Participants:
Series Code: SISS
Program Code: SISS000103S
00:02 Music...
00:31 James: Okay, we are back and we're in Daniel chapter 10. 00:34 We did four sessions in Daniel chapter 9 00:37 and we're actually going to visit it a little bit more 00:39 in chapter 10 because there's some connections 00:42 that we want to make... 00:43 but I just want to say before we start with a word of prayer 00:46 that chapter 10 is probably one of the most overlooked chapters 00:49 in the book of Daniel. 00:51 Yvonne: Hmmm... 00:52 James: A lot of people are really into the prophecies, 00:54 that's where the meat is, you know, 00:55 and even into the stories... and Daniel chapter 10 00:58 seems like it's just kind of an intro Daniel 11 01:00 and the King of the North and the King of the South 01:02 and a lot of people kind of overlook it. 01:04 We're not going to do that. 01:06 We could just spend a meeting on this 01:08 and just go through it really quickly 01:11 but there are some powerful insights here 01:13 that we want to consider. 01:15 I would say that if the rest of the prophetic book of Daniel 01:17 is like the meat... 01:19 then, Daniel 10 is like the vegetables. 01:21 Yvonne: Ah! 01:22 James: And we need our vegetables. 01:23 Yvonne: We do... 01:25 James: We need our vegetables for good bones... for good blood 01:27 and we're going to find a lot of vegetables... 01:29 a lot of broccoli... a lot of greens 01:31 in Daniel chapter 10. 01:33 Yvonne: Hmmm... 01:34 James: Just a quick overview... 01:36 we're going to see that it starts with this picture 01:37 of Daniel in prayer... just like Daniel 9 01:40 but there's going to be a difference this time 01:41 and then we see two heavenly beings... 01:44 one is Christ 01:46 and we're going to identify Him as we compare Daniel 10 01:49 with Revelation chapter 1 and 2 and 10, 01:51 and the other one is Gabriel 01:53 and Gabriel is the one that communicates to Daniel 01:56 and tells Daniel above all that he's greatly beloved 01:59 and then we're going to look into a spiritual conflict 02:02 that takes place between the powers of darkness 02:04 and the powers of light... 02:05 a conflict that's taking place all around us right now 02:08 and then we're going to kind of close this out 02:10 as it introduces us into the next chapter Daniel 11 02:13 and the King of the North and the King of the South 02:16 which is the final prophetic vision of the book of Daniel. 02:20 So, there's a lot here for us to consider 02:22 and a lot here for us to study 02:23 and, of course, we need to start with a word of prayer. 02:25 Yvonne, would you like to pray for us? 02:26 Yvonne: Sure... sure... 02:27 Yvonne: "Dear Lord, we thank you so very much 02:29 that You've brought us together once again 02:31 to study Your Word and to learn more about... about You 02:35 because Your Word testifies of You 02:38 so, we thank You so very much 02:39 and we just pray for Your guidance and direction... 02:42 Your leadership... You are welcome in this place, 02:45 in Jesus' name we pray, amen. " 02:46 All: Amen. 02:47 James: So, Daniel chapter 10 begins in a very similar way 02:52 that Daniel 9 began. 02:54 It begins with Daniel praying. 02:56 Let's just look at these verses, Jason, 02:57 Daniel chapter 10, if you could read them for us, 02:59 verses 1, 2 and 3. 03:03 Jason: Okay. 03:04 "In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia 03:06 a message was revealed to Daniel, 03:08 whose name was called Belteshazzar. 03:10 The message was true, 03:12 but the appointed time was long; 03:14 and he understood the message, 03:15 and had understanding of the vision. 03:18 In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. 03:23 I ate no pleasant food, 03:25 no meat or wine came into my mouth, 03:28 nor did I anoint myself at all, 03:30 till three whole weeks were fulfilled. " 03:33 James: So, Daniel here is in another state of affliction. 03:37 He is seeking the Lord and... and it says here... 03:41 he is doing this for three full weeks. 03:43 Now, if you remember Daniel chapter 9, 03:46 Daniel is praying... and by the time he's done with his prayer, 03:51 by the time he says, "Amen" 03:53 even before he says "amen" 03:55 while he's still speaking, who shows up? 03:56 Yvonne: Gabriel. James: Gabriel. 03:58 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 03:59 James: Now, Daniel here has been praying for a day... 04:02 for a week... 04:04 for two weeks... for three weeks... 04:06 and guess what? There is no Gabriel. 04:08 There's no answer 04:10 and I think it's really significant for us 04:12 because, again, Daniel chapter 10 04:15 is this "vegetable" section of the book of Daniel. 04:19 It's not the meat and the prophecy... 04:21 it's the "Experience and the Relationship" Section. 04:24 It's where we get our strength. 04:25 We need to recognize that 04:28 even Daniel who had his prayer answered instantly 04:31 in Daniel chapter 9... had to wait in Daniel chapter 10. 04:34 Did you ever have to wait on the Lord? 04:35 Jason: Yes... Yvonne: Hmmm... 04:36 James: And be of good courage? Jason: Yes. Yvonne: Hmmm. 04:38 James: Until He strengthens your heart? Yvonne: Yes. 04:39 James: Wait, I say, on the Lord. Yvonne: Yes. 04:41 James: This is what Daniel is doing... 04:42 this is what Elijah had to do... 04:43 there were times when your prayers are answered instantly 04:46 like, when Elijah prayed and that fire from heaven 04:47 and then that fire came down from heaven 04:49 and then he turns around and he prays for rain 04:51 and he prays once... and he prays twice... 04:53 and he prays three times... and he prays four times... 04:56 and he prays five times and he prays six times 04:58 are you with me? 04:59 Jason: Ah ha... Yvonne: Yeah. 05:00 There are times when... 05:02 and I believe that this is why we have this 05:03 in the book of... of Daniel... 05:05 there are times when we don't hear 05:08 our answers to our prayers from God. 05:10 It's... it's like heaven is shut up... 05:11 Yvonne: Yes... 05:13 James: It's like our prayers aren't going any higher 05:14 than the ceiling and we're wondering 05:15 where is God? 05:17 Now, the reason why Daniel 10 is so significant is 05:19 not just because it helps us to realize 05:21 this truth... this reality in our experience 05:25 but also, because it gives us the reason why 05:28 this prayer isn't answered right away. 05:30 Jason: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 05:31 James: And we're going to see that in the later verses... 05:33 we're not going to look at that right now 05:34 because that's going to open up a whole chapter 05:38 of Revelation to us 05:39 in relationship to the book of Daniel... 05:41 the book of Revelation 05:43 and this whole great controversy 05:44 that we're involved in as human beings. 05:46 So, just that... just that nugget... 05:48 to have that nugget in our brains as we go on 05:51 and read a few more verses here... 05:53 let's read... Yvonne... could you read for us 05:55 chapter 10 verses 4 05:58 and all the way through verse 6, please. 06:00 Yvonne: "Now on the twenty-fourth day 06:02 of the first month, 06:04 as I was by the side of the great river, 06:05 that is, the Tigris, 06:07 I lifted my eyes and looked, 06:09 and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, 06:11 whose waist was girded with gold of Uphaz! 06:14 His body was like beryl, 06:16 his face like the appearance of lightning, 06:19 his eyes like torches of fire, 06:21 his arms and feet like burnished bronze in color, 06:24 and the sound of his words like the voice of a multitude. " 06:27 James: Whoa! Jason: Hmmm... Yvonne: Nice. 06:30 James: Have you heard a description like this 06:33 somewhere else in the Bible? 06:35 Jason: Somewhere in Revelation. James: Somewhere in Revelation, 06:37 we did a whole Series on Revelation. 06:38 Yvonne: Right. 06:40 James: So, remember Revelation chapter 1? 06:42 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 06:44 James: John sees the Son of Man who is Jesus. 06:47 Let's just look at those verses real quick. 06:50 In Revelation chapter 1 06:52 and I think if we start in verse 12, 06:55 we'll be able to pick up this same basic picture. 07:00 Ivor: I can read that. 07:02 James: Can you, Ivor, please? 07:03 Ivor: Yeah, so, Revelation 1 verse 12. 07:06 It says, "And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. 07:10 And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 07:13 and in the midst of the seven candlesticks 07:16 one like unto the Son of Man, 07:17 clothed with a garment down to the foot, 07:20 and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. 07:23 His head and His hair were white like wool, 07:25 as white as snow; 07:27 and His eyes were as a flame of fire; 07:31 and His feet like unto fine brass, 07:33 as if they burned in a furnace; 07:36 and His voice as the sound of many waters. " 07:39 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... James: Verse 16. 07:42 Ivor: "He had in His right hand seven stars: 07:45 and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: 07:47 and His countenance was as the sun shineth in His strength. " 07:51 James: Look at that. Jason: Wow! Yvonne: Hmmm... 07:53 James: This description is almost identical. 07:56 The certain man in Daniel 10 07:58 is the Son of Man in Revelation chapter 1. 08:00 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... Jason: Hmmm... 08:02 James: And then if you look in Revelation chapter 2 08:04 and verse 18, 08:05 Jason, would you read that verse for us... 2:18? 08:08 Jason: Sure thing... 08:09 "And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, 08:16 'These things says the Son of God, 08:18 who has eyes like a flame of fire, 08:19 and His feet like fine brass... '" 08:21 James: So, here now, He is identified as the Son of God. 08:24 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 08:26 James: So, we have the Son of God... 08:27 we have the Son of Man... 08:28 we have a Certain Man... 08:30 all of them are the same being, this is Jesus Christ 08:33 and we know this because in Revelation chapter 1, 08:36 after John sees Jesus 08:38 in what I'm going to call: this glorified state... 08:40 he falls down... it says in verse 17, 08:42 "And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. 08:45 And He laid His right hand upon me saying unto me, 08:48 'Fear not... I am the First and the Last. '" 08:52 Now, look what happens in Daniel chapter 10. 08:54 Yvonne, could you read further for us in Daniel 10 08:57 verses 7 and 8? 08:59 Yvonne: Sure... 09:00 "And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, 09:03 for the men who were with me did not see the vision; 09:06 but a great terror fell upon them, 09:08 so that they fled to hide themselves. 09:10 Therefore I was left alone when I saw this great vision, 09:14 and no strength remained in me; 09:16 for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, 09:19 and I retained no strength. " 09:20 James: So, the same thing happens to Daniel 09:24 as what happens to John. 09:26 John falls down as though dead. 09:27 Daniel says, "All of my goodness has turned into corruption... " 09:30 Yvonne: Yes... 09:32 James: Can you imagine that? Yvonne: Hmmm... 09:33 James: "Not me... " I can imagine that about myself, 09:36 I can imagine that about Jason... 09:38 All: Laughter... 09:40 James: Can you imagine that about Daniel? 09:43 I mean, this guy was so perfect... 09:45 he stood faultless before his enemies... 09:47 in a political environment, 09:49 they couldn't get any dirt on him, you know what I'm saying? 09:52 Jason: Yeah... man! that's hard to say. 09:54 James: But when he sees Jesus, he... 09:57 "there's no goodness in me... there's no righteous in me. " 09:59 See, that is one of the things 10:01 we need to understand as Christians. 10:02 Yvonne: Hmmm... 10:04 James: Sometimes as Christians, we can be overwhelmed 10:06 with our unworthiness... 10:07 we can be overwhelmed with our unrighteousness... 10:11 we can be overwhelmed with our failure 10:14 to live up to the character of Jesus Christ 10:17 especially when we have our eyes on the Savior. 10:19 A lot of times, the reason why people... Christian people 10:23 feel so self-righteous... 10:25 they feel that they're better than others, 10:26 is because they have their eyes on other people 10:28 and they're comparing themselves with other people 10:30 and their life seems better than everyone else's 10:32 but the fact of the matter is... 10:34 the Bible tells us that all we have sinned and gone astray... 10:38 we've turned, every one, to his to his own way... 10:39 there's none righteous... no not one. 10:42 Yeah, Romans chapter 3 verse 9 tell us that 10:44 and in Romans chapter 1... 10:46 every sin... including gossip and disobedience 10:50 and homosexuality... 10:52 and... and murders and liars... 10:54 all of them are lumped into this same category. 10:56 We can't put any of those sins in some special category 11:00 and say, "Well, this is a special sin 11:02 but my gossiping isn't that bad. " 11:04 Yvonne: Right. Jason: Ah... ah... 11:06 James: No... you've got... 11:07 liars are going to be outside the kingdom of God. 11:09 Liars are going to be outside the Holy City 11:11 we're told in Revelation chapter 22... 11:13 so, what Daniel is realizing here is... 11:15 pfooh... we're all in the same place. 11:16 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 11:18 Ivor: Yeah... this... this is really interesting, James, 11:21 because I have some things going on right now 11:24 so, you're all going to build with me... 11:26 look at what's happening... 11:29 in Daniel 8, right, he is... Daniel's given the vision 11:37 and remember this is... 11:39 he's given the vision of this 2300 days, right, 11:44 Ram... he-goat... then this Little Horn... 11:50 2300 days... then shall the sanctuary be cleansed 11:54 and what you have happening in Daniel 9 11:57 is... he prays 11:59 and the angel comes immediately like you said 12:04 and he answers 12:06 by talking about the first part of this 2300 days. 12:11 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 12:12 Ivor: The 70 weeks... James: Hmmm... hmmm... 12:14 Ivor: And if we look at what was happening before that, 12:17 Daniel is praying and he's confessing his sins... 12:20 it's almost like... he becomes Corporate Israel 12:24 asking for the forgiveness of sins, right? 12:28 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... 12:29 Ivor: Confessing their sins 12:31 and the angel comes immediately and speaks to him 12:35 about this 70 weeks. 12:39 "This is pertaining to your people... 12:41 this is for you all right now... 12:44 you need to understand this now. " 12:47 Then we get to Daniel 10... 12:49 remember the angel doesn't even go into detail 12:52 about that 2300 days. 12:55 James: Right... the end of it. 12:57 Ivor: The end of it, right. James: Yeah. 12:59 Ivor: Now we get to Daniel 10 and he's praying again... 13:03 this time the angel's like, "We're going to wait... " 13:07 right? 13:08 Not... not intentionally 13:10 but there's going to be a waiting time... 13:12 James: Boy! I'm ahead of you... Boy! I'm ahead of you, Ivor, 13:14 I'm just like, "Come on... come on... " 13:15 Ivor: Are you seeing this? James: Come on, yeah... 13:16 this is like... this is... I love this... 13:18 All: Laughter... 13:20 Ivor: Because what we're going to see... 13:22 because, remember, Daniel 10 is the introduction 13:26 to what the angel is going to explain in Daniel 11. 13:29 James: Yes. 13:30 Ivor: And Daniel 11 is really... 13:34 even though it's... watch these dreams... 13:36 it starts with Medo-Persia. 13:39 James: Yes. 13:41 Ivor: Just like Daniel chapter 8 right? 13:43 James: Yeah... yes. 13:44 Ivor: But Daniel 11 is... is starting at the same place 13:48 but it's about to focus us in 13:51 on what is to occur around the latter part of the 2300 days. 13:57 James: Yes. 13:59 Ivor: So, when Daniel is talking about "my comeliness 14:03 in the presence of this divine person... " 14:08 James: Hmmm... hmmm... yeah... 14:11 Ivor: "Has turned into me as nothing... " 14:14 this is going to really be instrumental 14:17 in us understanding what the 2300-day judgment is about 14:22 because God's people are going to have that experience 14:26 that Daniel is talking about 14:29 in... "my comeliness was turned into me like nothing... " 14:34 James: Yes... you know, it's powerful, Ivor, because 14:38 when I said... I'm... I'm ahead of you on this 14:40 I'm just... I was just following you 14:41 and I was just realizing Daniel chapter 9, as you said, 14:46 focusses on the 70 weeks 14:48 but there's still this question about... 14:50 the cleansing of the sanctuary that isn't dealt with 14:52 and it can't be dealt with with Daniel 14:54 because the cleansing of the sanctuary in his mind 14:56 was the Day of Atonement 14:57 but the cleansing of the sanctuary in Daniel chapter 8 15:01 is the end of the 2300-day prophecy 15:04 and that takes us all the way down to 1844 15:06 and that doesn't pertain to Daniel... 15:09 it doesn't pertain to his time 15:11 and so, you know what Daniel's told in Daniel 12? 15:14 "Seal up the vision for it shall be for many days 15:17 and in the end of time, 15:19 many will be purified, and made white, and tried; 15:21 and the wicked will do wickedly... " 15:23 none of the wicked will understand 15:24 that this is the cleansing of the sanctuary... 15:26 that this is the time of judgment 15:28 but the wise will understand 15:29 and you will stand in your place. 15:31 When we get to Daniel 12, we are going to land 15:34 at the end of the 2300-Day prophecy 15:36 and we're going to be able to just see and understand 15:39 exactly what that cleansing is all about 15:42 and we're going to make that connection again to Daniel 8 15:45 and understand why it was that it wasn't given to Daniel 15:48 but sealed up for our time... 15:50 at the end of the 2300 days... 15:52 at the end of the 1290 and the 1260 and the 1335. 15:55 So, that's... that's... 15:57 Ivor: Which... which we see is all part of that prophecy... 16:02 the 1290... the 1335... 16:05 so, it's really amazing that Daniel is having this experience 16:09 of this inner... like, "Man, I'm not worthy... " 16:13 and this is... 16:15 when people hear about the judgment, 16:17 James, there are a lot of people that reject this idea of 16:22 Christians going through a judgment 16:25 because they feel unworthy. 16:28 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 16:29 Ivor: "If there's some kind of a judgment, 16:32 I'm not making it because if God is looking at my life 16:36 oh my! you know... what will be the end of me?" 16:41 You understand what I'm saying? 16:43 James: Yes. 16:44 Ivor: And I think this experience that Daniel... 16:46 I mean... we're on the outside looking at Daniel, like, 16:49 "Daniel, why would you feel... 16:51 like, look at you Man, you're Daniel!" 16:53 All: Laughter. James: Dare to be a Daniel. 16:55 Ivor: Yeah, dare to be a Daniel... 16:58 "If you feel like that, what hope is there for me?" 17:00 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... James: Right 17:02 Ivor: Right, but I think this experience that Daniel is having 17:06 really is... it is significant for the believer 17:13 at the end of time. 17:14 James: Amen. Yvonne: Hmmm... 17:16 James: This is the vegetables right here... 17:17 this is the vegetables 17:18 and it's really... you know, it's just a new thought to me 17:21 that... that the idea that the explanation... 17:25 the full explanation that judgment was postponed 17:28 until Daniel chapter 12, is a new idea to me 17:31 because it wasn't for Daniel to fully grasp it 17:35 because... and that really proves 17:37 that the 2300-Day prophecy is a day-for-a-year prophecy. 17:40 It's a prophetic timeline... 17:41 it takes us down past the 1260... the 1290 and the 1335. 17:45 It takes us all the way down to the time of the end 17:49 and then, God's people would understand it 17:51 and we need to understand it right now... 17:53 we will... when we get into Daniel chapter 12. 17:55 Ivor: And that three weeks... 17:58 that three weeks versus immediately 18:00 is so, you know, is powerful... is a powerful thought. 18:05 James: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm. 18:06 James: It is... and we're going to see why 18:07 as we move on through this because... 18:09 but... but just building on what you just said, Ivor, 18:12 just building on what you said, 18:13 let's look at a few verses here. 18:15 Daniel's feeling overwhelmed, he has no strength... 18:17 no goodness... no righteousness... 18:19 what does heaven do? 18:20 If we're talking here about the experience 18:23 of the investigative judgment for believers, 18:25 what does heaven do when we feel overwhelmed 18:27 because we've seen Jesus? 18:29 Let's read Jason, let's read verses 9, 10 and 11. 18:34 Jason: Okay, "Yet I heard the sound of his words; 18:37 and while I heard the sound of his words 18:38 I was in a deep sleep on my face, 18:41 with my face to the ground. 18:42 Suddenly, a hand touched me, 18:44 which made me tremble on my knees 18:46 and on the palms of my hands. 18:48 And he said to me, 18:50 'O Daniel, man greatly beloved, 18:52 understand the words that I speak to you, 18:55 and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you. ' 18:58 While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. " 19:02 James: So, let's just stop right there for a second, 19:05 when we feel overwhelmed... 19:06 when we feel that there's no goodness in us... 19:08 we recognize we have no righteousness 19:10 because we've seen Jesus, 19:11 what does heaven do? 19:13 First of all, heaven speaks to us. 19:15 If you think about the transition here 19:18 in verse 9... "Yet I heard the voice of his words... " 19:22 that's probably talking about the certain man, Jesus Christ, 19:26 and when he heard the words of his voice, 19:30 he was in a deep sleep. 19:31 When you fall into a deep sleep, 19:34 normally it's because you are at peace. 19:36 Yvonne: Hmmm... 19:38 James: You are able to rest... 19:39 there's no rest for the wicked 19:40 but the Lord gives His saints sleep 19:43 so, Daniel, in his unworthiness, 19:46 is... receives words of assurance 19:49 that give him rest... that give him peace. 19:52 That's what God wants to give us... 19:53 He wants to give us peace. 19:54 Those are the words of Christ to us 19:57 and then, in verse 10, I think, 19:59 he transitioned to Gabriel. 20:01 "and behold, a hand touched me... " 20:03 I think this is where Gabriel steps in and he touches him 20:06 and he sets him upon his knees 20:08 and upon the palms of his hands. 20:09 God works for our recovery from the revelation 20:13 of our unworthiness... in steps. 20:15 Yvonne: Hmmm... Jason: Hmmm... 20:17 James: See, if we were laid out flat... 20:19 He picks us up on our hands and on our knees. 20:21 Yvonne: Oh nice... Jason: Nice... 20:22 James: That's the position of prayer sometimes 20:24 and then, from there He gets us up onto our feet... 20:26 He gets us to stand, you know, He... He does it in degrees... 20:28 He doesn't overwhelm us but He... 20:30 He... He works with us where we are... 20:32 when we're down at the very lowest, 20:34 He picks us up gently... 20:36 He picks us up gently and then it says... 20:38 Ivor: Um... James. James: Go ahead, Ivor. 20:40 Ivor: I think, again, there's an important point 20:43 that we should stress is... 20:45 when people hear "Judgment" they think condemnation. 20:50 James: Hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm. 20:51 Ivor: They don't see God working in our behalf. 20:55 They think God is trying to find ways, right, 20:58 to destroy us... 20:59 find ways to show us guilty, 21:01 so, just another point that we should consider 21:05 as we're moving through this and, you know, connecting it 21:10 with what will come in 1844... the Investigative Judgment, 21:14 we need to understand that 21:16 in the judgment, God is on our side. 21:18 James: Amen. Yvonne: Hmmm... that's good. 21:21 James: Amen... and we see this in the experience of Daniel... 21:25 do you see it here? 21:26 Daniel is overwhelmed by the same God 21:28 who is now seeking to comfort him. 21:31 Daniel feels unworthy 21:33 looking to the same God 21:35 who is now speaking words of peace to him. 21:36 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... Jason: Hmmm... 21:38 James: So, we can feel overwhelmed 21:39 and we can think, "Oh, God must be against me" 21:41 but this... the chapter 10 of Daniel is saying, 21:43 "No... no... God is for us... He's here to help us. " 21:46 Yvonne: Then when we feel like that, 21:48 we can think of that verse in Romans, 21:50 it says, "There's now no condemnation 21:53 to those who are in Christ Jesus... " 21:55 James: Romans chapter 8, yeah. 21:56 Jason: Hmmm. Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 21:58 Yvonne: So that... and I think that's an important point, 21:59 Pastor Ivor, that, you know, we... 22:03 when you hear the judgment, that... that... that... 22:06 Satan has so attempted to distort the character of God 22:10 that when you hear judgment, you immediately think, 22:14 "Oh, I'm not going to make it because my life is not... 22:18 you know, in harmony or it's not perfect. " 22:20 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 22:21 Yvonne: And so, you know, when you think of that, 22:24 then I think these other verses should come to mind that... 22:28 that remind you who God really is... 22:31 He is love... He's Elohim Ahavah the God who loves 22:35 and so, when we think of him like that... 22:38 then, you know, the judgment is not so scary 22:43 but we tend to look at ourselves 22:45 instead of looking at Jesus. 22:46 James: Can you repeat that? Elohim Ava... 22:49 Yvonne: Ahavah... James: Ahavah. 22:50 Yvonne: The God who loves. James: Really? 22:52 Yvonne: Yes. James: I love that. 22:53 Yvonne: Isn't it beautiful? James: Yeah. 22:54 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm. James: I've got to learn that... 22:57 so... so the point you're making, Yvonne, is right here 23:00 in verse 11, okay, 23:02 "And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved. " 23:06 Yvonne: Yes. Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... 23:07 James: Daniel feels like he is completely worthless 23:13 and God tells him, "You are greatly beloved. " 23:16 Yvonne: Wow! 23:17 James: That's our experience... how we feel 23:20 and what God says about us are two different things 23:23 most of the time. 23:24 See, most of the time we don't feel righteous... 23:27 if we do feel righteous, we might be in trouble. 23:28 Yvonne: Yeah, right... All: Laughter. 23:30 James: But when we get our eyes on Jesus, 23:32 we feel unworthy and at the same time God says, 23:35 "You're greatly beloved... " 23:36 Jesus went through this experience. 23:39 Ivor: This is the same Daniel who... 23:42 God gives him understanding of the vision in Daniel 2... 23:46 gives him a vision in Daniel 7 23:49 like this is that Daniel... Yvonne: Yeah, right. 23:50 Ivor: Right. 23:52 James: Delivers him from the lions in Daniel 6. 23:54 Ivor: Yeah... and "I'm unworthy... " 23:57 you know, the... the humility there is just a lesson 24:01 I think, and that humility is key again to the judgment. 24:06 Yvonne: Hmmm... James: Amen. 24:08 Ivor: Right, it's just that humility... 24:10 those who humble themselves, 24:13 God sets on their hands and knees. 24:15 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 24:17 Ivor: And lifts them up, amen. 24:18 All: Amen. 24:20 James: And it's vital for us to understand this 24:21 because sometimes as Christians, we place our trust in the fact 24:27 that God has revealed secrets to us... 24:28 that God has given us ten times the wisdom 24:31 of the Babylonians of the world... 24:32 that God has given us dreams and visions... 24:35 that God has delivered us from the mouth of the lions. 24:37 We... that God has set us on high 24:39 as the first ruler in the kingdom. 24:41 You know, and we put all of that as our pedigree 24:43 and yet, Daniel 10 is telling us, 24:45 "No, no, no... that's not your pedigree... 24:47 I'll tell you what your pedigree is... 24:48 you are greatly beloved... 24:52 Yvonne: Yeah... Jason: Happy laughter. 24:53 James: You are greatly beloved of heaven. 24:55 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Yes. 24:56 James: That's our pedigree, that's all we need behind us. 24:58 Yvonne: Yes... 24:59 James: Jesus went through the same experience 25:01 in the wilderness of temptation. 25:02 Do you remember when Satan came to Him? 25:04 He tempted Him to turn stones into bread 25:06 and he said, "If you are the son of God... 25:09 if you are a child of God, turn these stones into bread. 25:12 Prove it by what you can do... 25:14 prove it by your works... " 25:16 and what did Jesus say? 25:18 "It is written, 25:19 man doesn't live by bread alone but by what...?" 25:22 Yvonne: Every word... Jason: Every word... 25:24 James: And what was the word that God gave to Jesus 25:25 when He was baptized? 25:27 What was the word that He was to live by? 25:28 Yvonne: "This is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased. " 25:32 James: What did Satan say? 25:33 He said, "If you are the Son of God... " 25:35 and what did Jesus say? 25:37 "I live by the Word of God 25:39 and the Word of God said, 'This is my beloved Son 25:41 in whom I am well pleased. '" 25:44 When we get into this, we recognize that Jesus came 25:49 as one of us... 25:50 that Jesus understands exactly what Daniel is going through 25:54 right here... in His own experience 2,000 years later... 25:57 that when He's in that wilderness, 25:59 He is experiencing complete... 26:02 the complete weight of our guilt and shame 26:04 as if He's forsaken of God 26:06 and Satan tries to imply that 26:08 and yet Jesus holds to the words of God... 26:10 not to His feelings... 26:11 not to what He can do... His works... 26:14 but He holds to the Word of God. 26:15 And that is so important because in the midst... 26:18 feelings can be so... it can betray you... 26:21 they can be... you know, 26:22 you can just get caught up into your feelings, 26:25 but you must know the Word is stand on the Word. 26:29 James: Hmmm... hmmm... 26:30 Yvonne: So, it's important to be able to pull that 26:32 and the Holy Spirit will give it back to you 26:34 but it's important to hold on to that because your... 26:37 your feelings are, you know, they fluctuate. 26:40 Jason: Yeah. 26:41 James: And that's why we're doing these programs... 26:43 we're doing these programs because we want people 26:45 to be in the Word. 26:46 Yvonne: Yes. 26:47 James: And I believe that when we get to the judgment time, 26:49 now... we get to the time where we're struggling... 26:52 we may not turn to Daniel chapter 2 or Daniel chapter 7 26:56 and Daniel chapter 8 or even Daniel chapter 9, 26:58 we may turn to Daniel chapter 10... 27:01 we may turn right here and remember 27:03 that when Daniel saw Jesus, all his prophesying... 27:07 all his dreams... all his interpretations... 27:09 all of his deliverance from lions' dens... 27:11 all of his... being set on high... 27:13 all of that meant nothing 27:14 except that he was greatly beloved. 27:17 Jason: Hmmm... hmmm... Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 27:18 James: That was the thing that saved him 27:20 from being overwhelmed by his unworthiness 27:22 in the presence of God 27:24 and that's the thing that's going to save us. 27:25 Yvonne: Hmmm... hmmm... 27:27 James: We need the vegetables of Daniel chapter 10... 27:29 we need to camp in Daniel chapter 10 27:31 and we're going to camp in Daniel chapter 10 27:33 because we're almost out of time in this Session, 27:36 we... we've hit on a... a... a gold nugget if you will... 27:40 a vein of truth... a vein of gold... 27:41 we really need to mine 27:44 and to unearth 27:45 and to bring forth the riches... 27:47 the treasures that are here in Daniel chapter 10... 27:49 we're going to do that in our second session as we come back 27:52 and we look at the last part of this verse 27:54 because we're going to need an... an amazing explanation 27:57 of the spiritual content we're involved in 27:59 in these next verses. |
Revised 2021-06-02