48.96\00:10:52.76
broke them in pieces.
00:10:52.76\00:10:55.26
"Then the iron, the clay,
the bronze, the silver, and the
00:10:55.26\00:10:58.13
gold were crushed together,
and became like chaff from
00:10:58.13\00:11:02.73
the summer threshing floors;
the wind carried them away so
00:11:02.73\00:11:07.16
that no trace of them was found.
00:11:07.16\00:11:09.36
And the stone that struck the
image became a great mountain
00:11:09.36\00:11:13.13
and filled the whole earth."
00:11:13.13\00:11:15.86
Daniel 2:31-35 NKJV You
can imagine the king saying,
00:11:15.86\00:11:20.10
"Yes, that's it!
00:11:20.10\00:11:21.56
That's it!
00:11:21.56\00:11:22.56
That's exactly what I saw!"
00:11:22.56\00:11:24.60
But then he'd have said,
"But Daniel, what does it mean?"
00:11:24.60\00:11:29.50
Now notice how Daniel began
the interpretation: "You, O
00:11:29.50\00:11:33.80
King, are a king of kings .
00:11:33.80\00:11:37.83
you are this head of gold."
00:11:37.83\00:11:39.66
Daniel 2:37, 38 NKJV
History tells us the Babylonian
00:11:39.66\00:11:44.06
Empire was the dominant
world power from 605 B.C.
00:11:44.06\00:11:48.66
to 539 B.C.
00:11:48.66\00:11:50.06
History also tells us that
King Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom
00:11:50.06\00:11:54.03
was full of gold.
00:11:54.03\00:11:56.03
In the temple of Marduk
alone there was 18 tons of gold.
00:11:56.03\00:12:02.66
There was no better
way for God to describe the
00:12:02.66\00:12:04.73
Babylonian Empire than
by using the symbol of gold.
00:12:04.73\00:12:08.53
Nebuchadnezzar was happy
with this interpretation.
00:12:08.53\00:12:11.23
He liked being the head of gold.
00:12:11.23\00:12:14.63
He wanted the head of gold
to last forever, but that wasn't
00:12:14.63\00:12:18.33
to be, as Daniel explained
in verse 39: "But after you
00:12:18.33\00:12:22.86
shall arise another
kingdom inferior to yours;."
00:12:22.86\00:12:31.00
Daniel 2:39 NKJV At the
time Nebuchadnezzar had this
00:12:31.00\00:12:34.66
dream, he was secure as the
world leader, with no reason
00:12:34.66\00:12:37.53
to suspect that
that would ever change.
00:12:37.53\00:12:39.93
But Babylon was to be
overthrown by a kingdom
00:12:39.93\00:12:41.96
represented in Daniel
2:32 as "the chest and arms of
00:12:41.96\00:12:44.70
silver."
00:12:44.70\00:12:45.70
Just a few pages ahead in
your Bible, in Daniel 5:28,
00:12:45.70\00:12:48.53
the next world-ruling power
is referred to as the Medes
00:12:48.53\00:12:52.00
and the Persians.
00:12:52.00\00:12:53.23
Again, a fitting symbol:
the two arms joined at the chest
00:12:53.23\00:12:56.76
to show two kingdoms - the
Medes and Persians, who ruled
00:12:56.76\00:13:01.36
the world from 539 B.C.
00:13:01.36\00:13:03.43
to 331 B.C.
00:13:03.43\00:13:06.73
Now the story of how the
Babylonians were overthrown
00:13:06.73\00:13:08.96
is told in Daniel 5.
00:13:08.96\00:13:11.36
King Belshazzar, grandson of
King Nebuchadnezzar, hosted a
00:13:11.36\00:13:15.33
feast for a
thousand of his lords.
00:13:15.33\00:13:17.83
He called for the gold and
silver vessels captured from
00:13:17.83\00:13:20.20
the temple in
Jerusalem to be brought to him.
00:13:20.20\00:13:22.86
Now these were holy - they'd
been used in the worship of
00:13:22.86\00:13:26.76
God - yet Belshazzar used
them to drink alcohol from in
00:13:26.76\00:13:30.76
the worship of pagan gods.
00:13:30.76\00:13:33.70
In the midst of this
drunken party, a mysterious,
00:13:33.70\00:13:37.03
bloodless hand appeared
from out of the invisible sleeve
00:13:37.03\00:13:39.90
of darkness and wrote on
the wall: MENE, MENE, TEKEL,
00:13:39.90\00:13:45.93
UPHARSIN.
00:13:45.93\00:13:47.10
The interpretation of
these words spelled doom for the
00:13:47.10\00:13:50.83
mighty Babylonian Empire.
00:13:50.83\00:13:53.00
Let's read from
Daniel chapter 5.
00:13:53.00\00:13:56.93
"MENE: God has numbered
your kingdom, and finished it;
00:13:56.93\00:14:00.53
TEKEL: You have been weighed
in the balances, and found
00:14:00.53\00:14:04.33
wanting; PERES: Your kingdom
has been divided, and given
00:14:04.33\00:14:10.06
to the Medes and Persians."
00:14:10.06\00:14:11.76
Daniel 5:26-28 NKJV That very
night, the Medes and Persians
00:14:11.76\00:14:16.76
diverted the Euphrates
River that ran under the massive
00:14:16.76\00:14:21.26
walls of Babylon.
00:14:21.26\00:14:22.76
They marched their
armies straight down the dry
00:14:22.76\00:14:26.76
riverbed and came
up inside the city.
00:14:26.76\00:14:30.43
Now incredibly, a hundred
and fifty years before this,
00:14:30.43\00:14:34.80
Isaiah not only foretold
in chapters 44 and 45 just how
00:14:34.80\00:14:39.33
Babylon would be overthrown,
but he named the leader of
00:14:39.33\00:14:43.03
the army who would do it
all-Cyrus, named him in the
00:14:43.03\00:14:46.56
Bible.
00:14:46.56\00:14:47.83
Babylon was conquered in
one night by the Medo-Persian
00:14:47.83\00:14:51.66
army, led by Cyrus, just as
the Bible predicted - just as
00:14:51.66\00:14:57.20
Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream.
00:14:57.20\00:15:00.66
The Medes and Persians
ruled the world for nearly two
00:15:00.66\00:15:04.23
centuries.
00:15:04.23\00:15:05.23
But Nebuchadnezzar's
dream doesn't end there, and
00:15:05.23\00:15:09.70
neither does history.
00:15:09.70\00:15:11.16
Time marches on, one kingdom
replacing another kingdom,
00:15:11.16\00:15:15.83
just as God foretold in
the dream of Nebuchadnezzar.
00:15:15.83\00:15:20.63
Now don't miss this.
00:15:20.63\00:15:21.70
What we're seeing is that God
accurately predicted the rise
00:15:21.70\00:15:26.60
and fall of two
world-ruling kingdoms.
00:15:26.60\00:15:30.90
But what would happen next?
00:15:30.90\00:15:34.26
I'll tell you in just a moment.
00:15:34.26\00:15:37.26
Planning for your financial
future is a vital aspect of
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Christian stewardship.
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and estate services.
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we can help you, please call
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Call today or visit
our special website:
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www.hislegacy.com.
00:15:58.03\00:16:06.50
Thanks for joining me
today on It Is Written.
00:16:06.50\00:16:09.23
Today, we're unraveling
one of the most important
00:16:09.23\00:16:11.73
prophecies in the entire Bible.
00:16:11.73\00:16:14.70
I've often called this the
Master Key to Bible Prophecy,
00:16:14.70\00:16:18.30
because if you get this
foundational prophecy, you're
00:16:18.30\00:16:22.00
in a position to be able
to understand later prophecies
00:16:22.00\00:16:25.56
that build upon this one.
00:16:25.56\00:16:27.70
The prophecy we're looking
at today is the dream God gave
00:16:27.70\00:16:30.60
Nebuchadnezzar
in Daniel chapter 2.
00:16:30.60\00:16:32.96
And I'll tell you why
this is the Master Key to Bible
00:16:32.96\00:16:35.46
Prophecy.
00:16:35.46\00:16:37.06
When it comes to prophetic
interpretation, there's a
00:16:37.06\00:16:39.46
principle known as
"Repeat and Enlarge."
00:16:39.46\00:16:43.66
That is, God will lay
something out in one part of
00:16:43.66\00:16:46.26
the Bible, then He'll repeat
it later and enlarge upon it,
00:16:46.26\00:16:50.90
giving more information.
00:16:50.90\00:16:52.26
In Daniel 2 there's an image
made of various metals - and
00:16:52.26\00:16:55.86
each of those metals,
each component of the statue
00:16:55.86\00:16:59.16
represents a kingdom.
00:16:59.16\00:17:01.43
In Daniel 7, the prophecy,
the same prophecy is repeated
00:17:01.43\00:17:06.06
using different symbols -
beasts - and the prophecy is
00:17:06.06\00:17:09.73
enlarged upon as
more information is given.
00:17:09.73\00:17:12.86
This follows all the way over
to the book of Revelation as
00:17:12.86\00:17:15.53
the principle continues to
be used by the Bible writers.
00:17:15.53\00:17:19.70
So let's review.
00:17:19.70\00:17:21.40
In the book of Daniel, the
greatest monarch of his day
00:17:21.40\00:17:24.13
had an impressive dream.
00:17:24.13\00:17:26.36
He dreamed of a huge statue
made from different metals,
00:17:26.36\00:17:29.76
and discovered that the
statue represented the rise
00:17:29.76\00:17:32.76
and fall of
kingdoms, including his own.
00:17:32.76\00:17:36.50
It had a head of gold,
representing Nebuchadnezzar's
00:17:36.50\00:17:39.70
kingdom of Babylon, and
its chest & arms were made of
00:17:39.70\00:17:43.33
silver, representing
the Medo-Persian kingdom.
00:17:43.33\00:17:47.43
And young Daniel, almost
certainly not yet 20 years
00:17:47.43\00:17:50.10
old, came to the king
to interpret the dream.
00:17:50.10\00:17:53.06
To tell him what it
was, and what it meant.
00:17:53.06\00:17:56.36
Now here's what happened next.
00:17:56.36\00:17:58.36
The next kingdom is described
in Daniel 2:32 as the belly
00:17:58.36\00:18:02.80
and thighs of bronze.
00:18:02.80\00:18:05.73
More than two hundred
years before it appeared on the
00:18:05.73\00:18:07.73
world stage, Daniel actually
names Greece - in Daniel 8:21
00:18:07.73\00:18:13.06
- as this third kingdom,
which overthrew the Medes and
00:18:13.06\00:18:15.33
the Persians.
00:18:15.33\00:18:16.66
Again, the symbol is
appropriate: the Greek army
00:18:16.66\00:18:19.56
was led by Alexander
the Great, a young man who
00:18:19.56\00:18:22.00
marched his men 11,000 miles,
conquering almost all of the
00:18:22.00\00:18:25.83
then-known world before he
died from malaria at the age
00:18:25.83\00:18:28.86
of 33.
00:18:28.86\00:18:30.63
What did Alexander's
men wear into battle?
00:18:30.63\00:18:32.96
Bronze breastplates,
bronze helmets, bronze shields,
00:18:32.96\00:18:36.50
bronze swords.
00:18:36.50\00:18:38.50
Once again, God chose a
fitting metaphor to describe
00:18:38.50\00:18:40.93
the kingdom that would
rule the world from 331 B.C.
00:18:40.93\00:18:44.73
to 168 B.C.
00:18:44.73\00:18:46.13
But history doesn't end
with this third kingdom.
00:18:46.13\00:18:51.46
Greece didn't
rule the world forever.
00:18:51.46\00:18:54.66
There was a fourth metal
after the gold of Babylon,
00:18:54.66\00:18:57.73
the silver of the Medes
and Persians, the bronze of
00:18:57.73\00:19:00.60
Greece.
00:19:00.60\00:19:01.83
The next kingdom is
represented by iron: "And the
00:19:01.83\00:19:07.53
fourth kingdom shall
be as strong as iron."
00:19:07.53\00:19:10.66
Daniel 2:40 NKJV The last
kingdom to rule the entire
00:19:10.66\00:19:15.10
known world is
described as iron.
00:19:15.10\00:19:18.30
In 168 B.C.
00:19:18.30\00:19:19.53
the iron monarchy of
Rome overthrew the Greeks.
00:19:19.53\00:19:23.56
Just as legs form the longest
part of the body, Rome had
00:19:23.56\00:19:27.43
the longest reign of
any of the world powers.
00:19:27.43\00:19:30.56
Little by little, Rome rose
to power, fighting many wars
00:19:30.56\00:19:34.76
and enslaving many people.
00:19:34.76\00:19:37.06
By the time Jesus was born,
most of the then-known world
00:19:37.06\00:19:39.53
was under Roman rule.
00:19:39.53\00:19:41.36
You will remember that Joseph
and Mary were on their way to
00:19:41.36\00:19:43.90
pay taxes to the Roman ruler,
Caesar Augustus, when Jesus
00:19:43.90\00:19:47.83
was born.
00:19:47.83\00:19:48.83
For more than 500 years,
Rome appeared to be invincible
00:19:48.83\00:19:52.20
-her flag waving from the
British Isles to the Arabian
00:19:52.20\00:19:54.96
Gulf, from the North Sea
to the Sahara Desert, from the
00:19:54.96\00:19:58.03
Atlantic to the
Euphrates and beyond.
00:19:58.03\00:20:01.83
But were the Romans the
last ruling empire of the world?
00:20:01.83\00:20:06.36
What did the Bible predict?
00:20:06.36\00:20:08.23
Here is what Daniel wrote:
"Whereas you saw the feet and
00:20:08.23\00:20:11.83
toes, partly of potter's
clay and partly of iron, the
00:20:11.83\00:20:15.33
kingdom shall be divided."
00:20:15.33\00:20:17.20
Daniel 2:41 NKJV How did
the Roman Empire break up?
00:20:17.20\00:20:23.36
The empires before it
were overcome by other world
00:20:23.36\00:20:26.33
powers - but not Rome.
00:20:26.33\00:20:29.20
If this prophecy is right,
it must predict what actually
00:20:29.20\00:20:33.00
happened in history -that
the legs of iron would not be
00:20:33.00\00:20:36.10
succeeded by a
fifth world-ruling power.
00:20:36.10\00:20:40.23
History confirms that this
seemingly unconquerable Roman
00:20:40.23\00:20:43.63
Empire crumbled in two ways
- from within and from without.
00:20:43.63\00:20:50.23
Wealth poured into Rome
through taxes collected from
00:20:50.23\00:20:53.16
all over the world.
00:20:53.16\00:20:54.56
The simple Roman life
was replaced with luxury and
00:20:54.56\00:20:57.60
ease.
00:20:57.60\00:20:58.86
The political world
brewed with corruption, crime
00:20:58.86\00:21:01.83
infiltrated the streets,
the work ethic was lost and
00:21:01.83\00:21:05.36
immorality was rampant.
00:21:05.36\00:21:07.20
And as the mighty Roman
Empire weakened from within,
00:21:07.20\00:21:10.16
Rome was attacked from
without and divided into ten
00:21:10.16\00:21:14.63
major tribes.
00:21:14.63\00:21:16.56
Ten is no coincidence.
00:21:16.56\00:21:18.63
The God of the Bible
looked down through the ages of
00:21:18.63\00:21:20.66
history and foresaw
this division of ten.
00:21:20.66\00:21:23.80
Therefore, this time period
of history is symbolized by
00:21:23.80\00:21:26.70
the ten toes of
Nebuchadnezzar's image.
00:21:26.70\00:21:30.23
These ten tribes were the
Alamanni who settled in what
00:21:30.23\00:21:33.40
has become Germany, the
Franks who settled in France,
00:21:33.40\00:21:37.30
the Anglo-Saxons in England,
the Visigoths in Spain, the
00:21:37.30\00:21:41.46
Suevi in Portugal, the
Lombards in Italy, and the
00:21:41.46\00:21:45.16
Burgundians in Switzerland.
00:21:45.16\00:21:47.86
Originally the Vandals,
Ostrogoths, and Heruli took
00:21:47.86\00:21:51.23
over parts of the
Roman Empire, but they were
00:21:51.23\00:21:53.66
eventually destroyed.
00:21:53.66\00:21:55.96
Daniel 2:42, 43 predicted
history from the time of the
00:21:55.96\00:21:59.26
downfall of the Roman
Empire to the end of time.
00:21:59.26\00:22:02.80
No matter how many battles
are fought around the world,
00:22:02.80\00:22:04.96
no matter how many Hitlers
try to conquer the world, no
00:22:04.96\00:22:08.50
matter how many Napoleons,
no matter how many Charlemagnes,
00:22:08.50\00:22:11.93
no matter how many times men
try to unite the world as one
00:22:11.93\00:22:18.36
kingdom, they will not succeed.
00:22:18.36\00:22:20.36
In vain world leaders
seek to conquer the world.
00:22:20.36\00:22:23.40
The Bible says that just
as iron and clay will not mix
00:22:23.40\00:22:26.03
together, so the world
will not unite again under one
00:22:26.03\00:22:30.56
ruler again.
00:22:30.56\00:22:32.30
So where are we living today?
00:22:32.30\00:22:34.70
In the very toenails of history!
00:22:34.70\00:22:37.56
Every part of this prophecy
has come to pass except for
00:22:37.56\00:22:41.90
one.
00:22:41.90\00:22:43.16
"You watched while a
stone was cut out without hands,
00:22:43.16\00:22:46.63
which struck the image on
its feet of iron and clay, and
00:22:46.63\00:22:49.70
broke them in pieces.
00:22:49.70\00:22:51.86
"And in the days of these
kings the God of heaven will
00:22:51.86\00:22:55.70
set up a kingdom which
shall never be destroyed; ...it
00:22:55.70\00:22:59.56
shall break in pieces and
consume all these kingdoms,
00:22:59.56\00:23:04.43
and it shall stand forever.
00:23:04.43\00:23:07.03
Daniel 2:34, 44 NKJV History
has followed this prophecy
00:23:07.03\00:23:13.66
like a blueprint and
will continue to do so.
00:23:13.66\00:23:17.93
The political workings of
this planet aren't random.
00:23:17.93\00:23:21.70
God has been guiding and
controlling all along, and
00:23:21.70\00:23:25.23
only one kingdom remains
to rule the world - God's
00:23:25.23\00:23:29.40
kingdom.
00:23:29.40\00:23:30.33
That rock, cut out
without hands, that is the one
00:23:30.33\00:23:33.46
kingdom, which
will rule forever.
00:23:33.46\00:23:37.66
John, in Revelation speaks
about this coming kingdom, he
00:23:37.66\00:23:40.40
says this: "And there
were loud voices in heaven,
00:23:40.40\00:23:44.93
saying, 'The kingdoms of
this world have become the
00:23:44.93\00:23:48.00
kingdoms of our Lord and
of His Christ, and He shall
00:23:48.00\00:23:52.23
reign forever and ever."
00:23:52.23\00:23:55.80
Revelation 11:15 That's
the only kingdom left to be
00:23:55.80\00:23:59.26
established.
00:23:59.26\00:24:00.33
Soon Jesus Christ, the
Messiah, born in a stable in
00:24:00.33\00:24:05.23
Bethlehem 2000 years ago,
is going to visit us again.
00:24:05.23\00:24:09.63
The heavens will depart as
a scroll, and Christ and the
00:24:09.63\00:24:13.86
angels of heaven will descend
to the earth and gather the
00:24:13.86\00:24:17.30
waiting saints of God.
00:24:17.30\00:24:19.23
And as the Bible says,
"So shall we ever be with the
00:24:19.23\00:24:24.40
Lord."
00:24:24.40\00:24:26.00
today: one, the
Bible can be trusted.
00:24:26.00\00:24:30.56
This prophecy is startlingly
accurate, just like so many
00:24:30.56\00:24:33.56
other prophecies
in the Word of God.
00:24:33.56\00:24:36.10
You can have confidence
in God's Word.nd if the
00:24:36.10\00:24:39.30
prophecy is to be trusted
- and we'veseen that it is -
00:24:39.30\00:24:41.50
then we can know that
Jesus is coming back to this
00:24:41.50\00:24:44.83
world...
00:24:44.83\00:24:45.83
soon.
00:24:45.83\00:24:48.03
Let me ask you, friend.
00:24:48.03\00:24:49.03
Are you ready?
00:24:49.03\00:24:50.03
Ready for that great day?
00:24:50.03\00:24:51.70
Do you know Jesus Christ?
00:24:51.70\00:24:54.03
Have you made that
simple decision to trust Him, to
00:24:54.03\00:24:57.03
have faith in Him, to
accept Jesus as your Saviour?
00:24:57.03\00:25:02.63
If not, you can choo right
now and allow Jesus to be the
00:25:02.63\00:25:08.20
centre of your life.
00:25:08.20\00:25:10.40
Let's do that right now.
00:25:10.40\00:25:11.40
Let's pray.
00:25:11.40\00:25:13.13
Our Father in heaven, what
a blessing to know that your
00:25:13.13\00:25:16.13
Word is sure.
00:25:16.13\00:25:17.93
How thankful men and women
around the world can be that
00:25:17.93\00:25:21.83
there is something that
can be trusted and someone who
00:25:21.83\00:25:25.26
can be trusted, just as
you have traced history with
00:25:25.26\00:25:29.46
unerring accuracy.
00:25:29.46\00:25:32.50
Lord, we know Jesus will
soon return and set up that
00:25:32.50\00:25:35.50
kingdom that
will never pass away.
00:25:35.50\00:25:37.80
We want to be part of it.
00:25:37.80\00:25:40.03
So we choose
now to choose Jesus.
00:25:40.03\00:25:43.43
We invite you into our lives.
00:25:43.43\00:25:45.60
I ask you to live in us
both to will and to do for your
00:25:45.60\00:25:49.86
good pleasure and let us
be prepared through Jesus for
00:25:49.86\00:25:53.50
that great day
when Jesus returns.
00:25:53.50\00:25:56.30
This we pray thanking
you in Jesus' name, amen.
00:25:56.30\00:26:04.66
I hope you'll get the book
00:26:11.60\00:26:17.60
I'm offering you this week,
it's called Revelation Today.
00:26:24.53\00:26:26.96
It adds a lot of
details to the end-time scenario
00:26:26.96\00:26:29.96
presented in the
Book of Revelation.
00:26:29.96\00:26:31.96
This little book is going
to help you understand what the
00:26:31.96\00:26:34.43
Book of Revelation
is really all about.
00:26:34.43\00:26:36.86
It untangles the end-time
prophetic scenario to let you
00:26:36.86\00:26:38.96
see how the battle
between good and evil ultimately
00:26:38.96\00:26:41.53
plays out.
00:26:41.53\00:26:42.53
Just call or write and I
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If the line is busy,
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You can also request your
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00:27:15.70\00:27:17.70
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00:27:17.70\00:27:20.83
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00:27:20.83\00:27:23.03
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00:27:27.23\00:27:29.33
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Our toll-free number is
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00:27:48.90\00:27:50.76
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:50.76\00:27:51.76
I look forward to
seeing you next time.
00:27:51.76\00:27:53.96
Until en remember - It Is
Written: man shall not live
00:27:53.96\00:27:58.33
by bread alone, but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:58.33\00:28:01.30