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Series Code: TCM
Program Code: TCM200005S
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00:40 Welcome to this series of prophetic presentations
00:44 focusing on the book of Revelation - 00:46 especially chapter 14 titled: 00:50 Earth's Final Conflict. 00:53 If you just joined us for the series, let me summarize 00:56 a little bit what we've done so far. 00:58 This is a series of 13 separate presentations 01:03 that focus on the great prophecies of Revelation. 01:06 In the book of Revelation God presents a universal 01:10 urgent message for all mankind 01:12 as outlined in Revelation the 14th chapter. 01:15 We've looked at the fact thus far 01:18 that this message calls all humanity to make eternal choices. 01:23 The Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, is the very center of the book 01:26 of Revelation, and He has done everything possible 01:29 to save us. There's nothing more that Jesus could have done. 01:32 He is the dying Lamb, the One that provides salvation 01:36 full and complete for us. 01:38 He is our living Priest, that delivers us not only from sin's 01:42 condemnation but from sin's power. 01:44 He is the God, also, who before the whole universe 01:48 in the judgment reveals His grace and His goodness. 01:52 In the judgment, the kingdoms of this earth crumble 01:56 and the kingdom of Christ triumphs. 01:58 In our last presentation we were focusing especially 02:02 on this subject of the judgment, 02:03 and we will develop that theme more in this presentation today 02:07 so let's pray. Father in heaven, 02:09 we thank you with all of our hearts 02:12 that we need not fear the judgment. 02:14 As we look at Christ we sense that He stands for us 02:19 both as our Judge and as our Advocate, as our Attorney 02:24 in the judgment. We are thankful that 02:27 we are not left alone. That the One that represents us 02:29 has NEVER lost a case. 02:32 So as we probe the timing of the judgment today 02:36 and sense that we're living in the urgent time of earth's 02:39 history, a very critical time, 02:41 open our eyes at the wisdom from Your Word. 02:44 In Christ's name, Amen. 02:46 The title of my presentation, today is: 02:53 About two centuries ago 02:56 a group of settlers were traveling across the United States. 03:00 The U.S. government had just opened up 03:03 new lands for homestead, 03:06 and these settlers were traveling there to develop 03:10 a new community. As they traveled, off in the distance 03:14 they saw smoke, and they knew that there was a wild 03:18 prairie fire coming toward them. 03:20 They recognized that they could not dodge, outrun, 03:24 or get away from that prairie fire. 03:26 They wondered what would happen. Would they be burned up? 03:30 Consumed in the fire? 03:31 One old man who had experience with prairie fires in the past 03:35 said this. He said: "Let's begin to burn behind us. " 03:39 Now they recognized that if they burned behind them 03:43 and burned a large swath of land 03:45 they then could get in the center of that burned land. 03:50 So they started this controlled fire behind them. 03:53 They burned a large circle of land, then put that smaller fire 03:58 out. The entire company got into the center of that fire. 04:04 One little girl spoke up and said: 04:06 "Are you sure that we're not all going to be burned up? 04:09 The fire is coming! It's coming toward us. 04:11 It's coming rapidly... it's coming quickly! " 04:14 And the old man said: 04:23 Standing in the center of God's love 04:27 we stand where the fires of hell have already been. 04:31 Because on that cross of Calvary 04:33 Jesus took all the shame, the condemnation, 04:36 the guilt of sin. I love that poem: 04:51 In earth's final judgment we have a hiding place. 04:56 We stand within the circle of His love. 05:06 He experienced all of the pain, the agony, 05:11 the suffering, of a lost human being as He 05:15 bore our guilt and bore our shame. 05:18 That's what Paul meant when he wrote in Galatians 3:13: 05:22 "Cursed is everyone that hangs upon the tree. " 05:36 In Revelation 14:6-7 the Bible says: 05:47 Now notice: this judgment is a present-tense judgment. 05:52 Not the hour of God's judgment WILL come. 05:55 The book of Revelation, though, does not give us the timing 05:59 of that judgment. It DOES give us a hint 06:01 because in Revelation 22 verses 11 and 12 it says: 06:05 "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still. 06:08 He that is righteous, let him be righteous still. " 06:10 "Behold I come quickly and My reward is with Me. " 06:15 So if Jesus is coming to give out the rewards, 06:18 there must be a judgment preliminary to His return 06:21 to determine who receives what reward when He comes. 06:25 But yet although Revelation teaches us 06:28 that there is a judgment - a pre-advent judgment 06:32 previous to the coming of Christ 06:34 in which the destinies of all human beings have been settled, 06:38 in which God's name is honored before the entire universe - 06:41 Revelation does not give us the exact timing of that judgment. 06:46 Now in Scripture there are two great prophetic books 06:49 that speak of end-time events: 06:51 the book of Revelation and the book of Daniel. 06:54 In this judgment God takes us back 06:57 to the book of Daniel. 06:59 And there in the book of Daniel an angel explains 07:03 to Daniel the timing of this judgment 07:06 that would occur in the book of Revelation. 07:10 In the book of Daniel we have the rise and fall of kingdoms: 07:14 Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. 07:18 The break-up of the Roman Empire. We studied this 07:21 in our last presentation. 07:23 And then we have the rise of a religious/political power. 07:27 These nations or empires have attempted to usurp 07:30 God's authority and usurp God's kingdom. 07:33 But as Daniel is looking at these empires 07:39 he looks up into heaven and he sees the great judgment. 07:42 And there in that judgment he sees the kingdom of God 07:45 restored and given to Christ. 07:47 Daniel looks at that scene in Daniel chapter 7. 07:51 When we come to Daniel chapter 8 07:53 in an explanation of that judgment Daniel 8:14 says: 08:05 Now you might be asking the question: 08:08 "What does the cleansing of the sanctuary have to do 08:11 with the judgment? " 08:13 Every Jew would understand that. 08:15 Once a year on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, 08:19 the sanctuary was cleansed. 08:21 All year as sinners confessed their sin 08:24 the guilt of that sin went into the sanctuary 08:28 through the blood of the animal 08:29 or through the priest eating the animal. 08:32 As that sin symbolically entered the sanctuary... 08:37 as it did that, once a year at the end of the Jewish year 08:42 there was a Day of Atonement or the day of the cleansing 08:45 of the sanctuary where the priest enters into the 08:48 Most Holy Place of the sanctuary with pure blood. 08:52 The priest entering in with that pure blood 08:55 cleanses the sanctuary. Comes out and places the guilt 08:58 upon the scapegoat, and the scapegoat is sent 09:02 out into the wilderness. 09:03 So that's the scene, but this Day of Atonement, 09:06 this day of the cleansing of the sanctuary, 09:08 was a day of judgment. Every Jew understood that. 09:11 Every Israelite had to gather around the sanctuary. 09:14 They had to pray; they had to seek God 09:16 or else they would be cut off or judged. 09:18 So when Daniel says: 09:24 it's as if he was saying: "Then the final day of judgment 09:28 will occur. " Now obviously this sanctuary 09:32 is not the sanctuary on earth which ceased to exist 09:36 at the end of the Jewish dispensation. 09:39 But this must be another sanctuary - 09:41 the sanctuary in heaven - that would be cleansed. 09:45 Cleansed from all of the pollution that comes as 09:49 God's people confess their sins and Christ bears them there. 09:53 Cleansed in the sense that all of the wickedness and evil 09:58 on earth would be destroyed as Christ's kingdom 10:03 was given back to Him. 10:05 Daniel 8 verse 27 as Daniel is thinking about this 10:10 cleansing of the sanctuary he doesn't understand 10:12 quite what it means. He's perplexed over it. 10:15 He doesn't understand the 2,300 days. 10:17 Daniel has been thinking about the deliverance of his people 10:21 and Daniel says: 10:25 So at the end of Daniel chapter 8, Daniel does not 10:28 understand the vision at all. 10:30 He's perplexed about it; he is confused. 10:35 In the Bible, one prophetic day equals one literal year. 10:41 So in Scripture, the 2,300 days 10:45 would actually equal 2,300 literal years. 10:51 Now you might say: "Pastor Mark, where is the 10:53 Biblical evidence of that? " 10:56 We find it in two different lines of reasoning. 11:00 In the Bible when we have prophecy in symbolic images 11:06 the time period is also symbolic. 11:10 So in Daniel chapter 8, for example, you have a ram 11:12 representing Medo-Persia; a he-goat representing Greece; 11:16 and you have symbolic animals. That indicates 11:21 that the time period be symbolic. 11:23 The other way we know is that throughout Scripture 11:26 the Bible says that: "I have given you a day for a year. " 11:30 One prophetic day equals one literal year. 11:34 There's another way we know. In Daniel 9 verse 21 it says: 11:52 Now notice what the angel says. This is critical: 11:58 Daniel doesn't understand the vision 12:01 but at the precise moment where he's perplexed 12:05 the angel returns in Daniel 9 to explain the vision to him. 12:09 The angel explains to Daniel that along the timeline 12:12 of this vision the Messiah would come. 12:16 That Christ would be baptized on time. 12:19 Christ would be crucified on time. 12:21 That the gospel would go to all humanity on time. 12:25 So this vision of Daniel 9 is a vision about Jesus: 12:29 about His baptism, about His death, about the gospel going 12:33 out to the world on time. 12:35 This prophecy, though, could not possibly have been fulfilled 12:40 back in Daniel's day. 12:42 The Messiah had not yet come. 12:44 So it must be much more than 2,300 literal days 12:48 which was simply taking us 6-1/2 or 7 years from Daniel's time. 12:54 So it points forward to the Messiah. 12:56 But there's another aspect of this prophecy. 12:59 The prophecy points not only to the first coming of Jesus 13:02 as the Messiah. It points down to the final day of judgment 13:06 and the second coming of Christ. 13:09 Now the prophecy does not give us the timing of the second 13:12 coming of Christ but it DOES point out a time of the end 13:16 which precisely could not have taken place in Daniel's time. 13:20 Daniel 8:17 when the angel was explaining it. It says: 13:29 Now there are some people that mistakenly 13:33 look at this prophecy and believe it applies 13:37 to one of the ancient rulers who attacked Jerusalem 13:41 and set up an idol in the Jewish temple 13:44 called Antiochus Epiphanes. 13:46 But the language of the prophecy 13:48 really indicates that this could not possibly have been the case. 13:53 The prophecy takes us down to the time of the end. 13:56 Antiochus never did that. 13:57 The prophecy is a large prophecy... a big prophecy. 14:00 Not talking about something that happened in a Jewish temple 14:03 but it's talking about the universal conflict between 14:06 good and evil, between Christ and Satan. 14:09 It's talking about the honor of Christ... 14:11 the kingdom being restored to Christ in the judgment. 14:14 It's talking about a time period 14:17 that talks about Christ's baptism, Christ's death, 14:20 the gospel going to the Gentiles, the time of the end. 14:23 It is a call of all humanity that no longer 14:26 business as usual, no longer pleasures as usual. 14:29 It's a call to get ready for the coming of Christ. 14:32 What message does he receive from the angel? 14:43 And I would much rather listen to what the angel says 14:46 than some philosophy of some human being. 14:50 This message takes us down to the last days... 14:53 takes us down to end time. 14:56 The message in Daniel 8 begins 14:58 with the battle with this ram and he-goat 15:01 as we've mentioned. The Bible names them. 15:04 It names Greece; it names Medo-Persia. 15:09 Bible prophecy is incredibly detailed. 15:13 Bible prophecy is incredible precise. 15:16 It also talks in this prophecy 15:19 about a power that would rise out of Rome. 15:22 It calls it a "little horn" power, 15:25 and this power would think to change the very law of God. 15:29 This power would usurp the authority of God. 15:35 It would take human decrees, human traditions 15:38 and place them instead of the commandments of God. 15:43 In the cleansing of the sanctuary 15:46 at this moment of judgment 15:49 God's truth would be restored. 15:52 So there are a number of things happening 15:54 in this idea of the judgment or the cleansing of the sanctuary. 15:57 This is a HUGE idea... it's a BIG idea. 16:01 The idea is the honor of God. 16:03 The idea is the judgment of all humanity. 16:07 The idea here is the restoration of God's truth. 16:12 This is a HUGE idea. It has to do 16:15 with the finishing of God's work on earth. 16:18 Daniel goes to sleep; doesn't quite understand the vision. 16:22 He prays. In Daniel chapter 9 the angel comes back 16:26 to explain the vision to Daniel. 16:29 This vision takes us down the stream of time. 16:33 This vision enables us to walk through a journey of history. 16:37 This vision explains key events on the timetable of heaven. 16:52 Daniel's perplexed; Daniel is confused at the vision. 16:56 But as he is the angel comes and says to him: 16:59 "Daniel, you are greatly beloved. " 17:02 This expression is used throughout the book of Daniel. 17:06 And then the angel says to Daniel: 17:12 Consider what matter, Daniel? 17:15 Understand what vision, Daniel? 17:18 There is no specific vision given in Daniel chapter 9. 17:23 The word for vision there is the exact word that was used 17:26 in Daniel 8. So what the angel is saying to Daniel 17:29 is: "Understand the vision that you received 17:33 in Daniel the 8th chapter. " 17:35 "I've come now to explain that vision to you. " 17:39 "I've come now to describe the details 17:42 of that particular vision. " 17:45 Now did you notice, though, what Daniel... 17:48 the message Daniel received from the angel? 17:50 He said: "I have come and you are greatly beloved. " 17:57 Have you ever in your own life 18:00 longed to know that you are loved? 18:02 Have you ever felt rejected? 18:04 Have you ever felt lonely and alone? 18:07 The message of this angel 18:09 to Daniel at a time of judgment 18:12 is a message to you. 18:14 It's a message that you're not alone. 18:17 You're not an isolated indi- vidual on this spinning globe 18:22 of ash with 7 billion other people. 18:26 Rather you are cherished by God. 18:29 You are precious to God. 18:31 God created you... God fashioned you. 18:34 Christ redeemed you. 18:35 Jesus is preparing a place for you in heaven. 18:38 You, my friend, are greatly beloved. 18:41 The matter that Daniel was discussing, 18:44 considering, and the matter that the angel was discussing 18:47 in chapter 8 when Daniel fainted and didn't understand 18:50 was the matter of the cleansing of the sanctuary 18:52 was the matter of the 2,300 days. 18:54 So the angel comes back to explain this to Daniel. 18:59 And he says to Daniel in Daniel 9 verse 24: 19:11 Who are Daniel's people? 19:13 They are the Jewish nation. 19:15 What, indeed, is the holy city? Jerusalem. 19:19 So the first part of this prophecy 19:21 is dealing with the coming of the Messiah to His own people. 19:28 Notice: who did that? The Messiah. 19:31 Who did that? The Messiah. 19:35 Who would do that? The Messiah. 19:38 Who would do that? Jesus would ascend to heaven. 19:41 He would enter in to the sanctuary. 19:43 He would anoint the Holy and Most Holy Place 19:46 before He began His work in the Holy Place. 19:48 He would make that anointing to consecrate 19:51 the sanctuary. This is a divine timetable. 19:55 It is precise; it is minute; and it is exact. 19:59 It is an amazing timetable of history 20:03 that helps us to understand the credibility of the Bible. 20:06 The book I hold in my hands is no common book. 20:10 This book is no ordinary book. 20:13 This book is divinely inspired by God, 20:16 and the prophecy that we are studying is one of the most 20:19 magnificent prophecies in the Bible 20:21 because it takes us down the stream of time. 20:24 It enables us to understand precise dates 20:27 that have to do with the very very life and teachings 20:32 of Jesus. Daniel 9:25: 20:36 Now when the angel says "know something" it's important. 20:39 When the angel says "understand" it's important. 20:42 Know and understand. Understand what? 20:54 Daniel's people were in captivity. 20:56 They're in captivity to Babylon then captivity to Medo-Persia. 21:01 And what the angel is saying to Daniel is this: 21:03 "Know and understand: from the time of the decree 21:07 to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, 21:10 from the time that that decree goes forth 21:12 when your people can go back and rebuild the city 21:16 establish their nationhood again... establish their 21:19 worship again... when that can occur, 21:22 when that decree is passed know that that's the starting 21:26 point for this 2,300 day or 2,300 year prophecy. " 21:31 Now notice what our text says, though: 21:52 Now I want you to look at this word determined. 21:55 The word determined is a very very fascinating word 21:59 in the Hebrew language. 22:02 Let's look at this year/day principle 22:05 and then look at this word determined. 22:08 Now remember: "70 weeks are determined for your people. " 22:12 When it's obvious the symbols are symbolic 22:15 then the time periods are symbolic as we've mentioned. 22:24 Now remember: according to the book of Ezekiel 22:27 and according to the book of Numbers 22:30 one prophetic day equals one literal year. 22:33 So 70 weeks would be 7 times 70: 22:38 7 days in a week. And that would be 490 days 22:42 or 490 literal years 22:44 that would be determined upon God's people. 22:54 Now remember: we looked at that word determined. 22:57 It's an interesting Hebrew word: chathak 23:00 and it means cut off or separate from. 23:03 So the 490 years 23:06 are cut off or separate from the 2,300 years. 23:12 They contain the first portion of those 2,300 years. 23:19 They are a smaller section of those 2,300 years. 23:25 Let's go back to Daniel's prophecy in Daniel 9:25. 23:38 So 69 of the 70 weeks 23:42 of the first part of the prophecy 23:44 would take us down to the Messiah. 23:47 And then the Bible says in Daniel 9:25: 23:56 So at the beginning of this period of time - 23:59 the beginning of the 69 weeks - 24:01 God would pass a decree 24:04 to allow Israel to go back and rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, 24:08 establish their worship, be established again as a nation. 24:11 At the end of that 69 weeks the Messiah would come. 24:15 Since there is one prophetic day and it equals a literal year... 24:20 69 weeks... what would that be? 24:22 It would be 7 times 69. 24:24 Seven times 9 are what? 63! 24:27 You got it... you're a good math student. 24:28 Seven times 6 are 42. 24:30 We carry our 6... 483 prophetic years. 24:33 Now follow me closely, 24:34 From the year that the decree would go forth to restore 24:38 and build Jerusalem unto the Messiah 24:41 would be 69 prophetic weeks, 24:44 483 prophetic days or 483 literal years. 24:49 That would take us down to the Messiah's coming. 24:53 Well, when did that decree go forth to restore 24:56 and to build Jerusalem? 24:58 In actual fact there were three decrees: 25:01 one by Cyrus; one by Darius; and one by Artaxerxes. 25:06 Which decree do we choose and why? 25:09 And when did those decrees go out? 25:11 The first of those decrees by Cyrus 25:14 was in 538 BC or 537 BC. 25:18 The second decree by Darius to let the Jews go back 25:22 was not long after that but we don't have a clear historical 25:26 specific date. The third decree by Artaxerxes 25:31 in 457 BC. is a very clear date. 25:35 That's a solid date in history. 25:37 In fact, the Bible talks about it this way in Ezra 7 verse 13. 25:50 The decree of Artaxerxes is significant 25:53 for multiple reasons. 25:55 One of those reasons is the priests and Levites 25:57 go to restore worship. 26:00 Another reason is that Artaxerxes 26:03 provides finances or money for them to go 26:06 to rebuild their city and re-establish their nation. 26:09 Another reason is is that this date 26:12 that the majority of Jews that went left and went with 26:16 the Jewish pilgrims that went back to their city. 26:20 So it is the 457 BC date that's really significant 26:23 because it establishes worship and it establishes 26:27 again the ability to build the entire city. 26:30 So now let's look at the timeline of history. 26:32 Remember 483 prophetic days equals what? 26:36 You're good students! 483 years. 26:39 So if the decree goes forth in 457 BC, 26:43 we have to go forward on the timeline 26:46 483 years. Now to make this simple 26:50 let's suppose we were going forward on the timeline 26:53 457 years. Let's just suppose that. 26:58 And let's suppose we're taking steps, and each year 27:01 is a step. If we take 457 steps, it would take us 27:05 down to zero. But there is no zero year 27:10 in history so what would that take us down to? 27:12 Well... if history goes from 1 BC 27:16 to 1 AD and there's no zero here, 27:18 it would take us down to AD 1... right? 27:21 But we're not going 457 years on the timeline. 27:25 How many do we have to go? 27:27 "Know therefore and understand from the going forth of the 27:29 command to restore and build Jerusalem... " 457 BC... 27:32 "to Messiah the Prince shall be... " What? 27:35 69 weeks. Seven weeks and 62 weeks, 27:38 483 years. So we're not going 457 27:43 which would take us to 1, we're going 483. 27:45 Well, what is 457 from 483? 27:49 That leaves us with another 26 additional years 27:55 that are needed to complete the 483 years. 27:58 We have to go 26 more steps forward on this timeline. 28:02 So 457 BC... and if you go forward 28:06 483 years on the timeline 28:10 or you go 457 to 1 and 26 more 28:13 it takes you to the year 27 AD. 28:17 What would that take us to? 28:18 What event? Daniel 9 verse 25: 28:26 When was that again? 457 BC. 28:30 Who is the Messiah? 28:32 What does the word Messiah mean? 28:33 Does anybody know what the word Messiah means? 28:36 What's that word Messiah mean? 28:38 It means the anointed one, doesn't it? 28:40 So from 457 BC 28:44 483 years forward... This is incredible! 28:47 This is amazing. The decree in 457 BC 28:50 went forward in the fall. So 483 years 28:53 from the fall of 457 BC would take us to the 28:55 fall of 27 AD. 28:58 What happened in the fall of 27 AD? 29:00 Precisely Jesus Christ was baptized 29:04 and the word Messiah means the anointed one. 29:06 And according to Acts chapter 10 29:09 Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit 29:12 at His baptism. Years in advance 29:15 the book of Daniel records that Jesus, the Messiah, 29:19 would be baptized precisely in the fall of 27 AD 29:24 exactly at the age of 30 years old. 29:27 Jesus, the carpenter of Nazareth left the carpenter shop at 30 29:30 and there He was baptized in 27 AD... exactly 29:35 like the Bible predicts. 29:37 Now the Bible says that 3-1/2 years after the fall of 27 AD 29:42 that the Messiah would be cut off. That He would be 29:46 crucified... but not for Himself. 29:48 If you go 3-1/2 years from 27 AD 29:52 that would take you from the fall of 27 AD 29:56 to the spring of 31 AD. 29:58 Let me make it simple for you. If it's 3-1/2 years - 30:00 and I'll show you from the Bible how this calculates out - 30:03 but 3 years from the fall of 27 AD 30:06 would take you to the fall of 30 AD. 30:07 Six months later would take you to the spring of 31 AD. 30:10 What Jewish feast was taking place in the spring? 30:14 The Passover. And what do you know about Jesus? 30:17 Paul says: "Jesus, our Passover Lamb, was sacrificed for us. " 30:21 Christ: that great Passover Lamb. 30:23 Let's look at this in Daniel's prophecy. 30:26 Daniel 9 verse 26: 30:36 His death was not for Himself. 30:39 His death was for you and for me. 30:42 The Christ that hung on that cross with those nails through 30:45 His hands and that crown of thorns upon His head... 30:48 That Jesus that hung there dying and said: "My God! 30:51 My God! Why have You forsaken Me? " 30:53 bore the sin of all humanity. 30:57 He bore our guilt; He bore our shame. 31:00 That prediction in Daniel chapter 9 points forward 31:04 to the baptism of Christ, 31:06 points forward to the crucifixion of Christ. 31:08 It is precise and it is amazing. 31:11 Notice Daniel 9:26: 31:17 Eventually Titus and the Roman armies 31:19 would come down and destroy Jerusalem. 31:30 Now there are some people that think 31:33 that this prophecy talks about the antichrist confirming the 31:36 covenant in a Jewish temple. 31:38 But look: in the Bible 31:41 there is only one whoever makes a covenant 31:44 and that is God making a covenant with His people. 31:46 There's only one whose blood ever can ratify the eternal 31:50 everlasting covenant... that's Christ. Throughout this prophecy 31:54 it talks about Jesus' baptism, 31:56 it talks about Jesus' crucifixion. 31:58 Isn't it just like the devil to take this prophecy 32:03 and turn it around from relating to Christ 32:05 to relate to the antichrist power? 32:08 The Bible is very clear. 32:09 He, the Messiah... He, Jesus Christ... 32:12 He, the Savior of all mankind... 32:14 "shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. " 32:18 And then notice what the prophecy actually says. 32:35 There is one prophetic week that is cut off from the 2,300 days 32:41 or years. One prophetic week 32:44 of those 490 prophetic days or 69 weeks that are left. 32:49 The week that remains of 7 years can be divided into two 32:53 3-1/2 year periods: 32:55 27 AD to 31 AD; 31 AD to 34 AD. 32:59 Here is a divine timetable. 33:03 The first portion of the prophecy - 69 weeks - runs out 33:07 in AD 27. The next 3-1/2 years run out in AD 31. 33:13 Notice what takes place in that year: Christ, the Messiah, 33:17 is crucified. Daniel predicted the timing 33:21 of Christ's death precisely, 33:24 exactly. You say: "How so? " 33:26 Here it is: there is one week that remains. 33:29 Look what the Bible says. 33:30 At the end of that week, at the end of that 7 years, 33:33 at the end of the 490 years 33:35 the gospel would go to all: 33:42 But in the middle of that last week 33:45 before the gospel goes to the Gentiles 33:48 what does the Bible say? 33:50 It says that Christ would be crucified in 31 AD. 33:54 Gospel would go to the Gentiles in 34 AD. 33:56 Then the rest of the prophecy takes us down when? 33:59 To the very time of the end. 34:00 The first 490 years of the prophecy 34:04 were designated for the Jewish nation. 34:13 That has to do with the second coming of Jesus Christ. 34:16 Notice Daniel 8 verse 14: 34:26 At the end of this 2,300-year prophecy 34:31 the sanctuary would be cleansed, 34:33 the judgment would strike the hour. 34:35 Now notice very carefully here: 34:50 Those 490 years would apply to whom? 34:54 Apply to the Jewish race. 34:56 You subtract 490 from 2,300 34:58 and what does that give you? 35:00 It gives you 1,810 prophetic days left. 35:03 So the 490 years have to do with the coming of the Messiah: 35:07 the coming of Jesus. 35:09 But look: if we take 1,810 more steps 35:13 on the timeline from 34 AD 35:16 when the 490 ran out, where does that take us? 35:19 It takes us down to the year 1844. 35:23 So you say: "What indeed is the significance of 1844? " 35:29 "What is that significance? " 35:32 It is this: that in 1844 35:35 the clock struck the prophetic hour. 35:38 In 1844, the destinies of all humanity 35:42 were to be settled. In 1844, the truth of God's 35:47 message would be restored to the world. 35:50 In 1844 God's judgment would begin. 35:54 And during that process, remember what we read 35:57 in Daniel chapter 7. "Thousands, thousands 36:00 ministered unto Him; ten thousand times ten thousand 36:03 stood before Him. The judgment was set... 36:07 the books were opened. " 36:10 490 years reveal earthly events 36:16 that have to do with the Jews. 36:18 Sixty-nine weeks takes you down to the baptism of Christ. 36:21 That's something we can see that's verifiable in history: 36:25 AD 27. 36:26 3-1/2 years later remember the Bible says 36:30 "He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week. 36:32 But in the middle of the week... " the middle of that 36:35 last prophetic week... "He shall cause the sacrifices 36:38 to cease. " 3-1/2 years from 27 AD 36:41 takes you down to the spring of 31 AD. 36:44 That's a verifiable event... it's something you can see. 36:47 It's tangible... it's a historical event. 36:50 3-1/2 years later - 34 AD - 36:52 the Messiah reaches out now beyond the Jewish race. 36:57 The gospel goes to the Gentiles. 37:00 The disciples in the book of Acts 37:02 preach the living Word of God to the ends of the earth. 37:06 Remember what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 28 37:10 verses 19 and 20: "Go ye therefore and teach... " What? 37:13 "all nations. " ALL nations! 37:16 "teaching them whatsoever I have commanded you. " 37:19 "Go, make disciples of all nations. 37:21 I am with you to the ends of the earth. " 37:23 So after 34 AD 37:25 the gospel of God's grace, the gospel of God's goodness 37:28 was to go to all the world. 37:31 490 years. The prophecy concludes in 34 AD. 37:36 Those are verifiable historical events, 37:39 but God ties a heavenly event 37:43 that we cannot see tangibly with our eyes 37:47 to earthly events that are anchored in history 37:52 so we can have the assurance, 37:53 so we can have the confidence, so we can have the absolute 37:57 certainty that what God said would take place 38:00 in heaven at the end of the 2,300 years 38:03 indeed is a reality. 38:06 This is no figment of our imaginations. 38:08 This is no pipe dream. 38:11 This is no magic formula, some rabbit pulled out of a hat, 38:17 someplace in fanciful in- terpretation of Bible prophecy. 38:21 This is anchored in history... anchored in earthly events. 38:26 There is a divine timetable 38:29 that has been filled through- out the history of our world. 38:33 27 AD... AD 31... AD 34. 38:37 Now the time of the end in 1844. 38:40 No longer business as usual. 38:42 No longer pleasures as usual. 38:44 We are living at a unique time of earth's history. 38:48 These events are the culmination 38:51 of the great controversy between good and evil. 38:55 From the time that Adam and Eve sinned, 38:59 from the time that Adam and Eve left the garden, 39:03 they looked forward to the coming of the Messiah. 39:06 Every slain lamb pointed forward to the coming 39:10 of Jesus Christ... and He came! 39:12 Tabernacled in human flesh. 39:14 Lived the life we should have lived, 39:17 faced every temptation that Satan could have thrown at Him. 39:20 The Bible says: "He was tempted... " 39:23 Hebrews chapter 4... "in all points like we are 39:25 yet without sin. " 39:26 Jesus gained the victory in His life. 39:29 And even in His death, Satan could not destroy Him. 39:33 On that cross He triumphed according to Colossians 2:14-16 39:39 "over the principalities and powers of hell. " 39:41 This resurrected Christ has ascended to heaven. 39:44 This resurrected Christ reaches out to you and me today. 39:48 But this resurrected Christ will come again. 39:52 He will stream down the corridor of the sky. 39:55 The heavens will be illuminated with the glory 39:57 of God. He will come... but before He comes 40:01 the great judgment takes place. 40:04 Before a waiting world, before a watching universe 40:07 Jesus Himself reveals His majesty, reveals His love. 40:13 When names come up in judgment 40:16 before the whole universe Jesus steps forth. 40:20 He says: "Could I have done anything else to save 40:22 Mark Finley? " 40:24 "Could I have done anything else to save Harry or John 40:27 or Mary or Sally? " 40:29 "I've done everything I could. I sent My Holy Spirit 40:33 to draw them to Me. " The Bible says 40:36 in Ecclesiastes chapter 3 that "God puts eternity 40:40 in our hearts. " The Bible says in John chapter 1 40:44 that Christ is "the light that lights every man 40:47 that comes into the world. " 40:48 Every person born into this world 40:50 has the light of the Holy Spirit in their hearts 40:54 that's drawing them to Jesus. 40:55 Before the judgment bar of God, before the universe, 40:58 Jesus said: "Could I have done anything else? " 41:00 "I sent My Holy Spirit to draw them to Me. " 41:02 "I arranged providences in their life 41:05 so that they would understand My love. " 41:08 Jesus says: "I left heaven 41:11 and I descended into the realms of earth. 41:15 I tabernacled in human flesh. 41:19 I lived as a human being. I faced every temptation 41:22 common with man. Could I have done anything else? " 41:25 And the whole universe says: "Just and righteous 41:29 are Your ways, O Lord! 41:31 You've done everything You possibly could do. " 41:33 One of the things that the judgment will reveal 41:37 is that any human being that is lost 41:40 is not lost because they did not have the opportunity. 41:45 Revelation's judgment 41:47 reveals that men and women are lost not because 41:51 they didn't have the opportunity 41:53 but because they did not take advantage of the opportunities 41:58 that they had. You're not watching 42:00 this broadcast on Three Cosmic Messages: 42:03 Earth's Final Conflict by accident. 42:07 I am convinced that we are living 42:10 in the final hours of earth's history 42:13 and I am convinced that we are living in the judgment hour. 42:16 That the destinies of all humanity will soon be settled 42:20 and that Christ is appealing to you right now. 42:24 He is giving you that oppor- tunity as you view this program 42:29 to make an eternal decision. 42:31 Three cosmic messages. 42:34 Three angels flying in the middle of heaven. 42:37 "I saw another angel... " that first angel's message 42:40 that we are studying... "flying in the midst of heaven 42:42 having the everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell 42:45 on the earth... to every nation, kindred, 42:48 tongue, and people. Saying with a loud voice: 42:50 'Fear God... ' " We'll study that in our next presentation. 42:54 What does that mean? 42:55 "Give glory to God. " What does that mean? 42:57 "For the hour of His judgment IS come. " 43:01 In 1844 the clock struck the hour. 43:06 Jesus has entered in to the 43:08 Most Holy Place 43:09 of the heavenly sanctuary. 43:11 God is making His final appeal to mankind right now. 43:17 This is no time to be playing around on the edges 43:21 of safe. This is no time to be playing around 43:25 on the periphery of religion. 43:28 THIS is no time to be playing games; 43:31 this is a time to get serious about our faith; 43:34 a time to be on our knees repenting before God; 43:37 a time to open our hearts to His grace, His love, and His mercy. 43:42 This indeed is God's judgment hour. 43:46 Soon the great controversy between good and evil 43:50 will be ended. 43:51 Soon Christ will say: "Ladies and gentlemen, 43:55 it's closing time. The kingdoms of this earth 43:59 have reigned temporarily. " 44:02 When you look back at the history of Daniel 44:05 and Revelation, we find there in Daniel and Revelation 44:09 Babylon rises and falls. It reigns from 605 BC 44:14 to 539 BC. 44:15 Medo-Persia rises and falls. It reigns from 44:19 539 BC to 331 BC. 44:22 Greece rises and falls. It reigns from 44:25 331 BC to 168 BC. 44:28 Rome rises and falls 44:30 and it reigns from 168 BC to about 351 AD. 44:37 Rome falls apart. These ten divisions in Daniel... 44:40 these are great cosmic periods. 44:43 And Rome falls apart. Ten divisions of Rome 44:47 and then multiple other divisions from about 44:50 351 AD to 476 AD. 44:53 A religious/political power rises. 44:56 In all of these powers the devil attempts to usurp God's 45:00 authority. But Daniel looks at the judgment 45:03 and as he does he looks from earth to heaven 45:06 and there he sees the divine sitting of the court of the 45:10 universe. There he sees Jesus 45:14 come to the Father and there he sees the kingdom 45:17 being given to Christ. And the book of Revelation 45:20 describes these final events of earth's history. 45:23 It describes the final conflict in earth's history. 45:26 It describes powers rising. 45:29 It describes amazingly the rise of a religious 45:33 political power out of Rome. 45:35 It describes a period of persecution. 45:37 Revelation that we'll be studying describes 45:40 the rise of America in Bible prophecy. 45:43 It describes troublous times 45:46 called the Time of Trouble. 45:47 But it describes this final judgment! 45:49 It describes Jesus receiving 45:51 the kingdom. It describes the triumph 45:53 of Christ in the last days of earth's history. 46:02 Daniel 8:14: "Unto 2,300 days 46:07 then the SANCTUARY will be cleansed. " 46:10 Then truth will be restored. 46:12 You know, it's interesting. 46:14 Another word for cleansed there 46:17 is restored. "Unto 2,300 days 46:20 then shall the sanctuary be restored. " 46:23 What's that all about? 46:24 Since 1844, God would raise up 46:28 honor in harmony with His final work in heaven 46:32 where He is cleansing heaven's sanctuary. 46:35 Where He is declaring the righteousness 46:40 of Christ sufficient to forgive, 46:44 to cleanse, to change His people. 46:46 In harmony with that, Jesus would raise up a movement 46:51 on earth... a divine movement of destiny. 46:53 "Unto 2,300 days then the sanctuary would be cleansed 46:56 or restored. " 46:58 This divine movement would restore the truth about Jesus. 47:01 The truth that we need not have the earthly sacrifice 47:05 of human masses. That we need not have 47:08 earthly priests but that Jesus is the one 47:11 Mediator between God and man. 47:13 That Christ's sacrifice is complete. 47:16 Christ's sacrifice is enough. 47:17 Christ's blood is enough! 47:19 The cross is enough to save all humanity. 47:22 He would raise up a movement 47:24 that would point to Jesus as our dying Lamb 47:26 but Jesus is our living Priest. 47:28 That through His love, power, and grace 47:30 our lives could be changed. Through His love, power, 47:33 and grace we could be made over again. 47:36 He would provide in that message of the restoration 47:40 of the sanctuary the truth about the living priesthood 47:43 of Christ. Jesus says... Hebrews 7:25: 47:47 "He ever lives to make intercession for us. " 47:50 He is there in the sanctuary for us! 47:52 We need not an earthly temple. 47:56 We need not an earthly sanctuary. 47:58 We need not earthly sacrifices. 48:00 We need not earthly priests. 48:03 We have a High Priest: Jesus! 48:05 We have a heavenly sanctuary that we can look to. 48:08 You see, the evangelical world - 48:13 and I say it humbly - 48:15 most of the evangelical world 48:17 is making a significant mistake. 48:20 They're looking to an earthly temple. 48:22 They're looking for an anti- christ to enter that earthly 48:26 temple. They are looking for an earthly solution. 48:32 Jesus is in the heavenly tabernacle. 48:35 Jesus' eyes are to focus us on His heavenly tabernacle... 48:40 Our Roman Catholic friends make a similar mistake. 48:43 They look at earthly priests. 48:46 They look at an earthly priesthood, an earthly sacrifice 48:50 of the mass. But the key events in earth's history right now, 48:55 the key events that will settle this controversy 48:59 between good and evil in the universe, 49:01 is God restoring the truth about the heavenly sanctuary. 49:06 God restoring the truth about His sacrifice. 49:09 God restoring the truth about His heavenly priesthood. 49:13 God restoring the truth about His law 49:15 that has been violated, desecrated by human beings. 49:19 God is pointing us to the heavenly sanctuary 49:22 where the law is the very foundation of His government. 49:26 And God invites us to come on our knees to seek Him. 49:30 He is the One that longs to present our case 49:35 before the very throne of God. 49:37 But you say: "1844! 49:40 We are living now in the 21st century. 49:44 Think about how long that has been 49:47 since that even took place... since the judgment began! " 49:52 May I remind you 49:54 that in the days of Noah 49:57 Noah preached the coming judgment. 50:00 He preached the coming of the flood waters 50:04 for 120 years. 50:07 Think about the largeness of the population since Noah's time. 50:13 Why did God have Noah preach for 120 years? 50:17 Oh, you say: "To build the ark! It took him 120 years. " 50:20 Don't you think that God could have built that ark 50:23 a lot quicker than 120 years? 50:25 See, God's intent was to give everybody a chance. 50:28 God's intent was to give everybody an opportunity. 50:31 So Noah preached the coming flood, the coming judgment, 50:34 for 120 years. The population of this world 50:38 is a lot larger than Noah's day. 50:40 And so the message that's going out is a message 50:43 of the time of the end. 50:45 That you and I are living in the judgment hour. 50:48 That you and I are living at the time of the end. 50:55 In Noah's day, very few people recognized 50:59 what was going on, and in our day 51:01 very few people recognize what is going on. 51:04 But God has a message - an eternal message - 51:07 and His eternal message is circling the globe right now. 51:13 And although we do not know the exact hour of Christ's returning 51:17 we DO KNOW that time is running out. 51:21 We DO KNOW that we're living at the time of the end. 51:23 We DO KNOW that God is making a final appeal 51:28 to mankind. It may be at morn; it may be at midnight. 51:33 We do not know the exact hour. 51:36 But we DO KNOW that THIS is decision time! 51:40 THIS is the time of the judgment. 51:43 THIS is the time to make an eternal choice for Christ. 51:46 Why not make that choice right now 51:48 as Charles comes and sings? 51:55 It may be at morn, 51:59 when the day is awaking, 52:05 When sunlight through darkness 52:09 and shadow is breaking, 52:15 That Jesus will come 52:19 in the fullness of glory 52:25 to receive from this world 52:29 His own. 52:33 O Lord Jesus how long, 52:39 how long? 52:41 Ere we shout the glad song: 52:45 "Christ returneth! Hallelujah! 52:49 Hallelujah, Amen! 52:53 Hallelujah, Amen! " 53:00 It may be at mid-day, it may be 53:06 at twilight, 53:09 It may be perchance, 53:13 that the blackness of midnight 53:19 Will burst into light 53:23 in the blaze of His glory 53:29 when Jesus receives 53:34 "His own. " 53:38 O Lord Jesus 53:42 how long, 53:44 how long? 53:47 Ere we shout a glad song: 53:51 "Christ returneth! 53:53 Hallelujah! 53:55 Hallelujah, Amen! 53:59 Hallelujah, Amen! " 54:05 While hosts cry Hosanna, 54:09 from heaven descending, 54:15 With glorified saints 54:18 and the angels attending, 54:24 With grace on His brow 54:28 like a halo of glory 54:34 When Jesus receives 54:38 "His own. " 54:42 O Lord Jesus, 54:45 how long, 54:47 how long? 54:49 Ere we shout the glad song: 54:53 "Christ returneth! 54:55 Hallelujah! 54:57 Hallelujah, Amen! 55:01 Hallelujah, Amen! " 55:06 "Hallelujah... 55:09 Amen! " 55:21 There is nothing more that Jesus wants 55:25 than for you to be with Him in heaven. 55:29 There in the judgment of God 55:33 before the judgment bar of God 55:36 Jesus is there... He's there for you. 55:40 He's there representing you. 55:43 He's there pleading for you. 55:46 He's there interceding for you. 55:50 The desire of His heart 55:52 is that you be with Him for all eternity. 55:56 The longing of His mind... 56:00 He has one thought on His mind, and that's you. 56:04 He knows your name. 56:06 He knows the challenges that you go through. 56:10 He's there to strengthen you, to encourage you right now. 56:14 Will you open your heart to Him at this moment? 56:19 Will you say: "Jesus, I am Yours" as we pray? 56:23 Father in heaven, the judgment could be incredibly fearful 56:28 if we had to stand in the judgment alone. 56:32 We sense anew today afresh 56:35 that we are living just before Your return. 56:40 We sense anew that the clock has struck the hour. 56:44 We confess our sins. 56:48 We open our hearts to the grace of Christ. 56:52 We thank you and praise you 56:54 that You are standing in the judgment for us 56:57 and that in Christ we will be victorious. 57:00 In Jesus' name, Amen. 57:02 Be sure to join us for each of these presentations. 57:07 In our next presentation 57:10 I'll be looking at that first angel's message again: 57:15 Revelation 14 and verse 7 57:18 and we'll be talking about what does it mean to fear God. 57:21 What does it mean to give glory to God. 57:24 Be sure to join us... God bless you. |
Revised 2020-07-06