Participants:
Series Code: SISS
Program Code: SISS000097S
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00:01 Music...
00:32 James: Okay, we got a good start in Daniel chapter 8 00:35 and we're going to continue... 00:36 and we're going to roll right through... 00:38 we've so far understood, that this vision 00:40 is similar to the vision that Daniel had in Chapter 7 00:45 and in Chapter 2... 00:46 only different animals or different symbols. 00:49 We also noted that in this vision, 00:52 we have Medo Persia being the first power instead of Babylon. 00:56 This vision was given before Babylon fell 00:59 so, God was telling Daniel ahead of time 01:02 about the demise of Babylon 01:04 and then we've identified that 01:06 God is spending just a little bit of time on Medo Persia 01:09 and a little bit of time on Greece 01:11 so that we can get our footings 01:12 but He's emphasizing now this power that comes from the North, 01:16 goes southward... eastward and toward the Pleasant Land... 01:20 we've identified that Power as Rome. 01:22 The first verse... it's pagan... 01:24 it's making its assault horizontally 01:27 but in verse 10, it is Papal Rome... 01:30 the transition to that assault which goes vertically 01:34 against heaven 01:35 and we want to really focus in on these verses 01:38 and try to identify what's happening here 01:42 in relation to the Sanctuary 01:43 and then we're just going to... 01:45 we're going to move through and kind of close out 01:46 with the last verses... 01:48 the interpretation that will really, I think, firm up 01:50 what we discover in the symbols of these verses of the vision. 01:55 So, as we do that, Yvonne, would you like to pray for us 01:57 before we get started? 01:58 Yvonne: Sure... "O Lord, we thank You so very much 02:01 for the privilege of studying Your Word 02:03 and learning and just... 02:05 we thank You for the privilege of having You in our midst 02:08 because we know that You're with us 02:10 so, we thank You for the power of Your Holy Spirit. 02:13 Right now, we pray for Your guidance and direction 02:16 as we study. 02:18 Thank You Lord, in Jesus' name, amen. " 02:19 All: Amen. 02:21 James: Now we saw that an attack took place 02:24 in the previous vision against God's law... 02:28 specifically, the Little Horn was going to think 02:31 to change times and laws. 02:32 Now, he only thinks to do that because he can't actually do it. 02:35 God's law is unchangeable. 02:38 Yvonne: Right. 02:39 James: It is the foundation of His government 02:41 and it can't be changed 02:42 but in the minds and hearts of millions of people, 02:44 he has "thought" to change God's law. 02:47 That's why people today believe that Sunday 02:51 is the Biblical day of worship 02:53 when the Bible actually teaches, believe it or not 02:55 that Saturday is the Biblical day of worship. 02:58 Saturday is the 7th day of the week 02:59 and that's all through Scripture. 03:01 I say this because I was raised Catholic 03:03 and I was raised believing Sunday was the day 03:04 and I thought it was ridiculous 03:06 that people went to church on Saturday 03:07 until I started reading and studying from the Bible. 03:10 So, the same thing is happening in Daniel chapter 8. 03:13 At attack is being made this time 03:15 on another part of what we call, "The Covenant" 03:19 or the "Holy Covenant of God" 03:20 and we want to read a couple of verses 03:22 Jason, if you would, let's read in Hebrews... 03:25 the New Testament... Hebrews chapter 10 03:27 so that we can make a connection between Daniel 7 and 8 03:31 and the New Covenant that God has promised to fulfill 03:34 in His faithful believers. 03:37 Hebrews chapter 10... and let's just read... Jason, 03:40 verses 16 and 17. 03:42 Jason: Okay, "This is the covenant 03:44 that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord, 03:47 I will put My laws into their hearts, 03:50 and in their minds, I will write them... " 03:52 then he adds: "their sins... 03:54 their sins and their lawless deeds 03:57 I will remember no more. " 03:58 James: And then, read verse 18 too. 04:00 Jason: "Now where there is remission of these, 04:03 there is no longer an offering for sin. " 04:06 James: Okay, so this new covenant, 04:08 according to these verses has two parts. 04:11 When you read it in Hebrews 8, you're going to find five... 04:14 but here there are two emphasis... 04:15 parts that are emphasized. 04:16 The first one is the law of God 04:18 and the second one is 04:19 the forgiveness of sins 04:21 which comes through the Mediation of Christ 04:22 in the heavenly sanctuary. 04:24 So, the law of God was attacked in Daniel 7 verse 25 04:27 and now the mediation of Christ is being attacked 04:30 in Daniel 8... you see that? 04:32 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 04:34 James: So much so, that when we get to Daniel chapter 11, 04:36 do you know what word is used over and over again 04:39 to describe the attack of the Little Horn? 04:41 The holy covenant, 04:42 the holy covenant... the holy covenant 04:44 the holy covenant... 04:45 he will have the indignation against the holy covenant. 04:47 He will have intelligence with those who 04:48 forsake the holy covenant... so shall he do. 04:51 The Prince of the covenant will be brought down. 04:54 So, basically, Daniel 2... Daniel 7... Daniel 8... 04:57 are laying the groundwork for identifying this power 05:01 that's attacking God's covenant. 05:02 In Daniel 11, you have the summary... 05:05 he's against the covenant. 05:06 In Daniel 7... details... he's against the law... 05:10 that's a vital part of the covenant. 05:11 In Daniel 8... details... 05:13 he's against the forgiveness of sins 05:14 and the mediation of Christ. 05:15 That's another vital part of the covenant, you see that? 05:17 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 05:19 James: If you looked at the entire book of Daniel... 05:20 you took an overview of the entire book of Daniel... 05:22 the message that would be communicating, 05:25 I think above every other message 05:27 is covenant relationship with God. 05:30 Yvonne: Hmmm... 05:31 James: The covenant relationship with God 05:32 because... look at this... 05:34 in Daniel chapter 1 you have a... a man 05:38 who purposes... purposes in his heart 05:43 that he will be true to God. 05:46 That's relationship... 05:47 that's commitment and relationship. 05:49 Then God begins to fulfill His covenant through this man, 05:52 He writes His law in Daniel and his friends' hearts and minds 05:55 so they don't worship that... that image... 05:57 they don't worship on the pain of death... 05:59 being thrown in the furnace, 06:00 they stay true to God all the way through 06:02 in this relationship and they're filled... 06:05 over and over again it says of Daniel 06:07 that there was a different spirit in him... 06:08 there was a different spirit in him... 06:10 there was a different spirit in him 06:11 and that's the same promise that we're given 06:13 in the new covenant 06:15 that God's going to put His Spirit in us... 06:16 He's going to be our God and we're going to be His people. 06:19 He's going to put His law in our hearts and minds... 06:22 and our sins and iniquities, He's going to remember no more 06:24 and God's the One that does all this. 06:26 It wasn't us... it wasn't Daniel... 06:28 it was God that was doing this. 06:29 So, the whole book of Daniel 06:31 is all about covenant relationship. 06:32 Yvonne: Wow! 06:33 James: And do you know who hates covenant relationship 06:35 with God? 06:36 Do you know who hated covenant relationship with God 06:38 in the Garden of Eden? 06:39 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... Jason: The devil. 06:40 James: The devil... serpent... Satan... 06:42 he came in there to disrupt that covenant relationship. 06:43 How does he do that? 06:45 Well, in Daniel 8, it's really clear 06:48 but it's symbolic. 06:50 He does that by attacking first of all... 06:53 the host of heaven 06:55 and that's how he did it in the Garden of Eden. 06:57 Satan's attack was against God first and foremost, right? 07:00 Yvonne: Right... right. 07:02 James: When... when Satan attacks... 07:04 Satan came against Eve really subtly 07:05 and he came against Adam subtly 07:07 but he really was attacking God 07:08 because he said to Adam and he said to Eve... 07:10 well, he said to Eve primarily, 07:11 he said, "God knows 07:15 that when you eat this fruit, 07:17 you'll be like Him... knowing good and evil. " 07:20 See how... who is he... 07:22 he's attacking the host of heaven. 07:23 Yvonne: Right. 07:25 James: He's attacking the Prince of the host of heaven 07:26 but he's also... we're also involved in that attack 07:28 and that is what is summarized here in verse 10, basically, 07:32 "He waxed great, even to the host of heaven; 07:34 and it cast down some of the host 07:37 and the stars to the ground, 07:39 and stamped upon them... " 07:40 that's God's people are likened to stars in Daniel 12 07:43 verse 3... "Yea, he magnified himself 07:45 even to the Prince of the host... that's Christ 07:47 took the daily away from Him, 07:49 and the place of His sanctuary was cast down. " 07:53 Now, this is talking not about the literalness 07:56 of the heavenly sanctuary being cast to the earth... 07:59 in the sense that, you know, somehow that building... 08:01 that... that work... 08:02 no, that continues 08:04 just like the law of God continues... 08:05 the sanctuary in heaven continues... 08:07 the mediation of Christ continues 08:08 but in the minds and hearts of millions of people... 08:10 so, I was raised in the Catholic Church. 08:13 I was raised in the System that has been identified here... 08:15 I was raised an Altar Boy. 08:16 Every Sunday... I went to Church, 08:18 I put on the robe... priestly robe... 08:20 I had the candlestick... the candlesticks... 08:23 the priest went before me or behind me with the incense... 08:26 when I walked into the Catholic Church, 08:28 I put my hand in the bowl... the basin of holy water 08:32 and did the crucifix... 08:34 all of this is a counterfeit... 08:36 as we walked through the church... 08:38 and this was in London, 08:40 there was the Courtyard area, where all the people sat... 08:43 then there was a little fence 08:44 that separated them from where we went with the priest 08:48 and that was the Holy Place. 08:49 Jason: Oh wow! 08:50 James: And the priest would go to the back of the church 08:52 and he would open up the veil 08:54 and he would talk out the host 08:56 which was supposed to be the presence of God... 08:57 the Most Holy Place... 08:59 Yvonne: My! 09:00 James: Everything is counterfeited. 09:01 When he did the Mass, I would ring a bell... 09:03 remember the bell on the garments... 09:05 the bottom of the garments. Yvonne: Yes... yes... 09:07 James: I would ring a bell when he lifted it up, 09:08 I would ring a bell... when he lifted up... 09:09 I would ring a bell as an Altar Boy. 09:11 So, the place of His sanctuary in heaven was cast down... 09:14 it's not literally taking that literal sanctuary 09:16 and casting it down but it's counterfeiting it. 09:18 Yvonne: Hmmm... 09:19 James: It's setting up a counterfeit sanctuary. 09:21 Before I would go to Mass... 09:23 before I would go into this Service... 09:25 I would go into the little box 09:26 and I would confess my sins to the priest 09:28 and he would tell me that I needed to say 09:30 so many "Our Fathers" and so many "Hail Marys" 09:32 and I could be forgiven. 09:34 So, the intercession of forgiveness of sins... 09:35 all of it is being counterfeited 09:37 and millions of Catholics believe in this 09:39 counterfeit system. 09:40 I believed for years that this was way I was forgiven, 09:43 this was the way I was going to have salvation 09:45 but this is not what Daniel 8 is telling us... 09:47 Daniel 8 is telling us, there is a heavenly Mediator, 09:50 there's a heavenly High Priest... 09:51 there is a heavenly sanctuary 09:52 and that this is a counterfeit to the heavenly sanctuary... 09:55 he's exalted himself against the heavenly sanctuary 09:58 and he has cast all of that down in intent and purpose 10:01 but we need to get our eyes directed here 10:04 and I'm jumping ahead now 10:06 but in a huge way it was 1844 10:10 that the sanctuary in heaven was "rediscovered" in a sense 10:14 and people began to realize, 10:16 "Hey, there's a sanctuary in heaven 10:18 and it has a law in the Most Holy Place 10:21 and there's a Mediator there that we can pray directly to... 10:24 we don't have to go through a... a human mediation. " 10:28 1844 was a breaking moment for millions of people 10:31 that eventually affected me 10:34 as someone who was raised a Catholic 10:35 but eventually became a Seventh-day Adventist. 10:37 Yvonne: Hmmm... 10:39 James: Powerful stuff. Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 10:40 Yvonne: That is very powerful. 10:42 Ivor: I will... let me... let me add this here, James, 10:45 you were talking about Daniel 10:46 and how Daniel represented a covenant relationship with God. 10:53 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 10:54 Ivor: So, it's important to understand 10:57 what's happening with Jerusalem 11:02 at the time that this prophecy is given, okay, 11:05 they have been... they are in captivity 11:09 to who? 11:11 To Babylon. 11:13 What has Babylon done? 11:16 They have scattered the holy people... 11:21 James: Yeah. 11:23 Ivor: They have desecrated the sanctuary. 11:25 This is what's happened over that 70-year period... 11:30 that started that 70-year period... 11:32 the temple is destroyed... 11:34 during their stay in Babylon, there's an image set up... 11:39 yeah, Daniel chapter... that's Daniel 3... 11:45 there's an image set up. 11:47 The law of God is attacked... 11:50 you know, "bow down before this image" 11:52 and, of course, that's a violation 11:53 of the second commandment. 11:55 The things that are happening in Babylon... 11:57 the fiery furnace... 11:59 "If you don't bow down... " 12:01 the law in... or rather... you know, Daniel 2 12:06 and the vision of... of these different nations... 12:09 all these things happening in literal Babylon 12:13 are foreshadowing what Daniel sees is to come 12:18 with the end-time Babylon that we spoke about 12:21 when we went through the book of Revelation. 12:24 James: Yeah. 12:26 Ivor: So, this is super significant 12:28 because Daniel is living in Babylon 12:32 and he's living this relationship, 12:33 you know, this covenant relationship with God 12:36 in the midst of Babylon doing these things 12:39 so, again, when he hears this vision 12:41 of this power that's going to cast down the sanctuary... 12:45 again in his mind, he's like, 12:46 "The sanctuary is already cast down... 12:49 what are you talking about?" 12:51 All: Laughter. 12:52 Ivor: Right... and the temple being restored... 12:55 that's supposed to happen soon 12:57 because he's familiar with Jeremiah's prophecy 13:00 of these 70 years 13:02 so, this is very important 13:04 when we start talking about context of this vision, right? 13:09 and there's something very interesting... 13:11 we have not talked about... 13:14 we haven't gotten into Daniel 9 yet 13:15 but there is a really... 13:18 there are two time prophecies in the Old Covenant. 13:24 They are the 70 years and then the 70 weeks... 13:30 that's really it... 13:32 when we went through the book of Revelation, 13:36 and even in the book of Daniel, 13:38 we see this 1260 and we see this 2,300. 13:42 Those time prophecies belong to the new covenant. 13:47 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 13:49 Ivor: Right? The 70 weeks... we're going to see 13:52 brings us down to a certain period of time 13:54 and transitions us into the new covenant. 13:56 We'll see that when we get to Daniel 9... 13:59 but strictly speaking, 14:00 you have the 70-year prophecy 14:03 where they are in captivity in Babylon 14:06 and then the 70-week prophecy which we're going to see 14:11 revolves around this idea of a rebuilt temple... 14:15 a rebuilt city 14:17 and a judgment to take place on Israel. 14:20 James: Hmmm... hmmm. Yvonne: Hmmm... 14:22 Ivor: Those two Old Testament time prophecies 14:27 we're going to see paralleled 14:29 the New Testament time prophecies 14:32 because we're going to see the 1260 relates to Babylon 14:36 and this mystical Babylon power scattering the people of God... 14:41 destroying the temple... 14:42 desolating the temple 14:44 and then the 2300-year prophecy 14:47 which we've spoken about previously 14:49 revolving around the cleansing or the restoring of this temple, 14:54 so, in a sense... these 70 years that Daniel is going through 14:58 and then the 70 weeks lays a platform... 15:03 a foundation for us to understand 15:06 what we're talking about right now... 15:09 the 1260 and the 2300. 15:12 James: Okay. 15:14 Yvonne: Hmmm... that's rich. 15:15 James: So, we got to look forward to getting into Daniel 9 15:18 which is coming up really soon 15:20 because Daniel 9 is an explanation of Daniel 8. 15:23 you see, Daniel... even though Daniel is given an explanation 15:27 in... in this chapter of what he's been shown, 15:30 he still doesn't get it. 15:31 So, first of all... and I think this is really... 15:35 really important for us, first of all... 15:36 he's given the vision which connects to the previous vision 15:39 so, he gets some of it. 15:41 I would say... he gets it by degrees 15:43 and we've read through it and we get some of it 15:45 but then there's more 15:47 and like Ivor said, the 2300-day prophecy just blows him away 15:50 because... in fact, if indeed he's thinking in his mind 15:56 the sanctuary is already destroyed 15:58 and then he ends up reading that it's going to be restored... 16:00 then he realizes... but it's going to be destroyed again. 16:03 Can you imagine a double whammy? 16:04 Yvonne: Yeah. 16:05 James: For... for us to realize 16:07 that it's going up but then it's going to go down again. 16:09 Yvonne: Right. 16:10 James: That could be overwhelming for any person 16:12 and so, as Daniel goes through this, 16:14 he comes to the place where he is given... 16:17 and I think it's because we need to understand this. 16:20 God is giving Daniel more understanding 16:22 because He knows how important it is for us to get this right 16:24 because... I'll tell you what? 16:25 Christians are all over the place 16:27 when it comes to Daniel 8 and 9, 16:28 we're all over the place with this... 16:29 even as Adventists, we're all over the place. 16:31 So, if we look at this and... and allow it for example, 16:35 there's a big controversy over the "daily. " 16:37 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 16:38 James: Is the "daily" paganism 16:39 or is the "daily" the mediation of Jesus Christ? 16:41 And we're divided on that 16:43 and it's very controversial among us sometimes, 16:45 people will actually make it a test issue 16:47 but it doesn't need to be. 16:48 You know, if you define the taking away of the "daily" 16:51 as taking away paganism, 16:53 because that's what a lot of our pioneers believed 16:55 that the "daily" was paganism it taken out of the way 16:57 and then the Papacy came in its place. 16:59 Then the Papal System, of course, 17:02 has done the same thing... 17:03 it's obscured the ministration of Christ... 17:04 it set up the counterfeit sanctuary... 17:06 it set up a counterfeit mediation, 17:08 you know, priesthood... 17:09 if you believe that the "daily" represents 17:11 the mediation of Christ, 17:13 that the mediation of Christ has been taken away 17:14 by the Papacy... 17:16 it set up a counterfeit sanctuary... 17:17 do you see what I'm saying? Yvonne: Yeah. 17:19 James: We don't have to argue about that because... 17:20 Ivor: There's no difference... 17:21 James: The conclusion is the same. 17:23 yeah, the view is basically the same. 17:24 Yvonne: Right. 17:26 James: But... but when we talk about the taking away 17:27 of the "daily" in relationship to the word "sacrifice" 17:30 that word was actually added by the translators... 17:32 it doesn't belong to the text... 17:34 so, if you just use the word "daily" by itself... 17:38 take away the "daily" 17:40 if you do a word search through the Bible on the word "daily" 17:42 it's really interesting what you're going to find, 17:44 let me just read you some text on this... 17:45 they're really powerful 17:46 and that we can read these forever and ever... 17:48 just wait till we start... 17:49 the first one I'm going to read to you 17:51 is found in Psalm 16 verse 8, 17:53 okay, I'm going to read the text 17:56 and I want you to try to tell me where the word "daily" 17:58 the original word "tamid" 17:59 that original word is in the text. 18:02 "I've set the LORD always before me: 18:04 because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. " 18:08 Anyone know where the word "daily" is in that? 18:12 Ivor: Hand. James: Hand? 18:17 Ivor: Yes, is that the word? James: No, it's not "hand" 18:20 the word "daily" means the perpetual... 18:22 the continual... the regular... 18:24 "I have set the Lord... " 18:26 I'm going to emphasize this time as we go through it 18:27 and see if we can get it. 18:28 "I've set the Lord always before me... " 18:30 Jason: Always... 18:31 Ivor: Jason... you are right Man and you got it. 18:37 James: Okay, let me... let me read this next verse... 18:39 let me read this next verse, Psalm 34 verse 1, 18:41 and I'm not going to emphasize this. 18:43 "I will bless the LORD at all times: 18:45 His praise shall continually be in my mouth. " 18:47 Pause... 18:50 Ivor: Mouth. Yvonne: Continually. 18:53 James: Continually... always... 18:55 okay, here's another one, 18:56 Ivor, you're falling short here, here's another one, 18:58 this is Psalm 35:27-28, 19:00 Ivor: I'm going to get this one. 19:02 James: "Let them shout for joy, and be glad, 19:04 that favour my righteous cause: 19:07 yea, let them say continually, 19:09 'the Lord be magnified... '" 19:11 all right... here's... here's another one... 19:15 Psalm 40 verse 11, 19:16 "Withhold not thine tender mercies from me, O Lord: 19:19 let they lovingkindness and they truth 19:21 continually preserve me. " 19:22 Yvonne: Continually. 19:24 James: Yeah, so these... this is how the word is used, 19:26 the word "daily" in the Hebrew 19:28 was connected with the sanctuary. 19:31 It described the continual offering that was made... 19:34 the continual light that was burning... 19:35 the continual mediation of the priest for the people... 19:38 the... the continual incense that was burning... 19:41 the continual... the regular... the "tamid" 19:44 and it's used throughout Scripture to describe 19:47 our continual praise of God... 19:49 our continual reliance upon God... 19:51 our continual looking to God. 19:53 Continue to keep God's law and his statutes. 19:57 All through Scripture, in fact, Isaiah 58... famous verse 20:01 about the Sabbath. 20:03 "If thou turn thy foot from the Sabbath, 20:06 from doing thy own pleasure on my holy day; 20:08 I will guide thee continually... " 20:11 daily... continually... daily... 20:14 so, when it says this power is trying to take away the "daily" 20:18 are you trying... 20:19 are you seeing now what he's trying to take away? 20:21 He's trying to take away our continual reliance upon Christ, 20:26 our continual praising of Christ... 20:28 our continual resting in Christ, 20:30 that's what the Sabbath is about. 20:31 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 20:32 James: Our continual relationship with Christ. 20:34 See, we are self-sufficient 20:35 so, Peter has this relationship with Christ 20:37 and Peter says, "Lord, if it be... 20:41 let me walk on the water. " 20:43 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 20:44 James: And Christ says, "Come on out... " 20:46 and so, he gets out on the water... 20:47 he's walking on the water... 20:49 and as he keeps his gaze continually... 20:52 his gaze continually on Christ, he continues to walk... 20:54 as soon as he takes his gaze off Christ 20:56 and looks back at the guys and says, 20:57 "Hey, look at me... " what happens? 20:59 Yvonne: He sinks. James: Down he goes... 21:00 continually focused on Christ... 21:03 following the Lamb wherever He goes. 21:06 There's a connection between Daniel and Revelation... 21:08 we've seeing the connection right here... 21:10 the Papacy is not primarily seeking to take away 21:13 a sanctuary in heaven. 21:15 It's not enough for us simply to know... 21:16 there's a sanctuary in heaven and the one on earth 21:18 is in the counterfeit... 21:19 he's trying to take away what that sanctuary represents. 21:21 It represents continual reliance on Jesus... 21:25 continual reliance on His sacrifice... 21:27 continual reliance on His mediation. 21:30 He takes away... now notice... 21:31 what he does as he does this... 21:33 he takes away the "daily" he gives... 21:36 "The host is given against the daily... " verse 12... 21:39 "and a host was given him against the daily 21:41 by reason of transgression, 21:43 and he cast the truth to the ground; 21:44 and practiced, and prospered. " What does that mean? 21:48 If the "daily" represents the mediation of Christ 21:51 and His forgiveness, 21:52 the only way that the Papacy can get around that 21:55 is if he says, "You know what? 21:57 doesn't matter if you transgress... 21:58 doesn't matter if you break the law... 22:00 you can just come back to me... 22:02 put a little money in the coffer... 22:03 do a little praying... do little works... 22:05 and you're good. " 22:07 And people saying, "Hey, yeah, I like that... 22:09 I like that... " 22:11 most people would rather choose that System 22:13 than Christ's System 22:14 because Christ's System says, 22:16 "Not only am I going to forgive you, 22:17 but I'm going to cleanse you. " 22:19 If we confess our sins, 22:20 He's faithful and just to forgive us our sins 22:22 and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 22:24 He's going to cleanse us 22:26 so, because of transgression, 22:28 a lot of people joined this Power... 22:29 do you see that? 22:31 A large host is given to him by reason of transgression 22:33 because they're allowed to continue transgressing... 22:38 so if you want to be saved by works... join that church. 22:44 If you want to be saved by purgatory... join that church, 22:49 if you... no matter what the scenario is... 22:53 no matter if you want to be holy and saved by your works 22:55 or you want to just kind of get into heaven by your bootstrap, 22:58 you know what I'm saying? Yvonne: Hmmm... 22:59 James: You can join by reason of transgression... 23:02 a large host were joined to them 23:04 and it practiced and it prospered 23:06 because people would rather... 23:08 Jason: Stay in their comfort zone. 23:10 James: Yes, they'd rather continue to live 23:11 the lifestyle they want to live... 23:13 just go... make a confession... 23:15 pay a little bit of money... go back. 23:16 Yvonne: Penance... James: Yeah, little penance 23:18 and then go back to the lifestyle 23:19 but the Reformers... and we are Reformers... 23:22 called people to change their lives... 23:23 Martin Luther said, "No, I'm not going to take that money... 23:26 I'm not going to take any of those indulgences... 23:28 you're coming to the wrong priest, 23:29 you need to have your life transformed 23:32 and reformed and changed... " 23:34 and that's the message that God is giving to us 23:35 in the context of these verses. 23:38 Yvonne: Amen, I've read this before 23:41 and I never saw this... 23:42 this is so rich! 23:44 I never saw this whole connection with the covenants 23:49 and all that and it just makes it... 23:51 it all ties in that this is a part of the... 23:55 the covenant relationship. 23:57 James: And it's practical. Yvonne: Yeah. 23:58 James: This is daily living. Yvonne: Yeah. 24:00 James: This is righteousness by faith... 24:01 this is what God is calling us to 24:03 and how long was it going to be 24:04 that this Power is going to continue to practice 24:05 and millions of people are going to follow... 24:07 until the sanctuary is cleansed... 24:09 until that hour of judgment takes place 24:11 and we'll look at that tomorrow in more detail 24:13 but I want you to notice something now, 24:14 Jason, can you read for us, just read for us verses 23 24:18 all the way through verse 25, 23 to 25. 24:24 Jason: Okay, "And in the latter time of their kingdom, 24:27 when the transgressors have reached their fullness, 24:29 a king shall arise, 24:31 having fierce features, 24:32 who understands sinister schemes. 24:34 His power shall be mighty, but not by his own power; 24:38 he shall destroy fearfully, and shall prosper and thrive; 24:41 he shall destroy the mighty, and also the holy people. 24:45 Through his cunning he shall cause deceit to prosper 24:48 under his rule; 24:50 and he shall exalt himself in his heart. 24:53 He shall destroy many in their prosperity. 24:57 He shall even rise against the Prince of princes; 25:00 but he shall be broken without human means. " 25:03 James: This is the angel's interpretation 25:05 of what we've just read in Daniel 8, 25:07 you see what I'm saying? Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 25:09 James: You read Daniel 8 and you're like, 25:11 "Oh, I guess the host... " 25:12 then you read these... these... these verses that basically 25:16 give us more understanding of the verse that we just read 25:20 and it just confirms it, doesn't it? 25:21 You see this power can be none other than that Papal Power... 25:24 that Roman Power. Yvonne: Right. 25:26 James: Because it comes through here 25:27 by peace destroying wonderfully... 25:29 it says, "he's going to do it but not by his own power... " 25:32 so, the Papacy is using other civil powers to do this. 25:36 It says that his power would be great... 25:39 he would destroy wonderfully... 25:40 he would destroy the holy people... 25:42 through his policy, 25:43 he would cause crafts to prosper in his hand. 25:45 By peace he would destroy many, 25:47 he would stand up against the Prince of princes... 25:49 and magnify himself against this and against Him 25:51 and then in verse 26, 25:53 "The vision of the evening and the morning 25:57 which was told you is true; 25:58 wherefore shut up the vision, for it shall be for many days" 26:01 and what does Daniel do after he comes out of vision? 26:03 Yvonne: He fainted. 26:05 James: He faints... "Whoa... what does this mean? 26:08 I don't get this. " 26:10 And as Ivor was saying earlier that that's because he's... 26:11 he's contrasting... right? 26:13 Revelation... I mean, excuse me... 26:15 the 2300-day prophecy with the 70-year prophecy... 26:18 the sanctuary that's already desolate 26:19 with the sanctuary that's going to be rebuilt 26:21 and then be made desolate again... 26:22 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 26:23 James: That's overwhelming to him. 26:25 So, Daniel is being shown what's going to take place 26:27 down toward the end of time. 26:29 It says in verse 23 again, 26:31 "And in the latter time of their kingdom... " 26:34 in the latter time of the kingdom of Medo Persia 26:36 and then Greece... 26:37 in the latter time of the kingdom of Rome... 26:39 Pagan Rome... in the latter time of that kingdom... 26:41 a king is going to stand up... 26:43 that's the transition to Papal Rome that we saw 26:46 taking place in verse 10 26:48 when he waxes great to the host of heaven 26:50 and cast the stars to the ground and stamps upon them 26:53 in... in... in verse 23, he's standing up 26:57 and in verse 24, he's destroying the mighty and the holy people, 27:00 as we noted earlier... 27:01 the stars of heaven coming against God... 27:04 coming against God's people... 27:05 destroying and persecuting God's people in verse 24, 27:08 making it really clear. 27:09 So, Daniel gets the history, 27:13 "Oh yeah, Medo Persia... got that... 27:15 oh yeah, Greece... got that... 27:16 oh yeah, Rome... or whatever that power is... 27:18 because he doesn't know it's Rome yet... 27:19 it hasn't been identified, got that... 27:21 but what about this other power... and the sanctuary... 27:24 and it being destroyed? 27:26 That's just unbelievable... 27:28 how do we... how do we navigate that? 27:32 And that's where we get into Daniel chapter 9. 27:34 Now, Daniel 9... we're going to sit in Daniel 9 for a long time 27:38 because Daniel 9 is filled with instruction 27:41 that connects to Daniel 8. 27:43 We're not leaving Daniel 8 in a sense... 27:44 we're not... we're not done with Daniel 8 27:46 but we're going to move into Daniel 9 27:48 in order to get into Daniel 8 in more detail 27:50 and so, because our time is up, 27:52 I mean, our time is done right now just like with Daniel, 27:55 we've got to seal this up for a few minutes 27:58 and then come back and really understand it. |
Revised 2021-04-26