Participants: Lonnie Melashenko
Series Code: VOPS
Program Code: VOPS000004
|
00:31 This was a bombing that took place for hours and hours
00:35 relentlessly pounding away all night. 00:39 When the devastating attack was over, 00:40 rescue volunteers were frantic. 00:42 Just digging, pawing, desperate to reach the dead 00:45 and injured trapped in that huge pile of rubble 00:47 and they worked day and night 00:49 when suddenly a chaplain helping with the rescue effort 00:53 heard something a child's muffled cry. 00:58 With a new rush of adrenaline, 01:00 rescue workers redoubled their efforts 01:02 and cleared the wreckage clawing away. 01:05 Four days, four nights desperately recovering 01:08 every person living or dead in the chaplain's own words, 01:12 "When we heard that feeble cry, we thought no one could survive 01:16 the cold and exposure, least of all a child." 01:20 But sure enough, they found that little fellow there, 01:24 when they got him out, he was still conscious, 01:28 with no food, no water for all that time of four days. 01:33 Now, how did that child survive? 01:37 It was a miracle of mother love and sacrifice the little boy 01:44 lay sheltered beneath his mother's lifeless body 01:47 some how sensing imminent danger, 01:49 that brave mother deliberately curved her strong body 01:53 over and above her child. 01:54 When the building collapsed, 01:57 she took the full weight of the crashing stone, 02:00 and underneath her protection, her little son was safe. 02:06 You know John Masefield, the poet laureate of England, 02:09 wrote these words "Oh, Mother, 02:12 when I think of thee 'Tis but a step to Calvary." 02:18 That dear, little Belgian mother sacrificed her life 02:21 to save her own flesh and blood the little one who loved her. 02:26 But ladies and gentlemen, God sacrificed His Son 02:31 not just to save those who loved Him 02:33 but also to save His enemies those who hated Him. 02:38 Isaiah 53 one of my favorite passages says, 02:42 "He is despised and rejected by men, 02:45 a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. 02:48 He was wounded for our transgressions, 02:50 He was bruised for our iniquities 02:53 and by His stripes we are healed. 02:56 All we like sheep have gone astray He was afflicted. 03:00 Yet He opened not His mouth, 03:02 He was led as a lamb to the slaughter." 03:05 The question tonight is, who was this Jesus? 03:11 Why does the Bible say in Revelation 5:12 03:15 "Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain." 03:20 Tonight ladies and gentlemen, 03:21 as the Voice of Prophecy speaks, 03:23 we discover an amazing technique of God 03:26 absolutely profound in the way that He deals with people. 03:33 When you and I take a closer look at the Bible record, 03:37 you will discover that whenever this planet 03:39 has experienced cataclysmic catastrophic, 03:43 spiritual crisis judgments 03:47 God always first sends a prophet 03:52 with a message of salvation, a loving prediction 03:56 warning about that crisis coming 03:58 and that message results 04:00 in the inauguration of a movement a remnant people 04:05 who respond to that prophetic message, 04:07 they therefore avoid the judgment, 04:10 and they move safely through another-- 04:12 that crisis into another epoch of human history. 04:16 And all throughout the Bible it is always the same. 04:19 There are at least five major epochs in human history 04:23 that illustrate this point. 04:26 I want you tonight to watch very carefully 04:27 and notice how the Voice of Prophecy speaks. 04:31 Because it has something to do with Armageddon, 04:34 it has something to do with left behind 04:38 and it has something to do with you tonight. 04:42 You tell me out loud what is the first cataclysmic crisis 04:45 we come to in the Bible? 04:48 Genesis 6, the flood, the flood of Noah. 04:52 Genesis 6:5-8 says, "The Lord saw 04:59 that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, 05:01 and that every intent of the thoughts 05:04 of his heart was only evil continually, 05:06 and the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, 05:09 and He was grieved in His heart. 05:11 So the Lord said, 'I will destroy man 05:14 whom I have created from the face of the earth, 05:16 both man and beast, 05:17 creeping things and birds of the air, 05:20 for I am sorry that I have made them.' 05:22 But Noah what? 05:26 Found grace in the eyes of the Lord." 05:29 Trouble coming, Noah. 05:30 Big time was he surprised? No. 05:35 Because before God sends judgments, 05:38 first He sends a prophet. 05:40 Well who was the preacher prophet sent before Noah's day? 05:45 I mean Noah preached a 120 years 05:47 warning before this great flood came. 05:50 Did someone precede Noah? 05:53 Well, the tiny little New Testament Book of Jude 05:55 that's only one page long says "Now Enoch, 05:59 the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men." 06:04 Yes, there it is. 06:05 Before Noah's catastrophic flood, 06:09 God first sent Enoch a prophet, it says. 06:14 You know that Enoch the Bible tells us 06:16 he had a son by the name of Methuselah. 06:19 Genesis 5:21 says Enoch, lived 65 years 06:23 and begot Methuselah." 06:26 But Methuselah 06:28 became the turning point in world history. 06:32 A changing point in Enoch's life as a prophet. 06:35 You see, part of Enoch's prophecy 06:38 was in the very name that he gave Methuselah. 06:42 May be you know that in Bible times 06:44 often when people named their children, 06:46 God helped them give them a name 06:47 that kind of had something to do with their own future 06:49 as well as with history, right? 06:52 Methuselah, he was the longest person 06:55 to ever live in the Bible wasn't he? 06:57 Well Methuselah's name actually means, 07:01 if you would translate it from Hebrew, 07:03 it literally means "at his death it will come." 07:10 What will come at his death? 07:12 Well now, if you ever go to a buy a new Bible, 07:15 you always try to buy one 07:16 with a nice centered marginal reference. 07:19 If you look at the margin in your Bible you'll find out 07:22 that there is just as valid an alternate of the translation 07:25 to that word Methuselah, because it literally means, 07:30 "at his death the sending forth of waters." 07:34 In other words if you would greet 07:36 little Methuselah, you would say, 07:37 "Hi, at your death the sending forth of waters." 07:41 But I want you to notice how amazing 07:43 an accurate prophecy is here. 07:45 God makes a prediction you see to Noah, 07:47 "I'm going to send a flood." 07:49 But first the prophet Enoch predicts it 07:52 through his son Methuselah, by naming his son, 07:55 "at his death, the sending forth of waters." 07:58 And if you read the record, in Genesis 5:27, it says, 08:02 "So all the days of Methuselah" how long did he live? 08:06 "Nine hundred and sixty-nine years, 08:09 and he died." 08:12 He lived clear up to the time of Noah, 08:16 when you see God raised up another prophet, Noah. 08:19 Who began an evangelistic campaign kind of like this 08:21 when we are doing, saying, 08:23 "Folks, a flood is coming get on board, everybody." 08:26 And every time Noah was preaching, 08:28 there in his audience sat great, great, 08:31 great, great, grandpa Methuselah, 08:34 and Noah would point to him and say, "Folks. 08:35 There he is. When he dies it will come." 08:40 We don't know the day, we don't know the hour, 08:41 but it's coming. 08:42 People poked fun at Noah. 08:44 The Bible says, they didn't believe it. 08:46 But one day his great, great, great, great, 08:48 great grandfather died, Methuselah, 08:51 and at his funeral Noah preached and said, 08:54 "Please folks, now you've got to come in the ark 08:56 because it's here. 08:58 But you know that only eight people believed. 09:02 The rest of the planet was destroyed. 09:06 But notice what happens. 09:08 God led His little remnant prophetic people 09:12 those eight people, safely through the cataclysmic flood 09:16 into the next epoch of human history. 09:19 Now the point is tonight ladies and gentlemen, 09:21 we see a technique of God here 09:23 if you watch the screens for a moment. 09:26 God calls a prophet. 09:29 Through that prophet He makes a prophecy. 09:32 At the end of that prophetic period, 09:36 God raises up another prophet 09:38 who takes that prophecy, starts a movement of people 09:42 who go safely through the crisis, 09:44 and on into the next epoch of human history. 09:49 Now if we want to see that again 09:50 let's move to exhibit two. 09:53 The major crises of the Old Testament 09:56 is the crises of Exodus. 09:58 Probably the most remarkable prophecy in all of the Bible 10:01 which I will probably has or to guess 10:03 you probably never heard preached on a Sunday 10:05 or a Saturday any other morning. 10:07 It's the prediction God gave to Abraham, 10:12 400 years before the Exodus, dramatic, 10:15 remarkable prophecy for filled 400 years later. 10:20 If you have your Bibles 10:21 you can turn with me to Genesis 15:13, 14 10:25 notice this technique of God at work once again. 10:29 There is a crisis coming, Gods people is real 10:32 are going to be in slavery 400 years. 10:36 But God comes to His friend Abraham. 10:39 And He makes His dire prediction of bad news 10:43 but then some good news. 10:45 Notice, God calls Abraham, a prophet. 10:49 "Know certainly Abraham, that your descendants 10:53 will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, 10:57 and will serve them," meaning the Egyptians " 11:00 and they will afflict them four hundred years. 11:04 And also the nation whom they serve" 11:06 that's Egypt "I will judge 11:08 afterward they will come out with great possessions." 11:13 So notice again God gives a prophecy to Abraham, 11:17 makes a prediction 11:18 that exactly 400 years of slavery and persecution 11:21 there would come then a deliverer another prophet-- 11:25 oh, by the way, if we include the call of Abraham 11:28 and well, he was still over there Bagdad, 11:30 or remember the soldiers, our troops what right up 11:32 through or even the news were CNN were saying, 11:34 this is where Abraham came from. 11:36 If you include the time that he was there 11:38 before he went to the Palestine, 11:40 he was there 430 years. 11:43 You'll see that's important at the moment. 11:45 But we should expect that after that 400 11:49 or 430 years passed another prophet 11:52 400 years later would come along, 11:54 take that original prophecy, start a movement 11:58 that inaugurates a remnant people 12:00 who respond to that prophetic message, 12:02 and they avoid that judgment, and move safely through that 12:05 crisis to another epoch of time. 12:08 Did it happen? 12:10 Well, all you have to do is 12:11 read the story of Moses and the Exodus. 12:14 It fulfilled prophecy dramatically and remarkably. 12:18 Notice please with me Exodus 12:40-42: it says 12:23 "Now the sojourn of the children of Israel 12:26 who lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years." 12:31 Notice this next line. 12:33 "And it came to pass at the end 12:35 of the four hundred and thirty years 12:37 on that very same day it came to pass 12:40 that all the armies of the Lord 12:42 went out from the land of Egypt. 12:44 It is a night of solemn observance to the Lord 12:46 for bringing them out of the land of Egypt." 12:49 And right on into a brand new epoch of time. 12:53 That is one of the most remarkable 12:55 most amazing prophecies in all of the Bible. 12:57 Fulfill the Bible says, to the very same day 13:01 when the Passover took place. 13:03 You see this is the same technique of God 13:07 always since scripture. 13:09 A prophet makes a time prophecy, 13:12 toward the end of which another prophet raises up to apply 13:18 that prophecy to his generation and begin a movement 13:21 that goes into the next epoch of history. 13:25 Let's try it again with exhibit number three. 13:29 The 70 years of Babylonian captivity exile. 13:34 You talked about Blitzkrieg and Baghdad. 13:38 We know from history 13:39 that these years of the Babylonia Captivity 13:42 for the Jews, under Nebuchadnezzar 13:44 were from history tells us 606 to 536 B.C., 13:50 you count down when you are in B.C. 13:52 Seventy years of captivity-- catastrophe. 13:55 But now notice what happens. 13:57 Jeremiah the prophet made the prediction 14:00 that God's people would go into 70 years of exile 14:04 because of their wickedness, backsliding, apostasy, 14:07 worst catastrophe ever to come to Israel. 14:10 Capture by Babylon, exile, a time of crisis. 14:15 Jeremiah 25:11-12 "And this whole land 14:20 shall be a desolation and an astonishment, 14:23 and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon 70 years. 14:28 Then it shall come to pass, when 70 years are completed, 14:32 that I will punish the king of Babylon." 14:36 Now, friends listen carefully. 14:38 If the technique of God is to be consistent 14:42 and we saw that it holds true in the case of flood, 14:44 it held true in the case of the Exodus, 14:46 two instances, then we should expect 14:49 that a prophet or may be even several prophets 14:52 should come on the scene 14:53 at the conclusion of this 70 year period 14:56 lead God's people through that crisis 14:58 on into a new epoch, a new era. 15:02 Well, exactly 70 years later, what happened? 15:05 Sure enough, three prophets show up, 15:08 Daniel, Haggai and Zechariah down to the very year 536 B.C. 15:16 We'll just pick on one of them 15:17 for a quotation from Daniel 9:1, 2 he says, 15:22 "In the first year of Darius I, Daniel, 15:26 understood by the books the number of the years 15:28 specified by the word of the Lord 15:30 through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish 15:34 seventy years of desolation of Jerusalem." 15:37 You see Daniel takes the prophecy of Jeremiah, 15:41 applies that prophecy to His day. 15:43 And so God begins a remnant, 15:46 who went back to Jerusalem, started a new movement 15:49 and moved into a brand new epoch for the nation of Israel. 15:53 I mean it's absolutely thrilling. 15:55 Folks, God is the same yesterday, today and what? 15:59 Forever, God rules, folks. He's in control. 16:03 But now hold on to your seats because tonight's message 16:06 is one of the most amazing examples 16:08 of this prophecy principle in all of the Bible. 16:12 The 490 year prophecy of Daniel 9:25. 16:18 Now most people who studied the Bible, 16:20 they know that there is over 300 little prophecies 16:23 in the Old Testament 16:24 pointing forward to Jesus, Messiah. 16:27 Every detail is there about His lifetime. 16:30 We call those "Messianic prophecies" 16:32 and we'll look at a few before the evening is done. 16:35 But For thousands of years back there in the Old Testament, 16:38 people would offer sacrifices and they would slay a lamb, 16:41 and they would sprinkle the blood of the lamb 16:44 on the doorposts of their homes clearly teaching people 16:47 before Jesus came to died on Calvary 16:50 that the only way to be saved from their sins is, 16:53 John 1:29 says, is to "Behold the Lamb of God 16:57 who takes away the sin of the world!" 16:59 Messiah is coming. 17:01 Hebrews 9:23, says very-- verse 22 says 17:05 "without the shedding of blood there is no remission." 17:09 So you see God Himself set up that ceremonial system 17:12 for all those millennia on purpose 17:14 to point forward to Messiah the Lamb of God. 17:18 He's coming. 17:19 The most important crisis, crucial, 17:22 cataclysmic event in the history of the universe. 17:24 Jesus' death on Calvary's cross. 17:27 But let's stop tape right here. 17:29 Let's refocus the camera and let's back up 500 years. 17:35 Five centuries. 17:38 Daniel, the prophet 17:40 was carefully studying the prophecies 17:42 and praying for His people Israel. 17:45 Remember he is in Babylon. He is a captive. 17:47 But he got excited because he notice that 17:49 one of the prophesies about the exiles 17:51 it was the 70 year captivity prophecy of Jeremiah 17:55 and he realized the prophecy that had been predicted 17:58 about that captivity was going to come to end 18:00 for him and his people in about five years. 18:03 "Wow, well, we Jews are gonna get to go back to Jerusalem. 18:07 God's about to set us free." 18:09 Well, as Daniel was speaking to God 18:11 and thanking Him in prayer, for this wonderful revelation, 18:15 the angel Gabriel came, Daniel 9:22, 23 says 18:19 "And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, 18:23 'O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill 18:27 and understanding for you are greatly beloved" 18:30 wouldn't you like to have God save of you through Gabriel? 18:34 You-- God thinks you are really special. 18:38 "Therefore Daniel consider the matter, 18:40 and understand the vision." 18:42 So, notice now, hear again we have a prophet, 18:45 God's giving the prophet Daniel a vision, 18:47 a new prophecy, 18:49 And Gabriel told Daniel 18:51 "I've got some good news and some bad news. 18:55 Let me give the bad news first, Daniel. 18:58 Another big crisis is coming:" 19:00 Daniel 9:24 "Seventy weeks are determined for your people." 19:07 In other words your Jewish nation Daniel, 19:09 has got 70 weeks to get their act together 19:13 or God says I'm through. 19:15 It will be finished, it will be over kaput." 19:19 Well, Daniel's heart stops cold. 19:22 Why, with this be Gabriel? 19:24 Daniel 9:24, "For your people and your holy city, 19:28 to finish the transgression to make an end of sins, 19:31 to make reconciliation for iniquity, 19:33 to bring in everlasting righteousness, 19:35 seal up the vision and prophecy, 19:37 and to anoint the Most Holy." 19:41 Well, Daniel was troubled about this. 19:44 The vision haunted him for days and the Bible says for weeks. 19:46 He couldn't understand it. 19:48 He couldn't sleep, he Stayed up nights 19:49 thinking about it because it wasn't clear. 19:52 Because you see, Daniel knew that in prophecy 19:57 when you compute apocalyptic prophetic time, 20:01 end time events prophecies. 20:05 He knew that one prophetic day 20:08 really stands for a literal year. 20:12 I mean that's how prophetic time works. 20:14 Daniel knew about Ezekiel 4:6 and Numbers 14:34, 20:18 you can get it that discover lessons, 20:20 be sure you pick up your copy at the-- the table tonight. 20:24 They spell out very clearly 20:26 that "I have appointed thee each day" for what? 20:31 "A year." 20:32 So, first of all, says Gabriel to Daniel, 20:35 who was a prophet remember 20:36 in this prophecy here of this 400-- this 70 weeks. 20:40 This prophetic period of 490 literal years 20:44 that's 70 weeks, 70 times 7 is 490. 20:47 That's how long the Jews have to get with it. 20:50 Four hundred ninety literal years 20:52 are measured off for the Jewish nation, 20:54 to repent, to be saved as a nation of Israel. 20:57 And this is also Daniel, 20:58 a special period of grace for the Jewish nation. 21:01 But then, Daniel, a big crisis is coming, big time. 21:07 But Daniel, here's the good news. 21:09 I want you to notice that during this 490 year period 21:13 some great things are gonna take place. 21:16 Some events leading up to, 21:18 hold on to your seat Daniel, Messiah. 21:22 Really? That's right. 21:23 Daniel, during this long time prophecy all of these rites 21:28 and ceremonies and blood sacrifices 21:30 was would brought to an end. 21:31 Pay attention, Daniel. 21:33 This is the greatest prophecy God has ever given. 21:36 Four specific events leading up to ground zero, Calvary. 21:42 I'm gonna tell you exactly Daniel, 21:44 listen I'm gonna tell you the year Messiah comes, 21:47 exactly when He will officially begin His ministry, 21:50 how long His ministry will be, even to when He will die 21:55 to the year, month, day and hour of time 21:59 and much, much more, Daniel. 22:01 Wow, thought Daniel. Wow. 22:05 "Gabriel, when does this prophecy begin? 22:07 When did it start, what's the beginning date? 22:08 I'd like to know, so may be I can start computing 22:10 when all these things will happen." 22:12 Gabriel says to Daniel in verse 25, Now listen, 22:15 it just takes a little bit of simple arithmetic. 22:18 You can start figuring out this prophecy 22:21 and all of its finer details from the time of the decree 22:25 to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. 22:29 Notice, "Know therefore and understand, 22:32 that from the going forth of the command to restore 22:35 and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, 22:39 there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks." 22:44 Oh, says Daniel. Sure enough. 22:48 I'm here in Jerusalem, it's in ruins at this time. 22:50 Daniel and the Jews they are captive prisoners in Babylon. 22:53 Gabriel says, get out your stopwatch Daniel, 22:56 well, a decree is made to rebuild Jerusalem. 22:59 All right, says Daniel. Can't miss that. 23:02 I mean this is like "WordPerfect for Dummies." 23:04 And we find that decree recorded 23:07 in the Book of Ezra Chapter 6 and 7 in fact, 23:10 the Jews wrote it everywhere in the Old Testament, 23:12 so nobody would miss it. 23:14 But, well, let's pick on Ezra 7:7, 13 tell us 23:18 "In the seventh year of Artaxerxes the King" 23:21 King of Persia and it gives such and such a day 23:24 and such and such month. 23:25 "I make a decree, that all they of the children of Israel 23:30 of their own freewill can go up to Jerusalem." 23:35 Well, history tells us that the decree of King Artaxerxes 23:38 to rebuild Jerusalem was issued in the year 457 B.C. 23:44 the year, the month and even the day are given. 23:48 The angel says, Daniel, get out your pencil. 23:51 This prophecy is so simple 23:53 an eighth grader can figure it out. 23:55 The beginning date of this long 490 year prophecy period 24:00 is when this decree is issued in 457 B.C. 24:03 Daniel, put it down. Write it down. 24:06 But notice now, that Daniel is gonna be 24:08 several amazing subdivisions in this 490 year period. 24:13 Write these down. 24:14 But 457 B.C. starts the clock ticking. 24:19 But the very first thing Daniel to watch for to happen 24:21 after that is going to be you'll see Jerusalem rebuilt. 24:26 Daniel 9:25 "to restore and build Jerusalem 24:30 shall be" how many weeks? 24:32 "Seven weeks. 24:34 The street will be built again, and the wall, 24:36 even in troublesome times." 24:38 Well, Seven weeks how many days? 24:42 Come on, 49, seven-- 24:46 seven weeks times seven days in a week 49 days. 24:50 Actual prophetic days, but now we want actual years, 24:54 so that's 49 years that's right 24:58 for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. 24:59 Bingo, that brings you down to 408 B.C. 25:03 you do the math. 25:04 History tells us that dates correct 25:07 because Artaxerxes, Longimanus completed the work in 408 B.C. 25:14 But, now, Daniel, says Gabriel, from 457 B.C. 25:17 this prophecy also is to go down and reach to Messiah, 25:23 the anointed one, verse 25, "Know therefore and understand, 25:28 from the going forth of the command 25:30 to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, 25:34 shall be seven weeks and sixty two weeks." 25:37 What's sixty two in seven? Sixty nine, all right. 25:42 Do a little math, seven times, 69 is 483 days 25:47 or we're looking for real years now. 25:50 Four hundred and eighty years later 25:52 after Artaxerxes original decree brings us down-- 25:56 you actually have to go down to zero 25:57 and now you are up into A.D. you count up to 27 A.D. 26:01 That's the year that Messiah should officially appear. 26:06 What happened in that year? 26:07 You go to your gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke, John 26:10 even the Book of Acts they all tell us precisely 26:13 that year happen to be the 15th year 26:16 reigning of Tiberius Caesar, 26:19 and it says the John the Baptist 26:21 was baptizing people over in the Jordan River 26:24 and one day Jesus came down to that river 26:26 and He asked John, 26:28 I want to be baptized in the Jordan River. 26:30 John, I want you to anoint Me. Now says John. 26:36 Now says Jesus. The prophetic clock has struck. 26:40 Notice, Mark 1:15 Jesus said, "The time is" what? 26:46 "Fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand." 26:49 And John looks with prophetic inside and says. 26:52 "Behold. 26:53 The Lamb of God 26:55 who is gonna takes away the sin of the world!" 26:57 People, look at him, this is Messiah. 27:00 He is showing up right on schedule 27:02 as the prophecies indicate. 27:04 In fact Luke pinpoints this very year 27:06 that Jesus was anointed at His baptism, 27:09 Luke tells us it's in the fall of A.D. 27. 27:13 Luke 3:1, 22, 21. 27:16 "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar 27:19 and praying, the heaven was opened, 27:21 and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape 27:24 like a dove upon him, 27:25 and a voice came from heaven, which said, 27:28 'Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased.' 27:35 " God anointed Jesus. 27:39 Messiah, anointed One, right there at His baptism. 27:44 And Paul states in Acts 10:38, 27:46 "God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost." 27:51 In the fall of A.D. 27 and that's important 27:55 because it fulfills the 483 year 27:58 part of that prophecy down to the very month. 28:01 I mean is this just an accident? 28:03 Why wasn't Jesus baptized in the spring or the summer? 28:07 Just happenstance here. No friend. 28:10 The prophecy said Jesus would be anointed 28:13 exactly at that time so that Messiah 28:16 could not possibly be Buddha nor could it be Confucius. 28:22 It cannot be Mohammed. 28:24 This is no coincidence because it proves 28:26 Jesus was indeed who He claimed to be, Messiah. 28:31 In fact, Jesus himself preached everywhere He went, 28:33 Mark 1:15 "The time is fulfilled, 28:36 the kingdom of God is at hand. 28:38 Repent, and believe in the gospel." 28:39 He said to the people, 28:41 My whole life is based on prophecies. 28:44 Oh, but listen, hold on there's more. 28:47 It really gets beautiful and wonderfully technical. 28:50 In fact, this is my favorite part of the prophecy. 28:54 Because you see in from 27 A.D. 28:56 when Jesus arrived there is still seven more years 29:00 left in that prophecy for the Jews 29:03 to get with it, right. 29:04 From Christ's baptism in 27 A.D. 29:07 clear up to A.D. 34 for seven more years 29:12 after the Savior entered His ministry in A.D. 27, 29:15 the gospel was preached especially to the Jews. 29:19 For three and half years preach to them 29:21 by Christ Himself, and then afterward 29:23 when He went back to haven the apostles preached the Jews. 29:27 But look, something else happens first 29:30 before that Jewish nation falls apart in A.D. 34, 29:34 Daniel 9:26, 27 say's in the midst of the week, 29:42 "Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself." 29:49 For others He'd be killed. Now look closely what happens? 29:54 Right smack in the middle of this last 7 years, 29:57 from 27 A.D. to 34 A.D. right in the middle 31 A.D. 30:03 it says, "And He shall confirm 30:04 the covenant with many" for how long? 30:07 "One week at seven years and in the midst of that week 30:12 He will cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease." 30:16 In other words, exactly three and one-half years 30:20 after Jesus baptism, 30:23 by sacrificing Himself halfway through this week, 30:27 He would bring an end to the entire 30:29 sacrificial system of the Jewish Old Testament. 30:32 Now I want you to count it with me. 30:33 Hold up your hand. I want you to use your fingers. 30:37 There is one, two, three years 30:39 and we're gonna go into the half of this fourth one. 30:41 The fingers are just the edges of the years, okay? 30:44 From the fall of A.D. 27 you go to the fall of A.D. 28, 30:49 that's one year, to the fall of A.D. 29, two years, 30:52 to the fall of A.D. 30, three years 30:56 and then you don't go to the fall of A.D. 31 30:59 its only half year. 31:00 From the fall you'll go to winter, 31:03 and then what's the next season? 31:05 The spring of A.D. 31. 31:07 When is Easter? The spring. 31:11 Prophecy was fulfilled exactly history tells us 31:15 it was Passover in 31 A.D. 31:18 exactly three and half years after His baptism. 31:21 In the middle of this prophetic week, 31:23 Jesus died as the perfect Lamb of God. 31:26 He the true sacrifice offered on Calvary the Bible says, 31:30 was suddenly cut off, killed, hung on a cross. 31:35 And scripture even tells us, 31:36 it was on the 14th day of the first Jewish month 31:40 equivalent precisely to our Easter time. 31:43 And you very well remember what happened that day? 31:45 Mark records it. 31:46 Says it was Passover in Jerusalem, 31:49 and it says that just as the priest 31:51 was there in the temple, 31:53 there was about to slay the lamb on the altar, 31:55 suddenly it says "the veil in the temple behind him bushed" 31:58 by the way was six inches thick 32:01 was suddenly torn from top to the bottom by an unseen hand. 32:05 In horror, the High Priest dropped the knife, 32:08 and all the people now for the very first time 32:10 could see right into the most Holy Place 32:12 which only the high priest was ever supposed to see. 32:15 But all of that rigmarole and ceremony was worthless now. 32:19 It meant nothing. Why? 32:22 It all came to an end at the cross. 32:25 Because at that very moment, 32:27 Jesus outside the wall of Jerusalem, 32:29 hung on Calvarias hill and He cried out 32:31 at that very instant. 32:33 Look John 19:30 "It is finished." 32:39 The Bible said that Jesus would be crucified 32:43 when the Passover Lamb was slain 32:45 three o'clock on the afternoon 32:46 on the 14th day of the first month in A.D. 31. 32:50 On the very month, the very day, 32:52 the very hour and the very second 32:56 that the lamb in the temple was slain 32:59 meeting the specifications of prophecy 33:01 in every single minute detail. 33:05 You see the time had come for the rights 33:07 and the ceremonies of the Old Testament to cease. 33:10 No more sacrifices to show faith 33:11 anymore in a coming Messiah. 33:13 Messiah Changed the World. What a prophecy. 33:18 Can you say amen? Amen. 33:20 Fantastic, because no other person on the planet 33:23 could possibly fulfilled history as Jesus did. 33:27 Oh, but friend, the prophecy isn't ended. 33:30 Three and one-half more years remember 33:33 were measured off for the Jews ending in 34 A.D. 33:39 As a nation they have three and one-half more years 33:40 to straighten out, to accept Jesus 33:43 and the message of the disciples. 33:44 But you know what the New Testament tells us 33:46 they never did. 33:47 The Jews-- the disciples tried to win them 33:51 but the Jewish nation officially 33:52 rejected their message and finally 33:56 when Jews stoned Stephen to death 33:58 in A.D. 34 they finally sealed their doom. 34:03 The rejection of the gospel Stephen became 34:06 the first martyr of the Christian church, 34:09 and that's when the prophetic clock struck again 34:12 right on time, that 490 years of prophecy. 34:16 That's when the Jews finally had broken the camel's back. 34:20 The last straw persecuting not only the Messiah's 34:23 putting Him to death but now it's persecuting His church. 34:26 So God sent word that because 34:28 they had rejected Him as a nation, 34:31 He finally had to reject them. 34:33 And the disciples, under intense persecution 34:36 were scattered and Acts 8:4 says 34:38 "They went everywhere now preaching the word." 34:41 Preaching the Gospel now to the Gentile world. 34:45 If God couldn't use the Jews, God would use the Gentiles 34:49 to proclaim His truth and formulate His church. 34:52 We know this exactly what happened. 34:54 Acts 13:46 gives the CNN News report from Antioch, 35:00 when the Jewish fiercely opposed the apostles, 35:02 it says "Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, 35:07 'It was necessary that the word of God 35:09 should be spoken to you first, but since you reject it, 35:13 and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, 35:15 behold, we turn to the Gentiles.'" 35:20 Ending the 490 year prophecy of Daniel 35:25 end of the Jewish theocracy Jesus has said in Luke 13:7. 35:30 "Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit 35:33 on this Jewish fig tree this Jewish nation, I find none. 35:38 Cut it down." 35:40 The Jews are obstructing Gods plan of Salvation. 35:42 And that's why shortly after A.D. 34 35:45 the Jewish nation and Jerusalem was terribly totally sacked, 35:50 leveled by the Roman armies in 70 A.D. 35:53 Just like Daniel 9:26 foretold. 35:56 Just like Jesus foretold in Matthew 8:12 35:59 "The children of the Kingdom 36:01 shall be cast out into outer darkness." 36:05 You see, friend, the 70 week prophecy is not only correct 36:11 it's accurate to the very moment of time. 36:14 Every little subdivision met complete fulfillment 36:17 in history proving beyond the shadow of a doubt, 36:20 Jesus of Nazareth was Messiah, foretold in Scripture. 36:26 Jesus began His ministry, He accomplished His death 36:29 at the very times specified in prophecy. 36:31 I mean who else could it be? No one. 36:34 It's not Confucius, it's not Gandhi, 36:38 it's not Buddha, it's Jesus. Amen. 36:42 But notice that we see it again a technique of God. 36:46 We see the consistency of God. 36:48 A prophet makes a time prediction 36:52 at the end of which another prophet raises up 36:56 to form a movement a nucleus of people. 36:59 They lead that remnant through the time of crisis 37:02 and on into a new epoch because our God is the same. 37:08 He is predictable because He doesn't change. 37:14 And by the way in the very last days of this earth's history 37:18 there's one more prophecy we don't have time for tonight 37:21 it's the most exciting one of all, 37:22 of tremendous global and cosmic interest 37:25 that follows the identically same pattern. 37:28 It's the final prophecy that leads out the final people 37:32 in the final crisis the final jeopardy on this planet. 37:36 This time not into just another human epoch of time 37:39 this time into eternal life. 37:43 You don't want to miss that message on Friday night. 37:46 I mentioned there are hundreds of other detailed prophecies 37:50 in the Bible that point with stupendous 37:52 and astonishing accuracy to Jesus. 37:54 I'll just touch on a few. 37:56 He is prophesied as being the true Lamb of God. 38:00 And these are all evidence of course that He is the Messiah. 38:02 His miraculous birth it was predicted 38:05 that He would be born of a virgin. 38:08 Isaiah talked about that in Isaiah 7:14. 38:10 His birth place was given in Micah 5:2 38:13 but Thou Bethlehem of Ephratah remember? 38:15 His betrayal by Judas was fore told in the Psalms, 38:18 Psalm 41:9. 38:20 The price paid to the betrayer was how much? 38:24 Thirty pieces of silver. 38:25 That was talked about in Zechariah 11:12. 38:27 His Beating and His abuse in Isaiah 50 and Isaiah 53 38:31 that they would pierced His hand and His feet 38:33 Psalms talked about that in Psalms 22:16. 38:36 It says that he would be numbered with the transgressors 38:38 and He was crucified between two thieves 38:41 Isaiah 53:12 talks about that. 38:43 It even predicted in psalms 22:18 38:45 That they would cast lots for His clothing 38:47 and we know the Romans solider did that. 38:49 Even the Words on the Cross were predicted in Psalm 22:1 38:52 when Jesus said "My God, My God, 38:55 why hast thou forsaken me?" 38:56 Ladies and gentlemen, of the jury tonight, 39:00 Jesus Christ was not only truly everything 39:04 He claimed to be the Messiah. 39:08 There's only one Person in the world 39:10 who could fulfill all the Biblical rubrics of prophecy. 39:13 Amen. I mean there's no mistake. 39:16 And friend, as our Lord hung upon that cruel cross 39:19 fulfilling prophecy to the very split-second 39:22 with His back lacerated, the cruel beatings 39:25 and His hands and feet driven through with spikes, 39:28 His nails pierced and the thorns in His brow, 39:31 enduring the mockery and jeers of the crowd you know, 39:37 He could have called 10,000 angels 39:41 to destroy the world, set Him free. 39:45 He was God. 39:47 But you see, He couldn't save Himself and save us too. 39:52 Do you ever wonder if anybody is out there 39:56 who really cares about you? 39:59 Oh friend, Jesus does. 40:03 Two thousand years ago 40:05 He proved just how much He cares 40:08 as He poured out His life for you on a lonely hill 40:10 just outside of Jerusalem. 40:12 What incredible love. But listen, friend, listen. 40:17 Just as all these prophecies of Christ's first coming, 40:22 His first advent announced His kingdom of His amazing grace, 40:28 so the message of Christ second coming 40:32 announces the kingdom of His glory. 40:34 And the second coming prophecies 40:36 and the second coming messages, 40:38 are even more than the first coming, 40:40 based on the prophecies hundreds and hundreds of them. 40:43 The Voice of Prophecy speaks. 40:46 Back the angle Gabriel told Daniel about our day tonight. 40:51 The last days. 40:52 When he said in Daniel 12:4, 40:54 "Many would run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase." 40:59 The wicked will do wickedly, 41:00 none of the wicked shall understand, 41:03 but the wise shall understand. 41:09 My friend, that's why you're here tonight 41:12 and why you've just received understanding 41:16 because tonight, it's closing time for this old world. 41:20 We've reached the time foretold in all these scriptures. 41:24 The time of the end is come. Solemn, swift, certain, soon. 41:31 My dear friend, George Vandeman, 41:33 Connie's father the late George Vandeman 41:35 I worked for them for five years. 41:36 Jeannie and I travel all over the world with them. 41:39 George Vandeman used to tell the story 41:40 a number of years ago about a lighthouse. 41:42 That was being built on the rock-bound coast of Wales. 41:46 When the building was nearly completed, 41:49 unfortunately one of the workmen stumbled 41:51 and fell back through the scaffolding 41:53 down to the rocks below. 41:55 The other workmen were shocked. 41:57 They didn't dare even look down 41:59 for fear of being unnerved at the sight. 42:01 With heavy hearts they kid of slowly 42:03 backed down the ladders to the ground. 42:05 But to their surprise and their joy 42:08 they saw their fellow workman lying on a tuft of grass 42:11 kind of shaken up. 42:13 Shocked and bruised of course. But not seriously harmed. 42:17 But right beside him lay a dead lamb. 42:23 A flock of sheep had been wandering by that very moment, 42:27 and a lamb had broken that mans fall. 42:31 Friend, a lamb broke your fall. A lamb broke mine. 42:38 Jesus, the Lamb of God 42:39 that takes away the sin of the world. 42:42 Wouldn't you like to lift your heart 42:43 to prayer in heaven right now and say, 42:45 "Yes, Jesus, I see it now clearly 42:48 He who really are Messiah, my Lord, my Savior. 42:52 You were the fall guy for me. 42:56 Lord I accept You, I give my heart to You." 43:01 Breathe that prayer just now 43:04 as the broke happen start those response cards down take it, 43:10 make an indication, turn your life 43:12 over to Jesus as Joey sings. 43:16 If you are aimlessly wandering alone 43:24 Turn your life over to Jesus 43:32 If you need someone to call your own 43:39 Turn you life over to Him 43:45 You can depend on the love He will provide 43:53 All your confusion in Him you can confide 44:01 He gave His own life to save you 44:09 Why don't you give yours to Him? 44:19 Won't you bow your head with me 44:20 and let's pray and talk to the Lord right now. 44:24 Gracious Heavenly Father, as we begin tonight 44:28 to comprehend through prophecy. 44:32 The significance of Jesus sacrifice, 44:34 tonight we simply want to pause and say "Thank You." 44:39 Thank You for spelling it out so clearly 44:42 that You came on purpose to fulfill prophecy 44:45 and to bring Your free gift of salvation. 44:47 We certainly didn't deserve it, 44:50 but Lord your prophecies show us time and again 44:53 You're a God who is consistent. 44:57 You're predictable. We can count on You. 45:01 So just now by faith we choose to make a decision and respond, 45:05 by accepting You. 45:07 Claiming You by faith tonight. 45:10 Lord as our heads are bowed 45:11 and we're in attitude of prayer, 45:14 I want to invite all of you wherever you're located 45:17 in the downlink location to join us here in Colombia. 45:20 Just open your eyes and look down at that response card 45:23 make some kind of a tangible commitment 45:26 to the Christ of prophecy tonight. 45:28 He's spoken through His word to our hearts 45:31 throughout this auditorium through out the world, 45:33 wherever you people are listening. 45:35 Will you say, Lord, Lord, you can count me in on this prayer 45:40 by marking your commitment, the first one 45:44 many if you may want to check and say you know I see it now, 45:47 I want accept Gods plan for my life 45:49 and I look toward a better tomorrow. 45:53 Check the first one. 45:54 Some of you may also want to check the second one. 45:57 Oh, I see it I want to accept Jesus Christ 46:00 and His plan of salvation, 46:02 just put check there 46:03 right there clearly in number two. 46:05 And then number three I hope many will say tonight 46:09 perhaps for the first time you know 46:10 I want to get out my Bible, I want to study it daily, 46:12 I'm gonna pick up those discover lessons 46:15 and I we're gonna pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit 46:18 from now on in my life would you check number three. 46:21 And finally number four you may have 46:23 a special personal prayer request 46:25 we want you to check that in write your request down 46:27 or at least a little summary of it 46:28 we'd like to pray for you. 46:30 You could write on the back if you'd like as well. 46:32 Lord, we're gonna continue you to pray 46:33 just now as a responding. 46:36 Please accept our thanks 46:37 and accept our commitments to You. 46:40 And as we leave this auditorium 46:42 and surround us with Your promised power 46:44 and Your presence, and Your forgiveness 46:47 and Your love, because we pray it in Jesus' name. 46:53 If you are aimlessly wandering alone 47:00 Turn your life over to Jesus 47:08 If you need someone to call your own 47:15 Turn you life over to Him 47:22 You can depend on the love He will provide 47:29 All your confusion in Him you can confide 47:37 He gave His own life to save you 47:46 Why don't you give yours to Him? 47:53 Turn your life over to Him 48:07 Right now we're gonna ask those row captains 48:09 to make sure that the containers moved pass that row. 48:13 Thank you for turning in your decision 48:15 and your commitment tonight. 48:17 Tomorrow night right back here same time, 48:19 same place and all the locations 48:21 from Australia the Pacific rim 48:23 to our friends up there in Canada 48:25 the Spanish world is listening to this translators 48:27 all through out South America in the Spanish world. 48:30 And in Korea is being translated every night 48:32 our Korean translators back here 48:34 we might get them to come out 48:35 and say hello some evening here. 48:37 Thank you for listening, thank you for coming. 48:39 Tomorrow night subject don't forget it, 48:42 because the Bible tells us in a very, very different way 48:45 if you're born once you're gonna have to die twice. 48:52 But if you're born twice you'll only have to die once. 48:57 Amen. Born to live forever. 49:02 As we close our broadcast every day, 49:04 I want to leave you these words remember friend, 49:07 God really does love you. 49:12 Amen. Good night everyone. |
Revised 2014-12-17