>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
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I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
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The prophecies of the Bible have
left a lot of people confused.
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Turn to the book of Revelation
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and you see a beast
coming up out of the sea,
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another beast
coming up out of the earth,
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seven trumpets,
seven plagues, seven seals,
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seven thunders, seven churches,
and a whole array of images
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that could leave you
scratching your head.
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But when you learn how
to approach Bible prophecy,
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a lot of that mystery
falls away, and you discover
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how straightforward many
of the prophecies of the Bible
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can really be.
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I want to look with you today
at one of the great prophecies
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of the Bible in another
program in our ongoing series,
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"Great Chapters of the Bible."
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Today we're going
to look at a prophecy
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that provides a foundation
for most of the prophecies
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that speak to earth's last days.
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The Apostle Peter talks about
the importance of Bible prophecy
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to the Christian's
journey through life
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in 2 Peter chapter 1.
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He tells his readers
that they "have not followed
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cunningly devised fables,"
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saying that he and others
like him were eyewitnesses
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of the majesty of Jesus.
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He recalls how they
heard a voice from heaven
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testifying that
Jesus is the Son of God.
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And if that
wasn't enough, he says,
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"We [also have] a
more sure word of prophecy;
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whereunto ye do
well that ye take heed,
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as unto a light that
shineth in a dark place,
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until the day dawn, and the
day star arise in your hearts."
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Second Peter 1:16-19.
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We saw Jesus glorified.
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We heard the voice of
God with our own ears.
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But as miraculous
as those things were,
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we have something
even more reliable:
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We have the "more
sure word of prophecy."
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Peter was making the
point that what we see and hear
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can't always be trusted.
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Jesus spoke in
Matthew chapter 24
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of how "false christs
and false prophets will arise
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and show great signs and
wonders [so as] to deceive,
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if possible, even the elect."
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Matthew 24:24.
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The Apostle Paul writes of how
the antichrist in the last days
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will work "with all power,
signs, and lying wonders."
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Second Thessalonians 2, verse 9.
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And in the book of Revelation,
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we read of how the
forces arrayed against God
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will include the "spirits
of devils, working miracles."
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Revelation 16:14.
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Even in the church
you find there are people
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claiming to talk for God.
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Someone claims
to have a prophecy.
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Someone claims to
have had a vision.
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Someone writes a book claiming
they went to heaven or hell.
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How do you know?
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How can you be sure something
or even someone is legit?
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Peter was saying that something
you can absolutely trust
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is the sure word of prophecy.
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And he urges us to follow it
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as "a light that
shineth in a dark place."
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And this world is a dark place.
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So we're going to take a look
at that sure word of prophecy
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as we look at another
great chapter of the Bible,
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Daniel chapter 2,
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where we see one of the
greatest prophetic visions
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found in the entire Bible.
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The vision of the future that
we find in the second chapter
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of the book of Daniel
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was given at one
of the darkest moments
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in the history of
God's ancient people.
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The historical
setting of Daniel 2
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is given in Daniel chapter 1.
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"In the third year of the reign
of Jehoiakim king of Judah,
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Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
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came to
Jerusalem and besieged it.
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And the Lord gave Jehoiakim
king of Judah into his hand,
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with some of the
articles of the house of God,
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which he carried
into the land of Shinar
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to the house of his god;
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and he brought the articles into
the treasure house of his god."
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Daniel chapter
1, verses 1 and 2.
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Chapter 1 goes on to tell us the
story of the faithful young man
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named Daniel and
his three friends,
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Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,
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who chose to be
faithful to God's Word,
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even at the risk of their lives.
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Because of the blessing of God,
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the Bible says they were
found to be 10 times wiser
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than their fellow students
in the royal academy of Babylon.
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But in chapter 2,
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these four young men
face an absolute crisis.
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We'll start in verse 1:
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"Now in the second year
of Nebuchadnezzar's reign,
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Nebuchadnezzar had dreams;
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and his spirit was so troubled
that his sleep left him.
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Then the king gave the
command to call the magicians,
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the astrologers, the
sorcerers, and the Chaldeans
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to tell the king his dreams.
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So they came and
stood before the king.
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And the king said to
them, 'I have had a dream,
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and my spirit is
anxious to know the dream.'
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Then the Chaldeans
spoke to the king in Aramaic,
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'O king, live forever!
Tell your servants the dream,
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and we will give
the interpretation.'
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But the king answered
and said to the Chaldeans,
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'My decision is firm:
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if you do not make
known the dream to me,
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and its interpretation,
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you shall be cut in pieces,
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and your houses
shall be made an ash heap.
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However, if you tell [me] the
dream and its interpretation,
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you shall receive from me
gifts, rewards, and great honor.
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Therefore tell me the
dream and its interpretation.'"
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That's Daniel 2,
verses 1 through 6.
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These men were in an
impossible situation.
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If the king had simply
told them what he had dreamed,
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they would've come up with all
kinds of clever interpretations.
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But in this case, the
king had forgotten the dream,
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and he wanted these,
these so-called wise men
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to tell him what he had dreamed
and then explain what it meant.
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You can't blame them
for responding as they did,
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as they tried desperately
to change the king's mind.
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"The Chaldeans
answered the king, and said,
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'There is not a man on earth
who can tell the king's matter;
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therefore no king, lord, or
ruler has ever asked such things
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of any magician,
astrologer, or Chaldean.
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It is a difficult thing
that the king [requires],
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and there is no other
who can tell it to the king
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except the gods, whose
dwelling is not with flesh.'"
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Verses 10 and 11.
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Well, the king wasn't
persuaded, and he commanded
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that all of the wise men
of Babylon be put to death.
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Unfortunately, that included
Daniel and his three friends,
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even though it's
clear from the chapter
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that they weren't
present with the other wise men
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when they were
called to see the king.
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So Daniel appealed for
time to be able to interpret
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the king's dream.
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Daniel was staring
death right in the face.
00:07:06.65\00:07:10.73
What would happen next?
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We'll find out in just a moment.
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¤[music]¤
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>>John: It's a question
that many people have asked,
00:07:24.47\00:07:26.84
and it's a good question
and deserves a good answer:
00:07:26.88\00:07:29.68
Can God be trusted?
00:07:29.71\00:07:31.48
Find out what
the Bible has to say.
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Our free offer is
"Can God Be Trusted?"
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To receive this free DVD,
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call 800-253-3000
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or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
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800-253-3000.
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Call right now or
visit us at iiwoffer.com.
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¤[upbeat music]¤
00:07:54.84\00:07:56.81
>>Announcer: Planning
for your financial future
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is a vital aspect of
Christian stewardship.
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For this reason, It Is
Written is pleased to offer
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free planned giving
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For information on
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or visit our
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Call 800-992-2219.
00:08:19.46\00:08:23.97
>>John Bradshaw:
Thanks for joining me today
00:08:25.67\00:08:26.97
on It Is Written.
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We're continuing
our ongoing series,
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"Great Chapters of the Bible,"
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and we're looking
today at Daniel chapter 2.
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It provides the basis for
the major last-day prophecies
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of the Bible.
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The book of Revelation is
built upon the book of Daniel.
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Interesting,
there are 404 verses
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in the book of Revelation.
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About 3/4 of them quote from
or allude to the Old Testament.
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So if you ignore the
Old Testament scriptures
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Revelation draws from,
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you can't begin to understand
the book of Revelation.
00:08:56.30\00:08:59.07
And Revelation leans a
lot on Daniel chapter 2.
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In Daniel 2, Nebuchadnezzar,
the king of Babylon,
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had a dream that was so profound
it woke him from his sleep.
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When he woke up, he
knew he'd had a dream
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but couldn't remember
what it was or what it meant,
00:09:13.11\00:09:15.82
but he believed that the
gods communicated with him
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through dreams.
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So he was desperate to
know what this one meant.
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He asked his wise
men, his counselors,
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to explain it all to
him, but they couldn't.
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So he...
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sentenced them all to death,
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which was a problem for
Daniel and his three friends
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because they were among
the wise men of Babylon.
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What would Daniel do
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now that his life
was moments from ending?
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We pick up the
story in verse 17:
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"Then Daniel went to his house,
and made the decision known
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to Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah, his companions,
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that they might seek
mercies from the God of heaven
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concerning this secret, so
that Daniel and his companions
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might not perish with the
rest of the wise men of Babylon.
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Then the secret was revealed
to Daniel in a night vision.
00:10:04.73\00:10:08.07
So Daniel blessed
the God of heaven."
00:10:08.10\00:10:10.87
You know, what we see there
is that prayer is powerful.
00:10:11.54\00:10:15.34
Daniel was in a tough situation,
and he knew where to turn.
00:10:15.38\00:10:18.91
He was faced with a
problem that he couldn't solve.
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But he knew who
could solve his problems.
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I want to encourage you to pray.
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God loves to answer prayer.
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Listen to this--1
John 5, verses 14 and 15.
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Listen:
00:10:32.83\00:10:33.86
"Now this is the
confidence that we have in Him,
00:10:33.90\00:10:36.56
that if we ask
anything according to His will,
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He hears us.
00:10:39.73\00:10:41.00
And if we know that He
hears us, whatever we ask,
00:10:41.04\00:10:44.91
we know that we
have the petitions
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that we have asked of Him."
00:10:47.64\00:10:49.14
That's God telling you
to pray with confidence.
00:10:49.18\00:10:52.28
Make prayer a
regular part of your life,
00:10:52.31\00:10:54.95
and you'll see
God do amazing things.
00:10:54.98\00:10:58.52
And one other thing,
Daniel's prayer was answered,
00:10:58.55\00:11:01.19
and according to the Bible,
he blessed the God of heaven.
00:11:01.22\00:11:05.06
He thanked God, praised God.
00:11:05.09\00:11:07.30
When God answers your prayers,
00:11:07.30\00:11:08.56
don't forget to
recognize that and give thanks.
00:11:08.60\00:11:11.30
Jesus told a story about
10 lepers who were healed,
00:11:11.33\00:11:13.90
but only one gave thanks.
00:11:13.94\00:11:16.34
It's not that Jesus was
simply urging politeness.
00:11:16.37\00:11:19.64
It's good for us,
good for us spiritually,
00:11:19.67\00:11:22.88
to recognize the
blessings of God.
00:11:22.91\00:11:25.51
So there's Daniel
in a foreign land.
00:11:25.55\00:11:27.75
He'd been forcibly
taken from his home.
00:11:27.78\00:11:29.98
He'd seen his city destroyed.
00:11:30.02\00:11:31.32
No doubt he'd seen
people he knew lose their lives,
00:11:31.35\00:11:34.49
maybe even family members.
00:11:34.52\00:11:36.46
And yet God is clearly with
him, and he still trusts God.
00:11:36.49\00:11:40.40
He had lost so much,
but he wasn't bitter.
00:11:40.43\00:11:44.37
He wasn't angry with God.
00:11:44.40\00:11:46.00
In fact, he still trusted
God, and he still loved God.
00:11:46.03\00:11:50.81
It's easy to let
the challenges of life
00:11:50.84\00:11:53.07
turn your feet out of
the way of faith and trust.
00:11:53.11\00:11:56.88
But you don't need to.
00:11:56.91\00:11:58.38
Even when things are
tough, hang in there with God.
00:11:58.41\00:12:02.52
Daniel's story shows us
that God hangs in there with us.
00:12:02.55\00:12:07.59
So Daniel now has news
to share with the king.
00:12:07.62\00:12:10.06
In verse 24, we read this:
00:12:10.09\00:12:13.66
"Therefore
Daniel went to Arioch,
00:12:13.70\00:12:16.03
whom the king had appointed to
destroy the wise men of Babylon.
00:12:16.06\00:12:19.30
He went and said thus to him:
00:12:19.33\00:12:21.64
'Do not destroy the
wise men of Babylon;
00:12:21.67\00:12:24.84
take me before the king,
00:12:24.87\00:12:26.54
and I will tell the
king the interpretation.'"
00:12:26.57\00:12:31.08
And he's clear to
give honor to God.
00:12:31.11\00:12:33.05
It wasn't Daniel's
wisdom that figured this out;
00:12:33.08\00:12:35.52
it was God's blessing.
00:12:35.55\00:12:37.42
Verses 27 and 28:
00:12:37.45\00:12:39.85
"Daniel answered in the
presence of the king, and said,
00:12:39.89\00:12:42.42
'The secret which
the king has demanded,
00:12:42.46\00:12:45.03
the wise men, the
astrologers, the magicians,
00:12:45.06\00:12:48.06
and the soothsayers
cannot declare to the king.
00:12:48.10\00:12:51.97
But there is a God in
heaven who reveals secrets,
00:12:52.00\00:12:55.64
and He has made known
to King Nebuchadnezzar
00:12:55.67\00:12:58.51
what will be in
the latter days.'"
00:12:58.54\00:13:01.31
And then Daniel
began to tell the king
00:13:01.98\00:13:04.15
what it was the
king had dreamed.
00:13:04.18\00:13:06.45
"You, O king, were watching;
and behold, a great image!
00:13:06.48\00:13:11.72
This great image,
whose splendor was excellent,
00:13:11.75\00:13:14.66
stood before you;
00:13:14.69\00:13:16.16
and its form was awesome.
00:13:16.19\00:13:19.06
[The] image's
head was of fine gold,
00:13:19.09\00:13:21.36
its chest and arms of silver,
00:13:21.40\00:13:23.50
its belly and thighs of
bronze, its legs of iron,
00:13:23.53\00:13:27.27
its feet partly of
iron and partly of clay.
00:13:27.30\00:13:31.57
You watched while a stone
was cut out without hands,
00:13:31.61\00:13:35.18
which struck the image on
its feet of iron and clay,
00:13:35.21\00:13:38.25
and broke them [to] pieces.
00:13:38.28\00:13:40.92
Then the iron, the
clay, the bronze, the silver,
00:13:40.95\00:13:43.69
and the gold
were crushed together,
00:13:43.72\00:13:46.02
and became like chaff from
the summer threshing floors;
00:13:46.05\00:13:49.62
the wind carried them away so
that no trace of them was found.
00:13:49.66\00:13:53.36
And the stone
that struck the image
00:13:53.40\00:13:56.30
became a great mountain
and filled the whole earth."
00:13:56.33\00:14:01.37
Verses 31 to 35.
00:14:01.40\00:14:03.67
Imagine what's going
through the king's mind
00:14:03.71\00:14:05.71
as the dream he'd forgotten
flashes back into his thinking.
00:14:05.74\00:14:10.01
"That's the dream," he thought,
00:14:10.05\00:14:11.55
or maybe he said out
loud, "Exactly what I saw."
00:14:11.58\00:14:15.48
But as incredible as it
was that Daniel had explained
00:14:15.52\00:14:18.19
the king's dream, he'd
only done half the job.
00:14:18.22\00:14:22.02
The king wanted
the dream interpreted.
00:14:22.06\00:14:26.19
What could such an
incredible dream mean?
00:14:26.23\00:14:30.63
Now, this is where Daniel
2 takes on such significance
00:14:30.67\00:14:33.44
for us today
because Daniel chapter 2
00:14:33.47\00:14:36.07
is like the master
key to Bible prophecy.
00:14:36.10\00:14:40.28
Peter wrote about the
"more sure word of prophecy,"
00:14:40.31\00:14:42.78
and the fact is, if
you understand Daniel 2,
00:14:42.81\00:14:45.95
you can understand Daniel 7,
Daniel 8, Daniel 9, Daniel 11,
00:14:45.98\00:14:51.15
Revelation 13, Revelation 17.
00:14:51.19\00:14:54.59
Daniel 2 is that important.
00:14:54.62\00:14:58.73
So Daniel goes on and
opens up to the king, and to us,
00:14:58.76\00:15:03.06
this incredible
prophecy, starting in verse 36:
00:15:03.10\00:15:08.54
"This is the dream.
00:15:08.57\00:15:10.11
Now we will tell
the interpretation of it
00:15:10.14\00:15:12.27
before the king.
00:15:12.31\00:15:13.81
You, O king,
are a king of kings.
00:15:13.84\00:15:16.54
For the God of heaven
has given you a kingdom,
00:15:16.58\00:15:19.48
power, strength, and glory;
00:15:19.51\00:15:22.22
and wherever the
children of men dwell,
00:15:22.25\00:15:24.35
or the beasts of the field
and the birds of the heavens,
00:15:24.39\00:15:27.36
He has given
them into your hand,
00:15:27.39\00:15:29.52
and has made you
ruler over them all--
00:15:29.56\00:15:32.79
you are this head of gold."
00:15:32.83\00:15:35.43
A head of gold on a statue
dreamed of by a pagan king.
00:15:36.33\00:15:41.40
How is that
important for us today?
00:15:41.44\00:15:43.77
We'll find out next.
00:15:43.81\00:15:45.37
¤[music]¤
00:15:45.41\00:15:51.78
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:15:55.02\00:15:56.89
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:15:56.92\00:16:00.32
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:16:00.36\00:16:03.59
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:16:03.63\00:16:07.83
You can send your
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00:16:07.86\00:16:09.30
to the address on your screen,
00:16:09.33\00:16:10.77
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:16:10.80\00:16:14.60
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:16:14.64\00:16:17.44
Our number
again is 800-253-3000.
00:16:17.47\00:16:21.61
Or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:16:21.64\00:16:24.65
>>John: December 21,
2012, was when the Maya calendar
00:16:26.25\00:16:30.39
was set to expire.
00:16:30.42\00:16:31.62
Many said with the
expiration of this calendar
00:16:31.65\00:16:34.32
would come the end of the world.
00:16:34.36\00:16:37.13
[birds twittering]
00:16:38.19\00:16:39.33
The Maya were
remarkable builders,
00:16:39.36\00:16:41.10
but they did not
predict the end of the world.
00:16:41.13\00:16:43.77
So where can we find
predictions that we can trust?
00:16:43.80\00:16:47.54
Recent reports state that more
and more people are embracing
00:16:47.57\00:16:51.71
witchcraft, tarot card
reading, and astrology.
00:16:51.74\00:16:55.41
People are grabbing on to this,
00:16:55.44\00:16:57.31
even though there's absolutely
no evidence that it's valid,
00:16:57.35\00:17:01.25
and they're rejecting the Bible.
00:17:01.28\00:17:03.49
Now, the Bible isn't
simply a book of predictions;
00:17:03.52\00:17:06.82
it's the story of God's
love for the human family.
00:17:06.86\00:17:10.16
But it's true that the
Bible does contain predictions.
00:17:10.19\00:17:13.56
In fact, God stakes His
reputation on His ability
00:17:13.60\00:17:17.87
to forecast the future.
00:17:17.90\00:17:19.73
"Predictions You Can Trust."
00:17:19.77\00:17:21.64
Watch now on It Is Written TV.
00:17:21.67\00:17:24.67
>>John Bradshaw: Of
course, it could be said
00:17:26.44\00:17:28.14
that every chapter in the Bible
00:17:28.18\00:17:29.51
is one of the great
chapters of the Bible.
00:17:29.54\00:17:32.28
They're all inspired by God.
00:17:32.31\00:17:33.78
They all contain information
00:17:33.82\00:17:35.18
that reveals the
heart of God to us.
00:17:35.22\00:17:37.45
And they all point us
in the direction of heaven.
00:17:37.49\00:17:40.39
But Daniel chapter 2 is unique
in that it provides a framework
00:17:40.42\00:17:43.76
for us to understand
the prophecies of the Bible
00:17:43.79\00:17:46.26
concerning the last
days of earth's history.
00:17:46.29\00:17:49.26
A Babylonian king
has a dream, and Daniel,
00:17:49.30\00:17:52.67
now Daniel the prophet,
explains the dream to him.
00:17:52.70\00:17:56.87
He tells Nebuchadnezzar
that the head of gold
00:17:56.91\00:17:58.94
represents Nebuchadnezzar,
00:17:58.97\00:18:00.74
or more specifically,
the kingdom of Babylon.
00:18:00.78\00:18:03.81
But he goes on, and as he
does, he takes an enormous risk,
00:18:03.85\00:18:09.42
because he tells the
king that Babylon as a kingdom
00:18:09.45\00:18:13.12
will be conquered,
starting in verse 39:
00:18:13.15\00:18:17.83
"But after you shall
arise another kingdom
00:18:17.86\00:18:21.33
inferior to yours; then another,
a third kingdom of bronze,
00:18:21.36\00:18:25.77
which shall rule
over all the earth.
00:18:25.80\00:18:28.17
And the fourth kingdom
shall be as strong as iron,
00:18:28.20\00:18:31.61
inasmuch as
iron breaks in pieces
00:18:31.64\00:18:33.78
and shatters [all things];
00:18:33.81\00:18:35.84
and like iron that crushes,
00:18:35.88\00:18:37.75
that kingdom
will break in pieces
00:18:37.78\00:18:39.41
and crush all the others."
00:18:39.45\00:18:41.58
After Babylon, there
would be three more kingdoms,
00:18:42.32\00:18:44.45
and the fourth
kingdom would divide.
00:18:44.49\00:18:48.02
"And as the toes of the
feet were partly of iron
00:18:48.06\00:18:50.39
and partly of clay,
00:18:50.43\00:18:51.93
so the kingdom shall be partly
strong and partly fragile.
00:18:51.96\00:18:56.46
As you saw iron
mixed with ceramic clay,
00:18:56.50\00:18:59.47
they will mingle
with the seed of men;
00:18:59.50\00:19:02.57
but they will not
adhere to one another,
00:19:02.60\00:19:05.77
just as iron does
not mix with clay."
00:19:05.81\00:19:08.91
Verses 42 and 43.
00:19:08.94\00:19:11.25
So what actually
happened down through history?
00:19:11.28\00:19:14.48
God puts Himself
on the line here.
00:19:14.52\00:19:17.92
He predicts the rise
of four great powers,
00:19:17.95\00:19:20.62
and then He says the fourth
one would not be conquered,
00:19:20.66\00:19:23.53
but it would divide,
and that the fourth kingdom
00:19:23.56\00:19:26.13
would never come
back into existence.
00:19:26.16\00:19:28.63
Imagine if what God said
would happen didn't happen.
00:19:28.66\00:19:32.40
Imagine if this
were a false prediction.
00:19:32.43\00:19:35.30
And now imagine if what God
said would happen did happen.
00:19:35.34\00:19:39.94
What would that mean?
00:19:39.97\00:19:41.18
It would have to mean, surely,
that the Bible is inspired.
00:19:41.21\00:19:46.48
That there is a God.
00:19:46.51\00:19:48.45
And that the God of heaven
cares about people on this earth
00:19:48.48\00:19:51.62
and has a plan for
our eternal future.
00:19:51.65\00:19:54.92
The history that
followed the collapse
00:19:54.96\00:19:56.59
of Nebuchadnezzar's
kingdom cannot be misunderstood.
00:19:56.62\00:20:00.06
The kingdom of silver
00:20:00.10\00:20:00.96
that followed the
golden kingdom of Babylon
00:20:01.00\00:20:02.93
was the empire of Medo-Persia,
00:20:02.96\00:20:05.73
which in turn was followed
by the empire of Greece,
00:20:05.77\00:20:08.57
established
through the conquests
00:20:08.60\00:20:10.34
of Alexander the Great,
00:20:10.37\00:20:11.84
which in the end was
conquered by the Romans,
00:20:11.87\00:20:14.11
who would dominate
Western civilization
00:20:14.14\00:20:16.14
for the better
part of 700 years.
00:20:16.18\00:20:18.75
At that point, the Roman Empire
00:20:18.78\00:20:21.25
would be destroyed
by the barbarian tribes
00:20:21.28\00:20:23.82
which broke across
its northern frontier
00:20:23.85\00:20:26.39
and would go on to divide
the empire into 10 kingdoms.
00:20:26.42\00:20:30.36
And many of those 10
kingdoms are recognized today
00:20:31.03\00:20:33.80
as the nations of modern Europe.
00:20:33.83\00:20:35.80
The Alemanni became
the Germanic people.
00:20:35.83\00:20:37.80
In fact, the Spanish
word for Germany is Alemania.
00:20:37.83\00:20:40.87
Alemanni.
00:20:40.90\00:20:42.04
The Visigoths are Spain.
00:20:42.07\00:20:44.04
The Franks became France.
00:20:44.07\00:20:46.21
The Suevi are the Portuguese.
00:20:46.24\00:20:48.01
The Burgundians,
they're the Swiss.
00:20:48.04\00:20:50.15
The Anglo-Saxons, that's
easy; they became the English.
00:20:50.18\00:20:53.21
The Lombards are recognized
today as the Italian people,
00:20:53.25\00:20:56.48
while three of those 10 nations
were completely destroyed,
00:20:56.52\00:20:59.85
incidentally, as
predicted in the Bible--
00:20:59.89\00:21:03.09
the Heruli, the
Ostrogoths, and the Vandals.
00:21:03.12\00:21:07.86
But Daniel said
that fourth kingdom
00:21:07.93\00:21:10.27
would never come back together.
00:21:10.30\00:21:12.03
That was the kingdom of Rome.
00:21:12.07\00:21:14.00
Over the years, many have tried
to re-form the Roman Empire.
00:21:14.04\00:21:19.01
Hitler tried and failed.
00:21:19.04\00:21:21.44
Napoleon tried and failed.
00:21:21.48\00:21:24.01
The Bible said those nations
would not cleave one to another,
00:21:24.05\00:21:28.55
"not adhere one to another."
00:21:28.58\00:21:31.19
In fact, as we saw, Daniel said
they would "mingle themselves
00:21:31.22\00:21:35.46
with the seed of men."
00:21:35.49\00:21:37.46
Not even that would work.
00:21:37.49\00:21:39.36
Intermarriage among the
royal families of Europe
00:21:39.39\00:21:41.40
was so extensive that
Britain's Queen Victoria
00:21:41.43\00:21:45.40
was known as the
"grandmother of Europe."
00:21:45.43\00:21:48.44
One writer put it this way:
00:21:48.47\00:21:49.97
"Among other things,
00:21:50.01\00:21:51.24
Victoria established herself as
the matriarch of royal Europe.
00:21:51.27\00:21:55.38
Eventually her descendants
or their close relatives
00:21:55.41\00:21:58.08
were connected with almost
every important ruling house
00:21:58.11\00:22:02.18
on the continent."
00:22:02.22\00:22:03.59
But intermarriage failed, just
as military conquest failed.
00:22:04.39\00:22:08.42
And today Europe has battles
with the Euro and with Brexit
00:22:08.46\00:22:11.33
and with one country or another
00:22:11.36\00:22:12.56
talking about
pulling out of the alliance.
00:22:12.59\00:22:14.86
There is a tremendous
amount of cohesion in Europe,
00:22:14.93\00:22:17.90
but anyone trying to
bring Europe back together
00:22:17.93\00:22:21.00
is fighting against God,
00:22:21.04\00:22:23.00
who said they would
"not adhere to one another."
00:22:23.04\00:22:27.64
And four-and-a-half
thousand years later,
00:22:27.68\00:22:31.05
God's Word still has not failed.
00:22:31.08\00:22:34.85
So what would happen next?
00:22:35.85\00:22:37.42
Four kingdoms, the
kingdoms divide, and then?
00:22:37.45\00:22:41.09
Verse 34: "You watched while a
stone was cut out without hands,
00:22:41.12\00:22:46.19
which struck the image on
its feet of iron and clay,
00:22:46.23\00:22:49.56
and broke them [to] pieces."
00:22:49.60\00:22:51.83
This stone, according to Daniel,
00:22:52.67\00:22:54.20
represents
God's eternal kingdom,
00:22:54.24\00:22:55.94
which will be ushered in
at the Second Coming of Jesus.
00:22:55.97\00:22:59.21
Look at how Daniel's
interpretation finishes.
00:22:59.24\00:23:02.58
"And in the days of these kings
the God of heaven will set up
00:23:02.61\00:23:06.51
a kingdom which
shall never be destroyed;
00:23:06.55\00:23:09.15
and the kingdom shall
not be left to other people;
00:23:09.18\00:23:12.45
it shall break in pieces
and consume all these kingdoms,
00:23:12.49\00:23:16.26
and it shall stand forever.
00:23:16.29\00:23:19.03
Inasmuch as you saw
that the stone was cut out
00:23:19.06\00:23:21.13
of the mountain without hands,
00:23:21.16\00:23:22.80
and that it broke in pieces
the iron, the bronze, the clay,
00:23:22.83\00:23:27.94
the silver, and the gold--
00:23:27.97\00:23:30.74
the great God has
made known to the king
00:23:30.77\00:23:33.24
what will come
to pass after this.
00:23:33.27\00:23:36.31
The dream is certain, and
its interpretation is sure."
00:23:36.34\00:23:43.28
Daniel 2:44 and 45.
00:23:43.32\00:23:46.89
Notice what Daniel said?
00:23:46.92\00:23:48.62
"The dream is certain.
Its interpretation is sure."
00:23:48.66\00:23:55.46
Isaiah wrote that "the
grass withers, the flower fades,
00:23:55.50\00:23:59.43
but the word of our
God stands forever."
00:23:59.47\00:24:01.94
Isaiah 40, verse 8.
00:24:01.97\00:24:04.07
So where's the
room for doubt here?
00:24:04.11\00:24:06.51
Four great
kingdoms, the fourth divides.
00:24:06.54\00:24:08.48
Look at history--that's
exactly what happened.
00:24:08.51\00:24:11.81
But what hasn't yet
happened is the return of Jesus.
00:24:11.85\00:24:15.65
But it's going to
happen, according to the Bible,
00:24:15.68\00:24:18.95
"in the days of these kings."
00:24:18.99\00:24:21.02
In the, in the
days of these kings--
00:24:21.06\00:24:23.59
in the days in
which we are living.
00:24:23.63\00:24:25.63
And with that, God is
going to set up a kingdom
00:24:25.66\00:24:29.20
that will never pass away.
00:24:29.23\00:24:33.00
So the question isn't whether
or not the Bible can be trusted,
00:24:33.03\00:24:35.74
or whether or not the
kingdoms rose or fell,
00:24:35.77\00:24:37.67
or whether or not the return
of Jesus is going to take place.
00:24:37.71\00:24:40.78
All of those
questions have been answered.
00:24:40.81\00:24:43.65
They're settled.
00:24:43.68\00:24:45.61
The real question is,
will you be ready on that day?
00:24:45.65\00:24:50.79
And let's not look
ahead to an undetermined day.
00:24:50.82\00:24:54.36
The question is,
are you ready now?
00:24:54.39\00:24:57.96
Daniel chapter 2 is in the Bible
00:24:57.99\00:24:59.46
to show us that God
is in control of history,
00:24:59.49\00:25:02.23
that God's
purposes will be worked out,
00:25:02.26\00:25:04.70
that God answers prayer,
00:25:04.73\00:25:06.20
that God can be trusted to
help us understand and interpret
00:25:06.23\00:25:09.34
Bible prophecy reliably.
00:25:09.37\00:25:12.21
And it's there to show us
that God wants you to be saved
00:25:12.24\00:25:14.58
when Jesus returns.
00:25:14.61\00:25:17.21
So how is it with you today?
00:25:17.25\00:25:18.78
Have you made room
in your heart for God?
00:25:18.81\00:25:20.98
Are you willing to let
Jesus be the Lord of your life?
00:25:21.02\00:25:25.82
If there's one
thing you can trust,
00:25:25.85\00:25:28.06
it's the Word of God.
00:25:28.09\00:25:29.49
There's one thing you can trust;
00:25:29.52\00:25:31.33
it's the "more
sure word of prophecy."
00:25:31.36\00:25:34.10
Daniel chapter 2 is
an outstanding chapter,
00:25:34.10\00:25:36.36
but if you look at it
simply in an academic fashion,
00:25:36.40\00:25:39.73
if you look at it measuring
kingdoms with history books,
00:25:39.77\00:25:43.57
if you measure it, uh, studying
the, the certain elements
00:25:43.61\00:25:46.68
that made up that statue
Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about,
00:25:46.71\00:25:50.05
you're missing the point.
00:25:50.08\00:25:51.31
Daniel chapter 2 is a
call; it's a call to you and me.
00:25:51.35\00:25:55.15
A call to be ready.
00:25:55.18\00:25:56.42
A call to surrender our hearts.
00:25:56.45\00:25:59.59
Daniel chapter 2 talks
about the time when Jesus
00:25:59.62\00:26:02.62
is going to return.
00:26:02.66\00:26:03.99
When He comes back,
He's coming back for you.
00:26:04.03\00:26:08.26
And if you'll open
your heart up to Jesus now,
00:26:08.30\00:26:11.23
you can live with confidence,
00:26:11.27\00:26:12.93
knowing for sure that
you'll be ready on that day.
00:26:12.97\00:26:17.17
>>John: It's a question
that many people have asked,
00:26:18.84\00:26:21.08
and it's a good question
and deserves a good answer:
00:26:21.11\00:26:23.91
Can God be trusted?
00:26:23.95\00:26:25.81
Find out what
the Bible has to say.
00:26:25.85\00:26:27.52
Our free offer is
"Can God Be Trusted?"
00:26:27.55\00:26:30.89
To receive this free DVD,
00:26:30.92\00:26:32.32
call 800-253-3000
00:26:32.35\00:26:35.39
or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com.
00:26:35.42\00:26:40.16
800-253-3000.
00:26:40.20\00:26:43.03
Call right now or
visit us at iiwoffer.com.
00:26:43.06\00:26:48.07
>>John Bradshaw:
Let's pray together now.
00:26:49.07\00:26:51.04
Our Father in heaven, we thank
You for prophecies of the Bible
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and for this
great chapter, Daniel 2,
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which shows us You're
in control of history,
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which shows us the
best is yet to come
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because Jesus is
coming back one day soon
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to set up an eternal kingdom.
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Friend, God wants you
to be ready on that day.
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I want you to be
ready on that day.
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I believe you want
to be ready on that day.
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Let's not wait until
that day. Let's be ready now.
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Would you open
your heart up to God?
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Would you say, "Jesus, take
my heart and make it Yours"?
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Would you say, "I
want to be ready, Lord,
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and I accept Jesus
as my Lord and Savior"?
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O God of history,
God of our history,
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God of the future,
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we look forward to the day
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that Jesus comes
back to take us home.
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Keep us now and
always. In Jesus' name we pray.
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Amen.
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Thanks so much for joining me.
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I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
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Until then, remember:
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"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
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but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
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¤[theme music]¤
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