Bow or Burn - It Is Written with George Vandeman

[Music] does it make any difference how a man worships so long as he worships is there a right way in a wrong way and if there is does any man or nation or any coalition of men and nations have the right to prescribe the manner of worship and force all men to conform can worship be legislated he is worshipped by force acceptable to God will you and I soon witness coercion of conscience on a scale that today seems incredible stay tuned friend this could be the most important half hour you have ever spent it is written this is George vandeman today it is written presents bow or burn did you know that the first violent confrontation on this planet involved the manner of worship and that the last battle to be fought on this earth will be over the same issue and did you know that the true and false worship is the central focus of the two books of the Bible written especially for our day I'm referring to the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament and the book of Revelation in the New Testament now these two books revolve around the issue of allegiance allegiance to God and his way of worship these books focus on the final crisis are they when true worship will be challenged for the last time and when there will be an international attempt to force men to submit to the false the counterfeit now these two books contain absolutely fascinating parallels for they're definitely linked together they also contain the most sobering glimpses of the future the most solemn warnings and then a happy ending or perhaps I should say there are two endings two final chapters and we can take our choice wouldn't you think we ought to be reading them digging into them to see what this is all about yet these two books are seldom read seldom discussed and little understood why and a lot of you are saying right now but they're sealed books we're aren't supposed to understand them listen listen to what Daniel was told right in the last book of his last chapter of his book over here Daniel 12 verse 4 seal the book even to the time of the end what you see were in the time at the end now so it isn't sealed anymore and as to the book of Revelation the very word revelation you see means something that is revealed now how could anything be a revelation to you if it's sealed closed up kept secret and did you know that the angel said to John the the pennmen for the book of Revelation in the 22nd chapter and the tenth verse seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book for the time is at hand seal not see so the book of Revelation never was sealed and the very first verse the very first verse of Revelation revelation 1 verse 1 says the revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass yes this book is a revelation of Jesus we'll talk more about that later and it is written to show his servants things that would soon take place not to keep his servants from information but to reveal it doesn't sound like a sealed book does it well suppose we clamp one more question that maybe in your mind if you've ever tried to read the books of Daniel in the Old Testament a revelation in the new if you've ever tried to read them at all you've noticed a great deal of symbolic imagery is used particularly in the sections that predict the future now why is this why all the beasts and the horns and the angels and the trumpets why doesn't God come right out and say what he means well no doubt there are a number of reasons sometimes symbols really get a point across just as cartoons have a way of making issues very clear and of course the use of the use of symbols means that one the one who gets in and digs for their meaning is rewarded with the discovery of truth not the superficial official casual reader you see but there's another reason for the symbol the most important reason in these two books God places the finger of prophecy directly on the nation's the powers the forces the coalition's of many nations that would lead a play a leading part in the struggle between true and false worship and if these men and nations and forces had been actually named see clearly identified even to the casual reader these would books would have been in great danger destroyed long before now those named but long before this have destroyed the writings that named them as conspirators against God so the symbols have actually been a preserving factor you see but now suppose we pick up a few highlights from these two books it'll be fascinating as we first turned to the Book of Daniel here toward the close of the Old Testament just as revelation he appears near the close of the New Testament now the first half of the book of daniel is narrative the second half is pure prophecy but both halves the stories as well as the predictions have to do with the conflict then and now between true and false worship we'll take a quick look at these stories and then you can read them in full at your leisure the first chapter here in Daniel gives us the setting Daniel and three of his friends are our Hebrew captives in the city of Babylon and these four young men are given a chance their brilliant young man fine upstanding boys they're given a chance to prepare for positions in the court of King Nebuchadnezzar and to be sure that they were in top condition when they tried out for these positions they were given the privilege of eating the same food prepared for the king sounds like a good deal doesn't it but Daniel and his friends weren't so sure about the King's food they thought they'd be in a lot better condition if they ate the simple healthful diet to which they'd been accustom rather than the Kings highly spiced food in his wine we've talked about that on this program too haven't we reluctantly they were given permission to eat the more simple food for 10 days at the end of 10 days they were in so much better condition than those who ate the King's food that they were given the positions now right off you wonder what eating and drinking have to do with true and false worship isn't this a letdown right at the start no these men were soon to face some very severe tests how could they meet them how could they be sure of making right decisions if their minds were dulled by the rich food and the wine of the king's court what does this say to us who'll soon face the greatest crisis of all time no friend God made no mistake when he gave the first chapter of Daniel to us well in the second chapter we have a whole telecast on this second chapter it's called crowns and cosmic clocks be sure to wait for it and watch it but briefly here in chapter 2 by means of a dream given to King Nebuchadnezzar were provided with an outline of history from the days of Babylon until the end of time and that's very helpful that's helpful to show where we're living in the stream of time even Babylon would be followed by other persecuting powers remember the image of Daniel 2 there would be four world empires no more no less before our Lord would return Babylon medo-persia Greece Rome than the division now not only does this prophecy clearly indicate that we're living in the very end of time it also confronts us with the assurance that God is in control of men and nations our world is not a wandering iceberg in a cold dark ocean of space we're not leaves tossed about in a senseless universe God is in control somebody's driving well Chapter three the king though deeply impressed by the dream that he had in Chapter two by the ability given by God to Daniel to interpret it he is unhappy about one feature of the dream in that dream you remember he had seen a great image with a head of gold Daniel told him that he Nebuchadnezzar was that head of gold now the King liked that that was flattering to his pride and the king was a very proud man as we shall see but the image was not all gold just the head see gold silver brass iron and Daniel told him that he would be followed by other Kings other kingdoms weaker than he and the King didn't like that he didn't like to think of being succeeded by anybody it rankled in his mind so this heathen king got an idea he didn't waste any time and carrying it out he ordered that a huge image be set up out on the plain of Dura it would be similar to the one that he'd seen in his dream but this one would be all gold not just the head he was making sure that Babylon was gonna last forever he was determined to defy what God had said so the image was set up the VIPs from all over the kingdom were invited to the dedication well the big day came the crowd was there the band was ready the announcement was made that when they heard the music everybody was to bow down bow down to a golden image representing a he thinking now I don't know where Daniel was on this occasion he must have been away from the city on some business for he isn't mentioned but his three friends were there and they knew that when they heard the announcement that the big test had come they had a choice they could bow down and stay alive or they could remain standing and burn but they didn't hesitate a moment when the music sounded that great crowd fell to its feet but the three Hebrews didn't bow they didn't bend they didn't budge they stayed right where they were standing straight mm-hmm and tall like the masts of ships above our heads and they were given a chance to reconsider but they didn't need it they no thought of compromising their allegiance to their God he might deliver them by a miracle he might not but it made no difference they would rather burn than betray him do you see as true to duty as the needle is to the pole and so they were cast into the overheated furnace to be cremated alive but the Bible says that Jesus himself came down as he pre-existed before his birth in Bethlehem and walked with them in the flames and they came out of the fire without even the smell of smoke it's a good story isn't it it's great that those three didn't give in hmm and wasn't it thrilling the way God came down and delivered them and aren't you glad that you and I don't have to face anything like that but wait a minute don't you ever think it the account of those three Hebrews in the fire wasn't put into this book just to entertain us or even just to inspire us it's put here my friend because you and I will need it sooner than we think we're beginning to see now what this Book of Daniel is all about and the book of Revelation we're getting into the real nitty-gritty of this conflict between true and false worship for this struggle friend is not a fizzle for a philosophical conflict of ideas on paper it's not something we can stand aside and walk just spectators in fact there aren't any spectators involved we're all involved we're all participants and life than death decisions as real as those three Hebrews had are demanded of every one of us or soon will be we're beginning to pick up some of the strong parallels between the two books Daniel and revelation four over in the thirteenth chapter of Revelation we read about another image this one still future and I think we ought to read about and don't you speaking of a power that opposes God over here in Revelation 13 verse 15 listen and he had power to give life under the image of the Beast that the image of the Beast should spoke both speak and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the Beast should be killed hmm will not go into the identity of either the beast or his image today that's too big a topic for this half hour but identification is not difficult the image of course is not a literal image rather it's a coalition of forces that oppose God but do you see the striking parallel here just as in Daniel men will be commanded to worship an image that is set up in defiance of God and the penalty for nonconformity for not worshiping the image is death did you know anything like this was in the Bible did you even suspect it well Satan the enemy of God knows it's here along with a lot of other information about what is coming but he doesn't want us to know that's why the enemy has spread all this superficial propaganda about Revelation being a sealed book that you can't understand pretty clever trick isn't it and unfortunately he succeeded all too well but now to chapter 5 chapter 5 in the Book of Daniel this is the story of Belshazzar a later king of Babylon one night he set feasting with his princes then came blasphemy he ordered his servants to bring the sacred utensils that had been stolen from the temple in Jerusalem wouldn't it be a good joke to toast to the gods a babbling with these we're now was the god of the Hebrews so his dull mind reasoned but the God of the Hebrews was nearer than he thought for suddenly that King turned pale as a hand appeared writing on the wall many many Tekel upharsin thou art weighed in the balances and found wanting Babylon was finished Babylon was finished well you know the story of chapter 6 Daniel in the time of King Darius is cast into a den of lions because it refuses to stop visibly praying to his God here's something interesting the three friends of Daniel were given a positive command bow down to the image but Daniel was given a negative command just stop praying to God wouldn't it have been easy for Daniel to rationalize bow down to heathen God never but just stop praying visibly for a few days just pray in secret till the crisis blows over that kind of test is almost more difficult than the other compromise than the other compromise I say would be so easy could be made to seem so reasonable but you and I may yet meet that very kind of test if you don't bow down to the image just stop praying if you don't obey the command of God see that's what's coming evidently we face a crisis the dimension of which we've never dreamed for God says through Daniel in the twelfth chapter of that remarkable book of he is right here at the close of the Old Testament toward the close of the Old Testament Daniel 12 verse 1 there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time but that isn't all this same verse goes on and at that time thy people shall be delivered every one that shall be found written in the book deliverance that's the keyword in the Book of Daniel God came down to deliver the three Hebrews God came down to deliver Daniel from the Lions and he'll come down to deliver his people from the terrible time of trouble ahead now in the book of Revelation deliverance is brought into even sharper focus just listen to this I'm just skimming the surface tonight but I want to whet your appetite revelation 17 here it is verse 14 it's marked on every page of this book listen these shall make war with the lamb and the lamb shall overcome those who set themselves to define God will make war and who will overcome who will be the victor the lamb lamb of God Jesus the one who died for us it's Jesus they're fighting against he's the real target of their attacks he's always been but Jesus will overcome Jesus in the crisis our will deliver his people friend the book of Revelation is a revelation of Jesus remember that now it may seem an unlikely place to find him in all of a smoke and the fire and the seals and the trumpets and the thunders but he's there all through the book take the seven trumpets for instance in chapters 8 and 9 of Revelation a lot of things are going on the staccato blast of trumpets pounding hail a burning Inferno terrible bloodshed a mountain of fire plummeting into the sea a star speeding toward the earth and collision course the Sun Moon stars partially blacked out locusts swarming out of a smoking pit horses that breathe fire now this may fire your imagination or entertain you as you discover the ties with history you'll be informed but that isn't enough listen where do you find Jesus in all of this battle and let's think for a moment about some other occasions recorded in the Bible where trumpets were involved in battle you remember of course how the Hebrews marched around the city of Jericho for seven days then the priests blew the trumpets and the people shouted in the walls fell down pretty easy victory wasn't it then there was Gideon God told him yet too big an army finally was cut down to just three hundred men three hundred men with trumpets and with pictures that had lighted lamps inside while they surrounded the enemy camp one night then they blew the trumpets broke the pitchers to let the light shine out and they shouted and the enemy in panic just killed each other Gideon's little army didn't have to kill a man do you see what these battles had in common God fought them God won them the victory was not due to the strength of an army to any power or might or military expertise of the people no and it'll be the same in the crisis ahead in the Battle of Armageddon nothing we could ever do nothing in our power could win that battle the last battle in the face of this earth but the lamb will overcome jesus will overcome doesn't that do something for your faith it does for mine when ancient Babylon fell it was a signal for the release of God's people so long held captive there now they could return to their own land listen in the book of Revelation babblin is a symbol of false worship and in the eighteenth chapter an angel announces that Babylon is fallen and God's true people so many of them are still in Babylon are called to come out to break their ties with every remnant of counterfeit worship before the judgments of God fall this symbolic Babylon you see has challenged the authority of God it is set up a commandment of men in opposition to the commandment of God the issue is clear every man in that day will know what it is there's attempt to force men to bow down to a counterfeit Authority right here in Revelation in the future and finally to a counterfeit Christ it is enough the limit of God's mercy is reached the fall of Babel is complete and the announcement of her fall is a signal for Jesus himself to step in and deliver his people o friend I hope you've been intrigued with this book of Revelation this brief review I hope you've been so satisfied fascinated as we've scratched the surface today that you'll keep reading it probing its mysteries until they aren't mysteries anymore and you'll find Jesus there all the way through in the very first chapter he identifies himself as the one who was dead but now lives and he has the keys of death isn't that comforting he walks among the churches he promises life to those that overcome and he calls on the lukewarm lair to sear the last church to repent and he stands at the door and knocks and finally on the very last page of that book he says whosoever is thirsty let him come and take of the water of life freely there's no better time than now to respond to that invitation to accept the lovely Jesus the real author of this book you thought you could never understand let it let him bring it into your heart and your life and you can do it this very moment as we pray dear Heavenly Father thank you for the revelation that these pages have been to us these pages meant for our day and for our hearts help us to understand clearly so that we may be aware of the crisis a hand and be prepared and help us to accept Jesus the Revelator so that we may be for the crisis that lies just ahead please warm our cold hearts inspires with confidence and save us from sin in Jesus priceless name we ask it amen I know we've raised a lot of questions today about the books of Daniel and revelation and about this matter of what lies ahead there hasn't been time to answer them all that's why you want our gift for today it's my book a day to remember we don't offer it very often we offer it when we talk about some of these tremendous issues just ahead of us issues that will affect our own personal liberties and destinies now this book will tell you in considerable detail what the issues are how to be ready for the crisis if I've ever written on a subject absolutely vital to understand this is it I put part of my life into that book will tell you in a moment how to ask for it is free of course no cost to you but if you write instead of phone be sure to ask for it by name so that we'll know which book to send a day to remember and now here is the information you need address your card or letter - it is written box or Thousand Oaks California 9 1 36 ole could there be an easier address to remember just it is written box o that simply boxes 0 Thousand Oaks California 906 all now be sure to ask for the offer by name takes only a few moments to write but it could mean a lifetime of satisfaction and while you're writing down the address let me remind you to invite a friend to watch it is written with you next week the address again it is written växjö thousand oaks california nine one three six zero here are just a few the titles the day the stars say the price of forgetting centuries tell their story when no man can buy or sell tyranny of the crowd and others a day to remember asks for it today won't you now the time has come all too quickly to say goodbye everyone but remember it is written man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God [Applause] [Music] [Music]

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Length: 28min 30sec (1710 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 03 2020