¤[Music in foreign language]¤
00:00:18.61\00:00:27.39
I'm John Bradshaw. >>John
Bradshaw: This iIt Is Written.
Thanks for joining me.
00:00:28.96\00:00:31.73
m in Zimbabwe, Africa,
the country once known as
00:00:31.76\00:00:37.53
RhRhodesia. It's a country
with a lo and colorful history.
00:00:37.57\00:00:40.70
Colonists arrived Independence
was here in the e 1880s.
00:00:43.67\00:00:47.04
declared in
1965. Civil war folled.
00:00:47.08\00:00:48.88
And since 1980
Zimbabwe has been a republic.
00:00:48.91\00:00:52.68
Thcountry has a
population of around 14 million
00:00:52.71\00:00:55.75
and 16 official languages.s.
00:00:55.78\00:00:59.05
Zimbabwe is about the The
capital, Harare, size of the
statate of Montana. is in the
00:01:03.46\00:01:06.13
northeast, and today
we're traveling fromight about
00:01:06.16\00:01:08.73
the middle of the
cocountry, in the city of Gweru,
00:01:08.76\00:01:11.57
and heading toee
some fascinating history.
00:01:11.60\00:01:14.60
We're traveling a
little over 200 kilomets,
00:01:14.64\00:01:16.97
or what will
bee about 130 miles,
00:01:17.01\00:01:19.37
just beyond the wn of Mashvingo,
00:01:19.41\00:01:21.84
to Great Zimbabwe,
remarkabable ancient ruins
00:01:21.88\00:01:25.95
that shine a light into
thdeep history of this land.
00:01:25.98\00:01:30.62
Therere's something
fascinating, something compelng,
00:01:30.65\00:01:33.49
abt archaeological
sites, about artifacts.
00:01:33.52\00:01:37.43
They speak to us
about bygone era,
00:01:37.46\00:01:40.06
and they
transport us into the past.
00:01:40.10\00:01:43.23
They raise a lot of questions.
00:01:43.26\00:01:44.63
They ask us, where did
these civilizatis come from?
00:01:44.67\00:01:47.97
Where did ththey go?
00:01:48.00\00:01:49.40
What did the p people who
lived here at the time do?
00:01:49.44\00:01:52.87
They raise a lot of
ququestions because,
00:01:52.91\00:01:55.48
as you realize when n you
come to a place like this,
00:01:55.51\00:01:58.85
stones don talk.
00:01:58.88\00:02:01.95
Real peoe lived here once.
00:02:01.98\00:02:04.35
They lived, they
loved, ey worked, they played,
00:02:04.39\00:02:08.32
they created, they earned,
theyey celebrated, they died.
00:02:08.36\00:02:15.00
Thatat was long ago.
00:02:15.03\00:02:16.87
Some of the world's most iconic
locatis are historic sites.
00:02:16.90\00:02:21.94
The pyramids of Egypt that speak
ofof the might of the pharaohs,
00:02:21.97\00:02:26.34
remind us  the time God's
people spent in captivity.
00:02:26.37\00:02:30.38
The Mayan ruins in Mexico,
00:02:30.41\00:02:32.81
Machu Picchu in Peru
00:02:32.85\00:02:34.82
the Great Wall of China,
00:02:34.85\00:02:36.58
Rome w with the
Coliseum and the Forum,
00:02:36.62\00:02:39.72
AnAngkor Wat in Cambodia.
00:02:39.75\00:02:42.46
They give usus a glimpse
into how people used to live
00:02:42.49\00:02:46.70
and how societies
usused to operate.
00:02:46.73\00:02:50.53
But there's so
much more we don't kn
00:02:50.57\00:02:52.37
about whatappened
to these civilizations.
00:02:52.40\00:02:55.70
w did they develop?
How did they disappear?
00:02:55.74\00:03:00.44
What would these stones tell us
00:03:00.48\00:03:03.41
if they could talk?
00:03:03.45\00:03:05.08
When it comes to the
birth of civilizions,
00:03:05.11\00:03:07.28
there are two opposing theories.
00:03:07.32\00:03:09.42
The first onsays that
civilizations developed
00:03:09.45\00:03:12.29
in different places around
the woworld independent of each
00:03:12.32\00:03:16.42
other. The second
theory, the diffusionist theory,
00:03:16.46\00:03:19.13
says that civililizations began
in one place and then spread t
00:03:19.16\00:03:23.63
araround the world from there.
00:03:23.67\00:03:25.17
This was the theory promotedby
the Norwegian anthropologist
00:03:25.20\00:03:28.27
and adventurer Thor Heyerdahl.
00:03:28.30\00:03:30.74
DuDuring his famous
Kon-Tiki expedition in 194
00:03:30.77\00:03:35.31
he sailed a primitive
raft built from balsa wood
00:03:35.34\00:03:39.31
acro the Pacific Ocean.
00:03:39.35\00:03:41.45
Heyerdahl's goal was to
prove that a ancient mariners
00:03:41.48\00:03:44.75
could have c crossed the Pacific
00:03:44.79\00:03:46.45
or the
Atlantic,c, for that matter,
00:03:46.49\00:03:47.99
showing
cicivilizations could spread
00:03:48.02\00:03:50.36
from one continent t to another.
00:03:50.39\00:03:53.40
These are the
remains of a lost civilizaon
00:03:54.66\00:03:57.63
in the heart of
Africaca, in central Zimbabwe.
00:03:57.67\00:04:01.47
This is what was once the stone
kingdodom of Great Zimbabwe.
00:04:01.50\00:04:07.11
It's thought the word
"Zimbabwe" means essentially
00:04:07.14\00:04:10.58
"stone houses," which
isfitting enough, for sure.
00:04:10.61\00:04:15.45
During the late African
iron age, this was a great city,
00:04:15.48\00:04:20.26
the capital of the
kikingdom of Zimbabwe.
00:04:20.29\00:04:23.43
At its peak, it was the largest
settment in southern Africa.
00:04:23.46\00:04:29.70
nstruction of
what you see here today
00:04:29.73\00:04:32.13
began in around
ththe 12th century.
00:04:32.17\00:04:35.74
By the time Portuguese elorers
got here in the early 1500s,
00:04:35.77\00:04:40.41
the civilization was gone,
00:04:40.44\00:04:42.28
and all that
remained Great Zimbabwe...
00:04:42.31\00:04:46.48
were these ruins.
00:04:46.51\00:04:48.32
Now, most likekely,
00:04:48.35\00:04:49.85
Greaeat Zimbabwe
served as the royal palace
00:04:49.88\00:04:52.85
for the Zimbmbabwean monarch.
00:04:52.89\00:04:54.89
And what's so
impressive about t this place,
00:04:54.92\00:04:57.46
or one of f the many impressive
things about this plac
00:04:57.49\00:05:01.10
is tt, like Machu Picchu,
00:05:01.13\00:05:03.16
it's all built
entirely without mortar.r.
00:05:03.20\00:05:07.77
You get up close to
these struures and you realize
00:05:07.80\00:05:11.21
just how
impressive they truly are,
00:05:11.24\00:05:14.38
There are a lot of otherer
similar all of it built one
ruins throughout Zimbabwe, stone
00:05:19.01\00:05:22.58
at a a time. but this
one's e most prominent.
00:05:22.62\00:05:24.75
Th's why it's
called Great Zimbabwe.
00:05:24.79\00:05:27.46
That term "great"
sets this place apart
00:05:27.49\00:05:30.03
from all othe
other, smaller Zimbabwes.
00:05:30.06\00:05:33.19
There arare other theories
about Great Zimbabwe's pas
00:05:33.23\00:05:36.26
It was at the inintersection
of major slave trade routes.
00:05:36.30\00:05:39.77
It's been suggested
that slavaves were held here,
00:05:39.80\00:05:43.20
and that the stonewowork
here can be traced to India,
00:05:43.24\00:05:46.54
where slave
tradaders originated.
00:05:46.57\00:05:49.08
Inside these w walls
there's what appears to be
00:05:49.11\00:05:51.38
a speaker'platform,
00:05:51.41\00:05:53.72
which gave rise to the
theory that this enclosure
00:05:53.75\00:05:55.92
was a place of education,
00:05:55.95\00:05:58.35
initiation school where
younger members of socieiety
00:05:58.39\00:06:01.96
were t taught the rules
and customs of the culture.
00:06:01.99\00:06:07.23
Visiting historic sites
00:06:07.23\00:06:09.06
transports you back into e past.
00:06:09.10\00:06:11.37
And that's
whatreading the Bible does.
00:06:11.40\00:06:13.60
The last book of the Bible w was
penned almost 2,000 years ago.
00:06:13.64\00:06:17.61
And when you read thBible,
00:06:17.64\00:06:18.84
u're transported back into a
bygone era, or bygonone eras.
00:06:18.87\00:06:23.98
Read the Bible, and youu
discover kingdoms and empires
00:06:24.01\00:06:27.32
and nations which we once
mighty, but have long since,
00:06:27.35\00:06:31.82
like Great Zimbabwe,
passed off the world's s stage.
00:06:31.85\00:06:36.46
Orou read about
nations, empires,
00:06:36.49\00:06:38.76
kingdoms once they floururished,
00:06:38.79\00:06:41.53
but today they've,
they've lost tir former glory.
00:06:41.56\00:06:45.20
Now, there was ann
interesting theory floated
00:06:45.23\00:06:47.47
about this place some years
ago that conneed Great Zimbabwe
00:06:47.50\00:06:52.04
directctly with the Bible.
00:06:52.07\00:06:54.44
I'll tell you more in
just a mome. ¤[Music]¤
00:06:56.31\00:07:05.69
>>John: I'd love for you
to t this week's free offer,
00:07:06.76\00:07:09.49
my conversatation with
archaeologist Dr. Michael Hasel,
00:07:09.52\00:07:12.29
demonstrating how recent
archaeological discoveveries
00:07:12.33\00:07:15.50
validate the Bible.
00:07:15.53\00:07:17.13
I'd love you to have this, and
can be yours absolutely free.
00:07:17.17\00:07:20.94
To get "Digging Up the
Truth," a D presentation,
00:07:20.97\00:07:24.04
and it free, call
us on 800-253-3000,
00:07:24.07\00:07:28.58
800-25253-3000.
00:07:28.61\00:07:30.81
Write to the
address on your screen,
00:07:30.85\00:07:32.68
or visit us onne
at ItIsWritten.com.
00:07:32.71\00:07:36.05
¤usic]¤
00:07:37.39\00:07:40.56
>>John: Planning
for yr financial future
00:07:40.59\00:07:42.32
is a vital aspect
of Christn stewardship.
00:07:42.36\00:07:45.53
For this reason, It Is Wtten
00:07:45.56\00:07:46.73
is pleased to offer free planned
giving and estate services.
00:07:46.76\00:07:50.83
For information on
how we can help you,
00:07:50.87\00:07:52.77
please call800-992-2219.
00:07:52.80\00:07:56.87
To receive additional material
on the advantages s of life
00:07:56.91\00:08:00.34
income planans such as
a charitable gift annuity,
00:08:00.38\00:08:02.94
which can provide you with
tax benefits a income for life,
00:08:02.94\00:08:06.75
call today or visit
our special website,e,
00:08:06.78\00:08:09.78
www.HisLegacy.y.com.
00:08:09.82\00:08:14.16
You u could also
write to It Is Written,
00:08:14.19\00:08:16.02
Planned Giving anTrust Services,
00:08:16.06\00:08:18.56
P O Bo6,
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401.
00:08:18.59\00:08:23.50
Our toll-free number
again is 800-992-22199
00:08:23.53\00:08:27.87
and our web
address is sLegacy.com.
00:08:27.90\00:08:31.41
¤[Music]¤
00:08:31.44\00:08:36.18
>>John: This is It Is Written.
00:08:40.15\00:08:41.38
I'm John Braradshaw.
Thanks for joining me today
00:08:41.42\00:08:43.92
at Great Zimbabwe
00:08:43.95\00:08:45.62
in the country of
Zimbabwe isouthern Africa.
00:08:45.65\00:08:49.26
Several hundred years
ago, ere was a thriving kingdom
00:08:49.29\00:08:52.56
that flourisd right
here on this very spot.
00:08:52.59\00:08:55.86
Today, all we ve is rocks
and the occasional tourist.
00:08:55.90\00:09:01.74
In the 1870s, a Germanxplorer
came here and he, he popularized
00:09:01.77\00:09:05.97
a a theory that
suggested that this place
00:09:06.01\00:09:09.78
had a very
ieresting biblical connection.
00:09:09.81\00:09:13.05
And he wasn't the only person to
hahave come to that conclusion.
00:09:13.08\00:09:16.69
Now, in the book of 1
Kings and chapteter 10,
00:09:16.72\00:09:19.82
we come across the
story of King Solomon
00:09:19.85\00:09:22.79
entertaining a very
important visititor.
00:09:22.82\00:09:25.86
Now,When the queen of Sheba
00:09:25.89\00:09:27.86
"heard of the fame oSolomon
concerning the name of the Lord,
00:09:27.86\00:09:31.63
he came to test him
with hard questions.
00:09:31.67\00:09:34.97
"She came to Jerusalem
with a very great retinue,
00:09:35.00\00:09:38.14
"with camels that bore s spices,
00:09:38.17\00:09:40.58
"very much gold,
and precious stotones;
00:09:40.61\00:09:43.75
"and when she came to Solomon,
00:09:43.78\00:09:45.95
she spoke with him about
all that was in r heart."
00:09:45.98\00:09:48.82
First Kings 10, rses 1 and 2.
00:09:48.85\00:09:52.29
"Then she gave the king
00:09:52.32\00:09:53.99
"one hundred and
twenty talents ogold,
00:09:54.02\00:09:56.99
"spices in great
quantity, anprecious stones.
00:09:57.03\00:10:01.10
"There never again
came such abundance of spes
00:10:01.13\00:10:04.27
as t queen of Sheba
gave to King Solomon."
00:10:04.30\00:10:07.64
First Kings 10verse 10.
00:10:07.67\00:10:09.97
A hundred antwenty
talents is a lot of gold.
00:10:10.01\00:10:13.81
That's over fourur tons of gold.
00:10:13.84\00:10:17.38
Can't imagine how many
camels it toothe queen of Sheba
00:10:17.41\00:10:19.78
to transport all that
goldo Solomon's place.
00:10:19.81\00:10:23.15
Well, the Bible goes on to say
ththat when the queen of Sheba
00:10:23.18\00:10:25.45
finished her visit, she
left a and went back home.
00:10:25.49\00:10:29.59
"Now King Solomon gave the
queen of Sheball she desired,
00:10:29.62\00:10:33.56
"whatever she asked, besides
what Solomon had g given her
00:10:33.60\00:10:36.56
"accordingng to
the royal generosity.
00:10:36.60\00:10:39.43
"So she turned and
went to o her own country,
00:10:39.47\00:10:42.44
she d her
servants." First Kings 10:13.
00:10:42.47\00:10:46.07
The theory was floated f a
while that the queen of Sheba
00:10:46.11\00:10:49.11
came fm Africa,
00:10:49.14\00:10:50.78
and that this was
where r kingdom was located.
00:10:50.81\00:10:54.28
Thing is, the Bible doest
have anything at all to say
00:10:54.32\00:10:57.99
Some early archaeologists about
where thqueen was built by Arab,
believe that Grereat Zimbabwe of
00:11:04.89\00:11:08.20
Sheba's home was. Egyptian,
Phoenician, and even Roman
00:11:08.23\00:11:10.30
immigrants. They said these
structures resesemble those seen
00:11:10.33\00:11:14.00
in Arabia. Some suggested
00:11:14.04\00:11:15.50
the city was built by
the lostribes of Israel.
00:11:15.54\00:11:19.11
But a lot of what
prompted most of thostheories
00:11:19.14\00:11:21.68
was nothing more than racism
00:11:21.71\00:11:24.88
If you stop and think abouout
some of the regrettable aspects
00:11:24.91\00:11:27.92
of southern
Africa's early histotory,
00:11:27.95\00:11:30.25
en you realize there
were plenty of people
00:11:30.29\00:11:32.42
who didn't w want others
thinking that black Africans
00:11:32.45\00:11:34.82
were capable of
building a colex like this.
00:11:34.86\00:11:38.23
Today, however,
archaeologists agreeee:
00:11:38.26\00:11:40.96
this place was
built by Africanans.
00:11:40.96\00:11:44.20
Now, kingdoms
comeand kingdoms go.
00:11:44.23\00:11:45.90
If you were living
re in the 14th century,
00:11:45.93\00:11:49.20
it probably would ha been
impossible for you to imagine
00:11:49.24\00:11:52.94
that a place as werful,
00:11:52.97\00:11:54.71
as great, as sweeping and as
prosperous as this,s, would ever
00:11:59.65\00:12:02.12
come ...this. Well,
that's what happens over time.
00:12:02.15\00:12:04.52
Kingngdoms come and kingdoms go.
00:12:04.55\00:12:06.76
Think abt kingdoms
and empires in the Bible.
00:12:06.79\00:12:10.09
Let's take a moment to
thihink about some of them now,
00:12:10.13\00:12:12.46
consider what they once wewere
00:12:12.49\00:12:14.50
and consider where they are tay.
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.13
Long ago, eat
pharaohs ruled Egypt.
00:12:17.17\00:12:20.54
AnAnd Egypt, an African
country, was a great naon.
00:12:20.57\00:12:24.91
Moses was a son
Africa, born in Egypt.
00:12:24.94\00:12:28.94
Before his birth, a great famine
cacaused Jacob and his family
00:12:28.98\00:12:32.45
to come to Egypt for food.
00:12:32.48\00:12:34.72
And then they lived in Egypt
00:12:34.75\00:12:35.75
when Joseph was
the prime minister.
00:12:35.78\00:12:38.29
The magnificent
pyramids and the wlth of Egypt
00:12:38.32\00:12:42.09
testify that this was a
seriously y great nation.
00:12:42.12\00:12:46.33
But pharaoh
hardened his heart agait God,
00:12:46.36\00:12:49.80
d that once great nation
can today hardly be descscribed
00:12:49.80\00:12:53.77
as great or, in
recent years, even stabable.
00:12:53.80\00:12:57.44
A popupulation of
90 million people,
00:12:57.47\00:13:00.44
and it's not any
kind of ecomic powerhouse.
00:13:00.48\00:13:02.61
In fact,t, every year
Egypt receives more than
00:13:02.64\00:13:05.01
a billion dollars in mility
aid from the United States.
00:13:05.05\00:13:09.52
Then there's
the Assyrian Empire.
00:13:09.55\00:13:12.25
Nineveh, theity
Jonah was sent to by God,
00:13:12.29\00:13:14.82
wawas part of
the Assyrian Empire.
00:13:14.86\00:13:16.86
It was a great, powerful
and prosperous empire.e.
00:13:16.89\00:13:19.46
But by the time the sixtxth
century B.C. rolled around,
00:13:19.49\00:13:23.40
the Assyrian Empire was gone.
00:13:23.43\00:13:26.97
And what was known as Ninevehh
00:13:27.00\00:13:28.30
is today known a as
Mosul in northern Iraq:
00:13:28.34\00:13:31.51
hardly powerful, and
certainly nonot prosperous.
00:13:31.54\00:13:34.61
Egypt was conquered by Babylon.
00:13:34.64\00:13:37.55
Now, thawas a mighty kingdom.
00:13:37.58\00:13:39.95
Ruled by
Nebuchadnezzar in Bib times,
00:13:39.98\00:13:42.78
the book of Daniel records
Nebuchadnenezzar surveying
00:13:42.82\00:13:45.42
Babylon one day
and sayi with pride,
00:13:45.45\00:13:47.69
"Is this n not great
Babylon that I have built
00:13:47.72\00:13:50.43
"for the house of the
ngdom by the might of my power,
00:13:50.46\00:13:53.70
and for the e
honor of my people?"
00:13:53.73\00:13:56.13
In 1899, a Germaman
archaeologist working among the
00:13:56.16\00:14:00.74
ruins of the ancient city
of Babylon found a cucuneiform
00:14:00.77\00:14:04.34
tablet on which
Nebuchadnezzar had inscribed,
00:14:04.37\00:14:06.84
"O Babylon, the
delighof mine eyes,
00:14:06.88\00:14:10.58
the excellency of my
kingdomom. May it last forever!"
00:14:10.61\00:14:16.52
But as mighty as it was,
Babylon was doney 539 B.C.
00:14:16.55\00:14:22.96
Gone. And today, i in spite of
Saddam Hussein's best efforts,
00:14:22.99\00:14:27.60
old Babylon is
history. And that's all it is.
00:14:27.66\00:14:32.17
Kingdoms come and kingdoms go.o.
00:14:32.20\00:14:34.67
Once-powowerful rulers
become historical footnotes.
00:14:34.70\00:14:37.64
Thrivingowns die
off. Borders are redrawn.
00:14:37.67\00:14:41.58
And people, well, we knowwhat
invariably happens there. Does
anything last forever?
00:14:47.15\00:14:49.55
Back with morere
in just a moment.
00:14:49.58\00:14:51.85
¤[Music]¤
00:14:51.89\00:15:00.96
¤[Music]¤
00:15:03.16\00:15:04.30
>>nouncer: In Matthew
4:4, the Word of God says,
00:15:04.33\00:15:07.10
"It is written, 'Man
shall not ve by bread alone,
00:15:07.14\00:15:10.04
but by every word d that
proceeds from the mouth of
00:15:10.07\00:15:13.91
God.'" Every Word is a
one-minute Bible-basesed daily
00:15:13.94\00:15:17.18
devotional presenteted
by Pastor John Bradshaw
00:15:17.21\00:15:19.41
and designed e especially
for busy people like you.
00:15:19.45\00:15:22.32
Look for Every
Word onelected networks
00:15:22.35\00:15:25.19
or w watch it online
every day on our website,
00:15:25.22\00:15:27.59
ItIsWritten.com.
00:15:27.62\00:15:29.69
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:15:29.72\00:15:31.76
Watch EverWord.
You'll be glad you did.
00:15:31.79\00:15:34.66
Here's a sample.
00:15:34.73\00:15:37.97
¤[Every Wd theme music]¤
00:15:38.00\00:15:43.57
>>John Bdshaw:
Thanks for joining me.
00:15:43.61\00:15:44.84
The book of
Daniel is fafascinating.
00:15:44.87\00:15:46.94
It shows that God's plans
are going to be workeded out
00:15:46.98\00:15:49.31
and will not be
frustratated by anyone.
00:15:49.34\00:15:52.41
In the dream of Daniel
2, Nebuadnezzar's image
00:15:52.45\00:15:54.98
showed the rise and the fall of
nations, including the fall of
00:15:57.29\00:15:59.62
Babylon, right dodown
till the time of Jesus' return.
00:15:59.65\00:16:02.99
But Nebuchadnear
didn't like that.
00:16:03.02\00:16:04.43
He thought Babyl
should last forever.
00:16:04.46\00:16:06.49
So he built a golden
statutdeclaring Babylon
00:16:06.53\00:16:08.93
shouldever be overthrown.
00:16:08.96\00:16:11.07
One day hehe's admiring
his capital city when he says:
00:16:11.10\00:16:13.80
"Is not this great
Babylothat I have built
00:16:13.84\00:16:16.57
"for a royal
dwelllling by my mighty power
00:16:16.60\00:16:19.21
anfor the honor of my
majesty?" Daniel 4:30.
00:16:19.24\00:16:22.54
But by the time
the chapter's over,
00:16:22.58\00:16:23.88
Nebuchadnezzar is
a believer in God.
00:16:23.91\00:16:26.21
Not only did Bababylon pass
away; Nebuchadnezzar was saved.
00:16:26.25\00:16:31.29
God's plplans always
work out for the best.
00:16:31.32\00:16:34.59
Let's live today by ery word.
00:16:34.62\00:16:37.23
¤[Music]¤
00:16:38.99\00:16:42.36
>>John: ThThanks for joining
me today on It Is Written.
00:16:42.40\00:16:45.33
Amonong other things,
the Bible is a book of histo.
00:16:45.37\00:16:49.57
It contains the rerecord
of historical figures like
00:16:49.60\00:16:52.11
kings and caesars,
00:16:52.14\00:16:53.74
historical events susuch as
the exodus and the diaspora.
00:16:53.78\00:16:57.31
And it speaks of natioions that
were once mighty and prominent,
00:16:57.35\00:17:00.62
but haveve since
either disappeared from
00:17:00.65\00:17:02.15
the global stagege or are merely
shadows of their former selves
00:17:02.18\00:17:06.72
In the booof Daniel,
00:17:06.76\00:17:08.06
you read about a
succession of great kingdoms,,
00:17:08.09\00:17:10.06
beginning with t
kingdom of Babylon.
00:17:10.09\00:17:12.56
In Daniel, chapter 2, it's
represented as the heaead of
00:17:12.59\00:17:15.26
gold on a statue dreamed
of by King Nebuchadnezzar
00:17:15.30\00:17:18.83
And in Daniel 7,
00:17:18.87\00:17:20.14
it's represented by y a
lion with eagle's wings.
00:17:20.17\00:17:24.44
But not even great
Babybylon could last forever,
00:17:24.47\00:17:28.18
which is phenomenal
consideringthe might of Babylon.
00:17:28.21\00:17:31.58
But Dani spoke to
the king and said,
00:17:31.61\00:17:33.21
"Aft you shall arise another
kingdom inferior to yoururs."
00:17:33.25\00:17:36.95
That's Daniel 2:39.
00:17:36.99\00:17:38.62
Babylon was gone, pushed aside
in one night while its ruler,
00:17:38.65\00:17:43.39
Belshazzar, was
partying theight away.
00:17:43.43\00:17:47.13
Medo-Persia was
a powerful empire.
00:17:47.20\00:17:49.66
It ruled when Queen
EsEsther came onto the stage.
00:17:49.70\00:17:52.60
Daniel was put intthe lion's
den by a Medo-Persian king.
00:17:52.63\00:17:56.81
There are ruins and
artifacts thatpeak of the might
00:17:56.84\00:18:00.04
of the Medo-Persian Empire,
00:18:00.08\00:18:01.71
ich occupied a significant
chunk of the Middle EaEast,
00:18:01.74\00:18:05.21
inuding what today we call Iran.
00:18:05.21\00:18:08.92
And after
Medo-Persia was Greece,
00:18:08.95\00:18:11.29
which was dominant f from around
331 B.C. to about 168 B.C.
00:18:11.32\00:18:17.03
and figured in the Bible as the
midstion of brass in Daniel 2,
00:18:17.06\00:18:22.00
the leopard in Daniel 7,
and the goat in Daniel 8.
00:18:22.03\00:18:26.53
The influence
of the Greek Empire
00:18:26.57\00:18:28.27
is still ft today
through literature,
00:18:28.30\00:18:30.94
politi,
philosophy and architecture.
00:18:30.97\00:18:34.04
But Alexander the Great's
once-mighty emre is today
00:18:34.08\00:18:37.28
just...a relelic of the past.
00:18:37.31\00:18:40.68
Like Great Zimbabwbwe,
it speaks to a bygone era.
00:18:40.72\00:18:44.95
But it doesn't
speak of present-day might
00:18:44.99\00:18:47.89
Its sun one brightly, but now
that sun has well and truly y
00:18:47.92\00:18:53.56
set. Now, from a
biical perspective,
00:18:53.60\00:18:55.56
the next great nation that
emerged on t the world scene
00:18:55.60\00:18:58.67
was Rome,
00:18:58.70\00:19:00.24
Through legal systems, political
which dominated the world
syststems, architecture,
00:19:04.67\00:19:08.41
language, untitil the fifth
century A.D. and even religion,
maybespecially religion,
00:19:08.44\00:19:12.01
the fluence of Rome is
still felt in the world today.y.
00:19:12.05\00:19:15.28
In the book of Daniel,
00:19:15.32\00:19:16.45
Rome is represented as the
legs of ironon in chapter 2,
00:19:16.48\00:19:20.52
and as aeast, an
animal, in Daniel 7.
00:19:20.56\00:19:24.43
But the Roman n Empire today?
00:19:24.46\00:19:26.76
Gone. No more.
00:19:26.80\00:19:28.83
VisiRome, and as
beautiful as it is,
00:19:28.86\00:19:31.20
it speaks of a mighty empirere
that was, and not one that is.
00:19:31.23\00:19:36.64
You'll f find ruins of a
Roman wall in London, England.
00:19:36.67\00:19:40.48
The wallbegun in the second
century by the emperor Hadririan
00:19:40.51\00:19:43.45
to separate Scotland
from E England, still stands.
00:19:43.48\00:19:46.78
t the mighty Roman Empire?
00:19:46.82\00:19:48.62
at is gone.
00:19:48.65\00:19:51.29
Now, bring it down closer today.
00:19:51.32\00:19:53.12
The Soviet Union is no more.
00:19:53.15\00:19:55.19
Communism has come to
an end almost everywhere.
00:19:55.22\00:19:58.13
There's no more
Yugoslavia, no Czechoslovakia.a.
00:19:58.16\00:20:01.06
Go back a little biturther,
00:20:01.10\00:20:02.40
and now there's
no Ottoman Empire.
00:20:02.43\00:20:04.83
And we're now w living in
a time of some considerable
00:20:04.87\00:20:07.24
political instabity.
00:20:07.27\00:20:09.07
It seems that almost
anything could happen.
00:20:09.10\00:20:12.47
The United Statates
arose from out of obscurity.
00:20:12.51\00:20:15.51
Today it's's the
world's only true superpower.
00:20:15.54\00:20:18.95
Will it last forever?
00:20:18.98\00:20:20.72
Well, Nebuchadnezzar t thought
that Babylon would last forever.
00:20:20.75\00:20:23.45
And the people w who
lived in Great Zimbabwe
00:20:23.49\00:20:25.29
d little reason to believe
00:20:25.32\00:20:26.55
that five or six
hundred years later,
00:20:26.59\00:20:29.09
these magnifict structures
00:20:29.12\00:20:30.29
would only be aa
collection of masonry.
00:20:30.29\00:20:33.46
So how does a place
like Great Zimbabwe wawas
00:20:33.50\00:20:36.87
come a place like
Great Zimbabwe now is?
00:20:36.90\00:20:40.64
It was mineral rich.
00:20:40.67\00:20:42.40
Its craftsmen were s
skilled. The land was fertile.
00:20:42.44\00:20:45.84
And Chinese popottery shards
00:20:45.87\00:20:47.51
and Arababian coins
found at Great Zimbabwe
00:20:47.54\00:20:50.78
suggest t that there was
trade with far-off lands.
00:20:50.81\00:20:53.75
It was truly a an
influential location.
00:20:53.78\00:20:57.09
It's believed
that at around 145050,
00:20:57.12\00:20:59.79
when Machu Picchu
was being bubuilt,
00:20:59.82\00:21:01.86
and just before the r of
the Roses kicked off in England,
00:21:01.89\00:21:05.03
is civilization
declined due to climate change,
00:21:05.06\00:21:08.50
exhaustionf the goldmines,
and possibly due to famine.
00:21:08.53\00:21:12.47
day it's one of the
world's lost civilizations..
00:21:12.50\00:21:16.84
Now, there's something
that won't ever pa away.
00:21:16.87\00:21:20.34
Les talk about
that for a moment.
00:21:20.34\00:21:22.21
In Matthew, chapter 24,
00:21:22.24\00:21:23.58
Jesus was talking about
the e destruction of Jerusalem,
00:21:23.61\00:21:26.01
which would happen
in the year 70 A.D.
00:21:26.05\00:21:28.02
AnAnd he was talking
about the end of the world
00:21:28.05\00:21:30.55
"Heaven and earth shall pa away,
00:21:30.59\00:21:32.85
but my words
shall not passss away."
00:21:32.92\00:21:36.52
Peter used the same
thought when hsaid this.
00:21:36.56\00:21:38.83
You'll find it in 2
ter, chapter 3 and verse 10.
00:21:38.86\00:21:42.10
He said,
00:21:42.13\00:21:43.33
"The day of the Lord will
come a as a thief in the night;
00:21:43.37\00:21:46.53
"in the whh the heavens will
pass away with a great noise,,
00:21:46.57\00:21:49.87
"and the elements shl
melt with fervent heat,
00:21:49.90\00:21:52.57
"the earth also,
00:21:52.61\00:21:54.08
and the e works that are
therein shall be burned up."
00:21:54.11\00:21:57.21
And John wrote in n Revelation,
chapter 21 and verse 1;
00:21:57.25\00:22:00.15
he said there
would come a a time when
00:22:00.18\00:22:01.75
"the fst heaven and the
first earth were passed away."."
00:22:01.78\00:22:06.65
FiFirst Peter
chapter 1:24 and 25 says,
00:22:06.69\00:22:10.99
"All flesh is as grass,,
00:22:11.03\00:22:13.23
"and allll the glory of
man as the flower of grass.
00:22:13.26\00:22:16.73
"The grass withereth, d the
flower thereof falleth away,
00:22:16.77\00:22:20.17
But the wo of the
Lord endureth forever."
00:22:20.20\00:22:24.41
Daniel 2, after Daniel has
explained to Nebuchadndnezzar
00:22:24.44\00:22:27.54
ththat the kingdom of
Babylon would be conquer,
00:22:27.58\00:22:30.01
and that
Medo-o-Persia, Greece, and Rome
00:22:30.05\00:22:31.75
would all ruleor
only a period of time,
00:22:31.78\00:22:35.15
he said thatome would
break up into 10 nations.
00:22:35.18\00:22:39.39
History showed us that
that's what happenened.
00:22:39.42\00:22:42.86
AnAnd what then?
00:22:42.89\00:22:44.09
Well, Daniel
explained that a stone
00:22:44.13\00:22:46.43
cut out without hands s would
strike the image upon its feet,
00:22:46.46\00:22:51.13
and the whole thing would
be destroyed and d blown away
00:22:51.17\00:22:55.24
like the chaff left over
after wheat has be threshed.
00:22:55.27\00:22:58.27
Inther words, the kingdoms of
this world would be e destroyed
00:22:58.31\00:23:01.94
and swept ay.
00:23:01.98\00:23:03.81
Anthat stone would
become a great mountain
00:23:03.85\00:23:06.41
that would fill
the entire earth.
00:23:06.45\00:23:08.92
That is,
00:23:08.95\00:23:10.19
the kingdoms of this world will
onone day all be swept aside,
00:23:10.22\00:23:13.15
every onof them.
00:23:13.19\00:23:14.66
And God will set up a
kingdomthat will never pass
00:23:14.72\00:23:19.63
away. Speaking of that kingdom,
Daniel said in Daniel 2 2 and
00:23:19.66\00:23:25.53
verse 44,
"Ishall stand forever."
00:23:25.57\00:23:28.84
And he was so certain
about these e future events
00:23:28.87\00:23:31.01
that he said in
the very next verse,
00:23:31.04\00:23:33.44
"The dreamam is certain,
00:23:33.48\00:23:35.01
and the
interetation thereof sure."
00:23:35.04\00:23:38.41
In other words,
thers nothing more sure
00:23:38.45\00:23:40.48
than the fact at one day
the kingdoms of this world
00:23:40.48\00:23:43.69
will all become like
Great Zimbabwe, and ththen some.
00:23:43.72\00:23:47.46
And that God's
kingdom will be established
00:23:47.49\00:23:50.06
and won't ever pass awayay.
00:23:50.09\00:23:52.63
According to the Ble,
it's certain and it's sure.
00:23:52.66\00:23:57.83
The only remaining
question is whetheher or not
00:23:57.87\00:24:01.47
you'll be part of that kingdom.
00:24:01.50\00:24:04.04
God wants you to
be in that kidom.
00:24:04.07\00:24:06.17
And if you'll reach out
your heheart after Jesus today,
00:24:06.21\00:24:08.71
and d the salvation that
He offers you, fully anfreely,
00:24:08.74\00:24:13.38
you cacan be
certain that you will be.
00:24:13.42\00:24:15.85
You know, Jesus
saida fascinating thing
00:24:15.88\00:24:17.52
in John 5 and verse 40.
00:24:17.55\00:24:19.15
He said, "But ye will nonot come
to Me that you might have life."
00:24:19.19\00:24:23.73
Somemething very important
for both of us to undetand.
00:24:23.76\00:24:26.83
en Jesus said, "Come
to me, all ye that labor
00:24:26.86\00:24:28.70
and are heavy lan,
and I will give you rest,"
00:24:28.73\00:24:30.63
was talking to me and you.
00:24:30.67\00:24:34.30
No matter how down
you feel like e you are,
00:24:34.34\00:24:36.20
no matter how
brokoken your life,
00:24:36.24\00:24:38.34
nono matter how many
times you've messed up,
00:24:38.37\00:24:40.38
you feel like God
codn't possibly love you,
00:24:40.41\00:24:42.34
uld never welcome you back,
well, that's just nonot true.
00:24:42.38\00:24:46.18
Remember what He s said?
00:24:46.21\00:24:47.45
The prproblem is, "You won't
come to Me that you mig have
00:24:47.48\00:24:50.09
life." He might have said,
yourur problem is your sin.
00:24:50.12\00:24:52.55
I'm sure we could me at
this from another angle and say,
00:24:52.59\00:24:55.12
yes, that's a big proboblem.
00:24:55.16\00:24:56.96
But Jesus has
dealt with your sin,
00:24:56.99\00:24:59.43
died othe cross so that
your sins could be forgiven.
00:24:59.46\00:25:01.93
Now...He invnvites you
to bring your heart to Him.
00:25:01.96\00:25:06.57
What's in it for you?
00:25:06.60\00:25:08.60
Everlasting life.
00:25:08.64\00:25:09.87
Life in th world, better
than you could even imagine,
00:25:09.90\00:25:13.44
blessed in the presence of God,
anlife in the world to come.
00:25:13.48\00:25:18.71
God does not want
you to miss out on tt.
00:25:18.75\00:25:21.55
I dot think you do, either.
00:25:21.58\00:25:23.72
Be sure today
to open up your hea
00:25:23.75\00:25:26.22
and inte Jesus to be
the Lord of your life.
00:25:26.25\00:25:29.36
¤[Mususic]¤
00:25:29.39\00:25:38.43
>>John: I'd love for youo
get this week's free offer,
00:25:40.20\00:25:42.67
my conversation th
archaeologist Dr. Michael Hasel,
00:25:42.70\00:25:45.47
demonstrating how rerecent
archaeological discoveries
00:25:45.51\00:25:48.84
validate the Bible.
00:25:48.88\00:25:50.41
I'd love you to have this,
and it can be yours ababsolutely
00:25:50.45\00:25:54.22
free. To get
"Digging Up the Truth,"
00:25:54.25\00:25:55.75
a DVD
presentation, and d it's free,
00:25:55.78\00:25:58.35
call us on 800-253-3000,
00:25:58.39\00:26:01.82
800-253-3000.
00:26:01.86\00:26:04.09
Write to the
address your screen,
00:26:04.13\00:26:05.93
or visit us online
at ItIsWritten.n.com.
00:26:05.96\00:26:09.50
Thanks for
remembering ththat It Is Written
00:26:09.53\00:26:11.43
is a faith-b-based ministry.
00:26:11.47\00:26:13.10
And your support makes
it possible for uso share
00:26:13.13\00:26:15.54
God's good news
with the entire world.
00:26:15.57\00:26:18.34
Your
tax-deductible gift can be sent
00:26:18.37\00:26:20.11
to the address on your
scree or through our website at
00:26:20.14\00:26:23.35
ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:23.38\00:26:25.18
Thank you for your
continueprayerful support.
00:26:25.21\00:26:27.85
Again, our
toll-freeumber is 800-253-3000.
00:26:27.88\00:26:31.89
That's 800-253-3000.
00:26:31.92\00:26:34.19
And our web addres that's easy:
00:26:34.22\00:26:36.49
ItIsWritten.com.
00:26:36.52\00:26:38.63
¤[Music]¤
00:26:39.79\00:26:46.20
>>John: Let's pray together.
00:26:46.23\00:26:47.94
Our Fatherer in heaven,
00:26:47.97\00:26:49.00
thank k You that we can
see Your hand in history,
00:26:49.04\00:26:51.34
and that though the
kingdoms and countntries
00:26:51.37\00:26:53.74
anand nations and empires
of this world must pa away,
00:26:53.78\00:26:57.81
thank You that
Jesus is coming back soon
00:26:57.85\00:26:59.68
to establish a k
kingdom that will last forever.
00:26:59.71\00:27:03.22
AnAnd Father, thank
You for the invitation
00:27:03.25\00:27:04.89
to be part of that
kingdom. We accepthat now.
00:27:04.92\00:27:07.52
Friend, do you
accept Christ's invition
00:27:07.56\00:27:11.06
that you be with Him
in His kingdomom forever?
00:27:11.09\00:27:12.59
You can do it; simply
invite Jesus into your heart,
00:27:12.63\00:27:15.80
have the assurance that He
wilill live His life in you,
00:27:15.83\00:27:17.50
give you a new heart,
make you a newew creature,
00:27:17.53\00:27:20.50
help you to love the
things that H He loves and turn
00:27:20.54\00:27:22.54
from t things that He
wishes we would turn from.
00:27:22.57\00:27:26.27
Friend, as you
embrace Jesus nonow,
00:27:26.31\00:27:27.94
you can hahave
assurance that He is yours
00:27:27.98\00:27:29.68
and you are e His forever.
00:27:29.71\00:27:32.08
Father, , we wish to
see this kingdom come soon.
00:27:32.11\00:27:34.52
Keep us unl then,
we pray, in faith,
00:27:34.55\00:27:37.42
in Jesus' name,
00:27:37.42\00:27:39.32
amen.
00:27:39.35\00:27:40.76
Thanks for joining me today.y.
00:27:40.76\00:27:41.79
I look forward to
seeing you again next t time.
00:27:41.82\00:27:43.86
Until then, remember:
00:27:43.89\00:27:45.66
"It  written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:45.69\00:27:50.10
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:50.13\00:27:54.40
¤[Theme music]¤
00:27:54.44\00:27:59.44