Participants: Pr. Dwight K. Nelson
Series Code: NP
Program Code: NP102806
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00:27 He calls me His own
00:31 He'll never leave me 00:36 No matter where I go 00:44 He knows my name 00:50 He knows my every thought 00:57 He sees each tear that falls 01:03 And hears me when I call 01:17 At this time I'd like to invite you 01:19 to come forward for prayer, 01:22 as we approach our God, this God of wonders, 01:26 our Savior, not only that, 01:30 this God who knows our name, 01:33 who knows everything about us. 01:36 As we approach this God, 01:38 this Friend, this Creator, this Redeemer in prayer, 01:42 I'd like to invite you, 01:43 if you have something 01:45 that you'd like to bring before Him, 01:47 or you just like to be closer to Him. 01:49 I'd like to invite you to come to the front, 01:51 and join us here, 01:53 as we sing this first verse again: 02:05 I have a Father 02:12 He calls me His own 02:19 He'll never leave me 02:24 No matter where I go 02:32 He knows my name 02:39 He knows my every thought 02:45 He sees each tear that falls 02:51 And hears me when I call 03:01 Let's kneel down in prayer. 03:16 Dear God, I thank You for Your many blessings, 03:19 I thank You for the Sabbath day. 03:22 Please help us to do whatever You need. 03:26 Please help all the churches around the world 03:29 and especially the church and our PMC. 03:34 Dear Lord, we come to You this morning, 03:38 thanking You for all these things 03:40 that You do for us. 03:42 We are so blessed. 03:45 We thank You for Your mercies, 03:47 Your long suffering, and for the gift of salvation. 03:55 Bless this service today, 03:57 and we ask that You bless the lips of Your servant, 04:00 so that You may speak through him 04:02 and through him. 04:04 We thank You Lord for hearing our prayer, 04:07 and for being an awesome God, 04:09 in Your name Jesus we pray, Amen. 04:16 Well, good morning boys and girls. 04:18 It is so nice to see you. 04:20 We got a great group today. Halleluiah. 04:25 Nice to have you, Oh, I see we still-- Oh, 04:27 we still have some coming so squeeze 04:29 in just a little bit. 04:30 Can you squeeze in just a little bit, 04:33 so that everybody can have a nice soft stair. 04:37 And if we can't fill all the stairs then we've got 04:39 the soft floor in front of them, 04:40 there you go. 04:41 Good to have you. 04:42 Any visitors here today, 04:44 just take a little bit of time to welcome our visitors. 04:46 Oh, Adriane, I met you, nice to have you, 04:49 and the others good to have you. 04:51 Cecil, where you're from? 04:53 Berrien Springs, that's a good place to be from. 04:55 We love our Berrien Springs' visitors the best. 04:58 Halleluiah because you are close to home. 05:01 Glad you're here. 05:02 All right, have a seat guys. 05:04 We're ready to start when you all are 05:06 most unusual story I must tell you, 05:10 most unusual. 05:12 Just a few days old. 05:14 Is everybody here? 05:16 All right, but before I tell you the story, 05:19 I'm going to say a word. Here's the deal. 05:22 If you can guess the meaning of this word, 05:25 because we've little older kids than we have in first church. 05:27 So if you can guess the meaning of this word. 05:30 How many here are of Ruth Murdoch High School? 05:32 Put your hand up, 05:33 be proud that you are in Ruth Murdoch, okay. 05:34 If you can guess the meaning of this word, 05:37 I'm going to do this-- 05:38 I'm gonna because I know the principal at Ruth Murdoch, 05:42 and I know the principal at Andrews Academy, 05:46 and we're going to advance you 05:47 instantaneously to Andrews Academy 05:49 if you know the meaning of this word. 05:52 Now if you are college student in the audience 05:53 and you don't know the meaning of this word, 05:55 we'll advance you to Andrews Academy. Okay. 05:59 Okay, so here is the word. 06:00 Now you have to listen carefully. 06:02 If you know the meaning now- 06:04 Here's the word "Amnesia." 06:11 "Amnesia." 06:13 You have to know the meaning of the word. 06:16 You have to know the meaning of the word. 06:20 I'm going to put you on hold. 06:23 I want to share a story with you 06:24 that will give the meaning of amnesia. 06:26 You guys really know the meaning of the word? 06:28 Say me afterwards. All right. 06:32 Do you know the meaning of the word too sir? 06:34 You go! Don't you say it? 06:37 Okay, so here's the story. 06:39 Here's the story. 06:40 Just a few days ago, 06:45 he was standing there all by himself in Denver, Colorado. 06:49 Anybody here from Colorado? 06:54 Of course nice to have the little pool children back. 06:57 Good to have you visiting, again a sad, 06:59 sad occasion that brings you here. 07:02 Denver, Colorado, he's standing there, 07:04 looking at this big building in the 16th street mall, 07:08 it's called the World Trade Centre, 07:09 the building is, not the one in New York. 07:11 So it's just big building 07:12 and he's just standing there and looking at it like hmm. 07:17 And all the sudden a man comes walking up to him, 07:18 "Sir, sir, sir, hey, hey, hey, we've been watching you." 07:22 He's a policeman. 07:24 "We've been watching you sir. 07:25 You have been standing 07:26 in front of this building for a long time. 07:30 This does not look good. 07:31 We want to find out 07:32 what in the world are you doing here? 07:34 What's your name?" 07:36 And he, well, not yours. He was asking. 07:39 Nicolas, thank you for that. 07:40 He was asking-- 07:42 He was asking the man, "What's your name?" 07:44 And you know what Nicolas? 07:45 The man could not do, you just did. 07:47 The Man looked at the policeman and he said "What's my name?" 07:53 "Yeah what's your name?" 07:54 He said, "I don't know." 07:57 "What do you mean you don't know? 07:58 What do you mean you don't know you name?" 08:00 How many here don't know their name? 08:01 Everybody knows his or her name. 08:03 Yeah you know, 08:04 and you thought I was asking, how many know. 08:05 Yeah. 08:07 "Okay, okay, okay, you're playing 08:08 some little game with me, are you sir? 08:11 Where're you from?" 08:13 And the man thought for a minute, 08:14 he said "I forgot." 08:18 "You forgot, what is this? 08:20 You trying to me look foolish, sir. 08:23 Hey, Joe, come over here." 08:25 So the other police officer came over here, 08:26 he said "Joe, look at this man, 08:27 he won't give me his name. 08:30 He won't tell me where he's from. 08:31 Let me see your driver's license." 08:33 The man reached into-he said "I don't have a wallet." 08:37 "You don't have wallet. What you got in those pockets?" 08:39 They reached into the pockets, $8 and a cigarette lighter. 08:42 That's it. That's it. 08:43 "What're you doing here in Denver?" 08:48 "I don't know." 08:49 "What do you mean you don't know? 08:50 Get in this car." 08:51 They drove him down to the police station, 08:53 clerk at the police station said 08:54 "all right, name?" 08:57 "I can't remember." 08:58 "Okay, listen, we'll find out. We'll just call your house. 09:00 Just tell us the city you're from?" 09:04 "I don't know." 09:05 "Come on, what is going on here. 09:07 Who's your mother?" 09:09 "I can't remember." 09:11 "Your father?" 09:13 "I can't remember either." 09:14 "Something is wrong here." And so you know what? 09:17 The police started to say, 09:18 "What we're going to do, we can't keep this guy, 09:20 we can't put him in prison, he doesn't know anything." 09:22 "Oh let's take him down to the hospital." 09:24 So they took him down 09:25 to the medical centre in Denver, 09:27 and they turned him over to the doctors, 09:28 and of course when you go to the hospital, 09:29 you have to fill out the form. 09:30 So the clerk said "Name?" "I don't remember." 09:34 "Well, where you're from? 09:36 Just put your address right here." 09:37 "I don't know." 09:39 "A grown man like you and you don't know. 09:43 Doctor!" And the doctors came and they examined the man 09:47 and you know what "Hey, look at you, 09:49 you look healthy to me. 09:51 You look strong. 09:52 You're fine, let me look, say, say ah." 09:54 "Look into those eyes, your eyes look fine." 09:58 After the doctors hurdle up and said this is very strange. 10:02 He can't remember his name. 10:03 He can't remember where he's from. 10:04 He can't remember the work he does. 10:06 He can't remember anything. 10:09 "Oh," One doctor said 10:11 "I remember studying about this, 10:12 do you what this is? 10:14 This is dissociative fugue. 10:17 What the other doctor said 10:19 "What?" Yeah, it's a form of amnesia. 10:23 It's a form of amnesia, remember that word, amnesia. 10:26 When you are under incredible stress 10:29 and things aren't going right in your life 10:32 and you're worried-some people the mind just goes. 10:36 How many of you've ever worked on a computer? 10:37 Put your hand up if you've worked on a computer. 10:39 Do you know the little 10:40 'delete' button on the computer, delete. 10:43 It's like the mind hit the delete button 10:45 and everything on the hard disk is gone. 10:48 There's nothing there. 10:49 You can still read, you can still talk, 10:52 but you have no memory. 10:55 What're we going to do, well we can't send him home, 10:58 we can't put him in prison. 10:59 So we just let stay in hospital? 11:01 And then the word got out, 11:03 the news stories began to circulate in Denver. 11:06 And then the Today Show, 11:08 that's a morning news television program in America. 11:11 The Today Show heard about it, 11:13 and they put, there were calling, 11:15 they gave him a name Al, Amnesia Al they called him. 11:20 That's his name Amnesia Al. 11:22 And they put Amnesia Al on the television. 11:25 The whole nation saw it, 11:26 let's put Amnesia on the screen here. 11:27 There is Amnesia Al. 11:29 Can you see on the TV screen? 11:31 This is the man. 11:32 A nice looking man, 40 years old. 11:36 Nice glasses, nice shirt, but nobody knows who he is. 11:41 And he doesn't know. 11:44 Well, far away somebody was watching the news 11:48 and this guy said hey wait. 11:49 Hey, hey, and the guy picked up his telephone 11:55 and he called his sister, Penny Hanson. 11:56 He says, "Penny, you got to turn the TV on, 12:01 there's no goatee, and there's no mustache 12:03 but I'm sure this must be him. 12:07 And Penny went and turned on the television, 12:09 she said "Yeah, wow! 12:11 She said, he is, it's him." Called the police. 12:17 It took two detectives, 12:19 an airline company in Colorado named Frontier Airlines 12:21 said we'll give you free ticket. 12:23 They flew him with two detectives 12:25 to Seattle, Washington, 12:28 where his fiancé was waiting for him to come home. 12:33 I want to put a picture on the screen of Penny Hanson. 12:39 Turns out he-- Look at these guys. 12:41 He left home September 6. 12:43 A friends of his was dying in Alberta, 12:45 Canada and the stress. 12:47 He drove in a little 1995 Dodge Neon 12:50 but the stress just blanked his mind out, 12:52 they haven't been able to find the car. 12:54 They don't know how he ended up in Denver 12:57 but there he is. 12:59 And, you know, he said when he saw Penny, 13:02 he says, "You know what, your face, 13:05 I kind of feel warm about it but I don't know why." 13:10 She says, "Oh, let me take you to where you live." 13:12 And he went to where he used to lived, in Seattle 13:15 and he says "Oh, this kind of looks familiar." 13:23 Can you believe it? 13:24 He has amnesia, still does, 13:28 can't remember a thing about his past. 13:32 Oh, boys and girls, you know sometimes some people wonder, 13:35 does Jesus had amnesia? 13:38 How many think Jesus has amnesia? 13:40 Do you think Jesus forgets any thing? 13:42 No. 13:43 Some people think, you know, Jesus hasn't come back. 13:45 Jesus hasn't come back. 13:46 I'll bet you He forgot about promising to come. 13:49 Do you think Jesus has forgotten? 13:51 You know what? 13:53 Jesus is worried that we'll have amnesia, 13:56 and we'll forget. 13:59 Oh my, my, my, I don't want to forget 14:02 Jesus is coming soon, do you? 14:04 How many want to remember that as long as you live? 14:07 No amnesia with Jesus. 14:09 Oh Jesus, don't let us forget that you are coming soon. 14:14 Let's pray together. 14:16 Dear Jesus, we raise our hands 14:18 because we really don't want to forget. 14:21 We are sorry for the times we have. 14:22 We get so excited about what we're doing, 14:25 we forget all about the good news 14:28 that You are coming soon. 14:29 And so we raise our hands, please help us remember. 14:32 Stay our forever friend, 14:34 every step of the way until You come, 14:36 we pray in Your name. Amen. 14:40 As you go quietly and reverently back to your seats. 14:42 Will you be saying that in your heart? 14:44 Oh, Jesus thank You for not forgetting. 14:48 I don't want to forget either. 14:50 Please come soon. God bless you. 14:53 Happy Sabbath to you. 15:07 Praise Him, O praise Him 15:10 O come, ye people 15:12 Praise the Lord forever 15:16 Sing praises to His holy name 15:22 Praise Him, O praise Him 15:24 O come, ye people 15:26 Praise Him, O praise Him 15:32 Praise the Lord forever 15:35 Sing praises to His holy name 15:38 To the God of glory 15:46 To the God of glory 15:49 Loudest praise now bring 15:55 Source of our salvation 16:00 Our eternal King 16:37 Praise Him, Praise Him Praise the Lord forever 16:42 Come and praise Him 16:45 Come and praise the Lord Come and praise the Lord 16:49 Praise Him, O praise Him 16:51 To the God of glory 16:55 O come, ye people Praise the Lord forever 16:59 Come and praise Him Come and praise Him 17:02 Come and praise the Lord 17:52 Oh, Father, we don't want to have amnesia. 17:58 We don't want to forget, 18:00 for all the times that we have, what can we say. 18:03 You are a gracious and merciful God. 18:06 May today's teaching help us remember 18:08 all the more what we must not forget, 18:12 we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. 18:20 Why is it? Tell me the answer to this. 18:21 Why is it that the world loves a war story, 18:26 but to a man and a woman we hate war? 18:32 I know the media are touting that the upcoming election 18:36 is some sort of referendum on the war. 18:40 I tell you in our little home Karen and I, 18:42 our daughter Chrissie is married to a medic 18:45 with the US Army Rangers. 18:48 And they're now deciding between two units of rangers 18:50 to go to Iraq and you bet we are praying. 18:53 We are praying hard. 18:55 They're stationed in Kansas, Fort Riley. 19:00 Although fact of the matter is, 19:01 Seventh-day Adventist boys and Seventh-day Adventist girls 19:03 do end up in a war. 19:05 They have all through our history. 19:08 Imagine my surprise to pull a book off the history section 19:11 of the shelf at an airport bookstore 19:14 and discover that in-- 19:17 I'm talking about World War II now in that, 19:20 in that-- Uh, 19:23 I don't even know what the word is I'm looking for. 19:25 In that strategic battle 19:27 for that little rocky crag named Iwo Jima. 19:30 You heard of Iwo Jima? 19:32 The most famous war picture in the history of earth 19:34 was taken in the United States. 19:36 I'm going to put that war picture. 19:38 Imagine my surprise to discover that 19:40 off those boys who raised that flag at Iwo Jima, 19:43 one of them is a Seventh-day Adventist soldier. 19:46 In fact he is the young man who was pushing the flag pole 19:50 into the summit there on Iwo Jima, 19:52 his name Harlon Block from Weslaco, Texas. 19:56 I'm reading the book by James Bradley, 19:58 it's a New York Times bestseller, 19:59 it's entitled Flags of Our Fathers. 20:02 You may have heard of that title. 20:03 Listen to this description of the Seventh-day Adventist home 20:06 in which Harlon Block grew up in, all right. 20:10 Early in their move to the valley, 20:11 this would be the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. 20:13 Bell that's Harlon's mother, 20:14 became a fully accepting practitioner 20:17 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 20:19 Now he's going to give a one sentence synopsis 20:21 to what its means to be a Seventh-day Adventist. 20:23 And I want to tell you something, 20:24 you and I could not have done it more succinctly 20:27 than this bestseller on The New York Times has done it. 20:30 So she became a fully accepting practitioner, 20:32 her husband later did. 20:33 Of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, 20:34 the vivid Protestants strain that 20:37 assume a seventh day creation of the earth, check. 20:40 A great controversy between Jesus Christ and Satan, check. 20:43 A millennia return of Christ in the history, check. 20:45 At which moment the dead will awaken, check. 20:47 Evil will vanish and time will end, check, check. 20:51 That's pretty good, isn't it? 20:53 Harlon was the child 20:54 most influenced by Bell and her beliefs. 20:56 He grew up feeling sure of what was right and wrong, 20:58 confident of this "ordered view of the world." 21:01 He was the tease of the girls. 21:02 He ended up being a football star 21:04 at the high school, 21:05 and when the marines came to town recruiting, 21:07 he signed up, ended up being shipped 21:09 to that little rocky crag called Iwo Jima, 21:12 and on that island gave his life 21:13 for the country he loved, all right. 21:16 The world loves a good war story 21:20 though there is no good war. 21:24 And the Bible is replete with good war stories. 21:29 In fact today, we're going to take look 21:30 at one of the most famous, 21:33 classics of military history 21:35 and strategy that forms the bedrock and the framework 21:38 for today's Bible teaching. 21:40 Open your Bible please, without any further adieu, 21:42 let us fly to the Book of Daniel, 21:44 the apocalyptic book in the Old Testament, 21:46 the Book Of Daniel please. 21:47 Find Daniel Chapter 5. 21:50 If you came today without a Bible, 21:51 we've got one in the pew rack, right in front of. 21:53 Pull that Bible out. 21:54 It will be the same translation. 21:56 I'll be reading from the New King James Version 21:57 and it's page 599 in our pew Bible. 22:00 Daniel Chapter 5, 22:01 one of the great military classics, brilliant strategy, 22:06 and it's a framework for today's teaching. 22:08 All right, enough talking, let's go, Daniel Chapter 5. 22:15 And let's begin in verse 1, Daniel 5:1. 22:22 Belshazzar, the king of Babylon. 22:24 All right, this is Babylon. 22:26 "Belshazzar the king made a great feast 22:28 for a thousand of his lords and their wives, 22:31 and drank wine in the presence of the thousand." 22:35 It's party time in Babylon. 22:37 Although I tell you what, for the life me, 22:38 I can't figure out why anybody 22:40 would be going to a party tonight. 22:42 The Barbarians are literally at the gates of the Babylon. 22:47 And what gets me is that everybody in the party 22:49 knows that their city is surrounded by the armies 22:54 of this young Persian king name Cyrus. 22:57 He has the city in a chokehold, 23:00 and they are partying tonight. 23:03 Of course that's why the party goes on 23:05 because everybody knows Babylon is invincible. 23:09 Let me put a picture, 23:10 an artist's conception of the walls of Babylon. 23:13 Let me put it on the screen for you. 23:14 Babylon had a double set of two walls, a double set. 23:18 So that on the outside you began with 24 feet 23:20 and 26 feed wide walls respectively, 23:24 then you went little further 23:25 and you came to the second set 23:26 and they're 12 feet wide and 22 feet thick respectively. 23:30 At some places those walls towered up to 40 feet high. 23:35 Nobody is worried about Babylon falling tonight. 23:38 And in fact some estimates indicate 23:41 that they had enough food inside those walls 23:43 to survive a decade's long siege. 23:47 So it's party on dude in Babylon tonight. 23:52 Babylon is fallen, is fallen that great city. 23:57 Drop down to verse 3, 23:59 and then while the partying is going on 24:02 "They brought the gold vessels that had been taken 24:04 from the temple of the house of God 24:06 which had been in Jerusalem, 24:08 and the king and his lords, and his wives, 24:10 and his concubines drank from the holy vessels. Verse 4, 24:15 "They drank wine, and they praised 24:18 the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, 24:20 wood and stone." 24:23 Only a fool plays with the Holy. 24:29 Only a fool. 24:31 Do you know what's holy? 24:33 Sex is holy. 24:37 Sex is a gift from God to a man and a woman 24:40 who live within the protective walls of holy matrimony. 24:44 I'm telling you what, sir, 24:46 if you're fooling around with her 24:48 and she is not your wife, 24:50 you are just as destined for the judgment 24:54 as Belshazzar is tonight. 24:56 You get away from that girl 24:58 and leave your hands off of her. 25:02 All right. Sex is holy. 25:05 The Sabbath is holy. 25:07 The Sabbath is the gift of the Creator 25:08 to the human race. 25:09 It is holy time. 25:10 This is when our friendship goes deep 25:13 with the end of every single week. 25:14 The Sabbath is holy. 25:15 You can't play with what's holy. 25:18 Your body is holy. 25:19 You know that, you are the temple 25:20 of the Holy Spirit. 25:23 What you put inside your body is a moral issue. 25:26 It's the only body trust me you'll ever be given. 25:30 So take very good care of it. You're holy. 25:33 Belshazzar is a fool drinking out of holy cups. 25:41 Verse 5, "In the same hour the fingers of a man's hand 25:46 appeared and wrote opposite the lampstand 25:50 on the plaster of the wall of the king's palace, 25:54 and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote." 25:58 You try to imagine it in your heart, 26:00 a bloodless hand. 26:01 No connection to anything, 26:03 just a bloodless hand begins to etch its letters 26:08 of awful doom on the plaster of that palace banquet. 26:15 But Belshazzar and the inebriated partygoers 26:18 are sobered just a little too late. 26:24 And when the word goes out bring him in, 26:25 bring him in! 26:27 The old man now, was a Hebrew captive, 26:30 became a prophet after he was taken captive. 26:32 Served so faithfully, 26:34 the grandfather of the Belshazzar, Nebuchadnezzar. 26:36 When old man Daniel 26:37 with his bushy white mane enters that room, 26:41 Daniel knows it's over, it's too late. 26:43 Daniel's name by the way trumpets 26:44 every time you call it, God is my judge. 26:47 God is the judge. 26:49 When Daniel walks in, he sadly shakes his head, 26:51 he reads the letters and he says 26:53 "Oh king, it's too late. 26:56 You have been weighed in the balances 26:59 and you have been found wanting. 27:01 Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great 27:04 because she's made all nations drink of the wine 27:06 of the wrath of her fornication. 27:09 It's over. 27:11 And in that instant, there is the horse cry 27:15 from the far end of the palace hall. 27:18 And in the midnight the clatter of running feet, 27:21 the Persians have broken through. 27:24 Babylon is fallen, is fallen that great city. 27:29 And verse 30 how does it read, 27:32 "That every night Belshazzar, 27:34 king of the Chaldeans, was slain." 27:38 So how did he do it? Invincible city. 27:40 How did that young prince? 27:41 How did that young king Cyrus, 27:42 how could he have possibly brought 27:44 Babylon to its knees? 27:46 How is rest of the story. 27:49 Take a, listen, take a look at this incredible strategy. 27:52 And by the way, this military victory 27:55 and strategy were all predicted 27:57 including the name of the general 27:59 who would achieve it. 28:00 All predicted one and a half centuries before 28:02 the event took place. 28:03 A 150 years before Babylon fell 539 BC. 28:08 God predicted the name of the king 28:11 and the exact strategy. 28:14 Go back just a couple of books, 28:16 couple of three books to Isaiah. 28:18 Take a look, a century and a half earlier now. 28:21 Keep that in mind, God is speaking His words. 28:22 He actually names young Persian king Isaiah Chapter 45, 28:28 that would be page 490 in your pew Bible. 28:33 Isaiah 45, take a look at this. 28:36 Incredible, a century and a half in advance. 28:39 Isaiah 45:1 "Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus," 28:43 one and a half centuries before the boy is born, 28:46 God is saying, I got a guy named Cyrus, is coming. 28:48 He's my man. 28:49 And what Cyrus gonna do, 28:50 this is what God says to Cyrus 28:51 "Whose right hand I have held, 28:53 to subdue nations before him 28:55 and loose the armor of the kings, 28:56 to open before him the double doors, 29:00 so that the gates will not be shut:" 29:02 I need to tell you one more thing 29:03 about those walls. 29:06 Those walls are 24 feet and 26 feet thick, 29:09 you remember that. 29:10 There is a way into the city. 29:12 Even though you can't climb the walls, 29:13 there's a way into the city. 29:15 In fact I'm giving them a chance 29:16 up in the mezzanine to scram it back 29:18 to the slide I forgot about. 29:19 There is a way into the city. 29:20 The River Euphrates runs straight through Babylon. 29:23 Take a look at that. 29:24 The famous River Euphrates goes straight through Babylon, 29:27 straight through the heart. 29:29 But you can understand 29:30 though they don't show it there. 29:31 The walls are built over the city. 29:33 So sure, you could jump into the river, 29:35 it goes all the way to the top of the cauldron, 29:37 you'd have to hold your breath 24 feet 29:39 and then 26 feet and then 12 feet 29:41 and then 22 and even if you get inside the city. 29:44 So let's say you could swim under 29:45 all those walls and you get inside, 29:47 there are massive walls all along the river bank, 29:50 no way Jose, 29:52 you cannot get out of that river into the city. 29:55 But God says here, the gates, 29:57 the only way into the city would be some gates 30:00 stationed strategically all along the walls 30:03 along the river bank. 30:04 The only way you can get in if the gets are open. 30:07 And what did God just say 30:08 "I'm going to open before him the double doors 30:11 so that the gates will not be shut. 30:12 Look at this verse 2. 30:14 "I will go before you Cyrus and I will make 30:15 the crooked places straight, 30:16 and I will break in pieces the greats of bronze 30:18 and I'll cut the bars of iron." 30:20 In verse 3, "I will give you the treasures of darkness 30:23 and the hidden riches of secret places, 30:25 that you may know that I, 30:27 the Lord, who call you by your name, 30:29 I am the God of Israel." 30:30 Finally verse 4, "For Jacob My servant's sake, 30:33 and Israel My elect, 30:35 I have even called you by your name, 30:37 I have named you..." And get this. 30:39 "Though you have not known Me." 30:41 God chose a human being 30:44 who had no personal connection with Him. 30:49 I tell you what? 30:50 The next time you write off some godless atheist ruler, 30:54 political ruler on this planet, 30:56 I want you to remember the story of Cyrus 30:58 and be reminded, 31:01 God can partner with anybody 31:04 to strategically bring about His will. 31:06 An atheist, you don't have to have 31:09 an evangelical Christian in office, 31:11 in order for God's will to be done in America, 31:14 which gives us a little bit of space and peace. 31:18 You don't have to have a believer anywhere. 31:20 He took a pagan. 31:22 He said this is My man Cyrus, My anointed one. 31:25 Clue one, 31:27 the name of Babylon's conqueror would be Cyrus. 31:29 Clue number two, the double doors will be left open. 31:31 Let's go to clue three, 31:32 and you just go to the end of the chapter 31:34 right before Isaiah 44, 31:35 the last two verses. 31:37 God says in verse 27 "Who says to the deep, 31:39 'Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers." 31:42 Clue number three, 31:43 the river is going to get dried up. 31:45 Who is He speaking about? 31:47 Verse 28, "Who says of Cyrus, 31:48 'He is My shepherd, 31:50 and he shall perform all My pleasure', 31:51 he would say to Jerusalem, 31:53 'You shall be built." 31:54 I'm going to use that godless man 31:56 to help deliver My remnant people. 31:58 I'm going to use a godless politician 32:00 to save the community of faith on earth. 32:03 I'm going to use a godless king. 32:06 And He'll say to Jerusalem, 32:07 'You shall be built', to the temple, 32:09 'Your foundation shall be laid.'" 32:11 One and a half centuries before Babylon fell. 32:13 God said this is how it's going to happen. 32:15 The gates would be opened, and I'm going to use Cyrus. 32:17 Fifty years before Babylon fell, 32:20 God names more specifically the body of water. 32:26 Go to Jeremiah, this now 50 years, 32:28 Jeremiah Chapter 50. 32:30 One more fascinating piece. 32:32 Get a load of this, Jeremiah 50. 32:34 Can you imagine this? This is page 548. Unbelievable! 32:39 Fifty years before this invincible. 32:41 Babylon was the largest city of antiquity. 32:44 Fifty years in advance. 32:46 Verse 35, Chapter 50:35 32:49 God says "'A sword is against the Chaldeans,' 32:52 that would the Babylonians, 32:54 against the inhabitants of Babylon, 32:55 against her princes, against her wise men. 32:57 A sword is against the soothsayers, 32:59 they will be fools. 33:00 A sword is against her mighty men, 33:01 and they will be dismayed. 33:02 A sword is against their horses, 33:03 chariots, mixed peoples, 33:05 again they will become like women. 33:06 A sword is against her treasures." 33:08 Now verse 38, 33:09 "And a drought is against her waters." 33:13 It now identifies which water this is? 33:15 It's the river. 33:17 Put it together with Isaiah. 33:18 It's the river that runs through Babylon. 33:20 "A drought is against her waters, 33:21 and they will be dried up. 33:23 For it is the land of carved images, 33:24 and they are insane with their idols." 33:27 Babylon is an idolatrous power, 33:32 and I'll take that power down. 33:35 Did it happen the way God predicted a century earlier? 33:37 Listen to this. 33:38 October 13, 539 BC. 33:40 By the way, we're almost-- we just passed the anniversary, 33:42 October 13, 539 BC, 33:45 the Greek historian describing that night. 33:47 This is Herodotus. 33:48 We'll put it on the screen for you. 33:49 Describes the midnight victory of the Persian forces. 33:53 Seen on the screen there, 33:54 "He, Cyrus, posted his army at the place 33:58 where the river enters the city, 33:59 and another part of it 34:00 where the stream issues from the city." 34:02 All right, Euphrates goes in, Euphrates comes out. 34:04 So at both places he positions his army. 34:08 "And then he bade his men, hear the instructions, 34:10 enter the city by the channel of the Euphrates 34:13 when they should see it to be fordable" 34:15 Look at it guys, when the river drops, 34:16 trust me, it's going to drop. 34:17 When the river drops, you go in. 34:19 we're taking the city tonight. 34:20 You understand, we're taking the city tonight. 34:23 Then what does he do? 34:24 "Then he himself marched away 34:26 with those of his army who couldn't fight, 34:27 and when he came to the lake, 34:29 Cyrus dealt with it..." 34:30 the historian writes 34:31 "with the river just as had the Babylonian queen:" 34:34 The queen once upon a time said, 34:35 I need a lake up here. And so what did she do? 34:37 Drawing off the river by a canal into the lake 34:41 which was till now a marsh. 34:43 "He, Cyrus, made the stream, that would be the Euphrates, 34:45 sink till its former channels could be forded. 34:49 When this happened, 34:50 The Persians who have been posted with their intent 34:52 to make their way into Babylon 34:53 by the channel of the Euphrates, 34:54 which had now sunk, 34:55 they saw the water sink to about the height 34:59 of the middle of man's thigh." 35:01 You can go anywhere. 35:03 Any army can march through water this shallow. 35:07 The Euphrates drops and Herodotus tells us, 35:11 and in fact that night there was a party in Babylon. 35:14 Daniel 5 is right. 35:16 And the drunken guards left, 35:18 mistakenly left all the river gates open. 35:21 How had God put it Isaiah 45 35:24 "I will open before Cyrus the double doors, 35:27 so that the gates will not be shut." 35:32 And they were not. 35:34 The point, ladies and gentlemen, 35:35 when God's king of the east shows up, 35:39 there ain't nobody that can keep Him out, nobody. 35:44 In fact I wish you jot that down right now. 35:46 Will you? With better English than that. 35:48 Pull out your study guide in today's worship bulletin. 35:51 Thank you ushers. 35:52 Let's get study guides out quickly now. 35:54 If you didn't get your 35:55 study guide, just hold your hand up, 35:56 we have a study guide for you in the balcony, 35:58 up here to front, 36:00 pull out the study guide. 36:01 And while the ushers are getting it out, 36:02 let me just say to those of you 36:03 watching on television, go to our website. 36:05 Let me put it on the screen. 36:07 There it is, www.pmchurch.tv. 36:10 That's our website. 36:12 This is the teaching series 36:13 entitled "Rumors from the East." 36:15 Click on that series, 36:16 then you'll see a list of titles. 36:18 This particular title is "Kings of the East." 36:21 Click on there, you see the word pardon me, 36:24 you see the word study guide, click there. 36:26 You'll get the identical study guide. 36:28 I want to get that point while it's fresh on our minds. 36:31 Jot it down please. 36:34 "When the divinely appointed king 36:36 of the east shows up..." 36:37 It's on the screen, just fill it in. 36:39 "When the divinely appointed king 36:40 of the east shows up, there is nothing." 36:44 There is nothing, write that in, 36:45 that can keep him out! 36:46 What's all this have to do with rumors from the east? 36:48 Keep your pen moving. 36:49 It is the critical historical clue, 36:51 this story we just shared the military victory, 36:54 the clue that unlocks rumor number three. 36:59 Rumor number three, this is the final rumor. 37:01 We are moving to wrap on this series. 37:03 Go to the Bible's last book, it's the twin book to Daniel. 37:06 It's the New Testament equivalent of Daniel. 37:09 It's the Book of Revelation the Apocalypse, 37:11 just one line. 37:12 Just one line of Revelations 16. 37:14 Please find that, and let's cut to the chase. 37:18 Revelations Chapter 16. 37:20 By the way you recognize the chapter, 37:22 these are the seven last plagues. 37:24 I don't know what you know about Scripture 37:26 but you don't have to know much to know-- 37:29 When you hear about the seven last plagues. 37:31 Everybody knows that they immediately, 37:33 according to the Bible, they immediately proceed 37:35 the destruction of this earth, 37:37 the end of time, all right. 37:38 So the seven angels are shown holding bowls. 37:41 This is just before the return of Christ. 37:43 Plague number six. 37:45 Take a look at this, plague number six, 37:46 drop down to verse 12 Revelations 16:12, 37:49 "Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl 37:54 on the great river Euphrates..." 37:55 Have we already heard about the River Euphrates? 37:58 Yeah, we've already read it. 37:59 "He poured out his bowl on the River Euphrates 38:01 and its water..." was what? 38:04 Waters dried up. We heard about that? Yep. 38:08 "And its water was dried up, 38:09 so that the way of the kings from the east..." 38:12 Cyrus attacked Babylon from the east. 38:15 He was a king from the east. 38:17 "So that the way of the kings from the east 38:19 might be prepared." 38:23 Ladies and gentlemen, 38:24 what you've just read is a neat and tidy summation 38:27 of the great and strategic military victory of King Cyrus. 38:31 He was the king from the east. 38:33 He was east to Babylon. 38:34 King Cyrus and the fall of Babylon. 38:39 When the divinely appointed king 38:40 of the east showed up, 38:42 there was nothing that could keep him out. 38:45 But then, hey, come on who cares about Cyrus? 38:48 We're third millennials. 38:51 Unless of course what we've just read here 38:53 in Revelation isn't about the Persian Cyrus at all, 38:57 could that be it? 38:58 So who could this king of the east be 39:01 in the Apocalypse? 39:03 Three clues, jot them down. 39:04 Fascinating, jot these down. 39:06 Clue number one the name Cyrus means "sun." 39:10 Comes up in the morning and goes down at night. 39:12 It means sun, Cyrus means sun. 39:14 Have we heard about the sun in this series, 39:16 "Rumors from the east?" 39:18 Clue number one, Cyrus means sun. 39:20 Clue number two, the Greek for "east" 39:21 actually in this case is a two-word phrase 39:24 that means "rising sun" rising sun 39:29 or you can combine it "sunrise." 39:32 All right. 39:33 And clue number three, fascinating this one. 39:36 Isaiah 45:1 which we read a moment ago. 39:38 I want to talk about My anointed Cyrus, 39:40 remember God saying that, 39:41 My anointed one Cyrus. Listen to this. 39:43 "God calls Cyrus His "anointed" or in the Hebrew, 39:46 mashiach, which is used only in Isaiah 45 39:50 and in Daniel 9:25, 26." 39:53 For in Daniel 9, it is translated as Messiah. 39:57 The English word comes from the Hebrew "Messiah." 40:01 Now we take those three, just those three clues, 40:03 ladies and gentlemen. 40:05 Who do you suppose is this apocalyptic king 40:08 that comes right into earth from the east 40:10 and is called the Sun of Righteousness: 40:12 Malachi 4:2, The Sunrise: Luke 1:78 40:16 and the Messiah: John 1:41?" 40:18 Who might that be? 40:20 Keep your pen moving, Revelation 19:11-16 40:24 confirms that it is none other than King Jesus. 40:28 Now, folks, it's not rocket science, 40:30 those three clues, Sun, coming from the east, 40:33 rising who is this? 40:36 You see that little sentence that I struck 40:38 in the study guide taking these three clues: 40:40 Who do you suppose is this apocalyptic king 40:42 that comes right into earth from the east 40:44 and is called The Sun of Righteousness: 40:46 Malachi 4:2 and it's called The Sunrise: 40:48 Luke 1:78 and it's called the Messiah: John 1:41? 40:52 Who do you suppose this is? 40:54 Revelation 19 is absolutely unequivocal, 40:56 this is none other, write this in. 40:58 This is none other than King Jesus. 41:00 Hallelujah, the Cyrus of the Apocalypse. 41:05 His name means Sun, I'm the Sun of Righteousness. 41:08 The Cyrus is Jesus. 41:10 Just turn one page, will you? 41:11 One page to Revelation 19, 41:13 I love this description of Christ second coming. 41:16 Isn't this beautiful? 41:17 Revelation 19:11, "Then I saw heaven opened, 41:20 and behold, a white horse." 41:21 Oh, I love horses, scared of riding, 41:24 but I love them. 41:26 I'm gonna learn someday. 41:28 "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. 41:30 And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, 41:32 and in righteousness He judges and makes war. 41:35 His eyes, verse 12, were like a flame of fire, 41:38 and on His head were many crowns. 41:39 He had a name written that no one knew except Himself." 41:43 Verse 13, "He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood... 41:47 " crimson, "...and His name is called the Word of God. 41:53 Verse 14, hallelujah, "And the armies in heaven, 41:55 clothed in fine linen, white and clean, 41:58 followed Him also on white horses." 42:00 Now verse 15, 42:01 "Out of His mouth goes a sharp two edged sword, 42:04 that with it He should strike the nations. 42:06 And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. 42:09 He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness 42:12 and wrath of Almighty God." 42:13 Final verse 16, "And He had on His robe 42:16 and He has on His thigh a name written: 42:19 King of kings... Read it out loud with me. 42:22 "...King of kings and Lord of lords." Hallelujah. 42:28 There He is ladies and gentlemen, 42:31 the king of the east that's who He is. 42:34 Imagine my surprise to discover. 42:36 I'm reading the late Australian scholar 42:40 and writer name Lewis Viera, 42:41 I'm reading him in preparation 42:43 for this series and I discovered. 42:44 Write this down. 42:45 That in fact the favorite direction of King Jesus, 42:48 His favorite of all directions, 42:50 write it down is "east." 42:51 Keep your pen moving. 42:53 Three incredible pieces of evidence for that premise. 42:57 Numbers 2:3, look at this. 42:58 Isn't this fascinating? 43:00 You remember the camp Israel had 12 tribes 43:02 and always the sanctuary is the middle. 43:04 The tribe of Judah was given its place to camp. 43:06 Numbers 2:3 "The tribe of Judah 43:10 was to camp "on the east side 43:12 toward the rising of the sun." 43:15 And Revelation 5:5 calls 43:16 "Jesus the Lion of the tribe of Judah." 43:20 Write it down. 43:22 East is His favorite. 43:23 It's His favorite direction. Here's another one. 43:26 Jesus in the mini Apocalypse, all right, 43:29 Mathew 24 is the gospel's Apocalypse. 43:32 Jesus in the mini Apocalypse says, 43:35 "When I come the lightning is going to flash 43:37 from the east to the west." 43:42 Write it down from the east lo the west. 43:44 It's His favorite direction. 43:46 Notice this, 2 Peter 1:19, 43:48 Revelation 22:16, Jesus is called the "Morning Star." 43:51 And if go out running early before the sun is up 43:53 like I do you know that the morning star 43:55 always rises in the east. 43:58 It's not even a star, it's a planet. 43:59 It's that bright light in the east, 44:02 the last light to go out. 44:05 Great Controversy, 44:06 the Apocalyptic classic, get this. 44:08 I tell you this moves me every time 44:10 I come across these words, page 640, 44:12 soon describes the second coming of Jesus. 44:15 "Soon there appears in the east a small black cloud, 44:20 about half the size of a man's hand." 44:23 I used to try to figure that one out. 44:24 Half the size of a man's hand, 44:25 I mean how big is that? Well here's a man's hand. 44:27 Let me show you my hand. 44:29 I want to now make this hand half its size, watch this. 44:34 Oh I did, I just decreased 44:36 the size by about a half, didn't I? 44:38 So this is going to be that little cloud 44:40 in the east is going to be half the size of a man's hand. 44:42 Does it mean the man's hand right here? 44:44 No, no, always, if you're going to talk 44:45 about the hand you have to hold it in perspective, 44:47 it will be at arm's length. 44:49 So there is a cloud from the east 44:52 half the size of a man's hand. 44:53 What's going on here, watch this. 44:55 "The people of God know 44:56 this to be the sign of the Son of man. 44:59 In solemn silence they gaze upon it 45:02 as it draws nearer the earth, 45:04 becoming lighter and more glorious, 45:06 imagine this, until it is a huge, 45:08 a great white cloud, 45:10 its base a glory like consuming fire, 45:12 and above it a rainbow. 45:15 Jesus rides forth as a mighty conqueror." 45:19 Wow. 45:21 We were having a brunch two Sundays ago, 45:23 with our senior leaders, our elders. 45:26 We were having brunch together, and we were sharing stories. 45:28 And one of the elders shared this story 45:30 about his daughter he said "Our daughter left Christ, 45:33 left the church everything. 45:35 Then years later we got a phone call one morning. 45:38 She was on the other end of the line 45:39 and she was announcing, said ''Daddy, Mama, 45:40 both of you get on the phone." she said "Last night, 45:44 last night I had a dream that Jesus was returning 45:47 to the earth and that dream has so troubled me 45:50 that I have decided to give my heart 45:52 back to Jesus and return to the church." 45:55 I'm telling you, 45:56 I've seen it happened over and over again. 45:57 Just a mere visualization of the return of Christ 46:02 to this earth and suddenly inside your conscience, 46:04 inside your heart there is this little pounding, 46:06 there's a little something that's saying you know what, 46:08 I want to be ready, I need to be ready. 46:12 Let your mind visualize that little cloud 46:15 getting closer and closer. 46:18 It's Cyrus. 46:19 It's Cyrus and he is going 46:21 to bring Babylon to its knees. 46:30 Write it down ladies and gentlemen, 46:31 I want to be there when the King of the east 46:33 comes riding out of that sunrise. 46:34 Write it down. 46:35 There it is, rumor number three. 46:37 What is rumor number three? He's coming! 46:39 That's the rumor. Write it down, He is coming. 46:41 Hallelujah. 46:43 Which by the way, in my book, 46:45 that's what makes this rumor 46:47 the best rumor of all three, the best of the best. 46:52 And by the way that is also why when that dark and evil power 46:58 known as the king of the north when he gets this rumor,>> 47:02 he is driven into a panic. 47:05 And in one lashing fury, 47:08 seeks to obliterate those who are loyal to God. 47:11 It's this rumor. 47:13 You say, come on, unpack this. 47:15 Come on, what's the drying up of the Euphrates. 47:16 What is this? Who is this Babylon? 47:19 Two weeks from today, 47:21 this entire series shuts down. 47:23 And I hope that if you're anywhere 47:24 within driving distance two weeks from the day, 47:26 you'll be right here. 47:27 Title of the teaching then "King of the North." 47:29 We've held it in advance, we've held it back, 47:32 we've read it, we've noted it, 47:33 we've not said a word about it. 47:34 And I'm going to be careful in that teaching 47:36 it's going to be cryptic. 47:38 I'm not just going to come out and spell it for you. 47:41 But anybody who can pick up the cues 47:43 will know in an instant after those cues and clues, 47:48 who the king of the north is? 47:49 Today, King of the east. 47:51 Forget the king of the north, today hallelujah, 47:54 King of the east. 47:55 And by the way, did you notice in your Bible, 47:57 it's not king of the east, 47:58 it's "kings" plural of the east. 48:01 Go back to verse 12 here in Revelation 16. 48:05 "Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl 48:07 on the great river Euphrates, 48:08 and its water was dried up, 48:10 so that the way of the kings 48:12 from the east might be prepared." 48:16 So who are these kings? 48:17 Who's John talking about? Keep your pen moving. 48:20 Well, let John interpret himself. 48:22 We're not going to bring in extra interpretation. 48:23 Let John speak Revelation 1:5, 6. 48:26 Jot this down, this praise to Jesus. 48:28 "To Him who loved us and washed us 48:30 from our sins in His own blood, 48:32 and has made us kings 48:37 and priests to His God and Father" 48:40 Keep your pen moving. 48:41 In Revelation 17:14, 48:43 "For He is the Lord of lords and King of kings, 48:45 and those who are with, 48:49 those who are with Him in this final showdown 48:52 are called, chosen, and faithful. 48:56 "One more, Revelation 20:4, 48:58 "And I saw thrones, and they, 49:01 those whom Jesus takes to heaven 49:03 and they sat on them." 49:05 Ladies and gentlemen, when John uses the word kings. 49:08 Keep your pen moving. 49:10 He's drawing a circle so wide 49:12 that it even includes every man, 49:13 woman and child who follows, 49:16 who follows Jesus! 49:18 No, they don't, 49:19 they don't come back to earth with Jesus. 49:20 How could they? They're already on this earth. 49:22 They're not coming back with Him. 49:24 There are people who are here but John intentionally-- 49:26 Keep your pen moving. 49:27 John intentionally uses the plural. 49:29 Write that down. 49:30 He uses the plural to teach that 49:32 because of their allegiance to the king of the East, 49:35 his victory is theirs when He conquers 49:37 the enemy of Babylon, it's their conquering too. 49:41 They come together. He's not returned yet. 49:49 The divine Cyrus has not come back yet. 49:54 But when He comes, hallelujah, 49:57 He conquers. He will conquer. 50:00 That's why, ladies and gentlemen, 50:02 I can watch the unfolding nuclear showdown 50:05 with North Korea and not lose a night of sleep over? 50:08 I'm not afraid. 50:10 I never told you this before but my mother 50:11 was born in Pyongyang, 50:13 the capital of North Korea. 50:15 Born as a missionary's kid. 50:17 I'm not afraid of how that's going to turn out. 50:20 I tell you what? 50:21 I just know when the rulers of this earth 50:23 had exhausted their final solution, 50:26 the king of the east comes 50:27 riding triumphantly out of that sunrise. 50:30 Hallelujah, thank you Jesus. 50:32 That's why you know what? 50:33 The quagmire in the Middle East right now, 50:35 I can't figure it out. 50:37 I don't know what this election 50:38 is going to be a referendum on, 50:39 I don't know what they are going to decide from this. 50:42 But I'm not losing any sleep over it 50:43 unless our son-in-law Andrew as a medic 50:46 to the rangers get sent, 50:47 then I'll be up night and day praying. 50:53 I've a feeling speaking of this election. 50:57 There is no human brilliance sufficient to solve the moral, 51:00 social and political woes and ills of this planet. 51:05 I carry in the back of my Bible. 51:07 I brood on these words every now and then. 51:09 Listen to this. 51:10 These words are written a hundred years ago. 51:11 "The present..." 51:12 They sound like they were written yesterday. 51:15 "The present is a time of overwhelming interest 51:17 to all living. 51:18 Rulers and statesmen, 51:19 men who occupy positions of trust and authority, 51:21 thinking men and women of all classes, 51:24 have their attention fixed upon the events 51:26 taking place about us. 51:27 They are watching the strained, 51:29 restless relations that exist among the nations. 51:32 They observe the intensity that is taking possession 51:34 of every earthly element, 51:36 and they recognize thinking people do that 51:38 something great and decisive is about to take place, 51:42 that the world is on the verge of a stupendous crisis." 51:48 I'm not afraid because I know that when we are 51:52 at our wits' end humanly speaking, 51:56 there's a king that comes riding out of that sunrise. 52:02 That this night of crushing darkness 52:05 is soon going to end. 52:07 I know what you'd say, "Come on Dwight, 52:08 it's not crushing, it's not dark for me. 52:10 I'm having a great time right now. 52:11 This is the best hour of my life." 52:14 I want to tell you something, it is crushing and dark 52:16 for a senior at Andrews University today 52:18 named Leroy Brown who lost his mother and brother 52:21 in the same car accident this week. 52:25 You want to know crushing darkness. 52:27 Be a member of Marilyn Poole family. 52:30 You want to know what it's like to live with a broken heart 52:33 in the midnight of life? 52:36 Talk to the Judas Peter's family. 52:38 Two people, community activists 52:41 both lost within the last week. 52:44 You say, "My life is just fine right now." 52:46 Trust me, trust me. 52:49 If there is no longing in your heart 52:50 for this midnight to end, 52:52 God can take care of that for you. 52:56 There will be no human being on this planet 52:58 who will not know midnight, 53:00 and our hunger and our longing for Jesus Christ to come. 53:03 Our hunger and our longing for that, 53:05 where is that sun that is supposed to come up. 53:09 If your life is just hunky-dory party on dude, 53:11 have great time tonight wherever you're going. 53:13 But I'm telling you what, like Belshazzar, 53:15 you're going to get a wake up call one day. 53:17 There will be a knocking at your door 53:18 and you'll discover it's midnight. 53:22 Don't ask for it, don't ask for it. 53:25 Just know that His grace will be sufficient when it comes. 53:29 You'll have a dark night. We all do. 53:33 But hallelujah, I have not examined 53:36 all the calendars of earth, 53:38 but I understand that there has never been a midnight 53:42 on this planet that has not been 53:44 followed by a sunrise. 53:48 Straight out of the east. Thank you Jesus. 53:52 East. That's why in Bible prophecy, 53:55 east is a four letter word. 53:56 Write this down. 53:57 In Bible prophecy, east is a four letter word 53:59 spelled HOPE, east, 54:07 because that's where 54:09 Jesus is coming from, east. 54:14 And He is a last best hope we have ever had. 54:16 I tell you what? We have this hope. 54:18 We really do have it and nobody, 54:21 and I mean nobody can take this hope 54:26 away from us. Amen. 54:50 We have this hope 54:54 that burns within our hearts 54:59 Hope in the coming of the Lord 55:07 We have this faith 55:14 that Christ alone imparts 55:17 Faith in the promise 55:19 of His Word 55:25 We believe the time is here 55:29 When the nations far and near 55:33 Shall awake, and shout and sing 55:38 Hallelujah! Christ is King! 55:44 We have this hope that 55:52 burns within our hearts 55:58 Hope in the coming of the Lord 56:14 And now to Him who loves us and has freed us 56:16 from our sins by His blood and has made us to be 56:20 a kingdom and priest to serve His God and Father, 56:24 to Him be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen. 56:28 Look, He is coming with the clouds 56:33 and every eye will see Him. 56:35 Even those who pierced Him. 56:37 And all the peoples of the earth will mourn 56:39 because of Him, so shall it be. 56:42 Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus. Amen. 57:06 Before you go, I wanted to take 57:07 one more moment to let you know, 57:09 how glad I am you shared this hour of worship 57:10 and Bible teachings with us. 57:13 Living in the world that we do now, 57:14 a civilization surviving on the edge 57:16 of constant upheaval and change, 57:19 I'm grateful that we have the bed rock hope of Jesus, 57:21 aren't you? 57:22 And I'm thankful that you and I 57:23 can partner together to reach this generation 57:25 the world over through the satellite telecast. 57:29 So please know that I thank God 57:30 and you for the generous way 57:32 you partnered with us. 57:33 Your tax deductible gifts are being multiplied 57:36 all across the earth for such a time as this. 57:39 If you'd like to order a DVD or a video tape 57:41 copy of this teaching today, 57:43 or make a donation on your credit card, 57:45 please call our friendly operators 57:46 at the numbers on your screen. 57:47 There it is 877-HIS-WILL. 57:50 Just the two words 877-HIS-WILL. 57:53 And I promise you, we will invest every penny 57:55 of your generosity in God's mission 57:57 to reach this final generation now. 58:00 Thank you for that partnership. 58:02 And I will see you here again, next time. |
Revised 2015-05-21