Good morning, friends,
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and welcome to
Sabbath School Study Hour
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coming to you from Granite
Bay Seventh-day Adventist Church
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in Sacramento, California.
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Very warm welcome to
those joining us online,
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from the various
television networks,
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and also to our
members and visitors
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right here in
person at the church,
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welcome, we're
delighted that you all here
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early to study
the Word together.
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We saw at a brand
new lesson quarterly
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that we're very excited about.
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It's entitled
Preparations for the End Times.
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And this is
actually the second lesson
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in this quarter that
we're studying today,
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it's entitled
Daniel and the End Times.
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So that's going to be the theme
for our study this morning.
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We have a free offer
for those in North America.
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And we'll be happy to
send this to anybody for free
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who calls and ask.
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If you'd like to
receive a copy of this DVD,
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the number to
call is 866-788-3966.
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Ask for offer number 840.
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We'll be happy to send that
to anybody who calls and asks,
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just a great study
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of Islam,
Christianity and Prophecy.
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Well, before we get to
our study this morning,
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we always like to begin by
lifting our voices in praise,
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and our song leaders will
lead us in music at this time.
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Thank you so much for
singing along with us.
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And at this time Pastor Ross
will have our opening prayer.
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Dear Father in heaven,
we thank You once again
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that we're able
to gather together
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and open up Your Word
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and study this important subject
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dealing with the end times.
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As you look at the Old
Testament Book of Daniel
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as indeed reveal things
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that would be
taking place in our time.
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We pray that the Holy Spirit
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to come and guard
our hearts and our minds,
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for we ask this
in Jesus' name, amen.
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Our lesson study this morning
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is going to be
brought to us by Pastor Doug.
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I want to welcome our
friends who are joining us.
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And we're preparing to
launch into a very good study.
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I think it's very
appropriate and relevant
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for our times right now,
Preparation for the End Time.
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And this is going
to be in the context
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of a number of different books
in the Bible and individuals.
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Today's study is lesson
two, Daniel and the End of Time.
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And we're going to be
looking at what we can learn
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from the character and
the personality of Daniel
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that would help
prepare us for the last days.
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And we have a memory verse,
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and the memory
verse is from Daniel 2:47.
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If you have your Bibles handy,
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you can say this out
loud with me, Daniel 2:47,
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this is the New
King James Version.
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Are you ready?
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"And the king answered and said,
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'Truly your God
is the God of gods,
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and the Lord of kings,
and a revealer of secrets,
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since you could
reveal this secret."
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Through the witness of Daniel
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and others like
him over history,
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God was
accomplishing His purpose
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in revealing to
the world who He was
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and what the
plan of salvation was.
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And a lot of things
that Daniel went through
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when he was a
captive there in Babylon,
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those things are
going to be repeated for us
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in the last days.
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Now why did God call
the children of Israel?
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Why did He call
them out of Egypt?
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Sometimes I hear people say,
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"Well, that's
because He saved them
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because they were
better than other people."
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Does the Bible teach that?
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Or did God say,
"I didn't save you
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because you're
better than anyone else.
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In fact you're a stubborn
and a stiff neck people."
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Why did He pick them?
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What was the
purpose in calling Israel?
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Well, the Messiah would
come through the sea of Israel.
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But He wanted
the nation of Israel
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really to be a
light to the world.
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For one thing, look at
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where they were
situated geographically.
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What if God had
called His promised people
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the aborigines in Australia?
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Well, that would have been fine,
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but it would have
been hard for them
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isolated on that
great continent down there
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to really be a
light to the world.
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But instead look
geographically at what He did.
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He picked a
nation, not a big nation,
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but a
strategically important nation
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in that it is a land bridge
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over which most of the
civilized nations would cross
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to go between
Europe, Africa, Asia,
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and parts of the Middle East,
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the only place to go was
through the land of Israel.
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And even though it's
smaller than California,
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it is in the news
virtually every week today.
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It's a very
important piece of real estate.
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And He wanted them to be
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and you can read
about this in Exodus 19:6,
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He said, "You will be
to me a kingdom of priests,
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and a holy nation."
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Revelation says a
nation of kings and priests.
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Now, if they're
all a nation of kings,
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who are the kings over,
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if they're all a
nation of priests.
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Now, what does a priest do?
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Doesn't a priest
like make atonement
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and intercede for others.
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And so in order for them to
be a nation of kings and priests
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who are they
priesting, who are they kinging,
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so to speak.
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He wanted them to be leaders.
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Now someone is going to
read for me in just a moment
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Luke 16:10,
you'll have that, Hoftis.
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You know,
probably the best time,
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the most ideal demonstration
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of what God's
plan was for Israel
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came after the
reign of King David.
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He had sort of set the
stage for the time of Solomon,
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that was the golden era.
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It was golden era
in more ways than one.
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It was a golden era
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because they were at the
zenith of their influence
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and it was a golden in that,
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they had a lot
of gold back then.
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In fact, I always
thought it was interesting,
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Solomon was doing great,
they're building the temple,
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everything's going great.
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The Queen of Sheba comes
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to learn of the
wisdom of Solomon.
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And then like
Hezekiah when messengers came,
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he just showed them his stuff,
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Solomon shows the
Queen of Sheba God.
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And she's looking for wisdom.
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She just begins to
hammer him with questions
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and he answers
all of her questions.
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And it says there was
no more spirit left in her,
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that's where you get
the word breathtaking,
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the word spirit there is breath.
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And there was no
more spirit left in her
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when she saw the glory,
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and everything was going great.
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And then it says, in 1 year,
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666 talents of
gold came to Solomon.
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And then in the
next passage it says,
00:10:03.06\00:10:05.43
his wives drew away his
heart and then it goes down.
00:10:05.43\00:10:09.80
That was the
zenith of the kingdom.
00:10:09.80\00:10:13.04
The other nations
were coming to Israel
00:10:13.04\00:10:15.78
to find out about God.
00:10:15.78\00:10:18.31
They had become a
light to the world.
00:10:18.31\00:10:19.98
That was what he
wanted them to do
00:10:19.98\00:10:21.58
in being a nation
of kings and priests.
00:10:21.58\00:10:23.49
He wanted them to
show the other nations God.
00:10:23.49\00:10:26.35
But they didn't seem to do
it very well in prosperity.
00:10:26.35\00:10:30.49
So God ultimately had
to do it in adversity.
00:10:30.49\00:10:34.00
And now they became
witnesses most effectively
00:10:34.00\00:10:37.20
when they were being captives
00:10:37.20\00:10:39.80
or occupied by
some other kingdom.
00:10:39.80\00:10:43.27
You can look in Mark 11:16.
00:10:43.27\00:10:46.84
It says, "Jesus said
He wouldn't allow anyone
00:10:46.84\00:10:48.74
to carry wears
through the temple.
00:10:48.74\00:10:51.05
And he taught them
saying, "Is it not written:
00:10:51.05\00:10:52.78
My house shall be called
00:10:52.78\00:10:53.98
a house of
prayer for all Jews.'"
00:10:53.98\00:10:57.79
Is that what it said?
00:10:57.79\00:10:59.49
It says for all nations.
00:10:59.49\00:11:01.76
What was God's plan
00:11:01.76\00:11:02.89
when He built the
temple for the time of Solomon,
00:11:02.89\00:11:05.79
that just Jew should pray there,
00:11:05.79\00:11:07.76
or it was to be a house
of prayer for everybody?
00:11:07.76\00:11:10.60
He wanted everyone to come there
00:11:10.60\00:11:13.03
and to worship there.
00:11:13.03\00:11:14.47
And so He wanted them
00:11:14.47\00:11:15.54
to be a nation of
missionaries to the world.
00:11:15.54\00:11:17.67
All right, now we're gonna
go into the first section here,
00:11:17.67\00:11:19.54
faithful in what is a least.
00:11:19.54\00:11:21.24
And this is based on a verse
00:11:21.24\00:11:22.48
you're going to
read them for us please.
00:11:22.48\00:11:24.31
Luke 16:10, "He who is
faithful in what is least
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is faithful also in much:
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and he who is unjust
00:11:31.39\00:11:33.05
in what is least is
unjust also in much."
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Now did the little
things matter in our witnessing
00:11:37.99\00:11:41.03
in the last days?
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One of the great
stories in the Bible,
00:11:45.57\00:11:47.20
matter of fact I
think more chapters
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are dedicated to
Joseph in Genesis
00:11:49.37\00:11:52.34
than any other individual.
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Joseph wasn't even in Israel
00:11:54.91\00:11:57.45
when he's being
the greatest witness.
00:11:57.45\00:12:00.48
Joseph is a
captive in another land.
00:12:00.48\00:12:03.52
And so he is in a country
00:12:03.52\00:12:04.89
that is occupied
by a different force
00:12:04.89\00:12:07.59
and yet he is witnessing for God
00:12:07.59\00:12:09.66
and God is
using him to save many
00:12:09.66\00:12:11.99
in those circumstances.
00:12:11.99\00:12:13.60
What is the status of the church
00:12:13.60\00:12:14.73
in the world today?
00:12:14.73\00:12:15.80
Do we run things?
00:12:15.80\00:12:17.73
Or are we an occupied country?
00:12:17.73\00:12:20.77
The world sort of
been hijacked by the enemy.
00:12:20.77\00:12:22.97
Can we be
witnesses in spite of that?
00:12:22.97\00:12:25.67
How was Joseph a
faithful witness?
00:12:25.67\00:12:29.68
Did Joseph ride into Egypt
00:12:29.68\00:12:32.05
when he first
arrived in a golden chariot?
00:12:32.05\00:12:34.48
How did he show up in Egypt?
00:12:34.48\00:12:36.52
Probably tied up,
saddled on a camel
00:12:36.52\00:12:39.35
or dragged behind a camel,
00:12:39.35\00:12:40.82
and he came, and he was
auctioned as a slave, right?
00:12:40.82\00:12:45.63
He decided, "Well, if
I'm going to be a slave,
00:12:45.63\00:12:47.73
I'm going to be
a faithful slave.
00:12:47.73\00:12:49.60
I'm not going to sweep
that dirt under the carpet,
00:12:49.60\00:12:51.73
I'm going to sweep
it up in the dust pan
00:12:51.73\00:12:53.34
and put it where it goes.
00:12:53.34\00:12:54.87
I am going to do
things faithfully."
00:12:54.87\00:12:56.81
And he was so faithful,
what did his master notice?
00:12:56.81\00:13:00.24
Everything he did prospered.
00:13:00.24\00:13:03.04
And he just kept exalting them
00:13:03.04\00:13:05.68
until pretty soon Joseph
was in charge of everything.
00:13:05.68\00:13:08.88
Well, then you know, Potiphar's
wife falsely accused him,
00:13:08.88\00:13:12.79
he's thrown in jail.
00:13:12.79\00:13:13.96
He said, "I give up.
00:13:13.96\00:13:15.66
I tried and look what happened."
00:13:15.66\00:13:17.99
Is that what he did in jail?
00:13:17.99\00:13:20.03
Said, "Well, I don't
know why I'm in prison
00:13:20.03\00:13:21.53
but if I'm going to be in
jail, I'm going to be faithful."
00:13:21.53\00:13:24.33
And he was so faithful
even in those circumstances
00:13:24.33\00:13:26.94
as a prisoner that
soon he ran the prison.
00:13:26.94\00:13:31.41
Now what happened to Joseph
happens to the Jewish people
00:13:31.41\00:13:34.71
through their history.
00:13:34.71\00:13:38.48
They get carried away captive
00:13:38.48\00:13:40.05
and next thing, you
know, they're running things.
00:13:40.05\00:13:43.22
Did that happen to Daniel?
00:13:43.22\00:13:46.05
Did it happen to
Mordecai and Esther?
00:13:46.05\00:13:51.36
Has it happened
in the world today?
00:13:51.36\00:13:54.36
You know some of the
chief writers and financiers
00:13:54.36\00:13:57.57
in the world are Jewish people.
00:13:57.57\00:14:00.74
Is anyone going to contest that?
00:14:00.74\00:14:03.84
Wherever they seem to go,
it seems like they find...
00:14:03.84\00:14:09.58
The Lord somehow brings them
into positions of leadership.
00:14:09.58\00:14:12.81
It's just very interesting.
00:14:12.81\00:14:14.82
So what does that
say to the church?
00:14:14.82\00:14:17.05
If we are faithful
in the little things,
00:14:17.05\00:14:20.32
God will expand our influence.
00:14:20.32\00:14:22.36
And so, how are we to
be witnesses to the world?
00:14:22.36\00:14:25.49
Look in Deuteronomy 4:4-8.
00:14:25.49\00:14:28.60
It's a great passage
00:14:28.60\00:14:29.66
that many of us have memorized.
00:14:29.66\00:14:34.04
Deuteronomy 4:4-8,
00:14:34.04\00:14:35.44
"But you who held
fast to the Lord your God
00:14:35.44\00:14:37.77
are alive today,
every one of you..."
00:14:37.77\00:14:39.74
That's a good promise,
00:14:39.74\00:14:41.44
hold fast to the Lord your life.
00:14:41.44\00:14:43.38
"Surely I have taught
you statutes and judgments
00:14:43.38\00:14:46.11
just as the Lord
my God commanded me,
00:14:46.11\00:14:48.55
and you should
act according to them
00:14:48.55\00:14:49.88
in the land you go to possess.
00:14:49.88\00:14:51.85
Therefore be
careful to observe them,
00:14:51.85\00:14:54.79
this is your wisdom
and your understanding
00:14:54.79\00:14:57.19
in the sight of the peoples
00:14:57.19\00:14:59.63
who will hear
all these statutes."
00:14:59.63\00:15:01.53
The other nations are
going to hear about it.
00:15:01.53\00:15:03.77
Even if you were to
conquer all the Canaanites,
00:15:03.77\00:15:05.83
the other nations that come
from afar that trade with you,
00:15:05.83\00:15:08.64
they're going to
hear about your laws
00:15:08.64\00:15:10.44
and they're going to say,
"Surely this is a great nation
00:15:10.44\00:15:14.31
and a wise and an
understanding people.
00:15:14.31\00:15:16.91
For what great nation is
there that has God so near to it
00:15:16.91\00:15:20.72
as the Lord our God is to us.
00:15:20.72\00:15:22.88
And for whatever
reason we might call upon him
00:15:22.88\00:15:25.19
and what great nation is there
00:15:25.19\00:15:26.76
that has such statutes
and righteous judgments
00:15:26.76\00:15:30.09
as are in this law that
I sit before you this day."
00:15:30.09\00:15:34.00
You know, the wonderful
thing about the laws of Moses
00:15:34.00\00:15:36.46
is they are not superstition.
00:15:36.46\00:15:39.83
Many of the
government laws in the world
00:15:39.83\00:15:41.57
are based on the Mosaic law.
00:15:41.57\00:15:44.27
They're not based on
the laws of Hammurabi,
00:15:44.27\00:15:46.64
they're not based
on the Magna Carta.
00:15:46.64\00:15:49.04
Well, I guess there are some
00:15:49.04\00:15:50.08
that are based
on the Magna Carta.
00:15:50.08\00:15:51.65
They're not based on
00:15:51.65\00:15:52.71
some of the
superstitious laws of the world.
00:15:52.71\00:15:55.75
But the law of Moses,
most kingdoms have realized,
00:15:55.75\00:15:59.35
those are just
and righteous laws
00:15:59.35\00:16:02.46
and so many world laws
are patterned after them.
00:16:02.46\00:16:05.33
And so others will notice
even little things like that.
00:16:05.33\00:16:08.90
So did God call
them just to save them
00:16:08.90\00:16:12.70
or why did He established them?
00:16:12.70\00:16:14.24
Look in Isaiah 56:6.
00:16:14.24\00:16:17.44
Isaiah 56:6.
00:16:17.44\00:16:21.24
"And also the
sons of the foreigner,
00:16:21.24\00:16:23.75
who join themselves
to the Lord to serve Him,
00:16:23.75\00:16:26.01
and to love the
name of the Lord,
00:16:26.01\00:16:27.58
to be his servants,
00:16:27.58\00:16:28.58
every one who keeps
from defiling the Sabbath,
00:16:28.58\00:16:31.39
and holds fast my covenant."
00:16:31.39\00:16:32.79
I want to pause right there.
00:16:32.79\00:16:35.19
And some people might say,
00:16:35.19\00:16:36.26
"Well, the Sabbath,
that's for the Jews."
00:16:36.26\00:16:38.93
But what does God say to
the sons of the foreigner?
00:16:38.93\00:16:42.16
It's for everybody who
takes hold of My covenant.
00:16:42.16\00:16:45.53
"Even them I will
bring to my holy mountain,
00:16:45.53\00:16:48.30
and make them joyful
in my house of prayer:
00:16:48.30\00:16:51.37
their burnt
offerings and their sacrifices
00:16:51.37\00:16:53.21
will be accepted on my altar,
00:16:53.21\00:16:54.91
for my house will be
called a house of prayer
00:16:54.91\00:16:57.18
for all nations."
00:16:57.18\00:16:59.75
See God wanted the other
nations to flow to Israel.
00:16:59.75\00:17:03.35
In this last
verse in this section
00:17:03.35\00:17:04.92
is one of my favorite.
00:17:04.92\00:17:06.49
Zachariah 8:23,
00:17:06.49\00:17:09.46
"Thus says the Lord of
hosts: 'In those days ten men
00:17:09.46\00:17:13.96
from every
language of the nations
00:17:13.96\00:17:16.13
shall grab the
sleeve of a Jewish man,
00:17:16.13\00:17:19.33
saying, 'Let us go with you,
00:17:19.33\00:17:20.97
for we have heard
that God is with you.'"
00:17:20.97\00:17:23.94
It's I think, they grab
hold of them, they said,
00:17:23.94\00:17:26.71
"Look I'm sticking with you.
00:17:26.71\00:17:29.58
You're lucky."
00:17:29.58\00:17:30.78
It's kind of like when I heard
00:17:30.78\00:17:32.45
when Pastor CD
Brooks was flying one time,
00:17:32.45\00:17:34.58
he used to tell the story about
00:17:34.58\00:17:35.72
how they got into
some terrible turbulence,
00:17:35.72\00:17:38.12
plane was shaking and rocking,
00:17:38.12\00:17:40.12
and they put on
the seatbelt sign,
00:17:40.12\00:17:41.79
and then they
made the announcement
00:17:41.79\00:17:42.96
for the flight attendants
to sit down and buckle up
00:17:42.96\00:17:45.73
because it's really serious
00:17:45.73\00:17:47.00
when the flight
attendants buckle up.
00:17:47.00\00:17:48.70
And then it was bouncing
00:17:48.70\00:17:49.86
and then they saw the lightning
flash outside the window,
00:17:49.86\00:17:52.30
and the lady sitting
next to Pastor Brooks
00:17:52.30\00:17:54.10
put her hand on his hand,
00:17:54.10\00:17:55.20
he said, I've
never talked to her yet.
00:17:55.20\00:17:57.77
And, but I guess he had
mentioned he was a pastor.
00:17:57.77\00:18:00.61
And she said, "I'm so glad
I'm sitting next to a pastor."
00:18:00.61\00:18:05.11
It's like they think there's
some kind of good luck there.
00:18:05.11\00:18:08.68
But you know, many
of the nations have seen
00:18:08.68\00:18:10.72
how God preserve
the Jewish people
00:18:10.72\00:18:12.49
and there was a blessing there.
00:18:12.49\00:18:13.92
And what is the church today?
00:18:13.92\00:18:15.76
Spiritual Israel, right?
00:18:15.76\00:18:17.79
And so people are going to say,
"You know, God is with you."
00:18:17.79\00:18:21.13
Sometimes when you
witness your neighbors,
00:18:21.13\00:18:22.96
they might think you're
a little odd and peculiar.
00:18:22.96\00:18:25.73
But if you're faithful,
when they go through a trial
00:18:25.73\00:18:28.24
and they're
looking for some advice,
00:18:28.24\00:18:29.64
you'll be surprised
00:18:29.64\00:18:30.61
how all of a sudden
they knock on your door
00:18:30.61\00:18:32.07
and they call on
the phone and they say,
00:18:32.07\00:18:34.81
"Can I talk to
you a little bit."
00:18:34.81\00:18:37.31
And when they're
going through some crisis,
00:18:37.31\00:18:39.48
if we're faithful
in those little things,
00:18:39.48\00:18:40.88
they will look to us.
00:18:40.88\00:18:41.85
Now one example of
this, if you go to Daniel 1,
00:18:41.85\00:18:44.95
the book starts out
00:18:44.95\00:18:46.02
with a test of
faithfulness on little things.
00:18:46.02\00:18:49.09
What was that test about?
00:18:49.09\00:18:52.16
Food.
00:18:52.16\00:18:53.63
What was the first
test for Adam and Eve about?
00:18:53.63\00:18:57.40
Food.
00:18:57.40\00:18:58.53
Oh, that's a little thing.
00:18:58.53\00:19:01.00
You Seventh-day Adventists,
00:19:01.00\00:19:03.10
you make such a big stink
over little things, like food.
00:19:03.10\00:19:08.31
So was it a little
thing for Adam and Eve?
00:19:08.31\00:19:11.58
All the misery in the trouble
00:19:11.58\00:19:12.78
you see in the
world around you today
00:19:12.78\00:19:14.25
can be traced back
to eating something
00:19:14.25\00:19:16.28
you're not supposed
to eat, isn't that right?
00:19:16.28\00:19:20.42
And then look in
the Book of Daniel,
00:19:20.42\00:19:21.92
it starts out that way.
00:19:21.92\00:19:24.09
The story of
Samson, how does it begin?
00:19:24.09\00:19:27.13
The angel comes to
the wife of Manoah...
00:19:27.13\00:19:28.96
I always wish we knew her name,
00:19:28.96\00:19:30.73
just calls her
the wife of Manoah.
00:19:30.73\00:19:32.80
And says, "You're
going to have a baby,
00:19:32.80\00:19:35.54
be careful what you eat."
00:19:35.54\00:19:38.61
Isn't that interesting?
00:19:38.61\00:19:41.81
Let me just refer
to this real quick,
00:19:41.81\00:19:43.85
so here in
Daniel 1 it says that,
00:19:43.85\00:19:46.08
you know, they're
carried away captive,
00:19:46.08\00:19:47.28
they're thankful
that they're not just,
00:19:47.28\00:19:48.78
you know, working as slaves,
00:19:48.78\00:19:50.72
cutting stone in
a quarry somewhere.
00:19:50.72\00:19:52.69
They get to work in the palace,
be part of the university,
00:19:52.69\00:19:55.09
and they've got, you
know, nice environment
00:19:55.09\00:19:58.03
and, you know, it's always nice
00:19:58.03\00:20:00.60
when you're in a hot
country if you get a job
00:20:00.60\00:20:02.13
where there's air
conditioning, right?
00:20:02.13\00:20:04.97
And so they've
got it pretty good.
00:20:04.97\00:20:06.40
Then king says, "Not only that,
00:20:06.40\00:20:07.44
but we're going to
provide your food,"
00:20:07.44\00:20:08.67
but there is a problem there.
00:20:08.67\00:20:11.34
On three different
levels the Babylonian,
00:20:11.34\00:20:14.01
regular Babylonian
food that they had assigned
00:20:14.01\00:20:16.81
to the students of the captives,
00:20:16.81\00:20:20.28
it has things in it
that God said are unclean.
00:20:20.28\00:20:24.65
There's alcohol,
they're not supposed to drink.
00:20:24.65\00:20:28.09
And then some of the food,
00:20:28.09\00:20:29.62
the meat in
particular sacrificed to idols
00:20:29.62\00:20:31.83
probably before it's butchered.
00:20:31.83\00:20:33.73
Daniel says to the guardian,
the chief of the eunuch,
00:20:33.73\00:20:37.00
he says, "Look can
you do me a favor?"
00:20:37.00\00:20:38.90
He said, "I am determined
00:20:38.90\00:20:40.67
I cannot defile myself
with the regular food."
00:20:40.67\00:20:44.64
He could have
said, "Who in the world
00:20:44.64\00:20:45.87
do you think you are?"
00:20:45.87\00:20:46.91
You ought to be thankful,
00:20:46.91\00:20:48.01
you're working where
there's air conditioning.
00:20:48.01\00:20:50.18
I could send you out
there with a stone cutters
00:20:50.18\00:20:52.35
How dare you complain?
00:20:52.35\00:20:54.25
And Daniel knew that was a risk.
00:20:54.25\00:20:56.52
But he said, you
know, I need to be faithful
00:20:56.52\00:20:58.19
in the little things
00:20:58.19\00:20:59.52
and this is a command from God,
00:20:59.52\00:21:01.52
and I'm going to
obey the command from God.
00:21:01.52\00:21:03.89
A lot of Jews would say,
00:21:03.89\00:21:07.60
"Well, when in Rome
eat what the Romans eat?"
00:21:07.60\00:21:10.93
Or they would
have quoted that verse,
00:21:10.93\00:21:12.23
"Eat what things are set before
you asking no questions, right?
00:21:12.23\00:21:17.07
Just be thankful and
pray that God will bless it.
00:21:17.07\00:21:19.24
Couldn't Daniel
have quoted those ideas?
00:21:19.24\00:21:22.21
He said, "No."
00:21:22.21\00:21:23.28
If God says, don't eat
it, they're not gonna eat it.
00:21:23.28\00:21:26.01
And what was the result of that?
00:21:26.01\00:21:29.05
You get to the end of Daniel 1.
00:21:29.05\00:21:31.99
Then finally it says
at the end of the days,
00:21:31.99\00:21:34.42
they tested, the
prince of the eunuch says,
00:21:34.42\00:21:36.89
"Okay, I'll take away
00:21:36.89\00:21:38.39
your regular
Babylonian cafeteria food
00:21:38.39\00:21:42.56
and I'm going to give you
basically like vegetables stew,
00:21:42.56\00:21:45.63
pulse it's called,
and water to drink."
00:21:45.63\00:21:48.97
And then it says, he
said, "Give us 10 days,
00:21:48.97\00:21:50.77
see if we don't look healthy."
00:21:50.77\00:21:53.48
At the end of ten days he said
00:21:53.48\00:21:56.75
he'd found them
fairer and fatter of flesh
00:21:56.75\00:22:00.22
than all the young men
that ate from the king's table.
00:22:00.22\00:22:03.15
And then the king
tested them and in all matters,
00:22:03.15\00:22:05.92
this is Daniel 1:20,
"And in all matters of wisdom
00:22:05.92\00:22:09.09
and understanding about
which the king examined them,
00:22:09.09\00:22:11.96
he found them ten times better
00:22:11.96\00:22:15.10
than all the
magicians and astrologers
00:22:15.10\00:22:17.53
that were in all of his realm."
00:22:17.53\00:22:19.43
And then the last
verses in Daniel continued
00:22:19.43\00:22:21.54
until the reign of King
Cyrus, it closes off by saying,
00:22:21.54\00:22:24.41
not only was he smarter
when Nebuchadnezzar tested him,
00:22:24.41\00:22:27.64
but he lived a long time.
00:22:27.64\00:22:30.51
So we were in India last week.
00:22:30.51\00:22:36.58
And while there I was
visiting with a pastor
00:22:36.58\00:22:38.92
from another denomination
00:22:38.92\00:22:40.99
and he was telling me about,
00:22:40.99\00:22:42.39
you know, some
health challenges,
00:22:42.39\00:22:43.66
and he asked me about my health,
00:22:43.66\00:22:44.83
I said, "I don't
have those problems,
00:22:44.83\00:22:46.66
I'm a Seventh-day Adventist."
00:22:46.66\00:22:47.76
He's looking at me like what?
00:22:47.76\00:22:49.70
I said, "Yeah, we
live longer than you guys."
00:22:49.70\00:22:52.60
He said, "What?"
00:22:52.60\00:22:54.24
I said, "No, it's a fact."
00:22:54.24\00:22:56.14
I said, "You've heard of
National Geographic?" Yeah.
00:22:56.14\00:22:58.07
I said, "Yeah,
National Geographic did a study
00:22:58.07\00:23:00.21
to find out what
groups of people live long."
00:23:00.21\00:23:03.31
They found the
three groups of people
00:23:03.31\00:23:05.01
that live the longest
are the Japanese people
00:23:05.01\00:23:07.05
in Okinawa,
00:23:07.05\00:23:08.48
the people that live in Sardinia
00:23:08.48\00:23:10.32
there in the Mediterranean,
00:23:10.32\00:23:11.52
and Seventh-day Adventists
in Southern California.
00:23:11.52\00:23:14.12
He said, "What?"
00:23:14.12\00:23:15.16
I said, "Yes, we
follow the Bible health laws."
00:23:15.16\00:23:18.43
And, boy, it got his attention.
00:23:18.43\00:23:20.40
I said, "Yeah,
well, that's okay.
00:23:20.40\00:23:21.43
I'm sorry, I feel sorry for you.
00:23:21.43\00:23:22.50
So I'm going to
live longer than you."
00:23:22.50\00:23:23.87
I don't want to boast, I mean,
but you know statistically,
00:23:27.37\00:23:29.44
generally speaking
that's the way it works.
00:23:29.44\00:23:32.71
And so you're able
to witness to people
00:23:32.71\00:23:37.21
by being faithful
in those little things.
00:23:37.21\00:23:40.05
And so not only are we to
be witnesses in the last days
00:23:40.05\00:23:45.49
and we stand for
the Sabbath commandment,
00:23:45.49\00:23:47.56
and we don't fall
for the spiritualism.
00:23:47.56\00:23:50.06
But we're to be
witnesses in the last days
00:23:50.06\00:23:52.36
by knowing our bodies are
the temple of the Holy Spirit.
00:23:52.36\00:23:55.16
There should be a
difference that is evident.
00:23:55.16\00:23:58.87
All right, the next section.
00:23:58.87\00:24:01.07
Now I don't know
if we ever announce
00:24:01.07\00:24:02.80
during our opening statements
00:24:02.80\00:24:05.77
that if people have any
questions on this study,
00:24:05.77\00:24:08.78
they can send
them into Facebook,
00:24:08.78\00:24:11.21
I'm going to play it by ear
00:24:11.21\00:24:12.38
if our studio
puts up on the screen
00:24:12.38\00:24:14.22
that questions have come in,
00:24:14.22\00:24:15.55
we'll stop and do questions.
00:24:15.55\00:24:16.62
If I don't see it,
I'll just keep going.
00:24:16.62\00:24:18.52
Fair enough?
00:24:18.52\00:24:19.92
I'm nodding at the camera
00:24:19.92\00:24:20.99
to see if they are nodding back,
00:24:20.99\00:24:22.19
they wave the
camera up and down,
00:24:22.19\00:24:23.32
that means yes.
00:24:23.32\00:24:25.89
If it's not working, the
camera goes side to side.
00:24:25.89\00:24:29.00
All right, so we're going
to go on to humility of Daniel.
00:24:29.00\00:24:31.37
So it's not just what
you eat, it's your attitude.
00:24:31.37\00:24:34.30
I want you to
notice in Daniel 2,
00:24:34.30\00:24:36.60
now we just looked at Daniel 1.
00:24:36.60\00:24:38.27
In Daniel 2, there is a vision,
00:24:38.27\00:24:41.04
King Nebuchadnezzar
calls in all his wise men.
00:24:41.04\00:24:44.15
They can't
understand the vision.
00:24:44.15\00:24:46.92
And so they're all
going to be executed
00:24:46.92\00:24:48.88
because they can't deliver.
00:24:48.88\00:24:51.75
But when the
captain of the guards
00:24:51.75\00:24:53.19
going out to execute,
00:24:53.19\00:24:54.26
Daniel says, "Look, give me time
00:24:54.26\00:24:55.82
and I will show the
king what he desires."
00:24:55.82\00:24:58.99
So Daniel prays and
they go to sleep that night,
00:24:58.99\00:25:01.76
and Daniel has a dream,
00:25:01.76\00:25:02.90
and he knows it's the same dream
00:25:02.90\00:25:04.33
that the king has had.
00:25:04.33\00:25:06.03
And he says in Daniel
2:23, "I thank and praise you,
00:25:06.03\00:25:10.71
oh God of my fathers that you
have given me wisdom and might,
00:25:10.71\00:25:14.41
and have made known to
me what we asked of you,
00:25:14.41\00:25:17.55
for you have made known
to us the king's demand."
00:25:17.55\00:25:20.85
First thing Daniel
does, he didn't say,
00:25:20.85\00:25:22.35
"Wow, I've got special powers.
00:25:22.35\00:25:25.29
Look at that.
00:25:25.29\00:25:26.96
I now know what the king knows."
00:25:26.96\00:25:28.79
No, he gives the
glory to God right away.
00:25:28.79\00:25:31.99
You know, if God ever
blesses you with wisdom,
00:25:31.99\00:25:33.56
make sure and give the
glory to the right place.
00:25:33.56\00:25:35.80
Now someone's
going to read for me
00:25:35.80\00:25:37.57
Daniel 2:25 in just a moment.
00:25:37.57\00:25:40.70
I want to show you another
story in the Old Testament
00:25:40.70\00:25:43.94
that's similar to this.
00:25:43.94\00:25:45.64
You remember when the
Pharaoh calls in his wise men
00:25:45.64\00:25:49.58
'cause he's had a dream
00:25:49.58\00:25:50.61
and he doesn't
understand what it means,
00:25:50.61\00:25:52.81
and they can't explain it,
00:25:52.81\00:25:56.99
but Joseph can.
00:25:56.99\00:25:59.19
Now Joseph has the
ability to interpret dreams,
00:25:59.19\00:26:02.19
but he doesn't say I've
got these special powers,
00:26:02.19\00:26:04.26
he gives the glory to God.
00:26:04.26\00:26:05.53
In fact even when
Joseph is in prison
00:26:05.53\00:26:08.10
and the two fellow
prisoners have dreams,
00:26:08.10\00:26:11.17
and he says, "Well,
tell me your dream."
00:26:11.17\00:26:13.54
You can read in Genesis 40:8,
00:26:13.54\00:26:16.00
"They said, we
have each had a dream,
00:26:16.00\00:26:17.71
and there is no
interpreter of it."
00:26:17.71\00:26:19.44
And Joseph says to them,
00:26:19.44\00:26:21.01
"Do not
interpretations belong to God,
00:26:21.01\00:26:23.45
tell them to me."
00:26:23.45\00:26:24.98
He didn't say, "I know dreams."
00:26:24.98\00:26:27.45
He said, "His God
knows these interpretations."
00:26:27.45\00:26:29.72
He gives God the glory.
00:26:29.72\00:26:31.32
Genesis 41:15.
00:26:31.32\00:26:33.29
"And Pharaoh said to
Joseph, "I have had a dream,
00:26:33.29\00:26:35.49
and there is no one
who can interpret it.
00:26:35.49\00:26:37.29
But I have heard it said of you
00:26:37.29\00:26:38.73
that you can understand a dream,
00:26:38.73\00:26:40.23
to interpret it.'"
00:26:40.23\00:26:41.50
So Joseph
answered Pharaoh saying,
00:26:41.50\00:26:43.53
"It is not in me, God will give
Pharaoh an answer of peace."
00:26:43.53\00:26:49.07
You know, that's a sign
of a true servant of God.
00:26:49.07\00:26:52.34
Is that you give God glory
for any gifts that you have.
00:26:52.34\00:26:56.78
And if you give God
glory and you thank Him,
00:26:56.78\00:26:58.95
He's inclined to give you more.
00:26:58.95\00:27:01.25
But as soon as
you start acting like
00:27:01.25\00:27:02.82
this is a special
power that I've got,
00:27:02.82\00:27:06.32
you're going to lose it.
00:27:06.32\00:27:07.89
All right, go ahead
please read for us Daniel 2:25.
00:27:07.89\00:27:12.13
"Then Arioch quickly
brought Daniel before the king
00:27:12.13\00:27:15.26
and said thus to him:
00:27:15.26\00:27:17.03
'I have found a man
of the captives of Judah
00:27:17.03\00:27:19.40
who will make known to
the king the interpretation.'"
00:27:19.40\00:27:22.94
Isn't that interesting?
00:27:22.94\00:27:24.57
Daniel goes to the guard
after he has the king's dream,
00:27:24.57\00:27:29.28
and he says,
"Take me to the king,
00:27:29.28\00:27:31.18
I know how to answer the king."
00:27:31.18\00:27:34.88
And Arioch when
he brings Daniel in,
00:27:34.88\00:27:37.35
he didn't say Daniel found
me, he said, "I found him."
00:27:37.35\00:27:41.12
You know, they're
all looking for rewards
00:27:41.12\00:27:42.72
and they're all
looking for credit.
00:27:42.72\00:27:44.29
Somebody said, there's no limit
to what an organization can do
00:27:44.29\00:27:47.03
if nobody cares
who gets the credit.
00:27:47.03\00:27:49.70
But so often you want to
know who will get the credit?
00:27:49.70\00:27:52.37
Who is going to
be praised for this?
00:27:52.37\00:27:55.24
And who is going to be
00:27:55.24\00:27:56.30
getting the
promotion or the raise
00:27:56.30\00:27:57.74
because of this and
who gets the reward?
00:27:57.74\00:28:02.44
But the guard said,
you know, "I found a man."
00:28:02.44\00:28:06.92
He didn't find
Daniel, Daniel found him.
00:28:06.92\00:28:10.65
And you go to Daniel 2:27 now.
00:28:10.65\00:28:14.79
"Daniel answered in
the presence of the king
00:28:14.79\00:28:17.03
and said, 'The secret
which the king demanded
00:28:17.03\00:28:20.00
the wise men, the
astrologers, the magicians,
00:28:20.00\00:28:22.66
and the soothsayers
cannot declare to the king,"
00:28:22.66\00:28:25.63
but I can.
00:28:25.63\00:28:27.54
That's not what he said.
00:28:27.54\00:28:29.57
He says, "But there is a God
in heaven who reveals secrets,
00:28:29.57\00:28:33.38
and he has made
known to Nebuchadnezzar
00:28:33.38\00:28:36.14
what will be in
the latter days."
00:28:36.14\00:28:38.68
You notice Daniel
doesn't even use the word I.
00:28:38.68\00:28:42.18
He's giving all the
glory to God in this story.
00:28:42.18\00:28:45.72
Now how many times in the Bible
00:28:45.72\00:28:47.56
you find it in
Daniel several times
00:28:47.56\00:28:49.26
and other places in the Bible.
00:28:49.26\00:28:51.99
Do you find these
spiritual showdowns
00:28:51.99\00:28:55.30
where you've got
first typically the Pharaoh,
00:28:55.30\00:28:58.97
he'll call in his wise men,
00:28:58.97\00:29:01.64
and there's, they
can't do it, but God can.
00:29:01.64\00:29:06.94
Yeah, you have it for even
with the Pharaoh, and Moses,
00:29:09.94\00:29:13.08
and the magicians,
00:29:13.08\00:29:14.75
you know, a plague comes
00:29:14.75\00:29:17.12
and they try to
duplicate the plague.
00:29:17.12\00:29:20.46
So if the magicians of Pharaoh
00:29:20.46\00:29:21.99
are able to duplicate
the plagues of the blood
00:29:21.99\00:29:25.06
and they're able to duplicate
00:29:25.06\00:29:26.13
the plagues of the
frogs or something,
00:29:26.13\00:29:29.03
they couldn't do the lice
00:29:29.03\00:29:30.13
is where they finally
they couldn't do that.
00:29:30.13\00:29:33.13
But they tried to
counterfeit the plagues
00:29:33.13\00:29:35.77
when Moses threw down his staff
00:29:35.77\00:29:37.31
and it turned into a serpent,
00:29:37.31\00:29:38.77
they were able
to duplicate that.
00:29:38.77\00:29:40.74
And so they're
able to counterfeit
00:29:40.74\00:29:42.28
a number of these things.
00:29:42.28\00:29:43.71
But when it came to the dreams
they were always befuddled,
00:29:43.71\00:29:48.55
they couldn't do that.
00:29:48.55\00:29:50.15
You can see that happening
00:29:50.15\00:29:51.29
with Joseph and the
Pharaoh's magicians.
00:29:51.29\00:29:53.46
Pharaoh's magicians and wise men
00:29:53.46\00:29:55.29
didn't know
what the dream meant,
00:29:55.29\00:29:57.03
but Joseph did.
00:29:57.03\00:29:58.83
Elijah and the prophets of Baal,
00:29:58.83\00:30:00.96
you get this
showdown and they could not
00:30:00.96\00:30:03.33
make the fire
come down from heaven,
00:30:03.33\00:30:05.10
but Elijah could.
00:30:05.10\00:30:07.27
You got Micaiah in
the prophets of Baal.
00:30:07.27\00:30:09.90
You remember that story
00:30:09.90\00:30:10.97
when Jehoshaphat
and Ahab are seated
00:30:10.97\00:30:12.81
and they're saying, "Do
we go to battle or not."
00:30:12.81\00:30:15.34
And all the
prophets of Baal said,
00:30:15.34\00:30:16.44
"You're going to go and win."
00:30:16.44\00:30:17.48
Micaiah says, "No,
you're going to go and die."
00:30:17.48\00:30:20.48
And so you've got
these showdowns in the Bible,
00:30:20.48\00:30:22.35
there are spiritual showdowns.
00:30:22.35\00:30:23.42
But in Daniel
you've got three times,
00:30:23.42\00:30:26.99
you got Daniel 2,
Daniel 4, and Daniel 5,
00:30:26.99\00:30:30.73
where they call in the
wise men and the astrologers,
00:30:30.73\00:30:33.86
and they don't know the answer
00:30:33.86\00:30:35.33
and then they call
Daniel and he does.
00:30:35.33\00:30:38.90
And so, we see this happen
00:30:38.90\00:30:40.07
and so even see it
in the New Testament,
00:30:40.07\00:30:42.70
in the Book of Acts.
00:30:42.70\00:30:44.27
You've got Simon, this wizard,
00:30:44.27\00:30:45.91
who is performing
these signs and wonders,
00:30:45.91\00:30:47.64
but then he
sees Philip and Peter
00:30:47.64\00:30:49.41
and they're performing miracles.
00:30:49.41\00:30:50.55
He says, "Wow, I can't
do anything like that."
00:30:50.55\00:30:53.72
And so this is
contrast that you find
00:30:53.72\00:30:55.75
he actually offers the money
00:30:55.75\00:30:57.22
to see if he can get
the same power they have
00:30:57.22\00:30:58.89
'cause their
miracles are so much better.
00:30:58.89\00:31:01.92
All right, now we're
going to go to the next section
00:31:01.92\00:31:03.73
talking about the golden image.
00:31:03.73\00:31:05.46
Now, we're in Daniel 3.
00:31:05.46\00:31:07.76
And I won't promise
we're going to get through
00:31:07.76\00:31:09.16
every chapter in Daniel today.
00:31:09.16\00:31:11.40
But do we see some parallels
for Daniel 3 in the last days?
00:31:11.40\00:31:16.07
First of all
what's Daniel 3 about?
00:31:16.07\00:31:19.37
It's the golden image,
00:31:19.37\00:31:22.08
Nebuchadnezzar
makes a golden image
00:31:22.08\00:31:23.81
and he tells everybody
to pray to the golden image.
00:31:23.81\00:31:26.75
And those who do not bow down
00:31:26.75\00:31:28.02
and pray to the
image will be killed.
00:31:28.02\00:31:31.49
Now when you
read in Revelation 13,
00:31:31.49\00:31:33.42
what's it talking about.
00:31:33.42\00:31:35.76
It's the same thing.
00:31:35.76\00:31:37.86
Those who do not pray to
the image should be killed,
00:31:37.86\00:31:40.60
first they can't buy or sell
00:31:40.60\00:31:42.56
and ultimately
they will be killed.
00:31:42.56\00:31:44.80
Do we see some
parallels happening here
00:31:44.80\00:31:48.30
and these two support
in these two narratives.
00:31:48.30\00:31:52.97
Look for instance in Daniel 3:1,
00:31:52.97\00:31:57.01
"Nebuchadnezzar the
king makes an image of gold,
00:31:57.01\00:31:59.21
whose height is sixty cubits,
and its width is six cubits,
00:31:59.21\00:32:04.25
and he sets it up
in the plain of Dura,
00:32:04.25\00:32:05.85
in the province of Babylon."
00:32:05.85\00:32:07.76
In just a moment
someone's going to read for me
00:32:07.76\00:32:09.62
Daniel 3:6.
00:32:09.62\00:32:11.83
But before I get to that,
00:32:11.83\00:32:13.53
I want to talk to
you about those cubits.
00:32:13.53\00:32:17.53
The numbers that
are given in prophecy,
00:32:17.53\00:32:21.37
how some very
interesting usually real
00:32:21.37\00:32:24.54
and also spiritual value.
00:32:24.54\00:32:27.21
Was the image actually
sixty cubits by six cubits?
00:32:27.21\00:32:31.51
In heaven when it says the city
is 12,000 furlongs is that's,
00:32:31.51\00:32:35.55
you know, what the
biblical measurement was
00:32:35.55\00:32:37.42
but the number 12 is there too.
00:32:37.42\00:32:39.85
It is a big city.
00:32:39.85\00:32:41.32
But the number 12,
00:32:41.32\00:32:42.36
what does the
number 12 represent?
00:32:42.36\00:32:44.33
The 12 foundations and 12 gates,
00:32:44.33\00:32:46.26
the numbers mean
something, 12 is good.
00:32:46.26\00:32:47.93
That New
Jerusalem, good city, 12,
00:32:47.93\00:32:49.86
the church means the
church, its leadership,
00:32:49.86\00:32:52.10
it's a positive
number for the church.
00:32:52.10\00:32:54.27
High priest has got 12
stones on his breastplate
00:32:54.27\00:32:57.27
talking about the people
of God on the heart of God.
00:32:57.27\00:33:00.84
The number six.
What day was man made?
00:33:00.84\00:33:06.28
It represents
the worship of man.
00:33:06.28\00:33:09.82
And I think it's interesting,
00:33:09.82\00:33:12.89
do you find the number
six appear in Revelation 13.
00:33:12.89\00:33:17.13
Now in Revelation
13, you've got 666.
00:33:17.13\00:33:20.56
Here you've got 60x6.
00:33:20.56\00:33:23.90
But I'd like to
submit to you it's 60x6x6.
00:33:23.90\00:33:29.24
I got this from
Dr. Leslie Harding.
00:33:29.24\00:33:31.47
He was saying that
in the ancient world
00:33:31.47\00:33:33.31
when they gave measurements,
00:33:33.31\00:33:35.01
if they did not
give you the depth,
00:33:35.01\00:33:36.98
it was because it was
the same as the width.
00:33:36.98\00:33:41.18
Here's an example
of that in the Bible.
00:33:41.18\00:33:43.22
If you go to Exodus 30:1.
00:33:43.22\00:33:47.22
"So you make an
altar to burn incense,"
00:33:47.22\00:33:48.86
this is the altar of incense.
00:33:48.86\00:33:52.39
And he said, "You
shall make of acacia wood,
00:33:52.39\00:33:55.06
a cubit shall be its
length, a cubit its width
00:33:55.06\00:33:59.00
or what we would call
its depth, it will be square
00:33:59.00\00:34:01.40
and two cubits its height."
00:34:01.40\00:34:03.51
This isn't hard
to picture, is it?
00:34:03.51\00:34:05.24
You got a cubit of 18 inches
by 18 inches by 2 times 18,
00:34:05.24\00:34:10.05
well, 36 inches.
00:34:10.05\00:34:12.81
So the depth and
the width are the same,
00:34:12.81\00:34:16.92
the height is different.
00:34:16.92\00:34:19.09
And so what Dr.
Harding was saying
00:34:19.09\00:34:21.72
is that image...
00:34:21.72\00:34:23.86
was 6x6x60.
00:34:23.86\00:34:29.66
And so you know you
can't escape that the numbers
00:34:29.66\00:34:33.34
even are similar
that you find in Daniel 3.
00:34:33.34\00:34:37.91
And he makes an image.
00:34:37.91\00:34:39.51
And those who do not pray
to the image should be killed.
00:34:39.51\00:34:41.94
Is there a problem with
that for the Jewish person?
00:34:41.94\00:34:45.28
Is there a
commandment that says,
00:34:45.28\00:34:46.65
"Don't make idols
and don't pray to idols,
00:34:46.65\00:34:49.05
and little children
keep yourself from idols."
00:34:49.05\00:34:52.15
And you find that
all through the Bible.
00:34:52.15\00:34:54.96
So what happens in the story?
00:34:54.96\00:34:59.23
Daniel 3:6, "And
whoever does not fall down
00:34:59.23\00:35:05.30
and worship shall
be cast immediately
00:35:05.30\00:35:07.24
into the midst of a
burning fiery furnace."
00:35:07.24\00:35:09.94
Are together a death decree,
00:35:09.94\00:35:11.97
is there a death
decree in Revelation?
00:35:11.97\00:35:15.18
It has to do with worship?
00:35:15.18\00:35:17.68
You've got true
worship and false worship.
00:35:17.68\00:35:21.05
You know I always
thought it was interesting
00:35:21.05\00:35:22.58
that the Bible begins
00:35:22.58\00:35:25.19
by Adam and Eve
having two brothers.
00:35:25.19\00:35:28.79
These are the two...
00:35:28.79\00:35:31.56
Sorry they had two sons.
00:35:31.56\00:35:33.40
These are the first
two people that are born,
00:35:33.40\00:35:38.13
Adam and Eve
were created, right?
00:35:38.13\00:35:40.84
And they're instructed
because of sin to sacrifice.
00:35:40.84\00:35:45.54
And this is part of
their worship of God.
00:35:45.54\00:35:48.54
God gives them
instructions that they are to,
00:35:48.54\00:35:51.41
there's going to be a sacrifice,
00:35:51.41\00:35:52.71
there's going to be
shedding the blood for sin.
00:35:52.71\00:35:55.72
Well, Abel's willing to do this.
00:35:55.72\00:35:58.22
Cain, he thinks,
well, it's easy for you
00:35:58.22\00:36:00.16
'cause you're a
shepherd, I'm not, I'm a farmer,
00:36:00.16\00:36:01.92
so I'm just
going to do it my way.
00:36:01.92\00:36:04.53
And one does it his way,
00:36:04.53\00:36:05.89
they both claim to
worship the same God.
00:36:05.89\00:36:08.70
One does it God's way,
one is true, one is false.
00:36:08.70\00:36:11.40
The one who is false
persecutes the one who is true,
00:36:11.40\00:36:15.30
even though they're claiming
to worship the same God,
00:36:15.30\00:36:17.07
even though
technically their brethren,
00:36:17.07\00:36:19.74
they got the same
roots in their parents,
00:36:19.74\00:36:22.78
and one kills the other.
00:36:22.78\00:36:24.58
Then you get to Revelation,
you have the same thing.
00:36:24.58\00:36:26.82
In the last days both groups
00:36:26.82\00:36:28.32
are going to claim
to worship the same God,
00:36:28.32\00:36:30.75
they're going to all
claim to be Christians.
00:36:30.75\00:36:34.02
And one is going to
persecute the other.
00:36:34.02\00:36:36.56
That's really shocks people.
00:36:36.56\00:36:37.66
People think the
beast power is going to,
00:36:37.66\00:36:39.29
and just tell everybody
00:36:39.29\00:36:40.33
they got to put on red
leotards and have horns.
00:36:40.33\00:36:43.33
No, that's going to be worship,
00:36:43.33\00:36:44.67
they're going to
call it worshipping God,
00:36:44.67\00:36:46.17
they're going to say
they believe the Bible,
00:36:46.17\00:36:47.74
and someone who
can impersonate Jesus,
00:36:47.74\00:36:50.51
and it's going to look real.
00:36:50.51\00:36:52.27
You can read
that Revelation 13:15,
00:36:52.27\00:36:54.61
"He was granted to give
power to the image of the beast,
00:36:54.61\00:36:57.18
that the image of the
beast should both speak
00:36:57.18\00:36:59.55
and cause as many
as would not worship
00:36:59.55\00:37:02.12
the image of the
beast should be killed.
00:37:02.12\00:37:05.25
And the cause is all,
small and great, rich and poor,
00:37:05.25\00:37:07.86
free and slave to receive
a mark in their right hand,
00:37:07.86\00:37:10.79
or in their forehead:
that no one might buy or sell
00:37:10.79\00:37:13.70
except the one who has the mark,
00:37:13.70\00:37:15.10
or the name of the beast,
or the number of his name.
00:37:15.10\00:37:17.87
And here is wisdom.
00:37:17.87\00:37:19.23
Let him who was understanding
00:37:19.23\00:37:20.64
calculate the
number of the beast:
00:37:20.64\00:37:22.47
for it is the number of a man."
00:37:22.47\00:37:24.24
Number six
remember, number, of a man.
00:37:24.24\00:37:26.04
Number 666.
00:37:26.04\00:37:29.91
Now so the trumpet blows
and the Babylonian music plays
00:37:29.91\00:37:33.48
and everybody bows down except
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
00:37:33.48\00:37:39.32
And they're
ultimately thrown in the furnace
00:37:39.32\00:37:42.22
because they will
not break God's law.
00:37:42.22\00:37:43.96
See they've got
to make a decision,
00:37:43.96\00:37:45.13
do I obey the law of
God or the law of man.
00:37:45.13\00:37:48.06
In Daniel 3,
00:37:48.06\00:37:49.26
"The test is regarding
the second commandment.
00:37:49.26\00:37:52.63
In Daniel 6,
00:37:52.63\00:37:54.04
the test is regarding
the first commandment.
00:37:54.04\00:37:56.20
Daniel will not have other gods.
00:37:56.20\00:37:57.77
He doesn't pray to
King Darius, right?
00:37:57.77\00:38:00.48
Daniel 3, it's a
second commandment.
00:38:00.48\00:38:02.21
When you get to Revelation
13, it's the fourth Commandment.
00:38:02.21\00:38:05.78
It has to do
with the commandments
00:38:05.78\00:38:07.28
that have to do
with worship of God.
00:38:07.28\00:38:10.42
And it's going to be a
big test in the last days.
00:38:10.42\00:38:14.96
Oh, I won't say that right now.
00:38:14.96\00:38:17.53
So when they stood up,
they're thrown in the furnace,
00:38:17.53\00:38:21.93
and does God deliver
them from their fiery trials?
00:38:21.93\00:38:26.37
You know, you may be
persecuted for your faith.
00:38:26.37\00:38:29.04
I can guarantee you,
if you stand up for truth,
00:38:29.04\00:38:30.97
you'll be delivered.
00:38:30.97\00:38:32.14
You might be
delivered in the resurrection
00:38:32.14\00:38:34.88
as many martyrs will.
00:38:34.88\00:38:36.81
And you might be
delivered miraculously
00:38:36.81\00:38:38.81
like Daniel,
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
00:38:38.81\00:38:41.28
Daniel in the lion's den
00:38:41.28\00:38:42.88
and his friends
in the fiery furnace.
00:38:42.88\00:38:46.05
But I heard the
pastor saying one time,
00:38:46.05\00:38:49.69
"When they did not bow
down and they stood up for God.
00:38:49.69\00:38:55.76
What was the
result of their witness
00:38:55.76\00:38:58.10
and faithfulness
in little things?"
00:38:58.10\00:39:00.77
At the end Nebuchadnezzar,
he falls down before them.
00:39:00.77\00:39:05.61
He said, "Your
God is a real God."
00:39:05.61\00:39:07.78
He issues a proclamation
00:39:07.78\00:39:10.71
that nobody is to speak
against the God of Shadrach,
00:39:10.71\00:39:14.32
Meshach and Abednego."
00:39:14.32\00:39:16.05
And all the nations end up
00:39:16.05\00:39:18.09
hearing about the
true and the living God
00:39:18.09\00:39:20.19
who can deliver from the fire
00:39:20.19\00:39:21.49
because you're only supposed
to worship the living God,
00:39:21.49\00:39:23.46
you're not
supposed to worship idols
00:39:23.46\00:39:25.29
because they stood up.
00:39:25.29\00:39:27.36
God accomplished through
00:39:27.36\00:39:29.00
those three Hebrews
in a foreign country
00:39:29.00\00:39:31.77
what He had been wanting
to accomplish through Israel
00:39:31.77\00:39:34.40
when they had their own land.
00:39:34.40\00:39:36.91
He was able to accomplish more
00:39:36.91\00:39:38.51
through Daniel in the lions' den
00:39:38.51\00:39:40.21
when he stood up
than he was through Israel
00:39:40.21\00:39:42.81
when they're in their own land.
00:39:42.81\00:39:44.21
God is going to be witnessing
to the world through us
00:39:44.21\00:39:47.65
during that
small time of trouble
00:39:47.65\00:39:48.85
when we stand up for our faith
00:39:48.85\00:39:50.22
and even now it
still happens today.
00:39:50.22\00:39:53.46
So we need to be
faithful and be bold
00:39:53.46\00:39:55.36
about what we believe and
don't be apologetic, okay.
00:39:55.36\00:39:59.46
So we talked about
the image a little bit.
00:39:59.46\00:40:02.06
Then the next
section is dealing with...
00:40:02.06\00:40:04.20
Oh, you know,
there's one more thing
00:40:04.20\00:40:05.23
I wanted to show you.
00:40:05.23\00:40:06.27
We're talking a
moment ago about pride
00:40:06.27\00:40:08.94
and it's not in sequence
so I waited to jump ahead.
00:40:08.94\00:40:12.74
The humility of
Daniel, you remember that.
00:40:12.74\00:40:15.88
What happens in Daniel 4?
00:40:15.88\00:40:18.98
I talked about
Daniel 1, Daniel 2,
00:40:18.98\00:40:20.65
Daniel 3 and now Daniel 4.
00:40:20.65\00:40:21.95
There's another
dream in Daniel 4,
00:40:21.95\00:40:23.69
who remembers what it's about.
00:40:23.69\00:40:26.25
Tree. Very interesting.
00:40:26.25\00:40:28.66
It's a tree
that feeds the world.
00:40:28.66\00:40:30.86
And it's a tree of life.
00:40:30.86\00:40:32.93
It's a tree that gets cut down
00:40:32.93\00:40:34.93
and it's got a band of
bronze and a band of iron.
00:40:34.93\00:40:38.87
And wise men are brought in,
they can't interpret the dream,
00:40:38.87\00:40:42.94
and finally Daniel's brought in,
00:40:42.94\00:40:44.27
and he interprets the dream,
00:40:44.27\00:40:45.97
and he doesn't want to
tell the king what it means
00:40:45.97\00:40:47.61
because it doesn't
bode well for the king.
00:40:47.61\00:40:50.48
And king says, "Tell me,
tell me don't be afraid."
00:40:50.48\00:40:52.58
He says, "Okay, you're the tree,
00:40:52.58\00:40:54.02
you're going to be cut
down and because of your pride."
00:40:54.02\00:41:00.19
And king, he's just
kind of shakes him up.
00:41:00.19\00:41:02.46
And Daniel said, "Let
me give you some advice.
00:41:02.46\00:41:04.66
Break off your sins
by doing righteousness,
00:41:04.66\00:41:07.30
and it may be a lengthening
of your tranquility."
00:41:07.30\00:41:10.00
So prophecy is going to
happen, but you might have
00:41:10.00\00:41:11.97
a lengthening of
your tranquility,
00:41:11.97\00:41:13.94
if you break off your sins.
00:41:13.94\00:41:15.10
Humble yourself."
00:41:15.10\00:41:16.30
So the king does for a while,
00:41:16.30\00:41:18.67
but, you know,
it's hard to be humble
00:41:18.67\00:41:20.68
when you're great.
00:41:20.68\00:41:21.74
You heard that song?
00:41:21.74\00:41:24.85
And here he had
this big kingdom,
00:41:24.85\00:41:26.92
and everyone's bowing to him,
00:41:26.92\00:41:28.12
and he looks out of his balcony
00:41:28.12\00:41:29.62
sees all the glory and
the things that he's built
00:41:29.62\00:41:31.75
and all of his accomplishing,
00:41:31.75\00:41:33.46
he just cannot stifle those
00:41:33.46\00:41:35.29
inner voices of
the devil that say,
00:41:35.29\00:41:36.99
"Aren't you great?"
00:41:36.99\00:41:38.16
You ever heard
those voices before,
00:41:38.16\00:41:39.93
"You are so wonderful."
00:41:39.93\00:41:42.76
Finally, he gives into it.
00:41:42.76\00:41:45.80
You heard about the pastor
00:41:45.80\00:41:47.27
I think it was Pastor John Knox,
00:41:47.27\00:41:48.64
the great reformer.
00:41:48.64\00:41:49.70
And he would stand in
the door greeting people
00:41:49.70\00:41:51.47
after sermon one day
00:41:51.47\00:41:53.34
and one of the
sister says, Pastor Knox,
00:41:53.34\00:41:56.11
you're the greatest
preacher in all of Scotland."
00:41:56.11\00:41:59.25
And he said, "No, Ma'am,
the devil tells me every week."
00:41:59.25\00:42:01.68
So Nebuchadnezzar could
not resist it and he said,
00:42:04.82\00:42:07.82
"Ha ha ha, is it
not the great Babylon
00:42:07.82\00:42:09.99
that I have
created for my majesty,
00:42:09.99\00:42:11.83
in my glory and me, me, me."
00:42:11.83\00:42:15.43
And it says while the
word was still in his mouth,
00:42:15.43\00:42:17.60
a voice came
from heaven, it said,
00:42:17.60\00:42:19.17
"It's being
taken away from you."
00:42:19.17\00:42:21.74
And he turns into an animal.
00:42:21.74\00:42:23.41
Well, you know,
after seven years
00:42:23.41\00:42:25.44
somehow they managed
to keep his throne intact
00:42:25.44\00:42:27.51
and ran things for him.
00:42:27.51\00:42:28.61
But after seven years his
mind comes back to him again.
00:42:28.61\00:42:32.38
But if you look in Daniel 5 now,
00:42:32.38\00:42:38.02
this is the
handwriting on the wall.
00:42:38.02\00:42:41.49
Again proud
grandson of Nebuchadnezzar,
00:42:41.49\00:42:45.53
he's mocking the God of heaven,
00:42:45.53\00:42:47.50
he's worshipping idols again,
00:42:47.50\00:42:49.16
he's praising the
idols with the vessels
00:42:49.16\00:42:51.37
from the house of God.
00:42:51.37\00:42:53.27
And the handwriting
comes on the wall and it says,
00:42:53.27\00:42:56.54
mene mene tekel upharsin.
00:42:56.54\00:42:59.77
Daniel tells the
king when he finally get,
00:42:59.77\00:43:02.34
again the wise men are brought,
00:43:02.34\00:43:03.41
they don't know what
the handwriting says,
00:43:03.41\00:43:05.05
finally Daniel's
brought, he knows.
00:43:05.05\00:43:07.42
Now you notice, I don't
want to rush past this point.
00:43:07.42\00:43:11.05
When the wise men cannot
tell what the writing says,
00:43:11.05\00:43:14.56
king doesn't know what to do.
00:43:14.56\00:43:16.12
Because Daniel has
sort of been semi retired
00:43:16.12\00:43:18.63
during his whole
reign after Nebuchadnezzar.
00:43:18.63\00:43:21.53
But the queen comes
in now and she says,
00:43:21.53\00:43:24.60
"Oh, I'll tell
you who can read that.
00:43:24.60\00:43:26.84
Says, there is a
man in your kingdom
00:43:26.84\00:43:28.57
that has the
spirit of the living God."
00:43:28.57\00:43:30.64
Daniel's
reputation had gone out.
00:43:30.64\00:43:32.74
And this is what we should
be doing in the last days.
00:43:32.74\00:43:34.94
We want to live so
close to God that people say,
00:43:34.94\00:43:36.75
"Oh, there's a
man, there is a man."
00:43:36.75\00:43:38.55
Isn't that great
that the king would say,
00:43:38.55\00:43:40.72
"There is a man
that in your kingdom."
00:43:40.72\00:43:45.29
Daniel comes and
he tells the king.
00:43:45.29\00:43:48.12
He said, "You
should've known better."
00:43:48.12\00:43:49.26
He says, "You knew what
happened to your grandfather.
00:43:49.26\00:43:51.79
Even if you
didn't know about me,
00:43:51.79\00:43:52.96
you knew about his pride,
00:43:52.96\00:43:54.30
you knew about the
golden image and idolatry.
00:43:54.30\00:43:56.97
You knew what happened
00:43:56.97\00:44:00.80
with the three Hebrews
00:44:00.80\00:44:02.97
and when they tried to
mock the God of heaven."
00:44:02.97\00:44:07.48
And he says, speaking of
Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 5:20,
00:44:07.48\00:44:12.31
"But when his
heart was lifted up
00:44:12.31\00:44:14.55
and his spirit
was hardened in pride,
00:44:14.55\00:44:17.85
he was deposed
from his kingly throne,
00:44:17.85\00:44:20.76
and they took
his glory from him."
00:44:20.76\00:44:22.29
He says, "You
should have known."
00:44:22.29\00:44:24.46
Yeah, you know, if you
can't learn your own lesson,
00:44:24.46\00:44:26.70
learn from the
mistakes of others.
00:44:26.70\00:44:29.20
And then, of course,
00:44:29.20\00:44:33.47
Belshazzar died that
night because of his pride too.
00:44:33.47\00:44:36.77
Now, so you see that
they're being witnesses
00:44:36.77\00:44:40.68
on to the gentiles.
00:44:40.68\00:44:43.91
You see this also...
00:44:43.91\00:44:46.18
What happens at
the end of Daniel 4,
00:44:46.18\00:44:50.09
"At that time, I Nebuchadnezzar
lifted up my eyes to heaven,
00:44:50.09\00:44:53.96
my understanding returned to me,
00:44:53.96\00:44:56.32
I bless the most high,
00:44:56.32\00:44:57.96
I praise and honored
him who lives forever."
00:44:57.96\00:45:01.23
Now you know virtually all
of the Bible is written by Jews
00:45:01.23\00:45:05.87
with a couple of exceptions.
00:45:05.87\00:45:09.07
Chapter 4 in
Daniel, who writes that?
00:45:09.07\00:45:11.97
Isn't that interesting
you would have a Babylonian
00:45:15.98\00:45:18.05
writing the chapter
in the Book of Daniel.
00:45:18.05\00:45:21.92
Nebuchadnezzar the
king to all peoples,
00:45:21.92\00:45:24.15
nations, languages
that dwell on the earth,
00:45:24.15\00:45:25.85
peace be multiplied to you.
00:45:25.85\00:45:27.22
I thought it good to declare
00:45:27.22\00:45:29.36
who is writing
chapter 4 of Daniel?
00:45:29.36\00:45:32.06
How dare you put a pagan
king's chapter in the Bible?
00:45:32.06\00:45:36.90
But you know what
the chapter tells about?
00:45:36.90\00:45:38.10
It's his testimony.
00:45:38.10\00:45:40.30
You got the testimony
of the king's conversion
00:45:40.30\00:45:42.94
because of the
influence of Daniel,
00:45:42.94\00:45:46.34
Shadrach,
Meschach, and Abednego.
00:45:46.34\00:45:48.58
Nebuchadnezzar,
you had a Babylonian
00:45:48.58\00:45:50.48
writing a chapter in the Bible.
00:45:50.48\00:45:51.81
That's something, of course,
00:45:51.81\00:45:52.95
the Gospel of Luke
is written by Luke,
00:45:52.95\00:45:54.72
we believe was a gentile.
00:45:54.72\00:45:56.25
The rest of the book
is pretty much written
00:45:56.25\00:45:58.69
by the Jewish people.
00:45:58.69\00:46:01.49
So he's been a great
witness in that foreign land.
00:46:01.49\00:46:08.30
And he issues a decree.
00:46:08.30\00:46:11.23
Now I want to look at
the faithfulness of Daniel 6,
00:46:11.23\00:46:16.87
kind of marching through Daniel.
00:46:16.87\00:46:18.34
Now once you start
getting into Daniel 7,
00:46:18.34\00:46:20.18
you get into prophecies.
00:46:20.18\00:46:21.31
The history of Daniel
is the first six chapters,
00:46:21.31\00:46:24.65
from chapters seven on
it's pretty much prophecy.
00:46:24.65\00:46:28.88
So we're looking at
the example of the history
00:46:28.88\00:46:31.25
and so we're going to
go as far as Daniel 6.
00:46:31.25\00:46:34.96
Again king makes a law,
00:46:34.96\00:46:37.03
the people have to decide
00:46:37.03\00:46:38.19
if they're going
to obey the law of God
00:46:38.19\00:46:39.86
or the law of man.
00:46:39.86\00:46:42.00
The king is
enticed to write a law.
00:46:42.00\00:46:46.77
That says you're
not supposed to pray
00:46:46.77\00:46:47.87
to any God or man
except the king for how long?
00:46:47.87\00:46:51.47
Thirty days. Why
is that law made?
00:46:51.47\00:46:56.21
Because there is a plot
00:46:56.21\00:46:57.58
to get rid of
Daniel and his friends.
00:46:57.58\00:47:01.45
Is that going to
happen to us in the last days?
00:47:01.45\00:47:05.82
And there will be people
who will try to manipulate laws
00:47:05.82\00:47:09.56
that will make it difficult.
00:47:09.56\00:47:11.33
You know it's interesting,
00:47:11.33\00:47:12.33
I don't know if you've
seen in the news lately
00:47:12.33\00:47:13.93
but something's happened,
00:47:13.93\00:47:15.80
the social media has become
00:47:15.80\00:47:18.50
a very powerful
means of communication,
00:47:18.50\00:47:21.10
people through
Instagram, and Twitter,
00:47:21.10\00:47:23.87
and Facebook, and YouTube
00:47:23.87\00:47:25.54
there's all
kinds of communication
00:47:25.54\00:47:26.74
that happens and
newspapers are closing up.
00:47:26.74\00:47:29.28
A lot of people
don't mail letters anymore.
00:47:29.28\00:47:32.01
I know we still mail a
few but so much communication,
00:47:32.01\00:47:35.75
I was texting.
00:47:35.75\00:47:36.82
It's so easy.
00:47:36.82\00:47:37.85
You're on the
other side of the world,
00:47:37.85\00:47:38.99
you just have to mail a
letter and you wait three months
00:47:38.99\00:47:40.79
and then you get an answer.
00:47:40.79\00:47:42.69
And now, I know I am in India,
00:47:42.69\00:47:44.09
I was texting
people a few minutes later
00:47:44.09\00:47:45.69
and getting my text back.
00:47:45.69\00:47:47.40
No postage, it's amazing.
00:47:47.40\00:47:48.76
How much that letter
would have cost years ago.
00:47:48.76\00:47:51.83
I was dating Karen.
I was in Micronesia.
00:47:51.83\00:47:54.10
I'd send a postcard.
00:47:54.10\00:47:55.17
I got home before
she got the postcards.
00:47:55.17\00:47:59.11
But now you just
send a little text.
00:47:59.11\00:48:02.64
Social media is very powerful
00:48:02.64\00:48:04.78
and they've got
a lot of control.
00:48:04.78\00:48:06.61
They're beginning to decide
00:48:06.61\00:48:07.92
what they will and
they won't allow you to say.
00:48:07.92\00:48:12.29
And I'm getting little
notes from people and saying,
00:48:12.29\00:48:14.66
you know, we were just blocked
from Facebook, or Instagram,
00:48:14.66\00:48:19.46
or Twitter, or
one of these things
00:48:19.46\00:48:21.00
because we said
something Christian,
00:48:21.00\00:48:24.63
but they said they
thought it was biased.
00:48:24.63\00:48:28.37
Or they don't want that kind of,
00:48:28.37\00:48:29.74
or we didn't meet
the right criteria.
00:48:29.74\00:48:31.37
And I could just see
where this is going to be
00:48:31.37\00:48:33.64
all kinds of persecution
00:48:33.64\00:48:34.94
including the ability
to freely communicate.
00:48:34.94\00:48:38.58
And so in the last days
there's going to be laws,
00:48:38.58\00:48:42.35
they're going to hedge our sin.
00:48:42.35\00:48:44.65
And so we need
to make up our minds
00:48:44.65\00:48:46.15
that we're just going
to stand for the right,
00:48:46.15\00:48:48.19
no matter what happens.
00:48:48.19\00:48:49.26
So they try to
get rid of Daniel.
00:48:49.26\00:48:52.23
And they get the king to trick
the king, king likes Daniel.
00:48:52.23\00:48:54.93
They trick him
into signing a law
00:48:54.93\00:48:57.00
that you can't pray to anybody.
00:48:57.00\00:48:59.73
They follow him around first
00:48:59.73\00:49:02.00
and they can't find
anything wrong with Daniel,
00:49:02.00\00:49:04.24
he's faithful in
everything that he does.
00:49:04.24\00:49:07.21
And, are people
going to be spying on us?
00:49:07.21\00:49:11.28
Are they going to be like,
00:49:11.28\00:49:12.35
you know, going
through our hard drive
00:49:12.35\00:49:13.45
and trying to find out if
there's anything dishonest.
00:49:13.45\00:49:16.69
We need to make
sure that we're faithful
00:49:16.69\00:49:18.05
in that which is least.
00:49:18.05\00:49:19.82
They couldn't find
anything on Daniel.
00:49:19.82\00:49:22.62
How many people
could you say that about?
00:49:22.62\00:49:25.39
They couldn't find any dirt,
00:49:25.39\00:49:27.46
and as much as he was faithful,
00:49:27.46\00:49:28.86
it says an
excellent spirit was in him,
00:49:28.86\00:49:30.67
he was spirit filled.
00:49:30.67\00:49:32.80
So finally they get a law.
00:49:32.80\00:49:34.47
They know Daniel's got a habit
of praying three times a day.
00:49:34.47\00:49:37.01
See they knew that
before the king signed his law.
00:49:37.01\00:49:39.47
Daniel was known for
his personal devotions.
00:49:39.47\00:49:43.55
Are we known as
a people of prayer?
00:49:43.55\00:49:47.25
Daniel had a reputation,
00:49:47.25\00:49:48.78
they could count
it was like clockwork,
00:49:48.78\00:49:50.59
in the courtyard
near Daniel's house
00:49:50.59\00:49:53.92
three times a day
his windows would open
00:49:53.92\00:49:55.99
just like a cuckoo clock.
00:49:55.99\00:49:58.13
Here where it would
open up right on schedule,
00:49:58.13\00:50:00.20
they'd see him in the window,
they'd see him kneel down,
00:50:00.20\00:50:03.00
he'd lift his hands
towards Jerusalem, he'd pray,
00:50:03.00\00:50:05.77
maybe he wasn't
praying out loud,
00:50:05.77\00:50:07.00
they saw his lips moving.
00:50:07.00\00:50:09.64
And then he'd get up
and he closed the windows
00:50:09.64\00:50:12.14
and go back to work.
00:50:12.14\00:50:14.78
And so they get
the king to sign a law,
00:50:14.78\00:50:16.28
you're caught praying publicly,
00:50:16.28\00:50:17.55
you're going to the lions' den.
00:50:17.55\00:50:19.15
Daniel knows the law is
signed, that's Daniel 6:10.
00:50:19.15\00:50:22.62
He knows what's going to
happen but what does he do?
00:50:22.62\00:50:26.42
You read this now Daniel
00:50:26.42\00:50:27.62
when he knew the
writing was signed,
00:50:27.62\00:50:29.79
wouldn't that be a good
time to close your window.
00:50:29.79\00:50:32.99
I mean doesn't Jesus
say enter into your closet
00:50:32.99\00:50:35.06
and shut the door when you pray?
00:50:35.06\00:50:37.73
Daniel couldn't quote that
00:50:37.73\00:50:38.77
'cause Jesus hadn't said it yet.
00:50:38.77\00:50:41.34
So he left his windows open.
00:50:41.34\00:50:43.81
In his upper room, I mean,
00:50:43.81\00:50:45.14
couldn't he have
gone to the basement?
00:50:45.14\00:50:47.14
That be the time to go
to the basement and pray.
00:50:47.14\00:50:49.68
Can God hear prayers
in the basement? Sure.
00:50:49.68\00:50:51.88
Can God hear prayers
when your windows are closed?
00:50:51.88\00:50:53.55
Yes.
00:50:53.55\00:50:54.62
Did he have to get on his knees?
00:50:54.62\00:50:56.22
Doesn't that look
like you're praying?
00:50:56.22\00:50:57.55
He could have stood and
just he could have prayed
00:50:57.55\00:50:59.12
and looked like he's
smelling the flowers, you know,
00:50:59.12\00:51:02.22
fresh air and been praying.
00:51:02.22\00:51:03.39
But no, he knelt.
00:51:03.39\00:51:04.56
So he did
everything to advertise
00:51:04.56\00:51:07.56
that he was
still praying to God.
00:51:07.56\00:51:09.76
He wasn't going to hide
his relationship with God.
00:51:09.76\00:51:13.07
He stood up for the Lord.
00:51:13.07\00:51:14.10
Why did Daniel
pray three times a day?
00:51:14.10\00:51:18.14
What does it say in Psalm 55:17?
00:51:18.14\00:51:21.94
"Morning, evening,
and at noon will I pray."
00:51:21.94\00:51:26.41
See Daniel read the Bible.
00:51:26.41\00:51:28.28
David wrote that before
long before Daniel lived,
00:51:28.28\00:51:31.12
David read that.
00:51:31.12\00:51:32.25
You know another reason I
know Daniel read the Bible,
00:51:32.25\00:51:34.46
why did Daniel
pray towards Jerusalem.
00:51:34.46\00:51:37.43
Notice it says here toward
Jerusalem, I'm in Daniel 6:10.
00:51:37.43\00:51:41.36
"Cause King Solomon said
00:51:41.36\00:51:42.83
if your people are
carried away captive
00:51:42.83\00:51:44.63
if they prayed
towards this place,
00:51:44.63\00:51:47.54
you prayed toward Jerusalem."
00:51:47.54\00:51:49.20
You also read in Daniel 9.
00:51:49.20\00:51:51.41
Daniel says, "I was reading
the prophecies of Jeremiah."
00:51:51.41\00:51:55.04
So Daniel had a prayer life
and Daniel had a study life.
00:51:55.04\00:52:00.65
Are you known as somebody
that has personal devotions?
00:52:00.65\00:52:04.15
You read your Bible every day.
00:52:04.15\00:52:06.59
The reason the Book
of Daniel is in the Bible
00:52:06.59\00:52:07.99
is 'cause here's a person
00:52:07.99\00:52:09.02
that had a powerful
relationship with God,
00:52:09.02\00:52:11.39
he walked with God.
00:52:11.39\00:52:12.49
And I think the key to it
is in the middle of Daniel,
00:52:12.49\00:52:15.36
he had a strong devotional life.
00:52:15.36\00:52:17.33
Can you say amen? Amen.
00:52:17.33\00:52:18.90
Are we going to need that
00:52:18.90\00:52:19.97
for preparation
in the last days?
00:52:19.97\00:52:22.90
Thy word I've hidden in my heart
00:52:22.90\00:52:24.44
that I might not sin.
00:52:24.44\00:52:26.71
So, of course,
they catch him praying,
00:52:26.71\00:52:29.41
he goes to the lions' den.
00:52:29.41\00:52:32.68
The king tries
to change his law,
00:52:32.68\00:52:34.85
he can't change his law.
00:52:34.85\00:52:36.55
Can the law of
God be changed? No.
00:52:36.55\00:52:39.29
But it says, "The
law does not alter.
00:52:39.29\00:52:42.09
It does not alter."
00:52:42.09\00:52:43.12
You notice it says
that in Daniel 6:12,
00:52:43.12\00:52:47.96
does not alter.
00:52:47.96\00:52:49.20
You go to verse 15,
00:52:49.20\00:52:52.17
"No law of the
Medes and the Persians
00:52:52.17\00:52:53.67
can be changed."
00:52:53.67\00:52:55.67
You go to, I think
it says it three times.
00:52:55.67\00:52:59.94
Anyway, I think it's
on the previous page.
00:52:59.94\00:53:02.88
So Daniel goes
to the lions' den.
00:53:02.88\00:53:06.28
Now you noticed the
similarities between
00:53:06.28\00:53:07.88
Daniel and Jesus?
00:53:07.88\00:53:10.09
Did they have spies
following Daniel around?
00:53:10.09\00:53:12.92
Did they have spies
following Jesus around?
00:53:12.92\00:53:16.59
Did they say they couldn't
find any fault with Daniel?
00:53:16.59\00:53:19.79
Did pilot say I could
not find any fault in Jesus?
00:53:19.79\00:53:23.93
Was Daniel married?
00:53:23.93\00:53:27.44
He's married to the people.
00:53:27.44\00:53:28.60
Jesus was married to the church.
00:53:28.60\00:53:33.11
Do they finally make a law
because of the law of his God?
00:53:33.11\00:53:36.85
That's what happened
with the trial of Jesus.
00:53:36.85\00:53:39.08
They said,
"He's broken our law."
00:53:39.08\00:53:42.12
Is he put into the lions' den?"
00:53:42.12\00:53:46.42
Is there stone put on the mouth?
00:53:46.42\00:53:49.89
Does it happen near
the going down of the sun?
00:53:49.89\00:53:52.53
Both stories.
00:53:52.53\00:53:54.93
Is there a government
seal placed on the lions den?
00:53:54.93\00:53:57.37
Yes.
00:53:57.37\00:53:58.57
Is there a government
seal placed on the tomb?
00:53:58.57\00:54:00.60
Yes.
00:54:00.60\00:54:02.77
Does Daniel come out alive?
00:54:02.77\00:54:05.07
The king says,
00:54:05.07\00:54:06.98
"Because he believed in
his God Jesus comes out alive."
00:54:06.98\00:54:10.98
It says they're
both declared innocent.
00:54:10.98\00:54:13.75
It's just a wonderful parallels
00:54:13.75\00:54:15.25
you find between
Jesus and Daniel.
00:54:15.25\00:54:17.22
When does Christ rise?
Very early in the morning.
00:54:17.22\00:54:19.65
When does Daniel rise?
Very early in the morning.
00:54:19.65\00:54:23.89
It's telling us a
story about Christ in here.
00:54:23.89\00:54:26.46
And so, I think you can
see from the story of Daniel
00:54:26.46\00:54:30.00
that what Daniel went through
and Shadrach, and Meschach,
00:54:30.00\00:54:33.94
and they're
living in a foreign land
00:54:33.94\00:54:37.74
that some of the things
00:54:37.74\00:54:39.54
that we may
encounter in helping prepare.
00:54:39.54\00:54:42.04
Is prophecy a prominent
thing in the Book of Daniel?
00:54:42.04\00:54:46.25
Does it talk
about last day prophecy?
00:54:46.25\00:54:48.65
Will last day prophecy
be an important issue for us
00:54:48.65\00:54:51.72
in the time in
which we're living?
00:54:51.72\00:54:53.79
And Daniel was acquainted,
00:54:53.79\00:54:54.96
he was studying the
prophecies of Jeremiah
00:54:54.96\00:54:58.06
just before the
angel came to him.
00:54:58.06\00:54:59.96
And we should be
studying the prophecies
00:54:59.96\00:55:02.06
also in the last days.
00:55:02.06\00:55:04.07
I'm sorry but we're out of time.
00:55:04.07\00:55:05.73
I never saw any
questions pop up.
00:55:05.73\00:55:07.37
So I guess we're not doing any.
00:55:07.37\00:55:08.80
I want to remind our friends
00:55:08.80\00:55:09.84
that we are in
the lesson number two.
00:55:09.84\00:55:12.17
We do have next
week's lesson three,
00:55:12.17\00:55:14.48
we do have a special offer.
00:55:14.48\00:55:15.64
The special offer is Islam
and Christianity and Prophecy.
00:55:15.64\00:55:19.65
Islam Christianity and Prophecy.
00:55:19.65\00:55:22.05
If you like a free copy of this,
00:55:22.05\00:55:23.89
it's offer number 840,
the sort of a premium offer.
00:55:23.89\00:55:27.16
And just call the
number 866-788-3966,
00:55:27.16\00:55:31.13
we'll send you this.
00:55:31.13\00:55:32.33
After you watch it, we hope
you'll share it with somebody.
00:55:32.33\00:55:35.60
And we're
offering that for free now.
00:55:35.60\00:55:37.73
We want to get the Word out.
00:55:37.73\00:55:39.17
Thank you very much for
studying with us friends.
00:55:39.17\00:55:40.94
God willing we'll do
it again in next Sabbath.
00:55:40.94\00:55:43.41
Friends, we're out
here in the Pacific ocean,
00:55:54.08\00:55:56.22
not too far from
the Island of Fiji.
00:55:56.22\00:55:58.39
And we're
getting ready to look at
00:55:58.39\00:55:59.42
some wonders in the deep.
00:55:59.42\00:56:02.59
The Bible says,
"God made the heaven,
00:56:02.59\00:56:04.29
the earth, and the sea."
00:56:04.29\00:56:05.69
And there are
things under the sea
00:56:05.69\00:56:07.00
that are beautiful that
many people have never seen.
00:56:07.00\00:56:09.56
Some folks might just skim
along snorkel on the surface.
00:56:09.56\00:56:12.70
But if you want to see
the real majesty of the ocean,
00:56:12.70\00:56:15.50
you got to go deeper.
00:56:15.50\00:56:17.01
Because people don't
have gills like fish,
00:56:30.62\00:56:33.25
we have to do
something extraordinary
00:56:33.25\00:56:34.79
to be able to
breathe below the surface.
00:56:34.79\00:56:37.53
And because you have
to breathe all the time,
00:56:37.53\00:56:39.49
we need this special equipment.
00:56:39.49\00:56:43.87
In the same way the Bible says,
00:56:43.87\00:56:45.50
"A Christian needs
to pray without ceasing.
00:56:45.50\00:56:48.00
We need to always be breathing
the atmosphere of heaven
00:56:48.00\00:56:51.04
if we're going to
live a Christian life
00:56:51.04\00:56:52.57
in this world below.
00:56:52.57\00:56:54.01
Wow. What a wonderful world.
00:57:20.74\00:57:22.70
Let's face it, it's not
always easy to understand
00:57:35.52\00:57:38.42
everything you
read in the Bible.
00:57:38.42\00:57:40.36
With over 700,000
words contained in 66 books,
00:57:40.36\00:57:44.09
the Bible can
generate a lot of questions.
00:57:44.09\00:57:46.70
To get biblical
straightforward answers,
00:57:46.70\00:57:49.00
call into Bible Answers Live,
00:57:49.00\00:57:50.87
a live nationwide
call-in radio program
00:57:50.87\00:57:53.50
where you can talk
to Pastor Doug Batchelor
00:57:53.50\00:57:55.77
and ask him your most
difficult Bible questions.
00:57:55.77\00:57:58.31
For times and
stations in your area
00:57:58.31\00:58:00.64
or to listen to answers online,
visit bal.amazingfacts.org.
00:58:00.64\00:58:06.01